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January 24, 2007
Citrus Freeze and Layoffs
by Jack Lee
Recently NPR's award winning journalist, Nina Totenberg (see photo), did a story about the economic devastation the recent citrus crop freeze has wrought and this incorporated a tender story about a woman facing a layoff at a produce packing plant. A story that no doubt evoked a great deal of emotion and compassion from her audience.
Because the interviewee spoke only Spanish, she spoke through a translator as she expressed her concerns that the safety nets government has was going to provide her, including unemployment benefits and a large utility tax credit would not kick in for at least 30-60 days. She wondered how she would make ends meet till then? Just another sad story of the toll the citrus freeze has taken on everyone, right? Well, not exactly, there was a "PS". See, there's pretty good evidence to indicate the woman in question was here illegally and now we have her and her 4 kids that need support during the layoff. Unfortunately Totenberg was more focused on implying here's another Bush failure in the making, just like Katrina. Another case of, "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story".
Posted by Post Scripts at January 24, 2007 04:38 PM
Comments
She wondered how she would make ends meet till then?
She could try an old fashioned method for surviving this kind of unexpected event...cash...it used to be kept in the cookie jar or an old cigar box...they referred to it as "saving for a rainy day"...I know, I know, unheard of in this "Laaa la la la la la live for today"...world! Sigh!
As for the rest...if she's illegal you cxan't tell me she doesn't know how to stretch a tortilla.
The President has proven himself to be a big man...this too may sit on his shoulders, but he will wear it, and weather it, well!
Posted by: Tina at January 25, 2007 08:07 PM
Sure, I felt pitty for that lady and if hers was an isolated case I might say, ok, lets just give her the entitlements that the rest of us have paid into the system to receive some day.
But she's not an isolated case! We have millions upon millions of illegal aliens (mostly from Mexico) that have essentially cut in front of the immigration line and they are putting such a drain on us it's closing hospitals, emergency rooms, disrupting schools and heavily contributing to our jails and prisons. We all have to pay for it! On the flip side, if you are from one of the really poor latin American countries, don't try to sneak into Mexico... you'll get tossed into something akin to a concentration camp and eventually deported. Man, they are brutal when it comes to dealing with their illegal alien problem!
I can almost hear the left voicing all their excuses now why I am wrong and why we need more illegals for ag work, but in actual fact very few of the illegals are here to work in agriculture. So lets get real, don't even start with that one.
I hope Tina is right about the President, but what I see is Bush has had 6 years to do something about this border problem and nothing much has happened except a lot of hot air and amnesty. So, I'm not as optimistic. I have this sinking feeling he is eventually going to sell us out on completely immigration reform. Pobably it will come in the form of an effort to bolster his sagging popularity among the the left that rail on him 24/7.
This would be a huge mistake because no matter what Bush does, on anything, the left will find a way to rip on him, just like they do over the Iraq situation.
Michelle Malkin has written some great articles on immigration you might enjoy ...
http://www.michellemalkin.com/immigration/2005/10/1803:56.pm
Posted by: Jack at January 25, 2007 09:58 PM
When I said the president would "weather this well" I meant the criticism or blame...he ignores it as he should.
What is eventually done about the immigration problem is bound to be wrong in one way or another. No one seems able to agree on the problem much less a solution.
I was referred to a very good solution by someone on this site...was it you, Nick? I can't recall the website. It was a think tank in Colorado, I believe. Their solution was great and addressed all considerations with workable solutions.
Not much chance of passing that kind of legislation now though...not since the electorate were in the mood to punish republicans. Thanks to "change" we now have a bunch that will create even more problems wherever and whenever they can. To borrow a word from down yonder...Ya'l sure did fix them.
Posted by: Tina at January 26, 2007 08:52 PM