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 bill’s 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 what’s 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
i thought that the last 2 weeks it was phoned and emailed over and over again... some people are just slower to catch it than others i guess. so...persistance is important! :;grin::
That's right - exactly what I would like to know. Why do I need to keep paying taxes for these criminals? And every one of the 20 - 35 million + has committed at least one crime.
Why do I need to be strip searched at the airports, my items pawed through and contaminated, exposed to foot fungus and humiliating poses? Every thinking person knows this is a sham.
Why register my car or pay car or health insurance? I'll just pretend I don't speak English like they all do. Why submit to the new Gestapo when certainly few to no laws are enforced when it comes to the illegal aliens?
That is the essence of "campaigning."
I keep telling you why you should agree with me, and ignore any good reasons you don't.
Think about Enron, Worldcom, Tyco, Adelphia, Global Crossing... Jail time, bankruptcy, and public ridicule.
***Yes, it’s time to harness some social forces that are whipping around untethered. RICO lawyers could turn it around in a few years and MAKE MONEY at the same time. I’m surprised they haven’t done it already.
In the absence of enforcement,we can get the word out in the meantime that there is money to be made in filing RICO lawsuits against employers who hire illegal aliens.
Employers would have no trouble shutting down the border if they could get sued by someone under the RICO statutes for hiring these people in the first place. The next time an illegal alien kills someone in a drunk driving accident or somesuch thing, I’m going to point out that the victim’s family might be able to seek compensation from the employer under these statutes in the hopes that it would catch on. If this did catch on, would see such a swift backlash against illegal immigration that no employer would go near these people and they’ll all simply want to go back home.
Tell the boss that this here Stalingrad policy just ain’t workin’ out. Okay?
It'll come to people no longer just asking that....because, it'll only be the fools who just question why they should obey laws when the government encourages criminals to keep breaking them with impunity.
Okay, you win, the President is all sweetness and light and has treated conservatives with the utmost of respect. This is sarcasm by and by.
Think whatever you want. I certainly don’t care if you disagree with me or not. I’m not trying to persuade you to my viewpoint, I’m just alerting you that I’m not surrendering mine.
I don’t sense a lot of people agreeing with you though. Funny that the bulk of the conservative movement had the same visceral reaction I did, if that wasn’t what he intended. Even liberals were commenting on his attacks against the base that got him there. Oh, well, guess we’re all fools then...
OK, but explain why is it my (being an employer myself) responsibility to detect illegal aliens?
Is it also my job to detect spies? Is it also my job to detect drug traffickers? Child Molesters? Jaywalkers? Traffic Violators? Drunk Drivers? Moonshiners? Enemies of the State? Little Green Men from outer space?
Now if a guy who wants his lawn mowed hires someone to do it and later we find out the person who mowed his lawn is an illegal does he get fined?
Anyone see a problem here?
How about instead we have the Law enforcement officials gather up the bad guys and let the rest of us concentrate on doing our chosen lines of work. I didn't get into business to do the government's work for them but as time passes even supposed conservatives and limited government types see no problem with burdening private business with more and more hoops to jump through.
And then everyone wonders why all these factories head to other countries. Gee maybe they are tired of crap like this.
Exactly
This is rather momentous -- and indicative of why the White House is engaging in this way -- this may be the first time where the blogosphere in all it's flaming, wild swinging, and hard headedness is actually way out front leading American mainstream opinion on a national issue. Sites like this one have actually led the mushy middle out of its usual mushiness. That has to drive the political-elite class absolutely stark raving nuts.
This is good news. Unfortunately, we need a lot more of it for many more years.
And where's the fence?
There is no way you can give a visa amnesty, given the track record on enforcement, and not expect many more illegals to come across the border.
Ah, you’re back. Having fun reading the opinions of the American electorate? Particularly that conservative segment the President owes most for his stay in our House.
Thanks you! And ditto about your post.
I couldn't agree more about the questions you asked. I have the same questions...and I hope and pray that others do as well.
Actually, they have 80 miles built, from what I’ve heard....but, IT’s NOT ENOUGH!
It would muck up their plans.
Should they not take it up, perhaps Inhofe collaborate with some in the House.
Inhofe is a GREAT man, as are Sessions and DeMint!
I call them as I see them. I don't follow the crowd...and I read the full context.
I find it amazing when you say, "even liberals are commenting on his attacks". That alone should make a thinking person go back a read the quote.
Anyway, at least we agree on the bill being bad.
God bless that man. I wish he could do a mind meld with Fred and ream this country out.
So, the Federal Government keeps all your tax records for you, receipts, income, expenses, deduction - and for all of your employees too - along with their withholding and everything. They do all the calculations and file your taxes for you too. It's not your responsibility to track all of that to the penny. Is it?? Oh wait, maybe it is.
Link. Thanks.
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