With reduced illegal immigration, it is going to cost consumers more for food. Fact
NOT A FACT! Many consumers will PAY LESS for food after lower immigration. The Free Republic economists have me here to keep them honest. lol. Book "Economics in One Lesson" says look far and wide for the answer.
My automobile was stolen and garage was robbed multiple times because of illegals. Honestly, I know folks who had 6 cars stolen by illegals. Yes 6. So looking far and wide, people can lose $10k to $50k, plus adding other costs like welfare, college, for illegals, and so on.
$50k dollars buys A LOT OF FOOD! So no, LESS ILLEGAL ALIENS equals CHEAPER FOOD.
Republicans always fail to find the right argument.
IDEAL - The farmer wants the same as a merchant. He wants a cashier whose lives in a cardboard box behind his store, because that is the cheapest labor. The farmer wants homeless wanderers living in a tent city, but bussed in for harvest. As long as they can do the work.
However, there are hidden costs for wanderers. When the full cost is known, the illegal costs more. The business costs are just SHIFTED to obscure areas.
Even roofing and lawn mowing are more expensive when the additional $10s of thousands of dollars are accounted for. People do not want to do the mental work seeking out the hidden costs that exist elsewhere. Politics works, because they use a simple but incorrect premise, that the only costs are the immediate mentioned.
Also, I suspect the family farm dilemma, has its source elsewhere, hidden in big govt somewhere. That is where the root problem often resides, in some monopoly granted by the State, to knock off the competition. Good bye Grandpa farmer.
It would be fun to buy food directly from the farm. But storage is the next problem. Therefore like Amazon or EBay, I could see the day when farms do sell their product DIRECTLY to the consumer. During harvest, food pre bought, even shipped. All that is required is an incredible website. Maybe when I retire, create the first farm to consumer trade market. The entire harvest could be pre-sold before harvest.
Republicans always fail to find the right argument? Huh?
Sorry my comment was specifically about farming...not macro-economics—however, I have had actual college courses in econ, so I don’t need a magazine/book to “set me straight.” Of course a reduction in illegals will have an effect in a macro-economic sense reducing welfare, etc. No one argues that is not a good thing. The macro economy will be better for it.
However, I would add that there will be disruptions along the way...they are reportedly occurring right now in California and Maine. Now farmers are hiring locals at higher wages due to shortages of illegals, purchasing robots, etc...That will drive up food costs.
With all due respect, I understand your thinking; however, I was talking specifically about food and you are not comparing apples to apples— excuse the pun...Fact that there are less home and auto robberies will not directly impact the cost of food unless food markets are being robbed less.
I have never had a robbery nor car stolen (and I live in Chicagoland), so I am not going to have a $10,000-$50,000 windfall or reduction in my cost of living to put towards increased food costs. What you are trying to say is that consumers may have more money to put towards food so cost increases to food don’t impact them as much...that is not the same thing as cheaper food.
Food will cost more. Fact.
Roofing and lawn care will cost more...Fact. Same reasoning.
You are saying the cost to taxpayers will be less, so it will trickle down...We will see. When housing values went south in 2009-2010, I called my assessor and asked if my taxes would go down as my house assessed value was less. I was told that the municipality will raise the mil rate, and I will pay the same as always—with the same as always increase cause the town needs x amount of $$ to function, etc. I have rarely seen tax decreases==look at what Trump is going thru to try to get one...but I understand what you are saying...hope we get some serious spending reductions under Trump!
I just don’t think it is accurate to say food etc. will cost less because the direct costs likely won’t.
Farmers can and do pre-sell their harvest all the time...called futures and/or options contracts on commodities. However, this is for the big boys, not family farmers. Traded on the CBOT.
Not sure what family farm “dilemma” you are talking about...your edict that they should only farm what they can harvest? I answered that...previous post.
Not sure what this means:
“Also, I suspect the family farm dilemma, has its source elsewhere, hidden in big govt somewhere. That is where the root problem often resides, in some monopoly granted by the State, to knock off the competition. Good bye Grandpa farmer.”
The small family farms I was discussing are not in compettion with large corporate farms. A small farm is designated as less than 178 acres by USDA. The farms I am talking about have far less acreage.
Some family farmers will say that going for the “organic” designation is time-consuming and costly due to all the paperwork required by the USDA.
Not sure if you even read my previous post, but family farmers are actually selling directly to the consumer right now, and they don’t need Amazon to do it although farmers are selling seeds and seed starts on eBay.
Family farms are already pre-selling thru the CSAs and WSAs I talked about in my previous post...They sell local~I don’t see a large exchange website where stuff is shipped because the appeal is to get fresh, locally grown produce, not shipped as is in the stores. WHen things have to be shipped, varieties have to be chosen and picked according to shipping considerations—not necessarily flavor which is why stuff like tomatoes, strawberries, etc. taste like crap in stores ;) ...That said farmers are already selling farm related products such as jams, soaps and salves, salsas, olive oil, coffee, etc. on their own websites, at farm markets/stands and on eBay.
Again, cost of food will impact me less now and in the future as I grow a lot and plan to buy a farmette. I don’t hire out a lot of lawn work and put a new roof on a few years ago...so these direct cost increases will not affect me as much as the general consumer.
I am no expert and not pretending to be. Nor am I a Freeper economist. However, I am researching the subject of small farms and my spouse has PhD in plant breeding, so I have learned a few things along the way.
Freegards.