Article

2006-07-02 Britain

Never have we seen immigration on this scale: we just can't cope

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Posted by ryuge 2006-07-02 01:13|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Good article. Some parallels with immigration trends in the US:

"The injection of large numbers of unskilled workers into the economy does not benefit the bulk of the population to any great extent. It benefits the nanny-and housecleaner-using classes; it benefits employers who want to pay low wages; but it does not benefit indigenous, unskilled Britons, who have to compete with immigrants willing to work hard for very low wages in unpleasant working conditions."

The US is coping, so far, but we're gonna see a lot more "native" citizens struggling to get by if we pass the proposed guest worker program-unless a reasonable cap is set. I don't see that happening. The guest worker program is coming into focus more and more: it's about 1) increasing commerce and opportunity, yes, but also about bringing economies of the western hemisphere more into alignment with one another to reduce the hemorraging of peoples into the US (a kind of under-the-table wealth redistribution scheme) and to lessen the oppositional urges of some foreign governments; 2) keeping "native" American incomes at rock-bottom for the benefit of some businesses by threatening the import of unskilled labor to do the same work for a fraction of the cost.

As a capitalist, I understand that competition is essential, but the thought of our wage base approaching that of Mexico rather than distancing itself from that of a 2nd world country should be of concern. We need to think about what a guest worker program could really do-to the American people.

Posted by Jules 2006-07-02 09:39|| 2006-07-02 09:39|| Front Page Top

#2 Of course, in relative terms our population and our economy are substantially larger than back when we had waves of southern and eastern European immigrants coming here.

We have 12 million illegals here now, and our economy continues to grow faster than the EU and faster than all but a handful of other industrial powers. If this be the horror of illegal immigration, I think we can handle it.

I don't like illegal immigration, if only because it allows evil people -- 'coyotes' and the like -- to make money off the misery of others. I don't like the law being broken.

I also understand the desparation that drives it. If I were a campesino in Mexico trying to feed my campesino wife and campesino children on $8 a day, and someone told me that I could make $8 an hour mowing lawns and chopping up chickens, I'd hit the road and head north.

Then again I'm an American, not just by birth but also by attitude.

A guest worker program is vital to fixing the problem, as is a tall, sturdy fence from San Diego to Brownsville.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2006-07-02 12:02|| 2006-07-02 12:02|| Front Page Top

#3 Fence first

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-07-02 12:07|| 2006-07-02 12:07|| Front Page Top

#4 The illegal immigrants have less to do with our growth rate than the absence of one in Mexico. The horror of illegal immigration will show up three ways:

1) when the US growth slows down. Either they stay here and are a problem or they go home and are a problem.

2) when the US fails to assimilate them due to multi-culti tranzi educationists. Fortunately most of the legitimate ones want to assimilate as fast as they can. But it still takes 3 generations and nobody really knows what our assimilation capacity is.

3.) the illegals create a high band width line of communication to what may become a failed state. If Obrador wins, we've got problems. Even if he doesn't we've got MS-13, decapitating drug dealers and potential al-Qaeda coyotes building a p9ipeline into the heart of the US.

As Frank says, secure the boarders.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-07-02 12:21|| 2006-07-02 12:21|| Front Page Top

#5 And to me, as and American, a guest worker program is an anathema. If they're good enough to come here and work, they're good enough to become citizens. If we aren't p[repared to let them become citizens, we shouldn't let them in just because we need somebody else to clean our toilets. Guest workers are second class non-citizens on the way to slavery.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-07-02 12:24|| 2006-07-02 12:24|| Front Page Top

#6 Nimble, I appreciate that point. When I think of 'guest workers', I think of seasonal, temporary help from people who want to make some money but have no intention of staying (it's the word 'guest', I guess). You're absolutely right: people who want to stay permanently should become citizens (or at least permanent residents). They should be here legally, pay taxes, etc.

I have no problem with such legal immigrants, and I have no problem with some fair number of them. Pick a number that's reasonable, that our economy can support, and that the incompetent ICE can handle. 99.9% of such legal immigrants will be good people, and their children will become solid Americans.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2006-07-02 12:40|| 2006-07-02 12:40|| Front Page Top

#7 Who cleaned toilets and mowed lawns before we stopped enforcing immigration laws?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-07-02 12:43|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-07-02 12:43|| Front Page Top

#8 I have no problem with seasonal workers who come through the country to do work. In high school I worked with a bunch of Mexicans who went up and down the esat coast to do agricultural work and went home for Christmas before coming back for another season. Great. Worked well for everyone.

What I object to is a guest worker program where the people come in tied to some employer who then has them by the short hairs and where the option to pursue citizenship is not open and they are expected to go home. If we're going to let them in to do our work, they ought to be good enough to be our fellow citizens; and if they're not, then we shouldn't be letting them in for any reason.

I also think we ought to be bringing them in with the express intent of having more Mexicans in the US than in Mexico. We should then use their Mexican voting privileges to absorb Mexico, or some portion of it, into the US legally. With all these illegals, we need more room in which to live. Turn this baby into a threat to the lecherous Mexican oligarchs and see how long it lasts.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-07-02 13:00|| 2006-07-02 13:00|| Front Page Top

#9 no anchor babys for guest workers either

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-07-02 13:03|| 2006-07-02 13:03|| Front Page Top

#10 The illegals must not be allowed to vote. When it is fact that theey can never vote, then, and only then, our politicians will 'obey' us and serve us with the wording of the law. Today, our politicians are positioning for the new votes. We must not allow this to happen.

Posted by wxjames 2006-07-02 14:07|| 2006-07-02 14:07|| Front Page Top

#11 "Today, our politicians are positioning for the new votes."

That is the essential point, wxjames, good call.

Posted by Glaitch Groting9149 2006-07-02 14:23|| 2006-07-02 14:23|| Front Page Top

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