As some americans struggle to get by, why do foreigners that move to the U.S., with little money, get rich?

Question

Foreigners hear about the american dream and set out for the U.S. in hopes of achieving that dream. While most of americans struggle to make ends meat, foreigners seem to make it big here. Many people from the Middle East, such as Pakistan and India have no problem getting help with starting a business, and then end up making thousands if not millions of dollars in the U.S.

Answer 1

Thank you gatusso, you took the words right off of my keyboard!!
I hate to admit it, but Americans have developed some major attitude problems, especially towards expecting things to be easy. We have obviously created these problems ourselves.

We need to stop complaining, and change things. Get involved! And if you want to succeed, get out and do something about it. Another thing that people from other cultures have that is lacking here is the reality that sacrifice in the short term reaps gain in the long term.

Answer 2

Ah, yes, does that tell you our government is totally out of control and I don't want to hear it will get better with the Democrat's in office. Its only going to get better when we, the people, have an uprising.
In all fairness it does take hard work and perseverance and that is something a lot of people don't have in them. So, don't get bent out of shape if your not willing to pursue the dream.

This is to Mom madness below. You my friend do not know what your talking about. I am white American and have worked in a packing house for 15 years, I paint houses for people, I clean houses and I mow. Many of my friends do this also and have made a decent living doing so. This is such an joke when I hear the American people won't do this. We been doing it for years. Maybe you haven't.... but millions of us have. The illegals like to spout off that nonsense, trying to make out like we need them here. And, I might add, have paid mega bucks into taxes and never had anything given to me for free. We have pride.

Answer 3

Well, this may be more complicated than you think. First of all, people who move into the US feel they have a lot to live up to. They are a lot more determined and the idea of "not making it" would completely crush them. I don't know about as far as buisness goes but as far as medically, lots of them get into medical school because they understand that if they spend all their time studying at a young age, they will benefit from it greatly later on. It's not that they're smarter, they're just driven. That is seriously all it takes to become "smart". Some people do have a gift for memorizing lots of text or understanding a mathematical equation, but if you put in the time, and it may take more than you want to put in, then you can learn what is needed.
Also, especially the Indian population I know, aren't taught that they should do what makes them happy. Some, but not all, are taught to be cutthroat and do whatever it takes to be the best. Do whatever to make it into the best medial school or get the best residency. And seriously, lots of them are told to pick a job that makes a lot of money and they do. Keep in mind that I know several Indian people, a few from Pakistan, and a lot of them are very good people and have good intentions, but there are the few bad apples in every bunch, amongst all races, but this is just what i've seen to be the case in some people.
One thing to note: Indian people are not considered in medical school to be the minority. I know one medical school, that will remain nameless, that is at least half Indian population in the US.

Answer 4

I wonder about this myself. Then I want to ask whether or not some of you notice certain things that hinder American citizens at certain times.

My uncle...who is long past....made a CD for our families about his life. He lived during a time when few had electricity, you heated your home with a wood burning stove, they had out-houses and they hunted and fished and grew their own vegetables and fruits. He's one that told about walking 10 miles in the snow to school etc. He used to fish on his way to school and the local cafe/restaurant would buy his fish and that's how he earned money. Or sell the animals he hunted. You could sell the eggs from your chickens to the local store, maybe sell the jams and jellies or pies you made in your kitchen. It was cheaper to make your own clothes than buy "store bought" ones.

Now when I was growing up, you couldn't do any of those things anymore. They had laws in place, whether it be from health codes or business codes....you couldn't do it. When I was in highschool, they even stopped the ability to have a fireplace in your home here. Air quality and pollution reasons. Kids could mow lawns and babysit without much problem as well as deliver news-papers. Now if you live in a populated areas....you know that is no longer the case. They changed the rules for tax reasons, safety and neglect, and insurance and all the rest to where you couldn't do that anymore either. You couldn't have a hobby and try and sell stuff on the side without risk of being reported and not having a small business license and God forbid not zoned in a correct area. We used to sell Girl Scout cookies door to door and my mom could take the cookie sheet to work and get orders without fear of being fired. You can't do that in many places anymore either.

