Posted on 08/22/2005 1:10:58 PM PDT by bayourod
Illegal immigration is a complex national problem.
It won’t be solved by piecemeal attacks such as that of GOP gubernatorial hopeful Jerry Kilgore in opposing a day laborer site in Herndon.
Such tactics fuel anti-immigrant prejudices while skipping the hard part, acknowledging the broad tradeoffs and difficult compromises necessary for a permanent solution.
If exploitation of nativist emotion isn’t Kilgore’s intention, then he should pull the plug on this line of campaigning.
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At issue is the proposal of a coalition of community organizations to open a day laborer site in a soon-to-be abandoned police station straddling the Herndon-Loudoun County line. Currently, scores of men gather daily at a nearby convenience store to await the arrival of private employers who hire them for day labor in construction, yard work, and the like.
Kilgore joined critics calling the proposed site a haven for illegal immigrants and a breeding ground for illegal activity.
But others argue convincingly that an official site, including a police or security presence, would more likely contain bad behavior while serving both small-time employers and legal workers. The Herndon council validated that view with a 5-2 vote Wednesday to open the center.
No doubt, some illegals will turn up there. But frustration with U.S. failure to stem the flow of illegal immigration ought to be directed toward Congress, the immigration service or others with an opportunity to make a real difference.
Virginians who grouse about illegal immigrants should open their eyes and see who’s really tending their lawns, putting new shingles on their roofs, cleaning toilets in their office building and hotels. Illegal immigrants are doing the dirty jobs that Virginians don’t want.
Kilgore characterized the problem in Herndon as one of illegals taking “hard-earned dollars from law-abiding citizens.”
In fact, the issue there and elsewhere wouldn’t exist except for America’s addiction to cheap labor. Undocumented workers sustain many of the services and prices Americans have come to expect.
Politicians as diverse as President George Bush, GOP Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy acknowledge that a much-expanded temporary worker program, combined with some form of enforceable amnesty for illegals with long tenure here, is the only hope for getting a handle on the problem.
Name-calling about undocumented workers who supposedly leach the system dry might win votes. But it won’t make the problem go away.
Other immigrants....
BTW, this paper left out Kyl/Cornyn's proposals. I can understand why, it is one proposal, that does not provide amnesty, but does address the problem.
They take whatever job they can and shame on the people who hire illegals.....they are the real root of the problem in my mind.
Please someone tell me why we need a single illegal immigrant, and how it benefit's the USA. I am not being sarcastic I want the "undocumented worker" fan club to give me one reason why having illegal aliens residing in the USA is a good thing. Furthermore please advise me how rewarding people who broke the law to enter helps the USA's interests
Hmm, why should there be FICA and workers comp? You have to admit that these taxes are open to massive fraud and are a burden to American business.
Why youe animus towards business.
Bayourod has some sort of blockage in his brain when it comes to the words, "immigrants" and "illegal immigrants". For some reason, poor Bayourod just can't see the difference between the two. Perhaps he just doesn't understand the definition of, or can't spell the word, "ILLEGAL".
Whats your real angle?
Own a business that you couldn't be profitable without using quasi slave labor?
IOW, those people who do such things such as grow food and build buildings are "evil".
Alone? No. But it will help fix the problem, by illustrating that there IS a problem, as well as some of the MAGNITUDE of the problem.
bayourod, im curious as to why you havent answered this post. you have hurled insults against everyone here, calling them racist, but the post below well.....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1467498/posts?page=72#72
Not me. As I've posted before, I have no affinity for Mexicans or Americans of Hispanic descent.
To recognize that foreign laborers are essential right now to sustaining our economy does not mean that I am particularly fond of Hispanics.
If I had my personal preference, instead of Mexican laborers, we would have Western European laborers with blond hair and blue eyes pouring across our borders bringing their beautiful daughters. But that isn't reality. Neither is "sealing the border".
To recognize that Republicans must not unnecessarily alienate Hispanic voters with gratuitous insults if we hope to keep Hillary out of the White House is not the same as saying that I want to invite them to live in my house.
72 posted on 07/24/2005 3:47:25 PM CDT by bayourod
Bad analogy.....
My point was that these people are willing to work hard to get ahead whereas too many people in this country have been on the tit so long that they and their extended families can't make it without government assistance. Makes me have even less sympathy for the so called poor and disenfranchised in this country.
No, actually don't own a business.
What's your angle trying to put every barrier that you can in front of good businesses, ala hillary and teddy?
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Based on my having experience with a few illegals when I worked as a laborer at the Fence Company, my opinion is that our society has become lazy by virtue of looking to these people as less than human and living mules.
Another thing, many employers and illegals share a mutual law breaking attitude and don't want things to change. Here is why?
Employer:
1. Less payroll taxes
2. No pension, IRA etc etc
3. HR issues easier to deal with.
4. Can take advantage of hourly pay scales and rules
5. No unemployment or anything like that.
Illegal:
1. No FICA deduction
2. Cash goes oversees unreported
3. Entitled to emergency room care
4. Kids get schooling without having to pay any taxes
5. No income tax deduction.
Its a great deal for both.
Hmm that is why Reagan is the first one to propose NAFTA and signed real amnesty in 86.
They are the ones that supply what illegals want, jobs. If you took away the demand for cheap labor then you'd see a huge drop in immigration.
Don't you guys ever quit?
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