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"Dear Lindsey..." An Open Letter To Sen. Graham
Charleston City Paper ^ | May 31, 2006 | Michael Graham

Posted on 05/31/2006 7:27:32 AM PDT by suspects

["This has been the most satisfying week I've had since I've been here." —Sen. Lindsey Graham, reacting to the Senate's passage of the immigration bill]

Dear Senator Graham,

I'm delighted to hear that you found your work on behalf of illegal immigrants so satisfying. And who wouldn't? Tax breaks, billions in new taxpayer-funded benefits, amnesty — you've given so much to those who've chosen to break America's laws and work off the books.

But I'm writing today on behalf of an immigrant who hasn't taken advantage of your largesse towards illegals. He's not the member of an ethnic minority and he refuses to break our immigration laws. I'm wondering, Sen. Graham, if there's anything you'd be willing to do for him?

His name is Eugen, he's from Romania, and believe it or not, the big dream in his life is to go back to his job at a TV repair shop in West Columbia, S.C.

In 1999, Eugen and his wife Alina came to the U.S. after she was recruited to teach science in the South Carolina public school system. The fact that South Carolina has to recruit science teachers from crumbling Eastern European countries known for their lingering, widespread belief in vampires says something significant — and embarrassing — about the state's education system.

So does the fact that my father can't find a competent, qualified electronics repairman here in South Carolina, either.

My dad owns Graham's TV Service and in 2000 he was desperately seeking someone who could fix a camcorder and widescreen TV. After weeks of running want ads across the state and getting no qualified — or even halfway qualified — candidates, my dad found Eugen.

His English was so poor that his wife had to translate most of the job interview. He has a permanent hearing impairment, and he's Romanian, which, to a guy from Horry County like my dad, meant he was either a Communist or (worse) a Catholic. But desperate times call for desperate measures and Eugen got his chance.

Three years later, when Eugen's visa was about to expire, my dad called me in a panic. "I'm about to lose the hardest working tech I've ever had."

We spent a year calling and writing every office we could think of, including yours, Senator Graham. Your office has his information right now. But what did you and your amnesty allies do for Eugen?

Nothing. No extensions, no change in visa status. And so they left.

Eugen and Alina did something that millions of other legal immigrants have done. They kept their word. They obeyed the law. And now, they're waiting, hoping that eventually the red tape will be cut, and they can return to America and to the lawful employers who need them.

If only Eugen were a criminal. If only he were willing to break our immigration laws, then you'd be falling all over yourself to help him.

Take taxes, for example. As an illegal Eugen could have kept all the tax money he's paid Uncle Sam since 2000. Thanks to you, illegals who've been working off the books for 10, 15, or even 20 years only owe three years of back taxes. Better still, they get to pick which three years. Such a deal!

Eugen also made the mistake of paying his Social Security taxes. Unless his status changes, he'll never see a penny of that money. But if he'd committed Social Security fraud to get his job, your immigration bill would reward him by applying the profits of that fraud towards his future Social Security benefits.

And because Eugen is a skilled worker who earns middle class wages, he won't qualify for the billions in Earned Income Tax Credit dollars you voted to give illegals entering your amnesty program. If he's allowed to return, he'll miss out on the $50 billion a year we taxpayers will be pouring into public services for low-income immigrants on the Sen. Graham immigration plan.

Then there's the biggest insult of all. Eugen respecting our border and waiting for the right to return, all the while watching millions of others violating our borders and receiving special treatment from politicians like you.

Why, Sen. Graham, should a handicapped Romanian TV repairman have more respect for our laws and our borders than you do?

There are millions of Eugens out there, people in the legal pipeline to come to America, who got the shaft from the U.S. Senate last week. They deserve better than the back of your hand.

So I am writing this letter, Sen. Graham, to ask you to make things right for just one of those forgotten suckers who was dumb enough to obey the law. I'm asking you, publicly and on the record, to pick up the phone and call the folks at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and see if you can't get Eugen back to West Columbia.

