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Congress: Middle class incomes drop as immigration surges
Washington Examiner ^ | APRIL 23, 2015 | PAUL BEDARD

Posted on 04/23/2015 2:23:07 PM PDT by xzins

Wages of America's middle class have dropped below 1970s levels as immigration has surged 325 percent, according to a new congressional report that questions claims that native Americans are economically helped by greater immigration.

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service report studied immigration and middle class income from 1945-2013 and found that as immigration slowed between 1945 and 1970, American incomes increased.

But when immigration expanded, the incomes of the bottom 90 percent of Americans went flat and then dropped beginning in 2000.

In the report to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the CRS reported that the foreign-born population of the United States surged 324.5 percent, from 9,740,000 to 41,348,066, from 1970 to 2013.

Congressional Research Service And as that happened, incomes of the bottom 90 percent dropped 7.9 percent in 2013 dollars, from an average of $33,621 to $30,980.

The report could throw cold water on congressional efforts to expand immigration for tech and other jobs. One bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch and backed by presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio would boost guest worker levels and remove any cap on green cards for certain foreign graduates of American colleges and universities.

While the CRS did not offer any opinion on immigration and wages, the report's questions and answer section provided details on the link between higher immigration and lower middle class wages.

1. From 1945-1970, what was the net change in the foreign-born population, expressed both as a percentage and numerically?

Answer - The foreign-born population in the United States diminished from 10,971,146 in 1945 to 9,740,000 in 1970, a decline of 1,231,146 persons, representing a percentage decline of 11.2% over this 25 year period.

2. From 1945-1970, how did overall wages change for the bottom 90% of earners?

Answer - The reported income of the bottom 90% of tax filers in the United States increased from an average of $18,418 in 1945 to $33,621 in 1970 for an aggregate change of $15,202 or a percent increase of 82.5% over this 25 year period.

3. From 1945-1970, what was the net change in the share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution?

Answer - The share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution increased from 67.4% in 1945 to 68.5% in 1970, an absolute increase of 1.1 percentage points over this 25 year period.

4. From 1970-present, what was the net change in the foreign-born population, expressed both as a percentage and numerically?

Answer - Between 1970 and 2013, the estimated foreign-born population in the United States increased from 9,740,000 to 41,348,066, respectively, an increase of 31,608,066 persons, representing a percentage increase of 324.5% over this 43 year period.

5. From 1970-present, how did overall wages change for the bottom 90% of earners?

Answer - The reported income of the bottom 90% of tax filers in the United States decreased from an average of $33,621 in 1970 to $30,980 in 2013 for an aggregate decline of $2,641 or a percent decline of 7.9% over this 43 year period.

6. From 1970-present, what was the net change in the share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution?

Answer - The share of income held by the bottom 90% of the U.S. income distribution declined from 68.5% in 1970 to 53.0% in 2013, an absolute decline of 15.5 percentage points over this 43 year period.

RELATED: Applications for H-1B tech visas reach record levels

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; corporatewelfare; h1b; immigration; income; unemployment; wages
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1 posted on 04/23/2015 2:23:07 PM PDT by xzins
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To: All

No doubt any more: the establishment considers itself the elite and believe in serfs.


2 posted on 04/23/2015 2:23:49 PM PDT by xzins (Donate to the Freep-a-Thon or lose your ONLY voice. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: xzins
Yup. Importing more slaves.

The current crop is just too belligerent and demanding.

3 posted on 04/23/2015 2:24:53 PM PDT by Regulator
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To: xzins

Good night John Boy...

Good night...


4 posted on 04/23/2015 2:25:03 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: xzins

No need to fear. Loretta Lynch is on it.


5 posted on 04/23/2015 2:27:02 PM PDT by SpaceBar
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To: xzins

Illegal aliens
Outsourcing
Moving manufacturing to China
Transfers of major portions of our technology to China

This will have no impact on our nation.

