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A possible solution to immigration problems

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by alleyallen, Feb 15, 2007.

  1. alleyallen

    alleyallen Guest

    As many of you know, my dad posts on this site as Rallen13, and while he's nowhere near as vocal as I am, he's still a very intelligent man. We have a tradition called West Wing Wednesday where we get together for dinner and a couple of DVD episodes of that great show. It's a joy because we both love politics and social issues and we often pause the show to discuss and debate issues on the show or issues in real life.

    So last night, we got onto the topic of illegal immigration, especially from Mexico and points south. Since we're in Texas, it's been an issue for decades.

    Now I've always taken a much harder stance than him. I'm fine with "legal" immigration but illegal immigration really burns me up. However, dad offered a suggestion which is intriguing, at least on the surface.

    His idea was to allow restricted and monitored crossing of the border so Mexican residents could come to the U.S. border towns, work for a day (or a week, month, 3 months, etc.) legally and in the process pay taxes on their salary. Requirements could be added like mandatory car insurance if you drive, health insurance if you stay, etc. But the trick would be, since it's legal, these workers could return to their families with decent American money and perhaps build a better life in their own country in the process.

    Rather than simply opening the border, he's suggesting a way to better regulate border crossings, reduce some problems associated with illegal immigration (strain on health care, etc.) and still provide American businesses with the source of cheap labor so many of them desire.

    He pointed to the U.S./Canadian border as an example of how it would work, and although I see flaws in the concept (yes, I know we have work visas, but we're talking a much more massive scale), I wonder if it would have a positive effect.

    To add to his theory, he suggested that since it's assumed most illegals (at least those from Mexico) likely come from a 500-mile swath starting at the border, America could work out a deal to have some of its companies come to the border towns and fix them up...you know, improve the infrastructure and utility system, etc. With an improved infrastructure and income from jobs across the border, this would make money for citizens in both countries.

    Again, I know there's probably flaws in the concept, but is this a possible solution to the problem?
     
  2. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    It sounds nice in theory, but here's one reason why it won't work: Companies that court illegal labor do so to avoid work standards laws.

    Under your pop's plan, these aliens would need to be registered in some way, shape or form. And that would mean Billy Bob's Roofing would not be able to pay his workers only $3/hour and work them in unsafe conditions.
     
  3. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I, for one, don't want to live in an America that doesn't take advantage of the downtrodden and the desperate.
     
  4. andyouare?

    andyouare? Guest

    That's why the Kennedy-McCain guest worker program makes so much sense. (And yes, I'm a bit of policy wonk on this issue).

    The Kennedy-McCain plan would allow up to 400,000 foreigners to work for US companies, as long as they're put into some kind of computer tracking system and companies show proof that they can't find American workers to do the job. One of the reasons cited for this bill is that it would stop illegals from getting exploited.

    The bill never made it through congress, although Bush -- to his credit -- is actually in favor of some kind of guest worker plan. Hopefully a Democratic congress will get off their ass and do something.
     
  5. alleyallen

    alleyallen Guest

    Normally I would be against "opening" the borders any more than they already are, but if it were truly regulated and restricted, and both sides could get something out of it, I say why not try?
     
  6. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    Wouldn't the easiest solution to the illegal immigration problem from Mexico be to have the army invade Mexico, have U.S. forces take over all of it, or a portion of it, then make it the 51st state? :D
     
  7. alleyallen

    alleyallen Guest

    You'd be surprised how often that idea has been floated in Texas, just to make things simpler.
     
  8. EStreetJoe

    EStreetJoe Well-Known Member

    From the Dan Bern song "President" (about him being elected president and the whole song is a must listen to/must read the lyrics)
    http://danbern.com/mycountrylyrics.html#president

    "My first day I offered statehood
    To Cuba & Mexico
    Cuba: 1 state, Mexico: 6
    All or nothing, that's how it goes
    No more border patrols & human smuggling
    We'll deal with our own neighborhood
    And a few more stars & some green in the flag
    Seems like, it might be good
    And maybe Israel & Palestine
    Will follow our lead and just combine
    And then become Israelstine -- who knows?
    Anyway, that's my first day "
     
  9. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    I believe we did that in 1845 and wound up with states No. 44, 45, 47 and 48. (Oklahoma was 46.)
     
  10. andyouare?

    andyouare? Guest

    Or maybe the opposite, and have Mexico invade the US.

    Mwuhahhahhh Mwuahhahahha


    Edit: Insert your "that's already happenning in (US city)" joke here.
     
  11. Perry White

    Perry White Active Member

    54-40 or fight!
     
  12. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    Actually, no I wouldn't be.
     
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