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Illegal Immigration: A Rich American's Game
realclearpolitics.com ^ | December 21, 2006 | Froma Harrop

Posted on 12/23/2006 7:53:24 AM PST by dennisw

There's a popular game in America that goes, I'll cut your wages, but you don't cut mine. And the outsourcing of your factory job to China is a good thing, because it makes my paycheck go further at Wal-Mart. We hear this theme a lot in the debate over illegal immigration.

Consider the recent raids on Swift meat-processing plants. Federal agents arrested 1,187 illegal immigrants at facilities in six states. Mere hours later, economists warned that depriving the industry of illegal labor could raise hamburger prices.

Illegal immigration is usually presented as a win-win situation: Undocumented foreigners earn far more than they could back home. Consumers get a bargain.

Nowhere to be seen are America's working poor who get stomped on 13 different ways. They have to compete with illegal immigrants for jobs and housing. Low-skilled natives and legal immigrants also end up subsidizing the undocumented because they tend to live in the same communities, which must provide hospitals, police, schools and garbage pickup.

Who doesn't suffer from illegal immigration? For starters, the people who write about it. I speak of the journalism profession, which has the habit of covering the issue by anecdotes. Reporters thrive on sympathetic stories about illegal immigrants who work hard and go to church.

But, were a busload of illegals from Australia to turn up at their newspaper and offer reportage at 10 percent below the going rate, the writers would call the authorities so fast that your head would spin. And the publisher's argument that thanks to the cheap Australians, he's able to trim a few cents off the newsstand price would make no impression.

The meat-processing companies that employ illegal immigrants have been enjoying a nearly 50-percent discount on what was the going rate. In 1980 average meat-processing job paid $19 an hour.

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; cheaplabor; china; immigrantlist; immigration; india; labor; mexico
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To: Dog Gone
"In spite of this, we have record low unemployment. Apparently Americans are finding jobs that are better than what the illegal aliens are doing."

Another inane post from the open borders advocate Dane! This isn't even close to the central argument of the article.

101 posted on 12/23/2006 11:32:45 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: Bernard Marx
Recent price increases have been unbelievable!

Do you have any idea how much it costs to keep the human ka-ka out of your lettuce and spinach?

102 posted on 12/24/2006 5:40:32 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Dog Gone

I'm just curious...unemployment benefits last what, 6 months? What are the statistics for the unemployed beyond that time and how are those stats collected?


103 posted on 12/24/2006 6:23:02 AM PST by Kimberly GG (PATRIOTS MARCH TO "TAKE BACK AMERICA" (www.lframerica.com ))
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To: alicewonders; lucysmom

F.Y.I. Every illegal who applies for 'welfare' benefits with Medicaid are required to apply for SSI in order to 'prove' why they are unable to be employed. And because they are required to do so and because their applications are processed through the same SSA as those Americans who are truly disabled, it has caused people like me, who once had a very successful career, but who absolutely can no longer work, and with overwhelming evidence of disability, to wait 3 years for Disability determination! I doubt most any of us have a savings that will allow us to live for three years without being humbled by the need for assistance. "But for the grace of God..."

I do agree however, that when the 'welfare' laws were changed and the two year limit enacted, those who were using 'welfare' as a paycheck decided that a 'disability' paycheck was the answer to their complete and utter laziness. Regardless of how little merit their claims may have, (stubbed my big toe) their applications too are processed through the same SSA and have caused a backlog here in Ohio of 10,000 plus.

The system needs to be fixed and no benefits given to illegal aliens. I've said this before and I'll say it again...I recently received a notice for renewal of medicaid. I was told that as an American Citizen, I was required to show proof of Citizenship. Non-citizens are not!



104 posted on 12/24/2006 6:39:46 AM PST by Kimberly GG (PATRIOTS MARCH TO "TAKE BACK AMERICA" (www.lframerica.com ))
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To: LowOiL

I wouldn't think that unskilled illegal immigrants could displace you in the workforce, because you are skilled. But I do understand how industries transferring production to other countries could directly impact you.

That's a slightly different issue, though.

Good luck in your job search. Be proactive; don't wait for a job to fall into your lap. The good ones are the ones that you find before they find you.


105 posted on 12/24/2006 7:38:02 AM PST by Dog Gone
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To: TheLion

I'm not an open borders advocate, so I guess "inane" would describe your post.


106 posted on 12/24/2006 7:40:10 AM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Kimberly GG

I'm not sure how long unemployment benefits last. It seems like every time they become an issue, Congress extends them.

After the benefits run out, you still have to be actively seeking work in order to be counted as among the unemployed. That makes sense. We have a lot of retired folks, kids, stay at home moms, etc., who don't work for an employer or run their own business.

If you don't want one of those jobs, and aren't looking for one, you shouldn't be counted as unemployed.


107 posted on 12/24/2006 7:45:20 AM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Vigilanteman
Do you have any idea how much it costs to keep the human ka-ka out of your lettuce and spinach?

