Sometimes I read quotes in news items and wish that they were mine.

A piece in today's Detroit News [online] explaining that

" President Bush is considering allowing illegal immigrants who came to the United States before February 2004 to qualify for guest-worker visas. Those who arrived later would be deported."

(Note from Marietta: sure they would - like they are now - right?)—there is just such a quote.

It comes from Vernon Briggs, a Cornell University labor economics professor.

"... a guest worker program, Briggs said, guarantees wages will never go up, and there is no way American citizens can compete with guest workers. They will take over the jobs. The guest workers are tied to the industry. They are tied to the employer," he said."

Well said.

Briggs goes on and further recognizes the truth "The toleration of illegal immigration undermines all of our labor," "It rips at the social fabric. It's a race to the bottom. The one who plays by the rules is penalized. It becomes a system that feeds on itself. It just goes on and on and on."

We like this guy. I wonder what he has to say about anchor babies?

Here, in the interest of fairness and balance, is a quote from an editorial from Cynthia Tucker's editorial page in the local open borders rag, the Atlanta Journal Constitution: (not usually known for their fairness or balance)

"A more meaningful approach might be to recognize the supply of cheap labor in this country that illegal immigrants provide and bring them out into the open... Without a path to legal status, there would be no reason for illegal immigrants to step forward, thus effectively sealing their permanent underclass status."[Walls can't truly keep out illegals, December 4, 2005]

And ours Ms. Tucker, and ours.

Another note from Marietta...I have offered Ms. Tucker an opportunity join me in a public debate (again) on amnesty and the entire issue of our unsecured borders, illegal immigration and its consequences. Were she to find the courage to accept, I will use the quote from Griggs, Ms. Tucker. With half my brain tied behind my back.