Capitalism, man. It sucks.

@@artistsometimes2729 globalized capitalism, sucks even more.

What he said doesn't make any sense to me. Care to elaborate?

Yep, in this case by way of labor arbitrage.

@@luckylui3282 Yes....thankyou!

@ if understanding supply and demand is demonization, then sign me up

"Many undocumented workers obtain an Individual Taxpayer Number. This number is obtained LEGALLY." let's stop right there. How does an undocumented worker obtain a tax number from some form of government WITHOUT BEING DOCUMENTED it's that act OF BEING DOCUMENTED doesn't that prevent employers from paying BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE and make that employee a liability FOR WORKMANS COMP INSURANCE and no more attractive than a US citizen. Sorry but your comment is incredible.

@@mikecompton5418 The IRS issues an INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER NUMBER to make sure that all workers pay taxes, even if they don't have a social security number. The number is routinely given to UNDOCUMENTED workers who apply for it. The IRS issues this number regardless of whether the worker is legally authorized to work in the USA or not. Many (I said many, not all) undocumented workers prefer to pay taxes using the INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER NUMBER to PROVE that they've paid taxes for the many years they have lived & worked in the USA - albeit without documents - in the hope that some day they may be able to change their legal status in the USA due to changing circumstances, changes in the law, amnesty, etc. Again, although the UNDOCUMENTED workers can PAY taxes using the INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER NUMBER under no circumstances are they allowed to collect any income tax return. If you're still not sure, I suggest you contact the IRS directly, research the tax & labor laws, or look at the IRS form yourself. I bring up the issue because it's never discussed when arguments are made about how the undocumented are a " drain " on society because they don't pay taxes. And as far as not paying taxes, plenty of LEGAL USA citizens live & operate in a total cash economy ... often referred to as a secondary economy and/or criminal economy. I hope this information is somewhat helpful to you. 💋💖

@@donacatanguma Thank you for expanding on your comment, this is the first that I have heard of a tax number for undocumented workers. I'm curious on how employers evade prosecution for hiring undocumented workers with a traceable tax number.

@@mikecompton5418 The IRS form for the INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER NUMBER has several categories of status for those applying. Any undocumented worker that wishes to apply for the number will check NON RESIDENT ALIEN. This refers to anyone living within the USA borders who does NOT have official resident status. This category encompasses a large number of different types of workers, both those " legally authorized " and the undocumented. It's largely a game anyway ... if you and I know the industries that routinely hire undocumented labor, it's obvious that the IRS, ICE, and/or other govt agencies do as well. Deportation sweeps are often conducted as show anyway, and frequently highlighted to appease voters at election time, or to secure funding for the various agencies and justify their existence. Another fact that is never, or almost never, discussed is that there are US banks that allow the undocumented to open accounts. Some banks, as well as specific credit unions, permit accounts to be opened with the INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER NUMBER in lieu of a social security number, along with proof of a USA street address. For proof of identification, banks will accept tax returns (submitted legally using the ITN as already discussed), foreign birth certificates, foreign passports, and even foreign voter ID cards as identification ... in the case of the latter two ... easily obtained at the worker's consulate. I'm pretty sure that TD BANK and BANK OF AMERICA allow the undocumented access if the above requirements are met ... possibly Wells Fargo, but I'm not sure. Anyway, once the bank account is established, the non resident alien worker will be issued a debit card. Now they are able to buy from Amazon too just like the rest of us ... and everybody's happy ... the worker, the IRS, the bank, and of course Jeff Bezos (sarcasm noted ! ). I think Bob Dylan said it best ... All the truth in the world is one big lie ! ☮️💋

Now that is a solution.

If this is actually a question rather than a statement, Prof Wolff did a short video that answers your question.

The answer is simple: they will do what all of them get to decide, as opposed to by default, to improve the profit margin and subsequently, the stock prices and wealth of the stockholders. They may use it to save time/labor or to be able to lower the price of what's produced, or a mixture of the two, or some other decision, whatever the need may be at that time and whenever, if ever there is a need to readjust. But yes, as ivanoffw said, check out the topic in other Richard Wolff videos.

Exactly

we could just go for open borders like we had about a century ago before the american eugenics program. which would allow immigrants to pursue legal protection from unlawful employment practices. let the companies leave to pursue cheaper labor, and replace the lost niches in the market with worker Co-ops subsidized by all the saved money not trying to police immigration and high tariffs collected from the companies when they try to ship their products back into the states. the lost wealth from the rich leaving in droves would be recuperated in a few short years, except distributed among the working class instead of centralized within a small majority

@@NathanK97 thanks. I'll think on this.

@@CraigDeLarge let me know what you come up with

That's part 2 of this message, you're getting ahead, lol.

This certainly describes some aspects, but the overall dynamic is quite a bit more complex once you factor in market competition, incentives/possibilities for automation and the fact that the ability/willingness of consumers to pay a certain price may depend on a variety of external factors. These idealized models only get you so far either way and this is one of the reasons why one should always approach economic "science" with a healthy dose of skepticism...

It's a topic that's a bit more complicated to answer. There are studies that will show that those with no high school degree get screwed. There are other studies show little effect when you also involve people that that just have a high school degree or over. But many things can effect wage like globalization, the decline of unions, or there might be a government policy that could also be effecting wages

Exactly. Not all.

