torrid said:

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I've developed a network of people I call for household work over the years, things like painting or tree-trimming. It is mostly neighbor referrals. Of course they are all Hispanic. I'm not going to demand to see their green card or birth certificate. I'm generally happy with their work, and I often pay them in cash.

I guess I'm part of the problem.

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combat wombat said:

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I hired a painter to paint the inside of my house before we moved in. He did excellent work and was much less expensive than a couple of the bigger painting companies I got bids from. He was recommended by neighbors. He was supposed to come today to do a couple other things. He just texted me that he's not going to be able to make it because a friend told him that "La Migra" is going to be in his area so he's staying home.

DOH! Maybe his pricing should have been a tip off? He speaks passable English. I never ask vendors their immigration status. Especially if the come highly recommended. Should I? Do you?

I'd hate to be trying to build houses right now .

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Who?mikejones! said:

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combat wombat said:

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I hired a painter to paint the inside of my house before we moved in. He did excellent work and was much less expensive than a couple of the bigger painting companies I got bids from. He was recommended by neighbors. He was supposed to come today to do a couple other things. He just texted me that he's not going to be able to make it because a friend told him that "La Migra" is going to be in his area so he's staying home.

DOH! Maybe his pricing should have been a tip off? He speaks passable English. I never ask vendors their immigration status. Especially if the come highly recommended. Should I? Do you?

I'd hate to be trying to build houses right now .

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I build houses and am not having any issues with my labor

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The Fall Guy said:

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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You could. I don't know. Mow your own lawn, trim your own trees, prune your own landscaping, paint your own house, fix your own sprinkler system.

All things I regularly do. Just like my father did, and most of our fathers did.

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Some of us have gone past that age to move 100 pound stones. Mowed hundreds of yards in my youth, redid barns, landscape. That is the reason I can't do those large projects anymore. Worked my ass off. So I can now tell someone how to do the job to my liking.

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RGLAG85 said:

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Who?mikejones! said:

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combat wombat said:

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I hired a painter to paint the inside of my house before we moved in. He did excellent work and was much less expensive than a couple of the bigger painting companies I got bids from. He was recommended by neighbors. He was supposed to come today to do a couple other things. He just texted me that he's not going to be able to make it because a friend told him that "La Migra" is going to be in his area so he's staying home.

DOH! Maybe his pricing should have been a tip off? He speaks passable English. I never ask vendors their immigration status. Especially if the come highly recommended. Should I? Do you?

I'd hate to be trying to build houses right now .

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I build houses and am not having any issues with my labor

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Where do you build houses?

It's not a gotcha, we're in related business.

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RGLAG85 said:

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Who?mikejones! said:

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combat wombat said:

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I hired a painter to paint the inside of my house before we moved in. He did excellent work and was much less expensive than a couple of the bigger painting companies I got bids from. He was recommended by neighbors. He was supposed to come today to do a couple other things. He just texted me that he's not going to be able to make it because a friend told him that "La Migra" is going to be in his area so he's staying home.

DOH! Maybe his pricing should have been a tip off? He speaks passable English. I never ask vendors their immigration status. Especially if the come highly recommended. Should I? Do you?

I'd hate to be trying to build houses right now .

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I build houses and am not having any issues with my labor

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Where do you build houses?

It's not a gotcha, we're in related business.

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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The Fall Guy said:

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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You could. I don't know. Mow your own lawn, trim your own trees, prune your own landscaping, paint your own house, fix your own sprinkler system.

All things I regularly do. Just like my father did, and most of our fathers did.

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Some of us have gone past that age to move 100 pound stones. Mowed hundreds of yards in my youth, redid barns, landscape. That is the reason I can't do those large projects anymore. Worked my ass off. So I can now tell someone how to do the job to my liking.

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Sounds like you've done your part. I'm 45 years old and there will certainly be a time when I can't do all of those things anymore as well. I'm talking to the ones who are in their 20's, 30's, and 40's.

I don't really have any sympathy for their moral conundrum on this thread when the answer to their problems is, to parse a phrase, "learn to mow".

