Suppose you are the owner of a small local construction company or a farmer. Your business model is to work hard, get things built or grown, and to make as much money as you can.
Part of this business model is keeping labor costs as low as possible. To do this you use immigrant labor. If you don’t do this, your competition will do it, and you will be out of business.
You likely voted for Trump and Republicans because they promised lower taxes, less business regulation and a strong economy. Instead, you get tariffs which raise the cost of everything and ICE agents potentially deporting your workers who work hard and have families, who you like.
Maybe you know that Trump is dishonest and corrupt. You want to support him for the tax cuts, regulation cuts, etc. You do not like the hate and fear promoted.
What are you to do? This is the dilemma that is at the root of the problems of small and large businesses. This is not sustainable. Something will have to give.
Mark Rothacher, Salt Lake City
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