Georgia Repukes hard at work saving those American jobs from the Dirty Mexicans:

[Pisces]

About two months ago, Georgia enacted a law intended to push illegal immigrants out of the state. It caused an immediate labor shortage, and farmers "have been forced to leave millions of dollars' worth of blueberries, onions, melons and other crops unharvested and rotting in the fields." McArdle tips her hat to a generation of immigrants who know how to pick our fruit:

The illegal immigrants who harvest our crops have grown up doing this, learning the way my grandparents did. There are almost no Americans left who have either the painfully developed musculature or the painstakingly acquired knowledge to rapidly harvest a field without damaging the crop. And acquiring those skills is tricky, because the picking season for any one crop is very short . . . after which, it's time to start picking another crop that you don't know how to handle.


I guess letting millions of crops go to waste is better than letting the qualified, underpaid workers of Mexico do the job. I guess there were no jobless takers in Georgia. I think 2 hours is the max an
unskilled worker can last on this job in the hot sun for the meager wages the farmers can offer. Good luck finding people in the future.

[hedgehog]

1. I worked at an onion packing plant. The Mexicans and single mothers

there worked their asses off. It wasn't much of a wage, but it was better than nothing and the only job there was. The young American males were just in it for drinking money, and they worked just what they needed to.

We can get Americans to do field work, but we're going to have to pay them.

[Aerows]

2. Or...

... they are going to ruin the middle class to the point that everyone is so desperate for a job that they are willing to do anything to put food on the table.

[NNN0LHI]

3. The plan is to have us all working in the fields

I am going to get one of those good jobs at Walmart before that happens though.

Don

[Pisces]

5. We could not pay American the money they would require to do this type of work. It is hard,

backbreaking work. If we pay more to the workers, we won't be able to afford the fruit in the supermarket.

Farmers like the status quo. They would not want to modify the current arrangement.

[dkf]

8. We should pay a decent wage.

How can we justify not doing so? We are such hypocrites when it comes to our food production. Livable wage my eyeball.

[jwirr]

15. The problem is if we pay them a livable wage then we are going to

have to have a higher living wage to be able to afford to eat. Or in my case a lot more food stamps. This is a damned if you do - damned if you don't issue. But letting crops root in the fields is unforgivable either way.

[dkf]

20. Why is that an excuse for not paying someone a livable wage?

Should only luxuries provide living wages?

[jwirr]

23. It isn't - it is just reality. That is what will happen.

[newfie11]

4. 5 years ago the farmer that leases our farm

Had a crew of 8 Hispanic men cutting weeds out of the sugar beet fields with machetes. They worked a 10 hour day,ate bag lunch they brought beside the field. Took a few breaks.

The temp was over 105,no shade,and their grand pay was 35.00 FOR ALL DAY!!!

Georgia better wise up!!

[Pisces]

6. I would love to see them find 8 American workers willing to do this job for that pay!!

I bet most would choose to panhandle before they undertook this job for $35!!

[newfie11]

7. that would never happen

Even teenagers won't do it.

[demosincebirth]

13. Teenagers??

[Pisces]

14. I don't know any teenagers that would work all day for $35 dollars.

[newfie11]

17. Nope!

They ride in the tractors. Don't know what they earn but anything is better than what those poor men did.

That was 5 years ago and that has never happened again.

[demosincebirth]

19. I forgot the "sarcasm" dinggee

[demosincebirth]

12. That is morally wrong

[newfie11]

16. I totally agree

[bluestate10]

21. I did farm work as a child and teen. The work is hard, when done for

the day, my body and hands ached. I could barely do the work for two days, doing the work for sever days seems impossible.

[bluestateguy]

9. Or the planters could stop their whining and raise wages for the pickers

then just watch Americans flock to the fields looking for jobs.

[Mimosa]

18. ^ That's it ^

There are probably nearly 100 thou 'undocumented' workers in the metro Atlanta counties. Jobs in the metro counties pay double at least what is offered in rural GA. Lack of workers is simply explained.

[Palmer Eldritch]

10. Georgia Repukes trying to protect their asses from the coming Majority Demographic.

Too late, GOP.
Too late.
;)

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Renew Deal]

22. Wasn't that law thrown out by a court?