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Utopia Talk / Politics / Who will pick the apples?
Hillarys Intern
Member
Wed Jan 02 19:53:22
By ALEX NOWRASTEH / Immigration policy analyst, Cato Institute

The apple market is booming in Washington State, as farmers have seen an increase of 50 percent of fruit shipped to keep up with skyrocketing demand. As other apple-producing regions of the country struggle with meager harvests following poor weather, this year's harvest should be especially profitable – if Washington farmers can find the workers they need.

That is a big if. The overwhelmingly Hispanic workforce for the apple harvest already has 13,000 more participants this year than in 2011, but it's not enough to satisfy the increased demand. "I'm down 40 percent from the labor I need," said Steve Nunley, manager of a 3,000-acre apple orchard near Wapato, Wash.

http://www...rs-381818-workers-percent.html
OsamaIsDaWorstPresid
Member
Wed Jan 02 19:58:24
we bread negros 4 pikin stuf leik coton and cabiges thay culd use those pikin jeans 4 pikin aples
Dakyron
Member
Wed Jan 02 19:58:58
Maybe they should pay more. Same old argument.
OsamaIsDaWorstPresid
Member
Wed Jan 02 20:01:34
obamas suns shuld b forsid 2 work 4 white ppl 4 no wagis until thay wilinglie get a job of there own
Fred Felcher
Member
Wed Jan 02 20:02:00
yup
Fred Felcher
Member
Wed Jan 02 20:02:28
@ Dak
McKobb
Member
Wed Jan 02 20:04:02
Illegals are economic slaves, we don't need traditional slaves.
earthpig
GTFO HOer
Wed Jan 02 20:35:34
"
Maybe they should pay more. Same old argument.
"

No it isn't - read the article and not just the snipit in OP.

It's a Libertarian argument saying that we should open our borders to make labor abundant and cheap.
Dakyron
Member
Wed Jan 02 20:37:23
Its stupid argument nevertheless. We have enough labor already.
Dakyron
Member
Wed Jan 02 20:37:37
Cloud Strife
Member
Wed Jan 02 21:11:09
No we don't.

I say we ship everyone who's ever seen an EBT card to the fields to work.
kargen
Member
Wed Jan 02 21:22:16
Maybe if unemployment ran out after twenty weeks we would find a few more people willing to pick apples instead of sit at home playing angry bird and collecting a check they don't deserve.
Rugian
Member
Thu Jan 03 03:12:55
^correct. This country has plenty of laborers, it's just thanks to ridiculous government policy they feel too "entitled" to get their hands dirty in the fields.
CrownRoyal
Member
Thu Jan 03 03:50:26
If you lose your regular job, do you even consider becoming a fruit picker, Rugian? In another state perhaps? I would likely move for another good job, but to pick fruits? Probably not. But, I don't know your situation. As for unemployment insurance preventing lazy people from finding jobs, that appears to be a myth.

"The jobless who received benefits more actively sought work than those who did not receive them, the Heldrich Center's national survey found"
http://edi...mployment-extension/index.html
CrownRoyal
Member
Thu Jan 03 03:53:00
" A 2007 study from David Card, Raj Chetty, and Andrea Weber took a closer look at what happens to people when their unemployment benefits run out. They don’t magically find jobs, it turns out. Rather, they simply stop submitting the information that would cause the government to count them as unemployed."

http://www...-day-benefits-make-people-lazy
patom
Member
Thu Jan 03 05:30:50
Rugian, there would be plenty of Americans to pick the crops if they could make a decent living doing so. The fact is that most Americans don't like to live the migrant life style that would come with crop picking.

There are still a hardy few in Downeast Maine that make their living doing seasonal work. Clamming, raking blue berries, making christmas wreaths and decorations, etc. Many of these jobs are being taken over by migrant workers or mechanization in the case of blueberry harvesting.
CrownRoyal
Member
Thu Jan 03 05:37:44
Fuck clamming, I have my own problems.
patom
Member
Thu Jan 03 05:56:06
Some made a killing harvesting elvers. They were selling for about $2,000 per pound this year.
Dakyron
Member
Thu Jan 03 09:00:45
1,000 people in Detroit showed up to apply at Walmart. Im sure if you recruited from Detroit, you could find people willing to pick fruit for $15/hr.
TJ
Member
Thu Jan 03 11:06:13
This country is assbackwards when it comes to welfare. Assistance programs shouldn't be long term for the majority. Less should be spent on their comfort and apply methods that get them at least contributing to some of their own wellness. If the bulk of poverty is going to be corrected it is a necessary action. I don't claim to know the answers, but when it is more profitable to do nothing the choice is obvious for those with little or no motivation.
patom
Member
Thu Jan 03 13:18:48
What choice would you make if you were a poor single mother with kids? Would you stay on welfare where at least you know your kids can get medical care or go to work at walmart and get no benefits?
TJ
Member
Thu Jan 03 13:45:31
Assistance programs shouldn't be long term for the majority.

Do you consider that person the majority on welfare. If she is then I stand corrected. What does that woman do when she no longer has the kiddies?
roland
Member
Thu Jan 03 14:55:28
Not everyone can move to another state for a job that would only last for a few weeks and months.
CrownRoyal
Member
Thu Jan 03 14:59:54
For no reason I goggled elvers and I can honestly say that I'd rather be clamming, than harvesting elvers.
Fred Felcher
Member
Thu Jan 03 15:15:07
Fuck that shit. You should dip alewives for some real fun.
kargen
Member
Thu Jan 03 15:29:42
"The jobless who received benefits more actively sought work than those who did not receive them, the Heldrich Center's national survey found"

Of course! That is part of the proccess. To continue to qualify you have to appear to be actively looking for work.

The vast majority of people on unemployment find a job within the last two weeks of benefits ending. So when benefits were ending in twenty weeks they were finding a job right around week 18. 100 weeks of coverage week 98 is when they find work. They look the entire time as required, they just don't get serious about it until benefits are almost done. THere is of course always exceptions.
kargen
Member
Thu Jan 03 15:33:22
"1,000 people in Detroit showed up to apply at Walmart. Im sure if you recruited from Detroit, you could find people willing to pick fruit for $15/hr."

That is the problem. Usually this type of work is paid not by the hour but by what you get done. You can make really good money harvesting or picking crops, but you gotta work your ass off to do it. Most Americans sadly can't keep up the pace it takes to make decent money.
Aeros
Member
Thu Jan 03 16:06:21
Just shake em out of the tree and scoop up with shovels. So what if its bruises them. Turn it into Apple Cider or Sauce.
kargen
Member
Thu Jan 03 16:10:17
mechanised apple pickers are getting more affordable and better at picking the ripe apples without bruising. Will not be long before we see harvest crews on these machines much like we see harvest crews with wheat and corn in other areas of the country.
Fred Felcher
Member
Sat Feb 14 13:37:09
Sup dude?
Fred Felcher
Member
Sat Feb 14 13:44:25
Want a cookie?
Fred Felcher
Member
Sat Feb 14 13:46:33
OK, I'm gonna assume you're hypoglycemic then.
McKobb
Member
Fri Jun 23 11:06:23
http://nyt...rieties-pacific-northwest.html

How ya like them apples?
patom
Member
Fri Jun 23 18:04:17
All over Maine there are apple trees in the woods. You find old stone fences from long abandoned farms that have returned to forest. All through these wood lands you will find apple trees.
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