[mc6809e]

By my calculations, that means that 12 million illegal immigrants need to be deported as soon as possible.

Our unemployment rate is about 5%. And there are about 7 million unemployed persons.

If you deport 12 million workers, in the best case that leaves 5 million jobs unfilled, assuming 7 million Americans feel like picking fruit and vegetables.

Where are you going to get 5 million more workers to fill the gap?

I don't think you realize how much we need willing labor. Deporting these people will damage the economy by raising the price of things like food and housing.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Where are you going to get 5 million more workers to fill the gap?"

Have you ever heard of this little thing called, "technology"?

It has been around for a while. For example, combines replaced all those farm workers swinging scythes. Self-check out lines at the grocery story. Pay at the pump gas stations.

When one does not have a large supply of cheap labor, use of technology becomes the most affordable option. When there is loads of cheap labor, the market will use it. The labor market is not so inflexible as you presume it to be. If the cheap labor were to be kicked out, the price of labor that was really needed would go up, and that would bring additional workers into the labor force, workers for whom $5/hour is not enough to make it worth their while to work.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Deporting these people will damage the economy by raising the price of things like food and housing."

And help the economy by lowering the cost of schools, jails, police, hospitals, and welfare in general.

How would kicking out 12 million people raise the cost of housing? Seems like the sudden extra supply of empty apartments would lower prices.

Kick them out. All of them. Now.

[pageonetoo]

I don't think you realize how much we need willing labor. Deporting these people will damage the economy by raising the price of things like food and housing.

There is extreme pressure on the housing markets in our area, as in most urban areas these days. As I drive to DC from WV, I pass communities with "reasonable" rents starting at $1000 and going to whatever. As I get closer to DC, the ernts get higher. When I arrive there, I see your "guest" workers standing in the 7-11 parking lots, or the gum't provided shelters. They get into pickups, and are carted off for a day of work, at $8-15 an hour. After the day is over, they return to share a $1500 apartment or house, with five-10 other "guests". They take their wages, and head for the bank or other wire transfer places, and send the bulk of the money to Mexico, or SA.

Citizens, as well documented immigrants, and workers, pay taxes on their incomes, and have to vie for one of those apartments/houses. They have to pay for medical care, and schools for the families of your 'guests".

I suggest you invite them to stay at your place.

I ate some shrimp last night, farmed in Cambodia. I had some pasta, and I opened a can of tomatoes from Italy, and made a sauce. I washed down my dinner with a bottle of wine from Australia. I'm sure we can keep the food stuff coming... (the Aussie wine was better than most I have gotten from California).

We don't need five million workers to fill the gap... and with your attitude, we probably don't need you!

[lentulusgracchus]

I don't think you realize how much we need willing labor.

I don't think you realize how unfazed we are by such self-serving twaddle.

You repeated the "Americans won't do these jobs" canard, right after reading the counterdemonstration that many, many Americans will do those jobs, especially if you pay them. You just want to pay people at the same rates the Brazilian orange-juice monopolists pay their peasants -- about 45 cents/hour.

You don't care that the wages you want to pay wouldn't support a family of four living in a cement shack with a dirt floor. You don't care. You just want to slash and burn your labor costs down to the ground, and you want us to concede that you can do that at will, and call it a fair deal no matter what.

Deporting these people will damage the economy by raising the price of things like food and housing.

Boo-hoo-hoo, cry me a river. You and the rest of the business community weren't worried about "raising prices" in the 70's. Never bothered you a bit when you were doing the raising -- until Paul Volcker slammed on the brakes.

In 1976, a brand-new Chevy Caprice with all the bells and whistles had a sticker price of about $5600. In 1988, the same model similarly tricked-out stickered for $19,000 -- and fleet versions went for $12-15,000.

No, "raising prices" didn't bother you guys when it was your idea!

Massive inconsistency held forth with a brazen forehead will get you nothing around this place.

[Colorado Doug]

Where are you going to get 5 million more workers to fill the gap?

How about thinning the welfare rolls?

[William Terrell]

Where are you going to get 5 million more workers to fill the gap?

Teens on summer jobs, college students on break. Like I did when I was in that category. Plus technology, not to mention the segment of the population that are natural born itinerants.

[chexmixsugar]

What about what happens to a community that is mostly illegal. I bought a brand new house 2 years ago in Kansas, in a nice community. Now things have changed. My kids can NOT communicate with ANY kids on the block they all speak spanish, and do not care to learn ENGLISH. The only other white legal person on my street is my brother. We live two blocks from a school, at this school the focus on teaching english to spanish speaking kids, more than teaching the kids who know english the things they need to know.

So think about my and every other kid in my community's future when you say lets keep the illegals here.