Immigration Debacle: All-or-nothingism begat nothing [The Anchoress]

http://theanchoressonline.com/ ^ | September 15, 2007 | The Anchoress

[DCPatriot]

Given the responses I got the last time I focused on this issue, I almost hate to bring it up…but here goes.

I think Tony Snow is exactly right when he says here:

“I deeply admire what [Mr. Bush] did on immigration and I think he’s right,” Mr. Snow said. “I think the policies the president outlined generally are the ones that eventually this country is going to adopt.”

Let us hope so, because the alternative “solutions” out there - “let everyone in and register them all Democrat” on the left and “ship them all back to Mexico no matter how long they’ve been here or how productive” - are neither workable nor just.

Snow also says, here,

“the White House was not prepared for the anger of foes of illegal immigration

For crying out loud, that’s a staggering statement when even I - a lowly and not terribly bright housewife - completely understood the mood of the illegal immigration extremists. They were not interested in any sort of “half-measure” by President Bush - they did not want Bush do what Reagan always tried to do, “get 75% of what you want and come back later for the rest.” No, the extremists on this issue, crying, “we’re the base, you better dance with who brung ya,” were relentlessly uncompromising on the matter of illegal immigration and President Bush - and any other politicians who disagreed with them or sought a more workable solution than “ship them back and build high, high walls” had their rhetorical heads smashed repeatedly against the rhetorical curbside.

I still have a few dents, myself.

The illegal immigration hardliners demanded “all or nothing at all,” from President Bush and the GOP leadership. And now, they have nothing, and no political power to do much of anything. Illegal immigrants are still entering the nation mostly unchecked. The useless NIS is no closer to being reformed and retooled into something useful. There are no plans to design as sort of Ellis Island West, to actually process potential citizen immigrants “the way my grandfather came into New York - legally!” as the hardliner crows. Nothing is being done. But hey…at least the folks with the high, strong principals can sleep at night knowing they didn’t compromise!

A long time ago I wrote that the blood of many may well rest on the heads of those who would not get serious about the War on Terror. By the same token, I think it would not be completely unfair to state that the increases and excesses of illegal immigrants - and whatever political fall-out or legislative impotence comes from once more refusing to deal realistically with an issue that has been ignored for decades - will rest on the heads on those who took a hard, uncompromising line; those who managed to drop-kick the first president to try to effect positive change, and further weaken his entire presidency, while still getting nothing done. This issue was not well-played, folks. And just because the only ones still talking about it are the one-noters in internet forums doesn’t mean the issue is put to bed. Far from it. The reckoning - and the issue itself - has simply been kicked down the road for the time being, launched by a tantrum of “conservative anger”, which sent it nowhere good.

In the Wall Street Journal today the editorial writers take a look at how the hardline stance against illegal Mexican immigrants (come on, you never hear about the illegal Irish all over Boston or Long Island) can hurt the GOP and conservatives politically. They’re right to be concerned. When conservative and Republicans find themselves further weakened politically because they’ve managed to give the back of their hand to what every year becomes a more substantial portion of the electorate, who will they blame? They’ll have no right to blame George W. Bush - who tried to deal with the issue - but they may try to. It’s easy to blame Bush for everything, after all. But the truth is, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves.

I have a suspicion, just a little one - it’s anecdotal and nothing I can cite - but a suspicion nonetheless that some of the folks who jumped on the “all or nothing, ship them back, Bush has betrayed the base” bandwagon are beginning to regret the ride…turns out it was just a merry-go-round, after all.

[Surtur]

But punishing peaceful, hardworking illegals and their employers will destroy the economy and lives along the way.

You unfortunately, for some reason, don't comprehend that. Perhaps you need to be self-employed, an independent contractor...to appreciate it. To be a small business owner who is the very backbone of the country, creating wealth and jobs.

If one's business model depends on illegal activity (illegal aliens and employers who hire them are committing a crime because the illegal aliens have no right to work here legally), then their business deserves to be forced into bankruptcy. I'm f*cking tired of having to subsidize criminal activity so some low life b*st*rd employer can make a few extra bucks by hiring illegals. Any such employer deserves to go to jail and the poor house.

[DCPatriot]

Your vulgarity aside, it's a lot more than simply the buiness owner and the illegal's family that is affected.

The Hispanic family's landlord, the Hispanic's creditors, the neighborhood businesses that sold them food or gasoline...they all suffer.

Get it?

[wtc911]

“Perhaps you need to be self-employed, an independent contractor...to appreciate it. To be a small business owner who is the very backbone of the country, creating wealth and jobs.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Not for nothing but you do know that I was quoting DCpatriot's oft-used attempt to justify his profiteering in the illegal universe, don't you?

I agree 100% that employer sanctions should be fully enforced. If these opportunistic creeps go belly-up by functioning within the law then tough, America will survive. And, yeah, from 1981 through 1989 I wasa small-business owner. I remember a couple of INS suits coming in to check I-9s. When was the last time they did that?

[wtc911]

I was responding to a stalker's lies, insults and attacks.

____________________________________

Stalker? Posting your illegal-coddling self-serving nonsense will get responses.

Lies, insults, attacks? Come on, you know full well that I've substantiated every statement by re-posting your own words many times.

