Posted on 05/04/2006 4:06:01 AM PDT by Timeout
The immigration debate should be conducted in a civil and dignified way. No one should play on people's fears, or try to pit neighbors against each other.-- President George W. Bush
IF ONLY lawmakers, media pundits and policy advocates had listened to the president, who at a naturalization ceremony in March urged Americans to have a civil debate about immigration reform.
If they had, we might not be where we are today, engaged in a decidedly uncivil and at times irrational national conversation on the issue.
From calls for work stoppages to populist-style demagoguery to arguments over whether it's OK to sing the national anthem in Spanish, many Americans are missing the point: The current immigration system isn't working.
With thousands of illegal immigrants pouring across the country's southern border every year, the U.S. government cannot keep up with who's here legally and who's here illegally. Besides being a drain on social services, the presence of 11 million to 12 million undocumented people in the United States compromises our national security.
The president and some members of Congress are on the right track with their various reform proposals, but they need to come to a consensus on key elements. The Press-Register's editorial board recommends that they keep these points in mind:
--Reform should include a "guest worker" program in which illegal immigrants who are already in the United States, and are employed, could apply for work permits. They would have to pass a criminal background check to be eligible.
--Employers should be subject to large fines and criminal penalties if they hired anyone without proof of citizenship or guest worker permit.
--To facilitate proof of citizenship, Congress must create a forgery-proof national identity card for Americans. Workers who couldn't show an ID card or guest worker permit would be subject to permanent deportation.
--Congress also needs to enact additional border security measures that include the use of high-tech electronic equipment.
The incentives in such reforms would be numerous. Besides having jobs, illegal immigrants who were willing to learn English and take some civics classes could eventually apply to become U.S. citizens.
Rather than being devastated by the deportation of millions of illegals, employers who are frustrated by a lack of workers in jobs like food processing, housekeeping, construction and agriculture would have access to the workers they need.
And legal immigrant workers would pay taxes, just like American workers do.
A rational immigration policy won't ban immigrants, but will ensure that everyone in the United States is here legitimately. Surely, that's not asking too much.
Note to Senators: We DO NOT want 12 million new citizens. Give 'em work permits but they should get in line just like everyone else to apply for citizenship.
Not to mention law enforcement costs...
Providing their families with health care and education (at around $9,000 per kid per year) costs far more than what they produce in return.
Not having their families here also provides a strong incentive to return to their home country.
Get yer state in order, ours does not allow illegals and INS is busy.
However we have many migrant workers from Canada and most of our kids do Intern work across the Globe.
Gosh...get over it already or take a seat as a local State Rep..
There we go again.......in the words of a famous President.
First lets not call it "immigration" it's about illegal aliens, criminals who have broke into this country.
There are immigration laws already that are NOT being enforced.
I agree we do not have room for nor do we want 12 million criminals running around our streets telling us what to do.
All we are asking for is to first and foremost stop compounding this serious problem by not securing the border with armed guards.
And not give amnesty to the criminals who are supported by seriously dangerous marxist groups, (no work permits give Americans their jobs back) definitely no citizenship till they return to their country and not return for a year.
And when and if they must return enter legally like every other "immigrant" who has come into this country legally!
There are 20 million (not 12) renegades who broke into this country and are stealing from this country, so if someone broke into your home do you welcome them and give them the farm and all that you have and own and keep giving and giving and giving while they continue to take and take, while they steal the food from your childrens mouth? Allowing them to take whatever they want with no chance of them paying you for what they steal, to have to support their every need and want? With them overcrowding your home. Not even speaking your language and demanding more and more?
Or do you finally grow a spine and say enough, get out!!
I also think it's a pretty rational approach to a problem that is going to be difficult to solve. We're not the first with this sort of problem.
War as sometimes sent thousands of refugees scurrying for borders, and over-filling camps in neighboring nations. Famine, drought, or floods have done the same.
In Europe, they are facing an flood of Middle Easterners, almost all Moslem.
In the US we have a flood of people who want jobs, don't cause much trouble -- I haven't heard of Mexican terrorists or suicide bombers -- unless you count refried beans.
