Two Years After Strict Immigration Reform, Oklahoma Is More Than OK
The 2.4% increase in the black unemployment rate from 2008 to 2009 was barely more than the 2.1% increase for whites; the “twice as high” degree of difference between the two rates (actually 2.2 times as high) was down from three times as high the year before. The unemployment rate for Hispanics went not up, but down, by 1.6%. Nationally, from December 2008 to December 2009, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for blacks and Hispanics increased 4.1% and 3.5%, respectively.
I’d say this is evidence that lesser-skilled Oklahomans have been quite willing to take the “jobs that Americans won’t do.”
While in the neighborhood, I’ll note that perhaps the knee-jerk elitist stereotypes about race- and ethnicity-based discrimination in the heartland need to be revisited. If 1804 isn’t the reason Oklahoma has vastly outperformed most of the country, someone will have to try to explain what is.
Not that those who oppose any kind of immigration enforcement legislation are impressed. In an April 28, 2010, Christian Science Monitor opinion piece, Sally Kohn rolled out this startling claim about 1804:
One study suggests the bill led to an estimated 50,000 people fleeing Oklahoma and a 1.3 percent drop in economic output statewide. As a result, Oklahoma may well have incurred $1.8 billion in economic losses, just as it, like the rest of the nation, was bracing for recession.
Hmm, that’s funny … Uncle Sam’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that the state’s economy grew by 2.7% in 2008, a performance that puts it in the top ten among all states in a year when the national economy only grew by 0.4%. Additionally, information from the Census Bureau shows that the state’s population increased by just under 75,000, or 2%, between July 2007 and July 2009 — in line with the country as a whole. If those results are “painful,” I wonder how Ms. Kohn would characterize what’s going on in Michigan and California?
The Sooner State’s economic indicators are comparatively positive just about anywhere one looks. Per capita personal income in Oklahoma grew 2.8% between 2007 and 2009; nationally, it fell by 0.7%. The state’s already puny welfare caseload dropped by 11% in 2007 to under 19,000, and stayed there until June 2009. The number of SNAP/Food Stamp recipients in Oklahoma fell in both 2007 and 2008 by a combined 3.8% while rising 6.5% nationally.Loosened eligibility rules allowing those who don’t really need them and even college-aged children of the well-off to qualify have since made the SNAP/Food Stamp program an unreliable indicator of the true extent of poverty. Oklahoma does have a budget problem that bears watching, but so does the large majority of other states.
The aforementioned Ms. Kohn’s characterization of Oklahoma’s economy as “littered with crumbling farms and factories and aging populations who feel that any prospect of prosperity is passing them by” seems more than a little overwrought and offensively arrogant.
Since 1804 passed, Oklahoma has not suffered nearly as much economically as most of the rest of the U.S. In fact, the state can fairly be described, especially on a relative basis, as prosperous. Even before considering the reductions in crime the citizens of Arizona are so desperately seeking in their state’s new immigration enforcement measure, what the Sooner State has done seems well worth imitating elsewhere for pocketbook-related reasons alone.
As to the legal and moral dimensions of limiting illegal immigration, I would suggest that the hand-wringers first aim their critiques at other countries which deal much more harshly with trespassers — starting with Mexico.
This is good news. Today, in the Indianapolis Star newspaper there was an article about an Indiana state senator who will introduce a bill similar to the Arizona bill. Every state should do this.
I totally support any of these state laws… I hop Illinois decides to pass it as well. And it has nothing to do with Mexicans alone!! I don’t care if you are from Mars or Morroco.. if you want to stay her, get your papers!! I don’t want to pay taxes either, & we have to pay more to cover those illegals who don’t pay!! It’s time we took the bull by the horn & took our country back!!
If every state had such laws it could cause a great loss of American jobs: bureaucrats in “social service” agencies. Let’s do it.
This is the first mention of Oklahoma’s experience with immigration reform
that I have seen since the Arizona law was passed and the dire predictions
as to its effects began; Perhaps this is because the MSM cannot ignore and/
or misrepresent the _positive_ effects in OK, and the reasonable assumption
that AZ will have the same experience.
