New Imigration Reform

[kandrathe]

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.

I am not against cheap labor. A guest worker program that is organized with documented workers achieves that.

What the political parties want are more registered voters. And, some want to expand the Federal government by adding 10 million more people to social welfare programs, free education, and eventually the tax roles. My point is that we should target immigration leading to citizenship for people that are already able to contribute to the economy and pay their fair share or those who join the armed forces and pre-pay their debt to our country, rather than those who will languish for generations below the poverty line. Also, the Democrats are hoping that they can pull in the traditional "labor" vote, and the Republicans are hoping they can pull in the hispanic religious catholic conservative family values voters.