In fact, our economies tied together will ensure there will be no more recessions.


6 posted on 04/23/2015 2:28:47 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: xzins

Yay, let’s import more and more and more poverty-stricken low skilled people! What could possibly go wrong?


7 posted on 04/23/2015 2:30:09 PM PDT by Lizavetta
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To: DoughtyOne

And the Senate votes to give fast track authority to Barry so he can outsource more American jobs.

The hypocrisy has almost reached the level of corruption with these people.


8 posted on 04/23/2015 2:30:34 PM PDT by xzins (Donate to the Freep-a-Thon or lose your ONLY voice. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: xzins

Yeah, that’s how I’ve seen it from day one.

Treason

Anything done to reduce the viability of our nation or it’s citizens wreaks of treason to me.

I didn’t mention over utilization of H-1B visas and other either. Should have.


9 posted on 04/23/2015 2:31:56 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: xzins

10 posted on 04/23/2015 2:34:47 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: xzins
The hypocrisy has almost reached the level of corruption with these people.

Almost?!

11 posted on 04/23/2015 2:35:40 PM PDT by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell)
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To: Sicon

They are really, really corrupt


12 posted on 04/23/2015 2:36:16 PM PDT by xzins (Donate to the Freep-a-Thon or lose your ONLY voice. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: DoughtyOne

Yeah, but the CEO’s have 5 vacation homes instead of just 2, so ya know, it all balances out.


13 posted on 04/23/2015 2:36:39 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: Wolfie

Aww, always a bright side with you... = :^)


14 posted on 04/23/2015 2:37:49 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: xzins

No problem. Just raise the minimum wage. /s


15 posted on 04/23/2015 2:39:17 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: xzins

The New Imports don’t want to Work they just Want


16 posted on 04/23/2015 2:42:17 PM PDT by molson209 (Blank)
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To: xzins
No doubt any more: the establishment considers itself the elite and believe in serfs.

Years ago I read something that encapsulated what we are facing so succinctly. I probably can't do it justice, but it went something like this:

"In 1776, the Founders created something new. Something that pushed back the Aristocracy form of government. Ever since then, the Aristocracy has been fighting to destroy it."

This idea that all are respected to the same extent under the law? Very unpopular with believers in Aristocracy. They want a set of rules for everyone else, and they want special exemptions for themselves.

17 posted on 04/23/2015 2:44:02 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp
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To: xzins

I bet the administration is jealous of Iran’s influence on Turkey...

Iran Flexes Its Power by Transporting Turkey to the Stone Age

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3282216/posts


18 posted on 04/23/2015 2:45:32 PM PDT by huldah1776
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To: xzins

That establishment Republicans favor immigration is no mystery. They would openly support amnesty except for the inconvenient problem of all the law breaking involved. After all driving down costs to big business and increasing profits plays to their traditional big business roots.

But the biggest con of the century has been how the Dems have openly betrayed the interest of blue collar workers by supporting illegal immigration and amnesty while continuing to win the support of those blue collar workers in election after election. And how the unions have betrayed their members on this issue is appalling. But it is all about gaining and keeping power rather than representing the interests of their constituents.

It would be ultimate justice and irony if a majority of amnestied illegals who become citizens and voters decide to vote conservative and turn out the Dems and establishment Republicans.


19 posted on 04/23/2015 2:46:47 PM PDT by Truth is a Weapon (Truth, it hurts so good.)
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To: Truth is a Weapon

I keep looking for a reasonable answer why the unions support huge immigration and nothing makes sense. The common answer is “immigrants will drive up union membership nubmers”, but we know that’s crazy because new unions are not being formed. In fact they’re shrinking.

The only real explanation is union bosses are members of the elite, and the elite want the immigrants, union members be damned.


20 posted on 04/23/2015 2:53:54 PM PDT by xzins (Donate to the Freep-a-Thon or lose your ONLY voice. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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