The MSM will ALWAYS continue to ignore and misrepresent and do as it’s masters ( The Democratic Party) tell it to do.
When you remove the job thieves and the criminals that hire them from the equation unemployment has to drop. Costs of social services will also go down. Legal immigration is fine as long as it is based on the needs of the nation and not some bleeding heart idealism that is not based in reality.
In the near future watch out for ” Comprehensive Immigration Reform” this is code for amnesty. Keep in mind that there have been at least two prior “Comprehensive Immigration Reforms” and politicians being their normal lying, dishonest, self serving scum have failed to follow through with their promises to close the border and control future illegal immigration. This time will be no different if amnesty is a part of the “solution”. Canada and Mexico protect their citizens against job thieves and criminals than the USA does. I’d like to see this situation change.
Mr. Blumer’s analogy makes for interesting reading but it is largely academic.
In essence he is kind of saying that if you never eat apples you’ll like oranges, but that doesn’t mean Florida is a good place to vacation.
I live in Virginia, the northern near fatally infected by liberals portion. Virginia, and many of its counties passed laws dealing with illegal immigrants that are just as tough, if not more so than Oklahoma or Arizona’s laws.
The result was that the bad puppies went over to the next door (Maryland) neighbors yard to poop, but their political gauntlet remains just as secure in Virginia as its ever been.
Judges, police departments, school systems, businesses, healthcare providers, government agencies, housing sub-divisions and all aspects of Virginia’s social structures are still hyper saturated with, and controlled by pro-amnesty sympathizers and a blend of legal and illegal immigrants, most of which are Hispanics.
But, now they enjoy the freedom and protection provided by popular politicians inflated progress assessment propaganda that dresses everything up in shining white suits and a jolly little green hat almost identical to what Mr. Blumer is doing with Oklahoma in his article.
Nothing whatsoever against Oklahoma but it does not have the force of energy and undertow going that occurs when there is massive amounts of humanity being pulled into the area 24/7/365. How many people would consider going to Oklahoma if they knew it was a carbon copy of Northern Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey or New York?
The one thing that all of these places share equally is a Federal Government that keeps right on selling them out on dealing with illegal immigration and everything else that America, including Oklahoma had, has, represents and stands for.
but?…what????
We just got too many dang libs here in our part of the country and we might as well just give up and not be bothered with all the ruckus that it might cause by trying to enforce the local LAWS and even the FEDERAL LAWS “that are just as tough, if not more so than Oklahoma or Arizona’s laws”???
I sympathize (somewhat) with your plight (being in California) but get a grip and show some ANGER!!!
Your wimpy attitude is EXACTLY why your ELECTED officials, and even those bureaucrats not elected, have NO FEAR with what they are doing!
NOTHING will change unless they are VOTED OUT or CONSISTANTLY harrassed and harangued about their attitudes and policies toward illegal immigrants.
As for the city councils of Los Angeles and Austin voting to “boycott” Arizona…they are just making themselves a laughingstock here and nationwide. This “movement” is NOT going their way…
I say…EVERYBODY should vacation in Arizona this year!!!
Show the state some grassroots national support!
Take the Grand Canyon Train ride from Williams to the Grand Canyon. Visit Canyon de Chelly National Park (a “secret” beauty). Go to Laughlin, NV to gamble if you want…but stay in Bull Head City. There’s a TON of interesting places and things to do there….
Then go home, give your liberal friends an ARIZONA souvenir, and then help vote the “sympathizers” OUT!!!
This November will see a tectonic SHIFT in the landscape…
We WILL have a Republican Governor here in California that will NOT be a wimp (Whitman and Poizner are both stating LOUDLY to get tough on illegals…we’ll see who wins) and hopefully even rid ourselves of Boxer in the Senate. The times are changing…
Don’t say it can’t happen “here” because, well…we aren’t Oklahoma or Arizona.
That’s just pathetic…and WRONG!
