GOP Senator Tom Cotton Blasts The Idea Americans Won't Work Certain Jobs

[edpc]

Tom Cotton needs to get out into the real world.

Read about his upbringing and career. 

[Suppressed]

Read about his upbringing and career.

I'm familiar with him, and his past is irrelevant to how he's out of touch now.

[Suppressed]

But if you think Trump's wall is the solution to all, then you are deluded.

As much as I'm against illegal immigration and think that border security is important, I get frustrated with people who think that cutting off cheaper labor will somehow make American companies -- that are already having trouble competing -- will suddenly decide they can still stay in business while paying over-market wages.   I hate to say it, but many Americans have an inflated self-worth and think they are entitled to get paid more than a foreign worker for the same job out of some birthright charity.

American companies in that scenario either have to go out of business (because they can't compete with foreign companies who use market-rate labor), or they have to leave the US so they can use market-rate labor.  Is this what we want?!

A guest worker program where publicly funded benefits are cut off, and costs are put onto the guest workers, is probably the best solution.

[Emjay]

As much as I'm against illegal immigration and think that border security is important, I get frustrated with people who think that cutting off cheaper labor will somehow make American companies -- that are already having trouble competing -- will suddenly decide they can still stay in business while paying over-market wages.   I hate to say it, but many Americans have an inflated self-worth and think they are entitled to get paid more than a foreign worker for the same job out of some birthright charity.

American companies in that scenario either have to go out of business (because they can't compete with foreign companies who use market-rate labor), or they have to leave the US so they can use market-rate labor.  Is this what we want?!

A guest worker program where publicly funded benefits are cut off, and costs are put onto the guest workers, is probably the best solution.

I think excessive regulation and over-taxation is as big a factor in companies moving as is labor costs.

[Sanguine]

That's the basic meaning of refusing to do a job: won't do it for the pay offered.  There are plenty of jobs that plenty of Americans won't do.

And, going back to the issues that you are avoiding, Americans are more expensive than illegals, so profit-minded types would oftentimes prefer to not pay less, and don't offer a reasonable wage.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

And, going back to the issues that you are avoiding, Americans are more expensive than illegals, so profit-minded types would oftentimes prefer to not pay less, and don't offer a reasonable wage.

Welp... around here the illegals I see, say what you will about them, but they friggin bust their ass. And I'm all for enforcing our immigrations laws.

Very rare to see an American work themselves that hard.

[Sanguine]

Welp... around here the illegals I see, say what you will about them, but they friggin bust their ass. And I'm all for enforcing our immigrations laws.

Very rare to see an American work themselves that hard.

Really?  I live in a rural area and I see it all the time. 

[Oceander]

And, going back to the issues that you are avoiding, Americans are more expensive than illegals, so profit-minded types would oftentimes prefer to not pay less, and don't offer a reasonable wage.

I'm not avoiding those; I am taking them head on.  To wit: legalizing current illegals under a guest worker program is the surest way to take that play away from those who get an unfair edge by cheating on their tax obligations (as well as on their labor and wage obligations). 

More generically, tax evasion is not peculiar to illegal aliens, its simply the case that their illegal status makes it much more possible for the Americans who hire them to cheat on their taxes (and other obligations).  Remove the illegal status and tax evasion is no longer an incentive to hire illegals as opposed to legals. 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Really?  I live in a rural area and I see it all the time.

How many Americans do you see willing to do something like roofing? Which is a damned dangerous and terrible job?

Not many around here.

[dfwgator]

Welp... around here the illegals I see, say what you will about them, but they friggin bust their ass. And I'm all for enforcing our immigrations laws.

 

Slaves busted their asses, as well.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

And, going back to the issues that you are avoiding, Americans are more expensive than illegals, so profit-minded types would oftentimes prefer to not pay less, and don't offer a reasonable wage.

Profit minded types? You mean capitalists?

[Oceander]

Welp... around here the illegals I see, say what you will about them, but they friggin bust their ass. And I'm all for enforcing our immigrations laws.

Very rare to see an American work themselves that hard.

Same here pretty much.  I do see some who look like they're up to no good from time to time, but most busy their asses in a way few Americans will now. 

[Sanguine]

Profit minded types? You mean capitalists?

No, I mean people who would hire illegals.

[roamer_1]

It's not that Americans won't do them. It's that they won't do them for the compensation being offered—and when there are those that will, the employers will redline them with bogus prerequisites.

That is not true. One of my best guys had to go south, Phoenix area... Not a master painter, but a very high-end journeyman... Self starting, extremely fast and efficient, unquestionably the best bagging and latex guy I had.

He was used to $18-22 an hr with me, and there were plenty of jobs available down there for $15-18 starting... He couldn't get hired for 8 bucks an hour. Offered to work a week for free so they could see what he can do... Froze out. Spent a year down there, with the last 3 or 4 months living under a bridge. I threw him the money for a bus ride to get back to Seattle... Once back up north, He was working within a week.

No, it ain't the wages.

[roamer_1]

That's the basic meaning of refusing to do a job: won't do it for the pay offered.  There are plenty of jobs that plenty of Americans won't do.

Then those jobs just wouldn't get done up here, where we don't have a illegal alien subculture. But they DO get done up here.

[roamer_1]

Very rare to see an American work themselves that hard.

Must be a city thing.

[edpc]

I'm familiar with him, and his past is irrelevant to how he's out of touch now.

We'll have to disagree he is out of touch.  The background is essential to who he is and living in Washington hasn't changed that.  It's similar to professional athletes or entertainers that escape bad situations, but still engage in dumbassery, despite their change of venue.

[roamer_1]

How many Americans do you see willing to do something like roofing? Which is a damned dangerous and terrible job?

Not many around here.

All the roofers up here are American... Many of my friends have been roofers, as have I myself. Why do you consider it particularly 'dangerous and terrible'? Roofing is good work, if you can do it.

[Oceander]

Must be a city thing.

Maybe so, or a suburb thing.  But the bottom line is this:  in large areas of the country Americans generally won't do these jobs and the immigrants who do them usually bust their butts working hard. 

[Sanguine]

Maybe so, or a suburb thing.  But the bottom line is this:  in large areas of the country Americans generally won't do these jobs and the immigrants who do them usually bust their butts working hard.

Not so, @Oceander, and because people want illegal immigration slowed or stopped does not make them "xenophobic nativists".  Not sure what your comprehension problem is, but it apparently has little or nothing to do with facts.

[roamer_1]

Maybe so, or a suburb thing.  But the bottom line is this:  in large areas of the country Americans generally won't do these jobs and the immigrants who do them usually bust their butts working hard.

And what is it that keeps poor Americans from going where you are to seek their fortune? The illegal aliens have it sewed up.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

All the roofers up here are American... Many of my friends have been roofers, as have I myself. Why do you consider it particularly 'dangerous and terrible'? Roofing is good work, if you can do it.

Not knocking but it's hard work and dangerous. Heard of many roofers having one bad accident...

[roamer_1]

Not knocking but it's hard work and dangerous. Heard of many roofers having one bad accident...

Yeah... Same with masons, concrete guys, framers, loggers, cowboys, heavy equipment ground crew... Everything I have ever done has it's dangers. Except IT.

[Sanguine]

Not knocking but it's hard work and dangerous. Heard of many roofers having one bad accident...

Yes, roofers are special people!

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Yeah... Same with masons, concrete guys, framers, loggers, cowboys, heavy equipment ground crew... Everything I have ever done has it's dangers. Except IT.

Very hard to find an American willing to do it around here from what I've seen and heard.