It’s dangerous to oversimplify what are ultimately complicated policy issues, like immigration, not to mention the huge variety of experience that immigrants face, but most of the public debate on this, and many other issues, seems founded on information, that, even at a basic level is pretty misinformed. This diagram about different pathways to legal residency and citizenship is an example of helping people understand the basics of policy in a really clear way.
I’ve always loved things like this. Recently, I saw a great breakdown of the different positions of McCain in Obama that really concisely summarized the candidates rhethoric, their voting record, and analysis from non-profit issue advocacy groups. This was in Glamour magazine, but it’s the kind of coverage that I think has been sorely missing in other media I’ve seen. I’d rather see lots more of this issue-based breakdown, rather than being overwhelmed with manipulative identity politics or Monday Night Football-style coverage of campaign strategy.
As a kid, I read Zillions Magazine, who, like many other print publications, has since gone out of print. It had a lot of similar diagrams that broke down the dynamics of finance and marketing for youth, trying to help make them critical consumers.
Seeing this flowchart got me pretty stoked and made me start thinking about a How do people get and stay incarcerated in Monroe County flowchart.