by Paul Larusch

Created on: June 08, 2008

About ten years ago my friend's wife opened a business of her own in the Utica, NY, area-a consignment store. I know Mary likes working for herself and I know she and her husband are happy so I'm sure things are going pretty well for her. But because I've never asked her what her overhead costs are and how much she sells I have no idea how much money she makes. I do know, however, that, given the nature of her business, her profit-per-unit-of-product-sold can't be all that high. If you or I leave her a ten-year-old leather jacket to sell for $40 she will probably gross $20 on the sale. Gross. Deduct overhead-heat, light, rent-and tribute-I'm not telling you anything new when I tell you New York is a tax-your-last-dollar state and that teachers in New York are unionized and that Halliburton and Blackwater must be paid for their work in Iraq and Afghanistan-and not too many dollars are left for Mary from that one particular sale.

Let's say one day a few minutes after she opens the store a man walks in and, in broken English, asks her for a job. He tells her he has no formal work experience-none that he can document, anyway-but that he has done odd jobs for people in the area to support himself and that he's willing to do whatever she needs done at whatever price she's willing pay in exchange for full-time employment.

"So you're flexible and there are no salary requirements?"

"What is that? Yes."

"Never mind; can you make change?"

"Yes."

"Can you operate a cash register?"

"I learn if you show me."

"Do you have ID?"

"That is...."

"Identification. Something with your photo on it. A driver's license. A social security card."

"No."

"Where are you from?"

"I live now here."

"Yes, you do."

Of course by now Mary's almost certain the man's an illegal immigrant and that she's required by law to not only turn the man away but to report his activity and whereabouts to the INS. But what about the dictates of decency and fairness and common sense? And what about natural rights? Mary needs a worker and she's not afraid to take a chance on this guy, and he plainly needs a job. Should any government official-or any other human being for that matter-be allowed to say Mary can not hire this man if the two of them agree on a work schedule and a price per hour-or week or month-for his labor? I say no; our government-meaning many if not most people in the country, this is a democracy-says yes. Let's look at it.

Let's say the man in the above example was a native-born American from the Utica area;

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