Latest Senate Amnesty Scheme: 06-14-06

The American Conservative Union ^ | 06-14-06 | ACU

[EternalVigilance]

Remember when the Senate supposedly heard the demands of the American people and provided for a 370 mile fence across the border?

Well guess what?  According to Thomas Sowell -- in a column titled Birthright Sale -- the entire fence provision may be smoke and mirrors.

Here's what Sowell said:

"Under a provision inserted at the eleventh hour by Senator Arlen Specter, the Senate bill forbids the federal government from building a fence without first consulting with the Mexican government."

"In fact, state and local governments are also forbidden by this bill to take any border control actions without first consulting with their Mexican counterparts. In other words, if the city of San Diego wants to put up any sort of barriers, it would have to consult with the municipal authorities in Tijuana before doing so."

Can you actually imagine Vicente Fox -- or any other political leader in Mexico -- consenting to the erection of ANY fence?

Of course not -- and I'm sure Specter and the rest of the pro-amnesty crowd in the Senate know it as well.

In the business world we called these types of shenanigans "poison pills."  And in this case it's a poison bill the American people should not be forced to follow.

If Sowell's allegation is true it is also just one more reason why we MUST CONTINUE TO PRESS OUR ELECTED LEADERS to strip all the poison pills from the 600 page monster that the Senate calls "comprehensive immigration reform."

The American people want secure borders and no blanket amnesty and we must demand that they keep that simple point in mind!

 

Use the hyperlink below and send your personalized Blast Fax message to President Bush and the leadership of the House and Senate.

Tell them that the American people will NOT be fooled by skewed polls or spin and will never forgive them if a handful of bipartisan sell-outs -- huddled behind closed doors --approves an immigration law that gives amnesty to over 12 million illegal aliens.

Tell them once and for all that the American people want REAL conservatives on the House-Senate Conference Committee who favor the House border enforcement bill.

http://www.acuactionnet.net/amnestyvii.html

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Yet More Double-Speak

But if you think the killer provision described above is bad... it gets worse. 

The Senate keeps telling us that illegal aliens would be required to "pay" back taxes and a $2000.00  fine to be eligible to stay in this country.

But what exactly does the Senate means when they say "pay?" 

Consider the following scenario:

Joe is an illegal alien and a father of six who has lived and worked in this country illegally for years.

Joe obtained a fraudulent Social Security number when he first came to the United States but NEVER filed an income tax return -- after all, he was here illegally.  However, since the Senate amnesty bill requires him to "pay" some of his back taxes, he files an income tax return.

Because he worked for the ABC Corporation at a ridiculously low wage -- Joe actually receives an "earned income credit" of up to $3,200 for each filing year!   That's a clear profit even after the "fines" he is required to pay are applied.  And that's just for one year's worth of taxes.  That money comes out of YOUR pocket.

This scenario will play itself out over and over as illegal aliens "pay" their back taxes.  But that's not all:

In addition, Joe's family can also receive low-cost Section 8 housing and federal help with the rent.  Once again, you foot the bill.

And Joe's six children can also receive food stamps, free medical care under Medicaid and free school lunches.  Once again, you pay.

Arlen Specter, John McCain and Ted Kennedy keep claiming that the bill the Senate wants to send to the Conference Committee is NOT amnesty and they're right -- it's not amnesty. 

It's really amnesty on steroids! 

If you or I obtained a phony Social Security number and avoided filing tax returns we most certainly wouldn't be paid -- we'd likely go to jail.

 

Use the hyperlink below and send your personalized Blast Fax message to President Bush and the leadership of the House and Senate.

Tell them that the American people will NOT be fooled by skewed polls or spin and will never forgive them if a handful of bipartisan sell-outs -- huddled behind closed doors --approves an immigration law that gives amnesty to over 12 million illegal aliens.

Tell them once and for all that the American people want REAL conservatives on the House-Senate Conference Committee who favor the House border enforcement bill.

http://www.acuactionnet.net/amnestyvii.html

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And While We're On The Subject Of The American Tax Payer Footing The Bill

According to a study published by the Center for Immigration Studies in 2002, illegal aliens already cost the American taxpayer over $10.5 billion -- $10,500,000,000.00 -- per year.

