Funny, you did not disagree with my fundamental point, that a simple change in the law also "gets rid of" the illegal workers.
One.
The figure I was looking for was working illegal aliens. A much larger portion of illegals are in the empoyable category. The wives and children tend to stay in the home country.
Two.
No I am not contradicting myself, and yes we are about .5% or so away from what would be healthy employment levels for a healthy economy. The lowest it ever reached during the last technology boom cycle was around 4%. Look at the great things that did for us...
I double dog dare you to find an economist who disagrees with this basic theory about unemployment. (An economist, not a Journalist since conveniently under Clinton 5% was healthy, and under bush 5.9% is a disater)
The issue I am pointing out is we would be severly short if we shipped out all the illegal labor the market demands to function in a healthy manner.
Three.
I never said the economy would come to a halt. It is better to think of it as paralysis. Like running a lawn mower through thick grass, it won't be working as well as it could. In general Growth, Innovation, Productivity will all slow or reverse.
four.
"Are you telling me that our economy is dependent on grass cutters, maids, busboys and dish washers? I hardly think so."
Yes that is exactly what I am telling you.
-- lates
-- jrawk
The issue I am pointing out is we would be severly short if we shipped out all the illegal labor the market demands to function in a healthy manner. I guess we aren't as innovative as people like you would have us believe, then. I am sure we could get along without them. People might have to learn to cut their own grass. Or, invent and build something that might do it for them. I do not ascribe to the notion the we would be helpless without 11 million criminals in our midst.
In general Growth, Innovation, Productivity will all slow or reverse.
I guess you didn't read Krikorian's dissertation on this subject.
"But it's the second part of the response to a tighter labor market that people just don't get. By holding down natural wage growth in labor-intensive industries, immigration serves as a subsidy for low-wage, low-productivity ways of doing business, retarding technological progress and productivity growth." Found here.
I am sure you won't agree with it but that's just because you seem to have a personal stake in this issue.
The simple truth is that these people are not as vital as you would have us believe. In fact, the exact opposite is true. They are a drain on us economically; they are destructive to the American culture; and they are not loyal to America.