Immigrant farm workers' challenge: Take our jobs

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

bfdd

Lifer
Feb 3, 2007
13,312
1
0
George W. Bush had the right idea with the guest worker program. If you make it so migrant workers can come here legally, they aren't illegal, therefore the illegal immigration problem is gone. Small government free marketeers should be all for that.

The only people who really have a problem with a guest worker program are the people who want to hire illegals in the first place. A guest worker program would require them to pay them minimum wage at least along with having to file taxes on their workers etc etc. WAY more expensive than just giving some illegal 7 bucks an hour cash to pick the fruit.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,268
126
Here's a solution. People who receive welfare who are able to work can be given these jobs.

That achieves a few things. First it gives the taxpayer some value for their money, it lets those who have never taken responsibility for themselves before know what it is to work, and it also gives them motivation to find something which doesn't suck as much.

Of course there are those who cannot work, and in that case I don't suggest getting out the whip, but no able body person should ever come to depend on a handout. That's morally reprehensible, removing all motivation to better themselves outside the abstract "well they would if they could"
 

bfdd

Lifer
Feb 3, 2007
13,312
1
0
These illegals get the market wages that conservatives want us all to get when they campaign against minimum wage.

Well if things were cheaper to make they would be cheaper and you could survive on less money. You do realize that gallon of milk you bought didn't always cost what it does today right?
 

nobodyknows

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2008
5,474
0
0
Evidently the non-illegals don't bring additional productivity or skills to their employer to justify a higher wage than illegals. I look for a better argument than basically that I should pay you a higher wage just because you aren't Mexican.

How about because your not here ILLEGALLY. The people who knowingly hire illegals should be rounded up and deported right along with the illegals.
 

nobodyknows

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2008
5,474
0
0
Here's a solution. People who receive welfare who are able to work can be given these jobs.

That achieves a few things. First it gives the taxpayer some value for their money, it lets those who have never taken responsibility for themselves before know what it is to work, and it also gives them motivation to find something which doesn't suck as much.

Of course there are those who cannot work, and in that case I don't suggest getting out the whip, but no able body person should ever come to depend on a handout. That's morally reprehensible, removing all motivation to better themselves outside the abstract "well they would if they could"

Just implement a caste system and be done with it.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
Alright, so we need a guest worker program with strictly enforced quotas and qualifications.

Picking my food and making it that much cheaper entitles you to my personal thanks. It does not entitle you to the rights and privileges of an American citizen.
 

Infohawk

Lifer
Jan 12, 2002
17,844
1
0
Tell me then, how to you feel about jobs being sent to mexico or overseas?

Isn't what you're saying akin to protectionism?

I'm not talking about laws or anything here, just conceptually.

There is an element of protectionism to all labor markets since no countries have completely open borders. Point is, Americans would do the work if it paid for and the illegals' argument is poor.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
If Americans were willing to do it for the same cost to the employer, Americans would have the jobs.

Americans couldn't do it for the same cost even if they wanted to (which they probably don't because on the whole we're a bunch of spoiled children) due to minimum wage laws, OSHA regulations, required benefit laws, etc. that employers of illegals can easily ignore.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
126
Just implement a caste system and be done with it.
Pretty much what we've done now. We have the ruling elite, the entitled government workers, the rest of the employed, and the illegals.

You know who worked in the fields before migrants? High school kids. Though these days it would probably be tough to find enough that would be willing to do it.
Our schools had a two week break for strawberry season, although that ended before I was old enough to pick. By the time I was old enough to pick the strawberries were mostly under contract with migrants, so I picked tomatoes as well as the usual corn, beans, etc. although I've picked some strawberries too. I've also mucked barnyards, cleared scrub, and strung fence. There are no jobs Americans won't do, only jobs Americans won't do at that wage. Personally I fail to see the logic in driving wages for the unskilled down to nothing by importing huge numbers of illegals and then using the confiscatory armed might of a very inefficient government to seize wealth from others and redistribute it to the unskilled (and of course the bone idle.)
 
Last edited:

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,959
3,948
136
The penalty for speeding is paying a fine. The penalty for entering a country illegally is being deported.


Do you really not see the difference?

Let's say it costs $5 to hunt down and deport someone. For 30 million illegals there's $150 million. Of course it costs far more than $5, so multiply accordingly. The final figure should be well into the billions though. And make sure you raise your taxes accordingly.
 
Last edited:

Vonkhan

Diamond Member
Feb 27, 2003
8,198
0
71
In my 'hood of NYC, you can see plenty of "Cashier / Waiter / Bus Boy / Delivery Man / etc WANTED" signs. Without fail, you'll eventually see a latino take the position. At the same time, there is bunch of 20-25 tattooed & pierced white kids who're always hanging around begging for money. Those kids have been there since last year.

Take a walk down to Tomkins Sq. Park
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
Let's say it costs $5 to hunt down and deport someone. For 30 million illegals there's $150 billion. Of course it costs far more than $5, so multiply accordingly. The final figure should be well into the trillions though. And make sure you raise your taxes accordingly.

With Americans taking those jobs and paying taxes it will be just dandy.
Plus, we go rough on 1 million and the rest will leave on their own dollar.
And where the hell do you get 30 million? Last I heard it was around 11 million.
AND WHERE THE FUCK DO YOU GET 150 BILLION?!?!???
Must be some more of that democrat math, huh?
 

nick1985

Lifer
Dec 29, 2002
27,153
6
81
Let's say it costs $5 to hunt down and deport someone. For 30 million illegals there's $150 billion. Of course it costs far more than $5, so multiply accordingly. The final figure should be well into the trillions though. And make sure you raise your taxes accordingly.

For starters, 30,000,000 x5 = 150,000,000. Or 150 million for those who are not mathematically inclined.

Also, there are so many numbers flying out of your gaping ass I dont even know where to begin.
 
Last edited:

nobodyknows

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2008
5,474
0
0
A caste system would require a society which prohibits people from moving up in the world via the means of their own hard work. This is not the case in the US so maybe you could try harder next time?

I sarcastically suggested we implement a caste system. I never said we had one. Perhaps it is you who should try harder next time?? I would suggest placing emphasis on your reading comprehension.

:p
 

DucatiMonster696

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2009
4,269
1
71
I sarcastically suggested we implement a caste system. I never said we had one. Perhaps it is you who should try harder next time?? I would suggest placing emphasis on your reading comprehension.

:p

Sorry but I find that implied tones of speaking (which would be obvious in private or public speaking conversations) can be hard to decipher over the net.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
its not just farm work they are takeing. We had a factory that would hire illiagals all the time. About every 6-9 months they would get busted and fire them all. then hire legal workers.

i got a job working there part time while in high school. i was makeing $8 an hour. the guy was there off and on over 5 years and makeing $4.45 (or whatever min rage was at the time).

why hire a legal worker for more when they can hire a illegal for min wage or less?

though. they eventually went out of business from fines or such i think.
 

nobodyknows

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2008
5,474
0
0
Sorry but I find that implied tones of speaking (which would be obvious in private or public speaking conversations) can be hard to decipher over the net.

It seems that it is so much easier to hear what one wants to hear rather then what was actually said. I have the same problem and do it all the time, so don't worry about it.