No, I don't think so. Congress makes laws under the authority of a constitutional provision. The phraseology in the 14th is general enough to clarify it using legislation. Just look at what they did with the commerce clause.
Posted on 04/30/2006 6:21:01 AM PDT by sinkspur
In Texas, we shouldn't need a Hispanic boycott to demonstrate the significance of immigrants. They've been driving growth in the state economy for more than 30 years.
But maybe we could use a reminder about their increasing clout, and the assets and challenges they bring to the mix.
That might boost appreciation and provoke new initiatives to improve the future.
Immigrants' success at assimilating here -- in particular, their ability to close the gap in education and income -- will go a long way in determining Texas' prosperity.
For those who believe that immigration is more threatening than promising, consider that it accounted for more than half the job growth in the country from 1996 to 2002.
It may not be surprising that foreign-born workers accounted for 86 percent of the growth among mechanics and construction workers. But they also represented 27 percent of the group that includes doctors, scientists and teachers, and 31 percent of new health and science technicians, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The numbers would be higher, if not for rules that restrict the number of highly skilled foreigners who want to work here. In fiscal 2006, the annual cap for so-called H-1B visas was reached two months before the fiscal year even started.
Immigrants have been a crucial complement to the economy, with their numbers climbing when times were strong and waning in the downturns. Which means there's something a lot worse than having immigrants flow into Texas and the United States: having them not come here.
On Monday, Hispanics and other immigrants are planning rallies and a consumer boycott in major cities across the country. Their primary goal is to influence the immigration debate in Washington, which has become increasingly polarized.
Some lawmakers are focused on reducing undocumented workers and even punishing them. They propose to build fences between the U.S. and Mexico and beef up border patrols.
There have been some high-profile raids on employers in the past few weeks and talk about deporting an estimated 11 million illegals. That notion is both destructive and impractical.
Others talk about creating amnesty and guest-worker programs, proposals aimed at helping immigrants improve their lot here and keeping the flow of foreign-born residents coming.
"The only way to move forward is to move forward together," says Pia Orrenius, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and a former member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers.
"Somehow, we have to legalize people who are already here," she says. "But we also need to have a system in place to keep employers honest and make sure there's a level playing field."
Here's what I'm wondering: Why do anything at all?
The state's population has grown at roughly twice the rate of the nation since 1970, largely because of the influx of foreign-born residents and a higher birth rate among Hispanics.
Because immigrants are younger, they also offer a counterweight to the aging baby boomer generation. Texas ranks as the second-youngest state, thanks to immigrants, and this demographic trend boosts labor markets, consumer sales and the housing industry.
But the federal government has intensified its campaign against illegal immigrants, primarily in the name of national security. It has become much more difficult for undocumented workers to get driver's licenses and do their banking.
Rumors of raids on big employers have sent a chill through the immigrant community, and workers fear mass deportations.
"Illegal immigration was working before, because we weren't enforcing the laws, and people lived almost as if they were legal," Orrenius says. "Now we've changed the rules of the game, so we need a more comprehensive solution."
Which leads to the current debate in Washington. A guest-worker program would make life easier for many immigrants, Orrenius says, but the rules can't be too complex or they'll be sidestepped again.
Some current restrictions are confounding. We allow a steady flow of low-skilled, often illegal, immigrants into the country, and they do many jobs that natives shun. But they generally take in more in public benefits than they pay out in taxes -- usually in the form of schooling for their children and medical care.
(Low-skilled natives also use more than they pay for, because skills, not nationality, most closely correlate with income.)
The workers who put more into the pool than they take out -- those with high skills and high income -- are restricted by federal policies.
From 2001 to 2003, we temporarily allowed 195,000 H-1B visas a year. Often used by engineers and scientists, almost all H-1Bs have bachelor's degrees, and half hold advanced degrees.
The annual cap is back at 65,000 visas, and it's not nearly high enough. In 2004, the cap was reached five months into the fiscal year, says the latest Economic Report of the President. In 2005, the cap was reached on the first day. In 2006, the visas were gone two months before the year began.
Orrenius says the current debate over immigration is similar to past conflicts. In the 1850s and early 1900s, there were backlashes against immigrants from Germany, China, Ireland, Italy and Poland.
Today, it's Mexico and Central America that account for 37 percent of immigrants, followed by Asia (25 percent) and Europe (14 percent).
People often complain that immigrants can't speak and write English, and Orrenius says that's reminiscent of the literacy laws that were proposed for newcomers almost a century ago.
She doesn't see much difficulty in our economy absorbing immigrants. They total about 36 million people, with fewer than 30 percent undocumented. Our total population is almost 300 million.
The bigger challenge is helping immigrants develop skills more quickly, so they can earn more and have better prospects. That puts the onus on education, because high school dropout rates remain twice as high for Hispanics, even in subsequent generations.
Texas has been confronting this problem for years, dealing with chronic underfunding in many poorer school districts.
Maybe immigration reform could help.
Many immigrants, especially illegals, pay payroll taxes and never collect from Social Security. The government keeps track of those numbers, and the pool was valued at $463 billion in 2002.
