G
Gandalf Grey
Guest
The Mexican Model
By Stephen Pizzo
Created Jun 7 2007 - 9:19am
I can't vacation in Mexico. The last time I vacationed there was about ten
years ago and that was it for me.
It turns out I can't enjoy being served gin and tonics while laying on a
beach at a comfortable resort while, 300 yards down the beach a peasant
woman washes her family laundry at the mouth of a foul-smelling creek as her
children work the tourists for spare change.
Mexico is a country where a privileged minority have it good... very, very
good. A country built on serfdom means never having to cut one's own lawn,
raise one's own kids, or for that matter doing anything one deems beneath
them.
That's life for a tiny minority of privileged Mexicans [1]. The rest of the
population scrapes and scrambles just to get by.
If you like that kind of social arrangement you're in for a real treat,
because it's coming here. Actually, it's here already [2] in some places,
and is making steady inroads in communities across America.
"There's the rich, and then there's everything else, in terms of the
economy but also in terms of social class," says Edward Wolff, a New York
University professor and expert on the wealth gap. He likens it to the
social divisions of the 1890s, adding: "If you don't counteract the extreme
inequality trends, I see some social upheaval coming. That's my worst fear."
(Full [3])
I only mention this because this week the US Senate is debating how to
handle flood of illegal immigration from Mexico. If you are confused by the
bedfellows that support the current "comprehensive" reform measure, you can
be excused. They are an odd lot, to be sure. Democrats and Republicans both
support "comprehensive" immigration reform. But to understand the reasons,
you have to separate them. Because very different agendas at play.
Democrats support the measure because Hispanic groups, a rapidly growing
voting block, want a bill that will legalize the 12 million or so illegal
Mexican immigrants now living in the US. They also want to retain the
pretend border and workplace enforcement measures that have facilitated that
influx.
Republicans want something else. They want to recreate the Mexico model
right here on our side of the border. Outsourcing of once good-paying
manufacturing jobs has already devastated America's once vibrant blue collar
demographic. Workers whose jobs were lost to outsourcing have been relegated
to lower paying service sector jobs. (The companies that once employed them
are the same ones that are doing so well on Wall Street these days, and
that's a major reason why.)
With that milestone now behind them Republicans have now turned their sights
on highly-paid skilled white collar American workers. These domestic
professionals are costing corporations money so, under the guise of "global
competitiveness," Republicans now want to increase the number of foreign
skilled workers companies can hire through the H1-B visa program [4].
They also slipped into the "comprehensive" immigration reform bill measures
that will skew future immigration to favor skilled immigrant workers,
programmers, engineers, architects, and the such. Like the flood of
unskilled immigrants that preceded them, these skilled foreign professionals
work for less than their American counterparts. By hiring foreign
professionals willing to work for less than half what similarly skilled
Americans , companies can record another boost to their bottom line.
But what of displaced skilled American workers? They are not about to settle
for unskilled, low-wage work in the service sector? The US Chamber types
have a glib response - displaced skilled Americans should stop whining and
"retrain" themselves for a different job or profession. If you ask them just
what that new profession might be, they are short on answers, since they
know that every skilled profession is the corporate hit list.
I get myself in all kinds of trouble with my friends on the left when I talk
about immigration because I don't toe the party line. You know... the
"there's no such thing as an illegal person," clap trap non-sequitur, and
those Mexicans that claim "we didn't cross the border, the border crossed
us." To whom I replay, "Yeah, that's what the Guatemalan illegals in Mexico
shout too while Mexican police shove them back across their border with
Guatemala - generally after administering them a thorough whomping."
Of course there are real humanitarian issues mixed in with the other
ramifications that flow from the inescapable reality of the world's richest
nation sharing a porous border with one of the world's poorest. But those
ramifications go both ways. Immigration is not a zero-sum game. One group's
gain comes at the expense of another group. While uncontrolled flows from
Mexico put pressure on US workers and wages, it takes releaves social
pressures in Mexico which otherwise would almost certainly result in
pressure on the privileged to spread the wealth more fairly. Rather than the
US addressing the welfare of indigious Mexican workers we are securing the
welfare of their oppressors back home.
Meanwhile back home here it was once an article of faith that "what's good
for American businesses is good for America." That may have been true once,
but today it's demonstrably just the opposite. What's considered good for
business today are things like, loose environmental and work safety
regulations, shedding pensions and health care for workers, paying less in
taxes to support a national infrastructure that benefits them more than
anyone and, of course, a surplus of cheap workers.