Why I haven’t heard of OK immigration reform law beats me. I agree with DaveII…get ANGRY…that’s really how we feel & go visit AZ this summer, hot as it may be. Good luck on the voting in CA. I fear these illegals will somehow find a way to be voting. Stranger things have happened. I live in TX where freedom riders are joining on a bus to travel to AZ to protest! I say ” you like illegal immigration so much, join them & move to their country” Seriously people are so blinded by the drama and lies, they have no real understanding of freedom & equality…both of which were fought for & earned by our fore-fathers!!!!!!!! It was not free—prices were paid for the right to be Americans. Simply…hard work got us here. Handing it over while we sleep @ night is not only shameful, but immoral. Honestly, the hard working men & women need to be the VOICE of our nation!!!! I think that we are seeing this take place. 1 more thing, I’m tired of hearing…they do the jobs Americans don’t want to do. Really???? I bet if those jobs were/are available we would lower our unemployment rate. Less women would be supporting their spouses during such difficult times. Instead 100s of apps. & resumes are stacked on desks that never get looked at. When it comes to supporting your family, work is work. Hoping for some serious change in NOV.
Illegals do vote in California. All they do is apply by mail or online…no I.D. required. Just say you were born in the United States and they send your voter material. I just did it and was amazed at how much fraud there must be as a result! Plus…you vote by mail! So you never have to show your face!
Thanks for the proof of mainstream California ineptitude. No wonder they’re in financial trouble. I say mainstream because they elected the government that is allowing all this to happen. Hell, even the police in L.A. are against the AZ bill because it causes crime to increase. If they were doing the job for which they’re paid it wouldn’t. AND I’m speaking of the Chief not those ont he streets.
Excellent article, Tom! Once again you’ve shown that ‘facts” trump “feelings”. One of my state’s (Indiana) senators is proposing a law similar to Arizona’s. I hope it passes.
Bob:
I think one of the underlying lessons is that Oklahoma went full comprehensive -employers, welfare benefits, law enforcemcent- not just relying on the police contact mode of fishing for illegal aliens. Not only that, there didnt seem to be a outsized “Sheriff Joe” figure skulking around OKC or Tulsa. In fact, some of the biggest earliest complainers were not Mexican-Americans, but Natives. That probably makes a bigger difference in perception and feigned outrage. Maybe there’s money to be made in Arizona by Oklahoma law enforcement moonlighting as consultants (e.g. “How Not to Get Sued”).
Alas, the specter of relying on Gary and North Indianapolis as labor and rental market replacements, not any lobbying by Hispanic groups, is going to be your biggest obstacles to a 1070 law in Indiana.
The city council of Austin, Texas just voted to boycott the state of Arizona.
I am outraged and embarrassed. I grew up on the border near Brownsville, Texas, and witnessed the severe problems caused by illegal immigration. The schools are overwhelmed with providing education for the children of illegals, the hospitals provide free care and pregnant women walk across the border from Mexico to give birth to their children, who are then automatic citizens and eligible for family welfare benefits. Social services are burdened. Jobs are taken. Crime levels are high.
Those in Austin should be ashamed of this lack of care and concern for our Arizona neighbors, and this clueless act that denies the issues within our own state that burdens Austin taxpayers as well.
I say BOYCOTT AUSTIN.
Maybe Boycotts were the intended by-product of the AZ legislation – no hospitality jobs, no need for as many illegals. This allows those businesses a “pass” by not subjecting them to severe fines, jail time or large raids, but instead the punishment they deserve via reduced patronage.
Sue, I too am outraged at Austin, Texas. I grew up in South Texas & have seen what has occurred over an almost 70 years period. Austin is saying they don’t care what the Federal law is – because when you read the AZ Bill it is just enforcing the Federal law that the Feds refuse to enforce! I want Texas to get on track & do as AZ has done! & Racial Profiling: We all have to put what RACE we are on ALL applications and WHITE’s often don’t get certain jobs because it has to be according to ‘affirmative action’ or … get this bi-linguel! A Fellow Texas.
As long as the schools teach Mexican students that the southern part of the US really does belong to Mexico and they need to reclaim it, the fed government does not uphold the emigration laws , and people like Sharpton use AZ as a money platform for them….we will have no change.
Obama does not want a change…the dems need the Latino vote base, as does CA to hell what American citizens and the federal law says.
Oklahoma did not have the Mexican gangs, welfare and amount of illegals that the border states have. They have done a good job..but as 7 says..it was native Americans that complained..not Mexicans that are coming to the US by the thousands.