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Who?mikejones! said:

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RGLAG85 said:

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Who?mikejones! said:

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combat wombat said:

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I hired a painter to paint the inside of my house before we moved in. He did excellent work and was much less expensive than a couple of the bigger painting companies I got bids from. He was recommended by neighbors. He was supposed to come today to do a couple other things. He just texted me that he's not going to be able to make it because a friend told him that "La Migra" is going to be in his area so he's staying home.

DOH! Maybe his pricing should have been a tip off? He speaks passable English. I never ask vendors their immigration status. Especially if the come highly recommended. Should I? Do you?

I'd hate to be trying to build houses right now .

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I build houses and am not having any issues with my labor

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Where do you build houses?

It's not a gotcha, we're in related business.

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Central texas

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Get Off My Lawn said:

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To those who knowingly turn the blind eye to contract illegal cheap labor: you're wrong & part of the problem.

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AgGrad99 said:

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This is a good discussion.

Does anyone really have an issue with those who are coming here to work hard and contribute to our society? I dont think so.

I understand they're using our streets, hospitals, schools, etc....while not paying their fair freight. But we're also getting inexpensive labor force in exchange. It's a partnership that had worked for decades.

The problem, is that in addition to the numbers getting way way out of whack, you get a lot of bad, along with the good. That has to be addressed. At some point, we need cooperation from Mexico, to establish a seasonal/migrant immigration plan that actually works, and also keeps us safe. Yes, we have legal methods currently...but we dont have cooperation. It shouldnt be this difficult for those seasonal labor forces to legally spend time in the country. it helps them and us.

My sister did a rural rotation during medical school. She'd go into the waiting room, and say, 'John Hernandez....John Hernandez.....John Hernandez'. After the 3rd or 4th time, some random guy would pop up 'Si'...obviously having forgotten the name he put on the form.

Right/Wrong, the hospital/community overlooked it, because those guys were there to work hard. But the numbers and abuse has become unsustainable.

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BkYdPitmaster said:

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Ol_Ag_02 said:

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You could. I don't know. Mow your own lawn, trim your own trees, prune your own landscaping, paint your own house, fix your own sprinkler system.

All things I regularly do. Just like my father did, and most of our fathers did.

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What do you or your dad charge? Need some stuff done around here.

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JFABNRGR said:

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Sounds like your going to have to learn to paint!

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Who?mikejones! said:

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AgGrad99 said:

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This is a good discussion.

Does anyone really have an issue with those who are coming here to work hard and contribute to our society? I dont think so.

I understand they're using our streets, hospitals, schools, etc....while not paying their fair freight. But we're also getting inexpensive labor force in exchange. It's a partnership that had worked for decades.

The problem, is that in addition to the numbers getting way way out of whack, you get a lot of bad, along with the good. That has to be addressed. At some point, we need cooperation from Mexico, to establish a seasonal/migrant immigration plan that actually works, and also keeps us safe. Yes, we have legal methods currently...but we dont have cooperation. It shouldnt be this difficult for those seasonal labor forces to legally spend time in the country. it helps them and us.

My sister did a rural rotation during medical school. She'd go into the waiting room, and say, 'John Hernandez....John Hernandez.....John Hernandez'. After the 3rd or 4th time, some random guy would pop up 'Si'...obviously having forgotten the name he put on the form.

Right/Wrong, the hospital/community overlooked it, because those guys were there to work hard. But the numbers and abuse has become unsustainable.

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No, I don't have any issues with people with skills coming over to work. I do have issues with the way dems abuse the asylum system which they practically define as any reason whatsoever and the incentivize those waiting on asylum to create their new life while in a limbo status.

I have issues with the way dems let people over and are in no hurry to return.


But, we should have some sort of registry or waiting list where prospective workers can essentially sign up to come over. Then, businesses can use that list to bring people they need over.

Now, those workers should not be able to bring family. There should not be a path to citizenship outside the normal channels for them. They should have remittances taxed. The business should be taxed for using foreign labor. There should be strict time requirements on the length of stay.

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