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You're wrong, Mr. President (Guest workers)
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | 12/26/2004 | Colin McNickle

Posted on 12/26/2004 1:20:04 PM PST by 4.1O dana super trac pak

President Bush says he wants to revamp an immigration system that is "not working" and is "not compassionate" through a program that can't work and would be anything but "compassionate" to Americans forced to pick up the tab.

During his end-of-the-year news conference, the president formally revived his expanded "guest worker" proposal first laid out as a set of "principles" a year ago. But the Bush plan is quite unprincipled and, by any other name, another in a long line of amnesty programs. Bush confidante and former Montana Gov. Mark Raciot disputed that characterization to me during the fall campaign. But that's exactly what it is. And it will do what amnesty programs do best - fail.

Details of the president's plan go to Capitol Hill next month. Mr. Bush wants to allow illegal aliens - up to 8 million if not more - to hold jobs here "legally" by issuing "temporary worker cards." American workers would not be hurt, the president insists; these legalized illegals would fill jobs that U.S. firms supposedly can't fill.

Not only will the administration proposal "take the pressure off" Border Patrol agents who should be "chasing crooks and thieves and drug runners and terrorists," the president said these illegals are innocuous, "good-hearted people." All they want to do is "put food on the table...Family values do not stop at the Rio Grande River."

But apparently common sense does.

(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Editorial
KEYWORDS: aliens; bush43; colinmcnickle; guestworkers; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; immigrationplan; tancredo
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To: FBD

This plan would be for jobs first offered to citizens.
Plus there would no longer be a need to cross illegally because all they have to do is go to an employment center in Mexico and get legal papers to travel to a specific place.
No more crossing the deserts and ruining everything they cross. Plus they can be checked out for criminal records before entering.
Once working they will pay for their own health care and services through taxes. Hopefully that would leave less money for them to send back to Mexico and make coming here less of a give away.
I have a place in the desert and I know of the problems they cause.


21 posted on 12/26/2004 2:07:52 PM PST by chuckwalla (the insanity, the lunacy these days)
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To: 4.1O dana super trac pak
Mr. Bush wants to allow illegal aliens - up to 8 million if not more - to hold jobs here "legally" by issuing "temporary worker cards." American workers would not be hurt, the president insists; these legalized illegals would fill jobs that U.S. firms supposedly can't fill.

With all due respect Mr. President I think you're doing a Bubba imitation and are trying to put one over on us for one reason or another.

Allow me to share a bit of history with you, Sir. At the beginning of WWII our armed forces were lacking equipment and preparedness yet not only did our industrial might gear up to provide all necessary equipment to supply the greatest army (in the millions)the world has ever known but also helped equip our allies. At the same time the American homeland, with a few sacrifices and inconveniences still maintained the world's highest standard of living. Immigration, came to a standstill during these years and all work was done by our highly skilled workforce at home.

Mr. President, we and our allies prevailed over the two extremely capable, well equipped and determined enemies.

Here we are about sixty years later with more and more of our manufacturing facilities shutting down. More and more skilled jobs are outsourced to cheap labor markets overseas. Yes, we do have an ongoing military operation engaging less than 200,000 troops total but only about half of them are civilian soldiers pulled out from the job market.

Sir, for the life of me I don't understand why we need millions of illiterate Mexicans flowing unchecked across our borders. Our industrial base is dwindling, we don't have millions called up for military duty,so exactly what jobs are going begging for uneducated illiterate non English speaking Mexican laborers?

22 posted on 12/26/2004 2:09:26 PM PST by varon (Allegiance to the constitution, always. Allegiance to a political party, never.)
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To: El Gato
>"They also tend to be states where there aren't as many low skilled jobs that can be done by the undereducated. Picking crops for example."<

- Probably the only area where an argument can be made for guest workers might be in farm harvesting, fruits and vegetables, mainly.

But slavery states made the same arguments that the cotton and sugar crops couldn't be grown without slave labor.
Well...our cotton and sugar cane industry is doing very well without slave labor, isn't it?
And it's all because of the mechanization of harvesting.
Guest worker programs mask the true cost of farm harvesting, by subsidizing the workers through various welfare programs.

Migrant workers are getting free heath care, schooling for their kids, etc. Add all of those to the cost of your cheap head of lettuce, and all of a sudden, it's not so cheap, is it?

