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Posted on 04/03/2006 9:33:38 AM PDT by Jo Nuvark
Grassroots Conservatives Weigh In on Immigration Debate
Posted By Bobby Eberle On April 3, 2006 at 7:00 am
Over the weekend, GOPUSA began conducting a survey of grassroots conservatives to get their feelings on the immigration debate and the priorities of the Republican Party. The final results are still being tallied, but so far, nearly 2,400 members of GOPUSA’s Grassroots Survey Team have participated.
The responses are amazing and indicate a thoughtful approach to the issues of illegal immigration and a potential guestworker program. Despite the heated nature of the debate and efforts by the left and even some Republican leaders to label pro-border security advocates as “anti-immigrant,” the grassroots Republican base has a clear understanding of the issue, and responses reveal a possible track to moving the debate forward.
The current survey results are surprising in that, as a whole, they don’t reflect the media’s portrayal of the right as a group which simply wants to “throw the illegals out.” On the contrary, respondents provided input on what they feel the priorities of the debate should be and also addressed key philosophical questions such as “What is amnesty?”
First… priorities. As I’ve stressed over and over again, including my recent article What is Amnesty? What is Punishment?, I believe the best legislative approach to this debate is to not be “comprehensive” about it. There is absolutely no reason to try to fix everything at once. This simply leads to the debate getting bogged down. Focus on border security first, then address the problem of the estimated 12 million illegal aliens in the country. Our first priority should be making the border hard for terrorists to cross, not easy.
When asked what portion of the immigration debate Congress should focus on first, only 26% of respondents felt that the approach should be “comprehensive” or address the elements of border security, a guestworker plan, and disposition of illegal aliens. 61% of the respondents felt that Congress should focus on border security first.
Respondents were mixed on what they felt would be the best way to prevent more people from entering the country illegally. The vast majority (69%) felt a combination of efforts would be desirable. Leading individuals methods included a physical barrier (7%), increased penalties for employers who hire illegals (7%), troops on the border (4%), immediate deportation (3%), and increased border patrol agents (2%).
On the issue of deportation, GOPUSA asked the survey team where they believe “deportation of the estimated 12 million illegal aliens currently in the U.S. is realistic.” 53% of the respondents answered no, while 37% answered yes. Another 10% were not sure. Regarding penalties for employers who hire illegal aliens, 58% felt a combination of fines, criminal sentences, and loss of business license was appropriate. 33% felt fines were the appropriate penalty. 6% selected criminal sentences, while 4% chose loss of business license.
On the issue of penalties to those who offer humanitarian aid to illegal aliens, the results were mixed. A plurality of respondents (44%) “do not support making it illegal to offer humanitarian aid to illegal aliens.” 32% felt a misdemeanor charge should be filed against those individuals, while 24% felt there should be felony charges.
Results get very interesting when talking about amnesty and a guestworker program. First, GOPUSA asked respondents if the U.S. needed legal guestworkers. 47% answered yes to the question, while 32% answered no. Another 21% were not sure.
Next, GOPUSA presented a series of definitions for “amnesty” and asked respondents to pick the one that more closely matched their views. 42% picked the following: “Amnesty means a track to citizenship or permanent residency for illegal aliens outside the legal process established for others who wish to enter the country .” 30% selected: “Amnesty means allowing those who entered America illegally to remain without significant penalties on both employers and illegal aliens.” 22% chose the following: “Amnesty means allowing those who entered America illegally to remain even if penalties are imposed on both employers and illegal aliens.” Another 7% had a different definition.
When the results of those questions are considered, I believe a track begins to emerge which could help drive the debate to a workable solution. Most respondents feel that mass deportation is unrealistic. However, they also believe in fundamental fairness and the rule of law. They believe that guestworkers are needed, but they are smart enough to realize the difference between someone who actually wants to be an “immigrant” (someone who wants to come to America to be an American) and someone who just wants to work and return to his/her own country. The point that seems to raise the anger meter is that whenever a guestworker program is discussed, it always includes provisions on how the program will be a path to citizenship. There is already a path to citizenship, and respondents don’t think it should be circumvented by people who came to America illegally.
Thus, for a guestworker plan to succeed, it should be limited to “guestworkers” and not be some kind of amnesty plan or special track to citizenship. It should simply be a plan that tracks people who wish to work in America, sets appropriate work durations, and then mandates some type of renewal or return to home country. It should NOT be a path to citizenship.
90% of respondents felt that any immigration reform proposal should include “a provision which requires illegal aliens to read and understand English.” 97% favor legislation “making English the official language of the United States.”
One thing is clear: grassroots Republicans are thoughtful about this issue. They want results, and they don’t feel that enough has been done with the existing laws on the books. Thus, there is frustration about this issue that the core concern of border security is being pushed aside for politics. That is wrong and the grassroots base sees it. Politics and the prospects for future votes should never steer security policy. A fundamental function of the federal government is national security… not trying to garner favor with a particular voting bloc.
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Tell Waffling RINO's : No Amnesty!
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=13155
Wrong Way Whino's (RINO's)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1607789/posts?page=475#475
I was thinking about this due the Rush today.
I have a couple of points I would like to make. I will try to keep them short and will be open for discussion on these ideas.
First, if there is any type of program that makes it easier for the ILLEGAL ALIENS to gain any sort of status, wouldn't that be discriminatory to other races or nationalities? I say yes.
#2 the premise that it would be impossible to send them all back is BS. It would cost money and take time to do it. I will cover the money thing is a very rough way.
Say it takes $1000 to re-patriate the ILLEGALS on average. Lets say there are 10 Million of them(I am not convinced of this number, this could be thrown out to make it seem like a monumental task to remove them) Bust out the calculator(Start, all programs, accessories, calcualtor) and it tells me that equals $10 Billion. Ok Ok let us just triple it for good measure.
