Posted on 04/02/2006 7:55:32 PM PDT by RWR8189
MIDLAND, Texas — Cecilia Ochoa Levine was a Mexican trying to make it in America. But when she hit upon a promising business opportunity, to make knapsacks south of the border to sell in the United States, she could not get the trade permits she needed.
And so Levine asked for help from a longtime friend in Texas, where she had been a legal resident for many years.
The friend was George W. Bush.
Within a week, Levine was on a plane to Washington for a meeting with trade officials. And soon after, she had the papers to expand her business, creating dozens of jobs at plants in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
Not everyone would have been willing to use his influence to help a Mexican citizen start a company, particularly one creating jobs in Mexico as well as in the U.S. But Bush's actions of 21 years ago help explain why today, as president, he is striking an unusually nuanced tone on the emotional question of immigration policy — a stance that has placed him at odds with the conservative Republicans who have long formed the base of his political support.
"Here was this single mother, Mexican, no money, starting a tiny little business," recalled Levine. She phoned Bush because his father was then vice president and "he was willing to use his connections in Washington to help me out. He understood it would mean jobs for poor people."
Long before the immigration fight that is rattling the nation, Bush developed a picture of immigration from his life in Midland, where he knew Levine and other Mexican immigrants personally and came to see both sides of the border as part of the same universe.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I wouldn't want to upset the government and ILLEGALS if I refused to send in my tax money for them to fund ILLEGAL'S health care, education and welfare. /sarcasm
It makes me want to puke!
If you could only see what the hospitals write off (reimbursed in part by your tax money and/or you and your insurance company by increasing your share of expenses) from ILLEGAL'S unpaid bills (including gang members being shot to pieces) I wouldn't be the only one wanting to puke! That's besides the fact that you could be waiting behind one of them if their health problem is more serious than yours (which is usually the case because they haven't seen a doctor in years!). And God only knows what kind of diseases they are caring around the emergency room with their other dozen relatives in the waiting room.
Sorry if this seems heartless but my family comes first! We abide by the law and it makes me angry that these people don't!!! Get in line if you want to come to this country! LEGAL immigrants are more than welcome!
Arizona is NOT anti-immigrant, the hispanic culture is a part of us, but we are quickly becoming overwhelmed. If those of you in the middle of the country fail to stand by us, who are quickly being submerged, then by the time you feel the pain we feel, it will be too late.
What you said!!
A couple of precisions:
1. Citizens and legal immigrants who are tired of paying for it all.
a) As you probably know, most illegal immigrants actually pay taxes: income tax and social security are withheld by employers, many times under a false SS# (which actually means the illegal immigrant will not benefit from his social security contributions, so the image of the Mexican immigrant living off social security is, for the most part, a myth), property taxes are passed on to them by their landlord in the form of rents, sales taxes are collected at the cash register, etc.
b) Now, it is true that illegal immigrants probably receive more government services than they contribute for with their taxes. A conservative think thank estimated this "deficit" at $10 billion per annum. By the way, this is less than 0.5% of the federal budget and 2% of the federal fiscal deficit.
c) But, by this measure, probably more than half of americans are paying less taxes than the government services they receive. This is because tax rates tend to be progressive (people who earn more pay more taxes) and "safety net" government payments tend to go to poorer people. So, if this debate is about who pays for what services, then does this means that these americans who are not meeting their share of expenses should go? My guess is not, which means the debate is not really about taxes.
d) In other words, my point is: you can make the argument that people should pay for the government services they receive, but this is really a debate about taxation and income redistribution. If you don't like the way things are, you can propose a flat income tax rate or a less progressive rate, and this is a legitimate debate, but the issue is separate from immigration.
e) The $10 billion annual cost estimate includes things such as education for the US-born children of illegal immigrants (who are US citizens). Are we suggesting that these american children should not be educated? (I know some people are suggesting just that, but it's important to make it clear).
2. There is nothing nuanced about it. Either enforce the law against illegals or forget the very idea of being a nation of laws.
I consider myself a law abiding citizen (actually, not a citizen, but a Mexican national and a permanent resident of the US). As a foreign born person, I also have deep admiration for the Americans' respect of the law. However, I think in many instances I have observed that in reality there ARE many nuances to law enforcement: I see it when I drive along I-78 and 90% of the cars are going above 75mph (some of them, I hear, even have radar detectors, a uniquely American invention), I also see it when I go to the beach and the lifeguard tells everyone to get out of the water at 6:00PM, knowing full well that many people will go back in as soon as he leaves.
