Editor:
You all wanna know why, and how, Trump got elected and his followers have power?
I am no conservative. Not right wing or centrist — far from it. But I do know that immigrants displace native workers. I'm not mad at immigrants. Far be it from me to torment people. I’m mad at the Americans who hire immigrants.
Anybody who’s tried to apply for work in tourist areas knows the hotels and restaurants depend on J-1 visa applicants from poor countries. I’ve never seen a Nordic or Italian or German or French J-1. They’re always Eastern European or South American. They pay around $2,000 to agents who then farm them to resorts. As a result, they’re everywhere in tourist zones like Aspen and Martha’s Vineyard.
Employers like them because they cost less. They have to pay quite a bit more for American workers: unemployment, workers compensation and other taxes.
On to the construction day-labor sector: If you try to get day labor at places like People Ready, Manpower or Instawork, there’s nothing available. Because every contractor employs illegal immigrants. You can hire five guys at Home Depot, pay them whatever the illegals’ going rate is, and staff your jobsite. Why? Because Americans demand a living wage and immigrants don’t.
So yeah, you’re damn right I’m on strike. Have been for years and intend to stay on until every last scumbag is forced to pay workers what they’re worth.
No more offshoring factories to Asia. The closing of U.S. factories and their subsequent reopenings in Latin America and other third-world spots gave rise to MAGA more than anything else.
No more inexpensively-run businesses. I know for a fact the average site foreman makes around $100,000 to $350,000 per year. The illegal carpenters, masons, landscapers, etc., make about 75-90% less.
Restaurateurs will complain, “My profit margin is only 1-2%!” “I’d have to charge $35 for a burger, $20 for a beer!” “I’ll go out of business!”
If your customers won’t pay $28 for avocado toast, $75 for bottomless mimosas and $125 for wagyu steak, maybe you should find a classier clientele.
Em Goldstein
Aspen