Bush Immigration Plan Would Allegedly 'Destroy the Middle Class'

www.townhall.com ^ | 29 December 2004 | Jeff Johnson

[Ginifer]

(CNSNews.com) - President Bush is moving forward with his plans to create a "Temporary Worker Program" that would allow millions of illegal aliens to remain and work in the U.S. for a minimum of three years with no fear of deportation or other punishment. Advocates of tougher immigration policies believe the president is ignoring the costs and potential dangers posed by illegal immigration.

In his final, scheduled, formal press conference of the year, the president criticized current U.S. immigration policy.

"The system we have today is not a compassionate system. It's not working," Bush said Dec. 20. "And, as a result, the country is less secure than it could be with a rational system."

Any proposed changes to immigration policy must take into account what the president calls "reality.""

\ldblquote There are some jobs in America that Americans won't do and others are willing to do," Bush said. "We ought to have a system that recognizes people are coming here to do jobs that Americans will not do. And there ought to be a legal way for them to do so."

According to a White House fact sheet entitled, "Fair and Secure Immigration Reform," the president's "Temporary Worker Program" would allow new immigrants to the U.S. and those currently here illegally to accept employment "when no American worker is available and willing to take a job.""

Ira Mehlman, media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, told the Cybercast News Service that Bush's proposal is, "a great plan if your objective is to destroy the middle class in the United States.

"If you are going to offer employers the opportunity to bring in unlimited numbers of guest workers then there is never going to be any incentive to increase wages in this country [or] to improve working conditions," Mehlman said. "Upward mobility will become a thing of the past if such a plan is enacted."

Bush says program would not provide 'automatic citizenship'

The program would last three years, but would be renewable. Bush insists he is not proposing amnesty, or an easier road to citizenship, for illegal aliens.

"Now, one of the important aspects of my vision is that this is not automatic citizenship. The American people must understand that," the president stressed. "If somebody who is here working wants to be a citizen, they can get in line like those who have been here legally and have been working to become a citizen in a legal manner."

Mehlman disagreed.

"Even he would have to recognize that a program that allows millions of people, who have broken the law, to gain legal status in this country is an amnesty," Mehlman insisted. "Even though he swears it's not an amnesty program, that's exactly what it is; it is rewarding people who have broken the law.""

Supporters of tougher immigration laws also doubt, according to Mehlman, that there will be anything temporary about the "Temporary Worker Program."

"He's talking about a three-year temporary worker visa, renewable for three more," Mehlman observed. "And at the end of the six years, these people will, of course, all say, 'Thank you very much. We really appreciate the opportunity to work here and now we're going home.' Yeah, right."

The Bush proposal also includes provisions to allow participants to cross back and forth from their country of origin to maintain family ties. President Bush said U.S. Border Patrol agents need to focus on more important duties.

"[W]e want our border patrol agents chasing crooks and thieves and drug runners and terrorists, not good-hearted people who are coming here to work," Bush argued.

'Preposterous' plan fails to address security concerns

Mehlman complained that recommendations by the 9/11 Commission to tighten immigration policy were removed from the legislation passed by Congress due to pressure from those lobbying to protect illegal aliens.

"Special interest politics and greed seem to even trump homeland security," Mehlman concluded, "despite the fact that we've seen what the potential consequences are from not enforcing immigration laws."

Mehlman believes security must be the primary concern in immigration policy and that it is lacking in the proposal to allow for millions of "temporary workers."

"The idea that they are going to do thorough, comprehensive background checks on all these people to make sure that we're not letting in criminals or potential terrorists is preposterous," Mehlman said. "They couldn't even do a decent background check on their own nominee for Homeland Security secretary."

Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerrick withdrew his nomination for that post after allegations surfaced that he had ties to companies that have business dealings with the Department of Homeland Security and that he had employed an illegal immigrant as a nanny and did not pay his portion of her payroll taxes.

The president also argued that his plan would "take the pressure off of employers." Mehlman believes that is a mistake, as well.

"What we have to do is create disincentives against illegal immigration," Mehlman said. "Right now, we're creating incentives. We don't enforce the laws against employers."

Mehlman acknowledged that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents cannot arrest every illegal alien or catch every employer who knowingly hires them. He believes effective immigration law enforcement means applying "leverage" to selected companies.

"You go after some of the employers that have been hiring illegal immigrants with impunity, even though it's against the law. You fine them sufficiently to send a message, the same way that the highway patrol enforces the speed limit on the freeway when they want to," Mehlman said. "They don't stop every single speeder. But, if you're driving along at 80 miles an hour and you see somebody else being pulled over, you slow down."

Such an enforcement strategy would have a ripple effect, according to Mehlman.

"If you go after enough employers to give the rest of them the idea that we're serious about enforcing the law, they will then refrain from hiring illegal immigrants," Mehlman said. "The word gets back, 'Don't come to the United States illegally because nobody's going to take a chance on hiring you.'"

