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400 new signers!
By CRAIG NELSEN
ProjectUSA director
A Washington DC
construction supervisor told Jerry Kammer of the San
Diego Tribune that since the surge in illegal immigration from Central America to the Washington, DC area began roughly 20 years ago, the pay for installing 4 x 8 panels has dropped from $4.50 per panel to $3.00.
After adjusting for inflation, that's a stunning 60% decline in wages.
And over the last 20 years, while these already low-end jobs were in their 60% freefall, what did we hear from the Wall Street Journal, Alan Greenspan, and the immigration lawyer industry?
Why, America has been in the grip of a desperate labor shortage this whole time!
With the possible exception of newspaper editorialists, however, most Americans understand that even if there were such things as "labor shortages," wages wouldn't plummet while one was occuring.
If it were really true we'd run out of Americans, that all across the land stacks of 4 x 8 panels were rotting on the ground because there was no one available to nail them up, then the wages offered to someone to get him to install the panels would tend to rise, not plummet.
The San Diego Tribune article continued, "The immigrant influx came at an opportune
time for the construction industry, according to industry
representatives. They report a simultaneous decline in interest in the
construction trades among U.S.-born youth."
"It's hard work. You get dirty, it's unsafe,
you've got to pass a drug test, show up on time, and work in all kinds
of (weather) conditions," said Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive
officer of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA).
The AGCA
lists as one of its
priorities for the 109th Congress:
"Respond to the workforce needs of
the industry with effective immigration reform."
Given the AGCA gave one thousand dollars to Congressman Chris Cannon in the last election, it's not difficult to guess what their idea of "immigration reform" is.
I called their office in Virginia at
703.548.3118, introduced myself, and asked for Stephen Sandherr. When he
picked up, I introduced myself again, we talked a bit about hiring practices in the general contracting industry. He said, sure, like any industry, there are a few bad apples, but most general contractors are good about filling out the paperwork to ensure workers have the legal right to work in the United States. They don't want to break the law.
I told him I agreed that most employers do not want to break the law. I told him I understood the dilemma the government has created for employers. They are faced with a choice between breaking the law and being driven out of business by competitors who break the law with impunity.
I told him I imagined the majority of general contractors would welcome an across-the-board crackdown on illegal hiring if they could be assured it would be consistently applied on a sustained basis. After all, I said, the overwhelming majority of Americans oppose amnesties and want our immigration laws enforced, and, hey, general contractors are Americans, too.
His became less friendly. "We support President Bush's plan for immigration reform," he said. "Who are you again?"
 I told him, and said I knew that a great weakness of democracy was its inability to consider the long-term. Politicians focus on their next elections. Businessmen focus on the next quarter's profits. But, as citizens, given there are nearly five billion people in the world living in countries poorer than Mexico, if we are going to be responsible at all, we'll enforce or immigration laws.
"Well, I don't want to get into a political debate," said Mr. Sandherr who gave $2,000 to President Bush for his last campaign, and whose industry dumped $3,746,779 into the political debate during the last election cycle.
I started to explain why it would be wrong for the country to adopt President Bush's idea that as long as there is a willing worker anywhere in the world, and a willing employer in the United States, the federal government should see that they get together.
I wanted to explain how general contractors, instead of making themselves a rich but despised class of people, could support responsible immigration policies and firm enforcement. They could level the playing field within the industry, help preserve a liveable future for their own children, and still be rich.
But he interrupted, "I don't have to listen to you bashing Bush," and hung up on me.
You might have better luck getting the message across 703.548.3118 or maybe you can just fax this ezine 703.548.3119.
Americans are retaking control of our immigration policy. One crucial step is stopping the Cannon AgJOBS amnesty (more interesting stuff on that next week). Over one thousand people have signed on to the ProjectUSA letters to their Senators and Representative expressing opposition to this outrage. There is still time for you to sign on, too, since the Senate has gone into recess until next week
Pass it on! Beat the Wall Street Journal! Beat the New York Times!
Permanent
link: http://projectusa.org/ezine/2005/04-06-AGCA.php
Hundreds signing
Letters
to Congress
In
addition to the people already on the list to have a letter opposing
the AgJOBS amnesty sent to their Senators and Representative, another
four hundred filled out the simple
form yesterday to add their names.
Many of
the people signing on are people who names are unfamiliar, which means
you are forwarding this message to your friends.
Good
work. And thank you. AgJOBS must be stopped.
(After signing the form, you are redirected to our donation page to make it easier for people who want to contribute. If that seems pushy, I hope you'll forgive us. We have no choice and must be aggressive about fund-raising.)
CANNON CAMPAIGN
DONOR VIEW$
 "There is a
nationwide teacher shortage."
Peter
Ashman
A founding member of the Nevada Chapter of the American Immigration
Liars A$$ociation. He is also a member of the national Board of Trustees of
the American Immigration Law Foundation, and presently holds national
committee positions within the American Immigration Liars A$$ociation.
Election 2004 contribution to Chris Cannon: $600.00
"Immigrants,
including undocumented ones, helped sustain the economic
boom of the last decade, are key to our future growth, and are
improving the viability of social security and Medicare. They also are
doing many jobs that would otherwise go unfilled."
Maria Isabel
Casablanca
Ms. Casablanca
is Chairperson of the Southern Florida Chapter of the American
Immigration Liars A$$ociation
Election 2004
contribution to Chris Cannon: $1000.00
"While the pool of official unemployed and those otherwise willing to work may continue to shrink, as it has persistently over the past seven years, there is an effective limit to new hiring, unless immigration is uncapped. At some point in the continuous reduction in the number of available workers willing to take jobs, short of the repeal of the law of supply and demand, wage increases must rise above even impressive gains in productivity. This would intensify inflationary pressures or squeeze profit margins, with either outcome capable of bringing our growing prosperity to an end."
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, testifying before the House Banking Committe, February, 2000
American Immigration Liars Association
Contributions may be mailed to:
ProjectUSA
POB 15641
Washington, DC 20003
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copyright
2005
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