Imagine what some of that money could do on the local level.
Good points, but "anti-housebreaker" needs to be rephrased... "Anti-houseguest" fits with the morally neutered "anti-immigration" BS.
There are 5000 Green cards allocated for low skilled.
There are two guest worker visas for low skilled. Both are obselete in that they are seasonal. The quotas are very low and the regulations are complex.
There are about 25,000 farm workers in the country under the H2A. The quota on the H2B has been at 66,000 but was temporarily bumped up to 96,000 last year but will revert in Sept, unless congress Oks the higher number again.
Courts change their mind. A court decision isn't always the end of the subject. See Dredd Scott.
Thanks...... I didn't think the numbers where very high or else they'd be used to gain legal entry unless the process was very detailed. If the country needs a larger number of these workers then it seems they need to revise the visa process to make them legal and get them on the tax rolls, etc.
I read an article the other day where a company was trying to get some 300 fitters, welders etc into the country from Mexico but was doing it via the green card route. I don't know what success they had if any.
Good post. I would expand on this point.
...socialism requires workers!..
Socialism destroys the natural instinct to reproduce. Thus in every country where it has influence, the birthrate drops below the level needed for sustaining the population. We are there too, its just that we have so many legal (good) and ILLEGAL (bad) immigrants that our population is increasing.
It's not a coincidence - I agree, and if you look at some of the groups that are organizing this, they are liberal/communist groups. Frankly, I think all people absent from work tomorrow without a legitimate excuse should be fired (I know that isn't possible, but it would be nice).
This is not about immigration. This is the infancy of a leftist, separatist, "home-rule" revolution. In time, we will see the violent tactics used in Mexico and South America, complete with bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations of police and political figures. And I have total faith and confidence that our Government will cower and eventually capitulate.
I am in agreement, to an extent. Our government has proven to show cowardice in the face of leftist agression in the past (the 1960's come to mind) and I doubt that their response would be any different in the future. The second amendment is all we really have, and the left (and some psuedo-rightists) want to remove that as well.
I get to work downtown tomorrow, and I'm hoping that the invader's march forgets this city. If they do, they'd best stay out of my way as I'm not in a mood for militant protesters. And you can bet that I'll have the tools necessary to ward off agression if necessary.
Well, be sensible nonetheless. Get to work safely my friend, and go around them if you have to. Remember, you have obligations, they don't!
No, I don't think so. Congress makes laws under the authority of a constitutional provision. The phraseology in the 14th is general enough to clarify it using legislation. Just look at what they did with the commerce clause.
Thanks - Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to invoke trouble with the invaders. But if they happen to go on the offensive, I will do what is necessary to protect myself. If they are around, I expect a strong police presence as well.
It's not about immigration. The article should be ignored due to fatal fallacy from the beginning.
A law may work. It could be enacted and tested via the SCOTUS.
Someday maybe one of our Presidents will establish a national "Self Defense Doctrine." In it will be the doctrine that when U.S. citizens are defending themselves or others, or their property against criminal attacks then such defense is Constitutional and they are to be shielded from criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits.
You can not pay income taxes without having a SS number. Only legal citizens can have SS numbers and you must, by law, pay income taxes if you work. Avoiding income taxes is a crime, as is collecting state and Federal income taxes from people who do not have a SS number. The IRS will be more then happy to see that you understand this. We want illegals to pay the same fees and taxes that we (legals) do. This means no free medical, housing, food, energy, etc. for illegals. Why should we have to pay for medical insurance while illegals get free medical care? Free health care often leads to abuse of the system, which is why I have seen cases where illegals visit the hospital nearly every week for no valid reason. I think most of the people here are against illegal rather then legal immigration.
DEFINITION BELOW
A fifth column is a group of people which clandestinely undermines a larger group to which it is expected to be loyal, such as a nation. The term originated with a 1936 radio address by Emilio Mola, a Nationalist general during the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War. As four of his army columns moved on Madrid, the general referred to his militant supporters within the capital as his "fifth column," intent on undermining the Republican government from within. The term is also used in reference to a population who are assumed to have loyalties to countries other than the one in which they reside, or who support some other nation in war efforts against the country they live in.
You want to send a message to the RNC that they will hear loud and clear??? Then do the following:
Send them one of these instead of a donation, using the RNC's own postage paid return envelopes!!!
Artwork originally created by FREEPER Prime Choice, of sacredcowburgers.com. Below is the link to the original:
http://www.sacredcowburgers.com/leftovers/showpics.cgi?heres_my_donation
The RNC will miss your money more than they will miss your vote!!!
If you do want to give financially to Republicans, give only to individual candidates/politicians who support or vote to secure our borders and don’t cater to illegals!!!
President Bush I just wanted to thank both yourself an President Clinton for ignoring our constituion and helping to create our future race war. By allowing a fifth column of illegals into our country and not properly screening them you have weakened our internal security. Thank you for going against the will of the people.
Ok, we know where to find them - so round 'em up and send 'em back!!
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