That same study maintains that simply granting amnesty to the illegal aliens already in this country would triple that cost.

Here are just a few of the other shocking findings from that study:

Illegal alien households are estimated to use $2,700 a year more in services than they pay in taxes, creating a total fiscal burden of nearly $10.4 billion on the federal budget in 2002.

Among the largest federal costs: Medicaid ($2.5 billion); treatment for the uninsured ($2.2 billion); food assistance programs ($1.9 billion); the federal prison and court systems ($1.6 billion); and federal aid to schools ($1.4 billion).

If illegal aliens were legalized and began to pay taxes and use services like legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual fiscal deficit at the federal level would increase from $2,700 per household to nearly $7,700, for a total federal deficit of $29 billion.

But what is probably even more disturbing is that this study was published long before the Senate passed its amnesty bill.

If anything... these numbers are probably much too conservative.

Where is this money coming from?  In this era of congressional fiscal irresponsibility, earmarks and run-away pork, how are we going to pay for all of this? 

 Who will foot the bill?  Once again, the answer is YOU!

 

Use the hyperlink below and send your personalized Blast Fax message to President Bush and the leadership of the House and Senate.

Tell them that the American people will NOT be fooled by skewed polls or spin and will never forgive them if a handful of bipartisan sell-outs -- huddled behind closed doors --approves an immigration law that gives amnesty to over 12 million illegal aliens.

Tell them once and for all that the American people want REAL conservatives on the House-Senate Conference Committee who favor the House border enforcement bill.

http://www.acuactionnet.net/amnestyvii.html

AOL Members Use This Hyperlink

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What Are The American People Saying?

GOP Congressman Patrick McHenry summed up the frustration the American people are feeling right now best:

"My constituents are outraged by the Senate's actions.  I hear about it when I'm at the supermarket, when I am getting gas, when I'm doing constituent meetings.  To a person, they mention immigration as a top-tier issue. And I've yet to hear one constituent say anything positive about the Senate bill."

But McHenry isn't the only one. 

Vernon Robinson, a GOP congressional candidate in North Carolina, also summarized the problems posed by 12 million illegal immigrants:

"These illegal aliens are taking jobs away from American citizens and they're sponging off the American taxpayer. They're overflowing our public schools and colleges for a FREE EDUCATION, scamming our welfare and food stamp programs for a FREE HAND-OUT, filling our court rooms as criminal defendants, swarming our hospital emergency rooms for FREE MEDICAL CARE, and clogging the line at the DMV."

Yet some of our political leaders STILL refuse to get the message and are actually pushing, pressuring and working behind the scenes to pass some form of amnesty.

A few days ago the Republican National Committee (RNC) touted a poll that supposedly shows that:

70 percent of Americans and 64 percent of Republicans want "compromise" on the amnesty issue. 

The candidate who focuses only on border security loses to the candidate who talks about "comprehensive reform"  (i.e. the Senate version of the immigration bill) 25 percent to 71 percent.

Seems a little outlandish -- doesn't it?  Just how did the RNC get those figures?

The answer of course is that the poll was skewed... probably intentionally... a crude attempt to convince either the American people and GOP legislators who are standing firm on border security that the American public actually want amnesty.

Michael McKenna of the polling firm MWR Strategies said the following about the RNC poll:

"[N]ot inaccurate as far as it goes, but it's sure misleading...  The questions themselves are clearly skewed, don't come to the heart of the issue in any important kind of way and are clearly biased in favor of one side... The weight of the numbers and the weight of the evidence suggests that people's main concern is border security and they view most of these proposals as amnesty." 

But what's even more frightening is the message this skewed poll sends to our political leaders. 

Simply put, the RNC poll tells these elected officials that if they put the proper "spin" on the issue and sell it in just the right way -- albeit deceptively -- they can actually trick the American public into swallowing amnesty -- hook, line and sinker.

