Reply #7: Depends on the implementation

[sandnsea]

If we really put enough pressure on business to stop hiring illegals and really beef up the borders, then maybe it has a chance of working. I worry what will happen at the end of the temporary visa. What makes them think people are just going to go home if they don't become citizens? And why do they not couple this with Latin American economic reform? I know there aren't as many people to do the nasty jobs, but a real free market wage economy would only work if they were forced to increase wages to get people to do these jobs. But we don't have that or a minimum wage increase, and nobody calls the right on it. And I just don't know how they think a minimum wage immigrant is going to live any easier than a US minimum wage worker. Whether we need the workers or not, it's just stupid for them to say our workers don't want jobs when so many can't find work, it really offends people. Especially when some have those jobs and know they can't make ends meet without benefits, so no immigrant is going to be able to either. It's like inviting in another generation of food stamps recipients. I think between the way we're presenting it and the manipulations of the right, we're going to lose votes over this.

McCain-Kennedy is the best we've got, it's all going to depend on enforcement. And change in international labor laws wouldn't hurt either.