Would that be special treatment? Maybe. But Sen. Graham, are the only immigrants who get special treatment from you the illegal ones?

I look forward to sharing the outcome of Eugen's case with my readers.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: amnesty; dontaskdonttell; immigration; lindsey; mccainlite
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To: suspects

Contanct Graham's office via his page: http://lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contactform


21 posted on 05/31/2006 8:01:06 AM PDT by feedback doctor (Liberalism is like a religion....islam)
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To: suspects

Someone email this letter to Rush and Hannity. They gotta read this today!


22 posted on 05/31/2006 8:01:44 AM PDT by CWW (GOP 2008 Dream Ticket -- George Allen (Pres) and Mark Sanford (V.P.))
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To: suspects
Many are seeing...finally....what some of us here saw waaaay back during the so called Impeachment Trial...

Lindsay was courted as being oh so cute and folksy and down home....but lots of FR folk saw him for what he was then and is now....

..a self serving, self promoting disingenuous huckster!

23 posted on 05/31/2006 8:06:46 AM PDT by Guenevere
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To: TexasTaysor
With what the Senate has been doing and the gang of 14, we are no longer a Representative Republic. WE are not being represented, they are only representing their own interests and some special interest groups. I've had it with them.

I fully agree. Where we may not agree is that I actually think it may be worth the risk to vote 3PC's this fall, presumably in the Constitution Party, in hopes that they'll win, but if not, with the understanding that hopefully a kick in the pants of the Senators up (GOP), that next time more conservative ones will run in '08 giving us some hope.

If not, honestly, half of our GOP senators are simply climbing into bed with the liberal ones, although perhaps not to that extent. Still, enough for the people to take some risks there.

I'm also of the belief that many Democrat voters (not libs) are just as fed up with their senators and some reps that a decent 3PC may in fact win with some votes from those that would vote for both parties. Given what will likely be a poor turnout this fall, that may very well be just enough to get some 3PCs in there.

If not, who cares if it takes 20 years or 30 years for this nation to disintegrate. Just sitting here watching it makes no sense to me. We need action and we need it this cycle and in '08. Once the cascade of illegals begins, that's it! It's over. Because it'll never be reversed as we've seen now for decades with promises of "one time only amnesties" that have turned into revolving door amnesties. Next up, mass emmigration from Mexico and immigration to the U.S.

24 posted on 05/31/2006 8:08:08 AM PDT by Fruitbat
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To: Peach

Bravo!


25 posted on 05/31/2006 8:08:46 AM PDT by Guenevere
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To: suspects

Michael, is that you? I grew up in Columbia and actually met you a couple of times (Joe Pinner introduced us at the Greek Festival around 15 years ago), and I looked forward to your articles in the Free Times every week (I read 'em at Andy's Deli while munching an Andy's Special). Well said, my friend, and touche! These turncoats in the senate have me infuriated, and Lindsey Graham is leading the charge. I can't wait to see what becomes of this, and to keep reading your columns. Keep up the good fight!


26 posted on 05/31/2006 8:09:54 AM PDT by Edgar3 (Constitutional Republic, or die)
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To: suspects
P.S. Mr. Graham......add to this gentleman's letter the situation of my English friends. They are entrepreneurial small business people, the type who CREATE local job opportunities.

They have been trying at great monetary and emotional cost for TEN YEARS to immigrate to the U.S.

English and other educated Western would-be immigrants are almost entirely frozen out now.

It still resonates in my head what they told me last time I saw them, "......and England is supposed to be one of America's best friends."

Disgusting.

Leni

27 posted on 05/31/2006 8:12:41 AM PDT by MinuteGal (FReeps Ahoy 4 cruisers are home! Check the cruise thread for photos. Hit red "4" on Home Page)
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To: MinuteGal

Quite true


28 posted on 05/31/2006 8:14:21 AM PDT by rrrod
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To: suspects

Here's the letter I have composed.

