Immigration plan an excuse to grow government

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Sunday, January 11, 2004 | Bill Steigerwald

[Willie Green]

For a few minutes Wednesday afternoon, I thought President Bush was finally doing something I liked.

It would have been about time. With things like a war in the Middle East and $400 billion prescription drug plans, the Bush administration hasn't exactly been twanging the strings of my libertarian heart.

[Willie Green]

Related thread: Bush's immigration plan: Stop this idiocy

[Willie Green]

ping

[gubamyster]

ping

[archy]

The growth of U.S. Socialism in the Last Six Decades Century and Beyond, 1940-2003:

[archy]

The growth of U.S. Socialism in the Last Six Decades Century and Beyond, 1940-2003:

[Dane]

Bill only offer rants, but no specifics why it is idiotic.

[JesseHousman]

Immigration plan an excuse to grow government...

As if the worthless political class needed an excuse!

[NeoCaveman]

Is your chart a measurement of entitlements as a percentage of the total federal budget?

Or is it something else.

[Dane]

Hey archy what about the six million people who were a Human Resource during World War II(42-45).

Your graph is a joke.

[joesnuffy]

Bush gives country away

Posted: January 15, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

President Bush's plan to legalize 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens – maybe
considerably more – is one of the most irresponsible, dangerous, reckless proposals
to come out of Washington in my lifetime.

And that's saying a lot.

In my lifetime, I have witnessed:

wage-and-price controls imposed by Richard Nixon;

the greatest expansion of unconstitutional, immoral wealth-transfer
programs in the history of our country;

the use of the Internal Revenue Service by President Clinton to harass and
intimidate political adversaries;

the sacrifice of more than 50,000 U.S. servicemen in a war they would not be
allowed to win;

the shredding of the Constitution in a thousand ways to bring us to the
point at which politicians no longer even question the limits of the federal
government;

the transfer by President Clinton of sensitive technology with military
applications to a budding superpower for campaign cash;

the demoralization and emasculation of the country under President Carter;

I watched all this and more in nearly a half-century of life. But, honestly, President
Bush's proposal to legalize untold millions of illegal aliens is potentially worse than
any of these blunders, any of these mistakes, any of these abuses.

Why?

First, because it is immoral. Bush claims this is the "compassionate" thing to do. But
he is misusing the term "compassion" the same way do those who would most like
to unseat him from power. There is nothing compassionate about inflicting pain on
others, in hurting the country, while accepting none of the responsibility, nor pain,
nor sacrifice yourself. This move will not materially affect George W. Bush's life.
But it will impact those competing for jobs at the lower end of the economic ladder.
It will impact those who live in crime-plagued areas of the country and who don't
have Secret Service protection. It will impact those who chose to obey the laws
rather than flout them as their first act in America.

Second, it is unconstitutional. The federal government has few and limited areas of
responsibility in our republican system of government. Among those clearly
defined areas are the defense of the nation and the defense of our borders. This
act is a reprehensible betrayal of the president's oath of office to uphold the law
and execute it.

Third, it is bad policy. Even the simple act of proposing this notion encourages
more illegal immigration into our country. More foreigners will want to get in on
the action. It sends a horrible signal that America doesn't really believe in enforcing
its laws. It promotes chaos at our borders and crime in our streets.

Fourth, it risks national security. Presumably, there was a reason this president
placed the Immigration and Naturalization Service under the Department of
Homeland Defense. The American people assume it was because he finally
recognized that out-of-control immigration is a real threat – especially at a time
when terrorists are trying desperately to kill and maim as many of us as possible.

It's not strong enough to call Bush's proposal "irresponsible." It is borderline
seditious. And there is a widespread perception he is making this move because he
believes there is personal political gain in it.

That is hardly "compassion," Mr. President. That is the worst kind of cynicism. That
is the worst kind of selfishness. That is the worst kind of example a leader could
set for the nation.

Shame on Bush. Shame on his party for standing by quietly as he sets out to
destroy the fabric of our nation. Shame on the opposition for suggesting his move
doesn't go far enough. Shame on all Americans who lie down and accept this
outrage from Washington.

[babygene]

"Bill only offer rants, but no specifics why it is idiotic."

Here's why it is idiotic...

It cost 8 to 10 thousand dollars a year to insure a family of four in this country. It cost between 5 and 11 thousand dollars a year to educate each pupil in our public school systems.

Guest workers, that are often paid below minimum wage, can not support them selves and their families without being subsidized by the American worker (who quite often are already struggling).

You often here "they contribute to our economy". This is bull S*it! They do not. They do not pay their own way.

[Dane]

Guest workers, that are often paid below minimum wage, can not support them selves and their families without being subsidized by the American worker (who quite often are already struggling)

Cannot support themselves? Are you saying that there should be a living wage?

[archy]

Is your chart a measurement of entitlements as a percentage of the total federal budget?

Or is it something else.

I don't know, and I've so far been unable to find an ONB report on "percentage of total outlay spent on human resources during presidential term" via Google, so I'm going to try a LexisNexis search next. But so far, I'd consider the chart data as questionable at best, as noted elsewhere in the thread. Nevertheless, I figured it was worth noting, even if misleading.

-archy-/-

[azhenfud]

"Bad immigration laws or not, however, it's not smart, practical, productive or very American to deport every illegal, seal our borders and put up 5,000 miles of barbed wire."

We don't have to deport every Illegalien. Just by deportation of a percentage, and sanctioning into bankruptcy the felons that hire and aid them, the problem will begin to "self-heal". While we may not be abled to deport 8-10 million Illegaliens, we could make it extremely costly for those who hire and aid them. If Illegaliens' supply source is cut or threatened into extinction, they'll eventually find a convenient way to deport themselves.

We have a system to let in 275,000/year legally - maybe we should also have a program to legalize 275,000/year through deportation.

[meenie]

Bush's plan requires an illegal to register for one thing, with or without an employer. He gets his green card which entitles him to stay in the states for three years. Now place yourself in the illegal's shoes and apply it to what you would do. You now send most of your available wages home to your family which are living in poverty and are struggling to keep food on the table.

Now you have this wonderful opportunity to go to the local employment office and register for your green card. You must start paying social security and medicare premiums for your future benefits. this is going to cost you your share plus the employers share because until now he has been passing your wages under the table without any deductions. So automatically you lose 15% percent of your wage that you send home to keep the family from starving.

In addition you promise to keep the gov informed of your whereabouts at all times so you are not free to roam to the next job opportunity. You are subject for deportation if you do not stay fully employed, which gives your employer an unlimited authority to treat you more as a slave rather than a paid worker. Would you rush to get your name enrolled and get your freedom you now have curtailed?

[azhenfud]

"Is your chart a measurement of entitlements as a percentage of the total federal budget?"

It is exactly that.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1120/p25s02-cogn.htm

Third paragraph.

[NeoCaveman]

OK, who has ever proposed privatizing social security, that would help bring that number down......

[Dane]

You are subject for deportation

And subject to deportation if you do not register. The honest ones will register.

Not everybody thinks like you.

[azhenfud]

"And subject to deportation if you do not register. The honest ones will register."

The truly honest ones will not be here illegally.