Immigration seems to be an issue that the US has a continuing problem dealing with.
LAA, being over there, you may be able to give a more balanced view on whether the immigration issue will be an important one for the election? The Republicans always make a fuss over it , but is that resonating in middle America?
Sadly, it appears that the Govt doesn't care.
All the Govt needs to do to fix the immigration problem here is DO THEIR JOB. In every town on selected corners there you will see 50-100 Mexican men and boys waiting around to pick up some labouring work from a passer-by with a truck. Everyone knows what's going on, but that doesn't stop the construction bosses from giving them $50 cash for the day. If the Govt was serious, they would turn up with a convoy of State police with trucks, round 'em all up and demand to see credentials. Anyone without a SS number or passport; ship 'em back to Encinada, or throw 'em in jail for breaking the law. But they never do it.
There are enough rules in place to deter the stampede, but there is very little prosecution going on in the Country. There was a case of a Businessman being sued a few weeks ago because he insisted that all his staff be able to speak English to be hired. Not a racist slant at all; just a fair request, given that the main language in the Country is English, and he has the right to stipulate rules as the employer. The Govt can easily impose hefty fines on businesses who employ undocumented workers, but no-one ever gets prosecuted. So, this guy is in trouble for trying to do the right thing and make an indirect stand.
There are even well documented cases of Mexican women crossing the border on foot to have their babies in San Diego Hospitals (and other Statessuch as Arizona nad Texas), just so they can stay in the Country because their baby is an American Citizen. The Hospitals know that they are doing it, but can't refuse to help them as the women wait until they are in advanced labour, then run in the front door.
In my opinion, and I'm just an outsider looking in, the whole immigration thing from the Govt's point of view is not a concern. I don't think it is exclusively a Republican attitude; it is a Congress/Washington attitude.
I think that they simply lip-service the Nation about doing something to fix it, even though the Nation is very upset about the situation. The immigration issue raises it's head from time to time in the Election campaigns, but the Republicans very quickly distract the campaigns with talk of same-sex issues, gay rights and anti-terrorism etc, and personal mud-slinging matches with the Democrats, rather than addressing the real issues that people are concerned about on a daily basis; education, healthcare, wages, housing.
Why? Because it would appear that Govt in this Country is heavily influenced, if not controlled, by Corporate America. Their goal is to maximise their profits for their shareholders however they can.
George Bush promised some 300 miles of border fencing (big deal) when we first arrived in Sept '05. Still no fence. Two border control guards are in jail, after being found guilty of firing on illegals who were drug-running at the border last year.
One of the biggest costs of any corporation is wages, and with so many immigrants, both legal and illegal, willing to work for next to nothing, there is no incentive for any reform to occur.
In our 2.5 years here, I have seen very, very few "WASP" people working in low income jobs. Pick any industry you like; construction, agriculture, take-away food, home maintenance, service, retail, hospitality, transport etc. They are almost exclusively staffed by immigrants and Blacks.
I often here that these jobs are staffed by immigrants because the white folk won't do them; but the reality is that the white folk won't work for $7 an hour (or less) with no penalty rates and no holiday pay. Walmart is perhaps the worst offender, but EVERY national "chain" business does it. Construction, factories and farming are also very big.
One of our friends in L.A has no less than 7 people to do work around the house; 3 house cleaners, 3 gardeners and 1 pool guy. The entire bill for the week for all 7 people is less than $100 per week; it is not a lot of money for this family. The workers are all Mexican. Are they all legal? Our friend doesn't care; he gets his entire house looked after for pocket money.
Last weekend, we took our son to a sticker factory just on the outskirts of San Fran. It is a family business started by a WASP mother on her kitchen table 40 years ago. Now, her son and herself run it; they are the CEO and CFO. It is a multi-million dollar business. We did a tour of the factory, and in an hour spent in that facility, I did not see one "American".
The reality is that while Corporate America can get away with cheap labour, they will never work hard to improve the wage structure here, and with such influence on Capitol Hill, the Govt aren't in a hurry either. So, in effect, they are turning a blind eye to it all.
Professional and specialty jobs still do well, but many middle-management jobs are being shipped overseas or have already.
Mark_B:
It is true that many of the immigrants from the south are hard working, solid contributors to the community. But they are all too willing to work for next to nothing, and while this is the case, and without a strong union presence, they are unwittingly holding back the rest of the population, and the Country is letting them.
The pattern has been set; lower wages, less benefits; people willing to work for peanuts, unions have lost their power, and it will be very hard to change it.
