Voted for prop 105 / GMO Labeling. The next step

[Great-Kazoo]

Why you selfish, insensitive bastard... You're probably one of the tea bagger gun nuts types; aren't you? /sarcasm

It's not about what they can contribute, but what they can syphon off - just so long as they vote for the big D.

That's all you can come up with, no details how your day trip went ?

[theGinsue]

Oh no, no, no. That would be cross-posting. I'll post in the original thread on that topic.

[KestrelBike]

NPR had a story a few years back where they told of tomato farmers using actual slave labor. So, the laborers weren't paying taxes... because they weren't even being paid. They'd often be indigenous peoples in mexico who didn't even speak spanish, whisked across the border to work on farms where they were locked up in shipping containers overnight, then let out to work during the day. They were made to understand that American cops would kill the laborers if they saw them, so don't try to run away.

ETA: Regarding cheap farm labor, I think America has been under a spell of artificial low prices for the past half century (or more) because of heavily subsidized agriculture, and very cheap labor thanks to immigrants willing to work for peanuts (and all the problems of illegal immigration they bring with them). Without knowing the true consequences, I'd very much like to see what would happen if we secured the borders, deported or did not allow some of the cheap migrant labor to come back, thereby forcing the agricultural industry to pay realistic wages (here's a hint for supplying american laborers: if you get a welfare check, move the fuck to where there's work and start working) knowing full well that the price of a basket of strawberries might not be on super sale for $2 anymore. Could the farming industry survive? Could the market be able to adjust and remain floating? Could all of this happen if we ended farm subsidies before/during/after?

Seems like America has a choice: illegal immigrants and $1 chicken mcnuggets, or labor for americans and $2/5/10 nuggets. This whole "americans aren't willing to labor for $8/hr" must be figured out. Either pay them what they're willing to work for (which means increased prices), wean them off welfare and don't give them a choice, or.. dunno. As it stands, I think the whole premise of the absolute need for illegal immigrants is completely wack.

[Eric P]

This whole "americans aren't willing to labor for $8/hr" must be figured out. Either pay them what they're willing to work for (which means increased prices), wean them off welfare and don't give them a choice, or.. dunno. As it stands, I think the whole premise of the absolute need for illegal immigrants is completely wack.

Simple solution is to end the government handouts. Work for $8/hr or starve.