At 12:46 AM 3/13/2004 -0500 Jon Gabriel wrote:
>This program will, if put into effect *create and inflate* that very
>underclass. We would wind up with a flood of illegal immigrants who would
>overstay their welcome when their permits have expired. Such an
>artificially created underclass of illegal, second class citizens has been
>unececessary until now. Why should we voluntarily burden our economy with
>one?
Come again? We already *have* an underclass of an estimated 8-11 million
illegal immigrants. Why? Because our economy needs them.
Bush's proposal is sensible because it would regularize the status of a
large portion of the 8-11 million illegals currently in the country.
>Do you really believe the current system unfairly blocks immigrants from
>working?
Yes. Our economy needs millions of these workers. Right now, we exploit
these workers by giving them very little recourse to American labor laws.
In addition, it breeds a culture of lawlessness among these workers that
lead to all sorts of problems, such as unlicensed, uninsured motorists.
In your other post, you mention the absence of limits in the program....
this, however, is one of the plans strongest points. Since there is an
irrational political opposition to raising immigration limits in this
country - in fact, that is precisly how we got into our current predicament
- Bush's plan very smartly lets the *market* set immigration limits. To
immigrate you have to be able to demonstrate that you can find a job. Its
as simple as that... and ensures that needs of our economy get met.
>>-and further, that these workers should be able to pass freely back to
>>their home countries and to their jobs in the United States
>
>That's just the point. They never want to go back.
On the contrary. Since a huge proportion of these illegal workers come
from Mexico may of them very much want to go back. When going back means
having to sneak across the border, however, they are much less likely to do
so.
Obviously, the natural course of action is for the guest worker program to
lead towards citizenship, which by definition implies not going back, and
IMHO that is exactly how it should be.
In the short term, however, our insane immigration laws are definitely a
barrier to illegals returning to their home country - which is literally
just a hop, skip, and a jump away.
> the Bush plan provides
>_no_ enforcement to send these workers home when their permits expire.
As opposed to the current system of tracking and sending these workers home?
>>-and lastly, that these workers should be placed on the track towards
>>citizenship and permanent residency, if they so desire.
>
>I saw no provisions that would give guest workers an advantage or special
>consideration toward becoming a US citizen or even establishing permanent
>residence. Nothing was mentioned to this effect, nor was there a suggestion
>that the path to either be streamlined. Was this wishful thinking on your
>part or did I miss something?
It is not there officially, in part because Bush's plan is a very pragmatic
compromise between the ideal and the possible. Even the plan's opponents,
however, concede that such a system is likely to be the eventual practical
result.
JDG
_______________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world,
it is God's gift to humanity." - George W. Bush 1/29/03
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