23 posted on 12/26/2004 2:13:19 PM PST by FBD (Report illegals and their employers at: http://www.reportillegals.com/)
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Comment #24 Removed by Moderator

To: chuckwalla

Ok, it might help...a little.

I still think we need to build a wall, to keep out the criminals, the drug smugglers, et all. It would require them to come through "legal points of entry".

The Chinese did it, and it kept out the Mongols.

"fences make good neighbors"


25 posted on 12/26/2004 2:16:43 PM PST by FBD (Report illegals and their employers at: http://www.reportillegals.com/)
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To: 4.1O dana super trac pak

The worst thing about President Bush is that he not only holds bad positions on immigration policy, but also engages in leftwing-style rhetoric on the issue. That he disagrees with most conservatives, most Republicans, and most Americans on this issue is fine. Afterall, he has repeatedly said that he does not govern by polls, but he makes matters worse with his words.

First of all, he undercuts the seriousness and complexity of the issue with meaningless, empty platitudes like "family values don't stop at the Rio Grande." Its like when people quote that plaque in front of the Statue of Liberty when defending open borders -- its ridiculous and insulting.

Second; he has in the past given credence to Leftwing smears of traditional conservative positions by saying things like how he is a new type of Republican on immigration, and that he will make the GOP welcoming of immigrants. In doing this, he echoes a false characterization by the Left about conservatives being hostile to immigrants and immigration, when in fact we have simply been for serious attempts to stop illegal immigration, and for reduced -- not zero -- levels of legal immigration.

Generally speaking, its just sad to see conservatives say such things.


26 posted on 12/26/2004 2:17:20 PM PST by Aetius
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To: 4.1O dana super trac pak

Anyone here in the USA illegally IS a criminal. Round 'em up, and head 'em out. If Bush and the GOP doesn't understand, elect those that do.


27 posted on 12/26/2004 2:19:42 PM PST by Pittsburg Phil
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To: 4.1O dana super trac pak

Anyone here in the USA illegally IS a criminal. Round 'em up, and head 'em out. If Bush and the GOP doesn't understand, elect those that do.


28 posted on 12/26/2004 2:19:56 PM PST by Pittsburg Phil
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To: FBD

Maybe both would be the answer.
I'm tired of people not respecting the charity of this country.
Heck we give to the government all the time isn't that enough?


29 posted on 12/26/2004 2:22:58 PM PST by chuckwalla (the insanity, the lunacy these days)
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To: TheDon

What are you talking ?

The American people most surely agree. Don't confuse the selfish interest of a few in cheap labor with the interest of the American people. Most people aren't hiring nannys or construction workers.


30 posted on 12/26/2004 2:23:08 PM PST by Sam the Sham
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To: Poundstone
As for the "impossibility" of properly policing our border with Mexico, can anyone doubt that we would get the job done if it was publicly, unambiguously known that Al Qaeda was using the border to infiltrate terrorists into the US?

The IslamoNazi's don't have to come across the border. All they need is cash (which they have lots of ) and access to the South American and Mexican gangs that have networks already setup in America.

The gangs like the Mexican Mafia will kill their own mother for a few bucks. Right now what the feds and local LEO's are concerned about are the gangs smuggling MANPADS across the Mexico/USA border and shooting down a few commercial airliners. The kill zone for such shoulder held devices is a swatch approx. 40 miles long going into an airport. The shooter can take one of these things out of a car trunk, assemble it, aim it, get tone and shoot it and be gone within two minutes.

Oh, BTW, the noise in the media about retrofitting commercial airliners with countermeasures is a joke. Such countermeasures don't work with the new MANPADS.

I'm a big George Bush fan but he is way off-base on this topic. Just wrong. The only reason to legalize the illegals here is to pretend they will all become taxpayers someday. If that's the bright idea let's make them all taxpayers NOW and chuck the income tax and replace it with a national retail sales tax. Viola! All illegals are txpayers!

31 posted on 12/26/2004 2:23:34 PM PST by isthisnickcool (Free Scott Peterson!!! In Iraq. Wearing an "Allah is the Devil" tee shirt.)
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To: chuckwalla; El Gato; Marine Inspector

see #19, I really think the Mexican govt. is behind encouraging their criminal elements to cross into the U.S.

