| I've been thinking again. I know some of my | | | | · The Minuteman Project and their kind |
| readers regard that as a dangerous thing. For | | | | claim to be anti-illegals only. That is |
| instance, the guy who ended his last letter | | | | suspect with a capital "S". However, for the |
| to me with a "your hypocrisy knows no | | | | sake of argument, let's give them the benefit |
| bounds". I get these sorts of letters all the | | | | of the doubt. Their ideology is that illegals |
| time. | | | | are "bad" for America-but is that really |
| | | | true? |
| But, I have been thinking and, of course, I | | | | |
| have been thinking about America's obsession | | | | · The untested assumption that illegals |
| with shutting down the Mexican-American | | | | are bad economically for America is based on |
| border. You would wonder why I don't tire of | | | | the false notion that there is only a certain |
| this rhetoric and the reason is simple. | | | | amount of jobs available in America for |
| America needs the likes of your humble and | | | | anyone to perform. It is false because it |
| gracious columnist reminding them to get out | | | | assumes that what people want to consume is |
| of that box of uncritical thinking and | | | | limited. When you understand that what |
| untested assumptions. | | | | America wants to consume in terms of goods |
| | | | and service is actually UNLIMITED then you |
| So here goes: | | | | will understand that the amount of jobs |
| | | | needed to provide America's ever increasing |
| 1. When last I wrote on this issue, I dealt | | | | UNLIMITED desire for more goods and services |
| with just one of the | | | | will always be scarce. If surplus labor EVER |
| "Let's-run-out-all-those-diseased-Mexicans-ou | | | | occurs, look to the real cause-the |
| t-of-our-country group's axes to grind-The | | | | government-not to the false notion that |
| American health care system. I made the point | | | | Mexicans are taking away all the jobs. |
| that at last some studies are coming out | | | | |
| which show that Mexican immigrants, legal or | | | | · What about the idea that illegals are |
| otherwise, are NOT sucking dry the American | | | | sucking American health care dry? See |
| health care system.[1] More studies are | | | | footnote number 1 and read my article. But |
| needed. This one needs replicating (see this | | | | let's assume for the sake of argument that |
| footnote2). More will be forthcoming I am | | | | this is true. If illegals are sucking dry |
| sure. | | | | American taxpayer-funded social services then |
| | | | cut off the dole to illegals and American |
| 2. Another issue that all the Minuteman | | | | citizens as well. Stop the handouts to people |
| Project groups and their ilk espouse is | | | | who won't work. I am not saying to apply this |
| whether Mexican immigrants, legal or illegal, | | | | to people who cannot work-the truly disabled |
| are destroying the American economy. The | | | | deserve support. What I am saying is to stop |
| Chris Simcoxs3 of this world would have you | | | | the freebies and put an end, once and for |
| believe that immigrants of any kind are a bad | | | | all, to the welfare state! If the Minuteman |
| thing all around. They go beyond the pale to | | | | yahoos really want to be patriots, then they |
| try to make the point that Mexicans do NOT | | | | should devote their time to getting rid of a |
| come to America to try to better their lives | | | | system that caters to malingerers and |
| but to take back the portion of America that | | | | nonproducers-illegals and American alike. |
| America stole from Mexico-they call them | | | | Destroy the system that caters to the |
| invaders. | | | | "good-for-nothings" and they will no longer |
| | | | come. There will nothing for them to take |
| Think about these few points: | | | | advantage of! |
| | | | |
| · Most Mexican immigrants, both legal and | | | | WHY ON EARTH IS THIS NOT SELF-EVIDENT? |
| illegal, come to America to seek an | | | | |
| opportunity to better their economic | | | | "If immigration overloads government services |
| circumstances. If you hold a different view | | | | - hospitals, schools, et cetera - it's just |
| then show me the proof. Show me the evidence | | | | another reason to privatize them. Do |
| in the form of properly conducted studies | | | | Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Blockbuster Video |
| with replicated results in additional studies | | | | complain about a flood of new customers?"[4] |
| and then we will talk. | | | | |
| | | | [1] Are Mexican's Really Sucking Dry American |
| · Did you know that less than 20 million | | | | Health Care; Doug Bower; |
| Americans will visit Mexico this year as | | | | |
| tourists? That is a mere drop in the bucket | | | | [2] Read my series on Phone-Baloney Detection |
| of those who could come and drop some money | | | | Lessons at |
| into the Mexican economy that would provide | | | | |
| more jobs for those illegals who come to | | | | [3] Co-leader and founder of the Minuteman |
| America to find work instead. | | | | Project |
| | | | |
| · Legals or illegals come to America to | | | | [4] Sheldon Richman is senior fellow at The |
| offer their ability to work. They understand | | | | Future of Freedom Foundation, author of |
| that in order to "get" they have to "give". | | | | Tethered Citizens: Time to Repeal the Welfare |
| | | | State, and editor of The Freeman magazine. |