Consider welfare and the minimum wage law in connection with immigration. Not related, you say to yourself. Consider, then, some of the points raised in the aforementioned radio show. The debate was over whether it was true that illegal immigrants do jobs that Americans refuse to do. The consensus seemed to be that Americans did not do those jobs because they did not pay enough. Illegals do these jobs at substandard wages, because they pay better than similar jobs in their home countries and because they are in no position to go to the authorities to complain about unfair labor practices.
It would seem to follow that if illegal immigration were cut off, a shortage of laborers in these job areas would result. That would force the employers to raise the pay for those jobs. Conceivably, the pay for jobs now "beneath the dignity" of some Americans might look good enough to leave welfare for. Some now working in minimum wage jobs might leave for some of these formerly unwanted jobs, thus forcing those employers to raise wages to attract workers. It is true that we would pay more for our salads and other products now provided by low-paid immigrant workers. The trade-off might be quite worthwhile, if the welfare rolls dropped.
It would be nice if politicians spent less time pandering to constituencies and more time actually solving problems. The minimum wage was increased with great fanfare because the Democrats know that it's great PR even if the actual effect may be to cause workers who are only marginally employable to lose their jobs. Politicians in both parties continue to talk up "comprehensive immigration reform" which includes guest workers and amnesty for illegals. GOP supporters are pandering to business interests for whom the status quo of illegals being underpaid leads to bigger profit. Democrats want to pander to the Hispanic community and try to keep them voting as a bloc (an ever-growing bloc) for Democrat candidates.
It remains my view that we should reject the notion of guest workers. Guest workers were needed in Europe to combat labor shortages in the post WWII era. The US does not have a shortage of able-bodied workers. We have simply created a system where the rational choice for many persons is to reject work for welfare benefits. Allowing guest workers and illegals to remain, creates a disaffected, alienated sub-culture which can only lead to unrest, as we have seen in Europe. We should stem the tide of illegal aliens and welcome only true immigrants; persons who want to come to America to become Americans.
Those immigrants came so that their children would be Americans, with all that being an American meant. They wanted to talk like Americans, to act like Americans, to be Americans. I know many old-timers who were embarrassed because they could not speak English without an accent. They didn't feel American enough.
The melting pot, as quaint as it may seem, is the genius of America. Those millions of our forebears, Italian, Pole, German, Irish, etc., etc., etc., came here not just for a job, but for a new life and a new home. We can scarcely imagine their emotions as they sailed past the Statue of Liberty, realizing that they had reached their goal. America!
Continuing to welcome only those who want to join us will allow America to continue to grow and to mix new flavors into the melting pot. We must reject the notions of amnesty for illegals and of allowing guest workers which will only sow the seeds of future problems. Smart immigration policy may also help remedy some home-grown problems, such as welfare and wage inequity. I believe immigration policy (including, as it does, border control and homeland security concerns) will be a key, and perhaps decisive, issue in the 2008 Presidential race.
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