October 24, 2005, 9:15 P.M.
A Government Favorably Disposed: In a recent speech defending his administration’s immigration policies, President Bush claimed that keeping our borders open is actually good for the economy, and that immigrants fill an essential role in the American job market. Specifically, Bush claims that immigrant labor is necessary to fill jobs that Americans are unwilling to do. These jobs, often held by illegals, are usually low skill, labor intensive, low paying jobs, often in the retail, restaurant, housekeeping, janitorial and hospitality industries, and unfortunately our government makes little distinction between legal and illegal immigrants in its policies or its enforcement of immigration law.
Of course labor leaders respond that Americans would be willing to do these jobs if they paid more and business claims that it can’t afford wage increases and benefits and still stay in business. The term of art used to describe the wages needed to entice Americans into these jobs is a “reasonable wage.” Personally, I think that a “reasonable wage” is any wage that you can earn if you are out of work and need to support yourself, and that businesses have a legitimate point in that certain types of work simply cannot support the higher wages and benefits that are needed by folks trying to support a family. I don’t, however, buy into the idea that our government’s irresponsible immigration policies can somehow be blamed on arrogant Americans who refuse menial jobs because they are not paid a “reasonable wage.”
There are, in addition to millions of people who have entered our country illegally, about 3.6 million immigrants who entered this country legally, but whose visas have expired. These individuals are in this country illegally, and they have gotten jobs based on their visa status and some of those jobs involve highly skilled work. Of the residents recently identified in this category, there have been hazardous material transporters and known terrorists. There are only several thousand immigration officials currently tracking these illegal residents. The process takes about 2 months from location and identification to deportation. Simple math tells us that there is no way that we can identify and remove from our midst those who would do us harm. I saw a truck last week that had a message on the tailgate that said “Bush/Cheney ‘4-for a safer America.” I don’t feel safe at all. Factor in the complete failure of the government to stem the tide of illegal immigration, the complete failure of the Iraq war, the complete failure of our government to adequately respond to recent hurricane disasters, and a few other notable screw-ups and none of us should.
Speaking of the recent hurricane disaster, I wrote recently of my strong disapproval of the suspension of the Davis/Bacon minimum wage requirements for contractors (like Halliburton) working on disaster relief. A story on CNN this evening told of emergency medical technicians getting a pay cut for working in relief areas while the company they worked for garnered huge profits. Another story told of American citizens working in the reconstruction efforts on a military base in Louisiana losing their jobs only to be replaced by, you guessed it, illegal aliens. And these were not low-paying, undesirable jobs. These are high skill, high paying jobs that Americans were laid off from. This is precisely the kind of behavior that is encouraged buy our government. It is irresponsible and it is nothing short of corrupt.
There are many new Americans, immigrants from all over the world, who are filling the need for workers in low paying entry-level jobs. Most of these individuals truly embrace and reflect back to us the American spirit. The most satisfying exchanges, or daily transactions, that I have had in recent memory are with these very new Americans. They are usually inquisitive, interested and pleasant. They make eye contact, they pay attention, and they work hard, regardless of the rate of pay or the nature of their work. By contrast, when confronted with their American counterparts, I am often met with individuals who do not understand the concept of a transaction and its effect on their job performance or reward. I don’t appreciate clerks or counter people who talk to their friends or co-workers, or who talk on the phone when waiting on me. I don’t appreciate it when they can’t or won’t count my change for me, or when they are rude or curt, and I tip accordingly. Perhaps this is one reason why businesses hire so many immigrants.
Another reason is of course the undeniable fact that illegal immigrants work for giant companies for a lot less money than Americans. Those companies are contently feeding like pigs at the government trough with no concern for the taxpayers who are footing the bill. They have finally found what they always wanted: a government favorably disposed to their business practices.
