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Growers fear worst in immigration reform debate
Chicago Tribune/Charlotte.com ^
| 5-29-06
| MICHAEL MARTINEZ
Posted on 05/29/2006 3:34:54 PM PDT by SJackson
click here to read article
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To: SJackson
I think automation, sooner or later, is gonna come back to haunt China. Imagine super-automated mini-factories producing all of those things here, cheaper.
21
posted on
05/29/2006 4:11:03 PM PDT
by
GeronL
To: SJackson
If migrant work were to dry up there would be a rather drastic up tick in migrant sensitive crop prices. However, as prices rise and demand starts to drop due to out of equilibrium pricing, producers will demand more efficient, innovative equipment to do the jobs the former migrants did. Robots do a great deal of assembly work on cars, the same could probably be done in agriculture but due to a glut of migrant work there has been no need nor interest in devoting resources to a more efficient automated system.
However another outcome could happen, the Ag lobby could demand the doubling of farm subsidies to offset the increased labor costs and since most of our republicans in the house and senate are from Ag heavy states they rely on farm subsidies to buy the Ag vote so that is something we would need to prevent if we ever really deal with immigration.
22
posted on
05/29/2006 4:16:38 PM PDT
by
spikeytx86
(Pray for Democrats for they have been brainwashed by there fruity little club.)
To: GeronL
I think automation, sooner or later, is gonna come back to haunt China. Imagine super-automated mini-factories producing all of those things here, cheaper.
In a sense it will. Their productivity is but a fractions of ours. Whether they develop beyond a low labor cost economy we'll have to see.
23
posted on
05/29/2006 4:16:44 PM PDT
by
SJackson
(The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do!)
To: SJackson
>>>>>"When I was a kid, they worked at McDonalds, mowed lawns, painted houses and bagged groceries. Still do in rural areas"<<<<<
I'm talking about Gradeschool Kids, not Highscool and College Kids
TT
To: spikeytx86
If migrant work were to dry up there would be a rather drastic up tick in migrant sensitive crop prices. However, as prices rise and demand starts to drop due to out of equilibrium pricing, producers will demand more efficient, innovative equipment to do the jobs the former migrants did.
True, however migrant labor isn't going to dry up. You'll note the complaints in this article relate to "regulation", as in I'll have to check the social security of an employee electronically, and the cost of legal labor, which the grower acknowledges she turned to. The arguement being made is that we should tolerate illegals, rather than regulating migrants, whatever the level is.
25
posted on
05/29/2006 4:19:46 PM PDT
by
SJackson
(The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do!)
To: SJackson
All their documents appeared in order, she said.
Then federal authorities found that three-fourths of the workers were illegal immigrants, and that left the peak harvest in ruins. I'm sure they tried "real hard" to verify those "documents".
26
posted on
05/29/2006 4:24:39 PM PDT
by
glorgau
To: glorgau
I'm sure they tried "real hard" to verify those "documents".
The solution...everybody gets a tamper-proof card...and I mean everybody...otherwise you get into these discrimination issues.
A real Hegelian moment.
To: GeronL
Automation is moving ahead and when it does what exactly will we do will millions and millions of unskilled foreigners? Exactly right. This is already starting and it's really going to take off in the next decade. Congress should vote a few billion in research dollars to "decrease our dependence on unskilled foreign labor". But they never will because robots don't vote Democrat.
To: SJackson
Less than 1% of the 11 million illegals are farm workers. Let them come in as guest workers and have them leave after the harvest. That is what guest workers are supposed to be, and that would be fine. Whoever hires them is responsible for getting them fromt the border to their farm, responsible for housing them during picking season, and then responsible for getting them back to the border after harvest.
To: spikeytx86
FWIW...temporary crop pickers can be imported now w/ the proper paperwork.
The reason they aren't ....is cuz...
why bother, there's an over abundance of illegals & no enforcement.
To: SJackson
What's it gonna be....your crops, or your country?
MAKE the RIGHT decision.
31
posted on
05/29/2006 4:54:16 PM PDT
by
NordP
(Dig a moat the length of Mexican border, take the dirt & raise New Orleans' levees--add alligators.)
To: Darkwolf377
What I want to know is how are some of these Illegals paying into Social Security? If they have a SSN, it has to be fraudulent or stolen. So, why are they not traced?
32
posted on
05/29/2006 4:55:03 PM PDT
by
no dems
("A billion here a billion there; before you know it, you've spent a lot of money" Ev Dirksen)
To: speekinout
Produce is minor. We can pay real workers real wages, or start learning to do some gardening. The so-called benefits of illegal workers are costing us millions if not more. From hospital ER rooms (used as primary care, and paid for by tax payers because the illegals don't have insurance) to education to the increased crime rates to the utter and complete contempt with which they view our laws and society--they're costing us more than they're worth.
33
posted on
05/29/2006 4:56:19 PM PDT
by
MizSterious
(Anonymous sources often means "the voices in my head told me.")
To: GeronL
Thank you for expanding my top three list to my top four list:
1. Secure the Borders
2. Stop "Anchor Babies"
3. Enforce the Penalties to Employers
4. Automate EVERYthing cheap labor can do.
34
posted on
05/29/2006 4:59:56 PM PDT
by
NordP
(Dig a moat the length of Mexican border, take the dirt & raise New Orleans' levees--add alligators.)
To: BigBobber
"...robots don't vote Democrat..."I wouldn't bet on that! 'Rats can be very inventive when it comes to cheating! ;)
35
posted on
05/29/2006 5:01:01 PM PDT
by
MizSterious
(Anonymous sources often means "the voices in my head told me.")
To: MizSterious
We could revitalize the old Victory Gardens of WWII, if we weren't so lazy. No need to go to the spa if you're bending and planting, weeding, and picking your own veggies. And you can grow amazing amounts in tubs on the patio, if you have no garden space. You probably wouldn't have to take Ambien to make you sleep after a couple of hours out in the sunshine, either. It always works for me. And they do taste so much better you wouldn't believe it.
To: MizSterious
>I wouldn't bet on that! 'Rats can be very inventive when it comes to cheating! ;)
Tell me about it. You know those little "I want $2 to go to my party" boxes on your income tax forms? We found out that something was amiss when the Republican party wanted to use the funds for something and, lo and behold, the account was at zero. Turns out someone rigged it that whatever party you were, if you checked that box, it went to the Democrats.
37
posted on
05/29/2006 5:06:23 PM PDT
by
OneWingedShark
(Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.)
To: kittymyrib
You're so right! We have plenty of garden space here, but we've also lived in apartments--you can use all manner of things for planters, including the expensive cement planters--but really, plastic buckets, etc., do just fine. I really hate store-bought veggies, especially the tomatoes and peppers.
38
posted on
05/29/2006 5:06:23 PM PDT
by
MizSterious
(Anonymous sources often means "the voices in my head told me.")
To: kittymyrib
We could revitalize the old Victory Gardens of WWII
Seems that most people these days haven't even heard that term. I was lucky to live near my great grandmother who grew most her own veggies till her death at 96 years old. In fact I've got her tiller that must be from the 40s.
39
posted on
05/29/2006 5:06:52 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
To: NordP
The season for things like tomatoes varies from North to South, so that eliminating production here would not be taken up by Mexican produce.
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