Despite high unemployment, Texas Republican wants 'guest worker' bill.

examiner.com ^ | 3.11.2011 | Dave Gibson

[wolfcreek]

On Thursday, Texas state Rep. Paul Workman (R-Austin) introduced a bill, which, for the fee of $4,000, would give illegal aliens a green card and allow them to work legally in the state.

Workman told reporters that his proposed legislation, known as the Texas Immigration Reconciliation Act, is necessary to fill the employment needs of also would help fill the needs of Texas businesses and put money in the state’s depleted coffers.

[wolfcreek]

I can see a lot of perked ears down in ol' Mexico.

This ain't gonna work.

[Yo-Yo]

I’d rather see a properly administered, regulated, and enforced guest worker program than the chaos we have now.

[rockinqsranch]

I’d rather see some laws enforced.

[ClearCase_guy]

Workman, who owns a construction company, went on to tout the virtues of illegal aliens, saying: “There are millions of people living amongst us. The vast majority are just honest, hardworking people.”

Spare me. Hire Americans. Build a wall. The proposed solution is basically more of the problem. That's dumb.

[dragnet2]

In 2009 alone, Texas lost more than 365,000 jobs

Wait till another 200,000 move there... They aint seen nothing yet.

[heartwood]

Workman, who owns a construction company, went on to tout the virtues of illegal aliens, saying: “There are millions of people living amongst us. The vast majority are just honest, hardworking people.”

Self-serving -------. What he wants is to have his business without paying his workmen - skilled workmen - a living, family wage.

Electing a new people because the old ones are too expensive for him.

[FlingWingFlyer]

This would also help fill a lot of welfare offices since that green card would make them eligible to LEGALLY receive freebies.

[forgotten man]

“I’d rather see a properly administered, regulated, and enforced guest worker program than the chaos we have now.”

We already have a temporary visa system for agriculture. Mexicans can be brought in LEGALLY to pick crops. When laws are not enforced laws are not respected.

[dragnet2]

What is with Texas?

Selling green cards to help pay Texas debt?

Last week some moron wanted to pass a bill which would punish everyone that hired illegal aliens except illegal maids, landscapers, and others...lol

[upsdriver]

I’d rather see a properly administered, regulated, and enforced guest worker program than the chaos we have now.

Same here. I have no problem with people seeking opportunity here legally. However, aliens here illegally need to be dealt with swiftly and harshly.

[napscoordinator]

Just remember Republicans, if Texas goes Blue you can forget EVER winning another election. That is not a threat but a fact.

[Svartalfiar]

Workman, who owns a construction company, went on to tout the virtues of illegal aliens, saying: “There are millions of people living amongst us. The vast majority are just honest, hardworking people.”

Right. Honest people who illegally entered the country. Does he just not think?

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Self-serving -------. What he wants is to have his business without paying his workmen - skilled workmen - a living, family wage.

In effect what he's wanting to do is to pass his some of his labor costs on to the taxpayers. A mindset quite similar to the Wisconsin public unions. Maybe Mr. Workman will make a special contribution to provide for schooling and health care for his cheap labor.

[TopQuark]

a living, family wage.

Wow, straight from the libs' book. Amazing.

Wha't "family wage?"

[TopQuark]

When Republicans sell out the country in a heartbeat, is it any wonder that we have a commie in the WH?

[Le Chien Rouge]

Workman is also representing a lot of high tech firms in the Austin area who want to bring in cheap IT workers from India/Pakistan and have them replace American workers at a fraction of the labor costs.

[heartwood]

A family wage is one that you can support a family on without government subsidies in a home that is in this country and not in a slum.

I’m all for the free market. The free market would give American construction workers a family wage.

Representative Workman is not for a free market unless you believe that borders and national sovereignty and the will of the citizens are impingements on the free market, and that fees to the government promote it.

A free market is not one that is manipulated by lawmakers for the interests of the few, unless you believe that political interest should also operate on the free market system of who ever can pay the most, can buy the laws.

[elpadre]

In the 50’s there was a guest worker program whereby farm associations contracted with a labor company to provide farm workers who came in from Mexico to work a harvest or whatever, and were taken back to Mexico. I saw it while working in the San Joaquin valley, CA. It worked well. It came to an end with the advent of, you guessed, a union.

[servantboy777]

Over a third of the U.S. prison population are illegal aliens.

70% of the babies born in Texas “public” hospitals are of illegals.

Overwhelming majority of crimes in the state of Texas are committed by illegal alien gang members.

A few years back, the Harris co. hospital district (the freebie medical care) wrote off their books $385 million in care to illegals who skip out on paying the tab.

There are large portions of the city of Houston that are unrecognizable as the United States. Passing through these areas not only resemble border towns in Mexico, they are dangerous for Caucasians.

These people come here and create little sub-cultures, refusing to assimilate into society.

Texas school districts provide bilingual education, print documents in spanish, costing taxpayers millions per year.

Deport them, enforce immigration laws, tax money transfers to Mexico to help pay for border enforcement.