Vigilante or Minuteman? Rancher goes high-tech to nab immigrants, smugglers

Sierra Vista Herald ^ | 7/28/02 | Bill Hess

[BOBTHENAILER]

Why? Why do we need them to come here to begin with?

I've not seen a lot of Americans doing the menial farm and ranch jobs they fill. I've not seen a lot of Americans doing the motel maid and maintenance they fill, just to name a few.

[BOBTHENAILER]

There's an awful lot of oil down there in Mexico (second highest reserves in the Western Hemisphere)--and we should try to cut back on Saudi oil. Plus all those beautiful but undeveloped coasts. Lots of good jobs could be made in Mexico

Couldn't agree with you more in this respect. Just one example: The Permian and Delaware basins in New Mexico and Texas, continue well into Mexico. There are thousands of high volume producers in the US and just as many waiting to be drilled in Mexico. That alone could employ many thousands for a number of years.

The coasts could provide work for as many as a few hundred thousand. The minerals of the Rocky Mountains as Sabertooth described: again, many thousands could be employed in that industry as well. I agree, its time to pressure Mexico into accepting modernity and bringing their people along for the ride.

[HiJinx]

I know Roger. Not only is he ranching and rounding up illegals, he runs some pretty successful businesses in the area. He actually lives here in Sierra Vista during the week, and goes out to the ranch, over 50 miles away, on the weekends.

Roger has been rounding up illegals since before I met him 4 years ago. Investigations of him have been made public twice in that time. I wonder how many we haven't heard of?

I truly believe people on both sides of the border who stand to lose money because of his actions (smugglers of drugs and people) are behind the lawsuits and investigations.

HJ

[Trteamer]

You guys seem to be hitting right on the solution. Modernize Mexico, clean it up and make them a good neighbor.
They are not a good neighbor, their people have gotton screwed from their government and the U.S. turns a blind eye. They are a third world country and a threat to our country as long as they remain that way.

I also agree with bounty hunters and land mines.

[Travis McGee]

It's too bad that the goobermint is shirking its primary duty to defend our nation, and is just waiting for a citizen to defend it "too hard" so they can swing into action to nail him. Strange days.

[Age of Reason]

I've not seen a lot of Americans doing the menial farm and ranch jobs they fill. I've not seen a lot of Americans doing the motel maid and maintenance they fill, just to name a few.

But that's the point: Flood the country with illegal labor to drive down those salaries to the point that real Americans can't afford to earn a living at those occupations.

Heck, pay me enough money, and I'd quit my office job to shovel real manure.

And how many illegal immigrants did they pull out of that dirty and dangerous Pennsylvannia mineshaft yesterday?

I guess the unions keep salaries high enough to attract American mining workers.

In colonial times, they used slaves for such work, and I'm sure when anyone talked of abolition, the mine owners would protest they could not man the mines without slaves.

[Black Agnes]

How right you are. If those employers that used cheap illegal labor had to pay SS and taxes on those employees not to mention their health care (which WE pay for via free handouts at emergency rooms and free clinics) they would be bankrupt. Thing is, they get the cheap labor, make a buck but the rest of us lose TWO bucks paying for these illegals care/food/anchorbabies/etc.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Heck, pay me enough money, and I'd quit my office job to shovel real manure.

Be my guest.

And how many illegal immigrants did they pull out of that dirty and dangerous Pennsylvannia mineshaft yesterday?

What does that have to do with ANYTHING?

I guess the unions keep salaries high enough to attract American mining workers.

And many industries dependent on union labor are in big trouble.

[jody]

the miners example has absolutely everything to do with this topic. miners are paid about $20 an hour to get dirty and take the risks. pay them $8 an hour and watch the mexicans fill the mines.

[BOBTHENAILER]

the miners example has absolutely everything to do with this topic. miners are paid about $20 an hour to get dirty and take the risks. pay them $8 an hour and watch the mexicans fill the mines.

Oh, I get it. We make like democRATs, give everybody a "Living Wage", say $20.00 per hour for hotel maids, dishwashers, strawberry pickers, manure shovelers, etc, ad infinitum. Who cares if the public has to pay for the increase, who cares if the businesses go by the wayside.

Anything to keep nothing but American workers paid a high wage. Let's not stop there. How about absolutley free health care ala Hillary, free prescription drugs, double the social security benefits.

[PuNcH]

I still think the idea of a strictly enforced and monitored "guest worker" program, offers the best alternative for both business and the workers. Come over, work for the period required, pay taxes and then go home.

Dont you think the left, who I'm sure support this idea now, will call it "aparthied" as soon as they want to make more demands?

[PuNcH]

As to that FiBi FLEA sitting on his perch waiting for the Rancher to make a mistake versus going after the illegals who are already making a mistake on a daily basis screams volumes about the state of our Nation. Fibi's are nothing more than a bunch of gundecking shitbirds anymore as far as I'm concerned.

I agree. They find over a ton of drugs being smuggled across this guys property but they have someone watching the rancher. Is it a war on drugs or a war on the american people?

[PuNcH]

I've not seen a lot of Americans doing the menial farm and ranch jobs they fill. I've not seen a lot of Americans doing the motel maid and maintenance they fill, just to name a few.

I did. This is a past tense idea though. Americans cant afford to work for the wages mexicans can who are also very often under the table and taken back to mexico. So now of course we dont see americans doing these jobs very often.

[PuNcH]

In colonial times, they used slaves for such work, and I'm sure when anyone talked of abolition, the mine owners would protest they could not man the mines without slaves.

You forgot to respond to this one didnt you. Funny how you responded to every statement Age of Reason made except this one.

[BOBTHENAILER]

In colonial times, they used slaves for such work, and I'm sure when anyone talked of abolition, the mine owners would protest they could not man the mines without slaves.

I didn't respond because it is foolish to do so. But, because you seem to want to force the issue, here it is.

The issue is a moot point. OBVIOUSLY, the owners found they COULD work the mines, fields, factories, etc., without slaves, because they did.

If you want to make the comparison to the continuing work, without slaves, to today's industries that use Mexican labor, go ahead. To conservatives, the market bears what it can. To all liberals, the market can bear what they FORCE upon it.

[jody]

i agree. i was not suggesting a living wage. i only pointed out how the miners were relevant to the thread. the mining company had no problem finding white and black americans to mine for $20 an hour. for $8 an hour they would almost surely have to hire illegal aliens from mexico. i'm just voicing my opinion that cutting costs by lowering wages is fine as long as americans are hired.

[BOBTHENAILER]

i'm just voicing my opinion that cutting costs by lowering wages is fine as long as americans are hired.

Thanks for the explanation.

[PuNcH]

To all liberals, the market can bear what they FORCE upon it.

And force would be a disregard for this country's laws and the will of the people?

[PuNcH]

To conservatives, the market bears what it can.

Free society cannot bear just whatever the market can bear. We cant have slavery, abusive child labor or the murder of individuals for the purpose of selling their organs regardless of whether there is a market for it or not. We live in a society of laws, a country with borders.

[BOBTHENAILER]

And force would be a disregard for this country's laws and the will of the people?

I just can't follow your logic here. When have LIBERALS ever cared about our country's laws and the will of the people?