Would this solve America's economic problems?

First, start paying farm workers a reasonable living wage. That way, American people will be able to work on the farms, and their won't be economic openings for Mexican illegals to fill.



Food prices will skyrocket, but wait, there's more.



End the oil and gas subsidies, so that American people have to pay real prices at the pumps.

Food prices will skyrocket even more. Agricultural mega-industries will no longer be viable. Allow small agricultural operations to serve local populations, such as they generally have in Europe. Instead of having meat and produce shipped halfway around the world in gas guzzlers, produce can be shipped small distances on small scales.



Obviously we would need to have quite a few more farms operating. And they will be expensive. And the people working on them will be well-paid, respected members of society.



I think that this could end the unemployment problem, it could solve the immigration problem, it will go a long way toward solving many of the looming environmental problems, and it would probably resolve the obesity epidemic, too.



The only problem I see with this solution is that the government prefers to tax large corporations and industries, and has a more difficult time effectively taxing small operations. But surely this is a minor difficulty in comparison to the benefits that would result.



I am just throwing this idea out there to see what people have to say. Any feedback is appreciated.Would this solve America's economic problems?The plan has it's merits . Not perfect by good points . The large industrial farms ( who do most of the pollution ) are spending billions in lawsuits and regulations to crush the small farms . have been for years .. Raw milk is an example .Would this solve America's economic problems?
there are so many problems. Of course there is the basic economic problem, scarcity.



As far as farms go, in order to pay farm workers more, farms need to make more money, so food would cost more, so in America we would have to spend less money on other things (computers, gas, movies, etc.) Worldwide people would starve. Study economics, and try again.Would this solve America's economic problems?No, but I think free market solutions and pro-growth economic and tax policies would help.



Unfortunately, I think the illegal immigration and labor problems proves that the minimum wage is a failure. Employers have been allowed to hire people to whom they can avoid making the required wage and benefits payments.Would this solve America's economic problems?
You forgot to factor in corporate farming - automation has made it possible to farm huge tracts of land with only a few employees.

Most farms aren't small-time operations anymore.

(EDIT: Greasy Tony nailed it - a lot of people are unwilling to take the farming jobs that already exist, even if immigrant labor were eliminated)Would this solve America's economic problems?%26gt; Government setting prices is GUARANTEED to CAUSE shortages. It always has. No exceptions- anywhere - ever.

%26gt; You are unable to cite any "oil and gas subsidies."
Unemployment is at 20%, You think getting rid of a few subsidies is going to change anything?????Would this solve America's economic problems?
how can a farmer pay $12.00 an hr. when I pay only $2.97 for a 2 quart basket of strawberries produced in California?
Just go back to the gold standard, after the help is paid there will not be enough money in circulation for CEO rate pay.Would this solve America's economic problems?
There are two points you need to make about the gas / oil subsidies.



If they were to go away "and" the companies inflated price to reflect what they lost... it would go up only about 5 cents. (That's it)



Now, if that happened, that cost would then be spread to the people who use it most. (The lower 95% tax brackets). This would actually "help" the richest who pay the majority of the taxes currently. It would then shift the burden to the "non-elite".



That's "if" the richest corporations in "ALL OF HISTORY" increase the price.
NOPE! because no matter how much you pay Americans, they won't go out and pick our fruits and Veggies. I've asked about that "Magical Wage" that would get them to do those jobs, and not one answer.

If Georgia's immigrant crackdown FAILED! what makes you think it'll work anywhere else? Farms have been struggling to find local workers, there are million of unemployed, so why aren't they flocking to Arizona farms to snatch up these jobs? Hmmmm!

================
Ga. immigrant crackdown backfires

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal's program to replace fleeing migrant farmworkers with probationers backfired when some of the convicted criminals started walking off their jobs because field work was too strenuous, it was reported Wednesday.

In a story datelined Leslie, in rural south Georgia, the Associated Press writes of convicts calling it quits at 3:25 p.m. - more than two-and-a-half hours before the crew of Mexicans and Guatemalans they replaced.

"Those guys out here weren't out there 30 minutes and they got the bucket and just threw them in the air and say, `Bonk this, I ain't with this, I can't do this,'" said Jermond Powell, a 33-year-old probationer working at a farm in Leslie. "They just left, took off across the field walking."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2鈥?/a>
Propaganda

There are no oil subsidies, unless you want to twist the definition of a subsidy to include any form of tax break or credit.

Stop with the Socialism already