Posted on 11/10/2004 6:33:17 AM PST by demolishhollywood
A lot of Mexicans are wary of the program because it gets them "out of the shadows" for three years, but then the govt will know who and where they are (supposedly) to go and deport them if they can't get their work permit renewed. As it stands now, legal residents can bring in their spouse and children, but it takes a long time and the relatives have to wait at home for the process to be completed. If Bush pushes the guest worker program through, he'll probably also propose to legalize the wife and kids for the 3-year period.
and the newly legalized will be unemployed, have a 3-year permit to stay in the country, and will probably have access to welfare, unemployment, and other benefits. The worker who participates in the guest worker program actually makes himself less hireable.
There are millions of Mexicans who have 10-year border crossing cards and use them to work illegally in the US. The cards are easy to get, and as long as Mexicans have such easy access to them, we will have a significant influx of illegals, only that these illegals come into the country legally, right through the port of entry. We could have a completely secured border and still have these illegals coming in.
Mexican entrepreneurs at work
Lots of considerations here:
1. Most illegals work for cash--off the books. Regularize their status and many might come into the regular economy and pay taxes.
2. One reason why they work so cheaply is that they work off the books and don't have taxes taken out. This, combined with their acceptance of lower living conditions, gives them enough money to send some back to families. So they'd probably need higher wages.
3.Higher wages = higher costs= higher cost of living for all of us in all liklihood.
4. Given the choice of a citizen laborer vs. an alien laborer for the same money, who would the employer choose? Don't be too quick to say the American, because many aliens are willing to work harder at tough jobs than their spoiled American counterparts.
"It's my understanding many of them deal in cash."
I've seen it. Tell me where (or why) you get $100 bills if you aren't being paid in cash and you have a bank account?
ATMs only deposit $20s.
Just a thought...
wouldn't the 3 year period give the earlier arrival the
advantage of having learned the language? That has to be
a tremendous leg-up on the totem because that individual
can serve as go-between for the two cultures. It also
means he would have a skill needed by potential employers.
Right now, the landscaping/lawncare business is a big one for the Mexican laborer. And at least one of them has to
be able to communicate fluently with the prospective customer.
Have you tried explaining those features to your customers and their benefits (ie, no worries about lawsuits should one of the workers injure themselves on the customers property)?
Ask them if they like gambling that way.
"The illegals have trashed the construction industry."
Sometimes I wonder how much their employers are really saving when they've got to pay them to do a job twice.
I've really gotten to see how many people value money over morals.I for one, could never hire someone knowing they're committing a crime.I've also had customers whom I've done work for ask that I write out an invoice as if the work was done on their rental property so that they could deduct it on their taxes.
You know, I just had a thought--maybe all of this illegal hiring (and resulting rationalization) is simply a reflection of the breakdown of morals that our society seems to be suffering from.
As far as valuing money over morals: I want to enclose the laundry room on my rental property. It's a simple project, involving extending the party wall (it's a townhouse, the laundry room is at the back of the house in it's own room not accessible from inside the house--now you know why I want to enclose it).
Most people would probably just go ahead and do it without getting a building permit.
I want to get a building permit, even thought it will cost more, for a number of reasons the biggest of which is that I'll know that the final project will be inspected and will comply with building codes.
I've already found out that the wall needs a 2-hour fire rating and that the existing concerete patio slab doesn't have footers. If I hadn't bothered to get a building permit, I would not have known those two things.
I guess the point is, there are logical reasons why one should get a building permit before doing construction just as there are logical reasons that one shouldn't hire illegal aliens, even though both things may cost more money.
It all seems to boil down to this: You get what you pay for.
that's what I thought but if that's really so then why have the Republicans been in the electoral "wilderness" ever since, (don't tell me about Republican Arnold please)?
BTW I think a lot of illegal aliens vote in CA, after all we're on the "honor" system.< cynicism on >
sure, a worker with experience and language skills is going to have an advantage whether he goes into the guest worker program or not. If his employer is going to participate in the program, he'll have to participate, too. But if his employer wants to continue paying under the table or to not pay benefits, the employee might lose his job to an illegal if he insists on becoming legal and participating in the guest worker program. What it boils down to is that the current illegals should gauge the situation before signing up for the program.
Most Americans are incredibly naive and ill informed when it comes to the topic of illegal Mexicans in the US.
They are so deeply rooted in our economy that to "find & deport them all" as some suggest would very possibly put us in an economic tailspin from which we might not recover.
Rounding them up ? Hah - we would need to use Nazi tactics to accomplish that - sure that will fly.
Tax generators - Most of these folks have fake ID's & fake SSN's The Fed receives billion of tax dollars via employers who play by the rules insofar as reporting and paying taxes for them - taxes for which the Taxed will likely receive no benifit. I'm well aware of the allegations that they use so many other social programs but I personally don't see it.
I'm pretty certain that nearly every single hispanic you see at work or simply on the street or driving a vehicle is not legal. There are so many in most major cities, they have become such an integral part of the fabric of out society, it just wouldnt fly to simply put on the hobnail boots & kick them out. (righteous and "high road" as this may seem.)
I have more confidence in W than to think that his only motive is to gain votes. I believe he sees all sides of this picture and is struggling to come up with some positive action toward a solution.
I believe we should support W.
The problem is far deeper than most Americans know.
It's hardly righteous for WE THE PEOPLE to say to the Mexican in our country - "it's okay if you pick fruit & do the most difficult or repetative menial jobs that we would otherwise have to get drunks & druggies to perform - but just keep your numbers down and don't try to climb our social ladder"
You may pick apart GW's attemps topward a solution - but I can pick apart your's too.
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