Comments on: Divide and Conquer

By: jwer

jwer — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 12:42:04 +0000

It’s not about xenophobia; they’re not “our jobs” because companies can’t legally pay employees what they pay illegals. The positions themselves would happily be taken by the unemployed if they paid even the minimum wage with benefits.

It’s true, Americans don’t want jobs that pay less than $200 a week, the lazy bastards!

By: Eric Vinyl

Eric Vinyl — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 04:41:30 +0000

That’s the point, Greg—there’s nothing “xenophobic” about stating that illegal immigrants are taking jobs Americans could do—until the unemployment rate is near zero, that is a fact (schools not having prepared those Americans for a 21st Century job market notwithstanding). Of course, they’re only “our jobs” to the most vunerable Americans, although now that foreign workers are affecting white collar workers (outsourcing) it’s suddenly a major issue in a way that the disappearance of manufacturing jobs never seemed to be.

By: janinsanfran

janinsanfran — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 06:11:08 +0000

Exactly. The immigrants on the march yesterday are the contemporary U.S. working class. It is right there for us to all to see, but most can't.

By: Mike Meyer

Mike Meyer — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 03:54:32 +0000

Ain’t no advantage beating up poor people. Mr. Businessman will still come out rich, and Mr. Ultraconservative will still have a front porch on which to polish his shotgun, spit on his boots and wear his Minuteman hat. Meanwhile, working poor, legal and otherwise get crushed in the middle, and YOU AND I GET TO PAY AND PAY FOR IT ALL. Think about it, FELLOW TAXPAYERS, IT’S YOUR WALLET IT’S YOUR MONEY. You and I don’t get rich from it.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 02:42:36 +0000

Immigration is THE major way to split the Republican party. On one half you have cultural conservates violently opposed because of nativist sentiment, but on the other you have the business wing strongly in favor because they get cheap labor (well, some at least – but they build upon each other). If we keep beating at this, it will play out to a huge disadvantage in 06 and 08.

By: Mike Meyer

Mike Meyer — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 23:21:16 +0000

This Administration doesn’t need any more TAXDOLLARS, no matter who contributes them. The more valued question is how those TAXDOLLARS ARE SPENT. At this point their being used to increase Corporate (Halliburton)bottom lines and control of middle eastern oil. THE BUDGET IS THE RATIONAL QUESTION, not how much 3% to 4% of the POOREST WORKING POOR are able or not able to contribute. Contribute to what? Another invasion that their children will end up serving in. You don’t see rich kids in an ALL VOLUNTEER ARMY, you just don’t. Go figure.

By: Kryten Syxx

Kryten Syxx — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 21:23:17 +0000

We should also apply this sort of rage to outsourcing, you think?

Greg, you mention in a reply to the comments yesterday about the price of produce going up if the playing field was leveled and more Americans took back American jobs. Would we also get a surge of rogue farmers using underground tactics with illegals to grow cheaper foods?

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:05:49 +0000

Excellent post, Greg. I passed it on to a few people.