I've observed that Mexicans do jobs that Americans won't do *at the
wages offered*. Everyone that makes the statement that "Mexicans are
doing the jobs American refuse to do" seems to think that while *they*
are a hard working decent American the rest of the country is nothing
but a bunch of shiftless layabouts. I don't think that's true. I think
the country is better than that.

Fact is, most Americans take the jobs that offer the best wage for the
skill set they have to offer, which is absolutely reasonable. Yes, most
American won't pick lettuce for $8/hr because they can make a better
wage doing easier work. Wouldn't you do the same? Would you work for
seven to eight dollars an hour doing manual labor when you could make
$15/hr doing something that requires a bit more skill? If you would
you've failed basic economics, go to the back of the class.

If you shut off the supply of cheap unskilled labor (i.e. actually
controlled illegal immigration), wages for these type jobs would rise
(i.e. basic supply and demand). At some point (meaning at some wage
level), you *would* see Americans starting to do these jobs that so many
arrogantly say "American won't do". Yes, prices for some things would
rise but not dramatically. The labor component of the total cost to
bring a head of lettuce or a pound of tomatoes to market is actually a
fairly small percentage (about 7% last time I looked).

Basically, we have uncontrolled illegal immigration because the two
major American political parties tacitly support it, though for
different reasons. Republicans are generally supported by medium to
large businesses which use illegal immigrants to force down wages for
low skill jobs. Democrats on the other hand view every illegal
immigrant as a future Democrat voter. They bet they'll either legalize
the illegal immigrant in some future "Immigration Reform" legislation or
at least the birthright citizen offspring of the illegal immigrant will
vote Democrat over Republican by at least a 2 to 1 margin.

People in the middle class and above will get their lawn cut cheaply,
get their lettuce a little cheaper, and maybe buy their next home for a
little less than they would have otherwise have paid. The lower class
on the other hand will pay a much higher cost as they will have to
compete with cheap illegal immigrants at the bottom of the job pool.

Future generations will pay a cost as well. To the extent that any
group of immigrants remain unassimilated the country will be a bit less
American and indeed in some areas it will be more Mexican than American.
To the extent that South American political culture is imported and
takes root our children and grandchildren could well be less free and
less safe than we are today. Unfortunately, they won't get to vote in
whether or not to fix the country's immigration policy.