Is it time for a constitutional convention called by the people re: illegal immigration?

[kingu]

Jim, is there any new law or regulation required here? We have laws that state you can't walk across our borders, that if found, you're supposed to be returned to your country. We have laws forbidding people from evading taxes, we have laws that require employers to employ only people who have a valid tax identification number or social security card.

The only convention that needs to be implemented is one where we kick out every last loser who won't listen to the people who put them into office.

[Mamzelle]

re: how should such an amendment be worded)))

That is indeed a significant challenge. How to amend the Constitution to command our government to defend that same Constitution?

[cripplecreek]

Referendums on a state by state basis calling for a convention? My senators Levin and Stabenow certainly aren't going to call for it.

[antceecee]

Isn't that one of the constitutionally sworn duties of our representatives?
Can the states withold tax monies to the Fed. govt. if it is not providing for the defense and protection of the borders?

[Brad’s Gramma]

It's going to get ugly, Jim, very very ugly. And that's too bad. Cuz they're putting another country in front of their own.

My family and my home are now horribly threatened.

[bnelson44]

You won't get it passed in your lifetime even if you could all agree on the wording.

A better avenue is to bombard the congress to get some meaningful legislation passed. Find a current bill you can live with and push it with all the power of the "blog spear"

[spectre]

Thank you, Jim.

I hope we get some good ideas on this..

sw

[Non-Sequitur]

bump

[freeangel]

If ever there was a time for this maneuver, it is NOW!

[antceecee]

Wouldn't any kind of amnesty be in fact unconstitutional? Can it be challenged all the way to the Supreme Court?

[Herford Turley]

Ping!

[pissant]

The laws are already on the books that require enforcement and deportation. But we have failed to hold the politicians responsible. Pat Buchanan ran on that platform in 1996 and got nary a blip.

How about a citizens fund drive to raise money for the new fence.

[cgk]

It never ceases to amaze me that we need constantly remind our representatives in Congress that they serve at our pleasure, not theirs.

[DocRock]

bookmark

[mhking]

Jim, what I think is going to have to happen is that state legislatures across the country are going to have to act (ala Georgia over the past few days) and create laws on their own that place limits on illegals and what they can do.

The only complaint I have with the conference legislation that the state of Georgia is about to enact is that they yanked out the provision that said that on all wire transfers where the person wiring couldn't produce positive legal domestic ID, that there would be a 4% surcharge placed on the transaction.

The wimps in the state House backed down on that one, even though it would have made the illegals pay. Either way though, the folks here are starting to get tough on the illegals -- despite all of the carping, whining and wailing that we've been seeing lately.

[PGalt]

Interesting. Thanks Bill O'Reilly. Thanks Jim Robinson. Interesting.

[ConorMacNessa]

What purpose will it serve to amend the Constitution with a provision that the government won't enforce? We have laws in place that are essentially being ignored, or least not being enforced. Start enforcing existing laws and deporting illegal aliens.

One change in law that would be constructive would be not to confer citizenship on children of illegal immigrants born within our borders.

[detsaoT]

I don't think you'd accomplish anything by calling a "constitutional convention," and if anything were to come as a result of any convention, I think it'd end up doing more harm than good. Recall that there are no limits as to the amendments which can be made by this type of convention, so unless you control the entire process, we're just as likely to end up with Constitutionally-mandated nationalized healthcare. Ick!

I'd be more happy to see individual states begin to tackle illegal immigration, such as Georgia has. FOR STARTERS, HIT THEM WHERE IT HURTS: START TAXING INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFERS.

Once the source of "free" money dries up, they'll all go home on their own. (I hope.)

[trubluolyguy]

so is it time for we the people through our state legislatures (requires two thirds of the states) to call for a convention to propose a constitutional amendment defining the federal government's role and responsibility for defending our borders?

---

Yes.

If that doesn't work I do believe the esteemed Mr. Jefferson said something once about how to handle the government when they step out of line and refuse to listen to the people.