AboutAustin C. Moore Expertise I can answer any questions related to the political processes and political philosophy. My expertise is in political party organizations, political campaigns, running for office, voting, elections and electoral processes, and constituent services.
Experience I have served as a Voter Ambassador for the West Virginia Secretary of State, as a special levy Election Commissioner for Kanawha County. Also, I have been a Republican Nominee for the West Virginia House of Delegates. I also engage in political consulting and lobbying.
Organizations Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society)
Education/Credentials I intend to pursue my doctorate in political science.
Expert: Austin C. Moore Date: 2/24/2007 Subject: Mexicans over our border
Question why is it that the Mexicans can come here and enjoy free enterprise and free this and that and they are called "illegal" and then we spend billions on them for their welfare and etc...I love Mexican people....
why can't the United States of America allow equalized entries from other countries? In other words, if one million Mexicans enter our great land, then why cannot one million from every other country?
If it don't happen......its discrimination!!!!
illegal in our USA
Thanks......Leslie Bartlett Hayes
Answer I appreciate your commentary. You must be tuning into Lou Dobbs on CNN. This is not an academic question, so I will not attempt to answer it as an academician though I will try to provide academic context for my political tirade. As an academician I hesitate to answer this question as it cannot be answered objectively, but I’ll indulge you because immigration is an interesting issue.
I believe immigration has become a cliché issue. The practical answer to your question is because more Mexicans desire to enter the U.S. than other immigrants and it is easier because we are border countries. Mexico has limited economic opportunities, and we have several because we pay them $3.25 per hour. Albania has the poorest economy in Europe; however, if they bordered the U.S., they would be more apt to immigrate here. Consequently, they struggle to immigrate to Greece, Italy, and other countries that face the same immigration problems that we experience. Albanians seek economic opportunities from their richest neighbor, and this same logic applies to Mexicans. Why don’t Canadians flood into the U.S.? Canada has a comparable, and in many ways, superior, economy as to the U.S.
We need to focus on our economy and outsourcing. Much of our outsourcing is due to the minimum wage. When other countries employ laborers for less and have a lower cost of living, we become less competitive. They may earn less, but they can buy more with their dollar than we can with ours. They may earn $1.00 per hour, but if a loaf of bread is thirteen cents it’s much better than earning $5.15 and paying $1.79 for a loaf of bread. Our wages and the cost of our products has become inconceivably inflated.
We have a service-based economy with production being outsourced to those countries where it is significantly less costly in taxes to operate, and where laborers earn less but have a higher standard of living. As a result, we have become less competitive. It is interesting how we have American born and educated engineers who must travel overseas to find suitable employment opportunities while we are infiltrated with Mexican immigrants.
I do not have any problem with immigration. After all, we are a nation of immigrants. I have a serious problem with illegal immigration. Amnesty is a poor plan because it is unfair to those who have worked and invested twenty or more years of their lives in America desiring citizenship, and someone enters this country today and skips ahead of them in the process. Illegal behavior should never be rewarded.
However, I do personally support President Bush’s Guest Worker Program. If this plan was seriously initiated it would provide Mexicans with the opportunity to “take jobs Americans won’t take” and it would afford the guest worker the right of equal pay at minimum wage and equal protection under prevailing labor laws. If employers were forced to pay “guest workers” at the same rate as American employees and provide the same legal protection, then immigrants couldn’t undercut American labor because Americans would be just as competitive for employment as guest workers. It employs those Mexicans serious about employment in the U.S. and obtaining citizenship, and would ensure they pay taxes (whereas undocumented workers pay none), while also providing Americans will the equal opportunity to earn that job. I’m not saying the problem would be eliminated, but it would significantly reduce undocumented workers. Also, the government often “sweeps under the rug” those who hire illegal immigrants and undocumented residents. Strict enforcement through fines and imprisonment should be enacted and instituted.
Constructing an expensive 700+ mile wall is not the solution. Do you remember the Berlin Wall? Communists tried to keep people in because of their oppressive regime. We're trying to keep people out who desire economic opportunity and political freedom by building a wall. I have problems with this. We have a right to civil and economic freedom, but no one else? We have border patrol enforcement, but they have no real authority and are too few. It doesn’t help that if a border patrol agent wounds or injures an illegal immigrant, who is not even a citizen of this country, that illegal immigrant can sue the agent even though the illegal immigrant was the aggressor. Where’s the justice?
Mexico has an appearance of a republic, but it is merely partisan tyranny complete with political prosecutions and few civil rights. If we engaged in diplomacy and invested revenue into these countries then they would be less apt to immigrate. Reagan assisted Mexico’s government in the 1980’s and established a plan to repay the loan it owed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after they failed at their attempt to implement import substitution industrialization (ISI) practices. We should foster Mexican economy growth, which may actually alleviate the immigration and promote political liberties within Mexico.
The selection process for immigration applicants can oftentimes be unfair. Those possessing skills needed in the U.S. are often provided with preference (scientists, physicians, professors, etc.). There are many African and Filipino physicians (yes, M.D.’s) who come to the U.S. to become nurses! We have a high unemployment rate and a nursing shortage, so why can we not train and employ nurses? Our nation is deficient in math and science, and this is a problem that resides within the educational system. Students, particularly those in high school, should be counseled on the jobs available in our market economy, rather than being encouraged to major in a worthless degree like political science (which, ironically, is the degree I earned) because they find the subject interesting. Exploration is what minors are for and electives, or a second degree. We need nurses, teachers, nurses, physicians, engineers (more specialties more than others), and accountants. The American educational experience focuses on a well-rounded student through humanities and liberal arts education rather than channeling and socializing students to assume positions with great pay that provide many opportunities due to a job shortage in that profession.
We provide citizenship for about 675,000 immigrants annually, and the system is inherently discriminatory. Discrimination is not justifiable, but it is the reality as long as humanity is fallible. If an African-American desires to rent an apartment in a high scale neighborhood, and the landlord rents the apartment to another person who is white on the basis of race, then how does the African American prove that this is discrimination? The African-American may even be oblivious and not realize the landlord is racist.
I hope this provides insight to your question, and I do appreciate your question. The answer I provided is purely opinion supported by economic premises because the question cannot be answered impartially. If you ask two political scientists, two sociologists, or two economists, you will find yourself with completely different answers. The only possible way to answer this question academically is asking a sociologist, criminologist, political scientist, and economist, and it would still not provide a sufficient and coherent answer. I invite you to write me again though I would encourage you to choose a more academic subject. I applaud your interest in current events and the affairs of our beloved country. It is all too rare these days.
