Volume II No. 22
 01-09-04
 Immigration Madness
 { George W. Bush Giving His All
   To Attract The Latino Vote }
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2004

 It has finally happened. The political discussion about the unidentified 
 millions of illegal immigrants in this country has begun. George Bush 
 actually faced down the skeptics in his own party, and in a huge political 
 gambit, is betting that his soft-shoe approach to illegals from south 
 of the border will earn Republicans dividends during the forthcoming 
 election period.

 Thus we have his cynical proposal that the undocumented workers
 who are on American soil get a free pass and once registered, can stay. 
 { at least an additional three years } Despite the fact that these illegals 
 broke our laws to get here. And have effectively - if Bush's proposal is 
 approved by Congress - leapfrogged the tens of thousands of applicants 
 who have at least attempted to go through the immigration process 
 the proper way.

 Legally.

 The employment situation for jobless American citizens is bleak. 
 Not only are blue collar jobs that pay decent wages difficult to find, 
 many companies are shifting these dead end jobs to far-away locations 
 such as India and China where they can get away with paying even 
 lower wages than in the States!

 So, in what dream world has Bush been living? High school students 
 can't find jobs during the summer. College students can't find part-time 
 employment to help with the cost of tuition. And young housewives 
 can't find temporary seasonal jobs, so that they can earn a few extra 
 dollars for the holidays.

 Have all of these job opportunities just evaporated and disappeared 
 into the ether?

 Of course not. 

 The answer is that many employers actually prefer to hire undocumented 
 "illegals" whom they can harass, intimidate, berate, underpay { both 
 on and off the books } and treat in a disrespectful manner that they 
 would never attempt with Americans who were born-and-bred in the 
 States. It is as if the "illegals" are viewed as if they just fell off the 
 proverbial "cabbage truck." And there is apparently no shortage of
 business owners, who are more than willing to take full advantage
 of the naivete of these immigrants.

 The primary myth of the "undocumented" worker is that they will 
 gladly accept jobs that American citizens routinely turn their noses 
 away from. Myths are usually created around certain sets of actual
 facts. Thus the myth about illegals accecpting any type of job has 
 some connection to reality. But, it is a blatant lie to propose that 
 American citizens are lazy and spoiled, and don't want minimum 
 wage jobs when the only alternative is welfare or continuing 
 unemployment. Throughout history, we have been a people with 
 more character than that.

 American morals have not disappeared. 

 So let's do away with the unmotivated, lazy American right now.
 The truth lies closer to the reality that the unemployed out there
 who were born in this country, simply resist certain types of jobs 
 because they don't wish to be exploited. It is a fact the dollars 
 earned at many lowest paying jobs provide much less spending 
 power than those same dollars earned 20 or 30 years ago. 

 Five dollars an hour today, purchases much less than $3.25 an hour
 a generation ago. -- The wages have not kept pace with inflation.
 And politicians, especially conservative Republicans who do not 
 believe in relief for Americans at the lowest end of the pay scale, 
 have a lot of explaining to do.

 Politicians who refuse to enact decent minimum wage laws, contribute
 greatly to the unsuitabilty of many blue-collar jobs. Eight hours a day 
 digging ditches, vacuuming rooms, cleaning toilets, and changing 
 bedpans is tough enough. But to receive a check at the end of a 40
 hour work week that won't even begin to pay the rent, or buy more
 than a subsistence level of groceries, is very discouraging.

 Some of those wealthy politicians in Congress should try it.

 Another factor that makes life miserable for those at the bottom end
 of the economic ladder is the undocumented workforce that keeps 
 wages depressed. As an example, prosperous mega-companies such 
 as warehouse department stores { we know who they are } relentlessly 
 shave their overhead by paying subsistence wages, regardless of the 
 effect on the humanity of those who have no alternative but to try and 
 survive off of the income from these bottom-feeder employment
 opportunities.

 Once such mega-company { in a recent scandal } eliminated their 
 own "in-house" cleaning crews. And in a typical "see no evil - speak 
 no evil" fashion, this fabulously wealthy company - in order to
 save a buck - subcontracted to cleaning services that employed 
 only the most desperate job seekers. Workers who were more than
 willing to accept substandard wages, and horrible conditions of
 employment.

 Is it no surprise these workers were more likely than not -- "illegal."

 Thus, the undocumented force wages into the cellar, and create 
 the very conditions that cause others to exploit them. And that 
 cause more knowledgeable American citizens to run away from 
 this type of exploitation, as fast as their legs can carry them. 

 Why was it possible, as a further example, for fast food corporations 
 to pay a decent minimum wage during their great expansion periods 
 in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. But it is impossible for them to do so 
 today? Why is it impossible for American companies to survive 
 anymore other than by exploiting people?

 Surely, the next answer is not to start shipping jobs flipping 
 hamburgers off-shore? Why didn't you address such questions 
 in your speech, Mr. Bush?

