Did Americans Take the Mexicans Jobs?

I just read an article in the paper today (an Associated Press article picked up by the Courier) about farmers in Alabama hurting because illegals are fleeing left and right, and the Americans willing to work for the wages they pay either quit by lunchtime or aren't worth anything.

Is it the Mexicans fault that they are such better workers at the low end of the pay scale? Are government subsidies to blame? Is it greedy farmers (I can assure you that this is NOT it!)? Why do we buy only items made in China from Wal-Mart then complain about cheap labor helping an American farmer?

[Honestly, I'm not a supporter of opening our borders, but I see both sides. I also see Mexicans holding what has always been considered good jobs, like roofers, that certainly results in lost jobs and depressed wages to Americans. I just don't know, but there's more than one side to the discussion.]

[QUOTE=eddie_m;470408]I just read an article in the paper today (an Associated Press article picked up by the Courier) about farmers in Alabama hurting because illegals are fleeing left and right, and the Americans willing to work for the wages they pay either quit by lunchtime or aren't worth anything.

Is it the Mexicans fault that they are such better workers at the low end of the pay scale? Are government subsidies to blame? Is it greedy farmers (I can assure you that this is NOT it!)? Why do we buy only items made in China from Wal-Mart then complain about cheap labor helping an American farmer?

[Honestly, I'm not a supporter of opening our borders, but I see both sides. I also see Mexicans holding what has always been considered good jobs, like roofers, that certainly results in lost jobs and depressed wages to Americans. I just don't know, but there's more than one side to the discussion.][/QUOTE]

It's gonna get worse before it gets better. There's gonna be alot of pain until this economy gets back on its feet. I don't fault a man (Illegal immigrants) for trying to provide for his family. I fault the government for allowing him (promoting) to come to this country. Face it , if you had to feed your family and you knew there were jobs in Canada, knowing that you would have free medical care, the punishment is being sent back home, you would do what you have to do. My wife's 2 nieces are married to illegal immigrants. One has his own moving business in Arizona, he just moved there from Indiana. He's been awaiting a deportation hearing for 3 years now. The other lives in Colorado and his wife works while he stays at home all day because he says he can't work. I say send them back and secure the border. Create a migrant worker program to allow them to work and pay taxes on what they make. This way they can pay for their use of our infrastructure and farmers can take advantage of the inexpensive labor. Felony convictions would disqualify them from the program. I don't like the illegal immigration of millions of people in this country but I still must remember that they are people just like you and me. Just have them do it the legal way.

[QUOTE=Tom523;470289]This looks like a good start. Americans will take the jobs for a decent wage. Farmers will just have to pay more for human resources and their profits will be a little less. [/QUOTE]

If history is any indication, rather than a reduction in profit margin, the higher labor cost will be passed on to you and me.

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;470374]We're mixing apples and oranges so to speak........I don't give a RIP about the sharecroppers, and tomato pickers......THAT is not the job that we're talking about.

It is not only tomato picking jobs that MEXICANS are doing illegally. There are a TON of factory jobs, and a TON of construction jobs that are lost to illegals. I know for a FACT that Mexican labor is hurting our home grown home builders. I know for a FACT that a bricklayer, or concrete man, or drywall man, or framer, or roofer cannot compete on price with a truckload of ILLEGALS that live together, eat together, work together, ride together, and SEND THEIR MONEY together back home.

THOSE are the ILLEGALS we need to worry about. I have a lot of friends in those industries that cannot compete, and it is a **** shame. KICK THEM ALL OUT.

Later,

Geo[/QUOTE]

It's not just farming and the house builders who are getting hit. A few years ago Mexican truckers requested permission to drive their trucks on USA roads. Well, last week they got that approval and the first trucks have already hit the road. The long haul truckers in the United States said that Mexican trucks were not roadworthy, were unsafe, pieces of junk and shouldn't be allowed on our roads. Furthermore, most Mexicans can't read road signs because they are written in English. I think we may be about to witness something much worse than rotten produce.

