You are wrong about the jobs. They used to come a few months out of the year as seasonal agricultural workers. Working alongside Americans who did it, sometimes more than anything, to get out in the fresh air away from cities. Then, in '92, some politicos with too much money started to give them unemployment compensation, when the rest of us had to work 6 months straight. Then they gave them welfare, then allowed their families to come up to Washington State, where I witnessed all of this. In Grand Junction, Colorado, 1994-5, American women doing housekeeping in Aspen had to move 50 miles away to afford a place to live at the Federal Occupancy code of 2 max per BR. Then aliens came in, for 15% less and were allowed up to 6 per BR, and the American girls were out of work. I was there, it was in the papers. The construction industry is jobs Americans want, too. I was a foreman/superintendent/master/multi-tradesman from 1980 on after having to meet requirements higher than others because I am a white male, for the airlines--Affirmative Action. Catch 22, I (not them) needed 500 hours multi-engine time, but needed the job to get it--a change in requirements from when I got my commercial license in college.
I was in business 3 times also. The people hiring illegals under the table, no insurance, comp., unemployment, SS, or any taxes could underbid us by up to 60% lower costs. Us meaning all legitimate contractors in every field, as long as the customers would turn their heads a little and go for a decrease in quality. So our pay had to come down to compete and businesses going legit had more than a 50% casualty rate the first year and over 80% before 3 years. When sued, the crooks went to another state, because civil actions don't usually cross state lines. Very little OSHA or federal enforcement, and little county and town enforcement either. Lowered pay not just in the skilled trades, but for those housekeepers, janitors, and others, while the ag pay went up. Then there is the in-sourcing of legals for engineering and programming jobs for 30% less---college kids seeing it and changing their degrees or others had to change fields, even work on my crews--with engineering degrees.
The immigrants are doing jobs Americans will do, at fair wages. I ended up hiring a Mex crew who couldn't even copy me right over 4th of July, it wasn't their holiday, and cost over $6,000 in lost, wasted lumber. When I quit from my old war injury in 7-2003, I was making half of what I should have been making--in fact the same wages as 1983. For a guy that was a master, and foremen, it works out to be around $300,000. That is nothing to sneeze at. Something is very wrong when veterans who fought hard and well for the USA, get screwed by the greedy bastards that didn't go, or who have sold out America. The demand is so high because population is so high, and they are causing 90% of the population gain. With lowered wages, people can afford less, and the vicious circle spirals, until someone with balls actually follows the US Constitution.
A reminder, deerhunter, that this 300k was over a 20 year period of being a master/foreman--not a laborer, apprentice, or even journeyman, but top level of skill, knowledge, equipment, and experience, and speed.
_________________ "With every decision, think seven generations ahead of the consequences of your actions" Ute rule of life. “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children”― Chief Seattle “Those Who Have the Privilege to Know Have the Duty to Act”…Albert Einstein
Last edited by Johhny Electriglide on Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
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