One of the most disingenuous phrases that keeps cropping up in the immigration debate (this is the new toy, since the Social Security debate flopped so badly) is "jobs Americans won't do." Well, lemme tellya, if the jobs paid a decent wage and had decent benefits, not to mention adequate inexpensive housing near the job site/farm, I suspect a whole lot of Americans would be quite ready to take at least some of those jobs. I'm not saying that stoop labor picking strawberries or artichokes is an ideal occupation, but it isn't so hateful that American workers would refuse to do it if the above conditions were met. Hell, Hawai'i used to farm thousands of acres of sugar and pineapple, and its history shows that if there are somewhat decent working conditions, people will take the jobs.
"Jobs Americans won't do" is code for "minimum-wage-at-best jobs with no benefits and one Porta-pottie per acre, if you're lucky."
Posted by Linkmeister at November 29, 2005 12:02 PM | TrackBackIndeed, "jobs Americans won't do" is merely an excuse to perpetuate bad, or even illegal, working conditions.
Posted by: Deborah at November 30, 2005 05:53 PM"Jobs American's won't do" is just another Repugnant way of making sure they have an adequate supply of slave labor from "South of the boarder." Why the fuck do you think Deacon Dumb says he's not going to do anything to the people who employ illegals? Hell, when I was 10 years old I was doing stoop labour in the fields for virtually no money and this was thanks to the Republicans who fucked our economy back in '29. And as soon as Wal-fucking-Mart runs out of jobs you'll be doin them too. And the Mexicans will ALL be sent home.
Posted by: GRUMPY OLD MAN at November 30, 2005 10:58 PM