Immigration Enforcement Still a Winner

It was only a matter of time before the open-borders crowd tried to scapegoat the immigration issue in light this week’s Republican defeat. Those who blame an immigration enforcement platform for widespread GOP losses are experiencing a moment of selective campaign recall, as if there was a batch of pro-amnesty/guest worker candidates who surged to victory. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

In districts where pro-enforcement incumbents lost, such as Arizona Rep. J.D. Hayworth’s (note: Hayworth has not conceded) and Indiana Rep. John Hostettler, their Democrat opponents actually campaigned on tough enforcement and border security. Hayworth’s opponent stated that “enforcing our nation's immigration laws is an absolutely necessary ingredient to securing the U.S.-Mexico border,” and promised to “extend existing fencing in urban areas” along our southern border. Sounds like he’s taken a page out of “Whatever It Takes,” Hayworth’s recent book on combating illegal immigration.

In Hostettler’s case, his opponent, a county sheriff, had this to say about the crisis of illegal immigration: “It’s also not right when an Indiana employer passes over an American for a job only because an illegal worker is cheaper. We need to tighten our borders, enforce the laws we have, and punish employers who break them.” I don’t know that a candidate talking like that could get the Big Business endorsement.

Also in Arizona, pro-amnesty/guest-worker proponents like to point to the Hayworth loss and the loss of pro-enforcement candidate Randy Graf in the 8th District, as a referendum on the immigration issue. However, they fail to mention four immigration ballot initiatives that Arizonian’s passed overwhelmingly, including making English Arizona’s official language (74%), denying bail to illegal aliens (78%), barring illegal aliens from winning punitive damages (74%), and denying in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants (72%). These are impressive numbers for any ballot initiatives, especially considering the supposed “divisive” nature of the immigration debate. Evidently, nearly three quarters of Arizona voters are “mean-spirited.”

As many pundits have already explained, this was an election cycle when Republicans lost across the ideological board, from pro-amnesty Sen. Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio) to pro-enforcement John Hostettler. Clearly, pro-enforcement candidates did not lose based on their support for the rule of law. In fact, by courageously listening to the American people, they shifted the immigration debate to the political mainstream. While the players and party have changed, the will of the American people remains the same: Enforce our immigration laws.

Jessica Echard is the executive director of Eagle Forum, a pro-family public policy organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly.

Good lord you are contrary. STOP twisting what is said!It makes you look BAD. Now, I'm done with you, just like MOST of us are done with those few of you who, like Bush, think they're right on this issue. YOU are hopeless. Enjoy your destruction of this once great country.

I SAID, "There is an entire page of such polls like the one you posted. MOST of them disagree. From your own source...
http://www.pollingreport.com/prioriti.htm"

Here'some more:

.

Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #9405

Geography Surveyed: Kansas
Data Collected: 05/30/2006 - 05/31/2006
Release Date: 06/01/2006 10:10 AM ET
Sponsor: KWCH-TV Wichita

12% Abortion Regulations
20% Education Funding
7% Gambling
21% Health Care
21% Illegal Immigration
3% Rural Development
8% Taxes
4% Other
2% Not Sure
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=18568b6c-1003-4a93-8a1e-5733b1d36970

_________

39 percent of those polled think illegal immigration is the most important issue facing Colorado.

68 percent of those polled believe illegal immigrants are costing Colorado a lot of tax money.

45 percent of those polled think employers should be responsible for checking workers' status.

56 percent of those polled think employers should be severely penalized for hiring illegal immigrants.

63 percent of those polled think it was appropriate for the state to address illegal immigration.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4057715

_____

Immigration is a big issue throughout country. Of likely voters nationally, 53 percent said immigration was either their most important issue or one of their top three issues, while just 8 percent said it was not at all important. With the exception of CT-4th, in races surveyed only about 10 percent of voters said it was not important at all.

*

When told numbers, voters want less immigration. When told the actual number of immigrants here (legal and illegal) and the number coming (legal and illegal), and asked to put aside the question of legal status, 68 percent of voters nationally thought immigration was too high, 21 percent about right, and just 2 percent thought it was too low. In every congressional race surveyed, the share who said overall immigration was too low was in the single digits.

*

Voters less likely to vote for immigration-increasing candidates. Experts agree that the bill recently passed by the Senate would at least double future legal immigration, yet 70 percent of voters said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who wanted to double legal immigration. Overwhelming majorities in every battleground race feel the same way.

*

Voters reject extremes of legalization or mass deportations. Some previous polls have shown support for legalizing illegal immigrants. But those polls have given the public only a choice between large-scale deportations or an earned legalization, and not the third choice of across-the-board enforcement, causing illegals to go home. This third option, which is the basis of the bill passed by the US House, is voters’ top choice.

*

U.S. House immigration plan by far the favorite. Enforcement approaches with no increase in legal immigration were the most popular policy option -- 44 percent wanted enforcement that causes illegals to go home, the US House’s approach, and another 20 percent wanted large-scale deportations. Just 31 percent supported a legalization.

*

Intensity stronger among enforcement supporters. Nationally, 32 percent of voters said they would be much more likely to vote for a candidate who would enforce the law and cause illegals to go home, compared to just 15 percent who said they would be much more likely to vote for a candidate who supports legalization. This same pattern holds in battleground contests.

