Posted on 06/14/2007 11:16:52 AM PDT by kristinn
A spokeman for the Bush administration sent an e-mail to Jim Robinson and myself confirming the authenticity of a post on Free Republic this afternoon regarding the immigration bill currently before the Senate as having been posted on behalf of the White House.
The spokesman, Nicholas Thompson, works for the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. The Politico reported yesterday that Thompson and Kerrie Rushton, associate directors in the Office of Strategic Initiatives who work under Karl Rove, would be engaging the blogosphere on the immigration bill.
Thompson's post is on the thread titled Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill, a vanity posted by philman_36. Thompson posted at comment #53.
Thompson's e-mail to Free Republic included a brief introduction and the text of his posted comment:
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that I just posted a response to the post "Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill."
The White House appreciates the opportunity to respond on Free Republic.
Response:
I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law. Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bills new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in. We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.
For those employers who do knowingly hire illegal immigrants, please know that we intend to penalize these employers strongly, and the Administration has already stepped up these penalties in the last couple of years. For example, a 2005 program, Operation Rollback, assessed $15,000,000 in civil fines to employers, an amount greater than the sum of administrative fines collected in the previous eight years and was the largest worksite enforcement penalty in US history. In the first quarter of FY07, criminal and civil forfeitures have totaled $26,700,000 for employers.
As a reminder of whats in the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000 maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per illegal worker for the second, $25,000 maximum per illegal worker for the third , and $75,000 maximum per illegal worker for the fourth. In addition, the bill increases the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of unlawful hiring twenty-five-fold, from $3,000 to $75,000, and would impose a prison term of up to six months. This represents a significant increase in fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Nicholas Thompson
White House Office of Strategic Initiatives
Sure. And when the next 12-14 million ILLEGALS decide they want no part of US laws, we can just make them legal, too. The bill gives lots of loopholes so that border enforcement can be waived, just as waivers can be given to many parts that just “wave” more aliens into the country.
Nicholas, why not enforce the laws not on the books, build the fence and start deporting, then we would all be happy. I would not trust G/W word as far as I could throw him. I want results, not more legislation.
You said it well yourself this is not a republican or democrat issue this is an American issue. Ron Paul said it best when he said we need to look our policies that helped create 9/11. An open border is where I’d start, and then I want to evaluate the rest of their incompentcies.
Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, and Shrub have not secured the back door and your children and my children are going to pay for it, possibly with their life. They voted for a war before they secured the homeland.
All I can say is NO CONFIDENCE.
I don’t even want to talk about illegals, fix the fence, secure the borders, then evaluate the situation.
I was for the war until this became a realization. It isn’t I who have no concern about radical muslims, obviously it is Bush and Congress that have no issue with them. Americans have been had by both parties.
True Dat~~~100% Correct,,,It’s something that this country will not survive as we know it,,,HO’HAY ARBUSTO really pissed me off with his “name callin’”,,,He Started This,,,
“tipped his hand” on the NWO/NAU reason for all this mess,,,
AMERICANS WILL FINISH IT !!...
Enforcement is not only a non-issue in this bill since it’s obvious the White House will continue to support the non-funding of all the enforcement regulations in the Shamnesty bill.
That’s right. They will do funding somewhere along the line somewhere else.
Just like the fence now. Unfunded and crawling along to non-completion.
Just like the employers who pay their RNC contributions to continue their illegal hiring practices.
You want to impress us. Go ahead and spend a year taking down the employers all over the country. Not the hyped round ups of illegals in meat plants, etc.
Take down the employers and I want to see it. I’m demanding to see it along with the rest of America.
Of course we know that hasn’t and won’t happen. And we know that the border will remain open for terrorists and illegal aliens alike.
Let’s make sure Osama can get his legal status approved in 24 hours. When the next hit comes, go ahead and try to face the American people.
I DARE YOU. WHEN THAT DAYS INEVITABLE COMES TRY TO FACE US!
The so called $5,000 penalty is only $1000 with the remainder to be paid over a long number of years, for the record.
And how many happy illegal employing employers will be happy to kick in the $1,000 to retain their serfs? Many I would suggest.
