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To: Dane
"you wouldn't have a whole host other vegetables or food if it wasn't for their labor"

"so you want "expensive" food"

How much of the cost of a head of lettuce goes to pay field workers? According to the University of California, is costs around 22 cents to grow and harvest a head of lettuce. Of that, about 15 cents goes for farm labor. If we doubled the wages of farm workers, the cost of a head of lettuce would increase by fifteen cents -- even less if labor saving machines are justified. For labor costs to force lettuce to $5 per head, farmers would have to pay field workers $280 an hour. At that rate, it would be the kind of work "every American would want to do."

The problem with illegal immigration is not that labor costs too much; it is that growers compete in a commodity market. If one grower can outdo another by using illegal labor, then his profits will increase. Inevitably, all growers must do the same thing to survive. As recent studies show, illegal immigration is driving down the wages of millions of Americans, while at the same time increasing their taxes. To stop this downward spiral we must control the borders and police the work site as well.

595 posted on 03/09/2002 2:41:22 PM PST by Be active
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To: Be active
Future Farming won’t Need Humans, Researcher Says
597 posted on 03/09/2002 2:45:17 PM PST by sarcasm
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To: Be active
To stop this downward spiral we must control the borders and police the work site as well.

The problem with Dane is that he doesn't believe our government should apply the rule of law to any legal infraction that involves illegal aliens. He thinks it's OK that they break our immigration laws, employment laws, election laws, commit document fraud, demand welfare, get free schooling and healthcare because, well, they want to be here. I find it amazing how any so-called conservative can believe what is going on today with the tidal wave of illegal immigration can be anything other than the disaster that it already is.

798 posted on 03/09/2002 8:09:43 PM PST by WRhine
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