Rep. King Reminisces About The Days When Football Players Could ‘Get A Job Because They Knew Someone’
Rep. King Reminisces About The Days When Football Players Could ‘Get A Job Because They Knew Someone’
Yesterday, Republican members of the House Immigration Reform Caucus (HIRC) dedicated a three and a half hour long pseudo-hearing in a nearly empty room in the Rayburn building to spewing their “well-worn rhetoric about the hordes of illegal aliens destroying the American way of life.” During the event, “American Jobs in Peril: The Impact of Uncontrolled Immigration,” Rep. Steve King (R-IA) seemed to suggest that the U.S. should rid itself of its immigrant workers because, back in the good ‘ol days, high school “football stars” could get good-paying jobs not because they were qualified to work at them, but rather, because “they knew someone”:
Thirty years ago in the packing plants there in that town — which I do call my hometown — you had to know somebody to get a job. And I can remember looking at the football stars on our football team that graduated back in those years in the mid to late 60s and thinking:
“Those guys will get the best-paying jobs at the beef plant. They can just take their degree and go out and get a job — if they know someone. If they don’t, they won’t get the job. Well I can’t do that because I’m not tall enough or strong enough.”
But today it’s entirely different.
Watch it:
King attributes the end of cronyism in the meatpacking industry and the deterioration of wages and working conditions to undocumented immigrants. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which has represented meatpackers for almost a hundred years, has a different take about the sequence of events.
Back in March, Center for Immigration Studies Senior Fellow Jerry Kammer — who was also a panelist at the event — offered an interpretation of the industry’s history similar to King’s, minus the football players. The UFCW was quick to point out that Kammer’s misinterpreted and manipulated “data to reach a totally biased and flawed conclusion” and demonstrated a “complete lack of understanding about the history of the meatpacking industry.” They also provided their own account of what happened:
Immigrants worldwide have been essential in strengthening the U.S. meatpacking industry, by organizing around increased wages and improved industry standards. But during the ‘80’s, something happened. Consolidation, mergers, and company-induced strikes helped drive down wages for meatpackers. During the strikes, companies aggressively recruited strike breakers-not immigrants but individuals who came from the decimated farm industry-to cross the picket lines.
Many of these workers soon realized something: these jobs were tough. Too tough to perform at the wages companies were offering. So, they left. But the damage was done. And the UFCW has been fighting to rebuild wages and standards for these jobs ever since.
In direct reference to yesterday’s event, UFCW’s Director of Civil Rights and Community Action, Esther Lopez, commented, “Given their [King and his allies] terrible track record on worker issues, it really is the height of hypocrisy that they are now trying to portray themselves as champions of workers.”
The House Immigration Reform Caucus (HIRC) is a group of (mostly Republican) representatives founded by former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) with the mission of stopping “the explosive growth in illegal immigration,” “reversing the growth in legal immigration,” and halting “amnesties.” The forum featured panelists from two of the three organization which “stand at the nexus of the American nativist movement,” and are often referred to as part of the “Nativist Lobby.”
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How can they be nativists when they aren’t native?
November 20th, 2009 at 2:49 pmRepresentative King said this right after he high-fived Virginia Foxx for lying about the GOP helping to pass Civil Rights legislation.
Lies. It’s all they have left. It’s the Bush Legacy. Lies, and ‘believing’ them.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:52 pmRep. Steve King (R-IA) seemed to suggest that the U.S. should rid itself of its immigrant workers because, back in the good ‘ol days, high school “football stars” could get good-paying jobs not because they were qualified to work at them, but rather, because “they knew someone”: Yeah, that’s how you’re supposed to get a job, you mignt not F@ck-all about what you’re doing, but you know somebody who does. Bullshit.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:54 pmahhhhh…the good ole boy….ummm i mean…the good ole days.
just a little f.y.i……fascism/societal decay/regressionism perpetuates itself on memories of a golden era of days past (unfortunately the memory clouds reality and that golden era never really existed)
November 20th, 2009 at 2:54 pmIs there another Repug more repulsive than King? Oh wait, that’s to easy. There’s a ton of them. But King is one of the most racist, ignorant ones out there. Didn’t he skip his son’s wedding to go to Michelle’s ‘Protest’? Talk about a guy with the right priorities!
November 20th, 2009 at 2:55 pmCrony-capitalism . . . it’s the Republican way. Sad, but it’s why they all believe they’ve worked so hard to get what they’ve got. The truth is, most just knew someone.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:56 pmYep. Nothing more American than cronyism. Why work hard if you’re rich and have connections? You’ll get the job of your dreams!
Why work hard if you’re poor and don’t know the right people? You’ll be stuck working in a slaughterhouse.
