quote:I think you will also agree that there is a reasonable middle ground between 20 people living in a house and a million dollar house. We are talking about hard working honest people that just want to afford the basics for working a 40 hour week. Not extravagant homes or boats but also not have to move in with half their family.
Why do Americans deserve better? Because we are Americans. I have no problem with immigration. But the burden ILLEGAL immigrants put on Legal United States Citizens is enormous. What job in the US do you think is so unworthy of a decent wage? A wage that you can do the basics for a family?
I applaud that you recognized I exagerated the figures for the purpose of sensationalism...although not by much. I have been in several houses occupied by both legal and illegal immigrants. One thing they have in common is that large numbers of them live in the same domicile to reduce living costs. Something that Americans abhor, and poke fun at when we find somebody living with relatives. They do it because it's cost effective, and are willing to give up a modicum of privacy to further their plans for financial security. And there is no doubt that, given the state of the housing finance industry, lots of Americans have been buying and financing bigger and more expensive houses than they could actually afford. It's happened here in North Alabama, and across America.
Your views on why Americans deserve better are scary. They smack of entitlement. No one deserves special privileges because of who they are. I deeply agree with your statement on illegal immigrants. They have placed an enormous financial burden on all of us, and should be deported immediately. But go back and check the preamble to the Declaration of Independence again...it says "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, not that you are guaranteed to be happy, or have all the things you want. Feeling that you are "owed" or "due" anything just because you were born in the United States is entitlement, and it's wrong.
The term decent wage is subjective. I wouldn't pay more than minimum wage to somebody who's only skill was, say, untrained manual labor. Wages should increase with experience, training and education.
And it's irresponsible for anybody to start a family without being willing to do what it takes to provide for them, whether it be two or more jobs (which I have done) or getting more training or education to better themselves (which I have done also).