Regarding the article on DU homepage,

[CrispyQ]

"Republicans Require Health Insurance for Immigrants Only"

I've read the article & still do not know what Cornyn & Kyl are trying to do with this POS bill. I realize our elected officials have no loyalty to American citizens, but why would these reps want to make it mandatory to provide benefits for immigrant workers? Since employers already can opt to not provide benefits to immigrant workers, this bill increases their cost for that labor pool.

???? What am I missing? Also, how will the freepers possibly justify this as good legislation?


http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/05/09/28_insurance.html

snip...

Next month, Congress will consider an immigration reform bill introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ). A component of the bill would require employers to provide health insurance to all workers who are registered immigrants. To be sure, immigrants who lawfully enter the country to work, and who pay taxes, should have access to health insurance. But this bill is poorly reasoned and has the potential to create tremendous problems.

Although the bill will mandate that employers provide health insurance coverage to immigrants, this is a luxury that no American enjoys. Employers are not required to provide health insurance to citizens. At the very least, this will provoke animosity and tension between immigrants and citizens. At its worst, this will result in an increase in American workers without insurance.


more...

The immigration reform bill, by mandating that employers provide health insurance to their immigrant workers, would have a disastrous effect on American workers. Some employers, perhaps even many, would simply discontinue providing health insurance benefits to its workers who are citizens. This would be the easiest way for employers to offset health care costs. In fact, the Salary.Com survey found that 14 percent of businesses are already actively encouraging their employees not to enroll in their health plans.

[wildflower]

1. To guarantee cheap labor for corporations, I think

I can't think of any other reason.

wildflower

[CrispyQ]

2. But they already have access to this cheap labor pool

& don't have to provide benefits now.

[wildflower]

3. Okay, just had another thought

Maybe they feel that:

Offering illegal immigrants health care in exchange for citizenship will encourage immigrants to become citizens. Then they can have the cheap labor. There's a rift in the GOP over illegal immigration. This will solve that problem, so they can have the cheap labor and support from the party too.

Sound plausible? Other than that, I'm stumped.

wildflower

[CrispyQ]

4. It's a better explanation than I could come up with!!

:hi: