Bush: 'Guest worker' plan will benefit U.S. employers

Houston Chronicle ^ | Augist 3, 2005 | Michael Hedges

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The president, in a wide-ranging talk, gives a hint at how he'll pitch reform measures

GRAPEVINE - President Bush told a crowd of state legislators Wednesday that he will push immigration reform as beneficial for U.S. employers as well as foreigners looking for work.

He also made an impassioned pitch for Americans to stay behind the war in Iraq.

"Immigration reform is going to be an interesting subject when we get back to Washington" in September, said Bush, who plans to spend this month at his Crawford ranch.

He argued that his proposal for a "guest worker" program is good for employers and illegal immigrants who want a mutually beneficial relationship.

"If you are a willing employer (and) you have somebody looking for work and you can't find an American, there ought to be a legal way for you to employ that person," he said. "We'd rather have people coming in with a card that said, 'I'm a legal worker,' than trying to sneak across the border."

The president has proposed a system under which immigrants would be granted worker temporary worker status, after which they would have to leave the United States. Critics have called it a thinly veiled amnesty program. Immigration reform plans have stalled in Congress so far this year, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist recently suggested a GOP push on the issue was more likely to happen next year.

Talking hours after the first reports that 14 U.S. Marines were killed in Iraq, Bush said, "The violence in recent days in Iraq is a grim reminder of the enemies we face. These terrorists and insurgents will use brutal tactics because they're trying to shake the will of the United States of America."

With polls showing that public support for continued military involvement in Iraq is eroding in the face of steady casualties, Bush relied on a familiar linkage of the war with the larger struggle against terrorism. He said Americans who died in Iraq and Afghanistan "lost their lives in a noble cause."

Speaking to 1,800 people at the American Legislative Exchange Council conference, Bush basked in recent legislative victories delivered by a GOP majority in Congress, including the Central American Free Trade Agreement and energy and highways legislation.

Bush said his priorities when Congress reconvenes after Labor Day will be immigration reform, making his tax cuts permanent, getting Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts confirmed and resurrecting his Social Security reform initiative.

Bush drew loud cheers by saying he strongly believed in private retirement accounts for workers under 55. "Now is the time to permanently fix Social Security," he said.

The event was held at a mammoth convention center where visiting legislators were introduced to Texas pride, including a large replica of the Alamo, a 10-foot-long space shuttle model and other state symbols.

[lentulusgracchus]

In what way it will make Americans (US labor) more competitive if they get paid $4 or $2 per hour?

Are you out of your mind? Third-world office workers would kill for wages like that.

When CBS followed the CEO of Cypress Semiconductor to the Philippines five or six years ago, they recorded the spiel the Philippine business ministry and their agency in charge of attracting foreign investment laid on for him. They quoted him $8600/year for software engineers and showed him -- introduced to him -- a Filipina secretary who they said would work for $4.86 a day.

Now is it beginning to dawn on you, the stakes we're playing for? Day labor in the States lives like a guild of princelings, compared to people like that secretary.

[Die_Hard Conservative Lady]

I hear ya!

[oceanview]

we've tried to explain that to the free trade crowd here on FR for years - they are totally deaf to it. the only reason why someone hasn't invested to invent lettuce picking machines, is because migrant farm workers are available for ultra low wages. and its the same in the technology industry - there will be less investment in software automation and natural language call centers, because programmers are available in India for $30K, and call center jockeys for $20K.

[A. Pole]

In what way it will make Americans (US labor) more competitive if they get paid $4 or $2 per hour?

Are you out of your mind? Third-world office workers would kill for wages like that.

Then we need to lower US wages even more. The free trade cannot be denied!

[Know your rights]

Employers screw workers every chance they get. Adam Smith and Milton Friedman agree

And when employees have a chance to get better pay and/or benefits with another employer, as many did in the '90s, they'll very often "screw" their current employer by leaving. (I say this as one who was laid off a year ago simply because I had a great deal of seniority and the accompanying pay.)

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Why can't we communicate with the anointed ones of both Parties?

We're behind the times and they're not. We're Americans and they are post-Americans. You can see them and vote for them but they cannot hear us through the time barrier.

Center for Immigration Studies’ Mark Krikorian defines "post-American" and how they feel about their America.

"[T]he emotion resembles the attachment one might feel to, say, suburban New Jersey -- it can be a pleasant place to live, but you’re always open to a better offer. The post-American has a casual relationship with his native country, unlike a patriot…Put differently, the patriot is married to America; the post-American is just shacking up."

[superiorslots]

ALL

I've been wanting to ask this question. I have not seen this discussed much.

Is the unemployment numbers so low right now because we have a ton of people that are called up in the national gaurd and reserves and in Iraq and people were hired to take their place in the private sector.