A so-called "brain drain" of white-collar personalities-and-psychologies/mind-set's is problematic, having upper-socioeconomic job's/careers/professions/occupations/ranks/positions/fields/role (s)-and-responsibilities, such as big business owner's-and-organisers, upper-middle socioeconomic job's/careers/professions/occupations/ranks/positions/fields/role (s)-and-responsibilities, which includes specialist doctor's, lawyer's, banker's, medium-sized business owner's-and-organisers, technologist's, engineers and middle-middle socioeconomic job's/careers/professions/occupations/ranks/positions/fields/role (s)-and-responsibilities, which includes scientist's, mathematician's, general practitioner's (G.P)/medical doctor's (M.D), journalist's, real estate agent's and accountant's and lower-middle socioeconomic job's/careers/professions/occupations/ranks/positions/fields/role (s)-and-responsibilities, such as teacher's, nurses and small business owner's-and-organisers are viewed-and-valued more necessary then blue-collar (at the beginning of the day)/black-collar (at the end of the day) job's/careers/professions/occupations/ranks/positions/fields/role (s)-and-responsibilities, such as skilled laborers/tradespersons, which includes electrician's, plumber's and carpenter's, semi-skilled laborers, which includes farmer's, un-skilled laborers, criminal's, security officer's, police officer's (law-person's, officer's of the law, law-person's, cop's, street-level bureaucrat's), military personnel and both public-and-professional sporting enthusiast's/"buff's"/athletes and non-public-and-non-professional sporting enthusiast's/"buff's"/athletes

They also may be undocumented with legal tin numbers and pay taxes but can't receive a return.

@@nothankyoutube Yes. And the IRS is aware and doesn't disclose any information to immigration authorities.

More examples of how we the tax-payer subsidize business. Did you know that we subsidize Wal-Mart, by giving their workers state benefits, thus allowing Wal-Mart to pay very low wages.

That is a fair data point, but you can't claim to have seen a solid representation of all immigrant labor in the country, right? You haven't been picking in the fields. Tell me, what % of immigrant labor works in agriculture vs. restaurants and construction? Oh, to find that out we're going to have to look at more than 1 person's daily routine, eh?

@@TheGroovyJones how about you tell me the percentages smart guy.

@@TheGroovyJones and it's not just my daily routine. It's having conversations with immigrants regarding their pay and jobs in those fields. I now live in Latin America, and have met many people who worked, saved, and returned. NONE reported being underpaid.

@@js_guyman Uh, of course THESE people don't report being underpaid, because the underpaid ones don't have resources to make it back there. Biased data, unsound to draw conclusions from. My whole point was you can't make conclusions about millions of people from the few you run into personally. It takes a scientific, national view to see the full reality. You are obviously not using that but drawing (baseless) implications on your limited (and biased) experiences.

@@TheGroovyJones you know nothing about immigrants. They don't 'get stuck' in the US. That's not a realistic assertion. The worst that happens to them is they get deported, or get scammed by coyoties on their way back up. My point was that Richard wolff was drawing conclusions that don't seem to be based in reality. Probably because he doesn't have much first hand experience, and just assumes immigrants get paid less (as I did before I worked with and met them)And I never claimed to know what goes on with agricultural seasonal workers. But seeing as I've spoken with a random assortment of undocumented immigrants who lived all over the US, and worked in varying industries, I'd say that's just as good as any other national survey (excluding agricultural workers). My issue is that he's giving people the impression that this happens to a large percentage of undocumented immigrants. Which isn't true. I love his takes on everything else. Just not on that.

Your companies and corporate cause job loss. Not people looking for work you won't do anyway

Public schools are largely fianced by property tax which all illegal or legal immigratns pay.

john ellington are you foreign or do you just not know how to write?

Duck The Red it’s politics if he supported immigration his base would leave him in seconds politics is a show put on to stay in power

Ok but Wolff is saying that capitalist want illegal immigrants because is a subsidy and isn't that Trump's base

Duck The Red that’s part of his base but a great part of it are rural or desperate white republicans who have felt disenfranchised so they supported trump who said things like bringing manufacturing back and stopping outsourcing, or bringing back coal country, or blamed immigrants for taking their jobs he’s basically a fake populist

@@tizwarmo1435 Well, Trump is for immigrants I'm for immigrants, as long as they are legal. And are willing to be a productive member of Society. Illegal immigrants have already provided that they aren't willing to follow our laws. And it's more than just rural white Republicans, I saw 1 study that said 70% of America wants the wall. Also have worked with legal Mexican immigrants and they hate illegals.

Because you are BETA

Did he ever say that he supports under the table payments to immigrants? I believe that he was just stating that illegal immigration and building factories where people are desperate are two ways employers use to keep their profits high. If the employer cannot find scared/desperate workers in the United States, then they will build their factories where the desperate/impoverished workers live. I am surprised that you did not complain about him supporting moving factories to impoverished countries. Just because someone discusses a topic, does not mean that they endorse it.

I don't think he stated anything about supporting them, just giving responses to common misconceptions

@@ivanoffw"under the table workers". His point was they do not hurt our economy. He just went off the deep end with talking points tonight. I hope anyway. Also: many sketchy US Citizens work under the table. The corporations get away with it because of both political parties. No politician wants to loose their campaign money coming from the lobby / bribe money. It is strictly up to the workers to put a stop to it. It is self evident that the government and or corporations will continue to exploit workers. He seems to avoid talking about labor unions for some reason. I understand if you don't agree and I do appreciate all views. Thanks!

@@TheWindGinProject For the most part we seem to be in agreement, I just don't understand where you think that Wolff went of the deep end with talking points?

@@ivanoffw Ok, The word I used "support" was not a word he used. His point went off track when he started pointing out that under the table workers really pay their own way for the most part and that they really don't hurt our economy. I'm sure you already got my point but you kind of said you didn't understand. I feel that under the table workers no matter where they are from hurt our economy for many reasons. I'm frustrated that he avoids the fact that any economic system requires the workers to stand tall and not undercut each other. All systems will be exploited and many check and balances are required especially that of a strong labor force that will stand together.