Posted on 12/30/2002 5:37:04 AM PST by SJackson
The FBI is not interested in these immigrants as threats to the Texas budget. Different issue.
You're right, that's why I put it in parentheses.
Now you are going to find that this Worldview report has been/will be rewritten in many places and each and every time there is/will be something very important ommitted.
The Worldview Report inquired as to the basis of the opinion. As you see by looking, fear of Muzlims and terrorism accounted for double of that of fear of cultural change or fears of job security.
Ther is much on the web and at FR that has been manipulated to try to influence opinions. This but one example.
Ranching, harvesting fruit, cosmetology, working in homes, and engaging in other low spectrum jobs-- and doing them well-- are neither held in esteem nor desired by most Americans. However, these jobs are the practical reality/opportunity for the majority of Texas immigrants.
Meanwhile, their kids go to school with mine, play on the same teams and chase the same dreams. With education and unique American opportunities, most second and third generation immigrants prosper as legal citizens and contribute to the fabric of our nation.
And if they're lucky, they still speak Spanish and come visit Texas/Mexico. I hope Arturo's children do.
I find the ability of some to navigate the cognitive dissonance of America hiring, financing, and encouraging these folks-- and yes, providing reluctant health care and other social services-- while at the same time demanding that the borders be locked down and with bitter tongue blaming immigrants for budget shortfalls, I find this reasoning/reality most fascinating.
Public, elite differ on immigration (New study says people anxious, leaders unconcerned)
The report is based on data from a recent survey on foreign-policy issues conducted by the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. The survey, taken in May through July of this year, was based on 2,800 interviews of ordinary Americans and a cross-section of 400 "opinion leaders," including members of Congress, the administration, church leaders, business executives, union leaders, journalists, academics and leaders of major interest groups.
The survey also found that President Bush's calls for granting amnesty to an estimated 3 million illegal aliens currently residing in the U.S. is hurting him politically. Though 53 percent say he is handling foreign policy well, only 27 percent believe he is adequately addressing immigration.
This is another myth perpetuated by the pro-illegal crowd. These jobs are desired by American citizens and would be done by Americans at a fair wage. However, the use of illegal workers depresses the wages for these jobs fpor the reasons I stated above. Please do some research at The Center For Immigration Studies.
Let them chase their dreams & educate their children on thier own dime - not that of the American taxpayer. If they want to come to America, stand in line and immigrate legally. Don't break and enter into my house, steal my silverware and then tell me you are only trying to better your life & chase your dream.
Let me point out something else found in the Worldview Report that has been/will be left out. It is also left out of every report on any poll of immigration opinions, no matter where they originate.
There is a historical perspective of immigration opinion. To get an understanding of this historical opinion and how polling questions are framed influences the answer, see this article
It is pure,simple deception trying to manipulate.
Secondly from your WorldViews Report:
Related to the publics concern about jobs for American workers is its uneasiness about immigration. Majorities of Americans favor reducing both legal and illegal immigration. Of special concern is controlling and reducing illegal immigration, which 70% say should be a very important goal of U.S. foreign policy. This percentage is up a substantial 15 points from 1998 when the U.S. economy was stronger, and is about comparable to the figure in 1994 when the economy was relatively shaky. Sixty percent say that large numbers of immigrants and refugees coming into the United States is a critical threat. This figure is up a bit from 1998, but substantially lower (by 12 points) than it was in 1994.
This would suggest to me that although not at today's level, prior to the 9-11 attacks, there was considerable opposition to illegals and support for immigration reform, unrelated to terror.
I own a modest orchard in south Texas. It was harvested this past Friday. I contract out the work and have no idea of the legal status of the workers.
T'wasn't, however, a whole lot of English spoken out in the orchard that morning. Meanwhile, English speaking America works at my neighborhood McDonald's. McDonald's does not pay nearly as well as grapefruit harvesting does (which is why immigrants come), so where are the English speaking or Anglo grapefruit pickers?
You state Americans (do you mean white Americans? or just the brown ones?) would love these jobs, so I must ask: would you care to harvest my orchard next year with a crew you can find of the citizens you profess covet this work? With your crew of English speakers or Anglos, whomever you organize, you could thereby make your point in the realm of deed and not rhetoric. I pay market price, no more. As a capitalist, the market will always govern-- and thus the immigrants come.
Do you dream of this enterprise for your children? Will you smile proudly when your grown children punch their ladders into the dirt, climb among the raspy limbs and tree after tree, row after row, twist the heavy fruit into their waist sacks, quick as light? (For if they lollygag, they will not profit.)
Migrant children are eligible for federal funding and unique scholarship opportunities, you know. But you probably wouldn't like that. Don't guess I'll be seeing the Americans you speak of in the family orchard next December-- just those damn budget bandits, legal or not.
That reinforces my point. A 10-point shift post 9-11 indicates still a substantial portion of Americans opposing illegal immigration & supporting immigration reform prior to 9-11.
Again, I am a capitalist. I held the following trees from being picked: two grapefruit, one navel, and a lemon. The grapefruit will be exquisite next month.
Mail me privately if you would like to purchase-- nah, they're free to you so to abide by list rules if you cover shipping-- from the tree. I'll pick 'em. (grin)
It's been fun! Bring it on:)
Well, this explains a lot. You have no problem w/ illegals, because you can exploit them to reduce your labor costs. BTW, knowingly hiring illegal aliens is a crime. Maybe you should ask for documentation next picking season.
You state Americans (do you mean white Americans? or just the brown ones?) would love these jobs, so I must ask: would you care to harvest my orchard next year with a crew you can find of the citizens you profess covet this work? With your crew of English speakers or Anglos, whomever you organize, you could thereby make your point in the realm of deed and not rhetoric. I pay market price, no more. As a capitalist, the market will always govern-- and thus the immigrants come.
Americans, of any color (dont try to invoke racism here), may not love, but would take these jobs if the wages were comparable to comparable jobs in the market.
No, I would not care to participate in your harvest next year. That is because I worked full time while putting myself to school and earned a college degree. I then went on to become a certified professional in my field. However, I have a more-than-full time position & during tax season I take on extra work on the weekends & after work preparing tax returns.
Now, Ill tell you that growing up in Central Illinois during the 60 & 70s I started out in about the 5th grade walking beans. This is manual field labor walking miles in bean fields pulling, by hand, weeds. I did this during the summers until I was old enough for the local grain company to hire me to detassel corn. This is standing on a rickety old machine, going through the fields, pulling tassels out of corn plants. If you were real good, you could get a couple of extra weeks at the end of the season doing hand-inoculation. These jobs usually lasted until early afternoon, at which time I would come home & mow lawns in the neighborhood. There were plenty of (white, if it matters to you) high school kids doing this right alongside me for generations in my town. Plenty of them were farmers kids & are now farmers. Many others went into the armed services to protect the citizens of America.
Would I like this as a career for my kids no. But, I wouldnt mind if they did it for a summer job, in order to learn what real work is & the value of a good education. Ill tell you, when my kids are big enough, they will be mowing my lawn, and performing other chores around the house. Where I live, most people hire gardeners & maids. Not me. I will not hire anything done that I can do myself.
What I saying is that the numbers, or the significance of the numbers, are being exagerated. I've pointed out several of the ways it is being done.
Polling is polling and we should not buy into for one subject, else we have to buy into it on all subjects. Its the Republic versus a Democracy thing.
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