washington journal time

talking about the war
tony blankley-washington times
peter osnos-comparing viet nam and war in iraq

question Re immigration-can guest worker programs work

if employers will be more flexible

where these people can enlist in the military and receive their citizenship at the end of their duities.

possible. But if you try to do this too aggressively (which all Republicans do) you end up with employees who have no loyalty, may or may not show up, will not be productive and require too much hands on management. The result is much less profit if not a loss.

i'd play the mexicans against the whites.didn't have any black guys.

The people show up, do stuff they aren't paid for, suggest things to improve processes, etc. In short they are valuable team members instead of bodies.

we can't-you've sent them all to iraq

Amnesty just encourages more people to cross the dangerous borders. The guest worker program is just another form of Amnesty. We have to control the hiring of large groups of illegals first. If employers were fined seriously, and guest workers were actually required to return home, than maybe it would work. But as our system works, or doesn't work, now, the guest worker program is just another way to get really cheap labor in the US without employers worrying about safety or minimum wages. It's out-sourcing in our own country. Maybe all those jobs that went to Mexico should pay more then illegals wouldn't need to come over the border.

at issue.

Do we as a nation care about our workers who make minimum wage, our workers who are largely unskilled? These are the people who see their hours cut, limited, or taken by illegal immigrants. The impact is felt all the way up through the middle class. High school kids can't find work as easily. Summer jobs for college kids are not as available. Recent college grads find themselves trying to make as much as the illegal immigrant on a construction crew.

When we hurt the home folks, we hurt ourselves, too. We are seeing average take home pay DROP after inflation for many, many Americans, year after year under Bush. We're creating a wider gulf between the poor Americans and everyone else, and illegal immigration is one reason.

you must be my slave for a few years.

To be a future consumer, you must be my expendable number in the military for a few years.

The more things change...