Immigration Turmoil
As I write this there are hundreds of rallies across the United States by illegal immigrants, mostly Latin in heritage, demanding the same rights as citizens of our country claim. This all has come to a head over homeland security and the necessity that we must protect our borders in an attempt to avoid further 9/11 events.
My first instinct was shut the borders down in the name of terrorism. All borders, no exceptions. It wasn't until congress started talking of deportations and building massive walls across the Mexican border that I really started to think about what is sounding more like discrimination than securing our country. Why after all would we make an investment of that magnitude to only protect one border? What about all the illegal Asians, Cubans, Dominicans, Indians etc? The Mexicans have not caused any problems in our country - not violent ones anyways. What is our governments goal?
As time progressed there was further discussion about Latin Americans taking jobs from Americans and across the aisle the counterpoint was that Americans wouldn't do the jobs that Latin Americans take. As usual you have to read between the lines a bit. It's not that Americans wouldn't take the jobs; it's that the employers are looking to fill positions at sub-standard wages while avoiding the added overhead of Social Security taxes, health care and employment compensation insurance that would be necessary to employ Americans.
Our government is directly responsible for the immigration problem we face today. They have ignored illegal immigrants entering our country in favor of helping farmers pick their crops initially. But the problem has grown past the picking of our vegetables into construction, gardening and many other labor intensive businesses. If there was to be a deportation we would experience a price shock like no other in the history of this country. These people that have tirelessly harvested our fields are now a vital part of our community and are only a step above slave labor because they chose their paths as an alternative to living in poverty in their countries.
The crux of the issue is that if we grant amnesty then suddenly these illegal immigrants are entitled to all the wages and benefits that Americans receive. Not only does it set a precident that crime pays by undercutting all the immigrants that are trying to obtain citizenship through legal channels but again the ensuing economic crisis could devastate our country.
We can't afford to deport them and we can't afford to turn them into instant citizens.
There's also been talk in congress about a guest worker program using smartcard technology to identify and track their movements in our country. But let's get real it isn't possible to monitor the millions of illegal immigrants in our country. And as long as there is any downside to carrying a card illegal immigration will continue in order to avoid the identification process.
But this whole discussion is moot until our government decides what purpose the immigration process is to serve in our country. (I should say until the people decide but we really don't have any say.) Is it to protect American jobs our to protect the security of our country or both?
So where does all this leave us as a nation? With the increasingly global economy we as Americans are going to find it harder and harder to compete. We already have evidence of this with pension crisis, worker buyouts, plant closings, outsourcing and companies relocating outside the United States and reduction of benefits by employers.
So as long as we as a nation continue to earn more money for the same goods and services as other countries we are in essence encouraging immigration. And as long as illegal immigrants are not entitled to the same wages and benefits as Americans, employers will have reason to replace Americans with illegal immigrants. It will only be at the point when Americans are so desperate for work and are willing to make major concessions in wages and benefits that the global economy will begin to equalize - unfortunately I believe we will be a very poor country at that point.
There is only so much money in an economy and there are more and more workers competing for that money each and every day. So if we imagine a world where there is $100 available and there are 10 workers today equalization occurs when each worker is making $10. If you double the population, then each worker can only have $5. This is the world we face in the future and it is not until each worker has their $5 that immigration will cease to which ever country has the most.
The only solution that even seems feasible to protect the future of Americans for a while longer is to give the existing illegal immigrants conditional amnesty. They must go through our existing immigration process while continuing to earn a sub-standard wage but they must immediately begin paying taxes and likewise employers must begin paying SS and other taxes based on the sub-standard wages. At the point the illegal immigrant obtains legitimate citizenship, including speaking English, they would then be able to enjoy higher wages and benefits.
My first instinct was shut the borders down in the name of terrorism. All borders, no exceptions. It wasn't until congress started talking of deportations and building massive walls across the Mexican border that I really started to think about what is sounding more like discrimination than securing our country. Why after all would we make an investment of that magnitude to only protect one border? What about all the illegal Asians, Cubans, Dominicans, Indians etc? The Mexicans have not caused any problems in our country - not violent ones anyways. What is our governments goal?
As time progressed there was further discussion about Latin Americans taking jobs from Americans and across the aisle the counterpoint was that Americans wouldn't do the jobs that Latin Americans take. As usual you have to read between the lines a bit. It's not that Americans wouldn't take the jobs; it's that the employers are looking to fill positions at sub-standard wages while avoiding the added overhead of Social Security taxes, health care and employment compensation insurance that would be necessary to employ Americans.
Our government is directly responsible for the immigration problem we face today. They have ignored illegal immigrants entering our country in favor of helping farmers pick their crops initially. But the problem has grown past the picking of our vegetables into construction, gardening and many other labor intensive businesses. If there was to be a deportation we would experience a price shock like no other in the history of this country. These people that have tirelessly harvested our fields are now a vital part of our community and are only a step above slave labor because they chose their paths as an alternative to living in poverty in their countries.
The crux of the issue is that if we grant amnesty then suddenly these illegal immigrants are entitled to all the wages and benefits that Americans receive. Not only does it set a precident that crime pays by undercutting all the immigrants that are trying to obtain citizenship through legal channels but again the ensuing economic crisis could devastate our country.
We can't afford to deport them and we can't afford to turn them into instant citizens.
There's also been talk in congress about a guest worker program using smartcard technology to identify and track their movements in our country. But let's get real it isn't possible to monitor the millions of illegal immigrants in our country. And as long as there is any downside to carrying a card illegal immigration will continue in order to avoid the identification process.
But this whole discussion is moot until our government decides what purpose the immigration process is to serve in our country. (I should say until the people decide but we really don't have any say.) Is it to protect American jobs our to protect the security of our country or both?
So where does all this leave us as a nation? With the increasingly global economy we as Americans are going to find it harder and harder to compete. We already have evidence of this with pension crisis, worker buyouts, plant closings, outsourcing and companies relocating outside the United States and reduction of benefits by employers.
So as long as we as a nation continue to earn more money for the same goods and services as other countries we are in essence encouraging immigration. And as long as illegal immigrants are not entitled to the same wages and benefits as Americans, employers will have reason to replace Americans with illegal immigrants. It will only be at the point when Americans are so desperate for work and are willing to make major concessions in wages and benefits that the global economy will begin to equalize - unfortunately I believe we will be a very poor country at that point.
There is only so much money in an economy and there are more and more workers competing for that money each and every day. So if we imagine a world where there is $100 available and there are 10 workers today equalization occurs when each worker is making $10. If you double the population, then each worker can only have $5. This is the world we face in the future and it is not until each worker has their $5 that immigration will cease to which ever country has the most.
The only solution that even seems feasible to protect the future of Americans for a while longer is to give the existing illegal immigrants conditional amnesty. They must go through our existing immigration process while continuing to earn a sub-standard wage but they must immediately begin paying taxes and likewise employers must begin paying SS and other taxes based on the sub-standard wages. At the point the illegal immigrant obtains legitimate citizenship, including speaking English, they would then be able to enjoy higher wages and benefits.
posted by cityguy at 7:16 PM
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