Sure, it's a problem. But in the list of problems we face, it isn't even in the top ten, except for this -- for some reason people have suddenly focused on this above all other problems. Can anyone tell me why?
I'm having a hard time getting behind the idea that people who come here illegally and break the law by providing fake ID, take jobs at lower wages, thereby denying American citizens those jobs, and the companies that profit from giving them jobs, somehow deserve to not be prosecuted.
How would you know that unless we try it for once?
We currently have sufficient laws; what we don't have is the courage to do what we say we're going to do.
More laws? the same ones who's gonna not enforce the current ones are the same ones who's not gonna enforce any new ones.
Don't get sold a Senate Sham.
What? I don't want a guest worker program. I don't want them here sucking up my tax dollars. What I do want is for Bush and Congress to get off their rears and start enforcing the laws already on the books. They can be moved out and quickly if employers would be fined. Have a few buses and boxcars ready to take the slow pokes back. Build a fence and arm it. Cut off all government freebies.
"The immigration debate should be conducted in a civil and dignified way. No one should play on people's fears, or try to pit neighbors against each other.-- President George W. Bush"
The time for "dignified and civil" debate is long past, Mr. President.
We don't have an issue we can take our time debating, sir. We have a fuill blown crisis out here, and we're drowning.
Our cities are becoming third world ghettos. Our hospitals, our schools, our social services are being overwhelmed and bankrupted.
Our streets are full of latino gangs, we are involved with illegals in car accidents, who run away from the scene of the crime, and our insurance skyrockets. We have Mexican felons running around at will attacking, raping and killing our families.
Our cars are broken into, our homes, we must fear the crowds of them at Home Depot's and freeway underpasses where they lurk and smirk at us and make rude comments about our wives, sisters, and mothers.
Our farmers and citizens along our border live in virtual compounds, their property destroyed, stolen and vandalized.
They are taking jobs away from Americans and LEGAL immigrants, and driving wages down, to the point where anyone who pays taxes and rent and raises a family LEGALLY cannot afford to take these jobs.
Our schools are flooded with children who cannot speak English, do not care to learn it, and waste our taxes with free meals, tutors, special classes, and hold our children back from getting a decent education because of their disruptions.
We endure all that, and more, and we're told, basically, by you, that we are lazy, and that they are simply doing the work we WON'T do, which is rude, insulting, and untruthful. We are called "racist". We are criticized for defending our citizenship, and the attempts to dilute and trivialize our heritage and society. We are fed up watching our hard work and effort in the form of taxes be squandered on people who do not belong here, were not invited, and are now demanding as a right that which they do not deserve nor earn.
We have had ENOUGH, sir. The time for debate is past.
Now is the time for action. Will you lead? If not, will you stand out of the way?
Hey, don't forget we do have new illegal alien laws known as "Sanctuary Laws". Interpreted correctly the santuary laws means " different strokes for different folks." These are somewhat unAmerican, but who cares anymore. We must not offend and we should always agree to mob rule. Sarcasm
Why don't the people in Alabama pass illegal alien legislation like the people of Georgia?
It seems Alabama is all talk no action.
Georgia GOP acted expeditiously with regard to this legislation!
Yes, all of us law abiding citizens of the greatest county in the world should need a national (global) ID card because the criminals in the swamp are immoral.
I've got an easier solution - cut all benefits to illegals. No free hospital care, no free school, no welfare, government support of any kind. Let's see how many actually stay to work and how many are just freeloaders.
I don't have a problem with a guest worker program, IF it only involves the worker...not his family. Given a requirement for a security check, it's better than what we have now. As for those who say "blame employers", surely you're aware of the forged document problem. I've had many many Mexicans work for me. I suspected many were illegal, but they had "green cards" and SS cards. I had no way to check the validity (has that been fixed?--I retired a few years ago). I will say: they were very fine people, honest hard workers and I was proud to know them.
There is no perfect answer to this. I think this editorial gets it right. No need to call me (or anyone else) names.
Just curious, did you pay health insursance for your employees?
The border MUST be secured FIRST.
Senator Sessions has it right.
Yes. This was about 12 yrs ago.
They got full benefits including health/life insurance,
401k, and averaged about $45k/year.
ping
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