I agree with mark, flooding the labor market with cheap, black market labor from mexico is good for blacks and their employment prospects.

Now I'm being disingenuous.

Labor force participation levels are more meaningful than unemployment rates.
http://www.parapundit.com/archives/002259.html
(...)
Employment rates among black male teens and young adults ages 16 to 19 have dropped considerably over the past 50 years, the study found. In 1954, a slight majority -- 52 percent -- of black male teens worked, a rate slightly in excess of their white peers. By 2003, however, only one of five black male teens was employed in a typical month

Those who want to blame immigration for unemployment among young blacks are being totally disingenuous. The employment rates for young minorities in areas with few to no immigrants (less than 2 %) is pretty much the same compared to areas with lots of immigrants (> 10%) Hopefully, minorities wont fall for this bullsh*t scapegoating.

Those who want to blame immigration for unemployment among young blacks are being totally disingenuous. The employment rates for young minorities in areas with few to no immigrants (less than 2 %) is pretty much the same compared to areas with lots of immigrants (> 10%) Hopefully, minorities wont fall for this bullsh*t scapegoating.

"Dave has a secret plan to get low-IQ blacks and Hispanics to eschew gangbanging and getting pregnant in favor of finishing high school.

If so I'd like to hear about it; because it's badly needed. Because illegal immigration is filling America with people who are, on average, 1) a lot less likely to graduate high school and attend college, and 2) a lot more likely to be criminal."

And to have children without "benefit of marriage" as they say. The saying is that in order to avoid poverty you should (1) finish high school (although that isn't enough these days), (2) not have children until you are over 20 and married, and (3) get and keep a job. We are importing millions of people who fail 2 out of 3. And we need this? For what? Hello?

Retail sales increase GDP. But GDP is adjusted by subtracting imports. The net effect of retail sales of imports on GDP is 0

FYI: imports do not increase GDP

But retail sales do. No matter where the goods sold were made. Which strikes me as absurd. Anyway, it was just to show that some statistics, even if accurate (e.g. a retail sales figure) are dubious and, as interpreted, not to be taken all that seriously.

...by getting out of bed in the morning and graduating high school.

So what? I think it is pretty clear that a significant majority of the worst off Americans, the people most affected by job competition from illegals, have graduated high school. In any case, there are all kinds of Americans: some smart, some not so smart. A segment of the population will always either fail to make it through high school, or manage that but go no further with their formal education. So are we to kick them in the teeth by not enforcing immigration law?

Of course it is true that not going far in school often leads to a life of low(er) wages -- i.e. a more marginal economic existence. Which means poverty. But if you look at the data, it is clear that Hispanics (most illegals are Hispanic) are much worse in that regard than the average American. So how could importing them en masse be something to blow off with platitudes about finishing high school?

Dave has a secret plan to get low-IQ blacks and Hispanics to eschew gangbanging and getting pregnant in favor of finishing high school.

If so I'd like to hear about it; because it's badly needed. Because illegal immigration is filling America with people who are, on average, 1) a lot less likely to graduate high school and attend college, and 2) a lot more likely to be criminal.

Dave has a secret plan to get low-IQ blacks and Hispanics to eschew gangbanging and getting pregnant in favor of finishing high school.

FYI: imports do not increase GDP

And yes 5% is chump change compared to the increase in one's earnings potential by getting out of bed in the morning and graduating high school.

Here's another statistic for you: When Americans shop at WalMart and buy cheap shit made in China, this increases US GDP.

I think you have to lack common sense, and be more than a little bit dishonest, to claim that massive immigration has not had a significant impact on some occupations, and that the people hurt the most by this are among the poorest. So you also have to be more than a little bit of a jerk to call their lost earnings "chump change" -- as if it doesn't matter.

Personally, I don't care either way: even if this influx was putting more mone in my own pockets, I wouldn't want it -- just because of what I've seen of the on the ground reality of it.

I was referring to his April article in the WSJ, which I believe was his latest in that newspaper.

Actually, Borjas has cited a lot of figures over the years. I was only referring to the latest.

Dave, I believe Borjas' number was between 5 and 8%, not less than 5%. It's easy to imaginarily command the poor to go to high school, but try garnishing 5-8% of a poor person's wages without getting a sharp object inserted into your torso.

She's wrong in citing the New York Times. The person to quote would be Dr. George Borjas, the professor who has spent decades trying to find some evidence that immigration adversely affects wages.

In his most recent publication, an article in the WSJ, Borjas claims that immigration over the past decade has had a negligible effect on wages overall and has only affected low-skilled workers' wages by less than 5% (i.e. chump change).

While we weep over the plight of the unskilled laborers in this country, let's remind ourselves that Borjas also mentioned in his book that one can increase one's earnings potential by as much as 40% by simply getting out of bed and graduating high school. Not too difficult.

If you're a high school drop out, the best way you can improve your earnings potential is by getting an education and/or obtaining marketable job skills.