I agonized over the immigration issue for quite awhile... I could not get comfortable with my own stance until I heard similar sentiments echoed by Thom Hartmann, a man for whom I have infinite respect.

Dobbs and Hartmann are both right in that:

. illegal labor and cheap foreign labor DOES devalue the labor of our citizens.
. amnesty WILL do nothing to stem the inflow of illegal immigrants
. big business IS mostly unregulated in their use of illegal labor
. this IS a Rovian red herring to distract and divide and to position republicans for a win in '06
. just because the right draws a line in the sand that does not mean the left is forced to line up on the other side.


There is 1 response to this dilemma that points to relief. The populist answer will strengthen our labor force and start to diffuse the tension that has been building:

The penalty for hiring illegal labor for any business has to be so devastating as to completely snuff out the use of illegal labor.

-- what is that devastating?
-- 50% tax penalty for the first offense for a 5 year term.
-- 60% tax penalty for the next offense for an additional 5 years.
-- subsequent offenses add on an additional 10% and an additional 5 years up to 90%tax rate.

You can be sure that it would not take too many examples before the work that is attracting illegal immigrants dries up. Once the labor crime is wiped out, we will be able to take control of an amnesty program for current residents in a deliberate manner... Then work can begin to clean up the corrupt business and government environments both here and in Mexico.


Nations have immigration laws for a reason. Nations tighten and relax immigration quotas as labor requirements ebb and flow. Right now the US is in a tough spot for wage earners. It is not unreasonable for us to enact the policies that all other nations do in similar situations.

It would be sad to see if good intentions was one of main the factors that contributes to our decline into 3rd world status.

Honor the labor activists who stood before us and led us out of the unfair labor practices of the gilded age. It's not the nicest, most pleasant stance, but as any flight attendant will tell you: you cannot help the person next to you with their oxygen mask if you yourself are suffocating!