tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post462920953076678670..comments2023-12-28T06:30:48.808-05:00Comments on The Rule of Reason: More immigration woesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-42020246011921356362007-07-13T00:52:00.000-04:002007-07-13T00:52:00.000-04:00Wow! Given the seasonal nature of harvesting, hav...Wow! Given the seasonal nature of harvesting, having technically skilled harvest employees working part of the year in the northern hemisphere and part in the southern hemisphere. Go capitalism!Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03294929174237823914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-28944645660260181282007-07-10T14:43:00.000-04:002007-07-10T14:43:00.000-04:00I wonder more about a country in which the produce...<I>I wonder more about a country in which the producer refuses to pay a wage which his fellow citizens find desireable to work for.</I><BR/><BR/>If the price of produce does not support enough profit margin to sustain "attractive" labor rates, producers will simply cut back. They do not "refuse" to pay attractive labor rates; the profitability does not support it. <BR/><BR/>If you are wondering why profit margins are so slim in agriculture, I suggest you acquaint yourself with farm subsidies and their effects (agriculture in the Third World, which already has its supply of cheap labor on hand, could tell you all about what they do to the market.) <BR/><BR/>So, contrary to your assertion, a shortage of labor is most assuredly a "political" reason, and rotting wheat -- as well as its equivalent, government paying farmers to NOT grow crops -- happen more than you think.<BR/><BR/>Economics 101 -- try it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-55269948470299116232007-07-10T07:12:00.000-04:002007-07-10T07:12:00.000-04:00I wonder more about a country in which the produce...I wonder more about a country in which the producer refuses to pay a wage which his fellow citizens find desireable to work for.<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, the premise that any wheat is going to rot due to a shortage of labor (or any other non-political reason) is absurd.<BR/><BR/>As for immigration, institute a program whereby any immigrant must serve in the armed forces for 2-4 years. This is worthwhile for everyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5200276.post-464232391168845312007-07-05T17:48:00.000-04:002007-07-05T17:48:00.000-04:00I would say the problem is a bit more complicated ...I would say the problem is a bit more complicated than this. <BR/><BR/>Once you let immigrants come in, they have "anchor babies" who are US citizens. It then becomes very hard to deport people who overstay their visas. They then bring the entire family in, not all of whom are as productive. In addition, the largest group of immigrants (Mexicans) have far higher rates of crime (drunk driving in particular), welfare dependency, domestic violence, drug addiction, school dropout rates, etc.<BR/><BR/>I would support a guest worker program that had some teeth, for example allow immigrants to stay for ten years and then leave. Open borders and amnesty would turn the US into Los Angeles.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I know that that the welfare state makes the situation worse, but repealing the welfare state is about as likely as the restoration of the Stuarts. Certainly the long term prospects for reducing the size of government is not helped by importing large numbers of people who are the natural clients of big government.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com