*

Voters skeptical of need for unskilled immigrant labor. More than 70 percent of voters nationally agreed that there were, “plenty of Americans to do low-wage jobs that require relatively little education, employers just need to pay higher wages and treat workers better to attract Americans,” compared to 21 percent who said we need immigrants because there were not enough Americans to do all such jobs. The results were very similar in all the contested states and districts surveyed.

*

Voters think lack of enforcement is reason for illegal immigration. Three out of four voters in the nation agreed that the reason we have illegal immigration is that past enforcement efforts have before “grossly inadequate.” Voters strongly reject the argument that illegal immigration is caused by overly restrictive legal immigration policies. Strong majorities in every battleground contest surveyed felt this way.

*

Numbers make a difference. One key finding is that when told the scale of immigration (legal and illegal), voters overwhelming thought it was too high. Also when told how much the Senate bill would increase legal immigration voters tended to reject it. This would seem to undermine the argument that voters are only concerned about illegality and not the level of immigration. The level of immigration used in the questions are those widely agreed upon by experts based on government data.

For more information, contact Steven Camarota at (202) 466-8185 sac@cis.org or Kellyanne Conway at (202) 667-6557.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2006/2006pollrelease.html

Why bother? Because they count on no one disputing their propaganda, that's why. They want only their opinion out there, screw the facts. Americans deserve better.

Lies cannot be allowed to stand as long as I have a breath left.

Did ya see this skeeter?

Monument being proposed:

http://www.aztlan.net/monument.htm

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Inscription on the Statue of Liberty -
---

Between 1892 and 1954, 12 million "European" immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island in New York Harbor, greeted by the Statue of Liberty "next door." Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are now a "Memorial" for all the European immigrants who came mostly from Germany, England, Ireland and Italy. The landmark saves the memories and heritage of over 100 million Americans who can trace their immigrant roots here and includes the Immigrant Museum that offers visitors a chance to see what coming to America meant through film, archives, photos, recordings and the aura of the Great Hall. The "Memorial" also includes the Immigrant Wall of Honor, a circular monument containing 200,000 names commemorating immigrants who contributed significantly to the "building" of America.

The Monument to the Mexican Immigrant Project is proposing that we build a "Monument" of our own to "commemorate" our millions of immigrants that have returned to Aztlan. To this end, we are proposing the formation of a "Monument to the Mexican Immigrant Steering Committee" to plan, design and raise funds for the construction of a "Monument" in a location near the US/Mexico border or in another suitable location. We will als be taking suggestions and ideas from the community on a proper "Monument" through this web site. One suggestion for a "Monument" is to construct a "very large" Aztec Pyramid somewhere along the US/Mexico border with a powerfull "Light (Laser)Beacon" on top that may be seen for miles from both sides of the border. Another suggestion is to place a large glass statue of La Virgen de Guadalupe on top of the pyramid illuminated by green, white and red laser beams.

For the present, we would like your input on the proposed project through our Contact Form . The input we would like at this time is as follows:

* Volunteers or suggestion of individuals to serve on the Steering Committee.
* Ideas on the "conception" of the Monument.
* Suggestion of names to include on an Immigrant Honor List. The names and a short biography will be engraved on bronze plates and will be a permanent part of the "Monument."
* References to resources that can assist the "project" such as artists, sculptors, contractors, engineers, etc.

Please contact us through our form at http://www.aztlan.net/contactlavoz.html

Additional information will be available here as the project evolves.!
The Monument to the Mexican Immigrant Project
http://www.aztlan.net/monument.htm

Now you have just proved what I was saying anyway; people are concerned about immigration, but you have yet to produce ONE poll that proves it was a factor in THIS ELECTION.

Show me in the following posts where you talked about "this election".

Go ahead make some convoluted argument to back yourself up.

To: raybbr; Peach

Question: Do you believe illegal immigration poses a threat to the United States? Undecided 4% Yes 71% No 24%

Everybody agrees with that.

And once again you have to be told that that is NOT what we are/were talking about; we were talking about "National Priorities" and this wasn't one of them.

You have yet to provide a poll that shows that immigration was anywhere above 9 or 10 percent in importance.

Can you? If not, be quiet.

And while you're looking, you can look for that post where you said I "always defend" open borders and illegals.

That was yesterday. Still looking, or were you just lying?

41 posted on 11/14/2006 9:27:50 PM EST by Howlin

To: raybbr

Did you not read what I asked you?

Show me ANY poll that says Illegal immigration is the Number 1 concern for the American public.

That's a poll about immigration.

Show me a poll (other than from a right wing whack site) that shows more than 9 or 10 percent of the people in this country think that immigration is the Number One problem for this country.

You can look for it while you're looking for a post of mine supporting open border on "every thread."

346 posted on 11/13/2006 9:23:53 PM EST by Howlin

Posted by Howlin to raybbr
On News/Activism ^ 11/15/2006 10:08:41 AM EST · 51 of 70 ^

I have explained this twice.

No, you have provided bogus polls that have nothing to do with what we were discussing.

I will respond to your tripe only once more. You attack those of us that decry illegals. It's the same as defending them.

No, I attack those of you who LIE repeatedly to try to shove your tunnel vision version of the world down others' throat

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