Replies

This proposal is Bush's gimme-program for the service industries, to make up for the fact that the service industries can't offshore/outsource their jobs like hi-tech and manufacturing can. The whole purpose of this proposal is to bring in scads of "guest workers" to further depress blue-collar workers' wages.

This "jobs Americans won't do" mantra is BS. I come from a blue-collar family. I've done everything from hoeing watermelon fields to hauling hay to working in a drive-in to being a housekeeper in a nursing home when I was younger, and unskilled, to make a buck and to pay for college. I know several teen-aged boys who would be happy to have a few of these low-skilled "jobs Americans won't do" to make a buck to pay their car insurance, buy gas and pay for college or trade school.

My husband is a crane operator on a bridge crew. Guess what? Their crew is made up wholly of American citizens - even the lowliest shovel hand is an American. Not one illegal in the bunch. They still manage to bring in every bridge on time and under budget.

I have two brothers who own their own concrete curb and gutter business in Tulsa. They've been out of work for most of the last year because of the influx of illegals into the Tulsa area. These illegals who start up concrete companies (as well as scummy American companies who hire illegals) bid the jobs so low, no law-abiding American company can compete. The two American guys who were working for them are out of a job, too.

As far as I'm concerned, this proposal just takes a **** on small-business owners who are doing things the legal way and playing by the rules. It also takes a **** on American blue-collar workers who are doing these jobs "no American will do."

I have a feeling that my blue-collar family members, who voted for Bush in 2000, will be pulling a different lever in 2004. I've voted a straight Republican ticket in every election since the 1980s. This time, I'm writing Tom Tancredo in on the Missouri Primary - maybe in the real election, too. I like GWB as a man, but he is America's President - not President of the World - and he should start acting like it.

I know the middle class has often done these jobs --- and the poor Americans who want to enter the middle class will do these jobs ---- that's why these are our good jobs, they are the key for many to make it to the middle class. To me to promote the idea that Americans are too good for these jobs is almost anti-American. Most middle class Americans have at one time done these jobs --- for many that's how they paid their way through college.

Most of us in my family did all those jobs --- farm work, getting paid to help bale and load hay, babysitting, waiting tables, sweeping floors in a die & mold shop, cleaning horse stalls. It was a good way to get through college and never need a trust fund or college loan, --- debt free at graduation. Everyone ended up with a degree and or skilled trade and makes good money now. I know plenty of American kids still doing this same thing.

At one time American culture was based on the Protestant work ethic ---- you don't see that in third world countries --- there is a strict division of labor --- the elites would never allow their children to do these kinds of jobs --- but in the USA it was always the tradition. In the USA if you see someone sweeping the floor --- it could be a college kid on his way to making $100,000 a year, it could be lifelong job for someone, it could be a fill in job --- in countries like Mexico, if you see someone sweeeping the floor --- it would only be someone from what they consider to be their lower class.