Illegal immigrants have been blamed for just about everything in this country except global warming. So, when Texas Gov. Rick Perry suggested that it might be okay to subsidize college tuition for illegals, his presidential bid was probably ended. But should it have been?
After all, "Live Free or Die" was replaced by "Live FOR Free or Die" in many parts of this country way before illegals came along.
But, but, but, they don't pay taxes.
Well, actually, they do pay taxes, They just don't pay income taxes, usually. They still pay sales taxes, utility taxes, phone taxes, user fees, not-user fees, user only on alternate side parking suspended days fees, etc.
Call me next time you hear,
"Ok, that's one flannel shirt, two pairs of socks, underwear...with tax, comes to $83.95."
"No, senor. I am the illegal. I don't pay no taxes."
"Oh, sorry, Mr. Illegal. Let's see now, hmm, ok, that'll be $65 even."
And about those income taxes, most illegals earn little enough that they wouldn't pay income taxes even if they were citizens. (The real money is in 'plastics,' not lettuce.)
But, but, but, they steal American jobs.
If American citizens would be willing to take the jobs that these folks 'steal', we wouldn't have to listen to the President every other week telling Congress to pass all those cock-a-mamie jobs bills "right now". He could just go on national t.v. and point,
"My fellow Americans, walk that way. Knock on that door over there and say 'I'm here for the job.' Good night."
Even the 'discouraged' workers don't want them. [By the way, do any of these 'discouraged' workers ever get too discouraged to eat?]
Anyway, if it were up to me, I'd think about restarting a guest worker program. Only thing I'd change would be to add a requirement for all the 'guests' to do a few hours of volunteer work every couple of weeks. Nursing homes? Hospitals? Could it cut costs enough to save Medicaid from bankrupcy and still allow us to take care of all the people who need taking care of? Who knows? This country was built on immigration and volunteerism.
And maybe, maybe, maybe...with luck, we can some day get back to what America once was, to "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." instead of "Good fences make good neighbors."
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