Kudos to OK & AZ – and other states that pass strict immigration enforcement measures that reduce crime, unemployment & demand on social services. Almost 70% of the people favor similar measures around the country. Doug Schoen, a Democrat strategist, recently said, “The election results in the fall will be cataclysmic and an unmistakeable message from the voters.”
Liberal motto: If the truth won’t do. lie.
More please!!
Can the author find additional facts to this story?
IE, what is the average pay of a dishwasher in OK vs. CA?
What does the average roofer make in OK vs NY?
Concrete examples of poor people (legal workers) improving their condition is the best counter argument against the pro amnesty crowd.
Show that the pro immigration groups and the professional blacks that support them (ie Sharpton and Jackson ect.) are really enabling employers to screw over the low skilled workforce in this country. A workforce that is “blacker” then the country overall.
When a pro amnesty supporter rants, having the ammo to accuse them of wanting poor people to make less is priceless.
The comparisons need to also be compared in cost of living, which includes the atrocious tax rate of California, verses the low tax rate of Oklahoma.
Houses that sell for millions in California, would sell for in the $200k in Oklahoma. The Utilities are half the cost of California. Property taxes are low, and most sales taxes don’t go above 2% (some do…Bartlesville!)
Bottom line, is you can’t compare CA and OK. I’d trade the view and the beach for Lake Tinkiller and Grand Lake ANY TIME!
Best look is what is the break down on costs of living in your stated states compared with the Wages. I know the wages are much higher in New York and California but Look at what a person has to pay and put up with to live in those God forsaken Left wing areas.Give me OK they laws Taxes and weather any day over the Left coast states you mentioned.
Writers like Ms. Kohn are so out of touch and in such denial about it that I just have to laugh. A smart person might have picked a different topic on which to opine, or maybe waited to objectively interpret the data before forming an opinion in the fist place. Or perhaps like Eric Holder, she didn’t bother reading anything on the topic at all. I do give her credit for her “willing suspension of disbelief” and her ability to keep her head buried in the sand despite all the bombs of empirical evidence exploding all around her. Her determination to put the square peg in a round hole is quite impressive.
>>> IE, what is the average pay of a dishwasher in OK vs. CA?
>>> What does the average roofer make in OK vs NY?
If you want to make higher wages, then you definitely need to stay in CA or NY. (and deal with the crime, high taxes, over-regulation, government intrusion in your life, etc.) Life in OK is good – I visit my home there several times a year from CA so I have many comparisons to make.
You might make a lot less, but then the cost of living is a LOT lower in OK, too. Plus you have more freedoms. Plus your boss is not over-regulated. There has been a reverse diaspora from CA back to OK. As documented elsewhere, much of OK’s population increase has come from CA.
Although I still live in CA, I’ve moved most of my business back to OK because the cost of compliance is so much lower. Vendor prices are much lower in OK, compared to CA. Fishing is better (and cheaper) in OK than CA and there are fewer ultra-loud powerboats. You can get a permit for a gun in OK that you can’t get in most counties in CA.
Gasoline is a LOT cheaper because OK is an oil-producing state. It costs a LOT less to register a car in OK than in CA.
Natural gas is a bit more expensive because of federal price controls so Oklahomans pay more for the gas they produce that is actually less expensive if purchased on the other side of any state line.
Folks are a lot friendlier than in CA and the gang profile is much lower. There are not very many ‘sanctuary cities’ in OK.
What’s not to like?
Just like the “Sooners” that scouted out the best land prior to the land run.. its seems this generation is leading the way in taking on a national problem. Kudos to OK and AZ… we support you.
The message to all incumbent politicians should be, (LOUD AND CLEAR); “vote for Comprehensive Immigration and you will commit political suicide”.
I reside in Texas, and the Sooners are big rivals. That being said, Oklahoma is the only state in the country in which every county voted Republican in 2008. Nebraska held that honor in 2000 and 2004. Oklahoma and Nebraska are looking better every year!! Thank you Okies for demonstrating the ability to recognize BS when you see it.
