This is such a political hot potato….How can we stop companies that hire these illegal workers when we have states giving them licenses? Employers need a simple way to verify that employees are legal to hire…then we could fine companies for hiring illegal workers. That would level the cost of labor.
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Hi, Michael. There is a Form I-9 for that purpose. It asks verification of employment eligibility and requires fairly straight-forward documentation. There are fines and penalties on the books for hiring illegal immigrants. However, enforcement is a totally different matter. There seems to be neither the will nor the resources.

Woody

Posted by Michael at May 14, 2005 09:14 PM

GM's Friend and Stand In (does than mean you have to actually stand in GM's Corner?)

Thanks for keeping GM's site going in his absence. Have you been approached by the dark forces that would ask you to not give it back on his return? Just kidding.

I like your comments on the Mexico Problem that you write about today. Bush, and others, need to start enforcing our laws. The dirty secret is that neither Republicans nor Democrats wish to alienate (good choice on the word, eh?) the huge hispanic portion of our society. It is about votes...and about pols keeping their jobs. I think that what many don't understand is that Hispanics are not this one huge group that thinks exactly alike, votes exactly alike nor even has the same world-view. Maybe the political parties can figure this out.

Well, thanks again and keep up the great work.
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Thank you, tad. I don't know if I was ordered to stand in the corner or was backed into it, but somehow I ended up here. GM has absolutely no worries about taking this site back upon his return. I'm beginning to suspect that his promises of women and money may be exaggerated.

I believe that you're right about the weak-willed politicians. Whenever it comes to a group that potentially could swing an election, neither side is going to give it up.

Woody

Posted by tad at May 15, 2005 09:37 AM

I would have thought that a President who takes his job seriously would be more concerned that able bodied workers from his nation are risking their lives to cross the US border for work (ok, not all of them risk their lives but some do) because the employment opportunity (available jobs and wages) is better for them here.

But, then again, maybe that's just me.
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too many steves, you will never be elected President of Mexico. What's easier? Growing your own food by tending your own garden, or sneaking across the boundary into your neighbor's garden, stealing his crops, and sending them back across the line? The latter sure makes for a good trade balance. We trade our unemployed for your dollars.

What's still surprising to me is that I haven't heard much outrage about Fox's statement from legitimate civil rights proponents. Are they afraid of offending him, even though he offended them?

Woody

Posted by too many steves at May 15, 2005 12:49 PM

Hey Woody . . .

I have seven comments that were left on my letter to el Presidente Fox (http://socialsense.blogspot.com/2005/05/dear-president-fox.html ) but not a single one addresses the racist remarks he made. Perhaps African Americans in the US are assuming he was talking about Labrador retrievers . . .

HB
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H.B., thanks for the link. Everyone should check it out. Your link didn't work for me, so here's the site: http://socialsense.blogspot.com/ I would do a direct link to the entry, but G.M. loaned out the instruction manual for this site, so I'm lucky to figure this much. Wait, wait!!! The parenthesis got included in your link, so I took that out and now it works. I expect a job offer from Microsoft any day now!
I'm at a loss for the lack of outrage for the racial remark. Can you imagine the howls and demands for apologies and firings if someone in Bush' administration had made those comments?! I can only guess that the left views Mexico's President Fox as somewhat of a thorn in the side of Bush, so he's one of their own to be protected. If the left fawns over Sen. Byrd, a former Klansman, then a racist from Mexico can fit in their tent.

Woody

Posted by Mustang at May 15, 2005 05:07 PM

Hi Woody.. ur holding up pretty well here! Friendly audience. As to immigration, what happened to all those conseravtive pro-market ideals? U really think that immigrants are taking jobs away from Americans? Check out ur fellow capitalists at the Western Growers Association who are panicked because they cany recruit enough pickers even WITH the current flow of illegals.
Anyway, keep it up. Im proud of you. Maybe u shouldnt let GM back when he returns!
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Thank U, Marc.... I support LEGAL free markets and I oppose the flooding of our markets with overstocked and underpriced imports--whether that be goods or human resources. The U.S. should not be a dumping ground to prop up mismanaged economies of other nations. If we really need more workers, which I could only believe if our unemployment rate were half of what it is now, then let's do it legally. I place the law above expediency.

I appreciate the growers' plight of today, but how different is that from the southern cotton growers of the past who relied on "underpriced labor of unwilling immigrants?" As of then, today's growers can become innovative rather than break the law.

Regarding guest hosting this site--believe me, GM won't have to wrest it from me when he returns. The advertising revenues haven't lived up to expectations, which I think is because there is none. I have had fun, though.

Thanks for checking in.

Everyone else, go visit Marc Cooper's site at http://www.marccooper.com , a rare place of useful exchanges between the right and left thanks to Marc's values and guidance.

Woody

Posted by Marc Cooper at May 16, 2005 02:14 AM