Competing interests(letting Mexicans in + outlawing low paying jobs=worker protection+equality)

baltimore sun ^ | June 3, 2005

[marylandrepub1]

WHEN MEXICAN President Vicente Fox made an offhand and insensitive remark last month implying that Mexicans would do jobs in the United States that "not even blacks" were willing to do, he showed his ignorance of the political influence black voters have in this country - unlike his country's largely disenfranchised Indian minority - and stepped into the minefield of American race relations. In the process, he unearthed simmering resentments among poor and working-class black Americans who once held the low-wage jobs now held by millions of Mexican immigrants.

At a time when the U.S. Congress is debating the need for immigration reform and President Bush is pushing for a guest worker program that will bring thousands more foreign workers, most of them Mexican, to this country, the controversy over Mr. Fox's comments should remind lawmakers formulating an immigration reform plan to include better working conditions, increased wages and stronger health and safety regulations in any reform law approved. These measures will help all workers, immigrants and citizens alike, and reduce the inherent unfairness of employers exclusively hiring undocumented immigrants who will work for less pay than Americans and are less likely to demand fair treatment.

Mr. Fox fails to understand that Americans, including poor and working-class whites who also don't take such jobs, should believe they are above the terribly exploitative treatment that some immigrants helplessly accept.

Americans rightly believe that real dignity comes with a fair and living wage, that a country that embraces the ideal of equality should not have a labor force of dirt-poor immigrants or poor black workers. Illegal immigration puts all workers at a disadvantage and allows employers to keep wages down. Americans of all colors deserve better. Mr. Fox should believe his people do, too.

[marylandrepub1]

"..he unearthed simmering resentments among poor and working-class black Americans who once held the low-wage jobs now held by millions of Mexican immigrants. " "...that a country that embraces the ideal of equality should not have a labor force of dirt-poor immigrants or poor black workers." "Only a well-managed immigration system can, and only a fairly designed guest-worker program with tough labor standards will protect American workers. "

Let's see if I follow this lib Sun writers brilliant ideas. We will let in more poor uneducated Mexicans, but pass laws that keep companies from hiring them(such as living wage laws and the Maryland Wal-Marts health care tax.) The result?? Lots more of the poor on welfare! What can we expect from this lib Sun writer then? Lots of hand wringing about how the USA can be so rich but still have poor, more whining about the great disparity between the rich and the poor (I just saw Jesse Jackson on C-SPAN 730am Friday.) Next solution? Raise our taxes for more government programs. And he says this is going to 'help' poor Americans ! The only thing this plan for catastrophe will do is increase the base of those demanding socialism.

[Podkayne]

To outlaw lowpaying jobs means to have a very high minimum wage set by federal standards, probably. Sounds like another communist utopia built on the backs of the poor.

[DumpsterDiver]

ping

[ImphClinton]

Excuse me.

How can outlawing wages that force the recipient of them (a la Wall*Mart employees) onto Welfare, increase Welfare? There is most likely less than 100,000 jobs in America that can be outsourced that won't be. Thus the jobs in America will stay here or will move elsewhere anyway. Wage is $0.90 in China. Raising the minimum wage has always resulted in more employees as more are willing to accept the higher wage, more are willing to work instead of collecting welfare or living on the street.

I mean it is not like Wal*Mart can outsource these jobs. They can only be done in America. It is just plain stupid to have to supplement the pay of full time Wal*Mart employees with Welfare payments. The Average Wal*Mart employee cost taxpayers $2,000 / year.

When they get sick they have no or extremely limited insurance. They make so little they can never pay their hospital bills and eventually they are written on or the employee files for bankruptcy. This cost an additional $2,000 per employee per year in higher medical insurance rates for the rest of us.

It is just plain criminal that in a land as rich as America that some Republicans are so Scrouge-like that they feel that $5.15 / hour is sufficient. It simply is not for adults. You give the Republican party a bad name and will cost us the 2008 election if this is not fixed.

Wake up and smell the coffee. $5.15 is way to low. Raise it to at least $7.00 and there will be far fewer "Maryland Wal*Mart" laws written.

[marylandrepub1]

By raising the minimum wage from $5.00 to $7.00 you are making it illegal to hire someone who is worth less than $7.00 per hour. Baltimore does not have high unemployment because the minimum wage is too low, in fact they are one of the few cities to have a 'living wage' law. So they have a large pool of unskilled, uneducated, un-experienced labor, and a law that makes it illegal to hire them. The result, drug crime and a breakdown of society. If your crazy theory was correct, Baltimore would have a shortage of unskilled labor because they would all sign up for those 'great living wage' jobs.

You must think things are going great in Germany and France!

[gubamyster]

ping

[blackie]

Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Be Ever Vigilant!

Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!

[DLfromthedesert]

Why should the government be involved at all in telling companies what their employees are worth?

This is one of FDR's socialist policies.