Health insurance and illegal immigration
By lilwonders
@lilwonders456 (8214)
United States
March 24, 2010 1:20pm CST
The bill that was passed does not cover them. So there Mr. Joe "you lie" Wilson.
ANyway....I did wonder about something. The admin says it will take on illegals next...Of course Obama and Pelosi are in favor of amnesty or a "path to citizenship". My question is this...how many billions will that add to the healthcare reform costs? There are roughly 12 million illegals in this country. Just about all are low income. Which means when they become citizens they will be covered for their healthcare on the tax payer dime. Not to mention all the other social programs they would then qualify for. The vast majority would NOT make enough to even be paying taxes into the system.The jobs the vast majority would get would be low paying or low income. Meaning they would get federal and state taxes taken out of their checks...but at the end of hte year when they did their tax returns they would get it all back. So they would not really be contributing to the system...but they would be taking a lot back out.
Experts (for what that is worth) are estimating that it will cost us an additional 30 Billion tax dollars a year in healthcare costs alone...not including the spike in the other social programs costs.
So lets look at this...the healthcare bill is suppost to cost 940 billion over the next 10 years....add to that another 300 billon if you give the illegals citizenship.
So it may be take a ton of money to deport them...but it is also going to cost us a ton of money to keep them. Heck I know why the illegals are fighting soo hard for citizenship...they are looking to get one heck of a free ride....at our exspense.
So tell me what you think.
3 people like this
6 responses
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
24 Mar 10
I respectfully disagree with your last statement. I honestly don't believe the vast majority of immigrants, legal or illegal, are looking for a free ride. They are usually very hard working people and are used to doing with a lot less than the average American does. Also, they may not earn enough to end up owing state or federal income taxes but they will be paying payroll taxes as will the employers that hire them. They're already costing them lots of money for health care when they become sick - like everybody does - and go to their local ER.
I'm still unsure of my opinion on what needs to be done about immigration but I hope we don't lose sight of the fact that this country was founded by immigrants and even today there are many first and second generation immigrants who have been great contributors to our society.
Annie
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
24 Mar 10
Lil, do you realize what illegal immigrants have done to the construction/home improvement industry? My son was a drywall finisher for over 20 years. He made $24 an hour. Little by little the contractors and subcontractors started using illegal day laborers who they paid less than half of what my son was earning and they didn't have to keep them on the books or the insurance. Among the changes that need to be made is for there to be stiff penalties for anyone who hires day laborers like this. If employers were forced to pay these people a fair wage they would be earning a decent living. The painters that worked on the jobs with my son made something like $20 an hour, by the way.
1 person likes this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
24 Mar 10
They hurt a lot of Americans in my area too. taking jobs they did want and needed.
There is a gas station in my town they all hang out at. The construstion foremen go and pick up the day labors they want. Pay them under the table.
People can say "they only do job that american don't want"...all they want but it is not true.
Here in my town and most towns I know they just about kicked amricans out of the construction business.
There was a BIG flap after Katrina hit. The fed pushed money into the city to rebuild the city...the illegals flooded in. Alot of Americans in the construction business went to New Orleans thinking they could get work....it went to the illegals instead. So our federal tax dollars to rebuild new orleans put illegals to work..not americans. The news covered it some at the time. But not as much as they should have.
they have hurt americans. They have hurt our economy. I don't think we should reward them with citizenship.
YOu are right. Employers that hire illegals...they should loose their business license permenantly and face fines.
1 person likes this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
24 Mar 10
Oh I know they work...but the jobs they do are not good paying ones. Even if they get legal status the jobs they get won't pay much. All those taxes taken out of their pay checks...well they will get it back at the end of the year. A nice tax refund check. They won't make enough to qualify to pay taxes. You know like when I was college..I worked part time..I did not make enough to qualify to have to pay federal or state taxes...but payroll taxes were still taken out in my paycheck..I got a tax refund from both the state and feds for what was taken out of my paychecks. They will too.
They will be taking out of the system ALOT more than they will ever pay in.
I am all for immigration. But only if it is done legally. Not illegals who come here. then demand to given status even though they did not follow our laws and rules when they came in the first place.
1 person likes this
@Yuusha (111)
• Sweden
25 Mar 10
I don't know about you, but if I lived in a dangerous country where getting enough money just to survive the month is a struggle, I wouldn't want to wait several years to move to another country the "legal" way. Believe it or not, illegal immigrants are people too. I don't understand why you Americans are so close-minded and value your money so much. Why are you so afraid to help your fellow man? Is it really that horrible? Pretty much every other developed country has evolved past the state that the US is currently in, but you stubbornly remain conservative and ignorant. But eh, the US is still young, I guess it'll come with time.
