08-31-2007, 06:31 PM
Quote:I agree with Eppie here: Aren't we all assuming, rather than demonstrating, that illegal immigrants constitute a drain on the economy of the US?
I suspect that they are a slight net surplus, even in terms of tax dollars generated vs. consumed.
-Jester
There is a good reason why despite all the anti-illegal immigrant posturing by many political groups the real people in power (both democrat and republicans) support what these groups label "amnesty".
Two words: Cheap Labor. The vast expanse of the american economy is built upon it. in fact it wouldn't be too cynical to say that is what america's main production was: Labor. And supply and demand are at work there too. The more laborers you have the less you need to pay them.
Which brings up a large fallacy I see within kandrathe's reasoning. K has consistantly supported a strong pro-capitalist ideology yet when you get right down to it the end effect of strong anti-illegal immigration laws/enforcement is just a long way of corporate regulation. The corporations want cheap labor, immigrants (illegal or legal) want to give it to them. These laws whether they are framed as anti-illegal immigration or out in the open regulation end up having the same effect: the US saying "nope, you can't do that". The only difference in the end result is that with open regulation responsibility is placed on the corporations and with anti-illegal immigration the responsibility is placed on the laborer.