That's pretty dangerous when you consider that a Senate-House Conference Committee, which will be announced any day now -- MEETING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS -- has the power to dump the House bill, adopt the Senate bill, and send it back to the Senate and House for a final vote.

That's why we MUST see this fight through to the bitter end.

 

Use the hyperlink below and send your personalized Blast Fax message to President Bush and the leadership of the House and Senate.

Tell them that the American people will NOT be fooled by skewed polls or spin and will never forgive them if a handful of bipartisan sell-outs -- huddled behind closed doors --approves an immigration law that gives amnesty to over 12 million illegal aliens.

Tell them once and for all that the American people want REAL conservatives on the House-Senate Conference Committee who favor the House border enforcement bill.

http://www.acuactionnet.net/amnestyvii.html

AOL Members Use This Hyperlink

If the above hyperlink does not function, please copy and paste it into the address bar of your browser.

[EternalVigilance]

Came in the form of an email, but this is full of information every FReeper, and every American for that matter, should know.

My thanks to the ACU and David Keane.

[WOSG]

Good set of points - immigration PING

[MNJohnnie]

Only about the 30th time this issue about the Fence and Mexico has been posted. Much a do about nothing. The US House Republicans told the Senate this week to go suck eggs on Immigration. This is a dead issue.

[EternalVigilance]

Very important ping...

[Reddy]

Heard the guest-speaker for Savage talking about illegals last night. He proposes that this is a third-rail issue solely because the illegals paying into SS and Medicare (with bogus SS numbers) are helping to KEEP THE INSOLVENT SS AND MEDICARE PROGRAMS AFLOAT. He said that they are paying about 10% or more of the funds needed to keep these programs running.

Interesting premise.

[EternalVigilance]

Are you averse to FReepers being informed about what their elected leaders want to do to them?

[EternalVigilance]

That's one more thing they've built on a foundation of sand.

[tomball]

What kind of elected official would blatantly deny American citizens their right to property protection without first consulting a foreign nation for permission to put up a fence?

[EternalVigilance]

What kind of elected official would blatantly deny American citizens their right to property protection without first consulting a foreign nation for permission to put up a fence?

The answer's in the article: Arlen Specter.

[Gelato]

Here's the text of the Specter amendment (co-sponsored with Ted Kennedy):

   SEC. 117. COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO.

    (a) Cooperation Regarding Border Security.--The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary and representatives of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies that are involved in border security and immigration enforcement efforts, shall work with the appropriate officials from the Government of Mexico to improve coordination between the United States and Mexico regarding--

    (1) improved border security along the international border between the United States and Mexico;

    (2) the reduction of human trafficking and smuggling between the United States and Mexico;

    (3) the reduction of drug trafficking and smuggling between the United States and Mexico;

    (4) the reduction of gang membership in the United States and Mexico;

    (5) the reduction of violence against women in the United States and Mexico; and

    (6) the reduction of other violence and criminal activity.

    (b) Cooperation Regarding Education on Immigration Laws.--The Secretary of State, in cooperation with other appropriate Federal officials, shall work with the appropriate officials from the Government of Mexico to carry out activities to educate citizens and nationals of Mexico regarding eligibility for status as a nonimmigrant under Federal law to ensure that the citizens and nationals are not exploited while working in the United States.

    (c) Cooperation Regarding Circular Migration.--The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary of Labor and other appropriate Federal officials, shall work with the appropriate officials from the Government of Mexico to improve coordination between the United States and Mexico to encourage circular migration, including assisting in the development of economic opportunities and providing job training for citizens and nationals in Mexico.

