Do You Hear That Sucking Sound?

Originally Posted by mrnoodle

No, but if he went across the border to Austria solely to get money to send back to Switzerland, Austria would suffer. Particularly if Austrians remained unemployed because others were taking the jobs.

Does Austria border Switzerland? I can't remember.

Yes, Austria does border Switzerland. But the fact remains, my uncle took $3,000 he could have spent in Switzerland and, instead, sent it to a family member in a foreign country.

[Elspode]

So...how much of our money can we send somewhere else before we have a financial collapse? And will the US be such an attractive place to look for work if that happens?

[limey]

Would Americans do the jobs that these immigrants are doing? but I think Marichiko's point has more point - what about all the Big Money that is banked, stored, spent abroad? Really Big Money ....

[bluecuracao]

Why single out Mexican workers' wages? Lots of other countries get lots of money from the U.S.

These people earned the money they made. It's theirs--they can do whatever they want with it.

[9th Engineer]

O still don't see why we need to argue over whether how they spend their wages is detrimental to the country if they broke the law to get here. Everything after the boarder crossing is a mute point, wouldn't matter if they donated every cent to the Red Cross...

[bluecuracao]

Besides the mention of the prostitute, I don't see where it says that they are law-breakers. Mexican does not equal "illegal immigrant."

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by bluecuracao

Why single out Mexican workers' wages? Lots of other countries get lots of money from the U.S.

These people earned the money they made. It's theirs--they can do whatever they want with it.

The only reason for singling out Mexicans, in my first post, is this photographer/artist had gathered the information as a side effect of her project. It's one of those things where you're reading something, and information that applies to something completely unrelated, jumps up a hits you in the eye.

Keep in mind, she is Mexican, they could be lying,....uh, exaggerating, how much they're actually sending, to impress the chica.....or each other. And even if these 11 people are here legally (I'm betting they are not), it's not about them....it's a indicator of how big a drain the millions of others are.


Mari, when he starts sending you a check every week, then it's a drain on his country. If you had 10 or 15 million uncles over there, it would become a big drain on their country.
The other problems you mentioned are part of the big picture also, as are the millions of Social Security checks that are being sent out of the country every month, but that doesn't negate this one.


Limey, would Americans do these jobs that would pay them enough money to live in NYC(expensive) and have enough left over to send $500 a week home? Absolutely.


Aliantha, you're absolutely right. Many countries have this problem and it's not easily solved. That said, first the problem has to be defined in size & scope, then solutions defined & implemented, but nothing happens until the citizens say they are mad as hell and not going to take it any more.
I always assume the leaders(politicians) are at least as lazy as I am, which tells me we have to light a pretty big fire under their butts.

[bluecuracao]

That doesn't make any sense, Bruce. If you assume that they are lying about how much they send to Mexico, then how can you use it as an indicator for anything?

Curious--why do you bet that the subjects of the photos are here illegally?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by bluecuracao

That doesn't make any sense, Bruce. If you assume that they are lying about how much they send to Mexico, then how can you use it as an indicator for anything?

Curious--why do you bet that the subjects of the photos are here illegally?

I didn't say they were lying. I said they could be lying (or inflating) the numbers, so we can't take the actual numbers as real data. It's a macho thing, like the number of "conquests", ya know?

I think most, if not all, are illegals because the artist/photographer is a Mexican promoting the wonderful service Mexicans are doing for the citizens of NYC. Plus most of the Mexicans in NYC are illegals from what I've been reading. A much greater percentage than the other Hispanic groups there.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Elspode

So...how much of our money can we send somewhere else before we have a financial collapse? And will the US be such an attractive place to look for work if that happens?

If we have a government deficit spending to the tune of what? 3 gazillion dollars a year and we don't want our currency completely devalued, wouldn't it be a good thing to send the extra dollars away and fight inflation with cheap labor as well? *shrug* just sayin'

[xoxoxoBruce]

Aliantha, I don't think I have to tell you.

Griff, next time I go to Times Square I'll ask the lad if he's cheaper than the other boys. Considering the sums they say they're sending, I don't think any of the 11 are working for cheap....more like prevailing wage. I suppose the cheap may come from ducking employers contribution.