 There are currently an estimated 8 MILLION illegal aliens in this 
 country. { the actual number may be twice that! }

 If let's say for the sake of argument 10 percent are not working, 
 by choice or by chance. That's 800,000 individuals walking the 
 streets of America who don't have a right to be in this country in
 the first place. And many of these individuals brought their 
 personal problems - their issues, if you will - with them when they 
 headed north. This means there are a potential 800,000 drug addicts, 
 small-time hoods, dope dealers, rapists, murderers, and the like, 
 that pose a very significant threat to the social welfare of law 
 abiding Americans. Citizens whose tax dollars are consumed
 dealing with the problems these undocumented people are 
 responsible for.

 And we are only talking about criminals and unsavory characters.
 Maybe another 10 percent suffer from undiagnosed illnesses. 
 Physical infirmities they brought with them to America. -- Then
 add to this sum the cost of those who will get sick after they arrive 
 in the States.

 The numbers just keep adding up. And costing more taxpayer 
 dollars.

 What other country on the face of the Earth would allow such a 
 situation to exist. And the 10 percent estimates are modest ones! 
 This is an absolutely outrageous situtation. And the President 
 yesterday, did little to directly address the problem. He proposed
 nothing that would stem the flow of the undocumented, who just
 keep coming, and coming, and coming.

 The growing anti-immigrant sentiment in this country of late, is
 NOT about race. Although race is a component simply because 
 of the geography. Mexico abuts the long undefended American 
 border. And countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador, are not 
 much farther away. But, in the end, who can blame people who 
 literally come from nothing, for trying to escape to a better life.

 But it is patently unfair to fashion immigration protocols that
 favor one particular group over others. And this - by default
 - is what the President has done. Africans, Asians, Europeans,
 and even other groups from the more distant regions of the 
 hemisphere, will not benefit by numbers, as those who were 
 able to simply walk across the border. 

 Bush's proposal is an injustice. It rewards wrongdoing. And it
 in effect establishes an immigration policy unique to Mexico.

 That's not how things are supposed to work in this country.

 Instead of this wishy-washy "guest worker" program the President
 proposed, he should have thrown the ball back in Mexico's court,
 and demanded that President Fox address the economic conditions 
 and ineffective governmental policies that have created this mass
 migration northward.

 Secondly, the President shoud have been explicit in demanding 
 that Homeland Security and the U.S. Border Patrol be given the 
 resources that will enable these agencies to effectively confront 
 the problem along the U.S. - Mexican border. If eighty-seven billion 
 dollars can be allocated to improve conditions in a country half-a-globe 
 away, it is an absolute outrage that the so-called greatest nation 
 on Earth does nothing while it's borders are continually violated.

 Illegal Mexican immigrants face many dangers on the way north. 
 Bandits rob them. Drug couriers harass them. Dishonest coyotes
 { smugglers who serve as guides } lead them half-way into the 
 desert, and sometimes abandon these people to die, at the first 
 sign of trouble. If the borders were better protected, these senseless 
 deaths would not happen.

 Tragically, there is no perfect solution to the problem of illegal
 immigration into the U.S. People seeking economic betterment
 and a taste freedom, will continue to hide in containers, stow away 
 on ships, hide in the trunks of cars, walk across the desert, or use 
 any other means available to them, in order to escape poverty.

 Legal immigration is a plus. It always has been. And our immigrant
 population has added a great spirit and vitality to American
 culture. So there is no reason to stop "legal" immigration or
 to call a moratorium. People who follow the proper procedures
 - no matter what color, ethnicity, or background, should be
 welcomed.

 Bush's proposals sets a terrible precedent. Those who broke 
 our laws should be made to pay a price. -- NO it is impossible 
 to deport 8,000,000 illegals. But those who might agree to immediately 
 return to their homeland, should be given an incentive to leave 
 and later return "with our goverment's blessings." Those who 
 decline to leave, or who because of personal circumstance are 
 unable to leave, should instead be allowed a period to get their 
 affairs in order. Years perhaps, not weeks or months.

 But these illegals once out of the country, should not be allowed 
 to return. Or if allowed to return, placed at the back of the line
 where they belong.

 Low-paying exploitive jobs in America are not the answer to the 
 failings of governments south of the border. These jobs hinder 
 American citzens who would demand of employers - and politicians
 - a fair "living wage." We must also enact statutes to punish 
 businesses who purposely seek out and hire the undocumented. 

 And lastly, one immigrant group should not be allowed to cheat 
 and prosper -- which by default, Bush's lame proposal allows. 
 American residency or citizenship should not be given to any 
 particular cultural group of immigrants as a convenience. Or to 
 avoid a potential bureaucratic nightmare. Citizenship should be 
 earned. -- And not easily.

 The undocumented. Illegals. By whatever term you chose to define 
 them. This invisible horde must be identified and dealth with. 
 Compassion must be shown to them. But at the same time, their
 presense in this country should not be allowed to undercut the 
 economic potential of native-born Americans. 

 For the the only segment of society that prospers by the "illegals" 
 within our borders are the corporate scoundrels, and the many 
 small businesses that abuse these undocumented workers. And 
 treat these unfortunate souls, as the second-class citizens that 
 they - in effect - are.
 

 ReadingPost.Com
 © Copyright 2004

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