Taking American Jobs. Whatever!
I agree with Aunt B on this. Speaking of populism, one of the biggest lies told in this country is that illegal aliens are taking American jobs. We are currently at what is called full employment. If we didn’t have immigrants here, we would have a shortage of labor.
Now don’t take this to mean that I support illegal immigration. I don’t, but I do support a comprehensive plan to secure the border and liberalize our immigration laws. For a full explanation of how I feel about this issue, read this.
I also support the truth and can’t stand to see working people all riled up and resentful because they are being lied to.
Illegal immigrants don’t take jobs Americans don’t want. They take jobs Americans don’t want to do for $2/hour. OK, it’s not quite that simple, but you get the point.
The problems with illegal immigration are manifold. But I agree with you, insofar as vilifying the immigrants themselves is counterproductive.
There might be a few instances of $2 an hour labor. But a lot of these people are highly skilled in things like hanging drywall, painting, carpentry, among other things. They accept less, but they don’t make $2 an hour. They actually do pretty good. Many of them also work like hell.
Oh, to be sure. Most of them work a hell of a lot harder than we do. The $2/hour type jobs I was referring to are mostly the agricultural jobs, and you’re right, they’re more the exception than the rule. I just didn’t realize the conservative wing of this blog was the only one allowed to engage in a bit of hyperbole every now and then.
Seriously, one of the issues that doesn’t get talked about a lot is the downward pressure on wages and working conditions that illegal immigration causes. Because the immigrants are illegal, they can’t exactly complain when their employer pays them poorly or treats them unfairly. And given a choice between a cheap illegal and a more expensive legal worker, history has shown what many employers will do. So it really is a problem for the wider labor market, not just those in low-end jobs.
Sure, thats why we need to make them legal. The fact is, we already left the door open, and we did it on purpose. We need to close the door, liberalize the immigration laws, and legalize the ones already here. You have to close the door first though, or you got 1987 all over again.
I guess it surprises me (pleasantly) that you support a form of amnesty.
I’m curious to know, however, how you suggest we “close the door.”
Border security, more bodies down there, big fence, virtual fence. Whatever it takes to stop the flow. Then make it easier to come here legally. As it is, legal immigration is a pain in the ass.
I’m with you on most of that, except for the “big fence.” Does the world really need another Berlin Wall? (Not to mention the fact that illegal immigration to and from Canada is a bigger problem than you might think, and nobody’s suggesting a wall up there…)
I’m more interested in doing what Arizona has done, and change the focus of immigration law enforcement. Instead of going after the immigrants themselves (which is like a really big game of whack-a-mole), go after the people who hire them, and hit them with a lot more than a slap on the wrist. At the same time, you have to make a serious effort to go after the people who provide false documentation.
I understand the thinking behind going after people who hire them, but a lot of those people are working with false papers, soc. sec. numbers, etc. Heck, the state even gives them licenses in some cases. You don’t want to ever create a situation where employers are just afraid to hire Mexicans. If an employer takes advantage by not paying minimum wage or something like that, then they should get in trouble for that, but the employers are not to blame here. Hold the government responsible, not the private business owner. I bet you are surprised I took that position.
The Berlin Wall or the Iron Curtain is not a valid comparison. There is a major difference in putting up a fence to keep people out, than there is in putting up a fence to keep people in. The fact is we already have borders. We already have fences. I am just talking about one that works.