Does anyone know how much damage the FIRST AMNESTY did to America and it's middle class?

Answer 1

I know from a personal level my job went from 12+ an hour to minimum wage. I saw alot of semi-professional jobs that required additional education be brought to minimum wage. I saw lower paying jobs never reach a living wage no matter how many years you put in with a company. You started at minimum wage or low wage no matter how old you were, how much experience you had or how much more education you had. I saw employers see employees as mindless drones who were disposable with no desire to keep good employees especially once they reached a certain pay scale. I saw what used to be good full time jobs put to hundreds of part-time jobs where you couldn't afford a date...let alone survive on. The more disposable the employee the more benefits and working conditions went down hill. You knew you dare not complain if you wanted to keep your job. Job security was gone. More elderly were displaced in order to make room for a younger work force even though they needed to work as well. If you were older you might as well forget any change except a pink slip when you reached 50. There was less and less tolerance for any absences, mistakes, family issues etc. Less and less benefits and more and more ways to get out of offering them. That's what I saw.

Answer 2

Actually we know that the Reagan bill didn't work because of bad enforcement and the fact that whatever was in there to begin with pretty much had some poison pills in them added by the republicans. If the middle class had been affected by this like both YOU and Lou Dobbs get a kick out of thinking, then it's a result of the rich getting richer then.


As a side note, Reagan pretty much lowered the taxes for those wealthy douchebags while the rest of us struggled to even keep food on the table or utilities from being turned off. Plus, he also didn't give a damn about black people at all, especially since cocaine use was in the national news when the white wall street execs started abusing it for power. When it got attention since the rich white people were hooked on crack, it was an outrage. When Len Bias died(and he wasn't even a habitual cocaine user I don't think) from cocaine overdose after being the first round draft pick by the Boston Celtics, people pretty much shook their heads in shame in disgust. Overall, most of it was fueled by an ineffective "Just Say No" campaign that meant well when it was thought out, but it was easier said than done in that case. Not every kid lived in a whitebread suburban town with a white picket fence and the ideal loving family, so for those who grew up in a tough homelife...saying no was unrealistic.

Answer 3

Can you say HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS! The problem wasn't so much the amnesty for the 5,000,000 criminals then as it is with not curing the insecure border issue at the same time. If that was truly a good idea, we wouldn't have 20,000,000 and growing, illegals in this country today. Any reasonable person would have learned that the amnesty in the 80's encouraged and increased illegal immigration since. Therefore, the current costs of that amnesty program must directly link to the costs that the current invasion is sapping from our economy.

Answer 4

It's hard to pin down, because a nubmer of factors have conspired to bring down real wages in America, illegal immigration is only one of them.

One thing that is clear. The '86 Amnesty was also a 'compromise' bill that included stepped up enforcement and promised to end, or at least reduce illegal immigration. There were 5 million illegals then, there are over 12 million now.

Answer 5

The damage that was done, now has become a Godsend ; in the fact that we now know what Washington is capable of doing behind our backs , and incapable of doing to our faces !! Basically , a 21 year year old snooze alarm button has just been turned off , as the alarm has been going off for 21 years ! Congress , the 82% are ready and waiting , we are wide awake now !!

Answer 6

One thing that came out,is the number of union members in this country went down,so the only weapon for better wages which was unionized people went down with it,that is one reason companies want foreigners to come here,cheap labor

Answer 7

You mean that thanks to the 1986 amnesty we suddenly had a new generation of motivated, skilled, and talented individauls ready to enter and enrich our work force, thus raising the standards of our middle class/blue collar?

I'm very confused by your use of the word "Damage" . Hmm, perhaps you weren't skilled enough to compete and keep up back then, hopefully you've gained some skills since that time!!

Answer 8

Yes. I live in Los Angeles. Just look at the LAUSD and the constant stream of closing emergency rooms and hospitals. King-Harbor is the current target for closure.

Answer 9

Just look what has happend can you imagine 20 more years of invasions.

Answer 10

Most the people on this website were either babies or not born yet. So, I doubt they don't have a clue.