[QUOTE=bassin_bug;470443]It's not just farming and the house builders who are getting hit. A few years ago Mexican truckers requested permission to drive their trucks on USA roads. Well, last week they got that approval and the first trucks have already hit the road. The long haul truckers in the United States said that Mexican trucks were not roadworthy, were unsafe, pieces of junk and shouldn't be allowed on our roads. Furthermore, most Mexicans can't read road signs because they are written in English. I think we may be about to witness something much worse than rotten produce.[/QUOTE]

I'm grinning. When the mexicalli truckers show up at trucks stops, I think good ole American truckers will pretty much take care of a portion of the problem.

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the trucking industry already has it's share of Mexican's working in it...whether they're legal or illegal I don't know.

As to whether or not they can read a road sign...don't let'm fool ya...they can read when they want to and somehow or another at the most convenient of times they seem to be UNABLE to read, write, speak or understand a bit of engish.

[QUOTE=Chubminnow;470449]I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the trucking industry already has it's share of Mexican's working in it...whether they're legal or illegal I don't know.

From the news report last week, they used the words 'FIRST Mexican truck drivers' took to the roads in the United States.' I wouldn't doubt that they don't have a lot of legal and illegal dock workers in the trucking industry but they have now hit the roads.

I also believe that the drivers of those vans taking the Mexicans back to Mexico are a bunch of "coyotes" who are charging them high prices for the ride.

I seen on the news, something that made me think what on earth has happened to the { american male } they were talking about the illegal mexicans in Alabama. the farmer said the mexicans have left him without workers to gather his crops. the { american men } from around there, started calling him asking for work. he said some would call it a day, after eating their lunch. and some would finish the day and quit, and he said he paid them the same as the mexicans. 2.00 for each 25 pound box of potatoes that they filled. he said 6 mexicans filled 300 boxes in a day, and he hired 25 { american males } and they filled 200 boxes in a day. if this wasn't so sad, it would almost be funny.........6 out working 25 my goodness..

[QUOTE=waterdog101;470470]I seen on the news, something that made me think what on earth has happened to the { american male } they were talking about the illegal mexicans in Alabama. the farmer said the mexicans have left him without workers to gather his crops. the { american men } from around there, started calling him asking for work. he said some would call it a day, after eating their lunch. and some would finish the day and quit, and he said he paid them the same as the mexicans. 2.00 for each 25 pound box of potatoes that they filled. he said 6 mexicans filled 300 boxes in a day, and he hired 25 { american males } and they filled 200 boxes in a day. if this wasn't so sad, it would almost be funny.........6 out working 25 my goodness..[/QUOTE]

Yeah but those 6 probably been picking tomatoes all their lives verses one day for the 25. Trick to every trade.

[QUOTE=coombro;470480]Yeah but those 6 probably been picking tomatoes all their lives verses one day for the 25. Trick to every trade.[/QUOTE] the news clip that I saw wasn't picking tomatoes, it was picking up POTATOES off the ground, and putting them in a box that held 25 pounds. how much experience does it take to pick up a potato and lay it in a box. theres no excuse for being LAZY.

[QUOTE=waterdog101;470490]the news clip that I saw wasn't picking tomatoes, it was picking up POTATOES off the ground, and putting them in a box that held 25 pounds. how much experience does it take to pick up a potato and lay it in a box. theres no excuse for being LAZY.[/QUOTE]

CHECK your story again. I read the same thing.......The story was about a potato farmer, but the EXAMPLE given was about tomato picking.

Here is the story I saw......and I think it is the same one you're talking about.

[url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/21/after-alabama-immigration-law-few-americans-taking-immigrants-work_n_1023635.html[/url]

Later,

Geo

[QUOTE=GeoFisher;470493]CHECK your story again. I read the same thing.......The story was about a potato farmer, but the EXAMPLE given was about tomato picking.

Here is the story I saw......and I think it is the same one you're talking about.

[URL]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/21/after-alabama-immigration-law-few-americans-taking-immigrants-work_n_1023635.html[/URL]

Later,

Geo[/QUOTE] your right, it was tomatoes given in the example. I didn't read the story, I was listening to it on tv while getting ready for work. and they were talking to a potato farmer. I never heard anyone say tomatoes. I thought they were talking the whole time about potatoes. but anyway it don't change a thing to me, 6 mexicans that will do almost a 3rd more work than 25 american males, that is sad. I think 25 women could do more work than that.