I live in a semi rural area and all our local reserve units are in Iraq. As a matter of fact a local guy Nathanial Rock was killed on Monday.

[oceanview]

you need to start adding a /sarcasm tag to your posts.

[Polybius]

[Polybius] 1. Establish what "guest workers" we actually need or do not need in agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.

You can't let businessmen do that in a vacuum. They'll establish zero availability of U.S. workers by stipulating a Third World wage, or a compromise wage benchmarked to same, in order spuriously to claim that "no American workers" are available.

Of course you can't do that in a vacuum. Such a street brawl would need to be done in Congress with C-Span covering it blow by blow.

Labor will start out by claiming that not a single Guest Worker is needed.

Businees will start out by claiming that we need to import all of Mexico and at least a third of China.

In the end, the results would be:

"Do we need Guest Worker cabbage pickers?"........Yes.

"Do we need Guest Worker auto workers in Detroit auto plants?".......Only in your dreams, General Motors.

"Do we need Guest Worker carpenters?"........That depends. In San Francisco we do because nobody there wants to mess up their manicures but, in Alabama, we definately don't.

[superiorslots]

Quote: you need to start adding a /sarcasm tag to your posts.


Really, I thought rude or toddster was posting for a second.

[A. Pole]

you need to start adding a /sarcasm tag to your posts.

I was very serious. Do you like my tagline?

[Know your rights]

"Do we need Guest Worker carpenters?"........That depends. In San Francisco we do

No, you need to pay citizen carpenters enough to relocate.

[Polybius]

they either "re-up"

Or drop an anchor baby and ask to stay to protect the new American citizen.

The anchor baby issue is an issue I debated on one thread a while back. It is my position that the 14th Amendment does not consider an illegal alien as "subject to the jurisdiction thereof". For example, despite the 14th Amendment, American Indians did not acquire citizenship until the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 because they were not deemed to have met the "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" clause.

Until the Supreme Court rules on a case and agrees with me, the Guest Worker "anchor babies" could still be kept to a minimum because only the actual workers, and not their families, would be allowed in the U.S.

,
"You want me to drop a WHAT?!?!?"

[Polybius]

""Do we need Guest Worker carpenters?"........That depends. In San Francisco we do because nobody there wants to mess up their manicures but, in Alabama, we definately don't.

No, you need to pay citizen carpenters enough to relocate.

Ummmm........"Pay" was not my point about American males living in San Francisco. ;-)

[oceanagirl]

Actually, I scoped out DU on the immigration issue. There are really nasty threads on the topic: DUers are very, very split between "poor immigrants" and "we want U.S. jobs for U.S. citizens." There are a lot of folks who are pissed about L-1 and H1-B visa abuses.

The only difference seems to be that more people there don't want to cut back on legal immigration, although there are environmentalists and some peak oilers who see the U.S. population as being unsustainable in the long term, considering their views.

[dalereed]

No way, he can take his guest workers and shove them where the sun doesn't shine.

[TheSpottedOwl]

The President has spoken. It's like he's frantically waving the "jobs Americans won't do", like someone wards off a vampire with garlic.

We have a ready population at hand to work the fields, and the poultry factories: Minimum security prisoners. We don't need more people arriving to do the jobs that teenagers can do. Lawnmowing, babysitting, fast food, and cleanup work were done by kids to finance a car or college. My son is trying to find work. We know that he won't be getting the dishwashing jobs he's applied for.

Couple this with the coming real estate disaster. Third world rental conditions are popping up everywhere, because not many people can afford the rents on even trashed dwellings. Everyone who bought on an ARM or interest only mortgage, is going to finally understand the new bankruptcy laws. Of course, the Supreme Court ruled that you really don't own property, so what's the point?

Then there's the jobs going overseas. The ones where it was possible to live frugally and keep your nose above water. Many people are thinking about starting their own businesses, and we know how well that turns out these days.

This does not benefit Americans. None of this nonsense does. If this isn't Socialism marching through this country, then what is it?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The President has spoken. It's like he's frantically waving the "jobs Americans won't do", like someone wards off a vampire with garlic

The easiest way to shoot down the "jobs Americans won't do" bulloney is to point to those areas where illegals aren't yet. They've convinced themselves though if they keep telling the lie often enough people will eventually believe it but that's not going to happen.

[America's Resolve]

I just wish I knew what was in the mans mind. He's GOT to know that he's alienating his base with this crap, but it's like he really couldn't care less. National Security with an open border is a hilarious joke.

Godspeed

[NRA2BFree]

"If you are a willing employer (and) you have somebody looking for work and you can't find an American, there ought to be a legal way for you to employ that person," he said.

Yeah, yeah, yeah! How many heads of lettuce do we have in America, and what will those people do when picking season is over??? Go on welfare???