RE: [Futurework] It's About Identity 2: America's Great Wall

[Cordell, Arthur: ECOM]

Who did all this work before the illegals were allowed in ??  Somebody mopped floors, washed dishes , etc.   In fact when I was in high school I did a lot of this type of work after school and on weekends.  I am sure that others on FW also did this sort of "untermensch" work and were happy to do it.  It also offered a way into the wage economy and an understanding of the world of work.   Arthur From: Ed Weick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 2:31 PM To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM; Karen Watters Cole; futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca Subject: Re: [Futurework] It's About Identity 2: America's Great Wall What my Costa Rican friends told me is that their illegals took work no one in the US seemed to want, often for less than the minimum wage.  They mentioned things like cleaning up dishes in restaurants, mopping floors, gardening and lawn care and construction work.  I got the impression that much of the work undertaken was in what might be called "the informal sector".   Ed ----- Original Message ----- From: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM To: Karen Watters Cole ; futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 12:14 PM Subject: RE: [Futurework] It's About Identity 2: America's Great Wall     Karen,     From what I’ve read, the economic studies are mixed whether illegals drive wages down for other workers.   Arthur   If the illegals didn't drive down wages or, at least, disallow wages to rise then all of economic theory must be wrong.  I can't see how illegals would have no impact and I believe that their impact is to affect the lowest paid workers in our society who can't get increased wages: Asking for more means the employer would turn to the illegal instead.       From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Karen Watters Cole Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 5:23 PM To: futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca Subject: RE: [Futurework] It's About Identity 2: America's Great Wall Correct, Arthur. This will divide the ‘business’ interests from the ‘authoritarian’ interests in both parties if it’s not handled as an economics issue first and foremost.   If the influx of migra-dollars are indeed competing with tourism as Mexico’s second largest source of income, and low wage workers are so essential to the US economy, then policy should be directed at those issues.   From what I’ve read, the economic studies are mixed whether illegals drive wages down for other workers. Certainly, NAFTA and CAFTA need to be amended; the economic issues that Bush intended to address before 9/11 have been largely ignored since then.   But these sociocultural wars over showing some muscle at the border and speaking English are phoney means to drive partisans to the support of a sinking GOP party, as well as psychological substitutes for other failures. It’s more of that “daddy party” mentality on display, venting of frustration and anxiety.   For example, in a companion piece of opportunism, the NRA (National Rifle Association) has targeted mayors to pledge they will not confiscate homeowner’s guns in the event of a national/regional crisis. They cite the chaos of Katrina’s aftermath in New Orleans.   This feeds on paranoid tendencies instead of furthering rational debate. We do not need more legislation born of fear and knee jerk reactionism, as we did post 9/11 with the Patriot Act, ‘freedom fries’ and chest-thumping tribalism.   karen   _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list Futurework@fes.uwaterloo.ca http://fes.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework

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