Did a booming economy create the need for undocumented workers? While we ignored all the signs that the Great Recession was inevitable, illegal immigrants flocked to this country to get a piece of the pie too, working for 'legitimate' companies who were all too willing to pay them under the table. Now that the economy has tanked, there's an uproar over enforcing a law that's been on the books for years. Why? The dismal unemployment rate is a big factor.
Granted, the types of jobs that many immigrants have are less desirable (non construction, migrant farmers, restaurant, hotel clean-up) to our more educated brethren and sisters, but a piece of a job is better than no job, right? Who's going to replace these workers if they are deported? If I had a nickel for every time I've heard, "I'll take any job right about now," in the past few weeks, the fam and I could enjoy dinner at a nice restaurant and a movie every night for a week.
Would these same unscrupulous businesses hire us? Maybe. Because they are being investigated and fined now for hiring undocumented workers, they can't afford to hire as many people now. The ones they do hire may make a dime or two more above minimum wage, you know, because they have to pay into the system now. Benefits (if offered) are unaffordable for a family, and with states slashing their social program budgets it's back to the ER for a Ben.adryl, Tyle.nol or some Robi.tus.sin because of..you guessed it..no insurance. No Oxy.codone or Loritab for you, mista.
But wait a minute..illegal immigrants qualified for free health care, food stamps, housing..everything that a no income, low income citizen with papers (SS cards) were virtually guaranteed when things were good. Now that piece of a job that doesn't cover the most basic of necessities is a disqualification for any of those good things. Is the hope of an unemployment check (with fingers crossed) better than a piece of a job that requires no skill and is an affront to my prideful, educated self? Absolutely not. Somebody has to work these jobs, why not you or me?
America's greed backfired on ALL of us BIG time. And why is there so much red tape involved in becoming legal? The cameras are RIGHT THERE at the border so it's not likes it's a surprise. Is it a racial thing (Latino vs. every other nationality), NAFTA, what is it? I know, squeeze who you can while you can until boom goes bust. In the meantime, doctors, accountants, the person-on-fries-at-Micky D's, teachers, janitors..are all "robbin' Peter to pay Paul" somewhere in this great country of ours. Shameful.
2 comments:
It's plain old xenophobia. Except now the xenophobes have an excuse, the economy. Usually they have to hold their tongues a bit so as not to be blatant racist but not the bad economy is giving them some cover.
@Val
They hate everybody, and yet, all of their underhanded tricks backfire. I guess mere acceptance is too easy a cop out.
On a related note, Lindsey Graham will no longer be invited to my county's Republican Party 'functions' because of his approval of Justice Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, his stance on illegal immigration, etc. They feel that he no longer stands for 'true conservative values.' So if you step outside the box just a little, you're pegged a traitor too.
I think he's tried the "you can catch more flies with honey.." trick a little too late 'cause they ain't buying that, lol.
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