David Sirota: The Immigration Con Artists

The Immigration Con Artists


I once got suckered by con artists. As I was walking by, they baited me into betting that I could guess which shell a little ball was under. Moving the shells at lightning speed, they diverted my attention and tricked me into taking my eye off the ball. When I lost the bet, I felt bamboozled, just like we all should feel today watching the illegal immigration debate. After all, we're witnessing the same kind of con.

As our paychecks stagnate, our personal debt climbs and our health care premiums skyrocket, We the People are ticked off. Unfortunately for those in Congress, polls show that America is specifically angry at the big business interests that write big campaign checks.

So now comes the con — the dishonest argument over illegal immigration trying to divert our ire away from the corporate profiteers, outsourcers, wage cutters and foreclosers that buy influence — and protection — in Washington.

Republicans like Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) are demanding the government cut off public services for undocumented workers, build a barrier at the Mexican border and force employers to verify employees' immigration status. Democrats like Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) are urging their allies to either embrace a punitive message aimed at illegal immigrants, or avoid the immigration issue altogether. And nobody asks the taboo question: What is illegal immigration actually about?

The answer is exploitation. Employers looking to maximize profits want an economically desperate, politically disenfranchised population that will accept ever worse pay and working conditions. Illegal immigrants perfectly fit the bill.

Politicians know exploitation fuels illegal immigration. But they refuse to confront it because doing so would mean challenging their financiers.


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http://www.creators.com/opinion/david-sirota/the-immigration-con-artists.html

I agree that there is a lot of racism, xenophobia and general fear mongering on the right with regard to undocumented workers.

With that said, I HATE when someone says "they'll do the jobs Americans won't do". It's the most dishonest statement you could make on the issue.

We have Americans willing to unclog our toilets, mop our floors and flip burgers in hole-in-the-wall fast food joints, and you're telling me they're too good to pick fruit, do construction or clean up a hotel room?

The statement should be "undocumented workers are willing to do the jobs Americans won't and *shouldn't* do without decent wages, benefits and safe working conditions".

The bottom line is that the double whammy of insourcing and outsourcing creates de facto maximum wage laws (actual maximum wage laws were common in England in the 1700's, something the founding fathers were strongly opposed to), i.e. it drives down wages (and benefits and job security) at both ends of the pay spectrum.

If we pay people well AND have an actual shortage of jobs, why don't we simply allow more hard working people in legally?

We need stop attacking the supply and attack the demand on this issue. Building a wall and talk of deportation is ridiculous and unnecessary.

Go after the employers who hire undocumented workers (demand) and the supply will take care of itself. Just like it did prior to the Reagan administration when there were less than 2 million "illegal immigrants" in the US compared to over 12 million (at least) today.

PS---It's not just republicans to blame here. Clinton's disastrous trade policy (NAFTA, GATT, etc.) have contributed plenty to this issue.