Posted on 09/16/2007 9:38:52 AM PDT by 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.
We need both physical control and interior enforcement.
Like it or not...there was a severe shortage of available, willing, ready and able workers.
"Oh my gosh, the sky is falling! The sky is falling!" Deporting illegal aliens wouldn't destroy our economy, silly. We could simply let in more LEGAL immigrants to take their place in the workforce. There is no shortage of foreigners (yes, even from Mexico) who are willing to come through legal channels for the opportunity to live and work in the U.S.
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Gee, DCp, another freeper who has your number.
“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.”
No doubt your footprint on the taxpayers’ back is far larger than any of the posters here, with all the ways in which illegal workers burden the taxpayers for costs usually covered by better paid employees or their more ethical employers.
And, no, I’m not taking up for employment agencies. And we don’t know if the agency would have received a one time referral fee, or if they were a sub-contractor that bills and profits from every hour their employees work. But as many American citizens should have been put to work in NO as possible, and especially those NO residents who wanted to continue living and earning income there.
You’ve certainly left the impression here that you use illegals in your subcontracting business, and you certainly defend the practice of hiring illegals.
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I smoked marijuana but I didn't inhale.
I actually voted for the bill before I voted against it.
It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is.
You hopeless libs are all alike.
What part of "Borders, Language, Culture" is difficult to understand?
“I suggested an economic business decision...free market principles.”
There’s the main problem. Your ‘free market principles’ permit illegal activity for some, but not for others, illegal activity in some areas of commerce, but not in others.
I guess that sort of free market needs to publish a list of laws which will be enforced and laws that won’t be enforced so all participants will have knowledge of the price of various factors of production, which is another principle of free markets.
What part of "Borders, Language, Culture" is difficult to understand?
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You do know of course that dcpatriot posted this because it mirrors his own position...gotta love it...
Just legalize them.
Find some other way to quench your perverted sense of justice.
Yeah, and when an American lawbreaker is arrested for a non-violent crime, the American family's landlord, the American's creditors, the neighborhood businesses that sold them food or gasoline...they all suffer.
So what? Should we quit arresting all non-violent lawbreakers so that nobody will suffer the negative financial consequenses?
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Punishing law-breakers, rewarding those who play by the rules is, to dcprofitter, a 'perveted sense of justice'. Kind of says it all...
Just legalize them.
Reward foreigners for violating our laws? What a horrible idea! So, what laws should Americans be allowed to violate and be rewarded for doing so?
shucks, I've known peaceful hardworking pot growers and dog fighters too in my life....chesters too.
a nation that can't secure it's frontier won't be one for long
“So, what laws should Americans be allowed to violate and be rewarded for doing so?”
Lol, when writing reps. in Congress I asked that question of several. I got responses, but never an answer to that question.
I asked: “Please provide me with a list of laws American citizens can break, then later be rewarded with precisely what they wanted when they decided to break the law in the first place?”
Just never got a single answer.
I think she’s right. If you start from an extreme non-negotiable position, you can expect to lose. And you did.
“Just never got a single answer.”
Heck, I just thought of an answer. Break the laws against hiring illegal aliens for the cheaper labor.
courtesy from a great freeper
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2054615037
If you're speaking about borders, I totally agree.
But the topic is the millions of peaceful, hardworking, tax contributing illegals that have become an integral part of our communities.
There is no reason to go after the hotel room housekeeper and the guys cutting your lawns. None. Except to register them and get them documented.
Anything more speaks to a more sinister agenda.
Who is "you" in our reply above?
If you're speaking about the anti-illegal conservative, [my small 'c'] to which Anchoress is referring, I agree.
Dc, not knocking you, just saying...
This is a good read and should be printed in every newspaper in the country.....but we all know it won’t. Read on:
Subject: Cheap Tomatoes ?
THIS HAS GOT TO BE PASSED ALONG TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OR WE WILL ALL GO
DOWN THE DRAIN BECAUSE A FEW DON’T CARE.
This English teacher has phrased it the best I’ve seen yet! Tomatoes and Cheap Labor
CHEAP TOMATOES? This should make everyone think, be you Democrat, Republican or Independent
From a California school teacher - - - “As you listen to the news about the student protests over illegal immigration, there are some things that you should be aware of:
I am in charge of the English-as-a-second-language department at a large southern California high school which is designated a Title 1 school, meaning that its students average lower social economic and income levels.
