Time For Go-Go Juice! - Immigration vs. the Almighty Dollar!

Another day, another dollar! Hmmm – that saying doesn’t seem to have as much “oomph” in it like it used to, does it? Good Tuesday to ya! How’s your Go-Go Juice brewing today? You know, mine is simmering a bit – especially when I think about our economy and how life is so expensive now a days. It’s not even so much what goes out of my pocket book – heck, mine just collects dust and spider webs anyway. Nope, I tend to worry more about my fellow man. Especially my neighbors. I’m gonna touch on a topic today that’s very touchy, political and controversial. However, it affects me as a neighbor, as a manager and as a friend. It’s the issue revolving around immigration. Before I begin my thought, I know that our country has a massive economic problem. No doubt we are having a hard enough time turning our economy around with “our own citizens”, but to do so with those who are labeled as “illegal” seems to heat up the pot of “brewing stew”. While I am not going to make this topic of rebuttal – we have enough people in the media who can do this more effectively than I. However, I’ve made some observations and wish to share them. As a manager who has been hiring US citizens and individuals from other countries for years, I’ve been well informed and experienced with immigration issues. In the past, my former staff members would work various seasons with my company. In effort to be considered legal, they had to produce a US Social Security Card, which they are able to acquire when they present the administration with a verifiable and up to date passport and green card. Upon taking a position, they have to present all three ID’s: Passport for photo and name, green card with expiration date (the ok from their government) and the US Social Security Card – no doubt for US number tracking system. When the green cards expire, the individual must return to their country and apply for another one. The worst part of doing this is the cost. My former staff members have explained that the cost to getting a green card can range up to $3,000. Now, some foreign staff members do this once or twice a year – especially due to the cost and for the fact that they’re goals are to receive better training and experience to move upwards in their careers, therefore, they don’t have to be here all the time. Some have said that US compensation is far better than “home” and the seasonal work in the US, helps out at home too. Now, with that said, I’ve had foreign workers who wanted to become US citizens for quality of life reasons – but they must reside in the US for 10-years to qualify. During these ten years, they must maintain a second home in their foreign land as well and return as usual, then pay the money to come back to US soil each and every time. If you crunch the numbers, that’s a lot of money to pay out over 10-years. How many individuals and families can truly afford to do this? Plenty of Americans are already labeling foreign residents who work here as “people who are willing to work lower paying jobs”. Mind you, I’ve also heard in the news that those same jobs are jobs Americans are “unwilling” to work, which I think is poppy-cock. I don’t think it’s the amount of compensation that’s in question. Personally, I think it has to do with the labor itself – making people till a land by hands and fingers rather than invest in proper equipment that most farmers do to have machines do the work. It’s called “slave labor” and I’m ashamed of farmers who take advantage of human beings to make a huge profit in that way. Regardless, if they’re working for low wages, how can they maintain cost of living here, plus the costs to go home and come back? I think too many US citizens would rather ignore the issue than truly look at it. While I don’t think it’s “the” problem for Illegal Immigrants, I do believe it’s playing a huge role to having so many here when they shouldn’t be. They are stuck here and can’t afford to go home, let alone afford to come back. Therefore, as all humans are survivors, our foreign neighbors do what they have to in order to survive. I recently learned that neighbors of mine are here “illegally”. They are a very nice family – very respectable. They struggle with our economy as much as you and I do. But, having recently learned that their status has expired, they are in fear for their own lives. They can’t return and fear they will “lose it all” if they do. Dreams and hard work – down the toilet all because of the mighty dollar. You know my friends; Lady Liberty stands in our harbor every day for 365 days a year for how many years? AND, she is French! What is American? Let’s not forget that the United States stands for humanity, quality of life and as a body of people who come together for those less fortunate. We are a melting pot of foreign lands. Have we become so overcrowded that our judgments have been blurred? While I do believe our federal dollars continue to be spent in the wrong directions and that includes investments into those who are not “supposed to be here”, why not create programs that even foreign people can afford to invest in that helps them build up enough equity or the funding needed to become citizens? No doubt, these same people pay taxes – maybe they can pay into special programs that become like a “self-funded” system that enables them to acquire citizenship – something different that doesn’t eat into our already diminished budgets. We all support dreams and aspirations – why would this be any different? It’s hurting us. The US government spends much of our own hard earned money into foreigners who have yet to “pay their dues” so to speak. It pains me to see people have to spend so much money to become a citizen of another country. It’s almost like human slavery – buying and selling people. Our neighboring governments are asking for way too much from their citizens to leave their country to come to the US and the US is saying, “It’s ok – as long as they’re legal”. Something just doesn’t sit right with me on this one. It’s definitely worth some extra quality thought in how we go about our immigration laws or ways we “trade” with other countries. Surely there’s an idea or program that hasn’t been thought of that can reduce our “illegal” neighbors, raise the quality of life for foreigners and help people live in a country that no doubt needs their hard earned money too. Well, that’s my thought for the day. I can see I’m slowly but surely getting better. ;) Keep your Go-Go Juice brewing – out of the box ideas are dependent on it! Have a tremendously great day!