A Capitalist Myth

When people complain about immigrants "taking American jobs," I wonder if they ever stop to ask why Americans aren’t applying for those same jobs in the first place. Ask any farmer how many white applicants they get for field work. Most would love to hire locally—they’d save money on government fees and the hassle of bringing in workers from other countries. But they can’t find enough willing hands. That’s the real issue.

Immigrants and poor Americans take on the work that others refuse to do. And make no mistake—doing any job well requires skill. I’ve shared before my half-day attempt at picking strawberries. Fifty-three years later, I still give thanks for farm workers every time I pass by a field. No meal feels complete without acknowledging the farmers and laborers who made it possible.

So, do you think the pay has something to do with it? Or is it that some jobs are considered beneath them? Some people would rather make zero dollars than take work they see as an insult to their aspirations.

The reality is, this country was built—and is still running—because of people willing to do the so-called “unskilled” labor. Yet, society idolizes billionaires, as if they built their fortunes alone. Let’s be real—not a single one of them did it without employees. And I’d bet good money most of them couldn’t have done it at all without workers willing to get their hands dirty.