As for the other $4,000. It will be forgotten, mark my words. And of course the IRS can not pursue back taxes as there will be not penalty for back taxes.
Nice deal if you can get it.
Now THAT’s a good point. : )
Actually, they need to revamp legal immigration as well.
No Cyber you are not alone at all. We are with you and we are the vast majority.
Your point about the heroes on United 93 is well taken.
Now how will Jorge and Congress face the American people when their actions have allowed chemical weapons or heaven help us, something worse is brought in to kill tens of thousands of Americans through the porous southern border?
The traitors will have to face the American people. And the militia will need to act on behalf of the Republic.
A quick death will not be justice, but we will have to settle for that justice for all the traitors.
You're right. It is racist.
Mr. Thompson
One other thing for you to advise the President of,illegal entry is not a family value.
Just say NO to Illegal Alien Amnesty!! Keep calling!! Its NOT OVER!!
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Nicholas Thompson’s original post was so tone deaf in itself that it is astonishing. ‘Breathtaking’ is the only word that fits such openly displayed arrogance. What an intriguing way for the White House to engage the base. Post info that has already been well-fisked - months, and even years ago - by the conservative base and add the White House moniker to it. ‘Nuff said, eh? After all... The White House is the leader of the free world. You’ve got The Power. Those Great unwashed Masses don’t know what’s good for ‘em! They’re ignorant! They don’t know what it’s all about!! The sad thing is that your esteemed opponents on the Hill are even more arrogant. You’ve all been feeding at the public trough for so long that you think and believe that it’s your God-given right and deserved inheritance. Your actions speak louder than words. Even so, your own words reveal your hearts for all to see. The rest of us can eat cake and let our babies go naked, can’t we?
This next election cycle is a toss-up, folks.
The Republican base has been betrayed by their leadership and the Democrat base has been betrayed by theirs, especially in regards to illegal immigration.
Most politicians and powermongers today have no idea of the power that was given to the people through the advent of the internet. It is much too late to try to control it. The genie’s out of the bottle and the people will become ever more difficult to lead by the nose. We’re much more intelligent than they ever thought we were. From here on out, we’ll be much better informed and educated...which means...we’ll be prepared. Because of their arrogance, they won’t be.
203 million Americans are now online. Nearly half of us get all of our news and info from the internet. Over one billion people are online around the world, with another one to two billion people who will join us before 2015. The internet has become the world’s greatest research library, all of it available in mere seconds...and at our fingertips. As soon as anyone speaks, anyone else can check their veracity...in a matter of seconds. Credibility is the new currency. All corruption and arrogance will fail.
So. Mr. President. The White House. Those of you on the public payroll on The Hill and in other public office around the nation and around the world? Speak, if you will. If you dare. Your words better be true. You should back those words with corresponding deeds. We, The People, will remember. We, The People, will hold you accountable.
But you would, too, if you had to sell--with a clear conscience--the damaged bill of goods he touts.
Still, I suppose it is nice he showed up on FR.
Excellent post.
“Gee officer I didn’t know I was speeding.” and “I didn’t know she was only 16.”
that’s gonna be one heckuva violation...
you better hope for a bush administration prosecutor.
teeman
But first I would suggest drinking some more of that kool-aide.
Sorry, no kool aid consumption here.
And you have no reading comprehension. I said I was not your enemy, I also said I want fences, enforcement, etc. and I do not defend criminals, in fact, I plainly said I want them kicked out. I said I was responding to one point and one point only...someone posted that there was no enforcement, I called them on it by providing facts that indeed enforcement has increased. That is fact, that is truth, that is no spin.
This is the end of the discussion because you, like the other person, keep going into circular arguments that have no bearing on my original post.
I clearly said I was for securing the border. I understand that once deported, some come back. However, just because they may come back does not mean there was no enforcement. I give credit where credit is due and ICE has substantially increased enforcement.
I tend to avoid these threads unless I catch someone ignoring the facts, which that person was doing. I have been accused of defending illegals and being a shill. Nothing is further from the truth, I just do my research and know the facts surrounding an issue before I post. People have become so unglued over this issue that it has become almost impossible to inject any form of rational debate into these threads any more.
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