Posted on 05/19/2006 5:13:02 AM PDT by IrishMike
The Senate voted yesterday to allow illegal aliens to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal employment -- even if the job was obtained through forged or stolen documents. "There was a felony they were committing, and now they can't be prosecuted. That sounds like amnesty to me," said Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada Republican who offered the amendment yesterday to strip out those provisions of the immigration reform bill. "It just boggles the mind how people could be against this amendment." The Ensign amendment was defeated on a 50-49 vote. "We all know that millions of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for years and sometimes decades while they work to contribute to our economy," said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican. "The Ensign amendment would undermine the work of these people by preventing lawfully present immigrant workers from claiming Social Security benefits that they earned before they were authorized to work in our community," he said. "If this amendment were enacted, the nest egg that these immigrants have worked hard for would be taken from them and their families." Mr. Ensign was among 44 Republicans and five Democrats who voted to block such payouts
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
"It makes no sense to reward millions of illegal immigrants for criminal behavior while our Social Security system is already in crisis," said Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican. "Why in the world would we endorse this criminal activity with federal benefits? The Senate missed a big opportunity to improve this bill, and I doubt American seniors will be pleased with the result."
"Instead of protecting the retirement security of Americans who are earning an honest living and abiding by the laws of our country, Debbie Stabenow sided with people who are here illegally and abuse our Social Security system,"
"What that means is that up to 200,000 unskilled workers a year would become eligible for a green card, regardless of economic conditions, regardless of whether that worker has been actually employed for four years, and most importantly, regardless of whether there are unemployed U.S. workers available to fill those jobs," said Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican.
Un-freaking-believable
Time to turn a lot of the Sanate out on its ear in favor of true American statesmen.
Let's see, Americans do not qualify unless they have worked and paid into SS for 40 quarters, but illegal aliens receive these benefits after 8. Nice.
He's out of his mind! I sure hope he has given up on his idea of wanting to become President, because he's dead in the water!!
I wonder if it's possible for an American to renounce his citizenship, remain here in the country as an illegal alien, and be under these easier rules (in enacted) for receiving Social Security.
Somebody PLEASE tell me how an illegal alien can pay into the social security system?
- If they are here illegaly, they have no valid SS number.
- How can a business pay the employer share of the SS tax if the employee is an illegal?
I DO NOT understand this.
Looks like the liberals in the Senate want to give your social security benefits to Mexicans. Next, they'll give your medicare benefits and your jobs to Mexicans.
Personally, I think it's long past time for a revolution.
They still have to pay taxes. It's just that they don't pay nearly enough to fund the benefits. In the first place, the payroll taxes don't cover the benefits anyway. In the second place, low pay workers pay a very small part of the benefits. The SS administration estimates that only about 1/2 of illegals pay payroll taxes. They estimate that the trust fund receives about $7 billion a year in taxes from illegals.
But that is not anywhere near enough to cover the benefits they would receive. Giving social security benefits to these immigrants will definitely make the problem of fixing social security much more difficult.
Brought to you by the people who vote for their own salary increases and employment benefits. Well, I must be missing something here because this makes no sense.
Why was this not filibustered? I can't think of a better bill to filibuster.
From what I understand you do not need proof of citizenship to obtain a legal SS number....I could be wrong here (I hope I am).
Need to post the roll call.
McCain needs to go..........and take his little Debbie with hime.
Worse.....they steal your identitiy and they not only get away with it they get to collect social security.
Why are the dim libs getting to run the show in Washington, aren't we in control anymore?
Agreed.
If the House lets this go through... our voices mean nothing.
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