November 20th, 2009 at 2:57 pmHm, Steve=Bill the Butcher At my challenge, by the ancient laws of combat, we are met at this chosen ground, to settle for good and all who holds sway over the five points: us natives, born rightwise to this fine land, or the foreign hordes defiling it. Anyone else see the connect here?
November 20th, 2009 at 3:02 pmI’m guessing he’s talking about Sioux City, my hometown. He’s got it halfway right, in that many got packing house jobs after some other worker recommended them for the job. It had little to do with an old boys network – but then, the companies decided to try breaking the union with imported scabs, and after some violent exchanges, non-union foreign labor is now the victor.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:02 pmHow to stop illegal immigration in one week.
Arrest the entire board of directors, and all the officers of every company hiring illegal immigrants, try them and execute them.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:02 pmdone deal. No more illegal immigrants.
Or fast food
or lawn care
or home construction
or …..
I’d pay to see this idiot operate a cutting machine in the meat department of your nearest grocer.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:02 pmHow many figures you think the guy would have left?
ps Did I say King is a dumbass.
tony and lido
I’m not tall enough or strong enough
…so, I took my Napoleon complex and became a right-wing bigot who got elected to Congress where I don’t need a big body or big muscles. My big mouth is sufficient.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:04 pmRepugs know a lot about cronyism. It’s how they all got their jobs. From Bush’s infamous picks for various positions, Mike ‘Heck of a job’ Brownie and Monica Goodling comes to mind, to Bush Jr. himself.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:04 pmIt’s nice to be troll free for a while, isn’t it?
November 20th, 2009 at 3:05 pmAlways the same with the GOP. MORE priveledges for the priveledged GOOD. Any help at all for those in need, OH MY GOD THE SKY IS FALLING. The GOP motto ought to be comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted. They really are caught in that Calvinist heresy that people are poor or in need because they are immoral and being punished by GOD
November 20th, 2009 at 3:05 pmLet us not forget………..people get voting this jackass back into office. Therefore, there must be people who think like him!!!
November 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pmCan’t decide who’s scarier Stephen King or Steven King.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:08 pm.
Remember those good old manufacturing days…
… When made in America was the patriotic label to buy?
.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:09 pmRUC@@17, LOL! That’s obvious. Steven King. He even looks like a ghoul.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:10 pm.
I don’t care who they know…
… I do not know of an NFL player who’s ready and willing to pick Mr. King’s lettuce.
.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:13 pmRep. King has a beef with the corporate interests he is always defending. Those meat packing companies were allowed to hire the illegals because the corporations are trying to drive down wages. This hiring of illegals is done with the full knowledge of the companies and the refusal of the Bush administration to enforce hiring policies for illegals. These companies will continue to hire illegals and King knows that. He is using illegals as a whipping boy when he should be demanding these companies comply with the immigration law. An astute person should ask why he has not written letters to the companies and filed a complaint with the US Dept of Labor. But he won’t because his corporate masters do not want to change the status quo.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:13 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
OT: Did anyone else hear Harry Reid talk about the senate version of the health care reform bill? Did anyone else notice that Reid is suddenly using the term pre-existing disability instead of pre-existing conditions???
Are they considered the same thing? Or is this a slick way of health insurance companies to deny Americans with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes which isn’t considered to be a disability?
Your thoughts would be appreciated
November 20th, 2009 at 3:16 pmRound up the right wing extremists and throw them in prison.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:16 pmyeah, I’ve always had a problem with football players getting degree’s handed to them for just playin football.
I think personally that sports has done much damage to our educational system.
Where I live, funding even depends on having a winning football team…….
There is something sick about that.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:20 pmOffshoring the illegal hirers!!
November 20th, 2009 at 3:20 pmThese guys better get used to the fact that we will be the minority in a couple of decades. Hispanics are the fastest growing minorty and the Repugs are alienating them. Not a smart move if you want to regain control. The GOPs tent not only got smaller, it is almost gone.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:20 pmDeport those that hire illegals
November 20th, 2009 at 3:22 pmSo is King lamenting that the Football players don’t get preferential treatment anymore ? And that students now have to concentrate on making good grades ?
November 20th, 2009 at 3:23 pmYou know, when ever I see Bachman or King and Virgina Foxx, I always wonder, who are the idiots who vote for them? Do these people live near a toxic waste dump? I mean, they are complete embarrassments.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pmReid doesnt leave footprints when he walks thru the sand his spineless arse leaves skidmarks
November 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pmShorter King: Too many blacks playing football
November 20th, 2009 at 3:26 pmThe local municipal school has problems meeting state AYP standards.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:33 pmTeachers stay after hours to tutor, mainly students in sports. Teams have mid-week games, sometimes riding 250-300 miles on buses, and getting home at 2:00 A.M., and expected to be in class in the morning.
The superintendent and his good ‘ol boys the coaches and the athletic director, bully the teachers when they complain.
