Re: Illegal Immigration: Why the Gov't Looks the Other Way

Arbin Sherchan (arbin@condor.sccs.swarthmore.edu)
19 Sep 1996 13:29:17 GMT

My answer to hoopla about illigal immigration is that as long as there is a
large difference in wages between the developed and the developing countries it
will continue to occur no matter what Dole says or Clinton does. There is
simply too few opportunities in developing countries (exploding population,
stagnent growth-mind you 10% growth in China or 5% (?) in Mexico is in
falliciou because it not well distributed- and of course very corrupt
political system) for people there not to risk earning higher wages in the
wesern countries. Its simply an economic osmosis, a social equivalent of
a physical process.

Immigration will definitely hurt some people in the western countries
especially those competiting against the immigrants, but the consumers in
general benefit. However, the latter benefit is too spreadout while the
former loss concentrated amongst the few who also happen to be economically
vulnerable. This obviously creates ramification against immigration.

My view that immigration is not the problem. If Mexican can't come to the
States to work, the factories will move to Mexico. It's as simple as that.
Again the most economically vulnerable people will be affected.

If wage is such a important issue, curtailing immigration is not the answer
not only because it doesn't make economic sense but also its also
practically not feasible. A better solution would be to increase the human
capital of the US workers by investing in education and job training which
will ultimately reflect in higher wages. To summarize, what I am saying is
that if you want to kill a bird its more effective to shoot at it than shake
the tree (apology to animal right readers).

Arbin

Jean-Luc Bompard (infocape@iafrica.com) wrote:
: As usualna716472@anon.penet.fi wrote:
: >
: > Illegal Immigration: Why the Gov't Looks the Other Way
: >
: > The primary reason why the government is so lenient when
: > it comes to illegal immigration is because such a policy
: > allows for the availability of cheap goods and services
: > to the residents of this country. This is due to the fact
: > that illegals work for dirt cheap wages frequently below
: > the minimum wage level and without benefits.
: >
: > The same pretty much holds true for the government's policy
: > regarding legal immigration. New immigrants are quite eager
: > to become established, and they are more than happy to accept
: > "competitive" wages that are well below the regular U.S. rates
: > and yet well above the wages that were available in the old
: > country.
: >
: > Making goods available at cheap prices is also the objective
: > of trade alliances such as NAFTA and GATT, but why such a
: > reversal of past policy of protectionism and tariffs?
: >
: > Well, if the standard of living slips in this country, then
: > the politicians will have hell to pay for it. In case you are
: > not aware of it, real wages in the U.S. have been declining
: > in recent decades, so to make up for this, the government
: > is substituting the availability of cheap goods and services,
: > BUT IN THE LONG RUN AMERICANS WILL HAVE NO JOBS AND NO
: > INCOMES WITH WHICH TO PURCHASE "CHEAP" GOODS AND SERVICES
: > as a direct result of these faulty, short-sighted policies.
: > What an expensive price to pay for "cheap" goods and
: > services!
: >
: > Why, you may be asking, have wages been declining in the
: > U.S.? The answer goes back to government actions as they
: > pertain to government enforced wage equalization under
: > equal employment opportunity (EEO). No politician would
: > dare at this time to suggest the repeal of EEO, so for
: > politicians it is far more politically expedient and correct
: > to institute campaigns and policies for the infusion of
: > cheap, cheap, goods and services. Hmmm, let's recap a
: > little here: declining wages plus cheap prices for goods
: > and services; sure sounds like deflation to me! Deflation,
: > in case you are not aware, is reputed to have brought
: > down far more empires than inflation!! WOW!
: >
: > If anyone would like a free email copy of the multipart
: > treatise on the downward wage equalizing effects of
: > equal employment opportunity, send a brief, one line request
: > to: na716472@anon.penet.fi
: >
: > Hurry while the penet remailer is still forwarding email
: > to the "na" form of addresses.
: >
: > "Government enforced wage equalization will work only in
: > the downward direction" - despite any initial appearance to
: > the contrary! And the most shocking thing of all is that the
: > least preferred job candidate doesn't even have to be awarded
: > a job for many phenomena to take place!

: As usual people look for very deep explanations for very simple
: problems.
: If the present government of South Africa was to do something about
: illegal emigration,and crime and everything else, they would have to
: apply the same methods that the previous governments used, to keep law
: and order, the economy growing, and the wheels turning. You have to face
: it apartheid had some good points!