Sunday Morning Talk Show Thread 9 April 2006

Various big media television networks ^ | 9 April 2006 | Various Self-Serving Politicians and Big Media Screaming Faces

[Pukin Dog]

But there is absolutely no way that American's aren't already paying higher taxes for the states that provide free instate tuition to illegals, free hospital care, etc.

I wish I had time to explain it Peach. But your taxes are actually lower. They are lower because we have a very strong economy. I would have to get into fixed costs (like education) versus dynamic costs, etc. I how it reads like heresy, but we truly benefit greatly from illegal immigration. They know this in Congress, which is why most of us are being ignored.

Most Americans, I think, would willingly pay more for produce if it meant their streets were safer and there wasn't an over $10 billion pricetag at the federal level alone for getting cheap lettuce.

Come on, Peach. You know I love you, but the fact is that if Gas prices go up another 75 cents, you are going to see Americans rioting in the streets. This is why we are allowed to just boil slowly like lobsters, instead of having it all dropped on us at once. Anything over $3.50 a gallon, and most of this website will want to impeach the President.

[eeevil conservative]

ROFLLLL!!!

why not a "singles" room too!

;-)

[stayathomemom]

Yes, like Rennie. I still have a few of them left in my purse from a trip to the UK.

[MNJohnnie]

Ask the Illegal Immigration Caucus why they do not figure what the illegals put INTO our economy by buying goods and services?.

It is a much more complex issue they anyone currently seems to be considering. I simply do not know what the answer is.

"Costs" of illegal immigration are thrown around with reckless abandon. We cannot even agree on a number 11 Mil? 16 Million? 20 Million? To claim we can track the costs or gains, to our economy on this issue is nonsense. And there are gains as well as costs. It is not a one way street.

As usual the simplistic and the slogan are screamed and all serious consideration of the good and the bad aspects involved here are simply screamed down. Rather then scream for a one size fits all fix (Amnesty vrs Deportation) Americans should demand some incremental solutions to see just what the real gains and costs are instead of manufacturing "factoids" to justify what ever side of the issue they fall on. Obviously the 1st step must be serious enforcement.

It has to be enforcement. Anyone who has spent any time in the 3rd knows, you cannot produce enough "Disincentives" to stop people from wanting to come to the USA. We will have to stop them

[rockrr]

I agree with some of your statements, others I disagree on. IMO, this isn't the thread to hash it out. The main thing that you said that I'm intrigued with is your opening statement:

"The problem with immigration is that everyone discussing the issue is looking at it (and all the other issues) as unrelated to all of the other concerns going on within the administration. Everyone wants immigration fixed, but nobody wants to talk about immigration and its overall impact on our country."

I agree that, instead of breaking the issues down into their individual components so that they could be dispassionately discussed, all of them were intentionally conflated so as to maximize their emotional impact.

The result: No agreement; no legislation; no reform; no problemo!

Riddle:

Question: How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer 1: We don't know, none have ever agreed on how to do it.

Answer 2: 600. 1 do actually change it, 599 to criticize that he's doing it wrong.

Answer 3: It's not my job!

There are solutions to this mess, but they will require that people face to some unpleasant realities that surround us.

We had better face them soon, or the choices will be made for us, not by us.....

[defconw]

Well I am fine with that, but getting a new job and getting rid of McCain and Hellary are bigger priorities.

[Morgan in Denver]

McCain was simply caught exaggerating. I heard of a study in the past week or so that said the $5 head of lettuce is a total exaggeration. One could double farm wages and it would not create that. Nor do claims of outrageous prices take technology into account.

Comparing the auto industry to computers, government help sure seems to kick up the prices of cars. Looking at the cost of health insurance, under government mandates, the prices keep going up. But, left to the free market, the prices for both life insurance and auto insurance has gone down.

My only point being, I do not believe the government can provide products or services efficiently and we're better off when the government stays out of it and leaves the market to function as it's intended. 

