There are different groups of people that respond to different sides of that message, and the people who broadcast either or both sides have differing motives as well. Countering it effectively requires understanding the problem.

The anti-welfare shtick comes from the political donor class - the capitalists, ie billionaires. Lack of a safety net gives them more leverage to negotiate lower wages within the businesses they own, and less government spending results in lower interest rates on the loans they use to grow their industries. The narrative is often framed as concerns over sharing limited resources, but the true motive is the elimination of the safety net - if enough of the working class can be convinced that the system isn't fair, that creates casus belli to delete the system.

The other side of the argument is about supply and demand of labor as a commodity. As supply goes up, the price goes down, resulting in lower wages. Its a fundamental weakness of unregulated markets operating in the context of uneven global development. Immigrants from the poorer parts of the world can accept below market rate salaries and still come out ahead, but they drive down wages of the local economy in the process. A "free" market gives the capitalists, ie billionaires, power akin to the divine right of kings - with enough capital, they can game the market to suppress competition, establish monopolies, and perpetually remain in positions of ultimate executive authority. Therefore, regulating the market to make it truly free isn't in their interest, so instead the propaganda organs they own - CNN, Fox 'News', etc... - blame the immigrants for pursuing rational self-interest as if it were a moral failing, instilling hatred in part of the working class toward other working class people to garner political support for representatives who pay lip service to anti-immigration policy. Such policy isn't actually passed - it would result in better wages and the capitalists don't want that - but the lip service wins elections in some states while also preventing the conversation from shifting to possible regulation to solve the problem of low wages.

[–] shalafi 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Damn that was a fine read.

blame the immigrants for pursuing rational self-interest as if it were a moral failing, instilling hatred in part of the working class toward other working class people to garner political support for representatives who pay lip service to anti-immigration policy

^ Tip of the spear right there. Gets votes!

But let's talk real talk. Americans want slaves. I can provide 100 anecdotes, but they all come to the same observation, we want cheap labor. Immigrants provide it and we can't do without it.

And it's not just the "evil capitalists". If a Mexican dude tells me his gang will refloor my living room for $5/hr. per man, I'm all in because I can't afford to pay "real" labor prices. Either they make some money, or no one gets paid and my carpet is rotting.

OK, one anecdote. My wife is Filipina, not a US citizen. Her education in early childhood education is stunning. I've watched countless videos of her private school back home. And I'm screaming, "FFS! Why are we not teaching our children like this?! Why are our teachers not trained like this?!"

She had to quit her job teaching because the airport hotel pays far more. Philippinos are in demand because everyone knows they work hard, don't bitch and are grateful for what they get. LOL, she was hired on the spot, just for walking in the door and asking.

Meanwhile, I make $80K for sitting and sleeping my ass off working for a software dev, from home.

Don't know where I'm going with this. Guess when we Americans say we're a "nation of immigrants", we really mean, "a nation of immigrants who started as slaves and worked their way up the food chain over a generation or two".

[–] Delta_V 1 points 10 months ago

If a Mexican dude tells me his gang will refloor my living room for $5/hr. per man, I’m all in because I can’t afford to pay “real” labor prices.

IDK if that's really the general case. Everyone in my social circles tips well and pays decent wages when they need help, even though we're all kinda poor. I'm sure there are some people who feel differently, but I suspect the majority are decent folks who treat others the way they want to be treated themselves.