Posted on 08/27/2010 4:31:29 PM PDT by jjotto
Congressman Steve King (R-IA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law, issued the following statement after reading remarks made by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to the Capitol Hill newspaper, Politico. In his remarks, Secretary Vilsack claimed that food prices would be “three, four or five times more” were it not for the presence of illegal immigrants working in rural America. Vilsack then used this claim as evidence to support his call for amnesty via “comprehensive immigration reform.”
“Today, Secretary Vilsack made an unfounded claim that without illegal labor, Americans would be spending ‘a lot more –three, four or five times more—for food.’ This is blatantly false. Data from the Secretary’s own Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that labor costs only represent six-percent of the price consumers pay for fresh fruit and vegetables. Based on a 2007 report by the Center for Immigration Studies, if there was a 40-percent increase in farm wages, this would only raise consumer spending on fresh fruit and vegetables by $8 a year.”
“The Obama Administration and Secretary Vilsack have failed to consider the cost of granting comprehensive amnesty to 12-20 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States. Comprehensive amnesty will further devastate our economy by sacrificing more American jobs and opening up our 71 different welfare programs to those that have come here illegally. This would place a larger tax burden on the already strained wallets of Americans. Now is the time to enforce the Rule of Law, not grant comprehensive amnesty.”
And we thought high food prices were caused by ethanol.
If that is the case maybe the Rats should reinstate slavery.
We can issue HS-1B visas to agricultural workers if neccessary. They can leave thier family and children at home. They can pick crops, send money home, and then return home. We can finger print them before they are allowed in. If they play by the rules we can accomodate them. If they don’t play by the rules they can go to hell.
Ironic that a Democrat federal official is extolling the virtues of violating federal minimum wage laws. Besides, haven’t the Democrats been agitating for “living wage” legislation for decades now?
If Vilsack thinks a lack of illegal labor will quintuple food prices, what does he think hiking the minimum wage will do?
Labor is a very small fraction of the price of produce.
Suppose a worker was making $1 per 100 picking lettuce.
Thats 1 cent per head - Now pay 5 TIMES that amount to that same worker - $5 per 100 and you come up with 5 cents per head.
It doesn't matter what numbers you plug in, the concept stands.
A small fraction of the price on the shelf.
The argument fails
The vile sac of rank will say whatever king obama tells him. Lies don’t matter to these vermin.
Apparently Vilsack thinks we are still in the 1840s, with crops being harvested by hand. Someone should brief him on a little invention called the tractor.
And here I thought it was the pickle that was causing the higher prices!
Good for King to step up.....so much Bee Ess from supporters of Illegal Alien Amnesty
With the money save from not paying illegals taxpayer funded benefits.....we would actually save money overall if Americans were used, not Illegal Aliens
“The Obama Administration and Secretary Vilsack have failed to consider the cost ...
They have not "failed to consider the cost"
Cost is no object to them in instituting commu-fascism.
They will simply suck the taxpayers dry and the idiot taxpayers will continue to allow them to steal all their hard earned income.
...of granting comprehensive amnesty to 12-20 million illegal aliens currently living in the United States.
That number is so old that if you look closely you can see the green mold around the edges. In January 2007 Uncle Teddy "Amnesty Queen King" Kennedy, on a Sunday Morning talk show, said 20 million. Over 3.5 years later we have the same number, or perhaps 8 million less. CLEARLY they are not such a big problem afterwall.
Comprehensive amnesty will further devastate our economy by sacrificing more American jobs and opening up our 71 different welfare programs to those that have come here illegally. This would place a larger tax burden on the already strained wallets of Americans.
Do you think maybe they may have played a part in our already devastated economy? Do you think maybe those 71 welfare programs may be a large problem as well ... regardless of the nationality of the partakers?
Now is the time to enforce the Rule of Law, not grant comprehensive amnesty.”
Tell me Rep. King -- when is it NOT the time to enforce the Rule of Law? Please PM me the answer to that question, as I have a couple of things I would like to do that are against the law.
It is NEVER the time to GRANT AMNESTY!
His argument makes no sense on any level. Unless he’s trying to say that food prices should be 3-5 times higher, as they (allegedly) would be after granting amnesty and raising the cost of farm labor.
I see Vilsack’s been talking to McCain...
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