Robert Gammon wrote:

dadiOH wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

wrote in message
oups.com...


I for one would
pay a little more money to support our own workforce.

But, who would get this extra money if we kicked all illegals out of
the country? Have you ever seen the backbreaking work involved in
harvesting certain crops? Would you want your kids to do that kind of
work?


Sure, a bit of sweating won't hurt them. I remember watching kids get hay
in - tossing around 100# bales all day. That doesn't mean they have to
continue doing it...they could learn more, get better jobs, etc. Bet those
haying soon learned they better stay in school...



Here's the problem that we face in agricultural communities and in big
cities.

Most of the folks that pick things like tomatoes, grapes, celery,
lettuce,...... are immigrants. Locals REFUSE to work these jobs.

So locals would rather not work than work for the wages the illegals
accept? Then how can the locals survive?

Pushing the immigrants out would drive up labor rates for these jobs to
the point that locals WILL do it, but who wants to pay $2.50/lb for
tomatoes, $3.50 for a head of lettuce....

We already pay $2.50/lb for tomatoes. Well, I don't, but people who buy
them at Ralph's do. We'll adjust.

Most of the folks in the back of restaurants, hotels and the like are
immigrants, especially in the big cities, especially those in the south
and west. Drive these folks out and a budget meal at a Mexican,
Chinese, Italian restaurant will cost over $25 not including wine. A
Motel 6 room will cost over $100/night.

It already does in some places. We'll adjust. We'll see budget motels
again. There's no way on earth I'm going to pay $80 just to sleep.

Lawn service crews, roofing crews, construction trades are all heavily
populated with first and second generation immigrants.

Gardeners used to be Japanese. The Japanese worked hard, saved their
money and hired gardeners themselves. That's the way it works.

These immigrants don't displace local worker, they take jobs that locals
refuse to take because the jobs are too low in pay, the job keeps them
out in the sun all day, the work is seasonal, the work is physically
difficult, etc.

So Americans will starve before they do stoop labor? Want to bet money
on that?

Throwing out the immigrants (legal or illegal) solves NOTHING. Kicking
them out creates HUGE problems in many cities with basic services.

It takes pressure off our schools, hospitals, jails and freeways.
That's enough. We'll adjust.

If we want to sharply cut back the flow of illegal immigrants to the
USA, the issue is how to create better economic conditions in the areas
where they come from so the incentive to come to the USA is reduced.

You mean like buy land in Mexico and hire the locals to do stuff in
their home towns? Oh, wait, there are laws about foreigners owning land
in Mexico...

How about enforcing the existing laws against hiring illegals? Hang a
few employers and the rest will get the point.

--
Cheers,
Bev
================================================== ========
"The last thing you want is for somebody to commit suicide
before executing them."
-Gary Deland, former Utah director for corrections