Comments on: Evan Provides An Easy Fix to Illegal Immigration

By: Roger, the Amateur Financier

Roger, the Amateur Financier — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:24:03 +0000

â€œPersonally, Iâ€™d like to see us have a more realistic conversation about immigration, work, and pay rates.â€

I think this is a realistic idea. It is basically just enforcing the laws we already have.

My point was less directed at you (since you did come up with an idea that seems workable, reasonable, and much more practical than a several thousand mile long wall manned by tens of thousands of federal troops (which does nothing about people who come into the country in ways that have nothing to do with crossing the US Mexico border, but I digress)) and more a point about the state of the immigration issue and the dialogue we have about it as a country. I sometimes fear that a mature, reasonable discussion about the issues that affect our country is no longer possible. Here’s hoping that I’m wrong.

I do think there’s probably a market for ‘Made in the USA’ goods that could be exploited by clever marketers/producers; why there hasn’t been more of a ‘Buy American’ movement, particularly in the wake of this recession, I do not know.

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 05:38:28 +0000

The fine level would be difficult to determine but that shouldn’t be the reason not to enforce this type of idea.

“Personally, Iâ€™d like to see us have a more realistic conversation about immigration, work, and pay rates.”

I think this is a realistic idea. It is basically just enforcing the laws we already have.

I often thought that there is a hole for products/goods that have the made in the United States Sticker. Would I pay an extra buck if I were given some sort of assurance that it was harvested by Americans (not necessarily Unionized Americans LOL)

By: Roger, the Amateur Financier

Roger, the Amateur Financier — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:42:11 +0000

Hum, interesting idea. I’ve had similar thoughts myself. While I do think that fining employers would have quite an impact on illegal immigration (and think the only reason we haven’t seen that sort of approach taken yet is because the people who benefit from cheap immigrant labor provide higher campaign contributions than those hoping to end illegal immigration), I don’t think it’s a silver bullet, one solution fix. Here’s a few reasons why:
1) Not all immigrants come here to work: There’s many reasons people come to the US, not all of which have to do with finding better work. From fleeing religious or ethnic persecution to trying to escape natural disasters and corrupt governments (hello, Cuba), even if everyone around the world realized tomorrow that jobs in the US were only going to US citizens, there would still be people trying to get into the country.
2) It’s tough to get the fine levels exactly right: If the fine is too low, businesses might decide to go ahead and risk getting caught, because they’ll still come out ahead in the end. If the fines are too high, it can put an undue burden on small business owners or individuals who happen to employ immigrants without thoroughly checking their paperwork. (Hell, I’m no lawyer; if I hired a few handymen to work on my house, I’d have no idea what sort of papers to check to ensure they were legal.)
Personally, I’d like to see us have a more realistic conversation about immigration, work, and pay rates. Maybe we can’t really expect to buy apples at $2 a pound AND have them grown in the US and harvested by American workers. Whether we are willing to up the price we’re going to pay for goods that are ‘Harvested by Americans’ or accept that immigration/importation is the price of cheap agriculture products (amongst other immigrant associated lines of work), I’m not sure, but it’s about time we starting having THAT conversation, not screaming about ‘They took our jobs’.

By: Evan

Evan — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:29:52 +0000

When stopped by the police, one must always present a legal ID.

- only if you are doing something wrong or if it is a check point. There are a few S.Ct Cases that go over thi point. If I am walking down the street (not drunk lol) a cop can not legally ask me for ID, and that is what I am worried about with AZ’s new law.

By: buck

buck — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:31:04 +0000

When stopped by the police, one must always present a legal ID. What’s the big deal? If you are here illegally you get sent back home, period. If you are here illegally, make yourself legal, period. What is the big deal????? It is a shame that a veteran of this country’s armed forces can be foreclosed upon; denied healthcare; lose a pension but an illegal immigrant mother with children can be given a monthly stipend, free housing and healthcare, and three squares a day for contributing nothing to this country. It is not right.

By: FinancialBondage

FinancialBondage — Tue, 04 May 2010 01:05:11 +0000

we don’t need new laws. enforce the ones we have now. It’s easy I think…

if you came here legally, you are welcome here. if not, you need to leave. No amnesty.

seems very simple to me. take the politics out of it, and the racism card everyone keeps crying about, and uphold the laws.

put the national guard on the borders. stop the insanity.

By: JULIAN

JULIAN — Sat, 01 May 2010 06:56:45 +0000

And who is going to do all the dishwashing, garment sewing, tomato picking, hotel room cleaning, etc, etc, when they are gone? what about cooking your meals at your favirite restaurant? Let’s see……Oh, I know…the unemployed.

By: Weston

Weston — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:12:33 +0000

“I am a believer in free markets, and if there is a job that no one wants wages for the job will have to increase until supply and demand meet.”

A fair point Evan but one that I believe has been weakened tremendously by globalization.

If an employer can’t find legal workers here in the US to do the job at those low wages, he’s not going to raise the wages, he’s going (if at all possible) to outsource that job to countries where people are willing to work for that wage.

By: Craig

Craig — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:05:35 +0000

Food Inc was an eye opener. Its been on PBS as part of the POV show lately. Take a look if you can.

As for cheap products and low prices, just because a product costs less money due to cheap labor it doesn’t mean the product is inexpensive. It just means the price isn’t capturing all of the external costs we incur. All the people who aren’t paying into social security are a cost to us later on. All those who may go to the hospital because they need to that don’t have insurance are a cost to us. When a person without car insurance gets into an accident that’s a cost to us. So cheap labor only helps the company but doesn’t really help the consumer.

That no one else would do those jobs? Sure they would. As mentioned, if the jobs can’t be filled then wages will go up until someone fills the position.

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:59:49 +0000

Never saw Food, Inc., but really want to.

How did you like it?