[p23185]

"I'm handicapped on this thread by not being able to watch.." If ever there were a greater blessing disguised as a handicap, it is yours.

So true - I get ALL my news from FR and I don't have cable so I cannot watch. Don't feel as though I am handicapped, but rather blessed (for a source like FR).

[eeevil conservative]

LOL!

AMEN!

[kabar]

One thing that nobody wants to talk about is the fact that immigration, legal and illegal has an overall positive impact on our economy. Many of you will dispute this, but not with supporting facts because there aren't any. You can talk about Anchor babies, welfare programs and all the rest, but none of those negative issues are on a par with the positives.

You shouldn't lump illegal and legal immigration together. It just muddies the waters. Almost no one is against legal immigration. What we are seeing today are unprecedented numbers of illegal immigrants whose numbers cannot be assimilated.

The present level of immigration is significantly higher than the average historical level of immigration. This flow may be attributed, in part, to the extraordinary broadening of U.S. immigration policy in 1965. Since 1970, more than 30 million legal and illegal immigrants have settled in the U.S., representing more than one-third of all people ever to come to America's shores.

At the peak of the Great Wave of immigration in 1910, the number of immigrants living in the U.S. was less than half of what it is today, though the percentage of the population was slightly higher. The annual arrival of 1.5 million legal and illegal immigrants, coupled with 750,000 annual births to immigrant women, is the determinate factor— or three-fourths— of all U.S. population growth.

The National Research Council has estimated that the net fiscal cost of immigration ranges from $11 billion to $22 billion per year, with most government expenditures on immigrants coming from state and local coffers, while most taxes paid by immigrants go to the federal treasury. The net deficit is caused by a low level of tax payments by immigrants, because they are disproportionately low-skilled and thus earn low wages, and a higher rate of consumption of government services, both because of their relative poverty and their higher fertility.

This is especially true of illegal immigration. Even though illegal aliens make little use of welfare, from which they are generally barred, the costs of illegal immigration in terms of government expenditures for education, criminal justice, and emergency medical care are significant. California has estimated that the net cost to the state of providing government services to illegal immigrants approached $3 billion during a single fiscal year. The fact that states must bear the cost of federal failure turns illegal immigration, in effect, into one of the largest unfunded federal mandates.

The High Cost of Cheap Labor Illegal Immigration and the Federal Budget

[defconw]

If our choice in 2008 is McCain or Hellary I just don't know! Revolution time? :)

[Morgan in Denver]

Sorry if I was not clear. Rep. King specifically said he supports Legal immigration and NOT Illegal immigration, and he also suggested we raise the numbers for Legal immigrants if there is a need.

[Patriot from Philly]

One Democratic operative interviewing another Democratic operative. Now, say what you want about Chris Wallace, he would have chewed liar Joe Wilson up and spit the slime ball out.

As a matter of fact, ole Joe is being rather selective about who interviews him, his halo is dimming even among the left.

[Peach]

I'll go there shortly and read that, jveritas. Maybe by sending these documents you are translating to the media I'm sending them to the wrong people and should instead send them to Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove, and the president.

You are a very modest man, but I will state again for the record: You are a national treasure and do Free Republic a great honor with your work and your activism.

[Morgan in Denver]

Thanks Laverne!

Barf bag in hand.....

[eeevil conservative]

HECK YES!

i'll start a commune for consevatives...LOL!

we can all just live in a town, burn our money and live on a bartering system.....

;-)

[cardinal4]

Good work on the translation. Eventually MSM is going to have to reckon with the blogosphere. Thanks again for doing the jobs MSM refuses to do..

[Peach]

If you are correct, why aren't the democrats and even the Republicans who support illegal immigration making charts and writing articles which reflect numbers showing how we all benefit from illegal immigrants?

bbl

[bray]

Bump for later JV! I am electing you for FR of the Year. Please put me on your ping list when you release these. You are fighting the other half of the war.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[snugs]

Great article