And that's what on the burner in Congress this week. When you hear
supporters of the current immigration bill peddling their vision of
"comprehensive immigration reform," first look at the speaker's name tag. If
it reads "Democrat" they are whoring for Hispanic votes. Make have no doubt
about it. There is not a shred of honor or integrity or humanity involved.
It's all about rounding up the Hispanic demographic for Democrats and
depriving Republicans of the same. If you believe otherwise, I have a garage
full of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction to sell you.
If the name tag IDs them as "Republican," then they are pimping for US
Chamber of Commerce and their corporate supporters. Absolutely and provably
bought and paid for [5].
So where do I stand on immigration reform? Somewhere else, apparently. I
understand the problem created by reality of 12 million illegals already
embedded in the fabric of our country. Most of them came here after the last
"comprehensive" immigration reforms passed during the Reagan administration
that legalized 3 million. That round of legalization attracted the 12
million more we are now all obsessing over. Do it again the same way and in
decade we'll a 48 million more demanding a fast-track to citizenship.
Frankly I find myself on the side of people I normally shudder at. I would
counsel benign neglect - follow the changes below and let attrition whittle
the number down to a level where, in few years, we are down a manageable
level.
Other changes:
a.. Pass strict workplace enforcement with real penalties for employers
who hire undocumented workers.
b.. The repeal or amending of the 14th Amendment [6] to the Constitution
which forms the legal basis for so-called "anchor babies." The intent of the
14th Amendment was to assure that the children of freed African-American
slaves were denied US citizenship. It had nothing to do with babies of
foreign immigrants and Congress needs to do whatever is required to clarify
that issue.
c.. Limit aid to undocumented immigrants to basic humanitarian issues,
such as emergency health services, food, water and temporary shelter pending
deportation.
d.. Would be immigrants from Mexico must get in the same line and comply
with the same rules as every other nationality wanting to immigrate legally
to the US.
Not a very "liberal" stance, huh? Yeah I know. I'm a realist. Sorry. But
unless we want the US to look like the country Mexicans are fleeing, we need
to stop demagoguing and sentimentalizing this issue. We need to get real
about it, real fast.
Of course, I doubt we will. Those Americans - many members of my "baby boom"
generation -- have warmed to the Mexican model. After all, it's nice to have
a nanny, a housekeeper and gardener happy to work for peanuts.
And then there's the agribusiness folks. They like to scare us with tales of
how much we'd have to pay for our food if they couldn't hire cheap Mexican
farm workers.
Maybe so, but these same agribusiness lobbyists about wet themselves singing
the praises of turning food (corn) into Ethanol. I don't recall any of them
warning doing that would drive food prices up. Have you noticed the prices
in the cereal and meat aisle lately? Well, get ready, because they're going
yet higher.
Cereal prices to rise
Wednesday, June 6, 2007--MINNEAPOLIS - General Mills Inc. said it would
raise cereal prices to match increases by competitors. General Mills
spokesman Tom Forsythe said Tuesday that customers should see lower prices
per box, but the boxes will be smaller, so the effect is a price
increase....The maker of Wheaties and Lucky Charms has been looking for a
way to boost profits, which have been squeezed by higher prices for fuel and
ingredients such as oats. (Full Story [7])
If you think you're suffering sticker shock at the pump, just wait another
year or two and you'll feel the same way when when the clerk tallies up your
weekly grocery tab.
But never mind. That's a different issue, they'll tell you. Agriculture
needs both cheap labor and the ability to sell their food crops for fuel.
It's a "national security issue," they add - with stern faces. (So, you
prefer affordable food to fighting terrorists?)
And once again way too many working class Americans will nod in obedient
agreement. We like our internal combustion gadgets. If we have to burn food
to keep the speed boat running, oh well. And if that's going to drive up
food prices, well that just means we need cheap farm labor all the more,
right?
But of course.
And then there's all those spoiled baby boomers who've developed a taste for
cheap hired help. And all those over-paid, over tax-exempted executives
saddled with huge lawns that need mowing, pools that need care, multiple
homes too keep clean. Imagine if they had to pay American workers a living
wage to do all that! Unthinkable.
And so we continue a lemming-like march towards the Mexican model. When that
happens the new border action will shift further north as undocumented
Americans seek in Canada what they allowed to be pissed away back home.
_______
newsforreal.com
About author Stephen Pizzo is the author of numerous books, including
"Inside Job: The Looting of America's Savings and Loans," which was
nominated for a Pulitzer. His web site is News For Real [8].