Mehlman believes such a policy would have a similar effect on illegal aliens currently living and working in the U.S.

"Many who are already here [illegally] would leave and go home," Mehlman continued. "The objective is to encourage more people who are here illegally to go home. If you cannot get access to a job, if you can't get access to anything but emergency social benefits, there's no incentive to remain here."

FAIR disputes economic argument for illegal immigration

Mehlman also dismissed the common argument that reducing the available pool of illegal immigrant labor would drive up food prices.

"The labor cost in agriculture is about 10 percent. So, a dollar's worth of produce today would cost you about $1.10 tomorrow if they doubled everybody's wages," Mehlman said.

What little savings consumers reap from lower labor costs are multiplied in other areas, Mehlman argued.

"Maybe you do save a few pennies here and there because there are low-wage illegal immigrant workers doing jobs in this country that Americans would demand a higher wage for," Mehlman explained, "but in return you are providing education for the children of these illegal immigrants, you're providing the health care because these employers are not providing a Blue Cross/Blue Shield (health insurance) program for them. All sorts of social costs are being added on."

But President Bush described his proposal as a more \ldblquote compassionate way to treat people who come to our country." Mehlman wondered about the president's compassion for unemployed and underemployed U.S. citizens.

"What we're wrestling with here is the impact that it has on this country, the impact that it has on people struggling to make a living and make a decent life for themselves and their families, the impact on schools and social services," Mehlman said. "The president didn't tell us who's going to pay to educate all the kids of these 'guest workers' he wants to bring here. Who's going to pay for all the health care needs that they're going to have when they get here?"

[jetson]

AND WITHOUT A SHOT FIRED! Thank you for protecting our borders Billy Boy and W.

[bayourod]

"The Republicans want to keep business happy..."

No! I'm shocked! Shocked that anyone would want to keep business happy. Shut them all down and send all the jobs over seas. We don't need no stinkin employers. Who cares if our economy collapses

Are you aware that that actually is the philosophy of the founder of FAIR and CIS and other anti-immigrant organizations whose propaganda is continuously posted on FR? Dr. Tanton and his ecology fascists want zero population growth, whether thru abortion or government policies. Trees are more important than jobs to theses people.

Anti-business policies have never been part of conservative philosophy.

[ken21]

that's the problem with 2-term presidents; they begin their 2nd terms thinking that they're invincible.

with the pent up anger over immigration, i don't think dubya understands what's going on.

obviously, he's responding to corporate contributors who want cheaper educated labor.

[truthkeeper]

Very succinctly put, and I agree.

[You Dirty Rats]

The diference is that those immigrants ASSIMILATED into the US culture. The current immigrants are bringing old Mexico with them.

So? Irish immigrants brought old Ireland with them. In fact, my brother-in-law arrives in town today to help me celebrate the New Year, and my nephew tomorrow. My wife's family is Irish, and we'll have one hell of an Irish party starting this evening. Working Monday will be a challenge.

I love Mexican food, though, so I'm biased. My stepmom is Venezuelan. Latinos and Latinas are generally hard-working, devout, and family-oriented. They should be Republican and Conservative, and the President knows it! I think too many people are misunderestimating his strategery on this issue.

[ckilmer]

the presidents proposed amnesty was tried in 1986. The mexicans viewed it as surrender and they swarmed over the border. Since the president first proposed amnesty the number of illegals has increased.

Meanwhile the Mexicans government totally squanders their enormous oil wealth.


Please God let the republicans have some spine.

[You Dirty Rats]

First, all Mexicans and the government that sends them are liars; nothing that any Mexican says can be accepted as truthful and must be presumed to be a falsehood.

Certainly a reasonable fellow like yourself can't really believe this ridiculously broad statement. ALL Mexicans are liars? Every last one? Please!

[WilliamofCarmichael]

RE: immigraton destroying the middle class? Got proof?

Well, yeah I think so. At least with regards to some. It's only some in the middle class you say?

Nevermind the question, Do we really need another law that government and business can ignore whenever it suits their needs? Business seems to be doing okay getting "guest workers" and more.

A recent study showed that recent immigrants are filling huge numbers of jobs including payroll jobs.

a Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University, report (Summer of 2004) covered 2000 thru the first quarter of 2004. It stated that

"The number of employed native born workers falls by 958,000, employment among established immigrants declines by 352,000, and the number of new immigrant employed rises by 2.064 million (Table 12). Thus, all of the net growth in the nation's employed population between 2000 and 2004 (January-April averages) takes place among new immigrants while the number of native born and established immigrant workers combined declines by more than 1.3 million. This remarkable shift in the nativity status of the employed population has received very little attention from the nation's political leaders or the national media." [End quote]

There's more

"While these new immigrant workers can be found in every industrial sector, they are highly concentrated in three sectors: construction and manufacturing, leisure/hospitality/other service industries, and health/education/professional/ business services."

