2024-03-21
55 分钟The U.S. immigration system is a massively complicated machine, with a lot of worn-out parts. How to fix it? Step one: Get hold of some actual facts and evidence. (We did this step for you.) (Part two of a three-part series.)
Hey there, it's Stephen Dubner.
This is part two of a series we are calling the true story of America's supremely messed up immigration system.
If you haven't listened to part one yet, don't worry about it.
You'll be fine.
You can go back later if you want.
For part two, I'd like to begin with a story.
This story goes back to 2008, when we ran a contest on the Freakonomics blog that was long before this podcast existed.
Hey, maybe we should start having contests on the podcast.
Anyway, the goal of this contest was to choose a new motto for the United States.
There was the old motto, e pluribus unum, from the many one, which I'd always liked, but no one seemed to use it anymore.
Congress had replaced it in 1956 with in God we trust.
But that didn't really catch on either, except on our currency, where it is required.
There were some other unofficial mottos, land of the free, home of the brave, things like that.
But I thought we could do better.
At the time, I was captivated by this recent trend in six word stories.
This was a thing among writers, especially.
The most famous six word story was attributed to Ernest Hemingway, although it's uncertain if he actually wrote it.
It goes like this, for sale, baby shoes, never worn.
So we asked freakonomics readers to propose a new six word motto for the United States, and then we would all vote on a winner.
There were more than 1000 submissions.