President George W Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

The Honorable Robert E. Cramer
2368 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
235 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable John Boehner
1011 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515

Senator Richard C. Shelby
110 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Senator Jeff Sessions
335 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510




Dear Sirs,

The first time I was able to vote was in 1984. I was 20 years old, just married and starting my working career. During that election, I gladly cast my vote for the re-election of President Ronald Reagan. Since that time, I have voted for hundreds of federal, state and local candidates. During that time, I have only voted for a Democratic candidate over a Republican candidate one time, and that was in a local election for a man doing an exceptional job.

However, I feel compelled to tell you that the Republican Party has lost my vote.

Mr. President, your support of the Senate Immigration bill is appalling. I have been an ardent supporter of yours. I have defended, and still defend, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Your leadership through this period has been exemplary. However, the blatant acceptance of lawbreaking by illegal aliens in pursuit of votes is sickening. I wanted to write you, my representative, my Senators and the House Leadership so that each of you will get the same message.

We are a nation of laws. As a citizen, I must abide by these laws. Many of them I do not like.

I don’t like paying 15 percent of my income into the Social Security system. However, if I refuse to pay my portion of the Social Security payment, the government will put me in jail. Yet an illegal alien, a person who is NOT a citizen of this country, can obtain a fraudulent SS number (a felony punishable by fine and jail time) and you support letting him off scot-free. You even have the gall to let him/her draw benefits based on their ILLEGAL participation in the system.

I don’t like paying thousands of dollars per year in Federal taxes. If I refuse to pay them, the IRS will prosecute me and forcibly make me pay them or put me in jail. Yet an illegal alien can come here and draw 100 percent of his paycheck. And you are telling him that it is OK and will not prosecute him for tax fraud. That is quite a deal.

When I recently added a few rooms on to my house, I had to spend about $50,000. It really would have been nice to have saved several thousand dollars by hiring some illegal aliens to help. But, the government will put ME in jail for hiring illegal aliens. Now, we find out that all of these big businessmen who have driven others out of business by hiring cheap ILLEGAL labor will get off scot-free. I’m sure that these ethical, up-standing businessmen have your support on this issue.

You, and other politicians, stand in front of the cameras and say “They come to this country because they want to work”, so we should give them a break. This is INFURIATING. Do you think I don’t want to work? How do you think I got the money to buy a house? That statement implies that Americans don’t want to work, or that we are not worthy of a “break”. You have insulted millions of hard-working, LAW-ABIDING Americans. Just because we want to work does not give US the right to break the law. Why should people who came here illegally, knowingly committed social security fraud and broke tax-laws be rewarded with a “Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free” card?

Sirs, you have gravely underestimated the anger and resentment your actions have generated among millions of law-abiding citizens. We are taxed, taxed, taxed, and taxed. We have a Byzantine labyrinth of a system of tax forms. We have law after law governing our daily lives. We pay taxes from our hard earned money to support our government (you), and now you are willing to give millions of illegal, law-breaking aliens amnesty AND ARE DOING IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO WIN THEM AS A VOTING BLOCK SO YOU CAN STAY IN POWER AND CONTINUE TO CONTROL AND TAKE MORE OF OUR MONEY AND GIVE IT TO LAW BREAKERS!

Then, to top it all off, the FBI is investigating Congressman William Jefferson for bribery. They have him, a public servant, on VIDEO TAPE accepting bribes. The FBI subpoenaed documents relating to this and he, a Congressman who swore to uphold the laws of this country, refused to comply with the subpoena for months. So the FBI had to get a warrant from a Federal judge to get the documents.

Do you know how embarrassing it is for the Speaker of the House to come out, not decrying the appearance of impropriety, nor decrying the refusal to comply with the subpoenas, but rather arrogantly crying and whining about the “separation of Powers” when the Congressman has been caught red-handed with the bribery money?

