Rick Raw: Save American Jobs–Close Borders and Ban Outsourcing

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

Provisions in the Stimulus Bill were drafted to create new jobs in construction and the new green industries. However, there are serious problems with this legislation, in that, it does not account for illegal immigration or American corporations being allowed to outsource jobs to other countries.

On most construction sites, Hispanic immigrants have taken all the jobs. Most of these workers have entered our country illegally. Construction firms look the other way because illegals will work for much less than American labor. If we are going to offer new jobs in the construction trades for the millions of unemployed Americans, then we will have to shutdown our borders to the onslaught of illegal aliens, pouring into the promise land. This is a serious threat to our superpower status.

More significantly, we need to improve law enforcement of our immigration laws by hiring thousands of new Border Patrol Agents and investigators who can weed out the illegal aliens from the big construction firms. We have the will and the means, but we need to fund it. Sadly, the Stimulus package does not account for this money.

Presently, construction companies have no incentive to hire American workers. If they get caught with illegal aliens, they get a fine and a slap on the wrist. Clearly, the penalties need to have teeth and enforcement upgraded. As long as illegal aliens are stealing American jobs by working for less, then the construction industry is a closed shop to English speaking workers.

Ah yes, but another problem that discourages hiring American workers was not addressed in the Stimulus Bill. For years, American corporations have been allowed to outsource millions of jobs overseas to countries like India and Northern Ireland. In recent years, most nationwide major call centers have closed and the jobs moved to India where labor is cheap. Yeah, how many times have I called for computer support and tried to understand the guy with the Indian accent. It’s maddening.

Moreover, thousands of manufacturing jobs were also outsourced overseas to China and other countries. The only way to stop this practice is to pass a law banning outsourcing–period! Yes, American corporations would scream bloody murder. They would say that by banning outsourcing, they would not be able to compete on the global markets.

That’s a big fat lie. The "global market" excuse has been the corporations’ ticket to ride the cheap foreign labor bandwagon for years . Here’s a thought: Pay the CEOs much less money and that would make up the difference after hiring American workers. We could get back to making quality American goods that, like German engineering, is respected worldwide.