Why would any foreigner want to come here now?
by digby
This doesn't surprise me in the least:
Application and acceptance season is underway at America's colleges and universities. But this year, some institutions of higher learning may see a noticeable dip in attendance from one group purposely choosing to stay home: foreign students.
Applications from international students from countries such as China, India and in particular, the Middle East, are down this year at nearly 40 percent of schools that answered a recent survey by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
Educators, recruiters and school officials report that the perception of America has changed for international students, and it just doesn't seem to be as welcoming a place anymore. Officials point to the Trump administration's rhetoric surrounding immigration and the issuing of a travel ban as having an effect.
"Yes, we definitely are sounding the warning," said Melanie Gottlieb, deputy director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, adding, "We would hope that the [Trump] administration would say [to] cool the rhetoric a bit around immigration."
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is a feature not a bug as far as Trump and his supporters are concerned. They don't want foreigners in the country. They see this as a success.
The tourist industry is complaining of lost profits too. But again, this is considered a good thing as far as the Trump faction is concerned.
It will be interesting to see how people feel about rising prices when Trump tries to do to trade agreements what he tried to do with health care. He and his supporters seem not to realize that foreign countries don't have to do exactly what Trump tells them to do. And remember, the great negotiator actually knows next to nothing about trade deals and has never successfully done a bigger deal than a single building project or a license to slap his name on some ugly ties. When he tried to go bigger in Atlantic City he lost his shirt. Four times.
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