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
By Stephen Pizzo
Created Jun 7 2007 - 9:19am
I can't vacation in Mexico. The last time I vacationed there was about ten
years ago and that was it for me.
It turns out I can't enjoy being served gin and tonics while laying on a
beach at a comfortable resort while, 300 yards down the beach a peasant
woman washes her family laundry at the mouth of a foul-smelling creek as her
children work the tourists for spare change.
Mexico is a country where a privileged minority have it good... very, very
good. A country built on serfdom means never having to cut one's own lawn,
raise one's own kids, or for that matter doing anything one deems beneath
them.
That's life for a tiny minority of privileged Mexicans [1]. The rest of the
population scrapes and scrambles just to get by.
If you like that kind of social arrangement you're in for a real treat,
because it's coming here. Actually, it's here already [2] in some places,
and is making steady inroads in communities across America.
"There's the rich, and then there's everything else, in terms of the
economy but also in terms of social class," says Edward Wolff, a New York
University professor and expert on the wealth gap. He likens it to the
social divisions of the 1890s, adding: "If you don't counteract the extreme
inequality trends, I see some social upheaval coming. That's my worst fear."
(Full [3])
I only mention this because this week the US Senate is debating how to
handle flood of illegal immigration from Mexico. If you are confused by the
bedfellows that support the current "comprehensive" reform measure, you can
be excused. They are an odd lot, to be sure. Democrats and Republicans both
support "comprehensive" immigration reform. But to understand the reasons,
you have to separate them. Because very different agendas at play.
Democrats support the measure because Hispanic groups, a rapidly growing
voting block, want a bill that will legalize the 12 million or so illegal
Mexican immigrants now living in the US. They also want to retain the
pretend border and workplace enforcement measures that have facilitated that
influx.
Republicans want something else. They want to recreate the Mexico model
right here on our side of the border. Outsourcing of once good-paying
manufacturing jobs has already devastated America's once vibrant blue collar
demographic. Workers whose jobs were lost to outsourcing have been relegated
to lower paying service sector jobs. (The companies that once employed them
are the same ones that are doing so well on Wall Street these days, and
that's a major reason why.)
With that milestone now behind them Republicans have now turned their sights
on highly-paid skilled white collar American workers. These domestic
professionals are costing corporations money so, under the guise of "global
competitiveness," Republicans now want to increase the number of foreign
skilled workers companies can hire through the H1-B visa program [4].
They also slipped into the "comprehensive" immigration reform bill measures
that will skew future immigration to favor skilled immigrant workers,
programmers, engineers, architects, and the such. Like the flood of
unskilled immigrants that preceded them, these skilled foreign professionals
work for less than their American counterparts. By hiring foreign
professionals willing to work for less than half what similarly skilled
Americans , companies can record another boost to their bottom line.
But what of displaced skilled American workers? They are not about to settle
for unskilled, low-wage work in the service sector? The US Chamber types
have a glib response - displaced skilled Americans should stop whining and
"retrain" themselves for a different job or profession. If you ask them just
what that new profession might be, they are short on answers, since they
know that every skilled profession is the corporate hit list.
I get myself in all kinds of trouble with my friends on the left when I talk
about immigration because I don't toe the party line. You know... the
"there's no such thing as an illegal person," clap trap non-sequitur, and
those Mexicans that claim "we didn't cross the border, the border crossed
us." To whom I replay, "Yeah, that's what the Guatemalan illegals in Mexico
shout too while Mexican police shove them back across their border with
Guatemala - generally after administering them a thorough whomping."
Of course there are real humanitarian issues mixed in with the other
ramifications that flow from the inescapable reality of the world's richest
nation sharing a porous border with one of the world's poorest. But those
ramifications go both ways. Immigration is not a zero-sum game. One group's
gain comes at the expense of another group. While uncontrolled flows from
Mexico put pressure on US workers and wages, it takes releaves social
pressures in Mexico which otherwise would almost certainly result in
pressure on the privileged to spread the wealth more fairly. Rather than the
US addressing the welfare of indigious Mexican workers we are securing the
welfare of their oppressors back home.
Meanwhile back home here it was once an article of faith that "what's good
for American businesses is good for America." That may have been true once,
but today it's demonstrably just the opposite. What's considered good for
business today are things like, loose environmental and work safety
regulations, shedding pensions and health care for workers, paying less in
taxes to support a national infrastructure that benefits them more than
anyone and, of course, a surplus of cheap workers.
