posted on Aug, 19 2010 @ 12:41 PM
reply to post by MojosGhost
...The problem I see is that the people of the US can't stop illegal immigration. It's the PTB that decide what will be done about the situation
and if history is an indicator, well you know.
The only way is for something drastic on the part of the citizens of the US and to be honest I don't see them doing it. And, even if they tried I
doubt they would succeed.
I believe a number of things must be in place if this is going to be addressed, but drastic action on the part of citizens probably would have the
biggest impact. I think there are two things citizens should/could do immediately:
- Demand changes in current law to address the largest obstacle in reducing illegal immigration - that being the HIRING of illegal
immigrants.
Making it MORE illegal to cross the boarder and making consequences MORE severe is a waste of time, money and resources. Immigrants have already
decided it's worth the risk. In many cases they risk their very LIVES to cross - they do so because the odds of finding work are in their
favor.
- Let the money talk - start boycotting businesses known to hire illegal immigrants. We've seen it work before, and we know it works.
But, like you stated, I don't see citizens taking productive action either, especially when it comes to the dollar. It's a catch 22. We like these
businesses and don't WANT to stop shopping/using their services. Doing so would cause us a number of inconveniences and we would likely pay more for
the same somewhere else . (How well did the "Buy American" campaign work in the long run?) This is especially true when it comes to agricultural
products. Corporate agri products are in nearly every food product we buy. American citizens as a group are not willing to make the kinds of changes
necessary to have an impact.
I have to wonder too, though, how many citizens realize what would
really happen if we shipped every illegal immigrant out today -or even over
the next year. The result would be far more "inconvenient" than any boycott action. The 2008 "crash" would be considered a cake walk. Huge
increases in prices would occur; federal, state and local revenues would suddenly decrease (illegals pay taxes too), consumer spending would decrease
(illegals buy things too); the corporations we hold so dear would begin to collapse (from increases in labor cost, med insurance, employer taxes,
etc.; from deceased sales as costs rise; from other companies increasing raw material costs...); small business would suffer the same - and we would
be faced with the irony that the rapid removal of all illegal immigrants caused widespread unemployment - and an economic crisis.
NOTE TO ALL: The above statement
is not a statement supporting open boarders. It is simply a fact that should/needs to be faced
and considered when trying to find answers.
If the majority wants to deport all illegals without considering the results, then so be it.
But it's precisely this kind of tunnel vision
that's responsible for most of the serious problems we face today - harmful products deemed safe, environmental threats, economic uncertainty,
'well-meaning' policies that backfire and so forth. Hasty, emotional decisions rarely turn out to be the best ones.
Personally, I would rather brainstorm solutions that don't further threaten my retirement.