SEE! It isn’t rocket science! All it really takes is one thing: political will. Governor Napolitano may be a Democrat, but she is certainly right on this issue.
Talk about the rule of law…..
Governer OKs toughest migrant-hire law in the U.S.
Gov. Janet Napolitano on Monday signed sweeping legislation against employers of undocumented workers, targeting the state’s market for illegal labor with what she called "the most aggressive action in the country."
The penalty for violators: the suspension of a business license on the first violation and permanent revocation on a second, amounting to a death sentence for repeat offenders.
Teeth! A law with teeth! I am a big proponent of consequences – simply, it is an "adult" thing. Too often we as a society paper over bad decisions by individuals and groups and not holding them accountable for their actions. Instead, we say "oh, how dreadful….we’ll make it better". As we have seen with extending welfare benefits, what seems to be "the nice thing to do" turns out to be the worst thing.
"It’s monumental. It’s a change from anything we’ve done in the past," said Speaker of the House Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix. "It’s time for the states to start stepping up and stop waiting for Congress."
Good thinking. With President Bush and the other political elites unwilling to "do the right thing" (IMHO), it is time, under our Federalist system of government to work. After all, all powers not explicitly given to the to central government belong to the States. Hey, if the Feds wish to drop their power into the gutter, why not have the States, seeing it lying there, just pick it up.
[snip]
"We’re dealing somewhat in uncharted territory right now – uncharted territory because of the inability of the Congress to act," Napolitano said. "The states will take the lead, and Arizona will take the lead among the states."
Sometimes, the vernacular fits better than anything else: "You go, girl!"
But opposition to the new law was swift, led by Latino activists and the business community. Eight minutes after the governor’s announcement that she had signed the bill, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce issued a statement calling it "a crippling blow to Arizona business."
I direct you to someone who says it better than I could: John over at RWN
Business is nothing but adaptable – that is the essence of capitalism. Find a niche, fill it, and make a profit – legally. If the business environment changes, the business either adapts or dies (been there, done that).
I have no compassion for companies that have built their business model on employing illegal workers at the expense of legal one. Let them go out of buisness – AFTER their owners suffer the consequences of their actions in our judicial system.
"We have five months for the business community to rally and come to the table and demand that the House and Senate come back to the table and work on this bill," said Mary Rose Wilcox, a Maricopa County supervisor and Hispanic activist. "People are just incensed about this. This will be disastrous for the state of Arizona."
This statement assumes one thing – that businesses will refuse to adapt. Frankly, I believe the correct way to take Ms. Wilcox’s statement is "This will be disastrous to the illegals that I believe have the [misguided notion of the] right to be here.
"Anyone worried about this bill ought to be worried about their hiring practices," said Pearce, who called the measure "the toughest yet fairest employer-sanction law in the country."
Absolutely! Talk about making sure that the economic and business landscape will be even and just for all! By mandating that business use only legal workers, the playing field will be level again. The analogy is apt – illegals are the steroids of the low-skill business world. Time to put things straight.
