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Moser: For Immigrants, Who will Provide Jobs?

by Connie Moser on July 20, 2014 at 7:00 am 5 comments

I’m going to ask you to work a little bit today. Normally, I blend links into my column so you can just click if you want more information, but the links are not obtrusive, Today, I’d like you to take a few minutes and click these links. Try to keep an open mind. Try not to let what you already think influence you.

These thoughts, ideas, stories and images are shaping my opinions:

Homelessness in America:
news.msn.com/us/court-overturns-los-angeles-ban-on-living-in-cars
treehugger.com/tiny-houses/latest-tiny-houses-live-billboard.html
fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/homelessness-in-our-community.htm
nbcwashington.com/news/local/Dale-City-Homeless-Camp-Cleared-Out-119031379.html

The number of homeless New Yorkers has risen by 75 percent since 2002 and in recent years has reached the highest levels since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Around 60,000 homeless men, women and children bed down in New York’s shelters and thousands more sleep rough on the streets or elsewhere.

Unemployment:
news.msn.com/us/detroit-violating-human-rights-by-closing-water-taps-un
time.com/3001280/microsoft-to-cut-18000-jobs/
www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
www.dailykos.com/story/2014/07/08/1312594/-Labor-Secretary-wants-to-punch-politicians-can-you-blame-him?detail=facebook#

Unemployment in America appears to be declining, but there are a lot of factors to consider in those reports, such as many people have simply ceased to seek employment. That’s not because they have found a job-they have simply given up hope of finding one. There are at least 9.5 million people who do not have a job, and after 17 months, I can tell you my husband is one of them.

Immigration:
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2013/01/29/a-nation-of-immigrants/
http://news.msn.com/us/up-to-dollar1000-a-day-to-care-for-child-migrants-1
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/honduran-child-migrants-leave-home-because-of-poverty-and-fear/2014/07/15/9f073040-a56d-488c-9473-1265d1a8c2aa_story.html

Crime:

crimeinamerica.net/crime-rates-united-states/
newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2014/07/bill-de-blasio-violent-crime-challenges.html
sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=107

Images:

andrewlmoore.com/photography/detroit/park-ave-detroit/
businessinsider.com/american-slums-2011-4?op=1
sultanknish.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-chicagoization-of-america.html

Thought Provoking:

america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/9/goverment-improperpayments100billion.html
www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html#.U7hhk7HI2MZ
washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/07/08/this-is-what-happened-when-i-drove-my-mercedes-to-pick-up-food-stamps/

So, here’s my takeaway for this week. I am willing to help. I just need to know where the money is coming from to do so. I surely don’t have any money to donate to support homelessness or immigrants.

In fact, my husband and I are beginning to consider we may have to sell our home to keep from accessing the funds from our retirement that we did not intend to touch for another five years. If we use that retirement money now, will we run out before we die? Will we become the very people we have spent our entire lives trying to help?

I do want to make this statement: Don’t call me a racist or a bigot because I am concerned about the immigration issue. It has nothing to do with Hispanic people (or Asian or Chinese or anyone else.) It has everything to do with all our lives in America. I want to know how we can continue to increase social and welfare programs to care for those in need. I want to know how we will provide jobs for those who need them.

 

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  • I would like to be certain some of my political contacts know it’s not just a Republican vs Democrat (or Independent or Liberal) issues. There are millions of people caught in the onslaught, powerless…and it is painful.

  • citizen1

    During the great depression many localities would print the names of people on welfare in the paper. This was to prevent welfare fraud and to prevent people from doubling up on handouts from charities. But it also attached a little shame to welfare, shame for recipient and the community. This shame motivated people to get off welfare and it motivated employers in the community to hire people.
    The current attitude is that “I am entitled to welfare and food stamps” and many people are proud recipients of the government dole. The shame of welfare is gone. Many have the prideful attitude of “I am sticking it to the man and work is for suckers.” People get stuck in this mindset and they never get out.
    On the employer side the attitude is people on the dole are lazy and will not appreciate any job i can give them. So I will not put out my money to create jobs, I will keep my money to save it or re-invest in my business. The motivation to grow your business is gone.
    We must do something to change these attitudes so we can focus on growth instead of arguing about “What I get or What I have”. Perhaps print some names in your paper.

    • Citizen 1, Thank you very much for your thoughtful comments. I know there are some people like you describe. I am not old enough to recall the Great Depression, but my grandparents lived through it. They taught me to be thrifty and cautious with money. I am so grateful to them,

      Regarding your comments about business, I have long thought it is backwards to tax a higher rate for business owners who improve their property and make it more valuable. We punish the business owners for investing in their business!

  • William Golden

    There are issues. There will always be issues. However if your only concern is how can afford to keep spending money on social programs, when those programs really do not cost much money in the big money pot of money spent, then perhaps you are looking for cost savings in the wrong place.

    Most social programs put money back in the pot when people get moving again.

    The immigration issue is what we make it to be. Blame the immigrant and we will never solve the problem.

    • I’m not blaming anyone…please don’t say that…and obviously, if you read those links, you know that immigration is NOT my only concern.

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