Now, I am not in favour of exploiting illegal immigrants for pittance a day like some, but there has to be a better solution.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/22/wa...48d&ei=5087%0A

Basically, the heightened enforcement has led to fewer pickers. Fewer pickers means that the fruit rots.

Kinda bad for fruit growers.

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"Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze."
Gospel of Thomas

Tough. Fruit growers shouldn't be hiring illegal immigrants anyways. Instead they should pay Americans a decent wage to do the job.

My plan:
1. The Wall: Erect a thick reinforced wall along the southern border and a military base to provide support for the wall and processing for captured tresspassers. This wall should consist of a series of watchtowers spaced about 100 yards apart from each other. Each tower should be manned at all times by no less than two soldiers and should be equipped with a series of lethal and non-lethal weapons, and cameras. (Lethal-Machine guns, assault rifles, grenades, sniper rifles) (non lethal- tear gas, rubber bullets, etc.) The wall should also be outfitted with a series of underground sensors (for detecting tunnels). Soldiers should be given specific rules of engagement that allow for the use of deadly force only in extreme situations (ex. a rocket attack against the wall, or sniper attacks on the tower). The towers should also be supported by quick reactionary forces operating out of the military base.
2. The crackdown. The departments tasked with policing illegal immigrants should be given a mandate to track down, and deport every single illegal immigrant in the United States. Along with this mandate financial support and the expansion (and if need be reorganization) of these departments should be mandated as well.
3. The Law. No non citizen of the United States is guaranteed any of the rights of a citizen. No government financial aid for illegals, medical care should be provided only in cases of danger to public health, or immediate medical emergency (illegals are granted temporary asylum while seeking medical help and are free from fear of detention during this time). Children born of illegal immigrants while in the United States from this point forward are not American citizens. Any persons found employing illegal immigrants are subject to stiff fines. Repeat offenders are subject to possible loss of liscenses, property, and jail time.

You love your plan so much you are going to post it in every thread possible?

Obviously Americans don't want to do that job or the fruit wouldn't be rotting on the trees.

Why should Americans do the job for the wages that the growers want to pay? Do you advocate slave labor?

__________________


"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

Yep I love my plan! Actually I thought it applied here because it indicated my beliefs on illegal immigration. Americans would do that job in a second if they got paid a decent wage. The answer to labor problems in America isn't the legitimization of illegal immigrants, but rather to increase the wages so that the job becomes more desireable. That is the flaw with the argument I hear so often from people who say that illegals do the jobs Americans won't. Americans will do the job if you pay us decent wages.

Fewer pickers means the wages are probably still laughable to most Americans. How does anyone know these are jobs Americans "wont do"? Has any poll asked Americans "Were you paid a decent wage would you do these jobs?" Has anyone asked that one? I wouldn't doubt the answer is no.

Just as Republicans do not deserve to retain Congress after their dispicable behavior, these employers deserve to hurt a little after their behavior. If their business hurts because they relied too much on illegal labor, then how is it my problem as a taxpayer when border enforcement measures hurt his business? I didn't force him to make those choices. He can live with them.

Almost agreed, though I don't know about the illegal children thing. I personally believe that implementing most other practical measures, we should allow the illegals children to become citizens as they still do (and avoid a tenuous waitt o amend the constitution). However, the choice should be given to the families -- your kid stays without you in the US, or goes with you back to your country. That way it will make them and others think twice before trying to take advantage of our "anchor baby" system.

I love hearing people use the sob-story about us breaking up anchorbaby families. Who had this kid knowing they could be caught at any time? Them, not anybody else. Therefore it is their problem, not that of the US Govt.

There is such an easy answer, just treat the Mexican or whatever nationality as their Nation treats their illegal aliens. Problem solved!

Well you would be wrong. I personally have done some of the jobs that "Americans won't do" and I find that comment incrediblely elitist and insulting. And everyone I worked along side of were Americans also.

Do you advocate raising the minimum wage? It's already $9 something in California I think. Are you saying the growers are breaking the law and paying less than minimum wage? Will Americans do hard labor for minimum wage? I guess the growers with rotting fruit haven't found any. If growers pay Americans $15 an hour, I'm pretty sure it will put the American farmer out of business pretty fast while we import from South American instead. Do you prefer that?

But it's the republicans who are against raising the minimum wage. And if you pay the pickers a living wage, the fruit becomes too expensive and no one will buy it, they will buy fruit from Chile instead.

That's some cold hearted shit!

Which problem does that solve?

1. Rotten fruit
2. Low wages
3. High price of fruit
4. Breaking up families through deportation

???

Some of us believe in a free economy, such as allowing the market to dictate the price. Not the illegal alien or the government, rest assure the market works everytime, well at least when you allow it do to its job.

The fix is to get the illegal alien out and stop the spriral down of wages based on illegal workers status. If the price of fruit goes up so be it, the fruit from S. America will go up too. Plus why would you want your produce you eat be picked by a pernament underclass? Do you consider that having a pernament underclass a good thing for our society? Such as its effects on wages.