The money will come from the companies that are caught employing them. At $5000 a pop it may make the Law Breaking Employers(Look this is a a form of TAX EVASION) think about hiring someone off of the dole roles.
But the Americans wont do this work. Yes they will if they are made to be a little more uncomfortable. We, well not us, but the democrats have locked in their base by making it comfortable to be on welfare and unemployed. It has gone on for long enough that there is no shame in taking money from other people and thinking it is a right.
But who is going to do all this work? Bingo! Halliburton will. Or I will. I will hire independent contractors to search out ILLEGAL ALIENS and LAW BREAKING EMPLOYERS. I will pay them $500 a head for an ILLEGAL and $5000 for reporting an LAW BREAKING EMPLOYER. Of course I will be collecting at least that.
Ok my questions that need to be answered.
How many people in the USA are able to work that are not working? Is it over 10 million? 275 million x 5%ish that is about 13 million unemployed.
But it will raise the price of everything for the poor consumers. I don't believe it will be that bad and if it is ..SO WHAT! What they are really saying is that it will cause the price to go where it should really be anyway.
This whole ILLEGAL thing is like cheating the system. It really pisses me off.
Where are the Leaders? Don't even get me started on term limits. These old farts need to make way for some New True American blood. Both parties. Time to thin the herd.
But. how do we do that?
Can anyone here tell me how the Cuban people are admitted once they "land" on USA soil? Are they documented immediately as legal aliens, or as refugees, or what?
Is there a time limit on them before they are made permanent residents...and finally naturalized?
Our local paper was offering that the employers in California want amnesty (of course) and that it is cheap labor with the argument that we would have to pay higher prices for "regular workers". The undocumented people will cost the average public more money in the long run educating their children, paying their medical assistance, housing assistance, no insurance for driving, etc. It doesn't compute!
How many people in the USA are able to work that are not working? Is it over 10 million? 275 million x 5%ish that is about 13 million unemployed
No. "Illegal Aliens" are of all races and nationalities--it just happens to be that the biggest chunk of them is Mexican. But they ALL need to be deported.
we could use more Chubacabras
Here those crickets chirping?????
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NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS
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VU4G10, raybbr, HiJinx, Rakkasan1, TheForceOfOne, Wonder Warthog, deport, blackie, 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub, BookaT, imintrouble,
Sorry to post and run, but needed to get to the Japanese Consulate in Los Angeles.
Thanks for the contact info VU
Attached is a pink slip that I mailed to 53 congressmen and my two senators on Saturday.
FYI: India is in the process of deporting 20 million muslims. So, yes, you can
deport vast millions of illegals. I would like to see a comparison of costs to keep
them vs. the cost to deport them. Remember, many illegals siphon resources from
our work force as well as, legal, police, medical, social and educational systems
at a cost incalculable.
http://www.brothersjudd.com/blog/archives/2003/01/not_tolerable_1.html
Tell Waffling RINO's : No Amnesty!
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=13155
Our U.S. Senators are about to LEGALIZE 13 million
illegal immigrants -- and I'm outraged!
As you know, Grassfire has been working to secure our
borders for months now. Just last Friday, Ron De Jong
and I were on Capitol Hill delivering hundreds of
thousands of petitions to Senators.
But when I turned on the television and saw 1 million
people (many illegal aliens) protesting in our streets,
demanding that illegal immigrants be granted legal status,
I became outraged. Some flew foreign flags ABOVE the
U.S. flag, chanting "Mexico," and even had the
audacity to carry signs saying "We Built America."
Even worse -- OUR SENATORS said these protests influenced
them to support granting illegals legal status!
We cannot let ILLEGAL immigrants have more
voice in this Senate debate than citizens like you and me.
Surveys show that more than 80 percent of American citizens
oppose any type of amnesty legislation,
yet many in the Senate are pushing what would amount
to the largest "guest worker" and "amnesty" bill
ever seen in our nation's history!
Our leaders are out of touch, and we need
to remind them who they represent--not the illegal aliens
they are pandering to, but rather the citizens of our
nation who voted them into office.
That is why we are urging all members of our Grassfire team
to join with us in sending a strong message to our key
leaders: "Stop the Illegal Immigration Invasion".
Thanks in advance for your quick action.
Steve Elliott, President
Grassfire.org Alliance
Today's Headlines at Grassfire.org:
http://www.grassfire.org
Final Results (Registered FReepers only)
http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/poll?poll=144;results=1
Free Republic Opinion Poll:
Do you support or oppose H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005?
FReeper Member Opinion
Support 83.6% 1,499
Support = Enforcement of existing immigation laws.
Oppose 16.4% 295
Oppose = Reward illegal "guest workers" with a "path" to citizenship.
100.0% 1,794
Wrong Way Whino's (RINO's)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1607789/posts?page=475#475
Bump that, Tonk...
Awesome 68-69...
I sent my "pink slip". I hope it does some good.
NOTE: If California belongs to Mexico then Mexico belongs to Spain. This logic is NOT.
All I know is that I have no problem with those that have a honest to goodness desire to come to America, to become full-fledged Americans and raise their families to be an integral and contributing part of our national fabric. To these people I say "Welcome, Neighbor! Glad to have you here". To think any differently is to be decidedly Un-American.
To those that seek to come into our country for the sole purpose of financial "opportunity" (mainly at the EXPENSE of the TAX-PAYING CITIZENRY through Medicaid, Medicare, our educational systems and so on), with no intention of learning the language, culture, or showing a complete lack of respect for our LAWS, our VALUES, our TRADITIONS and OUR FLAG please take your sorry carcasses back to whatever third-world pig-sty that you came from. You are neither wanted nor are you welcome.
If there is any question about what my position is on this, you really are stuck on stupid.
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