I’m tempted to call for a boycott of the Texas/Oklahoma game because of the stupid leadership of Austin…but naaaaaaah… we’ll kick UT and send less TV dollars to Austin…the FREAK city of Texas.
Oklahoma — the flyover state for flyover states.
My biggest concern is when these cesspools of deviants used to living off the dole fold up and die (as is happening on both coasts), you will pull stake and move to any number of flyover states starting a trend of defining deviancy downward.
I’ve started a petition to make sure we build a fence on the perimeter to keep your type out, with me standing guard. Ready, aim…
That thought actually sends a tingle up my leg.
Yep.. quite a tingle.
What BC(before common sense) does not realize , is that all we in fly over country have to do to take it’s world down is quite sending food to those liberal maggots. Their cities will fester and kill each other in their own moral sewage.. as is apropos.
Then the few liberal maggots who manage to craw out.. well, maybe a few of us will get to experience that tingle.
I am quite sure the locals appreciate your refusal to visit.
Well there is no hope that California would pass a similar law. To the person that suggested that either of the republican front runners will be tough on immigration go read Meg’s information again she says she SUPPORTS giving illegals benefits and education “it’s the right thing to do”. Not to mention the other liberal ideas she has and will do more damage to this state than Arnie ever could do. Not sure if Poizner is the better choice but he sure as heck is better than Meg.
We have two things that California doesn’t, electric generators. We supply electricity to a city (LA) that “we” were selected to be boycotted by the city council a couple of days ago. Also, down in the delta (southern) California there is a need for water.All of the water used in that region is supplied by a river that runs “through” Arizona. Now I wonder if the people in California realize this, or if they still want to boycott Arizona. Knowing the nature of our Governor, and the way she has maintained herself for her constituents, I suspect that they just might want to “rethink” their plans. There are a couple of BIG SWITCHES set aside for just such occasions. And what a party it will be.
I love what you have just stated. Yes California, I am boycotting you and that really makes me sick, that so many there are so ignorant of life itself. Teach love in this world, instead of hate. Wonder what a difference that would make? And I still can’t figure out what people have such a hard time of understanding the word ILLEGAL. Ask the Attorney General whether he has figured it out yet. Have you Holder?
I totally support Az and OK.. I wish IL would get a law like this! We need to take the bull by the horn & get our economy back on track!! I don’t care if you are from Mars or Morocco… if you don’t have your legal papers, then get out!! We need to send a message loud & clear!! And I don’t believe that “families are being torn apart”.. a lot of Mexicans came here & left their families behind in hopes of making the American dollar and sending it home, so if you send them back, what families are you breaking up?! And if they had kids here, then they should be treated as illegals, too, because their parents are illegal!!!
Actually, in California we tried Prop 187 in 1994. This proposition would’ve banned illegals from public schools, denied them non-emergency care in hospitals, and a whole lot of things I can’t remember now. Voters approved of 187, but it never came to fruition. I think it was killed in the Supreme Court. I remember the Catholic Church getting very involved in trying to stop 187, especially LA Cardinal Roger “Phony” Mahony. All those parishoners who he suspects to be illegal…hmmm, what a surprise he tried to enable them. Keep the money coming into the collection plates.
At a synagogue I went to in San Francisco, one speaker actually compared the sweeps rounding up illegals to the Nazis hunting down Jews in the countries they occupied! That is so ridiculous it does not merit any serious discussion. I met this person after that service, and for the only time in my life cussed in a house of worship.
I grew up in Southern California and am very happy to now be living in Massachusetts. We have our problems here, but we are in far better shape than California. In fact, Boston has the best public school system for a major America city. Our cost of living is pretty high, but can vary lot depending on what city of Massachusetts you live. I applaud what Oklahoma and Indiana are doing and hope that Massachusetts will eventually follow their lead.
Tom,
You can discount anything coming from the Tulsa World as progressive garbage. A liberal rag in one of the most Conservative parts of America. Great business model, ain’t it?
The brain dead executives at the T-World are down to marketing their paper with hand out and an offer of a free donut in front of grocery stores. At least four times a year they come begging for me to renew my subscription as I gladly tell them, “not only no, but hell no.”
The T-World, like so many leftist publications, ain’t long for this world.
