The Bracero program allowed Mexicans to temporarily work in the United States to fill labor shortages during World War II and afterward. López Obrador said the U.S. economy needs Mexican workers because of “their strength, their youth.”
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Most of them didn't go home after their permits expired and those that did had their money stolen by the Mexican government.
It may not be the best way but to my simple mind it seems better than no system. Of course the govt f’s up everything they do. Successfully working a job might be a better measure for a potential citizen than the ability to wade the river.
ReplyDelete"those that did had their money stolen by the Mexican government." Why do you think Obrador wants to re-instated the policy? For him, it's a win-win proposition.
ReplyDeleteAgree with the above. If jobs were more available in Mexico, there would be no need for Mexicans to come here to send $$$ back to their families. Not mentioned much is that before these families see $$$, the Mexican human smuggler 'coyotes' are paid off before. The smugglers aren't patient people and the families of the smuggled are in likely danger.
DeleteThe difference right now is many American citizens are looking for jobs right now too. Way more competition and Americans deserve the opportunity to work more than foreign citizens.
Ken, there are a lot of misconceptions in place regarding the border situation and its history. Full disclosure: I'm married into a poor Mexican family and have had a front row seat to the border story for over 30 years. My father in law, who is now approaching 90, used come to the US every year when he was young to pick apples in Washington state and then go back home with his earnings. He's told me many stories about his travels. I (ahem)'helped' my wife into the US in 1986 so I could marry her after a disastrous first marriage. We're still going strong. Prior to the 1980's workers could go back and forth across a pretty open border with little consequence and did so every year. Make no mistake about it, at that time Mexicans most certainly did NOT want to live in the US. They wanted the work, and by extension the money, that was available in the US but they wanted to live at home in Mexico. Most of the US is too cold and Americans, while nice, are somewhat odd. Pretty nice but really impatient and quick to anger. Keep in mind I'm talking about Mexicans, not Mexican-Americans. Huge difference between the two. Attitudes change greatly in the follow on generations that are born in the US and the change isn't for the better. But the border situation really started to change when the US started cracking down on cross border movement beginning sometime in the '80's. When easy movement across the border ceased, migrants were forced to make a decision: stay in Mexico (or Central America) and remain dirt poor and starve or come to the US and stay in the US and try to find a way to get the rest of the family across. Those policies have brought us to where we are today. Oddly enough, the toughest administration I've seen regarding border security was the Clinton administration - they really seemed to take the job seriously and political correctness had not yet creeped into security policies, and I say that as someone who despises the amoral Clinton grifters to the ends of the earth. I fully believe that the situation as it was prior to the 80's was preferable to what we have now. I think a similar program, if it was properly administered and that's a huge 'if', could help bring an end to the disaster that's in place now.
ReplyDeleteMaybe. If the idiots cut out the bullshit free bennies except for the naturalized citizens and leave the border open maybe people would not be so pissed here. I never fault a working person trying to take care of his family.
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