It's a good bet that running out the illegals would do little for the SKILLED labor market, but it would be a good start. You would see a big decrease in crime too.

As China is raveging its ecosystem with rampant industrial pollution, and is expanding faster than it can sustain, they are seeing their own labor problems, and THAT is good news for us. Unfortunately, as companies are considering ditching China, they aren't looking to come home: Taiwan, India, and Korea are looking good to them. So jobs aren't coming home any time soon.

It seems convenient to point out that with what we are spending on the war in Iraq we could easily improve and extend unemployment benifits. Unfortunately, that money we are spending isn't ours: Its being heaped directly upon the national debt IE we are borrowing it.

The next couple generations have a real problem. And, they are TOTALLY not up to the task. Was playing cards with some friends last night, and their 16 yr old girl was sitting in a couple hands... she was counting on her fingers to figure out how many cards between a 2 and an 8. Sad. Maybe they simply won't need basic math skills, but I really doubt that.

Kids today can surf the net and text like mad, but I'm not confident that those skills will bring them gainful employment. Seems like there ARE no more apprenticeships. And no wonder; kids expect to step out of school making the same money as the seasoned hands.
As my supervisor says:
"If I could buy them for what they are worth, and sell them for what they THINK they are worth, I'd make a fortune".

It's too bad we don't send the politicians out to fight the wars. It would be a better world.