Eli Whitney, and Slavery

On this day in …* 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized America's cotton industry.

This note on the calendar started my thoughts rolling.

Where was cotton grown?

In the South.

What was the process?
Slaves would: Till the ground, plant the seeds, chop weeds out, and at maturity, pick the cotton, take it to collection points, where slaves pulled the cotton off the seeds, and pack the cotton into bales and sent it off to textile mills.

Who profited?
Slave and plantation owners.

Fast Forward to 2007.

Agriculture interests, now a BIG BUSINESS, not a family farm anymore, but as organized as GM, DuPont, or Texaco. THESE are the ones who benefit from "Cheap Labor".

What is "Cheap Labor"?

Illegal Aliens who are smuggled in by criminals.

Now, the biggest cry and whine comes from agriculture saying that enforcement of Immigration law would ruin them financially and cause depression in farming. Yet, the Agriculture interests pay their "Cheap Labor" about $10 per hour, where the average american worker needs anout $40 per hour just to pay costs of living for him/her and their family.

So, who makes up the $30 difference? YOU DO-YOU, the taxpayer.

YOU pay for Illegal Alien Health Care, Incarceration, Education for their children, and Welfare Benefits: ADC, Food Stamps, and other "Public Assistance".

WE need another Eli Whitney.