Hire American!

It's Tuesday morning, and I'm looking out my window at a lush, green, thick lawn in serious need of mowing, and that won't happen until Thursday. The little bit of rain we got a couple of days ago has really jump-started the grass growth. I have a sprinkler system, and it's working, but rainfall just does more, somehow. Eddie will probably have to catch the clippings this time, instead of using the mulching mower. I prefer that the mulcher be used, but when the grass is this long and thick, it's not a good idea. The mulched-up clippings tend to smother the yard, and cause a buildup of thatch. I will leave the decision to Eddie, though. He knows more about it than I do.

Which brings me to the topic for today. I was in a conversation with a friend on another forum, and he made the comment that "only Latinos can cut grass in Texas". If you observe the lawncare workers as you drive around town, you might think he's right, and he almost is, but not entirely.

The commercial lawn services do employ mostly Latinos, but there are a lot of individuals of all colors who have their own little business. My own yard is cared for by Eddie, a friendly and dependable black man of indeterminate age. He has kept my yard mowed and edged now for about eight years, and he does it well. He does about six or eight yards here on my street, and also does my friend's yard in another part of town, at my recommendation. It's possible that I could hire an illegal to do the job for less money, but I'd have to provide the equipment, and Eddie has his own. Besides, Eddie has become my friend, and I wouldn't give his job to anyone else. It wouldn't be fair.

Anyway, my point is, there are people other than illegals who will fill local jobs, given the opportunity. It falls to us, the potential employers, to provide the opportunity. As long as we keep hiring illegals, they will keep coming. If we all insist on hiring American, even if it costs a couple of dollars more, we can eventually stop the tide that's crossing the border. The law of supply and demand will take over. If there's no demand, the "supply" will stay home.

The notion that illegals work cheaper is a fallacy. I might get my lawn done for a few dollars less, but I'm paying it out in taxes to provide all the services that they're sucking up like sponges. We need to wake up. As patriotic Americans, we need to hire American. Eddie is an American, and he has a job here in my yard for as long as he wants it, and I will continue to pay him fairly.

Now, let me stir the pot just a bit. I have a friend who occasionally hires illegals, partly because many of them possess a particular trade skill that is beneficial to his business, and is scarce among Americans. Also, in one particular case, the man is just such a good and capable worker that he would be hard to replace. He's learning English. He's also friendly, kind and a darned nice guy. But he's illegal. Hmm. What to do about that?

Well, the first thing that comes to mind is - get him legal! This is easier said than done. He's willing, even eager to become legal, but the process is long, arduous and expensive. It entails returning to Mexico, remaining there for (I think) two years and then beginning the re-entry process. That's a pretty daunting prospect. Why does it have to be so difficult?

It seems to me that our own American interests would be better served by simplifying the whole thing. Let this man remain here with his employer, and initiate the legalization process. Get him legal, and we have a new taxpayer, a productive citizen who will abide by our laws and will behave himself. Perhaps part of the legalization process could include good character references, proof of employment, a clean record with law enforcement, (discounting traffic violations - they have to learn how to drive here) and a record of timely rent and utility payments. Good grief, we have natural-born citizens who couldn't pass those tests!

There are those who lament about how America has forsaken the spirit of Lady Liberty, how we're mistreating immigrants and all that. They say we should welcome all immigrants as we did before. To that I would say, I agree. The spirit of Lady Liberty was welcoming, it's true, but inherent in that welcome was the expectation that the immigrant would come here with something to offer besides needs and demands and a sense of entitlement. It did not extend to a rising tide of criminals and baby machines, and that's what we have now, to a great extent.

We need to get real about the legalization process, and then get tough about who we allow to come in and participate in that process. The argument now is that they have to come in illegally, because it's too difficult to get in legally, and there is a lot of truth there. With that argument before us, it's tough to enforce the laws. Change that, make it feasible for a decent person to get in, and we can then turn back the undesirables - the criminals, the addicts, and yes, the terrorists. We can turn them back because we can say "you don't meet the criteria" instead of just saying "nobody gets in". Instead of discriminating on the basis of ethnicity, we will be admitting on the basis of qualification. I think there's a grain of sense in here somewhere.

I'm just hypocrite enough to want the borders closed and immigration laws enforced, but at the same time, wanting my friend's employee to be able to stay. I just want it made feasible for him to become legal. He wants it, everyone around him wants it, why must it be so difficult? He has indicated that he would like to achieve citizenship. Why can't we help him with that? His employer would be thrilled, because then he could hire American!

Well, it looks like rain. That's about all Eddie will need. More rainfall on this yard, and he won't even be able to catch the clippings. He'll have to bale them! Anybody need a bale of St. Augustine hay?