Remember your magical, vanishing profile wherein you defined yourself as a 'hopeless liberal'? We do.

Remember all the times your response to the illegals' crime victims was 'YAWN'? We do.

Nope, it is well known who you and what you are.

[wtc911]

If one's business model depends on illegal activity (illegal aliens and employers who hire them are committing a crime because the illegal aliens have no right to work here legally), then their business deserves to be forced into bankruptcy. I'm f*cking tired of having to subsidize criminal activity so some low life b*st*rd employer can make a few extra bucks by hiring illegals. Any such employer deserves to go to jail and the poor house.

_______________________________________________

Yep.

[Just another Joe]

Someone is talking BS out their mouth in this article, or letter to the editor, or whatever it is.

President Bush, the RINOs in the congress, and the DemoncRATs tried to push through a full blown amnesty getting NOTHING worth any value out of any illegal aliens, planning on doing NOTHING to stop the invasion of illegal aliens, and going against the MASSIVE opposition of the vast majority of the American citizens.

She says getting 75% of what we want? BS were weren't even getting 15% of what we want. The shamnesty supporters were getting 85% to 90% of what THEY wanted.

The American people called them on it and it sounds like this lady is disappointed.

Too freaking bad.
Don't come back till you have some type of plan to actually deal with the fact that we are being invaded.

[DCPatriot]

You’re not worth my time, little man.

[Will88]

“Why should I pay a commission to an “employment agency” giving me the names of 70 potential workers, when I can go over your head and get excellent hard-workers at a lower cost?”

You’ve established time and again, and beyond any doubt, that your only value is finding the cheapest possible labor: no matter whether it’s legal or illegal, no matter that taxpayers must subsidize illegal labor in many ways, and no matter that illegals reduce the income of American citizen workers by undercutting wages.

We understand: finding the lowest possible cost is all that matters (at least to you).

[wtc911]

You’re not worth my time, little man.

___________________________________________

Sure I am, that's why you write JRHS like replies. That and the fact that you know I can back up my statements with your own posts.

[Will88]

I just pulled DCPatriot’s quote from your post, but my response in #107 was intended for DCPatriot.

[wtc911]

From another freeper to you...

"We understand: finding the lowest possible cost is all that matters (at least to you)."

As I wrote above, we know what you are.

[wtc911]

Understood...we agree.

[dixiechick2000]

"I was responding to a stalker's lies, insults and attacks. But you knew that, didn't you?"

Actually...no...I didn't know that.
But, it appears to me you are heading into pot/kettle territory, again.

"70 African-Americans"

Apparently you didn't finish reading the article in my post.

"Mrs. Swope said employment agencies throughout Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi faced similar problems, when thousands of men from Mexico and several Central and South American countries — many in crowded buses and trucks — came into the three states after Katrina, looking for employment and willing to work for less money.”

Or, maybe you chose to ignore those facts.
The problem was much more widespread than just 70 people.

There were people already on the job in Mississippi when they were replaced with illegal immigrants.

"Are you always anti-business and anti-wealth?"

I must revise my last reply to this question.

Yes...I am...for those who are so greedy and self-serving that they don't put the needs of this country before themselves, and their bottom line.

[dixiechick2000]

I meant to ping you to #133

Sorry!

[DCPatriot]

IOW, the poster using the example of 70 American workers losing their jobs to lowered paid Mexicans had nothing to do with the fact they were illegals or Hispanic, but that they weren't represented by an employment agency...whose sole purpose is to gain income from employers needing workers.

You're pissed off that the employment agency was circumvented by 'scabs' or freelancers that were willing to work with no union backing and for less money.

And your anger is directed at me...who has never hired an illegal immigrant...except to clean my house or deliver my flyers.

Pray tell...call INS on me.

I'm sure by the screeds I read here, that my economic footprint on the nation is much larger than the two of you put together.

[Isabel C.]

It was pointed out to me that the Indians fought illegal immigration for 400 years and lost too...yet who could argue the country hasn't benefited?

The legal concept of immigration didn't even exist 400 years ago in North America. You can't violate a law that doesn't exist.

[dixiechick2000]

"IOW, the poster using the example of 70 American workers"

That "poster" would be me.

"Mrs. Swope said employment agencies throughout Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi faced similar problems, when thousands of men from Mexico and several Central and South American countries — many in crowded buses and trucks — came into the three states after Katrina, looking for employment and willing to work for less money.”"

Now, you are being disingenuous.

[dixiechick2000]

"my economic footprint on the nation is much larger than the two of you put together."

ROTFLOL!

Pray tell...just how would you know that? ;o)

[DCPatriot]

I'm not an expert by any stretch, but the Agreements set forth during the Louisiana Purchase said that no Indian territories were to be violated...or something to that effect.

Each and every time, the Government and USSC stepped in with a new treaty and moved the Indians.

Illegal? Certainly immoral.

[DCPatriot]

Now, you are being disingenuous.

Not at all.

You used the sad story of 70 Americans being passed over for jobs in favor of illegals.

I suggested an economic business decision...free market principles.

Avoid a middle man who you don't need...and find your own labor. You suggested that's a bad thing and instead support Communist ideals and want government to control wages and incomes.

Who's the disingenuous one here?