I know that smoking doesn't have much to do with immigration, but that last post reminded me that in Mexico, they don't much care about things like banning smoking. People smoke in public places like bars and restaurants, and if you don't like it, just go away. (A little like avoiding walking into holes in the sidewalk. No one gives a rat's ass if you fall in and die, because the philosophy is that you should have been more careful.)

But let me play the Devil's Advocate here. While the right to smoke is only a minor component of freedom (and I don't think Mexicans particularly care about it to allow it to deter themn from coming here), it occurred to me that I may have overlooked an upside to the continued passing of laws restricting American freedom. Not as many people will want to move here, and that'll be at least a partial solution to our immigration woes.

Make the United States less attractive, and people will stay home!

As strategy, it sounds simple enough. I know the devil is always in the details, but it seems to me that as a general rule, the less freedom we have, the less likely the U.S. will be seen as such a great place. As it is, the United States has an unfortunate reputation worldwide for its legendarily copious amounts of freedom.

Clearly, Americans are much too obsessed with freedom and have too much of it. Shouldn't it be obvious to everyone that our excess of freedom is a major reason why all these people are pouring across the borders?

The remedy should be equally obvious. And I don't mean closing the border, for that would do nothing to solve the primary problem.

American freedom is attractive, but it's an attractive nuisance. And if history shows anything, it's that there's nothing permanent about attractiveness. (At least, it need not be a permanent condition.)

So let's get to work!