Also to be dealt with at this point, generally, is the assertion that cousin Bob is making a higher hourly wage right now than some drudge who puts in all those boring years for a degree and a dull office starter job -- and furthermore Bob is enjoying fresh air and flexible hours in his chosen branch of the car-parking or construction trades.

Honest labor is never to be sneered at. But again -- excepting those with the entrepreneurial skill and talent to become contractors in their own right -- how many folks will still be physically able to do that work in 40 years? How long and frequent are the seasonal layoffs and -- most importantly -- just how unique a skill set is Bob acquiring?

In this season of graduation ceremonies, these thoughts resurfaced when I received the following missive from Steve in Texas, responding to one of my recent columns on immigration "reform" -- a proposal whose sponsors only lie when their lips move.

(Just ask them if they favor "securing the border." They will all reply, "Absolutely, securing the border is paramount." Then watch them laugh at the idiot when you ask how many land mines they think it will take. "Of course we're not talking about anything like that!" No, they're talking about hiring thousands more unionized bureaucrats to stand around measuring the alien flow, the way they measure how fast the Mississippi is dumping into the Atchafalaya.)

Steve voices quite articulately the plight of many whose costs of operation were driven up by government interventions as he struggled to "do things right" and "play by the rules." And what was his reward, from our proud politicians of the Neville Chamberlain School of Immigration Studies?

Dear Vin -- As usual you're right on the mark. Unfortunately it's too late for me.

I spent my entire adult life in the ceramic tile business, the last 11 years in Las Vegas. I was licensed by the state Contractors Board as a tile contractor, paying license fees as well as bonding and insurance. This was a small business I ran alone, primarily installing tile.

About four to five years ago the ILLEGAL hordes arrived on the scene working for my so-called legal competitors as well as contracting ILLEGALLY.

Well I bet you can guess what happened. The ILLEGALS drove down the price for installing tile by more than 60 percent. Of course they were stealing supplies from their employers during the week and using them on their "side jobs," thus getting a leg up on me along with the fact that they didn't pay state licensing fees or bonding and insurance. ...

Being the naive idiot I am I turned to the government for help. I called the state Contractors Board and was told that if I did all the investigating and could come up with a signed contract that my ILLEGAL friends had entered into with a customer, that would be actionable. Why the Board could not go to the businesses that were selling tile and recommending the LAWBREAKERS to do the installation I don't know. Too much hassle when you're being paid with taxpayer money, I suppose.

Then there are our elected government representatives. I approached (Rep.) Shelley Berkley at the Summerlin July 4th parade two years ago and told her my livelihood was being destroyed by ILLEGAL immigration. She never quit smiling and waving to her faithful minions in the crowd as out of the corner of her mouth she said, "Call my office."

Well, I told you I was naive, so I spent almost a year calling her staff with absolutely no reply. I guess they thought if they ignored me long enough I would be put out of business by her "real constituents." Finally after nearly a year I received a letter from Ms. Berkley stating she was against illegal immigration but because of humanitarian reasons she thought they should be allowed to stay. Not only that, she went on to explain "how much they have contributed to our country."

Then we have (Sen.) Harry Reid. Being a more astute politician it only took one call to his staff to get a reply from the great senator. Surprisingly he was also against illegal immigration. But just like Shelley, he is a humanitarian. Besides, he explained how much they have contributed to our country. ...

His thinking was we could never round up 12 million people and deport them, although he seems to believe the government can somehow round up even more drug users who are citizens and ruin their lives. Go figure.

Last and possibly least there was (Sen.) John Ensign. After a few calls to his staff and being directed to his Web site to view his proposal to hire more Border Patrol agents, I gave up with no reply from the senator.

Now back to me. After depleting my savings to stay afloat I had to sell my house to avoid foreclosure, bankruptcy and total financial ruin. My wife and I had to leave Las Vegas and now live with our daughter and son-in-law in Texas. Told you this is what the politicians wanted for all of us.

Now that I'm approaching 56 I am looking to retrain for a job that will support me and my wife. Then I guess we will just wait to be screwed out of Social Security.

Vin, after spending my life helping to build this country in the construction industry you can't imagine how surprised I was to find out I had one of those jobs Americans won't do. I'm sure as time goes on more and more citizens will find out that Americans won't do their jobs, either.

Most surprising, though, was when I found out that our elected officials who are paid with my hard-earned tax dollars don't represent me but represent foreign nationals in our country ILLEGALLY. This must be treason, but I don't expect the government elite to act on behalf of the lowly citizens. I know I sound bitter, but that's because I am. This situation has pretty much ruined my life. Unfortunately, I fear this is a future more and more of my fellow citizens will face, as I am sure amnesty is a foregone conclusion.

I miss Las Vegas and picking up the Review-Journal in my driveway every morning. Vin, keep up the good fight -- your column is still the best of the op-ed pages.

Vin Suprynowicz is assistant editorial page editor of the Review-Journal and author of the novel "The Black Arrow." See www.LibertyBookShop.us.