Immigration

I received a letter from Max Angst today. Here, I’ll let you read it.

Dear Art:
I have this on my mind and I have to do something with it, so I’m sending you this letter. I’ve been watching all these demonstration for immigrant rights on television and I have mixed emotions.
On the negative side: these people sneak into our country, take our jobs and use our services without paying, but still they’re not satisfied. The hell with them! Throw them out.
On the other side, I realized the following. There are a large number of people wanting to come to our country because supposedly one can get ahead here—that maybe old news that is no longer true. There are employers seeking to hire these people, because, they claim, they can’t find citizens of our country willing to do the jobs they have available. Why, then, hasn’t our government set up a system to legally admit to our country everyone who wants to come here? We don’t have enough people processing applications for immigrations. Why not? Could it be that the employers—who have influence with government --don’t want legal immigration?
Farming is an example; its claimed Americans don’t want to do this backbreaking work, but immigrants do. By having the immigrant workers under the threat of exportation, the employers can keep them in line, keep their wages low, so low they barely cover the cost of food and shelter. It is these low wages that keep US citizens from taking these jobs. It seems to me that when a job is as difficult as farm work and is performed under such terrible conditions the wages should be way above average. I understand the Agri-Corps that do most of the farming in the US are doing well. Let them pay a salary that allows a good life style to their employees. Also, let our government build up those agencies that process requests to come to the US legally so that such request can be handled expeditiously.The immigration problem would be solved. But, these corporations have money to influence Congress and the immigration systerm doesn't change
There are bigger problems here. I understand the increase in illegal immigration from Mexico in the last few years was caused by NAFTA. This so-called free trade agreement let the Agri-corps move into the markets of the small Mexican farmer and undersell them driving them off their farms. This has happened around the world,multi-national business drives out local businesspeople The economy of our world-- and today we are living in a planet wide economy--today only serves the interests of only a small part of the world’s population, the most wealthy. Yes, I know, it has always been so, but it’s time things got better. I seem to be calling for the same kind of revolution as Marks and other Socialists. Maybe I am, but today we know how easily such movements fall into the hands of people seeking power and become pernicious. There are times that I think the problem is human nature. Humanity has to step back and take a look at itself. If it looks carefully it will see an ugly countenance. But once it sees that bitter image it can start trying to improve on it. A good place to start is with the killing: we have to stop killing one another. Then we can move on to compassion. Let each of be concerned that people across the planet have a decent life.
Enough, I’ll see you down at Burnie’s.
Your Friend

Max Angst.