Immigration debate needs common sense

townhall ^ | Mar 31, 2006 | Tony Snow

[ncountylee]

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Illegal immigration seems to have spawned a dreary debate about the merits of Mexicans, when it should be drawing attention instead to a very different matter: how to build on the luster and wonder of the American dream.

Immigration is not the pox neo-Know Nothings make it out to be. Begin with the astounding influx of illegal immigrants, the vast majority of whom hail from Mexico. While the population includes an eye-popping number of crooks, drug-dealers and would-be welfare sponges, it also provides a helpful prop for sustaining American economic growth and cultural dynamism.

Princeton University sociologist Douglas S. Massey reports that 62 percent of illegal immigrants pay income taxes (via withholding) and 66 percent contribute to Social Security. Forbes magazine notes that Mexican illegals aren't clogging up the social-services system: only 5 percent receive food stamps or unemployment assistance; 10 percent send kids to public schools.

On the work front, Hispanic unemployment has tumbled to 5.5 percent, only slightly above the national average of 4.7 percent and considerably lower than the black unemployment rate of 9.3 percent. Economist Larry Kudlow praises Hispanic entrepreneurship: "According to 2002 Census Bureau data, Hispanics are opening businesses at a rate three times faster than the national average. In addition, there were almost 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses generating $222 billion in revenue in 2002."

Skeptics counter that immigrants have clogged our hospitals, which is true -- but primarily in places that offer lavish benefits to illegal immigrants.

[ncountylee]

Tony Snow seems to have embraced the dark side. I'm surprised.

[Icelander]

2006: YEAR OF THE AMNESTY AND ANARCHY!

 

By Dean Stier

Wake up American Citizens! We have just witnessed a government committee, sworn to represent America and her Citizens, profoundly demonstrate their complete and total disregard for America, her Citizens, our heritage, our principles, our security and our future.

On Monday, March 27, 2006, twelve idiot members of the Senate Judiciary Committee bent to the wishes of thousands of criminal activists and chose to reward, with AMNESTY, those who violated our immigration laws by illegally invading our country. Everything that this country stands for was swept aside by the actions of twelve traitors, members the Senate Judiciary Committee. This was done in spite of them knowing that at least ninety percent of informed American Citizens demanded that no AMNESTY be included in the Sensenbrenner (or any other) ìEnforcement onlyî bill.

Fortunately, there is a long way to go in this battle to save America and we can only hope that patriotic Representatives in government, supported by the efforts of patriotic American Citizens, can salvage the Enforcement Only bill. Americans of sound mind must prevail over the traitorous idiot fringe in Congress and the militant activists who encourage contempt for American laws or America becomes just another third world cesspool.

At this stage in the battle to save America, the ball is in the hands of Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist. Based on what Frist and the full Senate does with this travesty in the days ahead, American Citizens will now see exactly who the enemies of America really are and which members of the Senate and House MUST be replaced. Their actions will confirm what a lot of informed patriots already know. Traitors in Congress who fail to defend and stand up for America, from this foreign invasion and who defer to criminal lawbreakers and their aiders and abettors, better start looking for new jobs. Maybe they would fit in better with the criminal corporate exploiters of illegal aliens who they pander to.

What all Americans will witness in the next few weeks, will be a massive effort by Bush and his White House power brokers to pressure (intimidate and threaten) the Senate and House members to push through a liberal AMNESTY plan. Bush and his handlers want this AMNESTY at all costs. This is an obsession with Bush and he will press ahead in spite of public opinion running ninety percent against rewarding illegal aliens with amnesty.

We already know where the top traitor to America resides. Unfortunately we have two and one-half more years for him and his globalist gang to inflict severe damage on the Presidency of the United States and the country he promised to serve. Thank GOD for term limits on this high office!

There is no doubt in my mind that Bush knew in advance that the Senate Judiciary Committee was going to water down the tough Enforcement Only bill with a massive AMNESTY plan. And, it is no coincidence that his trip, to inform his good pal Vicente Fox, was planned in advance based on this knowledge. There was obviously much ìbehind closed doorsî pressure applied to the Senate members by the White House prior to this decision so that Bush could get back in the good graces of his pal Fox.

While Americaís finest and best young warriors are fighting and dying in the Bush instigated occupation of Iraq, supposedly to bring our form of freedom and democracy to a country that has no will achieve it, and while thousands of American service men and women fight a war on terror around the world so that free countries can remain free, Bush and Congress bend to demands of thousands of criminal illegal alien invaders and their supporters who took to the streets in our homeland to commit blatant acts of anarchy against the citizens of the United States. Yes, American Citizens, what we have seen in the last few days and will continue to see in the months ahead is nothing less than anarchy in support of the foreign invasion of our once great country.

What is pathetic and disgusting is that these demonstrations were for the sole purpose of, supporting criminal activities, the criminal illegal invasion of America and rewarding people who broke United States Immigration laws. Where was the outrage from the President and Congress that thousands of non-citizens and their criminal un-American supporters were demanding equal rights and benefits available to American Citizens? There were many crimes committed during the course of these demonstrations, simply by students even being allowed to participate without punishment and sporadic incidents of violence including rock and bottle throwing at law enforcement.

