Let's bring some actual math to this discuss - basically, liberal talkpoint Kryptonite:
The average strawberry picker can pick between 80-120 pounds of strawberries per hour.
The average strawberry picker wage in California is $16.71/hour.
That means the labor cost for strawberries is between $0.14 and $0.20 per pound.
The average price per pound of strawberries in the US is between $3-$4/pound.
That means the picker labor component as a % of the strawberry price is between 3.5% - 7.0%.
If we were to double wages to $33.42 per hour and the grocery stores and farmers passed on 100% of the labor cost to customers, the cost of strawberries would increase to $3.20 - $4.14 per pound.
If we cannot get Americans to pick strawberries for $33.42/hour - an annualized wage of $69,500 (assuming no overtime or weekends) - then we can start to bring in guest workers with the conditions that I mentioned above. However, if we cannot get Americans at that price, it is due to having too good of a welfare state.
"There's ample evidence to back that up.
#25 | Posted by LauraMohr"
There are no communities thriving with illegals in the US. ----, there aren't even thriving communities within their own home countries - which is why they come here illegally and drag down our economy.