“Illegals do the jobs that lazy American’s won’t do”? Seriously? I personally know people who lost their jobs to be replaced with illegal aliens because the chicken plants got special funding for hiring minorities, regardless that their hiring status was falsified as legal. INS used to come in and raid the plants and clean them out. Within weeks, the illegals were trucked back in and back at work at the chicken plant. Noel, MO is called Little Mexico now instead of the Christmas city. The rivers and streams are disgusting and nasty from all the trash and crap that has been littered around and in them.
I have waited in the emergency room for hours because the illegals go there to get free treatment vs. going to a regular doctor and getting treatment. My county health office is loaded with illegals waiting to get free treatment and so full that true Americans are out of place.
I went to Sam’s the other day. The cashier was hispanic. The guy in front of me hispanic, the guy behind me was hispanic. She blabbered in Spanish with the guy in front and then ignored me and blabbered to the guy behind me. I interrupted her and told her I was the customer she was waiting on right now, when she finished with me she could talk to the guy behind me. She gave me an excuse, I said I don’t care, you talk to me NOW. After you finish with me you can talk to that guy!
GO ARIZONA! AND OKLAHOMA HAS MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. Go legal or go home. Speak English or go home. Simulate or go home! If you don’t like the way we do it, go home! You are not African American – You are American. You are not Spanish American, you are American. You are not Japanese American – you are American, etc., etc., etc.
BE AN AMERICAN or GO HOME!
i SUSCRIBE THE IDEA AMERICA FOR AMERICANS, BUT TO BE FAIR AND COMPLETE THE JOB,YOU SHOULD BE CLAIMINGTHE WITHDROWAL OF AMERICAN TROUPES THAT ILEGALLY ACCUPY SOVERAIGN COUNTRIES LIKE AFGANISTAN OR IRAQ UNDER THE FAKE PRETEXT OF FIGHTING THE FAKE WAR ON TERRORISM, WHEN THE REAL PURPOSE IS LOOTING THE WORLD RESOURCES FOR THE PREDATORY AMERICAN CORPORATIONS
So…if you stop employers illegally employing illegal aliens to do illegally paying jobs, legal unemployed Americans will do the jobs everyone claims they won’t do so long as employers employ they legally at a legal wage. Who’da thunkit?
/sarc
brilliant article.
See…D’oh! that’s the problem with liberals, you start your argument with a falsehood. Did you not see that there are plenty of people wanting to do those jobs. What don’t you understand. Plenty of LEGAL workers who want those jobs.
You need to get this information to the Newspapers, and television stations, Fox news, Glenn Beck, Hannity, O reilly. The country needs to hear these facts.
this illegal immigration is plauging this entire country the statist in washington do not care.. so our only chance is november and beyond!!! just to say we do stand w/arizona/oklahoma great to know there are still americans that still believe in america!!
Immigrants is coined phrase depicting those who immigrate from one country to another via established recognized proceedures. Those who cross borders with regard to established proceedure are migrants (birds, deer, elk, butterflys)they follow climatic shift moveing from one location to another seeking better feed. Gee sounds like illegals, ya think?
The Oklahoma experience shows when laws are enacted and enforced the illegals migrate to better feeding locations. Arizona has become the funnel of illegal migrants, the reason for all the leftist hand ringing is the realization if Arizona is successful in its enforcement a major blow to these migrants will have been struck. Other states are looking at what is in the law, they see no constitutional ambiguity contained therein, they are planning to introduce it in their legislative sessions. With all the legal scholars at the state levels jumping on the Arizona bandwagon, it is no wonder Holder dosen’t want to read the law, he’d lost pausable deniablity!
Mr. Blumer,
I remember when the law passed and the tension building before its inception. I’m a Colorado son and many eagerly observed its wake. Suffice to say we were pleasantly surprised.
Colorado, a state of ~4 million and possessing in some estimates ~500k illegals, is in dire need of such a bill as HR1804.
Unfortunately it’s 1 of but a few reasons why my family begrudgingly left the Rockies.
