Non-Citizens Capture 29 Percent of U.S. Jobs, Report Says
6.21.2004
From Bloomberg: Employment for non-citizens rose twice as fast as their overall population did, which may affect voter perceptions of the improving U.S. economy, said Rakesh Kochhar, an economist who wrote the report using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau.
How significant is this figure in a first world economy? We have to go back to the mass immigration during the 1900s to understand this. Between 1870 and 1900, nearly 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States -- more foreign-born people than had come to the country in the preceding 70 years. Is it a boon or bane?
Expect this figure to come up as an issue. If you are pro-Bush, you'll take this as a positive sign that the US economy is on it's way back up. You will try to hide the fact that once, Bush dreaded that American Jobs will get siphoned off by the Chinese. You will also attempt to highlight that the figure represents how equal opportunity is America is providing better lives for most. At the same time, you will be careful not to antagonize the WASPs and the conservatives, which believes that Americans should get mor of that percentage.
Imagine if you are on the other side of campaign? In the Philippines where turncoatism is quite common in Congress, will this job be too difficult? I think so.
Think about this: In the past, the Philippines has experience a statistical surprise albeit in reverse: when 1 of every 4 Filipinos want to get out of the country. The beaurocracy handled it in the most distasteful manner, that it became a national concern. They fanned the flames by admitting to the truth of it, without getting enough figures to see how much of these peole would want to return after they leave.
You see, one must understand that the Filipino psyche is filled with responsibility toward his family. Such is repeated nonstop through his education, his growth, by his peers, and through media, that in the end, he catches enough strength to take whatever risk. Instead of focusing on the most significant aspect of the culture, for instance, "what reasons the Filipino has in his heart to take a bold step abroad", the beaurocracy thus, failed in bringing a positive side to the news.
Labels: Culture, Economics, Philippines
posted by Jdavies @ 6/21/2004,
2 Comments:
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At 6/22/2004 10:13:00 AM,
Sassy Lawyer said...
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You know, I really don't understand that distinction between "Americans" on the one hand, and the "chinese-americans", "filipino-americans", "african-americans" etc.
American history itself says that "native Americans" were what we now call "indians" because the European messed-up big time when they thought they had reached India when in fact they landed in "the new world". These "indians" are not what "Americans" call "Americans" today. Which is silly because "Americans" beginning with the Mayflower pilgrims must be a fraction Italian, a fraction english, a fraction French, a fraction Dutch and so on.
It's like discriminating against what they really are deep inside. Which makes it a combination of insecurity and denial. -
At 6/22/2004 05:08:00 PM,
Jdavies said...
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I have always believed in America and the humanistic ideals that it fights for. After all, I am a humanist.
It's crazy though when people from America itself forget the fact that thier forefathers were all but immigrants to a foreign land which is not their own. To those that remember, I have the highest admiration.
While to those that forget, then shame on them. The Chinese, the Filipinos, the Irish, the Indians, and other Asians, are all in that stage of population movement because like the first "americans" they want a change in their families fortunes, and it would always be great to start in a clean slate.
The first ones, and us, the new, we are the same. I don't know why its a big deal to some.
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J.Davies
Jdavies lives in Quezon City, Philippines and has been blogging since 2002. A brand manager in a leading technology company and a freelance new media/web strategy consultant, he has refocused his blogging from personal, political & sociological observations, to marketing-related efforts and Internet trends that are relevant to his career and branding advocacies.
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