The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt.Posted on 05/01/2006 8:28:35 AM PDT by blueberry12
The U.S. has benefited from illegal immigrants, most economists say, though some low-skilled workers have been hurt.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - In the heated debate over the impact of illegal immigration on the U.S. economy, Andrew Sum is one of those focusing on the negative.
The economist - the director of labor market studies at Northeastern University in Boston - argues that the large supply of immigrants has displaced low-skilled U.S.-born workers, particularly the young and the poor, from jobs.
"About 85.5 of every 100 new workers are new immigrants in this decade," he said. "At no time in the last 60 years have we come close to this. They're really displacing young workers at a very high rate."
But even Sum would concede that the U.S. economy is larger, and growing faster, due to the supply of illegal immigrants, and that most Americans with higher job skills are better off for their presence.
"Without the immigrants, we would have a decline in labor force of 3 to 4 percent," he said. "We couldn't have grown nearly as much as we did in the '90s if we didn't have immigrants. And in the last few years our growth would have been slower. The only thing I've argued is that we've ignored that illegal immigration has put a lot of young adults into economic jeopardy."
Sum's views point out the dichotomy that many economists see when looking at the impact of immigration on the economy.
Few economists will argue with the concept that the economy is stronger for the presence of the low-cost labor force.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Exploitation is not a sustainable business model.
One question, what will happen when they are made LEGAL?
A: They will want more money and better treatment. That will cost more money. Will they bring in new ILLEGALS to compeate with the newly made LEGAL immigrants?
This is not a GUEST WORKER program it is a GUEST VOTER program.
Bull***!
It's an overt admission business can not thrive while operating within the Byzantine rules and laws imposed by this government.
Pro illegal-immigration types are actually justifying the exploitation of workers for the benefit of the economy. Illegals are exploited in the name of "cheap labor".
If someone doesn't pay property taxes, he will lose his house in no time.
The stock market likes gridlock, the status quo, and a do nothing congress on issues of national sovereignity.
You create a false dichotomy.
Your solution is to simplistic - you fail to mention the drain on our social system and tax system.
The Europeans play by socialist rules. Did you know that?
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The subject was NOT socialism, it is immigration to work. I think the U.S. should reciprocate -- and keep foreign workers out too -- American jobs are for AMERICANS, REAL AMERICANS.
That was the obvious subject.
Joe Exploitation is paying property taxes, he just isn't paying taxes on the overinflated income he is receiving by setting up a "cubical city" in his basement with illegals stuffed in every corner.
Instead of attacking diligent workers in the USA, why don't you attack the welfare system which is responsible for the huge government deficit? The government gives out more than half of the money it borrows to welfare recipients. Why don't you stand up against Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security? Why do you attack the hard workers of America?
The illegal immigrants are not evil.
The welfare system is evil.
Please. Do you even bother to do any research before saying such stupid things? What did the stock market do in the REAGAN YEARS, which were the most non-"gridlock" non-"do nothing" years in our history? It skyrocketed. The stock market likes GOOD change, not gridlock.
YOU have an advanced degree.....would you like to do landscape work, or irrigation installs???
I just had a conversation with a local Landscape Contractor (big one). I asked if all his Mexican's were gone today...he said, YES, they will work Sat. I (in a shocked voice said) YOU gave them the DAY OFF? His response....We had no choice. They were going to be gone anyway. Then, we discussed the issues.....bottomline he says is he cannot get any Americans with the work ethic to do the work (landscape, irrigation install). I know he is probably right, as my son, who is a subcontractor in construction (mostly siding) has had the same problem, and said the same thing.
Anyway, he also said this year they worked with the Feds and Mexican Govt to get 36 workers, all checked out, for 9 months. (They asked for 64, but only got 36.) He also said they don't do what some employers do, just look at the documentation they get with applicants....they send it to INS and get THEM to check it out. (Takes 30 days.)
We ended up agreeing the problem is the Gov't...i.e. CONGRESS who has not dealt with this problem for 20+ years.
Law enforcement costs were given only as an example, and, BTW, probably the smallest component of these social costs. Medical care, education expenses, etc. [but all these are quantifiable]. Besides, there are intangible costs, like cost in social cohesion.
ping
The Dim polis asking for minimum wage for illegals yet?
The Dim polis asking for minimum wage for illegals yet?
"One question, what will happen when they are made LEGAL?"
They join unions, or so the unions hope. They will pay union dues and and the unions will use that money to back Dem candidates. Their wages will go up significanly and and once-percieved benefits by business to employ illegals will disappear. Some other cheaper labor source will eventually come along and put them out of work and on to the dole, which will be possible because union-backed Democrats will be in office handing out all our tax-money.
That's just my vision, though.
The problem is not in the Congress.
The problem is that the American people have been mislead and deceived by socialists who claim that workers hurt the economy.
WORKERS NEVER HURT THE ECONOMY. ALL WORKERS HELP THE ECONOMY. THE MORE WORKERS THERE ARE THE BETTER IT IS. And it doesn't matter where the workers come from and what passports they have.
The only thing that matters for the economy is PRODUCTIVITY. It doesn't matter whether you are black or white or Mexican or Asian or American. The free market always rewards productive people.
The less we cherish productivity, the more socialists we have become.
Apparently you didn't apply to the former Soviet Bloc nations (AKA New Europe).
There are plenty of opportunities in places like Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.
The plus is that most of these people are VERY pro-American.
My advice to you is to try again, but leave old Europe (Germany, France, Spain, Holland, etc) off your list since those nations are dead ends.
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