Uber

I used Uber three times today. Ivan drove us from my daughter's to a restaurant. Ivan is from the Ukraine. His entire family is here now. He owns his own car and is a driver for a living. Uber is used to supplement his income.

Our next driver was Micah. He drove us from the restaurant back to my daughter's. He drives Uber at night as a way to supplement his income. He and his wife are expecting their first baby soon. He and his wife both work full time jobs but he wants to provide more for his family, so he drives Uber a couple nights a week.

Shegiye drove me from my daughter's back to my hotel near the airport. He is from Ethiopia. He has been in the US for 11 years and is now a citizen. Uber is a second job for him to supplement his income. He loves the US. "It is the best country in the world," he told me.

I love the stories I hear from the Uber drivers. People, many immigrants, just trying to make a better life for themselves and their family. Good people. Honest. Hard working. Devoted family people.

Technology and immigration has enabled them to be better providers for their families. And it has enabled me to spend time with my daughter. Whenever I hear the complaints of technology destroying the middle class or immigration making life more difficult for the natives, I shake my head. It does the exact opposite. It enables people, Ivan, Micah and Shegiye as producers, and me as a consumer to do more things, to live richer lives.