Stupid Idea of the Week
by TChris
Conflict between two elements of the Republican base -- corporate donors to the party who argue that immigrants are needed to fill low wage jobs, and extremists who are hostile to permitting anyone who wasn't born in the country to work here -- has Republicans squirming. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher thinks he has an ideal solution: turn the nation's prisons into forced labor camps.
He said businesses should be more creative in their efforts to find help and suggested that employers turn to the prison population to fill jobs in agriculture and elsewhere. "Let the prisoners pick the fruits," Mr. Rohrabacher said. "We can do it without bringing in millions of foreigners."
Jack Abramoff picking strawberries? Not likely. If Rohrabacher's plan were implemented, how long would it be before agribusiness started lobbying for mandatory minimum sentences to assure the availability of a large, stable workforce?
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