New Study Shows Negative Impact of Minimum Wage, Not Illegal Immigrants
January 31st 2010 00:46
A new study by the Chicago Urban League and the Alternative Schools Network "proves" that illegal immigration has destroyed the job market for young adults and teens. What appears to be their evidence? Well, 20-24 year old people were hit the hardest in terms of employment decline during this recession. Since these are the low-skilled workers in the economy and illegal aliens are generally low-skilled, the report concludes that it must have been illegal immigrants that led to such massive job loss from 2007-2009.
From Republican Congressman Lamar Smith's reaction to the study:
To my knowledge, a copy of the study is not available; however, I will attempt to offer two (better?) alternatives to why employment amongst the young has fallen so much during this recession.
1. The federal minimum wage has increased three times, since July 2007. The recession began in December of 2007, so two of these minimum wage hikes came during a recession. Since teens and young adults are the majority of people making minimum wage, raising the minimum wage, especially during a recession, will lead to lower employment for that age group.
2. It would make sense for the young to have the least stable employment. Combine this with the most severe recession in a long, long time, and it would make sense that the young adults and teens would be hit hard.
Again, I have not been able to look at the actual study, but it seems to me by the description of the study that the researchers were looking to blame something on immigrants so that they could ask for stimulus money. Congressmen are going to need much better evidence to justify calling for the mass deportation of millions of people.
Follow me on Twitter: @AGoldenDoor
From Republican Congressman Lamar Smith's reaction to the study:
“The fact is that illegal immigrants take jobs from American workers, particularly poor and disadvantaged citizens and legal immigrants. The best outcome for low-skilled citizen and legal immigrant workers is the removal of the illegal immigrant population. The very jobs that illegal immigrants occupy rightfully belong to out of work citizens and legal immigrants," Ranking Member Smith added. “With 15 million Americans out of work, we need to enforce immigration laws and oppose amnesty for 12 million illegal immigrants. We must stand up for citizens and legal immigrants.”
To my knowledge, a copy of the study is not available; however, I will attempt to offer two (better?) alternatives to why employment amongst the young has fallen so much during this recession.
1. The federal minimum wage has increased three times, since July 2007. The recession began in December of 2007, so two of these minimum wage hikes came during a recession. Since teens and young adults are the majority of people making minimum wage, raising the minimum wage, especially during a recession, will lead to lower employment for that age group.
2. It would make sense for the young to have the least stable employment. Combine this with the most severe recession in a long, long time, and it would make sense that the young adults and teens would be hit hard.
Again, I have not been able to look at the actual study, but it seems to me by the description of the study that the researchers were looking to blame something on immigrants so that they could ask for stimulus money. Congressmen are going to need much better evidence to justify calling for the mass deportation of millions of people.
Follow me on Twitter: @AGoldenDoor
| 19 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
