Yesterday I received a comment to my previous post on amnesty. The author did not even enter his own email address so I will have to respond via the blog. I have attached his comment below as well as my response. I love that the internet and blogs allows us to have an open dialogue about these issues. If anyone else wants to chime in, please feel free to email me or post a comment below.
The comment:
There’s too much wrong above to try to correct. If many IllegalAliens went home we’d invent machines to replace them, or “industries” like strawberry production would move offshore, both of which would be better for us. Second, the option isn’t between amnesty and MassDeportations; that’s a standard FalseChoice that hacks constantly use. The alternative is to start enforcing our laws. Third, “we” didn’t “ask” IllegalAliens to come here: they were only able to come here because of massive PoliticalCorruption.
Much, much, much more education on this topic is needed.
My Response:
Firstly, thank you for reading and commenting. What makes our country great is the open dialogue we can have on the issues that affect our lives. That being said, I must disagree with your comment.
1 - “If many IllegalAliens went home we’d invent machines to replace them”
Capitalism is a system of greed, where the most productive and inexpensive resources are used first. If we could invent machines to replace workers and it was more cost effective than using labor, we would have. The point is we haven’t because it is less expensive and more productive to use labor. Hence, by forcing us to invent and build these more expensive machines we would be causing ourselves an economic disservice.
2 - “or “industries” like strawberry production would move offshore”
Firstly, if your point is true, then illegal immigrants are not taking anyone’s jobs – because as per your logic the industries would cease to exist if there were no illegal immigrants. Secondly, why would we want to move these industries off-shore? By keeping the industries here we are assuring that a large percentage of the income generated from these activities is being spent in our borders. Now, I agree that we need to be able to collect taxes on these activities and make sure that workers pay their share of healthcare and what not…but that’s why we need to provide them with some form of workers permits. The solution isn’t to kick them out, it is to legitimize what they do and enforce applicable laws.
3 –“ Second, the option isn’t between amnesty and MassDeportations; that’s a standard FalseChoice that hacks constantly use. The alternative is to start enforcing our laws.”
I agree that mass deportation is an extreme, but “enforcing our laws” is essentially deportation. At least that’s what our law says now. If someone is not authorized to be here they need to be deported. If we change our laws to where undocumented workers have the ability to work and provide the many services they do in a legitimate manner then yes, I agree, enforcing the law is a good idea. Otherwise, there is no middle ground. We either provide them with a legal way to make a living or we deport them according to our current laws.
4 – “Third, “we” didn’t “ask” IllegalAliens to come here: they were only able to come here because of massive PoliticalCorruption.”
You might not have asked them to come, but tens of thousands of businesses did and still do. Look around you, our economy functions because they are here. There isn’t a single politician, corrupt or not, who asked businesses to hire undocumented workers. Businesses and consumers wanted foreign workers because it lets business compete in an increasingly global world, and consumers wanted inexpensive goods and services. So whether we directly asked them to come or not doesn’t matter because we DEFINTILY wanted them here and let them know it. Accept it or not, but blaming this on corrupt politicians is a cop-out excuse.
5- “Much, much, much more education on this topic is needed.”
I agree that much, much, much education is needed on this subject – we can all learn more about the issues that affect our country. But listening to extremist views on the radio helps no one. Stop and think about the issues and understand the logic and ramifications of your arguments. Undocumented workers have only been good for us and the economy and we need to legitimize what they do, and provide them with a way of contributing to our society the same way every other immigrant group to the United States has improved our country.
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