"Any Willing Worker"

[Peter1x9]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,143465,00.html

Congress Split on White House Immigration Policy
Thursday, January 06, 2005
By Matt Hayes

Sensenbrenner now advocates most strongly for those who believe that immigration reform must be founded on borders that do what they are supposed to do. Most Americans would agree with him. When reports show that terror groups are beginning to favor the country's undermanned land borders and avoiding its ports, Americans are at precisely the same risks they faced in September of 2001. If four million people enter the country illegally every year (as Sen. John McCain's office has found), then what can terrorists do?

When the White House speaks of immigration reform, it always includes statements along the lines of "the system is broken," and "we should match every willing worker with every willing employer." To most Americans, this does not portend a country with functioning borders. It represents the end of America's borders, and the abolition of a labor market in which American workers have any kind of bargaining power.

No administration has ever proposed anything as radical as the president's "any willing worker" policy. If it becomes law, it will be the only immigration policy like it in the entire world. In its current form, there would be no numerical limit on the number of foreign workers American business could import, and no minimum wage that employers would have to pay them.

[WildClarySage]

1. And that's the real key to this: No Minimum Wage

[left15]

3. Why would there be no minimum wage?

(I replied to a post, but my questions are directed toward the writer of the article, I should be replying to the original post, but it's too late now)

Not that I agree with any of this, but it seems like they are tying 3 things together that don't need to be.

1. Minimum wage - If workers are allowed from mexico, why would the minimum wage law go out the window?


2. Residence Status - Why would allowing pepole from Mexico to work here allow them to claim residency here. If I go to Germany for 2 years to help build a widget factory, I don't become a Resident of Germany, why whold this need to be any different?

3. Work Permits - This seems to be the basic issue, should Mexican Labor be allowed to work more in the US.

[Robert Oak]

2. econ 101 increase supply wages drop like a rock

all about super cheap labor.

and yes, there are reports now of gangs, who control the border
smuggling routes, bringing in terrorists along with the millions
of under the table wages, we pay no taxes, yet get fake social security numbers and get medicad and by the way Bush just gave us social security benefits...even though we're not citizens or even legally present in your country.

[left15]

4. there is already cheap labor in Mexcio

and many compaines have already moved the factories there.

So our choices are:

1. Leave things as the are.
2. Allow cheap labor into the US, (which can be taxed)
3. Allow companies to move factories to countries with cheap labor. (hard to stop)
4. Limit imports, so companies with US factories don't have to compete with #3.

Of course if we limt imports, other countries will limit our exports, but with our trade deficit, it may not be all that bad.