America has long been at odds with its southern neighbor. Since 1846 when the government declared war and forced Mexico to relinquish rights to California, American-Mexican relations have been tense.
| Opponents claim that undocumented Mexican workers already violated one law or another upon crossing the border, but by that same logic, didn’t the early settlers violate some kind of law, if not written then moral, by slaughtering the Native-Americans and stealing their land? |
A new policy prepared by President Bush may amend some of those tensions. The “guest worker” initiative currently under review would give rights formerly denied to many illegal Mexicans currently working in the country. These rights include permanent residency and the ability to apply for visas. The plan also gives more rights to existing legal residents, who under the initiative could gain Social Security benefits, join unions and test for driver’s licenses.
The plan gives undocumented workers six months to apply for a temporary work permit, which would be immediately approved. During this period, illegal aliens are exempt from deportation.
The Republicans in Congress are fighting the plan with all their collective conservative power.
Opponents claim that undocumented Mexican workers already violated one law or another upon crossing the border, but by that same logic, didn’t the early settlers violate some kind of law, if not written then moral, by slaughtering the Native-Americans and stealing their land?
Over the years there had been talk about either mass amnesty or mass deportation. Since Mexican workers, as well as other illegal workers from other countries, are essential to the economy, the latter of the two is out of the question. Though it is true that illegal workers hurt the job market for American workers by taking less than minimum wage jobs, the only thing that would hurt the economy more would be extricating those illegal workers.
The “problem” of illegal workers in America is only a problem because the nation has been reluctant to make any real changes. NAFTA promised to bring more jobs into Mexico and instead failed.
People all over the world are going to come to America looking for a piece of the capitalist pie legally or illegally, so why not allow for mass amnesty? Mexican laborers in their own country bring in less than a dollar an hour making foot wear, clothing and other goods for United States consumers. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to come to America and attempt to make a better living for themselves and their families? After all, isn’t this the land of endless prosperity? The land where the streets are paved with gold? Or is it, that those streets and that prosperity are reserved for certain people?
Americans should be pleased that people in other countries come to the United States seeking something better. Instead of embracing the idea that we are an international symbol of freedom and success, we turn away those who only want a little bit of what we’ve always had.
While there is reservation that this new mass amnesty would bring a drain upon the economy and already struggling social programs, it would also bring in more tax revenue. With the regularization of these workers comes more paychecks and with more paychecks comes the net-wage -eating monster FICA. If these people are willing to accept citizenship and all that comes with it, let FICA eat their paycheck too.
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