Eminent domain/ national emergency

[JaneV2.0]

"f people were actually freaked out about undocumented people getting jobs that would seem like something they should be concerned about."

If people were bothered by undocumented workers, they wouldn't hire them, or they'd see to it green cards were issued. Clearly, it's only one of the canons of the hypocritical swamp the GOP has sadly become.

[flowerseverywhere]

"f people were actually freaked out about undocumented people getting jobs that would seem like something they should be concerned about."

If people were bothered by undocumented workers, they wouldn't hire them, or they'd see to it green cards were issued. Clearly, it's only one of the canons of the hypocritical swamp the GOP has sadly become.

and that is the crux of the problem. When ice raids meat packing plants in the Midwest for instance, what fines do the companies get? If they were big enough, say $5,000 per person for the first offense instead of as little as $250. Also, harboring an illegal leads to big fines and possibly prison time. If fines were strictly enforced and increased, it would make a difference. But then who would do the horrible work? Do consumers want to pay higher prices? Are companies who make big campaign donations willing to get smaller profits and therefore give their executives smaller bonuses?

The walmartization of our country, lots of stuff, cheap workers be damned attitude has put us in a pickle.

[Rogar]

I agree that it seems like things are soft for people or companies hiring illegal immigrants, but it's also my understanding that it is common for these people to have fake documents to make things appear the up and up. In those cases it's hard to hold the employers responsible.

I think I might have something of a biased view, but it seems like a sad state when our society or economy depends on either illegal or no-citizen workers on visas or other work permits to do the nasty work on hot roofs, doing cement and landscape work, or caring for the elderly in nursing homes that our citizens either won't do or are not compensated enough to do.

[JaneV2.0]

Our population is aging and shrinking. It's obvious to me that undocumented workers are a necessary part of our economy, so why are we treating them like despised criminals? Why don't we have a process in place for guest-workers?

[jp1]

The reality is that without undocumented farm workers we would not have many farms. If farmers had to pay wages that would be high enough to entice Americans to take seasonal jobs picking fruit and such, the cost of American food would become expensive to the point that it would be cheaper to import our food from other countries with lower wages.

The question is whether we would rather import much more food, come up with a rational guest worker program, or continue to demonized the scary brown people while looking the other way regarding their employment here when it suits our needs. Since the third choice also provides one of our political parties an ever paying campaign issue I expect that's what we'll have until we elect more adults to our government.

[Teacher Terry]

I have posted this before and now can’t remember the exact amount but a farmer was willing to pay $22/hour for workers and couldn’t get enough. Americans won’t work that hard.

[mschrisgo2]

There are many large vineyards around where I live. They now have machines to do the harvesting. Not only does it not require "farm workers" but it is much faster, with much less contamination.

[oh, and that old story about daylight saving time being for the farmers- total nonsense! They pick at night, after the fruit has gotten nice and sweet in the sun all day. They also plow during the night.]

[Teacher Terry]

When we lived in upstate NY with lots of small farmers the school spring break revolved around their needs because otherwise they would just keep their kids home from school to do the work.

[iris lilies]

When we lived in upstate NY with lots of small farmers the school spring break revolved around their needs because otherwise they would just keep their kids home from school to do the work.

There is California Farmers. Then there are real Farmers.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I think most farming is large agribusiness now. Although I found driving through wisconsin farrms most surprising, I was used to finding fresh fruits and vegetables on road side stands, not a fruit and vegetable to be had (it's all grains, mile upon mile).

There are some family farms I guess, but that ship has mostly sailed, ages ago, people tried to prevent it but .. to a far greater degree than manufacturing did I think, as there actually is still some manufacturing in the U.S..