I am not trying to criticize americans for these small nuances and indiscretions (as I said, in fact I greatly admire the great sense of law and order prevailing in this country). My point is that not all laws are created equal, and sometimes, some laws are just inoperant. Because laws are fallible, the Founding Fathers of this great country provided for a mechanism to ammend laws (and even the constitution). Otherwise we would have to be stuck with pre-civil right era laws, or 1970s tax rates!
I think everybody recognizes the system doesn't work. Why not try to fix it with something that has a better chance of working? (what that something might be is open to debate and we can discuss it if you would like).
3. 30% of the Federal prison population is made up of illegal immigrants.
The actual estimate provided by the Center for Immigration Studies (a conservative think tank), is 17%. Still a very high number, I admit, but not 30%.
Respectfully,
"But America's strength is its friendly immigration policy, and that is our historical stance"
I take it that by this statement, you believe that immigration is, simply for the sake of immigration, beneficial to our nation? Is there ANY population level our nation could reach at which you would say enough is enough.. that we do not need any more? What is the maximum sustainable population for our nation, if there is one?
1. Well, there's got to be more than a "small percentage" of fathers with plans to send money, given that they collectively sent over US$20 billion to Mexico in 2005. Most surveys I've seen say that over 60% of first generation immigrants send money back to their country (whether they are sending it to their children, wives or parents, I can't say, but they're probably not making campaign contributions for the PRI).
2. I live in the New York metro area, and I'm probably not as close to the action as you are, but I have not seen any spike in crime statistics in the region. Could you point me to the data that supports this? Also, you mention that your daughter and grand-daughers are experiencing danger. I lived in Jersey City for a while (which has experienced a surge in hispanic immigration) and never felt any danger. I've just moved to a suburb (for the schools, not the insecurity) and I don't think I could feel any safer. How is it that you feel your family is in danger?
I don't understand your comment about seeing "the people of Mexico party hearty" in 9/11. What are you referring to?
I am a Mexican born permanent resident, but I go back to Mexico a couple of times a year, read the US and Mexican press almost daily (thanks to the internet) and generally keep very abreast of develpoments here and there. I can assure you I never saw any of my connationals rejoice over 9/11. By and large people were shocked and sadden as the rest of the world was by this tragedy.
Please explain what you are referring to.
Respectfully,
America's strength has historically been our mineral resources, technological innovations and the ability to capitalize upon them with a massive manufacturing sector.
ping
Mexico.
It's Mexico's failure or refusal to deal with its woeful corruption and to repudiate its scandalous third-world socialism that has made Mexico, a naturally rich and beautiful country, a place of entrenched poverty and oppression.
Too many people kneejerk their way to the conclusion that for some reason it is the US taxpayer's job to relieve the Mexican government of the burden of its corruption and incompetence. The Mexican government is only too pleased to shirk its responsibilities and get a free ride at US taxpayer expense.
The illegal aliens need to return or be returned to Mexico where they can bring pressure on their government to drain that swamp of its appalling inefficiency and corruption.
This might be the beginning of the end for US democracy, because honestly do you think the white people with all the money are going to let the majority of poor Mexican Americans vote in socialism in 40 years? Not likely, I'd rather prevent this from even being a problem.
No nation can remain without borders. We have legal means to remove individual barriers, but our borders need to be secured.
And you break the law everytime you drive.
I would suspect that legal green-card/visa holding immigrants sent a bulk of that $20 billion (given that number is correct) back to Mexico/Guatemala, etc.
According to statisticians, nearly 20 percent of the US population is Hispanic, or around 50 million, in addition to 10-20 million illegal Mexican/Central American hispanics, with 3 million more pouring across the border each year.
As much as I love all peoples and cultures, I am certain this cannot continue without changing our culture and upsetting the equilibrium we've enjoyed for much of the last 150 years.
In other words, yes, I do believe these increasingly nationalistic illegals would vote (if they could) in the interests NOT OF America, but in the interest of the countries from which they just left.
Why do I think that? Because I cant recall any European segment of US society marching and protesting to demand we allow unlimited immigration from THEIR particular country, or that they be allowed to continue living the same culture they just fled in order to come to the American land of opportunity.
Oh yes, we have Colombus Day, or St. Patrick's Day, but that is a one day celebration of some particular historical event, not some demand that we allow Irish or Italians to continue breaking the law.
Here's a hint: he can't run again, and will be leaving in January of 2009.
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