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Pat Buchanan on Jobs
2000 Reform Candidate for President
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Myth of Indispensable Aliens: illegals lower wages by 7.4%
We are told that illegal aliens benefit the economy. President Bush says illegal aliens "do jobs Americans won't do." This is pure propaganda, the Myth of the Indispensible Alien put out by ideologues, first among whom is [Mexican President] Vicente Fox,
who said, "There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with willingness and ability to work, are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the US."79% of all service workers are native-born, as are 68% of all workers in jobs requiring no more
than a high-school education. What these numbers fairly shout is that native-born Americans ARE doing and WILL do the work illegal immigrants do.
But the arrival in our country of millions of immigrants every year, especially illegals who work for the
wages offered, puts constant downward pressure on American wages. Cheap immigrant labor has reduced by 7.4% the wages of American workers performing low-skill jobs. This constitutes an injustice and a betrayal of the workingmen and women of America.
Source: State of Emergency, by Pat Buchanan, p. 32-3
, Oct 2, 2007
Keeping US jobs benefits black middle class
Q: Do you expect to get any support from the minority community? A: Yeah, I do believe this: Of the folks we travel around the country; some of the friendliest ones are
African-American folks and other minority folks because they do believe I’m fighting to keep in the US the kinds of jobs that their kids are going to need and going to have if they’re going to make it into the middle class.
These manufacturing jobs in America that I’m trying to save aren’t for Pat Buchanan. They’re not for people in graduate schools. They’re the road to the middle class for kids who quit school after high school
maybe because they got into a little bit of trouble, or maybe because they want to, or they’re tired of school. Those are the things that used to bring those folks into the middle class.
Source: National Public Radio interview, “Talk of the Nation”
, May 30, 2000
Agrees with union stance on trade
Background: Union members make up 14% of the work force, down from 20% in 1983. The federal minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. Buchanan’s views:Against minimum-wage increase. Opposed trade agreements also opposed by organized labor.
Source: NyTimes.com Politics Library
, Feb 3, 2000
No minimum-wage increase
Union members make up 14 percent of the work force, down from 20 percent in 1983. The federal minimum wage is $5.15 an hour.
Buchanan’s views: Against minimum-wage increase. Opposed trade agreements also opposed by organized labor.
Source: NyTimes.com “White House 2000”
, Jan 1, 2000
Supports ethanol subsidies for energy independence
Pat Buchanan has stated his “support [for] ethanol production as integral to a policy of national energy independence” and cited an Iowa ethanol production facility he recently visited as “an example of American efficiency.”
Source: Sustainable Energy Coalition, media backgrounder #2
, Nov 18, 1999
Offset minimum wage increase with small business tax cuts
Q: There’s a bill on Capitol Hill right now to raise the minimum wage a buck an hour over a two year period. Is “Blue Collar” Pat going to support a raise in the minimum wage?
A: “Blue Collar” Pat would take a look at it, if in return you would cut taxes on all small business in America. Take the taxes away so that the government doesn’t benefit from it, and I’ll go along with it.
Source: Interview on MSNBC’s “Equal Time”
, Nov 2, 1999
Page last updated: Oct 01, 2016