Posted on 12/16/2006 2:51:38 PM PST by Jeff Fuller
Right on, Romney!
By Patrick J. Buchanan
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Gov. Mitt Romney, leaving office, has just taken a modest step to protect the people of Massachusetts.
Romney signed an agreement with the feds to empower 30 state troopers - to be trained by the feds for five weeks - to determine if crime suspects are illegal aliens. If so, the troopers could hold them on immigration violations.
If an MS-13 gang member were arrested for assault and battery, and the victim was too terrified to testify, the state troopers could hold the alleged assailant, call in immigration authorities and have him deported. Troopers would also be empowered to detain illegal aliens leaving prison, to ensure their deportation by the feds.
But never underestimate the suicidal bent of a Bay State liberal. Recall: This is the commonwealth whose governor used to grant weekend prison furloughs to the likes of Willie Horton.
Deval Patrick, the incoming Democratic governor, thinks Romney has a “bad idea” because state troopers have “enough to do.”
But Romney’s plan does not force troopers to do anything. It empowers them. And what is more important for police to do than assure that felons, who do not belong in this country, do not return to Boston, or that gang members are sent back where they came from, rather than set loose in Springfield?
What the Romney plan challenges is the “sanctuary” policy many cities have adopted under pressure from ethnic lobbies. Under New York’s policy, backed by Rudy Giuliani, five illegal aliens, several with long rap sheets, were still in the city in 2002 and able to gang-rape a woman in the shadow of Shea Stadium.
Nine states have adopted versions of the Romney plan.Resistance to this common-sense idea reveals how ingrained is the ideological hostility to any idea that might halt the flow of illegals into our country. For open-borders champions, the real criminals are those who wish to reduce immigration.
Anger has also surfaced over the raids on six meatpacking plants of Swift & Co. Of the 7,250 workers at the plants, 1,271 - nearly 18 percent - are suspected illegal aliens.
According to The Washington Post, 100 have already been charged with various crimes, including identity theft. Federal and company officials estimate up to 40 percent of all plant workers may have stolen or falsified identity documents.
In recent weeks, Swift discovered false or stolen documents for some 400 workers, who either quit or were fired. The folks at Swift apparently knew something was coming down. But while there has been a slowdown in production, Swift says it anticipates “no adverse long-term impacts.” What does this tell us?
First, that the Bush propaganda that illegal aliens only take jobs Americans won’t do is patently false. There is probably no industry in which illegal aliens are more heavily concentrated than meatpacking. Yet even at Swift, we are told, 60 percent to 70 percent of the workers are neither illegal aliens nor do they have phony IDs.
Stepping back, consider the rampant criminality the feds unearthed by turning over a few rocks at Swift & Co.
These illegal aliens had to break the law to get into our country. Many were probably assisted by human traffickers who rob the men of money and the women of much else. The illegal aliens then paid for forged or stolen documents provided by organized crime. They then are hired by firms that know they are here in violation of federal law.
These companies are triple cheats. They cheat competitors by hiring illegal labor. They cheat the government of taxes. They cheat the community by passing on to citizens the costs in higher taxes of schools and social services.
What we have here is a chain of corruption. A society that passes laws its leaders refuse to enforce, the violation of which is condoned by its corporate and media elites, is a society on the way down and on the way out.
Patrick J. Buchanan is a syndicated columnist.
I agree that Romney has been rather ineffective concerning Federal immigration policies and enforcement since he became Governor of Massachusetts.
I'm trying to recall just what taxes have gone up during his tenure besides the (mandatory increases on the) gasoline tax. Please help with that and the other tax raises. My memory is not so good looking anymore.
Romney has proven himself to be a politician, and certainly shameless at times.
What are we all supposed to do about it?
McCain? Rudy? Hillary?
When will the dark horse longshot appear?
First day on the site, and you post like a vet.
Far from being a rare example, there have been many instances in his deeds where he has fallen far short of his professed faith.
I once read that the best argument against democracy was a conversation with the average voter.
