[Armistead]

I think it has little to do with race, more economics. Certainly racism is at the core of many issues that lock people into lower lifestyles and non skilled labor, but it's more about money. If someone can do it as good cheaper, then that's what people care about.

I was a Sr Project Manager for a large paint contractor for 20 years. When I first went to work for the company, we had over 200 employees, 90% white, few blacks and other races. We had large buildings and offices in 3 states and two small planes to travel. We paid a decent wage, had great benefits, etc.. We followed all laws, paid thousands to dispose of left over haz. waste monthly, followed lead laws..safety, etc.

Slowly illegals took over, wages declined as the pro's fought to compete. Over the last 15 years I've seen the largest 8 in house paint contractors shut down, most in business since the 20's. First they dropped wages, then benefits, made every cut, but no way to compete against illegal labor. The few whites in business today have no employees, they sub it all out to a legal mexican that works nothing but illegals.

Now large builders use illegals in mass. To be in this business and make a dime you dispose of your waste by throwing it on the ground, maybe 10% dispose legally, that means 100,000's of gals a year of strong chemicals get dumped in yards, dumpters, down sinks, toilets, etc. (paint thinner, epoxy thinner, MEK, alcohol) Then drop benefits and work illegals as cheap as you can, no safety laws, ect. A once professional trade went down the toilet.

Do they work hard, have skills, sure. Most whites won't work for the wage now, no benefits, etc.. but all these skilled trades once worked well, paid well with benefits to Americans and they got the job done, painting, framing, bricklayers....the wage is almost the same now as it was 15 years ago.

In our richest neighborhood, full of white GOP members you'll hear them talk about illegals ruining the nation, why at the same time they're using them doing painting, yardwork, building on, you name it. This neighborhood looks like lil mexico in the morning with all the illegals showing up for work.
You'll find very few whites. We have to follow laws, pay taxes, insurance. If we break the laws, we pay hefty fines, the illegals go hide and can't be found.

In the upper trades, illegals can't break in due to license status or education. It's really nothing but class warfare, americans taking advantage of illegals over paying for legal americans to do the job.

Just imagine if we allowed illegals to have this effect on skilled and professional trades...No, that class would solve illegal immigration in a week...Illegal Lawyers, Doctors, ect., Mexico has plenty that would work here illegally if they could. It's nothing but class warfare, the rich getting cheap labor and denying a decent wage and benefits as they have to legal americans.