Stealing our jobs (and paying our Medicare bills)

One of the striking paradoxes of public debate in democracies is the fact that sometimes entire segments of voters can favor policies which are in direct conflict with their own interests. Example: many retired voters in the U.S. favor stricter immigration laws--even though, given rising life expectancies and falling fertility rates of U.S.-born citizens, more immigration may be the easiest way to keep Social Security and Medicare solvent in the long run.