Law enforcement was so intimidated that they were afraid to arrest anybody simply because it might have triggered major civil disobedience or riots.

Where was their outrage that these anarchists, these invaders, were walking on the American flag and waving the flags of their third world countries? When Bush invaded Iraq, our troops were told to not raise our flag over their sovereign soil. Flying our flag over Iraq would have indicated occupation and would have infuriated the Iraqis and rightfully so!

I am infuriated that foreign invaders fly and wave their flags in my country and to me that shows that they intend to colonize and occupy America. And to make matters worse, with the exception of a very few patriots in Congress, Bush and the majority in Congress are silent on the matter of the real intent of these anarchist demonstrations. Bush and his pro-illegal alien supporters in Congress clearly demonstrated, through their silence, that they support criminal activity on Americaís streets and will do all they can to facilitate open borders and illegal entry into our country.

This pathetic bunch of traitors have succeeded in undermining and destroying the very essence of what all of our soldiers, in previous wars and over twenty-three hunderd in Iraq, gave their blood and died for. Our patriots have shed their blood and their lives so that we remain free. They would be saddened to learn what this President and Congress and previous administrations have and had in mind for America. With the help of Bush and this Congress, we are losing our heritage and American sovereignty. The average, law abiding, American Citizen can see that this illegal invasion of America is accelerating at a feverish pace, thanks to this sorry example in the Presidency and individuals like McCain, Kennedy, Specter and others of their ilk.

I am outraged! All freedom loving American Citizens should be outraged! These anarchist demonstrations, in support of criminal activity, are just the beginning of things to come. Wake up American Citizens and defend our country! 2006 is the year of the Bush AMNESTY and it must be stopped! Start by writing down the names of all congressional representatives who support AMNESTY and remove them from office at the polls. They are unworthy to remain in the respected office of United States Senate or Congress.

[Rick_Michael]

The immigration mess is a matter of order or chaos. It's not that we won't need large amounts of immigrants at times, due to the rate most Americans produce, but it's the fact there's no control on it...at all.

Frankly, I would rather have Americans popping out an extra child, and immigration only on highly educated individuals. Though under our current realities, we need to seal our border and make some method out of the madness.

[ncountylee]

Excellent post, thank you.

[seastay]

"Princeton University sociologist Douglas S. Massey reports that 62 percent of illegal immigrants pay income taxes (via withholding) and 66 percent contribute to Social Security."

isn't the only way to obtain a social security card is to be born in the US , hasn't that been a law for over 15 years now? so does this article also mean that 66 % of illegal immigrants are using the stolen identities of US citizens? Or are all 66% using a tax id number?

And what of the 44% some 5 to 10 million, who owe back taxes?

[justche]

No on Social Security cards to only those born here. H1-B visa folks have them, as do legal immigrants.

I was at the IRS office not long ago - and there is a form for immigrants who don't have a social security card but need a number for tax purposes.

[Nathan Zachary]

"While the population includes an eye-popping number of crooks, drug-dealers and would-be welfare sponges, it also provides a helpful prop for sustaining American economic growth and cultural dynamism."

"Dynamic" drug dealers, murderers, pedophiles, rapists, con artists, and welfare sponges?

Like we need more "diversity".

This guy is nuts.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

"10 percent send kids to public schools."

That statement is 100% EL TORO POO-POO. No pun intended, this doesn't pass the sniff test.

[11th_VA]

Wow - even Tony drank the kool-aid ...

[Nathan Zachary]

"While Americaís finest and best young warriors are fighting and dying in the Bush instigated occupation of Iraq, supposedly to bring our form of freedom and democracy to a country that has no will achieve it,...

it seems Bush has the same border policy in Iraq. The 'terrorists" are flooding into Iraq from all sides as well.

Now it is all beginning to make sense. Bush hates borders!

[Malesherbes]

Yes, Tony Snow has indeed embraced the dark side, along with much of Fox News. Those who disagree are "Know-Nothings." And Tony is reduced to quoting a Princeton professor who might be hard pressed to explain how ILLEGAL aliens got a Social Security card in the first place.

[Sam Gamgee]

Talking about illegal immigration skirting the ILLEGAL part of the debate is like talking about homosexuality by discussing Opera. These defenders are either on liberal flavored kool-aid or have an agenda.

[staytrue]

Tony Snow seems to have embraced the dark side. I'm surprised.

In your eyes, anyone who disagrees with you has embraced the dark side. Has it occurred to you that maybe snow is right and you are wrong ?

This is crap. Deviate one degree from whatever opinion, and freepers slander Snow, Rush, Hannity, anyone. It is sickening.

[Nathan Zachary]

Hmmm. that post belongs on another thread...

[angkor]

"isn't the only way to obtain a social security card is to be born in the US , hasn't that been a law for over 15 years now?"

No. The *second* thing a legal permanent resident does upon entering the U.S. - that is, after receiving a "work visa" stamp in their passport - is to apply for and obtain an SSN.

[Nathan Zachary]

So, you are saying that you agree with all these illegals flooding into the country day and night, (more than ever now) be given amnesty?

Good. Hope you feel the same way when you get fired and try looking for another job, or, you get your taxes jacked through the roof, your car insurance doubles from the increase of car thefts, etc. etc.