DailyKos discovers McCain $50 lettuce canard, that "jobs Americans won't do" is false

Posted Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Remember almost two and half years ago when John McCain said how Americans wouldn't pick lettuce even if they were paid $50 an hour? Since then it's become part of his lore, at least from those who oppose illegal immigration. And, remember how endless hacks trotted out the "jobs Americans won't do" lie, which many of those same opponents said was false?

Well, it took them a while, but the DailyKos kids have finally caught up to both. From a "diary" by "smintheus" called "McCain on working class wages" (dailykos.com/story/2008/8/21/162111/573/526/572063):
Since the nation is in the midst of John McCain's 'housing crisis', in which he tries to remember how many houses he owns, and we're all still trying to figure out why McCain thinks an income of $5,000,000/year is needed to be considered rich, it's worth revisiting McCain's opinion about the value of wages. In 2006 at an AFL-CIO convention, when asked about the effect of immigration in depressing wages, McCain declared that no Americans would be willing to do agricultural work for as little as $50/hour. At that rate, a worker would make as much in 6 months as the average annual household income in the US...

...I'd love for voters to ask McCain at townhalls this summer and fall whether he still thinks nobody's willing to work for as little as $50/hour...
I don't know if "smintheus" is playing a game or not, but the replies I scanned seemed to agree with him. Perhaps the DNC has taken Rahm Emanuel's advice rather that offered by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga (Subcommandante Kos) on this same topic.

UPDATE: To blow some Democratic minds, guess what show this is from:
Well, Project USA has made it possible for to you apply for one of those $50 an hour McCain and company lettuce picking jobs. In response to the question, "Are you qualified?" You can check, "Yes, I am an American," "Yes, I am an illegal alien," or, "Yes, I'm a qualified engineer interested in automating lettuce picking, and thanks to the H1-B cheap human import program you support, I'm unemployed, too."

You can also fill out your application online at projectusa.org. Project USA will deliver those personally to Senator McCain, I'm told.

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rahm emanuel

Comments

Mary (not verified)

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 15:23

I find it odd that no one seems to get the point of this "house" controversy regarding either candidate. The overrriding theme obvious to me is that if you want to get really rich as both of these candidates are...you need to get into politics! What happened to 'everyman' who went into public service to right wrongs, and do the right thing for fellow man and country. I think the reason that most are in it today is for personal enrichment which is why most Americans are disgusted with our politicians.

Scrapiron (not verified)

Sat, 08/23/2008 - 02:02

Maybe Hussein O stole enough money through politics to get rich but McCain did not. I don't know 'his' actual worth, but his wife is rich. They're financial affairs are seperated. I consider $5m per year rich also. That's what McCain said, not that something less would not be rich also. If I read this correct the left wing democrats don't consider $5m per year as rich. Harry Truman said he had a choice between playing piano in a whore house or going into politics. Maybe that's the choice all politicians had since most seem unqualified to work at McDonalds. McCain's wife owns numerous homes and it's doubtful she got either one of them at a $300,000 discount through the influence of a known member of the Chicago mob. (now convicted of many crimes against the people)

Mary (not verified)

Sat, 08/23/2008 - 02:40

Yeah McCains wife is rich, but both he and Kerry wouldn't have had the opportunity to marry rich women unless they were "senators"....so it benefitted them greatly....so much so they never want to give up that 'rich' public life ......