Players who stayed home sick recently because of H1N1, went to practice in the afternoon because the coaches threatened them with 25 laps if they didn’t show up for practice.
.
“Those were the days…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrjbo9QRLk
.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:33 pmDivided We Fall says:
OT: Did anyone else hear Harry Reid talk about the senate version of the health care reform bill? Did anyone else notice that Reid is suddenly using the term pre-existing disability instead of pre-existing conditions?
I would say they are entirely two different things – inasmuch as “disability” has nothing to do with a claim for a “medical condition” that has been determined to be pre-existing.
One can have a pre-existing condition but not be disabled because of it. Most people have two separate coverages for “disability” and a medical “condition”.
Let’s hope Reid is just confused as to what he is speaking of, but thanks for bringing this up. I’ll be listening.
November 20th, 2009 at 3:34 pmOT:
November 20th, 2009 at 3:35 pmBrent Bozell is a d ouche….
Shortest King: In the good old day Limbaugh would be a team owner
November 20th, 2009 at 3:36 pmdbad@36, Why? What did the jerk say now?
November 20th, 2009 at 3:37 pmThey say comprehensive immigration reform is set to be 2010’s healthcare debate.
I predict that before it’s all said and done the reactionaries at Fox News and talk radio will have established the folowing “facts” about it:
* There are more illegal immigrants residing in America now than there are people on the entire planet
November 20th, 2009 at 3:40 pm* Immigrants receive 126% of all federal welfare dollars
* 96% of all illegal immigrants are related to Nidal Hasan
* Immigrants are getting darker and darker with each passing year
* Liberals plan to make Mexico the 51st State
* There would be over 1,000,000,000 additional jobs if all illegals were kicked out
* Obama was born on Cinco de Mayo in Mexico City
* By 2020 real Americans will represent only 10% of the population
* The English language will disappear West of the Mississippi
* Feliz Navidad will replace Merry Christmas in all holiday commercials
Anyone hear more about the King / Bachmann sex scandal?
November 20th, 2009 at 4:13 pm38
November 20th, 2009 at 4:18 pmHe is upset about the word d ouche being used to indicate a person who is a jerk
King is an unmittigated dip-wad. I grew up in Iowa in the 70’s and what he is saying is a load of crap.
The undocumented workers get the jobs in the meat plants because they are the only ones willing to do these jobs, and this is key, for the low wages offered. The unions left years ago, thank you Reagan, and with them the livable wages.
There were other manufacturing jobs, that paid better, but now these have been mostly out-sourced over seas.
It is not a pretty picture for the working man in Iowa or anywhere else for that matter.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pmRep. King is showing his how jealous he is of Oprah, Michael Jordan and other sports billionairs. Yes once all Americans of color were allowed to live the American dream it’s been down hill for the racist. I love to watch racist pay thousands to get close to Tiger Woods for a photo op like Daddy Bush while preaching racism. Rep. King would piss his pants if Oprah or Tiger Woods ask to meet him. Yes as the GOP Leaders like Boehner the fake golfer shouts racism but would sell his seat to play golf with a black man name Tiger Woods. Funny how Forrest Tucker and even George Washington Carver were born in Iowa and did very well.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:26 pmAs an American Indian, I can attest to the “hordes of illegal aliens destroying the American way of life”. Most of those hordes were all white men like Rep. King. As far as I am concerned, he can go back to where he came from.
November 20th, 2009 at 4:34 pmdon’t let them kid you–they need the “secondary labor” market–both as a scape goat and to manicure their lawns, wipe their children’s butts and any other “menial” jobs they consider themselves too good to do. Besides it takes some intelligence to know which hand the toilet paper goes in.:)
November 20th, 2009 at 6:35 pmNote…
I didn’t listen to the audio and only skimmed the post but a few thoughts…
-I’ve heard that Nebraskan slaughter house owners traveled out of the coutry to recruit undocumented workers.
-Reagan’s amnesty led to a huge influx of undocumented workers. Previous to Reagan, labor organizations put pressure on migrant workers to return home during the off season.
-Consolidation probably occurred, but when did it start?
November 20th, 2009 at 7:48 pmOh cronyism I miss thee so.
November 20th, 2009 at 9:44 pmAh, come on. Even Steven King isn’t so stupid that he doesn’t know that “it ain’t who you know, it’s who you blow”. Perhaps Rep. King should be asked who he fellated on his way to the top.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:57 pmThe question is: Who did Rep. King know to get his job?
Several possibilities: Daffy Duck, Goofy, Bugs Bunny, Sylvester the Cat, the Coyote (not the Roadrunner), Al Capone, Jimmy Hoffa, Carlo Gambino, “Bugs” Moran, “Pretty Boy” Floyd, Charles Manson. So many possibilities.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:49 pm