Comments on: No One Could Have Imagined

By: Bryan

Bryan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:47:28 +0000

There has been a big shift from agriculture to construction for the migrant workers, as well as all of the reduction caused by the 9/11 hysteria. This “immigration problem” could be resolved by creating a fair system for the legal employment of workers.

Farmers need workers, but not full time, and the workers need jobs. If you put a system in place that is fair to all concerned, the problem goes away.

A fair system needs to include transportation, food, and housing – as well as a reasonable wage. Unfortunately, this requires Federal legislation, which is not apt to happen, no matter how much sense it makes.

By: fallenmonk

fallenmonk — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:37:09 +0000

As many of you know I pay pretty close attention to food and sustainable agriculture issues. I have been reading more and more about small farmers, especially in the south, that are cutting back on planting crops that require hand picking because they cannot get enough workers to pick them. Acreage of organic beans and peas in Louisiana has been halved, fruit such as peaches, plums, melons are being left on the vine to rot because they can’t get them picked. All of this is adding to our food supply problems. Not to mention the acreage being shifted to corn for ethanol instead of other food crops. Not a good thing.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:27:26 +0000

Actually, Duncan Hunter probably knows more people who employ undocumented workers than anyone else in Congress. He can’t attack employers or they would stop inviting him to their parties.

Anyone who has been along the border can tell you that a physical fence would be a construction nightmare, with or without land owners agreeing to it, so they are trying everything except the one thing that would be the most effective – expanding the Border Patrol.

An actual human being on horseback riding along that border with “line shacks” and satellite/radio communications is the most effective deterrent and enforcement option. A series of small stations like the old stage coach stops could do the job.

The trail riders wouldn’t have to enforce anything, just be the eyes and ears for the trained agents with vehicles at central locations.

By: Badtux

Badtux — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:56:42 +0000

Well, the primary constituency is Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter’s constituencies — white trash knuckleheads upset that their once-cushy construction jobs are now filled by Mexicans. To a certain extent they have a point — the reason the Mexicans are getting those jobs is because the Mexicans are illegal and thus can’t file OSHA complaints and work rule violations and such with state and federal regulators. But rather than blame the employers for hiring illegal employees because they can treat illegal employees like shit, they blame the employees instead. Great job of blaming the victim, assholes! These are the same assholes who blame women for being raped because “she shouldn’t have worn so tight of pants” or “she shouldn’t have worn such a low-cut blouse”. Victim-blamin’ assholes.

– Badtux the Asshole-spottin’ Penguin

By: Steve Bates

Steve Bates — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:47:41 +0000

What I want to know is this: what constituency advocated for this construction in the first place?

I know it’s not exactly the same as in Arizona, but some of the landowners on the Texas side of the border were about ready to do battle… no, not with the Mexicans, but with contractors who would be hired to put the damned thing up. Is there anyone supporting this stupidity other than people and corp’s with vested interests?

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:34:14 +0000

Welcome back to the US [I think]. You were apparently able to sneak in before they discovered your “secret identity” as a DFH blogger.

Yeah, how about a DARPA-type contest before blowing most of a Gigabuck messing around. You should be able to create a working prototype for under a Megabuck, because this is just an intrusion system scaled up, and we’ve had those for decades.

We could just hire more Border Patrol and randomize their schedules, but there’s no big vendor bucks in that.

By: fallenmonk

fallenmonk — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:45:41 +0000

I find it absolutely fascinating that the government is going to go ahead with a “final version” before they have even prototyped a working system. Reminds one of the whole”Star Wars” missile system which is being deployed before anyone has proved it can work even in rigged tests. You would think someone would take a hint and offer a 10 million dollar prize or something to someone who presents a working prototype and then consider going from there.
On second though maybe we should let the Mexican government in on the funding since the fence will have to work in the opposite direction in just a few years.