I don't like quote-tweeting for the purpose of argument, but I want to quickly push back against an apparently popular tweet saying people don't want to come to America. This is, of course, nonsense.

The US remains the most popular destination of choice for immigrants, though we take far fewer people per capita than e.g. Canada or Australia.

To use an overused word, it's a sign of privilege that you think there aren't people who'd love even a lower class American lifestyle.

The groups least likely to immigrate here are the ones with the least to gain. If you're a wealthy European, you've got to have a pretty good offer on the table to come. Or a loved one you want to be with. Or you really like American cheese, perhaps.

It's just another face of American exceptionalism to think this country is especially bad. We didn't invent corruption or bad leaders or prejudice. We've excelled at a few forms of evil no doubt, but do you think that really deters someone from wanting their income multiplied 5x?

Put it this way - suppose there's a Mars colony run by a crazy billionaire. You despise Martian politics, and you know some Martians would look down on you for your appearance and accent. But, by going there, you take your current income and add a zero to it.

How much do you care at that point about whether the leader is a dick, whether the culture is malign in some way, whether life is too consumerist, foreign policy too expansionist, whether there are many people who would like you to go away? Very little, I suspect.

And even if that puts you off, surely you can appreciate that immigrants throughout history have been willing to endure far worse to give themselves and their kids a better shot at health, wealth, and happiness.

This sort of thing strikes me the same way as hearing Americans complain about too much economic growth in the world. Try telling that to a Bangladeshi economist. It's like yelling from an infinity pool about how people need to appreciate the little things.

Anyway, this is turning into a rant, so let me just say: yes, many still want to enter past the Statue of Liberty, and land here to stay. It's different people, and they come by plane now, but they still want to come. And, we should be glad of the opportunity to welcome them.