The US Immigration debate

Vivek Wadhwa has been working on, and pushing forth the idea that the US needs to 'allow' more and more smarter guys in to start businesses and participate in the American Dream, so it can grow. There's some support, some opposition, some hate-mail. I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree with the Startup-Visa idea, but overall, he makes sane arguments for an open world. 

However, there's just one little hitch. The world's moving on rapidly while people argue on the allow/disallow lists! Sure, the US has been a major destination for folks across the world over the last 30-40 years, but the gloss is gone, and the action's moved/moving rapidly elsewhere.

In fact, the numbers of 'foreigners' doing ventures in India, tho small, seems to be on the up. China and India were 45% of the world economy till a couple of centuries ago, and it'll probably get back there quite quick. its just plain logical.

So while Vivek's attempts at ensuring his adopted country doesn't lose whats been its competitive edge for a long long time, it might turn out to be too optimistic an argument in that geography soon. 

India, on the other hand, needs to silence its Xenophobes really quick if it doesn't want to get into the same situation. Yes we're a lot of smart, entrepreneurial people, but special skills, smart ideas and a few more herbs and spices enriching our melting pot is not only a wonderful thing, its also been a tradition here forever.

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