Immigrants' voting rights becoming a major issue

Houston Chronicle ^ | April 19, 2004 | KIM COBB

[seastay]

A movement is growing in New York City to grant the vote in local elections to legal immigrants. And the debate is growing loud enough to become a major issue in the city's next mayoral election.

The right to vote in a presidential election is not on the wish list: New York proponents say immigrants just want a voice on local issues ranging from sewer improvements to public school construction for everyone who pays local taxes.

A similar movement is percolating on the West Coast. Immigrant groups in San Francisco are researching how they could change state and local law to allow non-citizen parents to vote in local school board elections.

[seastay]

This is too good to be true, we may soon be able to renounce are citizenship, but retain the right to vote, as described, and we can still work, bank, own property, be issued drivers license, yet we won't have to pay taxes, be accountable for crimes or have to pay back our loans!

[cyborg]

Bloomberg would do it too... big mistake

[Mr. Mojo]

Insanity

[Paul C. Jesup]

This is too good to be true, we may soon be able to renounce are citizenship, but retain the right to vote, as described, and we can still work, bank, own property, be issued drivers license, yet we won't have to pay taxes, be accountable for crimes or have to pay back our loans!

It does not work that way, if you renouce your citzenship, you lose your right to vote and you have to continue paying US income tax for the next ten years. While on the other hand a illegal immigrant can come into the country and has the right to medical treatment, to vote and does not have to pay any Federal taxes.

This is one of the major reasons I don't think the Federal Government of this country has much future left.

[Mr. Mojo]

Bloomberg would do it too.

Yep, anyone who seriously entertained arresting Keith Richards and Ron Wood right in the middle of a Stones' concert at Madison Sq. Garden for smoking tobacco cigarettes on stage is capable of doing anything.

[cyborg]

Not only that, but he has said on the radio, on record he is for amnesty and driver's licenses,etc. all to bring in taxes and money.

[Dinsdale]

yet we won't have to pay taxes, be accountable for crimes or have to pay back our loans!

What do any of these things have to do with citizenship?

[dagnabbit]

Hey why not? Why keep pretending that a nation-state with shared values and language, and meaningful borders exists anymore? Put up the "NAFTA Central Zone" flag and be done with it.

[seastay]

"It does not work that way, if you renounce your citizenship, you lose your right to vote and you have to continue paying US income tax for the next ten years."

However We have no idea if an "immigrant" was once a citizen, for those who wish to take advantage of the anarchy that is going on now! Our government is doing such a bad job at background checks, it would be real easy for somebody to lie and claim illegal immigrant asylum to void paying taxes, or having to serve their sentences for crimes.

Its is getting the point that those who cheated have more rights than the citizen who plays by the rules, so I would agree the Federal Government of this country has not much future left, if they continue down this path , since that is the major function of a federal government is to protect the rights of citizens from being trampled on by the citizens of foreign countries .

[CurlyDave]

...voice on local issues ranging from sewer improvements to public school construction for everyone who pays local taxes.

I would really like to see voting restricted to citizens who are taxpayers.

There is no good reason why we should allow freeloaders to vote themselves more and more of our tax money.

For anyone who doesn't like the concept I have three words: Get a job.

[seastay]

"What do any of these things have to do with citizenship?"


Here in LA, day workers are paid by cash, under the table. Honest businesses paying workers comp and withholding income taxes cannot compete...

As for the crimes, illegles often cannot be prosecuted

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1120760/posts
Illegal aliens suspected of fraud go free

Therefore, to claim this asylum and receive the treatment outside of our laws, one just has to say they are an illegal immigrant!

[Yalta]

If you're a liberal reporter, how do you push your agenda of allowing illegal aliens to vote?

Well, first you adjust a few words and come up with the harmless-sounding phrase "immigrant voting rights".

Then, you put that phrase in an article, and throw in a few stock phrases like "a movement is growing", to make the reader feel like he is in the minority if he is opposed. Presto! By careful selection of language, you have tricked your readers into supporting something called "immigrant voting rights".

When one labels the issue truthfully, as "allowing illegal alines to vote", it has no support. But through a simple linguistic transformation, readers are deceived, and are made to support that which they would normally find repugnant.

We used to call that simple linguistic transformation by another name -- lying. But that was a long time ago.

[quadrant]

The idea of allowing non-citizens to vote is so crazy that even The New York Times is opposed.

[quadrant]

The idea of allowing non-citizens to vote is so crazy that even The New York Times is opposed.

[Dinsdale]

Citizens can't be day workers?

Citizens are convicted when there is'nt sufficent evidence (as in your second example, granted they should be expelled if not charged)?

I'm just not seeing the benefits.

[GOP_1900AD]

In a time when we ought to be making membership in this club known as the USA *more exclusive* these suicidal voices are gaining in intensity. I really wonder how much longer we can remain viable as a nation. To be fair, we (e.g. those of us who call ourselves conservatives) carry our share of blame. When I write the "N" word (Nationalism) on this forum, the epithets, ad hominem attacks, and all other sorts of BS start to fly. If we can't even get our act together on the Right, and agree regarding Borders, Language and Culture, there is no hope; none whatever.

[VadeRetro]

Immigrants' voting rights becoming a major issue

Screw 'em until they become citizens. (And we should be very selective of whom we allow to become citizens.)

[azhenfud]

Anyone believing this would be contained to local elections, send me your name and a $10 bill - QUICK!!

[Paul C. Jesup]

This is not anarchy. Anarchy is chaos with a purpose. This is just pure insanity.

[Gunslingr3]

This is one of the major reasons I don't think the Federal Government of this country has much future left.

You wouldn't be pining for one of those USSR style break-ups, would you?