Frankly Speaking on Work Ethic – Commentary by Frank Gillispie
Nature abhors a vacuum. I learned that in science class far too many
years ago. A vacuum is an area where some matter is missing even though it is
surrounded by other matter or energy. When that happens the surrounding
matter is pulled into the space to fill, and thus eliminate, the vacuum.
For example, if you seal off a space and pump out the air, you have a
vacuum. If the seal breaks, the outside air will rush into the space filling it almost instantly.
Now, what does that have to do with current news? The current crisis of
illegal immigration is an example of a vacuum being filled. Our nation has
a deep vacuum of unskilled laborers. Our economy needs a large number of
workers to fill these low skill, low pay jobs. Because we are unable to
find workers from within our own population who will take these jobs,
millions of desperate people from other nations, mostly Mexicans, are
flowing across our borders to fill the vacuum.
Frequently, President Bush has made the comment that the illegal immigrants
are needed to fill these jobs that “Americans will not do.” He is correct
that these workers are needed, and he is correct that Americans are not
stepping up to fill the jobs. The question I have is “Why?”
We have millions of people in this country who are physically and mentally
fit to fill these positions. But they refuse to take the jobs. The reason
is simple. They don’t have to. They are receiving their basic economic
needs without being required to work.
Why should anyone work as a gofer on a construction crew, in the heat, dust
and noise, when all they have to do is go to the nearest DEFACS office and
apply for food stamps, subsidized rent, clothing vouchers and other government
handouts? Most low skill, low pay jobs are physically demanding. You
actually have to lift and carry things. And the amount you can earn from
such jobs is less than the value of the freebies you can get from government
by not working.
I am of the opinion that government hand out programs need to be reformed.
I think people who are physically and mentally able to work should work.
Even if they have to take these low skill, low pay jobs. Then if their
earnings are not enough to provide sufficient food, clothing and shelter for
their families, then some degree of supplementation is in order. Among the
assistance they should receive is job skill and life style training to help
them qualify for better, more lucrative jobs. But those who simply refuse
to seek or accept any job should not be eligible for such help.
A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate
their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread
it has earned - this is the sum of good government. --Thomas Jefferson
It is simply not fair to those of us who try to earn our own way in life to
be penalized by taking the money we earn to give to those who make no effort
to support themselves. We need a dramatic change in our way of doing
things, including a great decrease in the welfare state, that will encourage
people to work and not just depend on government for their personal and
family needs. If we assure that our own people are available to fill these
low skill jobs until they can develop stronger work skills, then the worker
vacuum will vanish and there will be no need for the illegals to flood our
communities.
Just think of all those people gaining personal dignity by being responsible
for the support and care of themselves and their families. Think of the
billions of dollars in tax money that can be removed from federal, state and
local budgets. Think of the additional tax cuts that would further stimulate our economy.
My grandfather who spent most of his life as a sharecropper considered it a
major insult to have to live on charity. He took pride in the fact that he
kept his family fed, clothed and housed by his own efforts. We need to get
back to that particular “family value.”
Copyright © 2007 by Frank Gillispie
frankgillispie671@msn.com, Hull, GA
Related Links
Illegal Immigrants are Criminals - Frank Gillispie
Resisting Tax Tyranny - Frank Gillispie
Frankly Speaking on Slavery Apologies - Frank Gillispie
We failed to keep it - Frank Gillispie
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