Senate Bill Applies Davis-Bacon to Guest Workers

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZjIyYmRjMjMxZTViNWFlOWRmZWYyMGVhM2Y3Njk1MWI= ^

[sheana]

Regardless of what you think of Davis-Beacon, or if you try to assign strategic thinking to any of these senators (which I don't think most are capable of), this was a blatant attempt to protect illegals. Nothing more nothing less. It is just one more example of the Senate's disregard for the American worker and their regard for Mexico's citizens.

[taxed2death]

Ahhhh, the irony of it all.

:)

Imagine, "guest workers" costing more than American citizens.

I'm all for it.

To the whiners that say Americans don't work as hard as the "guest workers"...GREAT.....you want workers that work HARDER, you pay more for them. This is just toooooo funny.

This will definitely go a long way in helping the legit / law abiding business owner compete on an even playing field....provided the goobermint stops the arterial bleeding at our borders.

Flame on.

[detroitdarien]

The unions are a tricky bunch though. They've been deceived about the globalization project, just now waking up.

Everybody is being bamboozled here. The only winners are the companies that will get "guest workers" (indentured servants), who, since there will be no path to citizenship for them, will likely not complain about conditions/pay/hours, etc. Manna from heaven!

This crowd doesn't care about our democratic republic, average working Americans, or national security. And Bush appears to be taking their side.

Dennis Hastert seems to be the one who can hold the line here.

[Shermy]

You nailed it.

[MarcusTulliusCicero]

It could also have the benefit of being a poison pill to those Senators who think they are voting in the interest of their various Chambers of Commerce. After all, the business interest isn't in bodies to hire but CHEAP bodies to hire. It basically removes the financial incentive driving the import of cheap labor. Also....I think people are assuming that this bill passes the Senate and are thinking only in terms of stopping it in the House. Don't forget it still has to get 60 votes for cloture. That means Republicans can afford 15 to 18 (if the 3 conservative Dems vote with us) defections and still manage to sustain a filibuster. A slim hope, perhaps but not impossible to imagine.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

I have stood up and agreed with Bush on most everything but not this immigration issue."Illegal immigration"is actually the second part of NAFTA to bring down western culture.America appears to be a dying country!

[Spiff]

I'm not sure what I think about this provision. I dislike Davis-Bacon, but if employers are required to pay top dollar for guest workers, might that not mean they will use American workers instead?

That is the whole stupid thing about the Senate's and the President's plan. By granting illegal aliens amnesty and citizenship then the illegal aliens will be able to demand prevailing wages, benefits, withholding, etc. Their attractiveness as cheap, exploitable labor will disappear. We'll have 12 million un(der)employed newly naturalized "citizens" in our country and there will be 12 million illegal aliens coming in right behind them eager to fill the cheap labor slots and to get eventual citizenship.

[AntiGuv]

What you should think is that the only good thing about the Senate shamnesty bill is that the House seems likely to put a fork in it.

[mysterio]

Make them pay double prevailing wage for "guest" workers. That will shut off the jobs really fast.

[cgbg]

the illegal aliens will be able to demand prevailing wages, benefits, withholding, etc. Their attractiveness as cheap, exploitable labor will disappear. We'll have 12 million un(der)employed newly naturalized "citizens" in our country and there will be 12 million illegal aliens coming in right behind them eager to fill the cheap labor slots and to get eventual citizenship

Good post.

But you didn't mention the ultimate kicker--the newly unemployed millions will then be eligible for unemployment benefits.

[taxed2death]

"We'll have 12 million un(der)employed newly naturalized "citizens" in our country and there will be 12 million illegal aliens coming in right behind them eager to fill the cheap labor slots and to get eventual citizenship."

Not to mention...as I believe current law allows for each newly made "citizen" to petition to bring in as many as 16 family members.

sooooooooooooooo 12,000,000 x 16...WHEW!

[P-40]

So guest-workers (but not citizen workers) must be paid Davis-Bacon wage rates

So it would be cheaper to skip the guest worker and go for the illegal...same as now.

[gondramB]

>>I'm not sure what I think about this provision. I dislike Davis-Bacon, but if employers are required to pay top dollar for guest workers, might that not mean they will use American workers instead?<,

If we don't have some way to pay low wages to legal immigrants and we eliminate illegals then some industries - notably agriculture and meat will go everseas - in other areas it will cause a lot of inflation.

[taxed2death]

"If we don't have some way to pay low wages to legal immigrants and we eliminate illegals then some industries - notably agriculture and meat will go everseas..."

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Why not pay prevailing wages?

At the risk of sounding harsh...if you base your business model on paying anything other then the prevailing legal wage, why should you be allowed to continue operating your business?

Can you compete on a legal legit playing field?

Put the shoe on the other foot.

How about small business owners who play by the rules and pay prevailing wages / pay everyone on the books including taxes...FICA...etc...why should they get hammered because some dirt bag down the street hires a crew of illegals and undercuts the legit businessman's estimates?

Why not let the (legal) market decide what prevailing wages should be?

[gondramB]

>>
Why not pay prevailing wages?

At the risk of sounding harsh...if you base your business model on paying anything other then the prevailing legal wage, why should you be allowed to continue operating your business?<<

Because this is government price controls - what they are calling the prevailing wage is not the free market wage or else they wouldn't need the power of the government to enforce it.

there is also the question of whether we want to be susceptible to foreign food cutoffs like we are with oil.

[Torie]

When the Dems take control of the House, it will pass next year. That is the downside of the House Pubbies just saying no. Instead of getting "amnesty" light this year, they get the real article next year.

[gondramB]

>>When the Dems take control of the House, it will pass next year. That is the downside of the House Pubbies just saying no. Instead of getting "amnesty" light this year, they get the real article next year.<<

At which point I hope there will be a fillibuster in the senate..

[taxed2death]

"Because this is government price controls - what they are calling the prevailing wage is not the free market wage or else they wouldn't need the power of the government to enforce it."

________________________________________________________

Government price controls....like turning a blind eye towards illegals thus driving wages down in certain sectors?

That kind of "price controls"?

Careful...that axe swings both ways.

[gondramB]

So basically you just equated opposing government price controls with illegal immigration. I, on the other hand, separate the two I for border control, criminalizing illegal aliens, increase legal immigration and am solidly 100% against government price controls on the price of labor except, at the very lowest end. Mandating union wages for as the new minimum wage is a recipe for disaster.

[AmeriBrit]

Since Hastert is the key man he should get a copy of every complaint etc., sent to him. Put the pressure on him and not let up.