What the illegal immigration issue is really about

[Tony_FLADEM]

Every election cycle the Republican Party finds a group of people to blame for the problems facing this country and to exploit any fears people might have.

In 1988, crime was a fear people had thus - African Americans who support Democrats we're made out to be serial killers.

In 1994, Latinos were the blame for high taxation in California because they "use up all the tax dollars."

In 1996, Asian Americans were basically spies for the Chinese Government.

In 2000, they used Joe Lieberman's Religion to rally the arab vote.

In 2002, The French did not support the war - therefore anyone or anything French was the enemy.

In 2004, Gays getting married was a threat to heterosexual couples.

Now in 2006 - Health care is not affordable, Social Security and Medicare have some problems, and the Republicans have added $2 trillion to the national debt in a little over 5 years - and it's the Mexicans fault.

[jaysunb]

1. It's about BULLSHIT !

That's all....just BULLSHIT

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Could they run on their actual record?

You would be looking for a boogy man too.

[Quantess]

3. It's about DISTRACTION.

Anything to turn the focus away from Iraq, gas prices, and B*sh Co's bungling incompetence.

[Greyhound]

12. and the looting, the abrogated rights, the blatant corruption,malfeasance,

cronyism, etc.
:kick:

[MarianJack]

4. Somewhere On the List Are...

...Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.

4 states that may turn VERY blue with more Hispanic citizens. NOT something that kkkarl intends to allow.

[quickesst]

5. The thread...

should have been titled, "What ONE ASPECT OF the illegal immigration issue is really about." Because one group uses the issue for political gain, does not preclude logical arguments for controlling our borders. They certainly do not speak for me, nor are the repugs reasons for their actions representitive of all who are not for open borders. Lumping the worst argument in the world for an end to illegal immigration and controlling our borders is unfair and shows a willingness to skew an issue to score points. Kind of like Faux News does. Thanks.
quickesst

[Bridget Burke]

6. There are many immigration issues....

But the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRISIS is manufactured.

[El Fuego]

7. It's all part of Rove's plan

An election that would have been a referendum on the war will now be about illegal immigration. x(

And however we might feel about the issue as individuals ... we can't let the repugs hijack it in the short term and make it their flagship issue. If Democrats are seen as tacitly supporting illegal immigration, it will be the death of us all in 2006.

[quickesst]

9. They will abuse this issue....

that's a given. I simply believe the rhetoric from the left, honorable as it is, will make this a repug issue a lot faster if the left keeps hammering at them about it. The left needs to take this issue away from the right, and frame it in a way that is truly representative of the majority of Americans, no matter what the political persuasion. If we allow it to become a strictly Repug talking point, there will be a lot of support and votes lost in 06, not because the people will embrace thier policy, but because it will be the closest thing to the actual will of the American majority they can get. Maybe I just think strategy differently than most. Thanks.
quickesst

[unlawflcombatnt]

14. Wage Suppression

The illegal immigration issue is one that's on the table at present, and is very important to a lot of voters, including Democrats. And there is no doubt that adding 7 million illegal immigrants to our workforce suppresses wages.

Illegal immigration reduces wages in 3 ways.

1. Illegal immigrants, as a whole, are willing to work for less. As a result, employers pay them less than they would pay American workers for the same jobs. In order for Americans to work at the same job, they must accept lower wages than they would have otherwise, in order to remain "competitive" with the illegal immigrants who've replaced them.

2. Illegal immigrants increase the labor force size, thus increasing the "supply" of labor. Increasing the supply of labor has the same effect as increasing the supply of any consumer good. It reduces the "price" of labor, which means it reduces wages. Illegal immigrants are currently employed in 7 million of America's 143 million jobs. There are a total of 150 million workers considered to be "participating" in our labor force. The subtraction of the 7 million illegal workers would reduce this number to 143 million participating workers. The effect of such a "supply" reduction would be to increase the "price" of labor by basic supply & demand effect. Again, the increase in "price" of labor equates to an increase in wages.

3. As a result of the above 2 wage-suppressing effects, illegal immigration suppresses total aggregate labor income. Labor economist George Borjas puts the annual wage suppression at 4%, or $1700/worker. Multiplying that $1700/worker loss times 143 million workers gives a total loss of $243 billion dollars annually. That reduces potential consumer spending by $243 billion/year. The reduction in consumer spending reduces demand for production, and the demand for workers to provide that production. The result of this reduced demand for labor is a further reduction in wages.

Just 1 of the above 3 would reduce wages by itself. All 3 together suppress wages even further. Again, the Borjas estimate of wage suppression from the immigration that occurred between 1980 and 2000 is $1700/worker/year, or 4% per year.

Borjas's study can be found at Immigration & Wages

unlawflcombatnt

EconomicPopulistCommentary

EconomicPatriotForum

___________
The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."

[Critters2]

15. Exactly nt

[Deep13]

8. Maybe we should stop biting at every apple the Rs hang ...

...in front of us. Just because the Rs create an issue out of thin air, does not mean we automatically have to get into that argument.

[lumberjack_jeff]

11. They didn't really create an issue out of thin air...

...they created the problem that "the issue" is about, through non-enforcement of corporate hiring laws.

So they created a problem, and our response is to deny the severity of it. Am I the only one who sees the strategic flaw with that approach?

When Republicans shoot themselves in the foot, I'd be inclined to offer them more bullets, not a band-aid.

[Disturbed]

13. The outrage from the Latino community stemmed

from the Rethug Bill to make Illegal Immigrants and anyone assisting them Felons.
The Felons should be those that hire Illegal Immigrants.

[Deep13]

16. I think that outrage will trigger a nativist backlash.

I know what illegal aliens were trying to demonstrate when marching etc. The reaction I heard from people who saw it was something to the effect of why don't they go home and protest their own governments? Also, no one accepted that the demonstrations were in support of immigration generally or Latinos rather than illegal aliens. Frankly, I think there was some duplicity in the terminology used by the organizers on that matter. I gotta say, here in suburban Ohio, the boycotts and the marches had no effect on anything. It was business as usually.

[McCamy Taylor]

10. It was a really dumb idea of Rove's. It split the GOP base in three

and has cost them the Latino vote for at least 4 full election cycles. Rove had no idea how complicated an issue immigration is. It is not nearly as black and white as the war on drugs. The fact that he thought this would be a winner for the GOP shows just how limited he is as a political strategist. They have hurt themselves more than helped themselves with this one.

[Sam Odom]

17. illegal immigration is a REAL issue in SoCal

and I suspect other states. Don't be fooled!

[McCamy Taylor]

18. But it is so many different things to different people.

It is low wage workers to GE, it is lost jobs to Labor unions. It is the lighter dark meat to the KKK, it is neat and tidy lawns and first class cooking to the elite all across the country. It is the Faithful to the Catholic Church, it is the Democratic base to the RNC. It is(make that WAS) new Republican blood to Bush Texans, it is a fast growing high spending consumer demographic that manufacturers love.

It is way to complicated an issue for the GOP to treat it as their Fear Factor for an election. They cant do black and white in shades of grey. They got burned and are still in rehab.

http://www.grandtheftelectionohio.com/Flash/moron/moron.html