Posted on 01/22/2002 9:20:32 PM PST by traditionalist
A story in the Jan. 10 Los Angeles Times ("Wave of U.S. immigration likely to survive Sept. 11") observes: "The most significant development in the national immigrant debate is what hasn't happened: No lawmaker of influence has moved to reverse the country's generous immigration policy, which for more than three decades has facilitated the largest sustained wave of immigration in U.S. history."
That policy is getting even more generous. And Republicans, of all people, are now playing Jolly Old St. Nick to huddled masses (legal and illegal), despite mounting evidence that immigration is poison for the party.
In the 2000 election, Al Gore carried five of the seven states with the largest numbers of foreign born. He lost the sixth, Florida, by a hair, due to the anomaly of the Cuban-American vote. Bush took all 10 of the states with the lowest immigrant populations.
Their senses dulled by a multicultural binge, Republicans can't connect the dots. Because the GOP is still minimally identified with American values, it cannot successfully compete for the affection of immigrant voters, who are more interested in handouts than tax cuts.
But, heedless of this reality, in his 2003 budget (to be submitted to Congress in February) Bush reportedly will call for restoring food stamps to 363,000 legal immigrants -- a benefit non-citizens lost in the 1996 welfare reform.
It's estimated the change will cost $2.1 billion over the next decade. But then, food-stamp use expands in a recession. Plus, more benefits will encourage more immigration. So the price tag is open-ended.
Do we really want to encourage immigrants to come here and go on the dole? Whatever happened to the concept of not giving visas to those who might become a public charge?
Because they are poorer and less educated, the foreign-born are already above-average consumers of government services. Currently, 21 percent of immigrant households use at least one major welfare program, compared to 15 percent of native-born families.
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Colin Powell met with his Mexican counterpart to see about getting another amnesty for illegal aliens (excuse me, "undocumented workers") back on track. Prior to Sept. 11, Bush was pushing for legal status for 3.5 million of these lawbreakers.
Illegal immigrants are already coming at an annual rate of half a million. Just as the 1986 amnesty (which "adjusted the status" of 2.7 million) helped generate the following waves of illegals, another amnesty would add fuel to the fire that rages on our borders.
More than any other factor, immigration is transforming America.
Between 1990 and 2000, while the nation grew by 13 percent, our foreign-born population increased over 50 percent. Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies estimates that immigrants and their children born here accounted for two-thirds of all population growth in the 1990s.
Unlike immigrants of the past, all too often the new immigrants aren't assimilating. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., says: "There are too many coming in too quickly. And with multiculturalism and bilingualism in the schools, it's not a melting-pot mentality. It's a Bosnia mentality."
Still, Bush and his political strategist Karl Rove continue to pursue the illusive Hispanic vote, mesmerized by the fact that the president took 35 percent of that vote in 2000, compared to the 21 percent Dole got in 1996. They forget that Reagan received an even higher percentage in both of his campaigns, without pandering.
Whil losing two-thirds of Hispanics, the president won just 54 percent of the non-minority vote. He won't expand that base with food stamps for legal immigrants and amnesties for illegals.
The Times story quotes Doris Meissner, Clinton's commissioner of the Immigration and Nationalization Service, who cliams current immigration policy "reflects a sort of wise and grown-up attitude on the part of Americans."
Besides reflecting liberal condescension, Meissner's evaluation is dead wrong. Americans never voted for a generous immigration policy. In poll after poll, the public demands stringent controls. But due to the Republican default, voters have no choice here. On immigration, the GOP is duh.
Don't you ever give up on your racist rant? Whats with you and this color thing? LOL! Give it up.
Get real, don't flatter yourself. I follow no one.
It just gets a bit much to see the same people making nasty accusations of racism on a routine basis. You have beat it into the ground.
Good night.
Except Patsie, of course.
You have beat it into the ground.
And will continue to, thanks.
And will continue to, thanks.
I have no doubt about that. And thats where it belongs, on the ground, in the dirt.
When the messenger speaks for 0.36% of the voters I think the message can not only be denied but ignored.
Please show us what Bush, or any of your god-like republicrats, are doing to slow the flood of immigrants. Bush wants to give them food stamps.
Could you please show me what legislation the Bush administration enacted which has caused the flood of immigrants?
Could you explain to me how Bush has the power to change the enacted legistlation from the Johnson / Humphrey era overnight?
The food stamps you are mentioned are for approximately 250,000 LEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
Yet another chance to attack the eeevil Libertarian messenger bearing fact. Have at it.
I'm not angry with you. I'm not going to attack you. The way I see it anyone wandering through life with 1 out of 270+ people he meets agreeing with his political philosophy has enough problems already.
Nope, it's not a color thing. It's a fact thing.
In '96, the seven states with the higest hispanic polulations all went for Klinton.
In '00, six out of the seven went for Gore, with FL being a tie.
Live with the facts, neo-con cur....
Here is another fact for you. The Libertarian Party stated position on immigration is:
Immigration
We hold that human rights should not be denied or abridged on the basis of nationality. We condemn massive roundups of Hispanic Americans and others by the federal government in its hunt for individuals not possessing required government documents. We strongly oppose all measures that punish employers who hire undocumented workers. Such measures repress free enterprise, harass workers, and systematically discourage employers from hiring Hispanics.
We welcome all refugees to our country and condemn the efforts of U.S. officials to create a new "Berlin Wall" which would keep them captive. We condemn the U.S. government's policy of barring those refugees from our country and preventing Americans from assisting their passage to help them escape tyranny or improve their economic prospects.
Undocumented non-citizens should not be denied the fundamental freedom to labor and to move about unmolested. Furthermore, immigration must not be restricted for reasons of race, religion, political creed, age, or sexual preference.
We therefore call for the elimination of all restrictions on immigration, the abolition of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Border Patrol, and a declaration of full amnesty for all people who have entered the country illegally. We oppose government welfare and resettlement payments to non-citizens just as we oppose government welfare payments to all other persons.
And you, a self describe eeevil Libertarian, are attacking Bush on immigration!!!!!!!. ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!
Well what do you know! BUSH PROPOSES TRACKING SYSTEM FOR NON-CITIZENS.
Ask and you shall receive. LOL!!!!
We the undersigned SUPPORT Rep. Tom Tancredo's (R-CO-6) idea to eliminate the INS as it is, and place the responsibility for "Border Protection" under the Office of Homeland Security.
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