Once Again Ted Rall Attacks Illegal Immigration

[nightperson]

Good for him:

"George W. Bush, master plagiarist of liberal catchphrases, says illegal immigrants "take the jobs that Americans won't take." A more accurate reading of the situation is that because these workers' illegal status makes them vulnerable to exploitation, employers create jobs for them to take--while eliminating better jobs for Americans. Rapacious employers use illegals to fill two types of jobs: those that would otherwise go to Americans and those that exist only because it's possible to pay slave wages. What would happen to the agricultural and garment sectors, which employ hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in both categories, without illegal labor? Both industries would survive, though their bosses might have to make do without a Paris pied-à-terre. "The only reason any job remains unfilled is because the wage is too low," says Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich. "Require it to be filled with an American and employers have to raise the wage.

Most employers don't hire illegal workers. But they all benefit from the downward pressure illegal immigration puts on wages. It's simple supply and demand: if we deported every undocumented worker, companies would be forced to increase pay at the bottom from sub-minimum to minimum wage levels. This would force employers to entice those currently working for the legal minimum wage with raises, and so on up the scale. Labor costs account for about two-thirds of the expenses of an average business. The last "reform" corporate America wants is a genuine crackdown on illegal immigration. And Congress, reliant on business for campaign contributions, isn't about to start one.

Our borders are open on purpose. While 150,000 U.S. soldiers fight a useless war in Iraq, fewer than 2,000 INS agents patrol the Mexican and Canadian borders--5,300 miles--combined. Hundreds of miles of border are unmarked by anything as formidable as a chain-link fence, much less the kind of we-mean-business fortifications built by the old USSR. Signs posted north of the San Diego-Tijuana crossing warn motorists to look out for Mexican families running across Interstate 5. Eleven states, recognizing the reality of the illegals in their midst, issue them driver's licenses. Now the Bush Administration, backed by big business, wants to tacitly endorse illegal immigration by granting existing undocumented workers "guest worker" status...

No nation worthy of the name can tolerate porous borders. We can and must seal our borders to prevent economic migrants, terrorists and others with unknown motives from entering the United States. It's time to stop sucking up to big business."

This article reminds me how much "far-Left anti-American" Rall overlaps with AmCon on their 2 favorite issues.

[EVDebs]

1. ....all the while Bush allows unlimited H1B and L1 visaholders to

displace US workers/jobs without fear of deportation since these immigrants, legal and otherwise, will be the ones paying into the system for Social Security of those same US workers being displaces.

"Nation's immigrants account for bulk of labor force growth since 2000"

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-01/nu-nia010804.php

A crazy system devised by even crazier Republicans !

[DBoon]

2. We should figure out how much employers save by hiring illegals

The fine them five times this amount for every illegal they hire.

Assuming some good enforcement (snitch line for disgruntled ex-employees? snitch line for competitors that hire legal residents?) this would quickly reduce the incentive to hire illegals.

Much easier than deporting millions of illegal migrants. Also by making the bad guy the anglo employers, less likely to incite racist responses.

[umass1993]

3. Deport the CEOs

that use illegal immigrants to Mexico.

[Selatius]

4. It's not "economically feasible" to curtail illegal immigration

The bottom line counts, and that means keeping labor costs in check. (End sarcasm)

[mockingbich]

5. Open Border Lobby (OBL) will destroy Bush's GOP

Free traitors don't mix well with the GOP redneck xenophobic nationalist base... get ready for the fireworks!