Especially with "cheap" labor that will do the jobs Americans won't! To think I used to fertilize my lettuce with cow ka-ka!

108 posted on 12/24/2006 8:25:46 AM PST by Bernard Marx
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To: LowOiL
I got laid off Friday. It was slow for the last month at work. Probable will not do the unemployment thing, but I am looking. BTW... boss did keep 4 illegals for some reason. Wonder why?

I would definately do the unemployment thing. And I'd report the boss for hiring/keeping the illegals. Problems don't go away if we all remain silent.

109 posted on 12/24/2006 9:07:53 AM PST by meyer (Bring back the Contract with America and you'll bring back the Republican majority.)
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To: dennisw
the meat-processing companies that employ so many illegal immigrants have been enjoying a nearly 50-percent discount on what was the going rate. In 1980, the average meat-processing job paid $19 an hour.... now average about $9 an hour.

And even then "just hours" after the raids, American Citizens are lining up for those jobs that "Americans will not do."

Treasonus lies from the employers and government.

Build the wall, deport them ALL.

110 posted on 12/24/2006 9:44:57 AM PST by TLI (ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA, MMP AZ 2005, TxMMP El Paso Oct+April 2006 TxMMP Laredo - El Paso)
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To: Dog Gone
Would the military count for some of it? Btw, a commercial for stories on the news tonight said after Christmas "start looking for a job"..don't know what that's about yet tho.
111 posted on 12/24/2006 7:43:14 PM PST by Recall
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To: dennisw

I would rather pay extra money for goods and services than to have people who are here illegaly, we're supposed to be a nation of laws.

If we had no illegals, how much less would health insurance cost, property taxes to educate illegals, how much less? Medical bills? Car Insurance? Income tax which go to people breaking our immigration laws.

I think we would SAVE money in the long run, and have a more unified country.

In the end I don't care if it costs MORE not to have illegal immigrants, but I bet it would cost less.


112 posted on 12/24/2006 7:50:02 PM PST by word_warrior_bob
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To: Recall

I'm not sure. It might. But I don't think our military is growing in numbers faster than our population, so my guess is that it's only a minor piece.


113 posted on 12/24/2006 8:43:26 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: alicewonders
"These are able-bodied people that go out & about, doing whatever they want - but for some reason - are able to get a monthly check for some "disability" that doesn't keep them from shopping & having a great old time."

Many servicemen and women are returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious disabilities and will receive checks the rest of their lives, while others are claiming disabilities of a nature you describe and will be receiving $5,000 to $6,000 per month for their 'hidden' injuries.

114 posted on 12/25/2006 7:34:37 AM PST by 4Freedom (America is no longer the 'Land of Opportunity'. It's the 'Land of Illegal Alien Opportunists'!!!)
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To: 4Freedom
No one resents our military receiving any kind of disability checks. I resent people, that I know decided they didn't want to work their jobs anymore & decided to get on the "Disability Train". I knew them before, when they worked real jobs & I know them now - after their "so-called disability" - no change. They are just fine, fine enough to vacation (scuba dive, travel all over, stand at an auction all day long, carry furniture, work on their antique cars, farm & raise prize livestock, etc.). They are living the "good life", which is fine - but they are doing it until false pretenses.

I'm not resentful of people that really have disabilities - obvious & hidden. I realize you can't always see a disability - but I happen to know these people & IT JUST AIN'T SO.

115 posted on 12/25/2006 11:00:48 AM PST by alicewonders
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To: LowOiL

I hope you're not out of work to long. Maybe enough to rest but not enough to hurt. If they kept an illegal to do the job you were doing, you may have a lawsuit.

Here's hoping you have a better 2007!

God Bless You and Merry Christmas!


116 posted on 12/25/2006 12:27:37 PM PST by Recall
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To: Dog Gone
Alot of prices for things, the labor is really low. I once saw a show about designer clothes. The material and labor is just a dollar or two often on the price of a $200 suit. It's the mark-up.

Even if strawberry pickers made $25 an hour, you wouldn't have to have prices go up that dramatically. You just set a skill level. I am sure a decent amount of people would be willing to work fast. You could easily pick 100 baskets worth of strawberries an hour. That would be .25 a basket. They are already paying the illegals something. A few dollars an hour. It might at worst cost .20 more for a $4.00 container if that. Labor is not always what is driving these prices. Alot of the food and garments the price is in the mark up. Not the making of it.

117 posted on 12/25/2006 5:13:20 PM PST by dogbyte12
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To: dogbyte12

I'm either for paying whatever it takes to get Americans to pick them, or making sure the Mexicans here picking them are here legally on temporary work visas.

I'm not opposed to seasonal labor. They just don't get to stay here and become citizens automatically or use our social systems. They aren't Americans.


118 posted on 12/25/2006 7:10:21 PM PST by Dog Gone
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