A particularly bizarre moment in the immigration debate came and went almost unnoticed. At the same House subcommittee hearing at which Stephen Colbert testified, Rep. Steve King (R- Iowa), who opposes legalization for the undocumented workers who plant, pick, harvest and package a substantial portion of the nation's crops and produce, offered this alternative: Americans could simply wean themselves from fruits and vegetables. Salad, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, etc., cannot be all that important to human health, King suggested, huffing "I'm wondering how the Eskimos got along all those centuries without fruits and vegetables!"

A diet of whale blubber is certainly a novel idea, but it seems unlikely to be embraced. The reality is that Americans need to eat produce, and for that to happen, farmers need a reliable supply of skilled workers — and laborers need consistent employment and to be protected from exploitation. That's what passing AgJOBS legislation would accomplish. The Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Howard L. Berman (D- Valley Village) would create a pilot program to give certain immigrant farmworkers (some here legally, others not) the opportunity to obtain a "blue card" — a temporary work permit — and, later, the possibility of permanent legal residency. It would also provide blue cards to spouses and minor children of such farmworkers and modify the current H-2A guest-worker visa program. It is not a cure for all that ails agriculture or national immigration policy, but it is a decent compromise.

The major argument against AgJOBS is not that fruits and vegetables are unnecessary to a healthy diet, but that those jobs ought to be held by Americans rather than illegal immigrants, and that Americans would do farm work if it paid more — say, the national average of $17 an hour. (click on link to read full story)