Most of the schools you are hearing about, South Gate High, Bell Gardens , Huntington Park , etc., where these students are protesting, are also Title 1 schools.
Title 1 schools are on the free breakfast and free lunch program. When I say free breakfast, I’m not talking a glass of milk and roll — but a full breakfast and cereal bar with fruits and juices that would make a Marriott proud. The waste of this food is monumental, with trays and trays of it being dumped in the trash uneaten. (OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK)
I estimate that well over 50% of these students are obese or at least moderately overweight. About 75% or more DO have cell phones. The school also provides day care centers for the unwed teenage pregnant girls (some as young as 13) so they can attend class without the inconvenience of having to arrange for babysitters or having family watch their kids. (OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK)
I was ordered to spend $700,000 on my department or risk losing funding for the upcoming year even though there was little need for anything; my budget was already substantial.. I ended up buying new computers for the computer learning center, half of which, one month later, have been carved with graffiti by the appreciative students who obviously feel humbled and grateful to have a free education in&nb sp; America (OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK)
I have had to intervene several times for young and substitute teachers whose classes consist of many illegal immigrant students here in the country less then 3 months who raised so much hell with the female teachers, calling them “Putas” whores and throwing things that the teachers were in tears.
Free medical, free education, free food, day care etc., etc, etc. Is it any wonder they feel entitled to not only be in this country but to&nb sp; demand rights privileges and entitlements?
To those who want to point out how much these illegal immigrants contribute to our society because they LIKE their gardener and house keeper and they like to pay less for tomatoes: spend some time in the real world of illegal immigration and see the TRUE costs.
Higher insurance, medical facilities closing, higher medical costs, more crime, lower standards of education in our schools, overcrowding, new diseases etc., etc, etc. For me, I’ll pay more ;for tomatoes.
We need to wake up. The guest worker program will be a disaster because we won’t have the guts to enforce it. Does anyone in their right mind really think they will voluntarily leave and return?
There are many hardworking Hispanic/American citizens that contribute to our country and many that I consider my true friends. We should encourage and accept those Hispanics who have done it the right and legal way.
It does, however, have everything to do with culture: A third-world culture that does not value education, that accepts children getting pregnant and dropping out of school by 15 and that refuses to assimilate, and an American culture that has become so weak and worried about “politically correctness” that we don’t have the will to do anything about it.
If this makes your blood boil, as it did mine, forward this to everyone you know.
CHEAP LABOR? Isn’t that what the whole immigration issue is about?
Business doesn’t want to pay a decent wage.
Consumers don’t want expensive produce.
Government will tell you Americans don’ t want the jobs.
But the bottom line is cheap labor. The phrase “cheap labor” is a myth, a farce, and a lie. there is no such thing as “cheap labor.” (just as “THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH” for Americans)
Take, for example, an illegal alien with a wife and five children. He takes a job for $5.00 or $6.00/hour. At that wage, with six dependents, he pays no income tax, yet at the end of the year, if he files an Income Tax Return, he gets an “earned income credit” of up to $3,200 free.
He qualifies for Section 8 housing and subsidized rent.
He qualifies for food stamps.
He qualifies for free (no deductible, ;no co-pay) health care.
His children get free breakfasts and lunches at school.
He requires bilingual teachers and books
He qualifies for relief from high energy bills.
If they are or become, aged, blind or disabled, they qualify for SSI. Once qualified for SSI they can qualify for Medicare. All of this is at (our) taxpayer’s expense.
He doesn’t worry about car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance.
Taxpayers provide Spanish language signs, bulletins and printed material.
He and his family receive the equivalent of $20.00 to $30.00/hour in benefits.
Working Americans are lucky to have $5. 00 or $6.00/hour left after paying their bills and his.
The American taxpayers also pay for increased crime, graffiti and trash clean-up.
Cheap labor? YEAH RIGHT! Wake up people. THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING TO THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR EITHER PARTY. AND WHEN THEY LIE TO US AND DON’T DO AS THEY SAY, WE SHOULD REPLACE THEM AT ONCE!
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