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I generally agree though it really depends on what side of the economic table you sit on as to what your opinion is on this subject. Americans would be willing to do the jobs illegals do if the wages were high enough but they will generally demand significantly higher wages to do so. That really would put a lot of marginal producers out of business and force those who can afford it to switch to less labor intensive crops which can be machine harvested or for non-farm jobs to find ways to automate as much as possible (example butchering of animals using machines). That would free up some jobs but permanently destroy a lot of other jobs as producers/businesses were put out of business or eliminated jobs due to high labor costs.
Obviously, if you're one of the people who face direct competition from low wage illegal labor then you want them gone ("They took our jobs!") but if you're lucky enough not to be in an industry which faces such labor competition then you directly economically benefit from it in the form of lower prices for the goods and services you buy. Like I said, it all depends on where you are economically as to if you are for or against it.
I know people like to claim "the Mexicans are taking our jobs!" I haven't seen anyone lining up to pick strawberries or work at the fast food places.
In fact, a really interesting book that indirectly talks about the "illegals" is Tomatoland. The book is about the tomato industry in Florida. A couple of chapters talk about how the workforce is secured, and what happened when the workers went on strike. Some native born Americans showed up to work for 1 day. They didn't come back on the second day.
We have an economic issue for sure, but stopping illegal immigration isn't going to solve the problem, unless the mindset changes on how we work and what sorts of jobs we'd like to do. Energies would be better spent building up our local economies and creating jobs, instead of worrying about people trying to make a new life in the "land of opportunity."
I generally agree though it really depends on what side of the economic table you sit on as to what your opinion is on this subject. Americans would be willing to do the jobs illegals do if the wages were high enough but they will generally demand significantly higher wages to do so. That really would put a lot of marginal producers out of business and force those who can afford it to switch to less labor intensive crops which can be machine harvested or for non-farm jobs to find ways to automate as much as possible (example butchering of animals using machines). That would free up some jobs but permanently destroy a lot of other jobs as producers/businesses were put out of business or eliminated jobs due to high labor costs.
Obviously, if you're one of the people who face direct competition from low wage illegal labor then you want them gone ("They took our jobs!") but if you're lucky enough not to be in an industry which faces such labor competition then you directly economically benefit from it in the form of lower prices for the goods and services you buy. Like I said, it all depends on where you are economically as to if you are for or against it.
Economic gain should trump our laws? There is no way of doing business by using authorized labor and still make a profit? Lower prices for the consumer from using unathorized labor is just a myth.
i know i know but as long as they make it a racial issue, they have the higher ground.
the card, WMD.
as long s they got card u have no rights and they have immunity as to any and all wrongdoing.
I know people like to claim "the Mexicans are taking our jobs!" I haven't seen anyone lining up to pick strawberries or work at the fast food places.
In fact, a really interesting book that indirectly talks about the "illegals" is Tomatoland. The book is about the tomato industry in Florida. A couple of chapters talk about how the workforce is secured, and what happened when the workers went on strike. Some native born Americans showed up to work for 1 day. They didn't come back on the second day.
We have an economic issue for sure, but stopping illegal immigration isn't going to solve the problem, unless the mindset changes on how we work and what sorts of jobs we'd like to do. Energies would be better spent building up our local economies and creating jobs, instead of worrying about people trying to make a new life in the "land of opportunity."
Only a small percentage of illegal immigrants are doing agricultural work. Stopping illegal immigration will indeed open up all those other jobs for Americans and contrary to the propaganda Americans are willing to do those jobs again.
Only legal immigrants have a right to make a new life here. The people you are referring to are illegal immigrants and are here in violation of our immigration laws. Opportunities should and do exist for legal immigrants, not illegal ones.
Only a small percentage of illegal immigrants are doing agricultural work. Stopping illegal immigration will indeed open up all those other jobs for Americans and contrary to the propaganda Americans are willing to do those jobs again.
Only legal immigrants have a right to make a new life here. The people you are referring to are illegal immigrants and are here in violation of our immigration laws. Opportunities should and do exist for legal immigrants, not illegal ones.
rights are not granted by governments. if they were then they would merely be privileges, not rights.
and yes, economic reality always trumps misguided laws.
I generally agree though it really depends on what side of the economic table you sit on as to what your opinion is on this subject. Americans would be willing to do the jobs illegals do if the wages were high enough but they will generally demand significantly higher wages to do so. That really would put a lot of marginal producers out of business and force those who can afford it to switch to less labor intensive crops which can be machine harvested or for non-farm jobs to find ways to automate as much as possible (example butchering of animals using machines). That would free up some jobs but permanently destroy a lot of other jobs as producers/businesses were put out of business or eliminated jobs due to high labor costs.
Obviously, if you're one of the people who face direct competition from low wage illegal labor then you want them gone ("They took our jobs!") but if you're lucky enough not to be in an industry which faces such labor competition then you directly economically benefit from it in the form of lower prices for the goods and services you buy. Like I said, it all depends on where you are economically as to if you are for or against it.
Its all about supply and demand. The more people willing to do the labor the better for the employer as wages decrease to include no offer of benefits. The fewer people the better for the employee as now employers are fighting for good workers and offering both better wages and benefits. Many farms already use machinery to plant and harvest, it is only the few crops left that are labor intensive. The issue now is there is an unlimited supply of H2A visas allowed for these crop picking jobs, but the farmers claim to much bureaucracy involved in it, to include to many demands on them to use it.
Few jobs overall would be lost, and new jobs would be created. More or less a wash.
The economic benefit claim has been debunked long ago as the employers were doing nothing more than pocketing the profit. Supply sold/sells for what people were/are willing to pay, labor plays a small role in it, not enough to impact the price overall. Fuel in most cases causes a bigger increase in cost than labor.
Last edited by Liquid Reigns; 07-24-2012 at 05:20 PM..
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