Though the poster from VA has a point, I believe Oklahoma’s success needs to be implemented nationally. Or at the very least regionally to gauge success.
however, oklahoma’s economy is based on oil, oil has been in a bull market. more to do with that than immigration law
First, our(Oklahoma) economy is based only in small part on oil, say 15%. Second, oil is not in a bull market numbnuts. There is a worldwide recession going on. Thanks to you socialist/commie idiots.
A Simple (Okie)
Bricklayer.
P.S. I will say that it costs more to put a roof on now in Oklahoma….. seems Americans are doing it now. And I for one am happy to pay.
@Fantom-Until May, Oil was in a bull market. http://tfc-charts.w2d.com/chart/CL_/70
15% of an economy is not an insignificant amount. It is probably much larger than that when you figure in manufacturing of oil equipment, natural gas, coal and other mining. Here is a link. http://www.netstate.com/economy/ok_economy.htm
Interestingly, OK has a large agrarian component to its economy which would tend to attract a lot of illegal immigrants.
Get your facts straight.
“Get your facts straight.”
You have no room to talk.
That “large agrarian component” employs 32,660 people, or less than 2% of the state’s workforce.
Going through the many categories at the link (indicative of a very diverse economy, BTW), I’d say 15% of the workforce being involved in the oil industry is about right.
Fantom is a bricklayer. You’re just throwing up bricks.
Speakin’ of getting ones facts straight.
If your theory about the oil/gas sector being the driving force in Oklahoma employment is valid, one would see a positive correlation ‘twixt oil price and employment. However… http://content.screencast.com/users/Fantomou/folders/Jing/media/74d015db-4b3e-46ce-94e9-9336da714d28/00000136.png , and http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met=unemployment_rate&idim=state:ST400000&dl=en&hl=en&q=oklahoma+unemployment we see a falling unemployment rate during the steepest oil crash in quite some time, from historical highs too mind you, and increasing unemployment mirroring your “bull” market in oil.
Speaking of your bull market in oil. Well compared to it’s low point it certainly has come back to more or less a five year average. I call that a recovery.. not a bull market. But please do feel free to call it what you wish. Heck , by your standard the Stock market has been in a Bull market eh….
.
Well enough BS on a BS bull market in oil.
Suffice to say, from one who was actually observing the scene here in Oklahoma. Prior to passing said law, the construction trades and lawn services were overrun by wetbacks.. thick as fleas they were. Now, not so much. Instead I see Americans doing the work.
Oh, and another place, besides Oklahoma being an oil based economy, you’re projecting a mistaken belief. Is in the agrarian sector attracting a lot of illegals. I think you may be thinking of migrant workers on crops such as lettuce and oranges. Oklahoma is wheat(and other grains) country, most farms I know are family oriented and there is not much in the way of hand picking, it is mostly mechanized. I have never seen an illegal.. or any latinos , legal or not for that matter on any of the many ranches and farms I have worked at here in Oklahoma and Kansas.
You all can snipe at Califirnia all you please. Just remember that a. was the first to tyr to restrict illegals from getting public aid with thepassage of Prop.187. The spineless governor and a liberal court stopped it.By the by; Prop. 187 still isn’t settled, it’s still waiting for a final appeal; one that has been ignored by the govt..
Illegal immigrants represent an emerging slave class. The proverb still rings true, there is nothing new under the sun. And the Democrats are once again in favor of keeping their slaves. They even have a psuedo-Abraham Lincoln to muddle the thinking of the toons. You know, the toons. They will follow the line in the road into a brick wall. Roger Rabbit?
I have a question why aren’t the incompetent , inefficient RACISTS Obama, Holder and the left wing moobats and the ‘lame stream media’ crying NAZI PROFILERS at Oklahoma . After all they are just doing EXACTLY what ARIZONA is going to do crack down on ILLEGALS punish Employers who employ ILLEGALS refusing ILLEGALS benefits and instructing Police and State Officials to check the citizenship status of everyone they come in to contact with.
From what I read here the Oklahoma Law seems to go FURTHER than the Arizona Law for example refusing ILLEGALS any State aid. So why the HYPOCRISY in the treatment of Oklahoma on one hand and ARIZONA on the other from the REGIME the left wing moonbats and the ‘lame stream media’ .
Couldn’t be that the REGIME just wants ANOTHER manufactured CRISIS and moonbat OUTRAGE to advance its SOCIALIST AGENDA could it.
Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in 1907.
‘In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American…There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.’
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
You guys miss the point of this…Oklahoma doesn’t offer the “VOTE BASE” that Ca , Az etc offer the Dems. Therefore, they were/are allowed to operate on their own without the Sharpton’s of the world. VOTES VOTES VOTES
send an incumbent back yo D.C. your asking for more of the same
lets show obama some real change
For all of you who are praising Ok and Az for their stand on illegal aliens, I would offer a suggestion on how you can do your part whether you live in Ok (like I do) or Az. or not. Try insisting that the roofer you are about to hire to put a new roof on your house use only “legals” and that to do otherwise will breech your contract. Give the job of your lawn mowing to the kid down the street and not a lawn service with loose hiring practices. Make a point of eating at resturants that have local high school kids working to bus the tables or washing the dishes instead of “illegals”. Make a point of making sure business owners and managers know that the reason you took your business elsewhere was their disregard for the immigration laws of this Republic.
Just read the suggestion from ‘Okie for sure’. Sounds like a good plan!!!
well… that is great for OK. And for AZ.
But, I am in CA. and we are getting more of what they had, coming here.
As a safe haven.
I can not keep lowering my overhead and prices to compete with them anymore.
I am not able to live on what they make.
I am tired of job theives. What can I do?
If you’re a craftsman, or even if you do yardwork, start your own handyman or landscaping business. All you need is tools that you probably already, have, or a lawnmower and pruning shears. It’s not that hard. Put an ad in the paper using your full name and keep it there. Say you are hard-working, honest and reliable. Within weeks, you’ll have more jobs you can handle.
I live in Davis where there is a community of undocumented workers just as there is nearly every city throughout California. When I first came here I was a single mother with no job and no car. But I did have a bicycle. I learned I could clean houses for twice as much as someone working for minimum wage. There were plenty of undocumented house cleaners working in that field, but I used my full name, a $20 city business license, and ran my ads, stating I would use the clients’ equipment, since I had no way to transport a vacuum cleaner. Yes, I rode my bike in windstorms and in the rain. But after only a few months, I could pick and choose whom I worked for. After a year or two I was making enough to buy a used car. That was 15 years ago, but it holds true today:
Citizens who are able-bodied and who want to work will always be able to do so, one way or another. It’s not Mexicans’ fault you don’t have a job
Rebecca
Well local craftsman – take a liberal out lol. ( to dinner I mean lol ), maybe they will choke on something
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I’m for immigration reform, but this article is wrong. The strong oil and natural gas industry is the reason for Oklahoma’s low unemployment. We need to find balance in immigration. This country would be lost without the influx of workers from other countries, willing to do jobs that many spoiled Americans are not willing to do. Keeping out the illegal, trouble makers is the hard part.
The people in California have it rough. In the thirties there was an influx of poor people from Oklahoma who wanted jobs in agriculture. Today it’s Mexicans. It works well for employers in the ag business, but no one figured these people would want real jobs that pay a living wage. I imagine that the Oklahomans who came to Calif. in the dust bowl knew what it was like not to be wanted. They are probably hiring the Mexicans today.
As I post this the Mexican President is on TV demanding, what we can and can not do with Illegal Mexicans. This has to be the dumbest criticism, ever. Think not? then take a look at Mexico’s Immigration Laws. He has no pride, or he would not be saying what he is. How can we let this person tell America how we have to give Amnesty to people from his country, that are Illegals in our country. He is saying he will not be willing to do his part on Border Control if we do not give into his demands. We will also have to pay Mexico, for Border Control, being as Mexico can’t send us their trouble, by sneaking Illegal into our country. He is telling us we have to give into his double-standard in giving citizenship to people that are Illegals to the USA, but being as they are from his country, and Mexicans citizens he demands they are given citizenship with out delay. He is playing the Illegals up to being the victims, not the criminals they are. This shows me, just how much of a threat, Mexico is to America.
Well mad Okie, let’s hope the drug cartels finally get him soon. mexico would likely be better off anyways. one less corrupt dictator ( ohh I mean president, like there is anyone left alive to run against him lol )