Global economy ruining American middle class
This Web only Speakout has not been edited.
Steven Page
Friday, July 11, 2008
Most people misinformed regarding illegal aliens Mr. Ralph Prieto’s letter of June 24 attempts to equate today’s illegal immigrant with immigration as it occurred in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Times are different and today we have laws and regulations governing immigration. Immigrants and illegal immigrants are two distinct groups. On one hand the immigrant has entered this country legally and is properly documented. The illegal immigrant ignored our laws. The “legal Immigrant” probably does pay his taxes and pays into social security. The “illegal Immigrant” may or may not pay taxes - he does if he is using fraudulent identification and he doesn’t if he is paid under the table.
The assertion that immigrants (legal and illegal) do the work Americans won’t do is nonsense. Even during the industrial revolution the prejudice borne against immigrants was that they would work for less and more easily oppressed by business. It is the simple rule of “supply and demand” if you continually increase the supply of cheap labor; wages and benefits will suffer.
The phrase that “they do jobs that Americans won’t” is really they do jobs YOU wouldn’t do. Ask yourself why you wouldn’t do a particular job? The simple truth is that if you needed the work and could make a living you’d do it.
If it is true that 30% of the Federal Prison Inmates are illegal immigrants - American Citizens have a right to be concerned and outraged.
With our school districts struggling to find funding for basic education for the children of American Citizens you can understand the frustration at the additional expense the American taxpayer must endure to educate the children of illegal immigrants.
With at least 40 million American Citizens without health insurance - the additional cost of caring for illegal immigrants that is passed on to the American Citizen is not right.
The taxpayer subsidizes business by absorbing the additional cost of the illegal immigrants.
We should ask ourselves - What can be done for the businesses that have to compete with those businesses that use illegal immigrants? These businesses obey the law, pay taxes, provide benefits etc. but have no recourse.
We have this fantasy that all Americans go to college - get a degree and become “white collar “workers who make mega bucks. The reality is not everyone goes to college much less graduates. The reasons are multiple - no desire, lack of financing, different interests, and some people may not have the intellectual talent. These same American Citizens deserve the opportunity to make an honest living and our responsibility is to insure that they have the opportunity.
Our economy is struggling and the challenges are daunting. In the same week your letter was published the Government was moving against a legal firm that advises companies how to disqualify American workers in favor of bringing in immigrants. The reason is simple they’ll work for less than the American applicant. This is wrong! We also face jobs being exported to other countries because their labor costs are less.
On top of all this we have the “Free Trade Agreements” now being called “Fair Trade Agreements” that negatively impact working Americans. As jobs migrate or are taken by immigrants (legal and illegal) the common tenor of the politicians is that we must have retraining programs. My question is to retrain these American Citizens to do what? And more importantly will the jobs available provide the same level of income previously enjoyed.
Americans should be able to compete on a level playing field. The trade agreements we have with other countries should comply with the same regulations and requirements we demand of business’s here such as environment, safety, wages, insurance, etc.
The Middle Class American who has been the back bone and the engine of our successes as a nation is an endangered species!
Steven Page is a resident of Lakewood.
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July 11, 2008
6:48 a.m.
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VVVV writes:
Our economy depends on growth to continually increase production, increasing wealth of all (on average). Americans do not have enough babies to replace those who are dying, much less to provide an increase in workforce needed to guarantee a growing economy. Imigration is the only way to grow, and the only way for our economy to prosper. Japan is shrinking. The result has been much higher cost of living to the point that people can't even afford to have children. Six day work weeks. Twelve to fourteen hour work days.
I'll take any form of immigration because at least our forefathers knew that the only way to have an enduring country was to become and remain the place people wanted to come to create prosperity. I like my two day weekends too.
July 11, 2008
11:57 a.m.
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T1anda writes:
VVVV you might be getting A four day work week and three day weekends soon.
A good letter S. Page. I agree with you wholeheartedly!!
July 11, 2008
12:22 p.m.
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jjez writes:
VVVV, Americans not having ENOUGH BABIES? My daughter went to school with kids who were the eldest of 12 siblings. And no, they were not an immigrant family! I think Americans are having plenty. And I am seeing more and more teenagers working in fast food now that mommy & daddy aren't making as much as they were. Not as much extra for the kiddies, so the kiddies are having to face reality. Get a job, even if it is in food service (which is the grossest place to work--especially if you have to man the fry baskets or the greasy grill!) rather than at the chi-chi store at the mall. So, perhaps there soon won't be work for the illegals to do anymore because Americans are taking what they can get in order to make ends meet.
July 11, 2008
12:25 p.m.
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RickyLee writes:
Yessir! Construction trades....some of those "jobs Americans won't do".
ANYONE who buys those LIES is beyond stupid.
July 11, 2008
12:31 p.m.
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RickyLee writes:
Watch out, Steve, the bleeding-heart whine-babies will soon be here to tell you what a bigot you are for SPEAKING THE BRUTAL TRUTH.
Illegal-alien lovers....bring it on!
July 12, 2008
2:39 a.m.
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clyde writes:
Free Trade. That's why every time you call tech service you get someone with an Indian accent thick enough to cut with a knife. They do it cheaper than Americans can, so it has been outsourced to the cheapest global supplier. If the job does not entail handing the fries physically over the counter, it will be outsourced. Thank you, Bill Clinton, for NAFTA, GATT and the others.
There was a time that tariffs protected the American worker. Those times are gone, and with income taxes, the average American is at a disadvantage with the foreign worker that will work for less and pays no income tax. Your politicians are in it only for themselves, and have none of your interests at heart. We have the best politicians that money can buy. They're just not being bought by YOU!
July 14, 2008
11:34 a.m.
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redwhiteandBLUE writes:
That's ANOTHER 'LIE' that baby-boomer Americans are getting ready to re-tire and illegals are making up for the older Americans.
Does that mean that American-retirees don't have grown children, son and daughter-in-laws and grandchildren ? That work ?
No..We don't need 35 million illegal aliens!
Thanks Steve!