Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Yesterday I shared Richard Epstein and John Yoo with Troy, shooting an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with our two favorite constitutional scholars before handing them over to Troy, who (as he explains in his post below) then sat them down to shoot an installment of "Law Talk." (John Yoo's comment on spending the whole afternoon arguing law with Richard Epstein: "I felt like the guy who's assigned to cover Michael Jordan. All you can do is keep him in front of you and hope for the best.")
After the shoot, Richard and I got to talking about--well, about just how bad things are. No matter who wins the election, Richard argued, taxation and regulation will still prove extensive, depressing American productivity and forcing people around the world to reevaluate this country's long-term prospects.
"You see it in immigration," Richard said (I'm quoting him from memory). "On net, immigration to the United States has turned negative. Mexicans, Asians--people are going home. And it's not just a temporary problem that will end when the economy recovers. When people make immigration decisions, they make them based on long-term prospects. Canada is now attracting immigrants at a higher rate than the United States. Canada!"
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May '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Peter - How can anyone retain any of Richard's thoughts to memory. It's like being asked to learn a Shakespeare soliloquy in a single reading!
Mar '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
And Mr Obama is less than half way through his fundamental transformation of America.
We will soon all be as pessimistic as Mr Delingpole.
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Oddly enough, after a shoot I can remember almost nothing anyone said while the cameras were running. But the small talk as we're all dabbing off our makeup? That's quite often striking or revealing, I find, and it somehow lodges in my mind. (Bill Buckley experienced the same phenomenon, by the way. He once told me he could scarcely remember a single Firing Line. Shooting, we agreed, is something like an athletic event--intense while it's taking place, but something difficult to hold in memory.)
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Jan '12
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
The Mexican and Asian immigrants are going home. Whatever wealth they accumulated in the US is worth a lot more back 'home'.
How about European immigrants? My guess is much fewer of them want to head 'home'.
May '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Peter - I experience the same phenomena and I'm behind the camera. Doing the job is a job itself. The aggregate result on the screen is something that I can only revisit days afterward... and then only briefly.
Dec '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Humm don't know what to say to that one. As a young american I am not a big fan of this idea, but also feel like it could definitely be true with America's current fear of the free market and capitalism. Maybe I will move to Hong Kong at least then you have free market and steamed dumplings.
Aug '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
I'm offensive, and I find this remark Canadian.
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Interesting. Is the behavior of immigrants an accepted economic indicator of our country's finances, their country's finances, or both?
Dec '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Tommy De Seno
Interesting. Is the behavior of immigrants an accepted economic indicator of our country's finances, their country's finances, or both? · 1 minute ago
Seem like it is a measure of where life is better both economically, and socially. Almost a sort of barometer for where people are succeeding.
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Thanks. You make me suppose I might not be losing my marbles after all.
Mar '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
That's it, Peter, I'm resigning my commission and retiring to a bunker deep in the country stocked with canned goods and 5.56 rounds. Just try me, zombies!
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I think the way your memory works, and what Buckley said, is fascinating and revealing. In large part (forgive me if I'm mistaken) I think it is demonstrative of a certain very sharp mental and moral faculty that doesn't get bogged down in holding grudges but is more interested in exploring the nuances and problems that each position in a debate must grapple with.
Peter, your work on Uncommon Knowledge over the year is superb. Thanks.
Apr '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Wow, I didn't know that bit about the net immigration rate turning negative.
Mar '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Stephen Bishop:
How about European immigrants? My guess is much fewer of them want to head 'home'.
Yeah, there would not be much work for me in the UK. Germany, maybe.
In high-tech, most of the R&D leaving the US is moving to Asia, rather than Europe.
Dec '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Just like he is taking credit for reducing our dependence on foreign oil, Obama will take credit for reducing illegal immigration. All hail the great calamity that killed enough to make the wailing bearable!
Mar '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Prof. Epstein is certainly correct. Even if deus ex machina like some ideal candidate emerged to lead it would be years of slogging to correct matters, resolving fiscal imbalances alone will be a gut punch.
The election is not a referendum on economic prosperity, yea or nay. That option is simply not on the table. The only question we are deciding is how painful the inevitable correction will be, whether we seize our own destiny or eventually are forced.
Oct '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
Peter Robinson
Oddly enough, after a shoot I can remember almost nothing anyone said while the cameras were running. … Shooting, we agreed, is something like an athletic event--intense while it's taking place, but something difficult to hold in memory.)
I've noted a similar phenomenon with reading. When I read something, if you tested me on comprehension a few hours later, I'm sure I'd do terribly, but one or two days afterward everything is nicely cross-indexed and accessible in long-term memory. It's as if there's some kind of meat-Google running as a background process as newly-acquired information is burned from short-term to long-term memory.
Or maybe I'm just getting old.
May '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
I'm still waiting for Steve Hayward on Uncommon Knowledge.
I do suspect, however, that immigrant will flock back as soon as there is a different administration. Living in Minnesota, I'm more concerned about a bunch that believes it is their duty to raise energy prices to appease Mother Gaia's hatred of carbon.
The countries that prosper will be those that recognize the virtues of having- and using up- a lot of (cheap) energy.
Dec '10
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
As a more anecdotal parallel to David Williamson's post, not only are we losing R&D but according to Inc. magazine there is also an increasing number of young entrepreneurs taking their American educations and idas off to South Korea.
Apr '11
Re: Richard Epstein Says We're Doomed
When my parents moved our family from Italy in the early 70's, they had several destination choices: we had relatives in Australia, UK and Argentina and my dad had people from his small town who had moved to W Germany. For them, there really was no choice though, and the US was the only place they wanted to raise their family. Now throughout my life, I have heard rumblings of extended family members back in Italy and a desire to move here as well. Sometimes it's been very serious and sometimes it was more wishful thinking. However, those voices have died down and I haven't heard of or spoken to anyone over there who mentions a desire to move here in a long time. In fact, we have several relatives and friends who have vacationed here the past several years as a cheap destination to fill up an empty duffel bag with clothing and other items purchased at local outlet centers.
Edited on January 20, 2012 at 8:54pm