The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Sept. 6 that the labor force participation rate is at its lowest level in 35 years. It’s quite clear from BLS data the main reason for this decline has been the importation of record numbers of young, foreign-born male workers into our labor market, displacing Americans. And why are they displacing Americans? They’re cheaper and their standard of living is way below the way any of us would want to live or want our children and grandchildren to live.

This strongly suggestive reason is found on page 18 of the Sept. 6, 2013 BLS Employment Situation Report available online. The table on that page compares the labor force participation rate for native-born and foreign-born workers in the U.S. It shows that in August 2013 the native-born participation rate was 62.8 percent — down from 63.3 percent one year earlier. However, the August 2013 foreign-born participation rate was 66.9 percent — up from 66.1 percent one year earlier. Do you see the trend?

Out of interest, using the BLS website, I took a look at the labor force participation rate data from 1948 to present. As can be seen, as more women entered the workforce after World War II, the labor force participation rate increased, reaching its peak in 2000. Around that time, the full force of our modern mass immigration situation was felt — the influx of foreign-born males hit our labor force the hardest. The rest is history. Is this what we want?

 

Paul Westrum

Albert Lea