Seems to me if we fill the jobs that those 11 million illegals have with minimum wage workers, it would:

 

A) Lower unemployment

 

2) Pour more money back into the economy as we'd have more wage-earners (i.e. more consumers)

 

&

 

D) Create more revenues for the federal government through taxation, thus improving the debt.

 

 

(That was for you mcpapa )

 

A, 2 and D. That's pretty funny right there, I don't care who you are.

They'll either quit, or your cost to get your lawn mowed will go through the roof.

 

Not even remotely true. So if a company that employs only American workers mows my neighbors lawn and charges $20/hr, and a company that employs illegals is only charging me $12.50/hr., the costs are going to skyrocket?

Not even remotely true. So if a company that employs only American workers mows my neighbors lawn and charges $20/hr, and a company that employs illegals is only charging me $12.50/hr., the costs are going to skyrocket?

 

Valid point. Not all companies in every industry are employing illegals for all of their positions. It may thin the herd a bit but no way every company folds. Not denying there may be some price increases as well but if the economy gets better and I get that promotion they've been postponing due to the "economic climate", I'm all for it.

The popularity of "reality" TV is a more damning indictment of American society, but anyway.

 

We won't get into the whole argument of "lesser of two evils," but suffice to say I've never been happy with any of the presidential options since I've been voting.

 

I wouldn't disagree with this post.

Here is the quandary. Americans won't work for below minimum wage, so we hire illegal aliens and some employers pay them under the table, thus no taxes deducted from the worker and no tax burden for the employer. What is the common theme !?! TAXES!

 

Instead of increasing the minimum wage, lower the minimum wage back to $6.50 and take away all the tax burden from workers at the current minimum wage level and give a child care subsidy for those who need it and 1) more people will work; 2) employers will have an incentive to hire legally; 3) employers will hire MORE people; and 4) many jobs will dry up for illegals as the incentive is reduced to hire them. How is this funded? Less welfare, reduced unemployment, less crime when people are working, improved economy, especially small business.

 

:popcorn:

Not even remotely true. So if a company that employs only American workers mows my neighbors lawn and charges $20/hr, and a company that employs illegals is only charging me $12.50/hr., the costs are going to skyrocket?

 

That's nearly a 40 percent increase. Pretty steep hike.

That's nearly a 40 percent increase. Pretty steep hike.

 

You completely missed the point. You act like everyone doing the jobs that these companies that have illegals do, use illegals. That's not the case. If one business shuts down, another will increase their business, and will be able to maintain their current prices, thus no price increase across the board like your doom and gloom scenario tries to paint.

Not even remotely true. So if a company that employs only American workers mows my neighbors lawn and charges $20/hr, and a company that employs illegals is only charging me $12.50/hr., the costs are going to skyrocket?

 

I am not quite sure of your conclusion here, but here would be mine. If company A's cost is 40% higher than company M's, AND, customers will NOT pay more for the service (and most competitive markets are price sensitive), and company M's product or service is judged to be of equal or reasonably close to company A, then everything else being equal company A is in big trouble.

You completely missed the point. You act like everyone doing the jobs that these companies that have illegals do, use illegals. That's not the case. If one business shuts down, another will increase their business, and will be able to maintain their current prices, thus no price increase across the board like your doom and gloom scenario tries to paint.

 

I didn't miss the point. If, nationwide, the cost of produce goes up 40 percent or more because the labor cost increased, that's going to be a pretty big shock to the American economic system.

I didn't miss the point. If, nationwide, the cost of produce goes up 40 percent or more because the labor cost increased, that's going to be a pretty big shock to the American economic system.

 

Right, but assuming that the cost is going to go up nationwide is completely ridiculous. It isn't going to happen. Not all companies employ illegals. That's what you're inferring, and it couldn't be further from the truth.

I didn't miss the point. If, nationwide, the cost of produce goes up 40 percent or more because the labor cost increased, that's going to be a pretty big shock to the American economic system.

 

True but it will not stop the people from buying it. They will just complain more.

True but it will not stop the people from buying it. They will just complain more.

 

Depends on what "it" is. If their economic situation demands it, people may have to be satisfied with a cheaper, reasonable facimile of "it". A good example of this is full-service versus self-service or automated car washes. At $9.00 legal minimum wage, a full service car wash is going to have to do a lot of upselling....details, etc. to be viable compared to today minimum wage of $7.25 and especially compared to the pre 2007 minimum wage of $6.00 per hour. That industry got slapped with a double whammy in 2007 - the beginning of a recession and a major cost increase without corresponding improvements in efficiency.

 

Right, but assuming that the cost is going to go up nationwide is completely ridiculous. It isn't going to happen. Not all companies employ illegals. That's what you're inferring, and it couldn't be further from the truth.

 

The bulk of the produce that is in our grocery stores is farmed by immigrant labor, much of that going on in the San Joaquin valley.

Is the only option to keep letting the farms hire illegal immigrants to keep food costs down? If they're made legal they will then be subject to minimum wage and taxes which would raise the price anyway. I might be wrong but I thought minimum wage was $9 in CA?

When one of your first acts of trying to enter the country is to cross illegally your first act is breaking a law. Suddenly, your supposed to be a law abiding tax payer...

 

Not feeling it.