Self Service Deportation

The Bush Administration has finally solved the immigration problem. After seven years in the White House, access to the greatest minds in the country and billions of dollars at their disposal, President Bush has put forward a pilot program called "Operation Scheduled Departure". What is the gist of "Operation Scheduled Departure"?

Illegal immigrants will turn themselves in.

Really? That's the best they can come up with? Really? This is your solution? Really? You mean to tell the American people that illegal immigrants are going to voluntarily turn themselves in and subject themselves to deportation back to their third world home nations? What's the incentive here? Supposedly the White House is offering those who choose to leave under this program an additional 90 days to get their affairs in order before they are deported (thus the name "scheduled departure").

This has to be the most absurd idea ever. Even people who support illegal immigration, such as Ali Noorani call this program "harebrained".

This is the Bush Administration's solution to the estimated 4300 Americans who are killed annually by people who aren't supposed to be here in the first place? This is the Bush Administration's solution to the millions of American construction workers displaced by cheap, illegal labor performed by people who often live seven to ten people to a house? This is the Bush Administration's solution to the $45 billion dollars that was wired out of the US last year to Latin America by illegal workers? Is this really the solution to the 20 million illegal immigrants who have made this country their home and subsequently siphon social services money from localities meant for Americans who desperately need it - ironically often because they've lost a job that has been given to an illegal immigrant.

When George Bush and others stand up behind a podium and announce that illegals are doing the jobs that Americans won't do, they're exposing their igonorance. I want to install hardwood floors. I want to do interior trim. I used to. When I moved to Greensboro in 1995 and started my business, I used to be able to charge $2.25 per square foot to install hardwood floors. Now, thirteen years later, when that same $2.25 back then was worth about $4.00 in today's money, thanks to the near invasion of illegal workers into the area, you'd be fortunate to get $1.50. I was even quoted $.90 recently as an amount that a certain carpet store pays their installers.

Interior trim is worse. My business partner and I contracted for a large townhome development for the interior trim. The agreed price was $.95 per square foot. Today you'd be lucky to get $.50 per foot. Its no wonder the standard of living for construction workers has diminished in such a manner. Those of us who have employees are looked upon as the bad guys because we simply cannot afford to pay our employees what they think they may deserve. If we do, we can't compete with the low wages of illegal immigrants. In turn, the American consumer, always hungry for the cheapest, fastest job they can get, is now used to these dirt cheap prices. Does this mean that Americans are supposed to live seven and eight and ten to a house? Are we expected to compete with people with a third world mentality who are willing to work for 25% or even 40% less than what we have become accustomed to? Is this the meaning of the free market?

So this is the solution? That immigrants are supposed to turn themselves in? They're supposed to simply slip away quietly and orderly?

With geniuses who propose solutions like this in the White House, its no wonder we have the problems we have.