Pope Francis v. the GOP | National Catholic Reporter

Pope Francis v. the GOP | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: The one place it would have been good for Francis to have visited on his U.S. trip was any meat processing plant employing large numbers of Latino workers.  He would have found that quite a few of them are not here legally, were brought here and sold to the plant by coyotes and would be arrested by the local sheriff if they tried to leave.  The reason for illegality is not to keep workers from coming in, but to keep them in bondage while they are here - and this is all so American consumers can buy chicken or bacon for a cheaper price.  This is what the Pope was talking about at the border.  While capitalists do benefit from the profits generated by this activity, it is the American consumer that is the biggest beneficiary of the pain of migrants - just like it is not the pimp who benefits from trafficked women, but the Johns who can rent and discard them, body and soul.



The GOP has an interesting problem - as do the bishops if they continue to use the excuse of abortion to maintain ties with the Republican elite.  The elites like their cheap workers.  While some would be fine with some kind of agricultural labor program with enough restrictions on workers to keep them in line, the majority like illegality because it has stronger tools.  Meanwhile, the GOP xenophobes and racists just want them out, as the illegality of their presence is more important to them than the morality of how they are being treated.  Of course, the Democrats are pussyfooting around the issue because their constituents like cheap food and they like campaign contributions as well.  What they should be arguing for are open borders and an end to right to work laws.  We will see how much immigrant labor is needed when both American and Mexican workers are paid a full union wage.