The fact that there are jobs "99% of America won't do" while there are so many on welfare is part of the problem.
I don't disagree.
If you don't have a job, there shouldn't be many (any?) legit jobs that you "won't do." But we've made welfare too comfortable; you can get most of the trappings of the lower middle class through government handouts, so where's the incentive to do better?
There is no incentives to get off of the government tit. And although I agree there needs to be massive reforms made in welfare programs. I don't see the average American going out to pick crops for pennies on the dollar.
Additionally, a cheap labor force depresses wages and discourages innovation. Why make tech improvements if you're guaranteed a stream of cheap and expendable labor?
If the technology was available to do some of these "cheap labor" job's I think most people would invest in equipment over people. The issue, is somethings simply need human labor. But I do see your point of view, the problem in the mean time, is people still want to eat strawberries and shit in toilets now.
The "jobs Americans won't do" argument is only useful if immigrants would do those jobs for a while and then go home. They don't.
That's not completely accurate, many immigrants go back home, specifically in off seasons, or when visas are up. The illegals don't as much because of the possibility of not being able to get back to work. Hints my point that the process should be easier to do legally.
They stay here, and I don't blame them. But any children they have here are citizens, and being Americans, they WON'T do "the jobs Americans won't do." So now you have to bring in even more immigrants to do more jobs for an ever-expanding US population. Those children aren't grateful to be in the US, they look around and say "why don't *I* have that?" just like anyone else would. Illegal immigrants are breaking the law by illegally immigrating to the US. That alone is a good enough reason to deport them.
I simply disagree with you here. I personally have family and friends who have become citizens and are very productive citizens. Paying taxes, serving in the government, etc. Technically the above statement would apply to my mother in law, who just retired as a school principal after 40 years as a teacher/administrator. She also has two master degrees and is currently volunteering at inner city Schools to assist in Spanish to English schooling for non-English speaking kids. Her daughter my wife, second generation, has a master degree in child psychology, has worked as a child protective services investigator, a volunteer councilor for abused children and is currently a kindergarten teacher.
And it is "that damn hard" to come up with something that works, which is one of the reasons there hasn't been a solid solution implemented.
It is when people who do not understand the full extent of the problem, half ass dealing with it. Either by wanting to go extreme "get them out of here" or "hell they are future voters give them some free shit". Politicians need to talk with the people who actually deal with this on a day-to-day bases, the good the bad and find some common ground to work from.q
Concern over immigration is not "bullshit." Many rational, thoughtful people who are not racist, ignorant, fearful, or "bitchin" are justifiably concerned. Anywhere uncontrolled mass immigration has occurred in the world, it was a disaster for the people who were already there. The Roman Empire... Australia... the early days of the US... and now. If we're smart we'll get a handle on this now. There are already 11 million people living illegally in the US. That's a huge problem, for any number of reasons.
