Why Should We Tolerate Guest Workers?
By Nancy Salvato (05/22/06)
I like President George "W" Bush; always have. This is because I believe him to be forthright and honest. Admittedly, I've privately questioned his support of policies now and then (my husband always reminds me not to jump to conclusions because we are not always privy to all the information), and I do wish he had more influence over congressional spending, but all in all, in my estimation he has been a fantastic leader. However, with news this past week about English becoming our "national" language, securing the Mexican-U.S. border and implementing a guest worker program, I became admittedly more and more perplexed about the administration's reasoning behind being so lenient with "Illegals" currently eking out a living within the United States.
‘"To secure our border we must create a temporary worker program that provides foreign workers a legal and orderly way to enter our country for a limited period of time," Bush said. (Bush Presses for Immigration Legislation http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060521/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_37 )
Not quite sure where to find the answer, I had a few leads. First, a female caller on the Michael Medved show took issue with prior discussion on President Vincente Fox, explaining that the Mexican leader had been blamed for much of what he cannot control in the Mexican Congress.
In an interview with the Arizona Republic’s Editorial Board, Fox shared that same sentiment, “As you know, we're a minority government. We don't have majority in Congress with our party. We just have to work on building this consensus.”
After listening to this caller, I had the impression that Fox has as much influence over his Congress as President Bush has over Helen Thomas –not much. The caller had another valid point, Mexico is very corrupt and Fox is one of the good guys even though he hasn’t been able to make much of an impact. Michael Reagan confirms this notion in his article, (The Real Culture of Corruption http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=22060I ).
As he explained, “Mexico’s officials do not want to change because they would rather sell out to the drug cartels and rake in the bribes.”
President Bush and President Fox speak the same language on the immigration issue, even though immigrants used to lose their status in Mexico and Bush has alienated a portion of his base. In that same 2003 interview with Arizona Republic, here is what Fox said.
“Specifically what we will be looking for is how we deal with these millions of Mexicans who are here undocumented. How can they integrate into the U.S. society, not necessarily becoming citizens, but doing their work without the pressure and with full respect to their human and labor rights? In working on how we can structure a program that - orderly, with security and legally - can administrate the flows of migration.” (Transcript: Interview with Vincente Fox
http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special03/articles/1105fox-transcript.html )
Why do President Bush and President Fox both see it the same way; neither looking at the illegal immigrants as lawbreakers, rather, as people simply trying to find a way to survive. Neither condemns them as criminals. Neither wants to see them lose their rights or privileges because of their status.
After reading Michael Reagan’s piece, (The Real Culture of Corruption http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=22060I ) I discovered the answer to that question.
… the reason people are fleeing their country is the corruption that saps the very lifeblood of the Mexican economy, making it impossible for the poor to find jobs at wages that allow them to support their families or pay the ever-present mordida – “the bite”, as they call bribes. Like the refugees who fled from behind the Iron Curtain to find freedom, they flee Mexico to find a living wage and escape the bondage of official bribery that condemns them to poverty.
The problem is so pervasive and so much a part of Mexican life that the official responsible for eliminating corruption, Minister of Comptrollership and Administrative Development Francisco Barrio, estimates that it will take 30 years to eradicate corruption in Mexico…
Clearly, Fox has been unable to influence those in government to change their ways in the short time he has held office and more and more illegal immigrants are coming into this country to stay.
The most reasonable explanation for this, as far as I can tell, is put very succinctly in an article, ( THE U.S./MEXICO BORDER AIN'T WORKIN
http://www.mexicomatters.net/mexicousrelations/08_borderaintworkin.php ). Because the author provides in plain speak the reason why a guest worker program is a perfectly reasonable and viable solution, I’ll let the following passages speak for themselves.
“The net effect is that the increased cost and risk of crossing the border has not reduced illegal crossings. It has, however, successfully reduced the frequency and probability of return visits to Mexico. For many, it means permanence in the U.S. with little or no hope of going back.”
“Undocumented farm workers traditionally returned to Mexico in the off season, now they stay.”
“Seventy percent of "illegals" earn less than $10,000 per year. Since they are below the poverty line, medical patients from this group has climbed from 470,000 in 1998 to 760,000 last year. California is bankrupt and the feds inability to curb immigration further compromises her taxpayers.”
“A new paradigm must be developed so that undocumented Mexicanos can work in the U.S. and return to Mexico for social services and family visits.”
“This is a perfect way to secure labor that contributes to social security (a false card or borrowed identity) and pays state payroll taxes without drawing on the benefits.
This system relieves the border employer from paying hefty U.S. health insurance premiums. The cross border employee, in most instances, secures their own health care in Mexico. Either Mexico's government system, in which they pay low premiums, or private care at a third of what U.S. providers charge.”
“Everybody wins the employer, state and federal governments, the worker and Mexico. Presently, more than three billion dollars a year is sent home to Mexico by workers in the United States. This is Mexico's second largest source of revenue.”
It has become very obvious that President Bush is trying very hard to come up with a solution that allows President Vincente Fox and PAN to continue trying to clean up their corrupt government, implement free trade, and build up their economy so that Mexico can become a strong ally of the United States. For some people, this solution might seem intolerable but for those like myself, it seems a perfectly reasonable way to help Mexico to grow into a viable democracy that respects human rights, that can provide all of its citizens a stake in their future, and will foster better relations between the United States and Mexico.
Copyright © Nancy Salvato 2006
(Printer friendly version) Email: Nancy Salvato
