What happens when you pass oppressive anti-immigration laws? You get what you wish for.

[OWC Jamie]

(vikm) wrote:
"The farmers said the some of their workers may have been in the country illegally, but they were the only ones willing to do the work."

.

They also said they were missing as many as 15 of the usual 25 workers, so they were obviously contradicting themselves by degree, which is often the case with exaggerations.

[RgrF]

Acer wrote:
Sad thing is, even if you DO take a job picking lettuce, at the current prevailing wage, you'll still be in poverty.

If you take an urban job at a Krogers, Sears or WalMart, you'll still be in poverty.

[Mac1337]

Kroeger isn't responsible to bring riches to you. You are. Kroeger is there to sell groceries.

[kj]

RgrF wrote:
[quote=Acer]
Sad thing is, even if you DO take a job picking lettuce, at the current prevailing wage, you'll still be in poverty.

If you take an urban job at a Krogers, Sears or WalMart, you'll still be in poverty.
I think our idea of poverty is a little screwed up. We just went to a housewarming party for some people we know who immigrated from myanmar/burma. He works at "Winco" stocking at night, and she does cleaning. They've lived here for 3yrs., and just bought a house (they got a killer deal, of course). They have four kids. It's messed up that so many would say they live in poverty. kj.

[August West]

Rgr did specify "an urban job," remind me again the metropolis you inhabit, kj? I thought you were from the sticks.

[kj]

August West wrote:
Rgr did specify "an urban job," remind me again the metropolis you inhabit, kj? I thought you were from the sticks.

Here in Boise it's a thin line between urban and the sticks. Our cost of living is not low, and they live less than 5min. from the city center. I understand there are places you can't live on a grocery store wage, but I don't know what that really means.

Another interesting thing is that Boise was a favorite destination for immigrants (legal and otherwise), but case workers can no longer find work for them, so they are not coming here (which bums me out, honestly). In this economy, people who were previously able to find better jobs, are now taking the jobs that were plentiful for immigrants (which speaks to the original point). And you can live modestly on those kinds of jobs (in many places). We are moving toward a standard of living that is closer to that of most of the rest of the world. We're desperately trying to avoid it, but it's going to happen. kj.

[max]

Let the farmers pay them a living wage, lets ay $60 an hour, or $20 a bucket.
I bet some,
OK, a few urban poor might consider this working lifestyle.




It is worth paying $25 a pound at Kroger's....

[Acer]

"There are plenty of jobs if people weren't so lazy" thing looks good in a conservative newsletter, but the math is just not there.

There are 13 million people out of work in the USA.
How many openings for rural lettuce pickers and urban Kroger stockers are there?

These low rent jobs are not plentiful enough to fill the gap, and low rent jobs do not pay enough to drive the economic engine of this country, which depends on consumers consuming.

Yes, you can get by on poverty wages. But after utilities, food and rent, you're not going to have much leftover for the high-margin gadgets and luxuries where the REAL money is for our economy.

[$tevie]

Acer wrote:
"There are plenty of jobs if people weren't so lazy" thing looks good in a conservative newsletter, but the math is just not there.

There are 13 million people out of work in the USA.
How many openings for rural lettuce pickers and urban Kroger stockers are there?

These low rent jobs are not plentiful enough to fill the gap, and low rent jobs do not pay enough to drive the economic engine of this country, which depends on consumers consuming.

Yes, you can get by on poverty wages. But after utilities, food and rent, you're not going to have much leftover for the high-margin gadgets and luxuries where the REAL money is for our economy.

Exactly. The idea that our economy can be driven by people who are living hand to mouth is absurd. America needs a middle class and we need to save it before it's too late.

[Mac1337]

kj wrote:
[ are now taking the jobs that were plentiful for immigrants (which speaks to the original point).

So you mean Americans are finally taking jobs that we have been told for years no American wants? House of cards is coming down.