And that's what on the burner in Congress this week. When you hear
supporters of the current immigration bill peddling their vision of
"comprehensive immigration reform," first look at the speaker's name tag. If
it reads "Democrat" they are whoring for Hispanic votes. Make have no doubt
about it. There is not a shred of honor or integrity or humanity involved.
It's all about rounding up the Hispanic demographic for Democrats and
depriving Republicans of the same. If you believe otherwise, I have a garage
full of Saddam's weapons of mass destruction to sell you.
If the name tag IDs them as "Republican," then they are pimping for US
Chamber of Commerce and their corporate supporters. Absolutely and provably
bought and paid for [5].
So where do I stand on immigration reform? Somewhere else, apparently. I
understand the problem created by reality of 12 million illegals already
embedded in the fabric of our country. Most of them came here after the last
"comprehensive" immigration reforms passed during the Reagan administration
that legalized 3 million. That round of legalization attracted the 12
million more we are now all obsessing over. Do it again the same way and in
decade we'll a 48 million more demanding a fast-track to citizenship.
Frankly I find myself on the side of people I normally shudder at. I would
counsel benign neglect - follow the changes below and let attrition whittle
the number down to a level where, in few years, we are down a manageable
level.
Other changes:
a.. Pass strict workplace enforcement with real penalties for employers
who hire undocumented workers.
b.. The repeal or amending of the 14th Amendment [6] to the Constitution
which forms the legal basis for so-called "anchor babies." The intent of the
14th Amendment was to assure that the children of freed African-American
slaves were denied US citizenship. It had nothing to do with babies of
foreign immigrants and Congress needs to do whatever is required to clarify
that issue.
c.. Limit aid to undocumented immigrants to basic humanitarian issues,
such as emergency health services, food, water and temporary shelter pending
deportation.
d.. Would be immigrants from Mexico must get in the same line and comply
with the same rules as every other nationality wanting to immigrate legally
to the US.
Not a very "liberal" stance, huh? Yeah I know. I'm a realist. Sorry. But
unless we want the US to look like the country Mexicans are fleeing, we need
to stop demagoguing and sentimentalizing this issue. We need to get real
about it, real fast.
Of course, I doubt we will. Those Americans - many members of my "baby boom"
generation -- have warmed to the Mexican model. After all, it's nice to have
a nanny, a housekeeper and gardener happy to work for peanuts.
And then there's the agribusiness folks. They like to scare us with tales of
how much we'd have to pay for our food if they couldn't hire cheap Mexican
farm workers.
Maybe so, but these same agribusiness lobbyists about wet themselves singing
the praises of turning food (corn) into Ethanol. I don't recall any of them
warning doing that would drive food prices up. Have you noticed the prices
in the cereal and meat aisle lately? Well, get ready, because they're going
yet higher.
Cereal prices to rise
Wednesday, June 6, 2007--MINNEAPOLIS - General Mills Inc. said it would
raise cereal prices to match increases by competitors. General Mills
spokesman Tom Forsythe said Tuesday that customers should see lower prices
per box, but the boxes will be smaller, so the effect is a price
increase....The maker of Wheaties and Lucky Charms has been looking for a
way to boost profits, which have been squeezed by higher prices for fuel and
ingredients such as oats. (Full Story [7])
If you think you're suffering sticker shock at the pump, just wait another
year or two and you'll feel the same way when when the clerk tallies up your
weekly grocery tab.
But never mind. That's a different issue, they'll tell you. Agriculture
needs both cheap labor and the ability to sell their food crops for fuel.
It's a "national security issue," they add - with stern faces. (So, you
prefer affordable food to fighting terrorists?)
And once again way too many working class Americans will nod in obedient
agreement. We like our internal combustion gadgets. If we have to burn food
to keep the speed boat running, oh well. And if that's going to drive up
food prices, well that just means we need cheap farm labor all the more,
right?
But of course.
And then there's all those spoiled baby boomers who've developed a taste for
cheap hired help. And all those over-paid, over tax-exempted executives
saddled with huge lawns that need mowing, pools that need care, multiple
homes too keep clean. Imagine if they had to pay American workers a living
wage to do all that! Unthinkable.
And so we continue a lemming-like march towards the Mexican model. When that
happens the new border action will shift further north as undocumented
Americans seek in Canada what they allowed to be pissed away back home.
_______
newsforreal.com
About author Stephen Pizzo is the author of numerous books, including
"Inside Job: The Looting of America's Savings and Loans," which was
nominated for a Pulitzer. His web site is News For Real [8].
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson