tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18380739.post2388707049670910331..comments2023-10-26T07:08:33.504-04:00Comments on Migra Matters: Bush's Brain lets the cat out of the bagDuke Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05898716854097535479noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18380739.post-18134419459031377412007-02-12T13:18:00.000-05:002007-02-12T13:18:00.000-05:00Is that what they are doing? I thought they were j...Is that what they are doing? I thought they were just hypocrites who chose their paychecks over the country.<BR/><BR/>I know that sounds like a joke but I'm serious. There are sporadic cases of individuals standing up for their ideals but the majority of those in positions of influence and power are going along. <BR/><BR/>I've never assumed after the first year or two after 9/11 that they actually believed anything coming from the GOP, the White House, the media. Like our erudite WH residents proclaimed: "Fool me, blame on me ..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18380739.post-63548574506138053962007-02-11T16:01:00.000-05:002007-02-11T16:01:00.000-05:00But in effect that's what's going on when movement...But in effect that's what's going on when movement leadership says thing like this, from Janet Murgia, president and chief executive of the National Council of La Raza, in today's <A HREF="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020901947.html" REL="nofollow">Washibgton Post</A><BR/><BR/><BR/><I>The immigration reform bill the Senate passed last year contains a much different model of a worker visa program than the unjust model we have lived with for decades. Workers would not be at the mercy of abusive employers in that they could change jobs and alert the authorities to mistreatment. Rather than becoming a permanent second-class workforce, they would have the opportunity to earn a path to permanent status -- and ultimately citizenship -- as one of the only classes of migrants able to petition for themselves rather than relying on an employer or relative to petition for them. There are important labor protections for immigrant workers as well as for their American co-workers, including a requirement that immigrant workers be paid the prevailing wage in an industry to avoid undercutting the wages of American workers employed there.<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>They are relying on the Executive Branch, through it's enforcement, regulatory agencies, to guarantee that there are no abuses of the system. History has shown us that there ha been much to be desired in their past actions. In fact many of today's problems can be directly traced to either inaction or in some cases willful misuse of power on the part of these agencies.<BR/><BR/>Human Right Watch did an excellent study of the abuses in the meat packing industry that showed just how government neglect and deregulation have made that industry one of the most abusive and dangerous industries in the nation. Particularly for immigrant laborers.<BR/><BR/> <A HREF="http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/usa0105/index.htm" REL="nofollow">http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/usa0105/index.htm</A><BR/><BR/>While we would like to think that no one would take anything this administration says at face value, the fact is, when we put our trust in them to enforce regulations to protect working people we will inevitably be disappointed.Duke Reedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10372995156231067645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18380739.post-57998920145537485172007-02-11T13:52:00.000-05:002007-02-11T13:52:00.000-05:00"we take them at their word."No, there can't be an..."we take them at their word."<BR/><BR/>No, there can't be anyone left who takes them at their word, can there?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com