<h2>If we “legalize” all the illegal workers, then prices will indeed go up, as they will be paid a higher wage and attendant benefits, just as if we had filled those jobs with Americans in the first place.</h2>
<p>I don’t necessarily buy this…at least the part stating ‘just as if we had filled those jobs with Americans in the first place’. There surely will be an increase in employer costs for those illegal immigrants who do not pay into the social security system…but as mentioned repeatedly, many illegal immigrants already do pay into this system and employers already bear the burden of the matching expense. More importantly, employers will not suddenly start paying a ‘now legal’ immigrant work force the wages that would be demanded by Americans, nor will they start offering insurance benefits or other perks. </p>
<p>But I do agree…it is a very important point. Is it better for our economy to tacitly accept an illegal low cost work force? Or do we offer amnesty to those here under the wrong-headed notion that this will end illegal immigration? Or do we send our economy into recession by removing 20 million consumers from the equation. The first two accomplish something but not everything we desire and the third is impossible.</p>
<p>Imho, as I have said before, the approach should be to accept the fact that a wealthy nation of ‘haves’ living next to a poor nation of ‘have nots’ will always have border problems. Always. Accepting that the American and Mexican economic and social fates are intertwined is step one on the road to a solution. Abandoning the notion that it is not our responsibility to help rehabilitate the economy of our neighbor is the next step. When the gap in the standard of living on either side of the border is closed, no one will care who goes where.</p>
<p>(lol…sorry mini…I know you hate this ‘globalization’ talk…)</p>