You must be referring to the era when the taxes on a man's pay were low enough that he could afford to raise a family on one paycheck, without having to send his wife out to work, warehousing their children in some soulless daycare center or government "school".
Yep, raising your replacements, what a silly waste of time.< /sarcasm>
Duncan Hunter has, by far, the best record on immigration and border security.
Romney is playing political charades....amnesty shamnesty, one in the same.
The Lowell Sun
WASHINGTON -- Gov. Mitt Romney expressed support yesterday for an immigration program that places large numbers of illegal residents on the path toward citizenship, but criticized any form of "amnesty."
Speaking to reporters after a speech on education reform, Romney also invited outgoing White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, a Holbrook native, to challenge Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., in midterm elections this fall.
Romney's comments came as the Senate began heated debate on immigration reform. On Monday, the Judiciary Committee approved a controversial bill sponsored by Kennedy and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that would make 11 million illegal immigrants eligible for citizenship.
"I don't believe in amnesty," Romney said, using a word voiced by Republicans to describe widespread forgiveness of illegal residency in the United States.
But at the same time, Romney said illegal immigrants should have a chance to obtain citizenship.
"I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country," Romney said. "With these 11 million people, let's have them registered, know who they are. Those who've been arrested or convicted of crimes shouldn't be here; those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home country."
The McCain-Kennedy bill would legalize the 11 million immigrants if they demonstrate they've paid taxes, can speak English, pass a civics test, pay $2,000 in fees and aren't criminals.
Massachusetts saw its illegal immigrant population increase from an estimated 55,000 people in 1990 to 200,000 people in 2004, according to a recent report by the Pew Hispanic Center
-- EVAN LEHMANN.
I'm not worried about Obama yet. My favorite liberals say they would not be inclined to vote for him, because he's too inexperienced.
You know which list you're on . . . but you're invited to leave "the dark side of the force" anytime! Don't worry, we won't label you a flip-flopper with no moral center for changing camps.
Actually, i've just started to keep one list . . . I'm all for the active debate and full and open early disclosure.
On the website you mention (ROmneyIsALiberal):
That's great! Like I said . . . full and open disclosure. I think it's good to see both of the fringes of the political spectrum bashing Romney (to some, he's a gay-hating religious zealot, to others he's more liberal than Teddy Kennedy . . . the truth is, as usual, somewhere in between)
In all honesty, I do find it disturbing that someone is devoting a large portion of their life to debasing another person. I don't work that way, but I guess others do. I think it's more constructive to give solutions (e.g. supporting someone) than to just criticize without offering alternatives. One has to question the likely hidden agenda.
Romney told Bill O'Reilly that he's fully in support of securing the border . . . if that means a fence, then build it (O'Reilly joked it should be the Romney Memorial Wall).
I'll worry for you.
Well said.
Here is how AP "reported" the anti-immigration measure on Wednesday, Dec 13:
The agreement also comes at an embarrassing time for Romney, who has pledged to announce his decision about a presidential candidacy early next year.
The Boston Globe reported recently that the landscaper who maintains the governor's 2.5-acre property in Belmont has been employing illegal aliens.
That arrangement prompted criticism from the Democratic National Committee.
"Mitt Romney is showing his true colors in the waning days of his administration," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "By using the immigration debate to pander to extremists in his party after years of taking advantage of undocumented workers, Romney is proving to be just another hypocritical political opportunist with no business running for the White House."
Talk about media bias!
Outstanding post! My parents related the same opinion that America was the tops during the 1950s to the mid 1960s. Then Johnson happened. Bastard didn't even earn the Silver Star they gave him...he sat out the mission some other guy flew on.
Why, because I'm related to liberals?
Or about Obama?
(maybe I should not post until I've had at least one full cup of coffee...)
"I do find it disturbing that someone is devoting a large portion of their life to debasing another person."
Welcome to the wonderful world of politics!
ping
Please click on the link and deport Elvira!!
http://capwiz.com/sicminc/issues/alert/?alertid=9202486
Send an Illegal alien home for Christmas!!
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