@Yuusha (111)
• Sweden
25 Mar 10
The US is one of the most conservative developed countries in the world. Take a look at our (Sweden's) immigration policy. We let just about anyone in, and easily, just the way it should be.
If there really was such a convenient, fast way to get citizenship, the US wouldn't have so many illegal immigrants. Sweden has next to none as far as I'm aware.
@Yuusha (111)
• Sweden
25 Mar 10
We're a small country, we can't take too many. The US, on the other hand, is a big country and should be able to take quite a lot of immigrants without a problem.
Of course every country has the right make and enforce their own laws, but that doesn't mean those laws are fair. This is 2010, not 1932. You have to think of the whole world, not just your own country.
The things you're saying about England and France are all lies. Look up their immigration policy and you'll see nothing like it. The European Union wouldn't allow such BS.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
25 Mar 10
Are you kidding me. YOu know why soooo many illegals come here? because this country has some of the easiest laws. The rest of the world is very hard on illegal immigration...and it is harder to legally immigrate to those countries.
France, England, Germany, Russia, heck even Mexico has really tough laws to immigrate to their countries...and if you get caught illegally being in their country...they don't play. YOU WILL BE KICKED OUT AND FAST.
So why is it that the rest of the world is allowed to have tough immigration laws and enforce them...but we are not? that is a double standard.
And for someone that is from a "dangerous" country and in fear for their lives...there is a special process just for them that is pretty fast to allow them to come to this country and be here legally.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
24 Mar 10
This is why health care had to pass first. Now they get to add all of their little bill boosters. You know that when they are done, every body will be a citizen, and every body will be on at least one government run program. I think they should enforce the laws already in place. If you break the law, you should be charged. I dont see why this is even a debate. 
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
24 Mar 10
We can't afford to keep them. It would be cheaper in the long run to deport them...than pay for them for the rest of their lives.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
25 Mar 10
I agree, and that is just enforcing the laws already there. There are multiple legal ways for somebody to come to the country. The cost of illegals cripples us. Now they want to give social security benefits to them. Now tell me how that works, illegals do not even pay into this. 
@BethTN81 (564)
• United States
25 Mar 10
I see the views on both sides here but I will state this ONE fact and yes, it will more than likely cause an upraor but oh well....freedom of speech......MAny many many years ago our ancestors were immigrants too. We settled on this land, caused a war with the natives and now we are telling people that they cannot come over to live. Noe many native americans live on reservations and live at a poverty level and are looked down on like second class citizens. None of this seems to be fair on any level. All men are created equal right? Then why not treat everyone equally?
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
26 Mar 10
Yes, why not treat everyone equally, beth? We have legal immigration in this country so either everyone should use that route or no one should use it...which do you think is the best for the country? BTW, the stereotype that all native Americans are living in poverty is not true. The Seminole Tribe of Florida, for instance, are living very well...better than many of the rest of us as a matter of fact.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
25 Mar 10
It depends on people views I think. For me true Americans are American Indians.
And what you could Mexicans are actually have all the rights in America than the Whites or Blacks. For Mexicans are natives of America. While whites come from Europe and Blacks from Africa.
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Besides does we called illegals are the one who is doing the mean jobs that white people don't care or have no guts to do.
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Removed the illegals. Then lets see who is supporting the people in the home of the ages. Removed the illegals and lets see who do the means jobs and factory jobs.
Removed the illegals and let see who will be your maids in your houses.
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Sometimes we take for granted the illegals. But the truth is we are all illegals if we live in America. We are all a guest in the land of the Native American Indians.
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I think The last word must all come from them not from us.
Who we are to say no to illegals when we are self are not a true native.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
24 May 10
Well with the unemployement rate in this country I would say ALOT of americans would go for those jobs.
Also they do take job american do want really bad...like construction jobs that usully pay really well...until the illegals took it over.
Also once we give them citizenship...all those employers are not going to be able to pay them less than minium wage anymore...so I wonder how many of those companies will lay them off instead of paying higher wages and benefits?
@machivado (528)
• Indonesia
25 Mar 10
All sick people should get treatment especially those with critical conditions. I would like to choose humanity over some money...After all, a lot of people are still okay after paying the taxes.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
25 Mar 10
you are not serious are you?
this country is in bad shape...we can't afford to pay anymore in taxes to support them. YOu do realize that things are BAD in this country right now. Tons of people out of work. Tons of people loosing their homes? How are they going to pay taxes?
