Two-Thirds of Californians Support Guest-Worker Plan
Can’t prove it by us.
S.F. Chronicle reports: “Californians continue to be concerned about illegal immigration, but few are worried that illegal immigrants are taking jobs away, and a broad majority supports a temporary-guest-worker program — akin to proposals currently being debated in the U.S. Senate — that could bring many of the state’s 2.5 million unauthorized residents out of the shadows, according to a new Field Poll.”*
Though nearly 3 out of 4 Californians said they are concerned about illegal immigration, the percentage of those expressing concern has declined over the past 10 years, said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo.
At the same time, 7 in 10 Californians think illegal immigrants are doing jobs that other residents don’t want, while 22 percent see them as taking jobs away from citizens and legal residents, the survey found.
That’s strange. A survey we took of 10 friends specified that no one ever asked them for their opinions. Nor did we get a call.
Besides, if someone robs a hardware store and then fixes toilets for a living, that still doesn’t clear him from being a criminal. The focus should stay on illegal immigrants, not what kind of jobs they’re doing.
More importantly, did the Field Poll ask these salient questions:
- Do you think the children of illegal immigrants will continue to do the same low-level jobs as their parents?
- Do you think the already-burdened public schools are facing additional costs for teaching illegal immigrants?
- Do you think the children of illegal immigrants won’t be competing for limited college seats and jobs thereafter?
Two-thirds of Californians support a guest-worker plan, the poll found. Among registered voters, the majority was slightly smaller, at 60 percent, while among those not registered to vote — half of whom are noncitizens — support for the plan was higher, at 73 percent.
“Support of a guest-worker program is a significant finding,” said DiCamillo. “Republicans and Democrats, voters and nonvoters are all in favor of a guest-worker program.”
Once again, no one asked us or the people we know. So how random is this sampling?
In anycase, as we argued before, the notion of a “guest-worker plan” is inherently flawed, and we needn’t look further than Europe to prove it. Let’s consider.
Germany offered such a program, and do we really need to mention France? Dire consequences.* They came, but never left. And enforcement is impossible.
Furthermore, we strongly insist that, unless there’s a change to the laws that automatically grant citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants, the guest-worker plan will be another route for immigrants to beat the system.
UPDATE: (3/10)
Michelle Malkin: “Illegal Aliens Protest In Chicago”
March 9th, 2006 at 8:45 am
What an assinine line of questioning - if the person being called wants to do the jobs that immigrants are doing. We’ve had this “Jobs America Won’t Do” junk blasted into our heads for so long it starts to sound like a reasonable concern. Protecting our borders is a job President Bush won’t do.
Another great poll question would be to ask Mexicans (in Mexico) whether they support the mission of Rob Reiner’s secret government to provide free preschool/daycare to every legal and illegal 4 year old in California. That’s got to be 99%
There seems to be a serious lack of agility among Republicans on the Border Fence issue. We must have an Israeli style fence, and construction needs to start now. To head off xeno criticisms, just come out and say you want to increase legal immigration from Mexico by 1%. A requirement now is you have to be rich or smart to get a visa. Those guys don’t damage the state - and its the huge illegal border running stuff that’s messing us up. (Besides, after the fence is done, revisit that 1% number)
March 9th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Time for the real polls to decide this issue, on November, 2006.
March 9th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
HILLARY & AMNESTY: BORDER COUNTIES LEAD IN CRIME
Hillary argues that enforcing laws smack of a “police state.” Meanwhile, the 24 counties along the nation’s border rank first in federal crimes, second in tuberculosis and near the bottom in education, per capita income and access to health care.
March 9th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
So, polls are only valid and ‘random’ if they ask the some of the 10 people you know? Back to school for you!
The other option is that it’s a statistically valid study and 3 out of 4 people don’t agree with you. Now, you may not like the questions or the conclusions, but that’s a different matter.
March 9th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Please oh please, let’s see the poll asking potential voters if they are willing to tolerate illegals doing jobs america won’t do, using Emergency Room beds that americans don’t want, and using school desks american kids won’t use - if it means that lettuce and tomatoes will not cost $5 a piece.
Even if the labor component of these QUADRUPLES, the labor component will increase from only $.25 to $1.00 a piece. Look, if anyone in the field is capable of picking ONE VEGETABLE PER MINUTE, that is like $60/hour just for that guy’s labor. That’s what these greedy farmers are claiming they’ll have to pay. I call bullshit.
This whole debate over “Jobs America Won’t Do” is a Bush excuse for doing absolutely nothing on this important issue.
March 10th, 2006 at 12:19 am
AthlonGuy, we were with you all the way, til you got back to Bush bashing.
This whole debate over “Jobs America Won’t Do” is a Bush excuse for doing absolutely nothing on this important issue.
Actually, it’s an invention of Latino activists, the pro-immigration lobby like La Raza, and other special interest groups. They are the ones promoting the message. It’s like advertising or a PR pitch, shaping peoples opinions by telling a story often enough that it becomes “myth.” Why else would so many people disregard the term illegal?
The job Bush faces is balancing national policy with election politics. Facts of life: Latinos are the nation’s largest and fastest growing immigrant population. Turn them against the Republicans, and we’ll never see another victory. It’s a numbers game that, unfortunately, must be played. The DNC has always leveraged “people of color” to vote for them — thus known as the “party of handouts.”
(Illegal) immigration is a hot-button issue and must be dealt with care. But it will be dealt with.
As for the “Jobs America Won’t Do,” maybe you should contact the Field Poll (which is certainly not pro-Bush) and ask them about their findings. Our friends are all against illegal immigration but, as it appears, we don’t make the statistics.
March 11th, 2006 at 1:59 am
Who care what the questions were when the respondents were probably about 75% illegals.
March 11th, 2006 at 3:21 am
Illegal Aliens Hold Massive Protest In Chicago.
Talk about invasion, since when can illegals basically take over a city in such massive numbers that law enforcement is left helpless? I’m sure plenty of these people were legal, but we do know that there are about 10-12 milion…
March 11th, 2006 at 10:43 am
March of the Illegal Immigrants
I’m surprised all these people are demanding anything, being that they’re here illegally. If they wish to have a voice in what happens in American government and the laws it passes, THEN LET THEM COME HERE LEGALLY AND BECOME U.S. CITIZENS!