by James Glaser
January 8, 2004

George Bush's Labor department is right now giving tips to employers on how to avoid paying overtime to some of the 1.3 million low-income workers who would become eligible under new rules for overtime pay.

At the same time he is doing this to American workers, George is looking for more Hispanic votes this year, so he is now proposing a temporary worker program to help millions of immigrants work legally in the United States.

President Bush has never had a hard job in his life, one where he had to do physical work for low pay with no benefits. George was born rich, he was given the best schools to go to, and he was the son of a successful politician whose friends helped little George out.

Here is an example of what this President can say because he has no idea of what he is talking about. At least I hope he has no idea, because if he does, he is one sick man. Today when he was telling the nation about his new worker program for illegal aliens, President Bush made this statement. "If an American employer is offering a job that American citizens are not willing to take, we ought to welcome into our country a person who will fill that job."

Well sorry to tell you Mr. President, if an American worker will not take that job, it is most likely because the pay is too low, it has no benefits, or it might not have any of the common sense safety rules it should. Right here in Minnesota, many American workers have been replaced by foreign workers in the meat packing industry because wages and benefits were cut and safety rules became lax.

There are thousands and thousands of hard working Americans that just exist and their families are suffering, because of low wages with no benefits. Both parents have to work, just to make ends meet. However we have a President today that can not comprehend what many American working families are going through because he has always had money, if not his, then his dad's.

President Bush's new plan will cause many more industries to lower their pay scale, because they know if American workers will not work for low wages, then Mexicans and other foreigners will, with the blessing of the President of the United States.

George can not comprehend what work in a slaughter house is like or what it is like to hump bundles of shingles up on to a roof. He thinks it is just great if corporations can get cheap labor right here in the USA.

Plus there is the possibility he might pick up some votes here.

In another labor sector, the Department of labor is out there telling employers how they can avoid paying overtime to low wage workers. Department officials have said that 644,000 higher paid workers will lose their overtime eligibility and that another 1.5 million to 2.7 million workers "will be more readily identified as exempt" from overtime requirements.

Labor unions claim that number is 8 million workers, who will lose their overtime pay.

President Bush has done everything he can for the rich in America, so it should be no surprise that he is now trying to screw every American working man and woman he can. Lower wages for the worker with no benefits and no safety regulations, means money in the pocket for the wealthy in this country.

The rich still want the labor that American workers are providing; they just don't want to pay for it. So why not hire Mexicans and anyone else that thinks $4.50 an hour is big money?