We had rules and standards we had to live by. So many people per square foot. Must have electric and heat and working plumbing (barring natural disasters) or your children were taken. It seemed for a good percentage of time we were held under a microscope for perfection.

Now it seems they've changed the rules again. I'd be in jail right now if I raised my children in the environment many illegals are raising theirs right now. I've seen welfare rules change so many times it's not funny. No time in my 51 yrs. of life would ANYONE qualify for the welfare they are receiving today. Not the conditions, not the amount or anything else. Our kids would be in foster care and we would be in jail.

Now it shocked me to find they can push carts and sell food without proper licensing and health checks and I can't put a stand at the end of my driveway to sell tomatoes I grew.

There just aren't consistant rules or consistant enforcement of rules for anyone to know what's going on. It just seems I miss the boat no matter where I turn. People aren't lazy. Heck if it was legal to have a 2 bedroom house when I was going to college and share that with 10 students.....I would have done it. But we weren't allowed. I would like some chickens. But I'm not allowed to have any in this area. It's not zoned agriculture. It still is that way here and I'm struggling and abiding by the law.....while others are breaking it and succeeding and calling me lazy. You can't have a seperate set of standards and a seperate set of laws for different people and expect a fair outcome.

I paid into social security my whole life. They took the money for whatever they wanted with the intent to pay back and didn't. Now this nation is going into debt for illegals and yet they'll turn around and say the "baby boomers" are the drain? Hey folks.....I haven't gotten there yet and haven't taken 1 cent of what I paid in. How am I a drain? But it's going to be gone when I get there?

Just think about it. If there's a rule....it applies to everybody. And it's not really just, to change the rules mid-stream because one side is loosing or winning at a given moment. And that's what I see happening. How can you play when the rules keep changing?

Answer 5

Cindy,
you opened a can of worms.
most foreigners will and do do what americans will not do.
they work harder longer and smarter .
they SAVE their money and reinvest.
no new cars, fancy pants TV or garbage that most american Can't do with out.
they live on real money not credit.
they work as a group to a common cause - success.
they don't pull people from their group down for 'acting white'.
they demand education from their kids at least those who want the "American Dream".
they DoNOT look for a hand out for the government just a hand up and equal playing field.
they put new vitality in to tired america.
if 40% of the complaining Americans applied these proven tactics they would have their freedom from credit slavery that has them screw.d up

Answer 6

Let me just make this easy and short, my dad came here and got citizin ship, the thing is...My mom told me he was a man with no job over at his country, but once my mom and him got married moving over to america, they both got citizen ship and my dad worked VERY, VERY VERY hard, and in college too, over at michigan. i remember he told me how he beat this guy to his computer enginerring guy because he knew more things than that guy, and that guy was cussing at him because he didn't get the job.

the thing is bosses don't give a **** of what race you are, just whoever works harder, because theyre money rule > stereo type "like this mexican can't do the job, i bet the white people do!"

conclusion, white people think its easy. :x i've seen this so many times on tv all with same conclusion

Answer 7

Don't believe for a minute that they do not work hard to earn that money. They are coming here for the opportunity that this country provides and they are willing to work for the things they want. To make the American dream become reality, hard work and dedication are required. That is a foreign concept to a good number of Americans.

Answer 8

are you complaining that foreigners are harder workers? or....that us citizens aren't getting enough handouts? this sounds like whining more than anything. foreigners come in, absolutely bust their butts, work 18 hour days, whatever it takes to make their business work. they also seem to have the help and dedication from their families. i don't see what is wrong with that.

Answer 9

Some americans take it for granted, but wen an immigrant come from the worst of the situations and see that in these country if you dedicate yourself and work hard you can get anything you dream of, and they do it.

Answer 10

The truth is the government gives them all the breaks, low income housing they don't have to pay taxes for like 2 years or something like that. It's not fair but look at all the programs all these people are on, and they make it harder for us Americans to get on these programs.