Out of Touch (Peggy Noonan Alert)

Wall Street Journal ^ | May 18, 2006 | Peggy Noonan

[BW2221]

has = had

[Melas]

I've grown tired of Peggy. She is utterly inconsistent, sometimes she writes a very cogent analysis of the topic, other times its crap.

Maybe the problem isn't with Peggy at all but you? Maybe you only get half of what she writes?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Crap, sorry about that; it's 3 million, not billion. I was thinking on McDonalds, I guess.

[LowCountryJoe]

Many illegal immigrants are paying into the social safety net programs, with fraudulent SSNs, and, as it stands now, will not being drawing one red cent from these programs. They're actually helping to try to keep these programs afloat. If you take this -- what I've written -- as truth, why are we not screaming louder about entitlement reforms then we are about the people who are, on net, helping our country economically. Even if you do not buy into that last portion of that last sentence, why are we/were we not in an absolute uproar over this, instead/before this?

[lonedawg]

The top economists also are willing to extend their backward assessment into a forward-looking policy judgment. When asked "What level of immigration would have the most favorable impact on the U. S. standard of living?", 56 percent said "more", 33 percent said "same number", and none said "fewer". Only 11 percent said "don't know".

One mans top economist is another mans bottom economist!Having people in this country who are not under the same rules as the rest of us is inherently bad!!!

[APFel]

No, they will suffer consequences. They will have to pay a significant fine, keep their noses clean, remain steadily employed, and go to the end of the line.

Okay... We can't deport them, but we can get them to stand in line to pay a fine somehow.

If you think illegals are going to come out to pony up 2,000$ of their money instead of staying under the radar...

Ugh.

APf

[trubluolyguy]

So, what degree of punishment would you recommend in order for this to be acceptable to you?

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Enforce current law and the punishment on the books will suffice.

[lonedawg]

Many illegal immigrants are paying into the social safety net programs, with fraudulent SSNs.


Most are not ! They simply claim enough dependents that they rarely pay taxes.and what they pay in SS is more than offset buy what they cosume in welfare benefits. Also most of what they make goes back to Mexico, not spent here.

[LowCountryJoe]

Reply to the first link, if you would please.

[lonedawg]

Since the Guest Worker program would be comprised almost exclusively of non High School graduates, the lifetime net fiscal cost for a "typical [illegal] newcomer" is, as shown in the Table, a negative $89,000. Only those immigrants with more than High School education have any positive lifetime net fiscal impact, and Mr. Gillespie knows that no significant numbers of such immigrants would ever be enrolled in a Guest Worker program.

Your own post contradicts what you're saying!1 This Post is about legal aliens, my friend!!

[LowCountryJoe]

That's quite the assumption on your part that all of the illegal immigrants are the ones with less than a high school education. But it does say one thing that contradicts what you're arguing against; amnesty! Give these immigrants a way to come here legally -- maybe even charge them a fee that is considerably less then paying a human trafficker (coyote). Document and then monitor their earnings to see which one are productive, and allow the ones whom benefit America to stay and then send the others a letter stating that their guest-worker status is terminated on such and such a date with an opportunity to come back, if they so desired, without paying the fee, and after acquiring some new skills.

[rock58seg]

I think several of those old men are just trying to protect the up stairs maid.

Have you seen the upstairs maid. AIIIeee! Ta Bueno! Mucho grande casabas, Y huela caliente.

Even with that, I am looking forward to an expansion of "a Day Without a Mexican." How about, "A year without a Mexican this time?"

[Miss Marple]

First of all, being an illegal is a misdemeanor, which doesn't get very much punishment.

Secondly, under current law most illegals are supposed to get a hearing with an immigration court. The reason for catch and release is because we didn't have enough room to hold them.

Third, employers are prohibited from questioning an immigrant's legal status, as it is discriminatory. This is a law passed during the Clinton era.

Fourth, it is very difficult for the SS administration or the IRS to do anything, as they are prohibited from giving information to employers about legal status.

Fifth, employers cannot be prosecuted if they can demonstrate that they believed the employee to be legal.

Now, would you care to discuss "enforcing the law" again? The law is currently so screwed up its a wonder that anyone at all is ever deported.

This is why the President wanted comprehensive reform. Shouting "enforce the law" is really asking for the government to continue in its present ineffective course.

[lonedawg]

That's not my assumption Joe that's the assumption from YOUR article.

[GOPJ]

What was needed was a definitive statement: As of this moment we will control our borders, I'm sending in the men, I'm giving this the attention I've given to the Mideast.

Peggy's right on this one too...

[rock58seg]

No, they will suffer consequences. They will have to pay a significant fine, keep their noses clean, remain steadily employed, and go to the end of the line.

Wouldn't it be simpler to just sell them citizenship papers as they cross the border. Why waste time pretending someone in power here actually wants secure borders?

Oh! and has anyone seen a line? I mean besides the one being handed us.

[riri]

noona, rush, coulter, malkin, boortz...all trolls. Sleepers with fake credentials waiting for this moment. LOL

[LowCountryJoe]

That wasn't MY article, that was a reply from a FReeper on your side of the debate...that was his assumption and you are making the same assumption. I really used that post to dupe you into actually reading the table from the study to show you that there actually are net benefits to allowing immigrants; factoring immigrants over generations. And remember, those benefits would never accrue had there been no immigration to begin with.

[Cicero]

I agree, that was a bad one, all right.

[lonedawg]

LEGAL IMMAGRANTS!!!!!Legal immigrants have to show a certain skill or education,thats why most of the illegals don't qualify. There is not to many Doctors and Engineers swimming across.