LyrArc Article Gist
Having 12 million human beings caught in a net of fear and apprehension, living life in the shadows, even in abad economy, no, especially in a bad economy, makes no sense, says the NYT editorial. These immigrants can become productive citizens, some of the most hard working who did the backbreaking work in factories and construction, who send money to keep families in Mexico and other parts of Latin Ameica from falling into poverty. In doing so and working on the books instead of off the books, they earn more, spend more, pay more taxes. and have the ability to ensure that there are fewer abuses in the workplace. This way they also get better education for themseves to improve job prospects, and better education for their children who can become part of the next generation of productive citizens. It also clears the path for focus on how to handle better border enforcement focussing resources on fighting crime, drugs, violence, and have a future flow of workers that is in line with the economy's needs. It createss decent workplaces, where people's workplace rights are not violated by unscruplous employers. In this case the fair thing to do, is also the most beneficial thing to do in the larger sense for the economy. In this context the agreement of labor unions, the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win (a rival federation that includes auto service employees, Teamsters and carpenters), to agree that an independent national commission would figure out the size of temporary workers depending on the needs of the economy, higher if it was growing, lower if it wasn't, basing it on conditions in the labor markets, is a good things says NYT. It takes necessary courage for unions, Obama to do the needed fight to protect these future citizens and build a better America with their help, rather than wish the impossible of putting them all on the boat back.