if we get rid of cheap labor can our economy take this major hit in its foundation or will it collapse?

Question

if you think that the US economy is NOT built on cheap labor you better think again. just imagine what farmers would do without people picking and packing their fruits and vegetables. most of those HARD low wage jobs filled with immigrants are what holds our economy intact. and Business owners don't necessarily pay LESS than the minimum wage BUT they CAN'T afford paying MORE either. I've been in the Farm business for 30 years and i know for a fact that it's extremely hard if not impossible to find Americans willing to work for 70 to 80 hours a week picking fruits in a 100 degrees weather for minimum wage (cause basically that's what Farmers can afford )

Answer 1

Immigrants are fine my issue is illegal immigrants.

Answer 2

Only 2% of illegals are picking fruits and vegetables.

Here in Europe, High School and University students will actually travel to other countries to pick fruit. There are no illegal Mexicans here. The U.S. economy would not collapse. The U.S. would probably need only 300,000 farm workers anyway. What did the country do BEFORE illegals took over all these jobs?

I think Americans are ready, willing and able to pay more for fruits and vegetables if it means an end to the dangerous chaos posed by so many illegals.

Answer 3

The US economy is not built on cheap labor (at least, not cheap domestic labor). Labor in America is relatively expensive, because of employee protection laws, the overvaluing of the dollar, Unions, and a variety of other causes, that also add up to a very high cost of living. Labor-intensive goods that require cheap labor tend to be imported. You might say that cheap-labor illegal immigrants are taking more jobs away from Mexicans and Chinese than from Americans.

Answer 4

With apologies to your profession ... you need to change and get with the times.

Proper wages in America for Americans will not prevent us from eating fresh fruits and vegetables -- we'll just import more of them from Mexico and Central America. Which will increase jobs there and raise wages there and so those coming here will be more likely to stay home. Oh.

As a farmer, you'll have to change crops -- likely to something that uses more capital [machinery] in all phases of the farm cycle. Wheat farmers in America did this a number of generations back, so can you.

I'm personally sick of people arguing that our nation can't change something because they don't know how they will be able to personally change. Please stop denigrating yourself -- you've all but said you're too dumb to learn different ways.

Meanwhile, organic famrers across America have net profits per acre that are larger than your gross receipts per acre. Btw, they have had such net profits for over 20 years now.


Hello?

Answer 5

NO! College students need the work. As far as farm labor we can still have the migrant workers. The only thing that will change is that the owners of some businesses will make a little less!

Answer 6

Sounds like slave labor for low wages. Sell you land and get into a more profitable business instead of exploiting people. This is a giant lie perpetrated and retold until it becomes the "truth". Tell it to Dole and Del Monte, I'm sure you can find a sympathetic ear there.

Answer 7

dude you are a tool, what would farmers do they would hire Americans at fair wages . Then they would raise the price of fruit and they would be able to because all the other farmers had to hire americans and raise their prices too.
...... Besides if we make the illeagles leagle then the farmers would be forced to pay them higher wages also so your argument as no base.

Answer 8

Bradley, your arguement is why I have one thing I agree with Bush on... Most Americans, softened by $20 an hour factory jobs, could no longer do the work these migrant workers do... and if those capable of doing the hardest jobs in our country ask only the chance to join our fair nation legally, I say more power to them. Plus I really don't want to see $30 bags of potatoes ;-)
Keep up the good work. I am only one generation removed from the farm and spent many busy, albeit happy, hours on my grandparent's farms. Good luck to you.

edit for pachl: Migrant farm workers are not illegal in the US. That is one of the misconceptions that the political upheaval over ILLEGAL immigrants has caused. Most even here in the US don't actually understand the difference.

Answer 9

I might be a brat, but you know what .. I understand the worries of farmers, but ppl picked the fruit before we ever opened our gates and shut our eyes. It is redundant that we even have to say "illegal" immigrants, considering that if I falsified documents with Social Security, and any other place, my american white **** would be sitting in a federal prison. You also know what. As an american born and bred, I can earn minimum wage, and have two kids, and be told by my state, that they cant help me with low cost insurance, for diabetes and things like that, but an illegal immigrant can come over here, and suck the hell out of MY TAX dollars paying for that low cost insurance, and be insured. What the hell?? not to mention the fact that we bring them over by the boat load from every other country, and they can come and claim freakin Social Security Benefits, that they never paid a red frikkin nickel into.. again What the hell??? yet my parents get basic crap, myself and my children are being told, that retirement is going up, because funds are going down. Well America.. keep closing your eyes, opening borders, and see what happens. Back in the day, they got to come over through hard work, and even a lottery to get to come here. they had to learn OUR Language, and know OUR history, to actually embrace our ways, to live in the very FREE society they wanted.. ya, well for those immigrants that worked hard, became educated, stood in line, and patiently put the effort into it. WELCOME TO OUR AMERICA.. for those that havent, GO HOME.. simple, clean go home, believe it or not DEL MONTE fruits survived. They have productions moving, an manage quality work, on time put outs, and they are fine.. Ppl get hungry enough, they work.

Answer 10

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Answer 11

Fear is for the foolish. Due to the sheer volume, prices may increase 5-15%. This is offset by the billions the nation would save. Also, the impact of illegal alien gang activity far outweighs saving 10 cents on a head of lettuce.

Human exploitation never helps in the long run.