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Alex · 05-02-2006, 09:28 AM

Using a source that I believe would tend to prefer higher estimates puts the nationwide participation in protests and rallies at about 1.5 million. Since most of these people were apparently legal (on the news everybody interviewed claimed to be a citizen there in support of the cause, *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*) let's assume that 1 million were illegals.

This is less than 10% of the estimated number of illegal immigrants in the country. I'd guess that most of the illegals actually went to work or at least used the day to get a nap at home.

Muddying the situation will be how much of the economic impact yesterday was not actually caused by a huge impact from the absence of illegal immigrants but rather a precautionary measure in case there was one? Apparenly the Port of Los Angeles saw about 90% of their container truck drivers not show up. According to a spokesman this wasn't so much because there are a lot of illegals driving the trucks but because the drivers were concerned about delays and the resulting fines if they were late in delivering a container. So they did extra trips over the weekend and then took Monday off. Whether that is spin or truth, I don't know.

However, even if it were shown that the disappearance of illegal aliens caused severe economic hardship this would not be an argument against their removal. But more an argument for the degree to which wages are being artificially depressed in certain sectors of the economy.

Regardless of the presence of cheap labor the garbage still needs to be taken out at iSm's building. If the people willing to do this for $4.25/hour aren't there either they'll pay more or develop some way of getting out the garbage with the workforce they can attract.

scaeagles, if the gringos have to go out and spend an unusual amount of money to mask the economic impact of a strike/boycott is that not a tacit admission of their economic power? You can't go out and spend extra money every day. Essentially you'd be in an economic war like the one that bankrupted the Soviet Union. The Mexicans would be Reagan.

05-02-2006, 09:28 AM	#47
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Using a source that I believe would tend to prefer higher estimates puts the nationwide participation in protests and rallies at about 1.5 million. Since most of these people were apparently legal (on the news everybody interviewed claimed to be a citizen there in support of the cause, wink, wink, nudge, nudge) let's assume that 1 million were illegals. This is less than 10% of the estimated number of illegal immigrants in the country. I'd guess that most of the illegals actually went to work or at least used the day to get a nap at home. Muddying the situation will be how much of the economic impact yesterday was not actually caused by a huge impact from the absence of illegal immigrants but rather a precautionary measure in case there was one? Apparenly the Port of Los Angeles saw about 90% of their container truck drivers not show up. According to a spokesman this wasn't so much because there are a lot of illegals driving the trucks but because the drivers were concerned about delays and the resulting fines if they were late in delivering a container. So they did extra trips over the weekend and then took Monday off. Whether that is spin or truth, I don't know. However, even if it were shown that the disappearance of illegal aliens caused severe economic hardship this would not be an argument against their removal. But more an argument for the degree to which wages are being artificially depressed in certain sectors of the economy. Regardless of the presence of cheap labor the garbage still needs to be taken out at iSm's building. If the people willing to do this for $4.25/hour aren't there either they'll pay more or develop some way of getting out the garbage with the workforce they can attract. scaeagles, if the gringos have to go out and spend an unusual amount of money to mask the economic impact of a strike/boycott is that not a tacit admission of their economic power? You can't go out and spend extra money every day. Essentially you'd be in an economic war like the one that bankrupted the Soviet Union. The Mexicans would be Reagan.
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