Remember when Castro opened up his jail cells, and let them "escape" to the US? Well, it's not beyond speculation that Mexico is up to the same trick.

FReeper 'Marine Inspector' is a border patrol agent, I suspect he might be able to inform us on this subject.

Regards


32 posted on 12/26/2004 2:24:14 PM PST by FBD (Report illegals and their employers at: http://www.reportillegals.com/)
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To: FBD

They certainly are not doing anything to even slow it down.
Fewer problems for them to take care of.


33 posted on 12/26/2004 2:31:07 PM PST by chuckwalla (the insanity, the lunacy these days)
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To: chuckwalla

And you actually believe this will work.

The majority of illegal aliens are being paid well below minimum wage, with no benefits, which is way these are called “Jobs Americans Won’t Do”.

As an employer, why would I want to hire a Citizen or a Guest Worker that cost me more money to employ and has rights under our laws, when illegal aliens are better them slaves.

No guest worker program will ever work, without a complete revamping of our immigration and labor laws.


34 posted on 12/26/2004 2:32:53 PM PST by Marine Inspector (Customs & Border Protection Officer)
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To: 4.1O dana super trac pak
Dear President Bush,

You are simply not being fair. There are so many hardworking families across the globe who only want to put food on the table. Most of them are not close enough to the border of the United States to be able to illegally cross in on foot.

There are millions of hardworking, poor, good families who would gladly do the jobs even Mexicans won't do for literally pennies a day. Think of the Africans, displaced by warlords and strife, who be so grateful to work hard for their families in our land.

I find it very heartless and cruel of you, Mr. President, to only allow those whom G-d happened to place NEAREST the border to take our working class jobs here in America. Through no fault of their own, some loving, peaceful families have been placed so far from us that they can't possibly pay a coyote a grand or two to get them over the border in your approved fashion.

Shouldn't you try to be fair and perhaps send ships to collect some of the other hardworking citizens of the world and allow them to dock and release their good passengers in the dark of night at our ports, so that they might also share the benefits of lining up on street corners to do good, strong, menial labor that Americans won't do without safe employment contracts?

I know that effort will not be without cost, but since our "old-fashioned" citizens cover the costs of health care and schooling for our "guests," it wouldn't be that much more to also have them cover transport costs for the wonderful, hardworking families who will do the jobs our teens and seniors used to refuse to do without receiving minimum wage.

Yours Sincerely,
The Endangered Middle Class of America

35 posted on 12/26/2004 2:33:09 PM PST by Yaelle
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To: chuckwalla; El Gato

We're not the only country with an immigration problem.
Check out how bad it is in Sweden:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1290944/posts


36 posted on 12/26/2004 2:33:36 PM PST by FBD (Report illegals and their employers at: http://www.reportillegals.com/)
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To: FBD
I really think the Mexican govt. is behind encouraging their criminal elements to cross into the U.S.

They do have what is called the Mexican government's National Migration Institute that encourages and help's Mexican's leave Mexico.

37 posted on 12/26/2004 2:36:35 PM PST by Marine Inspector (Customs & Border Protection Officer)
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To: Baynative

I meant to post this thread to you as well;

Swedes Reach Muslim Breaking Point
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1290944/posts


38 posted on 12/26/2004 2:36:58 PM PST by FBD (Report illegals and their employers at: http://www.reportillegals.com/)
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To: TheDon
Americans pay for these workers, therefore they want them here.

American employers seeking to criminally use illegals and get away with paying substandard wages want them here. Here's one now demonstrating how to best examine submitted documentation.


It's merely a coincidence that he resembles a pirate.

You were right that Americans are paying for these workers. We pay through increased taxation, higher insurance, reduced healthcare, diminished educational standards...

39 posted on 12/26/2004 2:37:46 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus
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To: Marine Inspector

Definitely a sticky problem but something has to be done.
I'm sure that once we start to do something changes can be made to perfect it over time.
If we have to pay more for some things it's better than paying taxes that get eaten up by services to illegals and we wind up closing emergency rooms and having overcrowded schools and jails and welfare roles.
At least somebody is willing to do something.
The status quo is definitely not working and will not fix itself.


40 posted on 12/26/2004 2:38:46 PM PST by chuckwalla (the insanity, the lunacy these days)
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