Nearly 320,000 new immigrants obtained employment in the nation's manufacturing industries at a time when total wage and salary employment in these industries declined by more than 2.7 million positions" [End quote]

More

"In a period of higher unemployment and little net job growth, increased employment of immigrants appears to be displacing some native born workers, including teens, young adults without college degrees, and Black men in the nation's central cities."

[End quotes]

Sure, it's only a few million out of near a 140 million. But why is it good for America? (Please spare me any feeeeeelings that Americans are stupid and lazy and need to be replaced for the sake of the free market OK, "free trader" internationalists? There are some problems but is it really that bad?)

[cassie22]

I think too many people are misunderestimating his strategery on this issue.


Count me as someone who is "misunderestimating" his strategy. Would you please explain the strategy because I certainly don't know what it is.

[hchutch]

After reading your post on this, I no longer wonder why Democrats do so well among Hispanics. It's pretty much a "No Hispanics need apply" sign on your door.

[banjo joe]

How can one guy be so right on so many issues, and so wrong on one really critical issue?

[hchutch]

Respectfully, I think it has gotten that bad. Some Amerians have decided that the work is beneath them. Others want more of a salary than the business owner is willing to pay. Others have decided they'd rather collect welfare checks.

Until America's attitude in those areas adjust, why should business owners suffer? They're the ones creating the jobs, providing the products and services we buy. I'd say they warrant a lot more consideration than they have been getting over the past 70 years.

I think this whole "culture" claptrap is an excuse to avoid the economic realities of the situation and to avoid discussing what is, quite bluntly, an attitude problem among certain Americans.

[winodog]

My letter to President Bush.

All your good works along with your good name will disappear down the drain when the muslims attack again and it is proven they crossed our unsecured southern border illegally. You have always been despised by the 57 million who voted for Kerry but there will be lots more if you dont do more to secure our borders because of the islamic threat.

Yours truly
A lifelong conservative and recovering alky
winodog

[hchutch]

They should be. The question is, why aren't they? I think the rhetoric of FAIR, CIS, Sam Francis, American Renaissance, VDARE, and Pat Buchanan (among others) are a big reason why.

[winodog]

Press one to continue in Spanish

[WilliamofCarmichael]

"The labor cost in agriculture is about 10 percent. So, a dollar's worth of produce today would cost you about $1.10 tomorrow if they doubled everybody's wages," Mehlman said.

I would urge those who argue the cost would be much greater -- I think Limbaugh puts it at four or five dollars a head -- to provide something besides your feeeeeeeeeelings.

Mr. Mehlman is pretty close to the truth according to some ag experts. To wit,

"Phil Martin, an economist at UC Davis and one of the nation’s leading agricultural economists, suggests that, even if wages were to double for people who picked lettuce, it could only have an impact of pennies – one, two cents – on the price of a head of lettuce."

[dalereed]

You and Bush are the traitors!

His compassion is just another word for one world socialist which is the history of his family since before the Revolution.

He didn't win a second term because people liked him or what he was doing he won because his opponent was so horrible.

[Still Thinking]

"There are some jobs in America that Americans won't do and others are willing to do," Bush said.

Because of the availability of illegals the wage scale for those jobs is depressed below the normal level. Try paying American wages for the jobs and Americans might be willing to fill them. Duh.

[Rebelbase]

Hey, we gotta replace the missing SS contributions of 40,000,000 aborted babies.

Middle class be damned.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

After spending several years starting oil exploration crews for Pemex and re-reading Atlas Shrugged, I think I have The reason Mexico has become so bad.

I like the Mexican people in the fly over parts of Mexico. The mid level and workers of Pemex are good. It is the government and the high up in Pemex that are the vultures and looters. The peso was about 8 cents (12.5 to a dollar). When Pemex found the sito grande, a very large oil pool that covers parts of the states of Chiapas and Tabasco also a long ways into the Gulf of Mexico.

Pemex borrowed billions to produce this great oil find. The looters (government) stole most of the money and what they did buy was junk oil rigs and drill pipe, etc. 1,000 pesos which was worth about $80 now will not buy a coke. This was due to the looters stealing billions from the Mexican people.

Instead of overthrowing the looters the Mexican people had an out, they had no weapons and they could cross into America and have a much safer life. This hurts both Mexico and America as Mexico lost some of it's hardest workers. The gangbangers also came over from Mexico as they could rape and pillage at will.

The government of Mexico is propped up by the billions sent back by the illegals and by our government having borders that are too open.

The only chance I see to help America and Mexico is to seal the border, deport the people who are not here legally. We also need to arm the Mexican people so they can have a chance against the looters with their armies.