Economic Recovery in America

[derspiess]

at least their underclass are hard workers.

That's generally true.

I don't get the illegal immigrant hate.

I don't hate them. I just don't appreciate them breaking our laws.

they work hard. I get the eurohate with the generations of welfare squatters, but illegal immigrants in the states get no benefits, right?

In many places they do.  Actually, pretty much everywhere they absorb benefits of one sort or another.  And they will get access to a lot more once they get amnesty/citizenship-- much more than the tax revenue they will generate.

I'm not totally against some gradual amnesty plan, but it needs to be well thought out, and it needs to be in the best interest of *current* US citizens, not potential future ones.

[fhdz]

That's quite a graph. I think I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

I guess I can see how some nationless billionaire nomad with an entirely global perspective on the economy might look at that graph and go "yep, that's hunky dorey!" but I can't imagine how any American with even a teaspoon of nationalism left in him would think that was okay.

That graph is what America wants.  That's the way it is, we like it that way and we're not going to change it.  End of story.

If so, then we are an awful people, and we should well deserve the eventual collapse of our empire.

Just misinformed.  Well sure there are some people who want that, but most do not.

The main problem appears to be that the people who do want that have all or most of the cards in their hands, while those who do not either a) do not object strongly enough, or b) object strongly but lack the ability to change it.

[MadImmortalMan]

I'd like to get more educated, skilled Mexicans.

more what now?

Dude, we have educated skilled Mexicans. There was one guy who was working in a warehouse job moving inventory around at my last workplace who had been a civil engineer in Mexico and had I think a Master's degree. WTF was he doing working in a warehouse in Reno? Fuck if I know, but it was apparently still an upgrade for him. His English wasn't that great and I don't know if the certs he had transferred well here or whatever. I guess he couldn't be an engineer in the US, but he still wanted to be here.

[derspiess]

All my Mexican friends have college degrees.

[Caliga]

Dude, I was kidding... I know about cases like that.

I interviewed two guys back in the day who were political refugees from Cuba.  Both were former software devs, but their English was so poor that nobody would hire them.  The one guy was working in a warehouse too, and when I interviewed him I could tell he was very bright, but... his English    I tried to get him a job and was able to get him an interview, but the client was like "I like this guy and agree he's smart, but I just cannot communicate with him."

[CountDeMoney]

I interviewed two guys back in the day who were political refugees from Cuba.

[Neil]

(families can go fuck themselves--we are too many).

Fuck you too buddy.

And it's not even that.  The problem is that family life helps to civilize men.  Ide's ideas are as regressive as his politics.

[frunk]

That's quite a graph. I think I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

It's kind of a goofy graph.  You are comparing a percentage with a dollar amount.  I don't see why they would necessarily track with each other.

[Razgovory]

(families can go fuck themselves--we are too many).

Fuck you too buddy.

And it's not even that.  The problem is that family life helps to civilize men.  Ide's ideas are as regressive as his politics.

He's going to outlive Ide, so there's no reason to rub it in.

[Ideologue]

Industry: Snark.

[Siege]

I like Mexicans and I want more of them here.  Here's why:

1. I like tacos
2. I like low cost roofing and gardening
3.  Mexican chicks can be quite HOTT
4.  Hybrid vigor (see 3)

I am not convinced. We need pictures.

[Phillip V]

I like Mexicans and I want more of them here.  Here's why:

1. I like tacos
2. I like low cost roofing and gardening
3.  Mexican chicks can be quite HOTT
4.  Hybrid vigor (see 3)

What is the Mexican fat rate?

[Siege]

I like Mexicans and I want more of them here.  Here's why:

1. I like tacos
2. I like low cost roofing and gardening
3.  Mexican chicks can be quite HOTT
4.  Hybrid vigor (see 3)

What is the Mexican fat rate?

Yeah. All the ones I have seen are short and fat.

[dps]

That's quite a graph. I think I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

I guess I can see how some nationless billionaire nomad with an entirely global perspective on the economy might look at that graph and go "yep, that's hunky dorey!" but I can't imagine how any American with even a teaspoon of nationalism left in him would think that was okay.

If you take a look at it, the percentage of Americans with a job now is actually higher than it was in the early 60's.  What's changed is the percentage of Americans in the job market.  50 years ago, a fairly substantial percentage of female Americans were still full-time homemakers and weren't in the job market at all, and nowdays people are more likely to keep working past retirement age as well.  So if you want to reduce unemployment and raise wages, there are 2 pretty obvious solutions:  first, roll back feminism and get the womenfolk back in the kitchen, and second, make retirement mandatory at a certain age.

And no, I'm not being facetious, but OTOH I'm not seriously suggesting that we rollback feminism, either.  I'm saying that the social and legal changes in women's status has unintended economic sideaffects--specifically, by bringing more people into the labor market, it has increase unemployment and decreased wages.  (I'm also not saying that it's the only factor in play here.)

[merithyn]

Of course, another option is to incentivize one parent staying home (gender irrelevant). Right now, there's no way that millions of families will be able to survive on one paycheck without some assistance.

Make it worthwhile - and possible - for a family to live with only one paycheck, if this is the issue. Again, which gender is irrelevant.