Speaker Hastert, you came off as arrogant, above the law, and utterly uncaring about how badly Congressman Jefferson tainted the People’s House. EVERYONE that I talk to, regardless of political persuasion, has the same reaction – Politicians trying to remain above the law.

I’m sick of it and I’ve had enough. I will no longer support your domestic agenda, Mr. President. I will not vote for any GOP candidate until Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner are removed from leadership positions, AND NOT UNTIL THE RULE OF LAW IS SUPPORTED AND UPHELD.

Senator Sessions and Senator Shelby, you have my gratitude and thanks for trying to stop this abomination of an immigration bill. However, until the Republican leadership is changed and they return to supporting the citizens of the US first and supporting the rule of law, you will not get my vote. I would suggest that you relay the sense of this letter to your caucuses and leadership.

Representative Cramer, I am counting on you to kill this insulting travesty of a bill. If this bill passes, America as we know it will change, and it will NOT be a change for the better.

I know this letter will probably fall on deaf ears. I have long ago ceased to believe that politicians care what the average citizen has to say. But I felt it necessary to let your know what your actions have done to me, and to millions of other hard-working, tax-paying Americans. We have been insulted and betrayed by the people elected to represent us, and that betrayal was for self-serving political purposes.

We will not forget that.


Sincerely,

Bryan Alexander, voter
xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Dr
Harvest, Alabama 35749
(256)-xxx-xxxx


29 posted on 05/31/2006 8:15:13 AM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right....)
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To: suspects

excellent post..who's got the SC ping list..?


30 posted on 05/31/2006 8:15:28 AM PDT by ken5050 (GWB, Reagan, Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, freed hundreds of millions.# of Nobel PeacePrizes: ZERO)
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To: AmishDude

I prefer the one on the right... the other one is a bit too feminine....


31 posted on 05/31/2006 8:22:22 AM PDT by Texican72
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To: suspects
Enjoy it while you can, Lindsey.
32 posted on 05/31/2006 8:31:18 AM PDT by Savage Beast (The Spirit of Flight 93 is the Spirit of America!)
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To: ken5050; SC Swamp Fox
excellent post..who's got the SC ping list..?

This guy can make that happen...

33 posted on 05/31/2006 8:37:02 AM PDT by Palmetto
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To: suspects

Brilliant!


34 posted on 05/31/2006 8:41:38 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Never trust Democrats with national security.)
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To: nutmeg

FYI


35 posted on 05/31/2006 8:42:03 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Never trust Democrats with national security.)
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To: antonico

...extraodinary nature of "regular Americans".

**
It appears that the writer is a columnist at the paper.


36 posted on 05/31/2006 8:43:41 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Never trust Democrats with national security.)
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To: Guenevere

Lindsay was courted as being oh so cute and folksy and down home....but lots of FR folk saw him for what he was then and is now....

..a self serving, self promoting disingenuous huckster!

***
I confess to having been hoodwinked by him then. But my eyes have been opened in recent years, ever since his alliance with McCain.


37 posted on 05/31/2006 8:46:02 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Never trust Democrats with national security.)
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To: Bryan24

Excellent letter!


38 posted on 05/31/2006 8:48:41 AM PDT by Bigg Red (Never trust Democrats with national security.)
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To: suspects
Speaking as a former Canadian, now U.S. citizen for over 30 years, I feel that amnesty for illegals besmirches those who followed protocol and became U.S. citizens the old fashioned way ... legally. In fact it besmirches and cheapens the citizenship of every American by allowing illegals a road to citizenship. Evidently crime pays ... at least in the minds of the U.S. senate.
39 posted on 05/31/2006 8:53:39 AM PDT by BluH2o
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To: Bigg Red

Thanks. I'm utterly disgusted with the GOP. The Senate has been spineless for 6 years, and now the president is granting carte blache to millions of lawbreakers.


40 posted on 05/31/2006 8:56:54 AM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right....)
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