One problem with that: part of the reason illegal immigrants are willing to work for lower wages is their illegal status, if you convert all of them into legal status, a lot of them will not be working for the lower rates. Then a whole new group of illegals will need to come in and fill the gap. Also what are you going to do with all the people waiting in line to enter legally, let them all in as well?
I believe studies show that most illegal immigrants work for above minimum wage, but lower than their legal counterparts, especially those in the construction and other similar industries where wages are relatively high.
People like Kinky Friedman happened to it. If your candidate for governor wins he would like nothing better than to change that. In fact, he would like to build a frigging wall.
My 1/64th Cherokee part is making me type this ... All you effing imigrants go back from whence you came. We want our land back, g*dd*mn it!!! We liked America better when you weren't here.
Unless they're mentally ill, a criminal or terrorist - yes - a long as they want to assimilate into the American culture. Open the borders.
There is obviously demand for lower waged workers, so when the same pool of workers are no longer there, the demand will cause those position to be filled, i.e. new illegals.
Make it a crime to pay less than the minimum wage. Put the employers in jail. Raise the minimum wage. Next question. Quit blaming the immigrants.
Speak english would be good. Pay taxes, certainly. I'm not in favor of immigrants coming to set up an replica enclave of where they came from. The most successful (IMO) immigrants have come wanting to become Americans. I don't think that's too much to ask. Obviously someone in a worker program (with no intention of permanently settling here) wouldn't be asked to meet the same standard.
Raise the minimum wage? That will show them. And maybe we'll make it very difficult to fire people and then we'll end up like the French. Do you not see the faulty logic in complaining about unemployment rates, yet at the same time complaining about the minimum wage. As someone in construction, I can state with certainty that most illegals make more than Minimum wage, its just that many here would rather not do that line of work. I really don't mind if the borders were open, I say bring on the competition and let the best and brightest survive. But with such social programs that force even hospitals and doctors to see patients that they know will not pay, it hurts sections of our economy, though additional labor lowers the prices on most goods and services for everyone. French climbdown dooms further reform Published: April 11 2006 03:00 | Last updated: April 11 2006 03:00 France now has a government with a broken back. Dominique de Villepin came into office less than a year ago, promising to give the highest priority to tackling the country's unemployment rate which is especially high among the young. Having abjectly had to abandon yesterday the youth contract plan that he had made his flagship reform, France's prime minister is most unlikely to dare to undertake any other structural reforms for his remaining spell in office. That period may not be very long. For the political fall-out of his retreat has been to dim his own chances of contesting next year's presidential election and, at the same time, to brighten the prospects of his presidential rival on the right, Nicolas Sarkozy, and even more the political standing of opposition Socialist contenders to succeed President Jacques Chirac. The pity of the affair is that Mr de Villepin's "first job contract" proposal was never going to make an enormous difference to France's 22 per cent youth unemployment rate. It was designed to encourage the hiring of inexperienced youngsters by allowing employers the possibility of dismissing such young people during the initial two-year trial period of their contracts without management running the risk of being dragged before labour tribunals. So it was far narrower than the swingeing welfare reforms that Alain Juppé, Mr Chirac's first prime minister, tried in 1995. But it attracted almost equally big street protests from unions and from students who felt labour market reforms were bearing unfairly on them. While Mr de Villepin was to blame for not properly explaining the measure before rushing it through parliament, the employers federation was also culpable for not better promoting the plan's job-stimulating potential. Sadly, the government has now dropped all idea of introducing labour contract flexibility and returned to the discredited notion of trying to subsidise young people into work. This has not, and will not work, because it does not tackle the roots cause of French unemployment. These are a deadly combination of a relatively high minimum wage, relatively high payroll taxes (to fund welfare costs) and a relatively rigid labour code. Together these have the effect of pricing low-skilled or, in the case of the young, less experienced labour out of the market. However, the whole saga has changed the domestic political landscape. Mr de Villepin was last night denying it had dented his presidential prospects because he was not interested in the job anyway. Mr Sarkozy has sidestepped some of the damage by criticising the style though not thesubstance, of the prime minister's measure. But he must now fear that this affair has tainted the cause of reform on which he had hoped to campaign next year against a Socialist party buoyed up by the government retreat.
So people will come in until there is no economic advantage to come anymore. Which means wages in US will steadily go down until it reaches equilibrium. i.e. workers make the same here as Mexico. Are Americans ready for that. a lot of people want it both ways, they want Americans to continue to have higher wages and have an open boarder. Just like when John Kerry said he wanted to raise the minimum wage and reduce outsourcing, something just doesn't work like that.
Wish it was that easy, as Major pointed out a lot of illegal immigrants work for at or above minimum wage. There are economic reason why certain type of work commands certian prevailing wages. How are you going to make your product/services stay competitve when your cost just went up 20%? The answer is you can't. This is not the fantasy world. Also I am not blaming the immigrants, they are trying to make a better living for their family and there is nothing wrong with that. I am just pointing out that a big reason for illegal immigrants willing to work for lower wages is their illegal status. If eliminating part of that worker pool (by changing their status), the same demand for lower waged jobs will still be there, unless you want to get rid of the businesses that hire them as well.
Still pissed about Bob Gammage, eh? Yes I know Kinky's position on immigration. I also know that immigration is not the #1 issue facing Texas at the moment. Questions?
I'm trying to figure out if there is any point to this response. Well, manufacturing wages are going to continue to go down whether or not we open the borders to immigration. I don't know why allowing open borders pushes our wages to third world levels, especially considering the combination of birth dearth and boomer retirement.
Yep. But not nearly so much so as I am disappointed in progressives supporting such a horrible candidate. Yeah. What are three bigger issues the next Texas governor will face? I can't imagine how immigration won't be an enoromous issue for the next Texas governor seeing how it's becoming an enormous issue all over the country and we're on the border. And Kinky couldn't be more wrong on it. He's way to the right of all but the most jingoistic Republicans on this one. Not even Rick Perry wants to build a freaking wall. And that's not to mention everything else I think he's wrong on.
I guess we have to get rid of: 1. every China town in America. 2. Little Italy in NYC (there are probably others) 3. Also should get rid of Harlem while we are at it. They are too proud of it these days. 4. Get rid of Little Havana in Miami 5. Also need to dump St. Patricks day. No need to celebrate those immigrants. 6. Can't celebrate Cinco De Mayo for sure. 7. Abolish Martin Luther King day too. He's African American. 8. Detroit has a Mexican Town ...gotta go. 9. Detroit also has a Greek Town ...gotta go. Dude, this country is built "replica enclaves." Every immigrant in American history set up a "replica enclave." You'd be a racist to suggest that only the Mexicans aren't allowed to do so.
