[robowombat]

Americans have been subjected to such an endless barrage of political correctness on the subject that many don't dare strongly object less they be called 'racists'. Middle class Americans spend little time thinking of the long term implications of current events. They have to many other pressing things to do. The effective co-option of real debate on the immigration and border control issue by both parties makes thinking about the issue clearly and trying to take a stand very difficult. The choices offered at election time are simply of the tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber sort. That is why the White House reacted in such a floridly rageful manner to Rep Tancredo's activities. he was violating the implicit agreement by both parties to never really discuss the immigration issue.

[Dolphy]

Thanks for the responses. I live in Michigan where the problem is clearly not what it is for other states.

There is a real worker shortage for larger agricultural operations here. I know of two, family owned but large farms that must head to Texas every spring to recruit workers. They don't go to recruit illegals but inevitably end up with some whose phony paperwork is spit back after they submit payroll taxes. (By this time, the season is over.) They would prefer to hire locally but, if they are to be competitive, can only pay so much. The wage might be attractive to a high school kid but OSHA regulations make them ineligible for most of the work they have.

My point is that this entire issue is complex and I'm not settled on where I come down on the need for the labor. (This country was in a large part built on the cheap labor of immigrants, pitting the newest wave against the previous.) But what I am positive about is that I am passionately opposed to the parallel culture that is being formed. We are blowing up the very thing that had America once called the melting pot.