[lit-ideas] Re: Immigration
- From: "Andreas Ramos" <andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 16:37:38 -0800
Andreas is the one stating that his area does not have things like Labor
Ready--they have the trucks that pick up illegal immigrants who are NOT paying
taxes and that they are just FINE with not paying taxes.
For several years, Catholic Social Services (CSS) rented an office space at the intersection
and used it as a sort of hiring hall. The Mexicans had a place to be off the street. There
was free coffee. It was first-come, first-hire. They show up, "clock in" and list their
skills. You come in and ask for someone to paint your house, and the first housepainter on
the list was called up. CSS also set the $12 rate, which prevented people from driving down
the pay for the Mexicans. By registering, this also protected the Mexicans from a few
employers who refused to pay at the end of the day.
The employers are indeed okay with avoiding taxes: they avoid the paperwork. They also avoid
taxes. The dayworkers get the full amount: $12/hr.
This is the situation for day workers on the street corners, and most farm
workers as well.
As for the workers in McDonalds and so on, taxes are paid to the state.
The Mexicans aren't here to slack off. They work. A remarkable 95% of the 11m illegals are
working (stated on NPR a few days ago). In the general US population, not even a third of
Americans are working.
The Mexicans would much prefer that the system be legalized. They have to take risky routes
through the desert, where people often die. They have to pay high fees to smugglers. They
are abused and exploited by the US police, who harass them or steal their money. If they
could pay taxes and work legally, that'd be better.
One reason they come here is NAFTA. The US and Canada are flooding Mexico with cheap farm
produce, which shut down Mexican agriculture, so they come here to work so their families
can survive.
yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com
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