    (d) Consultation Requirement.--Federal, State, and local representatives in the United States shall consult with their counterparts in Mexico concerning the construction of additional fencing and related border security structures along the international border between the United States and Mexico, as authorized by this title, before the commencement of any such construction in order to--

    (1) solicit the views of affected communities;

    (2) lessen tensions; and

    (3) foster greater understanding and stronger cooperation on this and other important security issues of mutual concern.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SP04188:

[Gelato]

Here's how they voted on the Specter/Kennedy amendment:

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109^th Congress - 2^nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Amendment (Specter Amdt. No. 4188 )
Vote Number:	156	Vote Date:	May 25, 2006, 05:14 PM
Required For Majority:	1/2	Vote Result:	Amendment Agreed to
Amendment Number:	S.Amdt. 4188 to S. 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 )
Statement of Purpose:	To improve the bill.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	56
	NAYs	41
	Present	1
	Not Voting	2

Alphabetical by Senator Name

Akaka (D-HI), Yea Alexander (R-TN), Nay Allard (R-CO), Nay Allen (R-VA), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Yea Bayh (D-IN), Yea Bennett (R-UT), Yea Biden (D-DE), Yea Bingaman (D-NM), Yea Bond (R-MO), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Present Brownback (R-KS), Yea Bunning (R-KY), Nay Burns (R-MT), Nay Burr (R-NC), Nay Byrd (D-WV), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Chafee (R-RI), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Clinton (D-NY), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Coleman (R-MN), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Conrad (D-ND), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Craig (R-ID), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Nay Dayton (D-MN), Yea DeMint (R-SC), Nay DeWine (R-OH), Yea Dodd (D-CT), Yea Dole (R-NC), Nay

Domenici (R-NM), Yea Dorgan (D-ND), Nay Durbin (D-IL), Yea Ensign (R-NV), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feingold (D-WI), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Frist (R-TN), Nay Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Nay Gregg (R-NH), Nay Hagel (R-NE), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Inouye (D-HI), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Nay Jeffords (I-VT), Yea Johnson (D-SD), Yea Kennedy (D-MA), Yea Kerry (D-MA), Yea Kohl (D-WI), Yea Kyl (R-AZ), Nay Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Levin (D-MI), Yea Lieberman (D-CT), Yea Lincoln (D-AR), Nay Lott (R-MS), Nay Lugar (R-IN), Yea Martinez (R-FL), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea

McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Nelson (D-NE), Nay Obama (D-IL), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Not Voting Salazar (D-CO), Not Voting Santorum (R-PA), Nay Sarbanes (D-MD), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Nay Smith (R-OR), Nay Snowe (R-ME), Yea Specter (R-PA), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Stevens (R-AK), Yea Sununu (R-NH), Nay Talent (R-MO), Nay Thomas (R-WY), Nay Thune (R-SD), Nay Vitter (R-LA), Nay Voinovich (R-OH), Yea Warner (R-VA), Yea Wyden (D-OR), Yea

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---56
Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Bennett (R-UT) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Chafee (R-RI) Clinton (D-NY) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Craig (R-ID) Dayton (D-MN) DeWine (R-OH) Dodd (D-CT) Domenici (R-NM)	Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Feinstein (D-CA) Graham (R-SC) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Johnson (D-SD) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL)	McCain (R-AZ) Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Obama (D-IL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stabenow (D-MI) Stevens (R-AK) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA) Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---41
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Burr (R-NC) Byrd (D-WV) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Conrad (D-ND) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC)	Dole (R-NC) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Frist (R-TN) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Kyl (R-AZ) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS)	McConnell (R-KY) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Roberts (R-KS) Santorum (R-PA) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Sununu (R-NH) Talent (R-MO) Thomas (R-WY) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA)

Present - 1
Boxer (D-CA)

Not Voting - 2
Rockefeller (D-WV)	Salazar (D-CO)

[FreeReign]

What kind of elected official would blatantly deny American citizens their right to property protection without first consulting a foreign nation for permission to put up a fence?

Two things; (1) The Senante bill doesn't require "permission" to put up a fence. (2) The Senate bill sucks anyway.

[outlawcam]

Both of my senators voted on an important issue in a way I would approve? Say it ain't so!

[EternalVigilance]

Thanks for the great posts!

[EternalVigilance]

(1) The Senante bill doesn't require "permission" to put up a fence

How do you figure? I see an awful lot of "shalls" in that amendment.

[Ladycalif]

thanks

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

It just doesn't take 600 pages to follow what the constitution provides for. So, the question was posed on FR, Who is the Senate really working for? Well, I said the ACLU. And according to all appearances, our Senate is working for the demise of AMERICA...