Senator Craig shouted down at feisty forum on immigration

The Times-News ^ | August 23, 2006

[Shermy]

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) -- A town hall meeting with Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, dissolved into angry shouts and walkouts when Craig began discussing the controversial issue of immigration.

"I am sick of listening to these lies," one woman said, interrupting Craig as she left the Tuesday meeting, the Coeur d'Alene Press reported.

Stan Hess, candidate for the North Idaho College Board of Trustees, screamed at Craig as others booed. Before leaving, Hess yelled at a woman, his face inches from hers, as several people tried to separate them.

Craig planned eight town hall meetings in three days during a swing through northern Idaho that ends Thursday.

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He's promoting a plan that would allow some of the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to apply for citizenship if they meet certain requirements, including having been in the country at least two years and having paid taxes.

"The reality is that there are 2.5 million jobs here that Americans won't do," Craig told the 60 people at the Coeur d'Alene meeting. "For 20 years, immigration laws have failed. We know there's a problem and we're working on it. The first step is securing the border and we're doing that."

Craig asked people to listen to the proposal, but some said they wanted illegal immigrants deported immediately. Others said Craig wasn't doing his job.

The senator is accustomed to spirited town hall meetings, said his spokesman, Sid Smith.

"It's fair to say it was pretty confrontational and at some point looked like it was about to get kind of ugly," Smith told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "But we weren't really thinking about calling the police. I was there and talked to all our staff who were there, and they agreed it was ugly, but not that ugly.

"It certainly isn't the first time it's been a very spirited and emotional town hall meeting," Smith said. "I would say (Craig) wasn't surprised or disappointed in that."

Craig also held town hall meetings in Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry on Tuesday, which Smith said were more subdued.

[Shermy]

""Why aren't liberals smart enough to realize what SHILLS they are for business, both big and little, when they tout this line of bull? Shilling for the profits of evil corporations, shilling for exploitation wages of the poorest of the poor? CAN'T THEY HEAR THEMSELVES?""

Liberals are now defined by identity and lifestyle politics rather than economics. Play the race card on them and they knee jerk. Ironically because the Senate plan disproportionately depresses the wages of American minorities. Might be some H1-B tech increases in the bill too, IIRC.

[bordergal]

Next step in California....a three month per year legislature.

Save a bundle on salary and benefits, plus much less time for them to cause trouble.

I think I'll try to get an initiative started.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

"Civility in public debate remains dead and buried".

---

Does "civility" mean greasing up and bending over?
I was brought up to be civil, it has cost me more than it has gained.

[samm1148]

"I don't know why Republicans just don't get it. 12 million illegals will create a whole new and probably permanent underclass, forever on welfare, demands on schools, hospitals, etc., that we'll pay for decades."

You're right. And those new voters won't be voting republican.

[CindyDawg]

Yeah. Not only do we need term limits, but we need time limits too, esp in DC. 1 day a year ought to be plenty.

[kesg]

[gitmogrunt]

Your elected officials think you're stupid. Help those of us working inside the insane immigration bureaucracy fight the idiots you all elected and who created this immigration monster.

Oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative Email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative

In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the creation of a new Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) position and the “One Face at the Border” initiative. Under this plan, a new position, the CBPO, would combine the duties of legacy inspectors from Customs, the Immigration and Nationalization Service (INS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) into a single front-line border security position. With 41,000 employees, CBP is in control of 317 official ports-of-entry for travelers and cargo.

Essentially, the “One Face at the Border” initiative was aimed at unifying the inspection process that travelers entering the United States have to go through. Instead of making three stops – an Immigration Inspector, a Customs Inspector and an Agriculture Inspector – travelers would meet with a single primary inspections officer who was specially trained to do the job of all three.

Consolidating these three organizations has caused logistical and institutional chaos and has taken attention away from critical homeland security priorities. It is true that all three of these organizations deal with front line border and port security, but they do so in very different capacities.

Please email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative and support a detailed, independent review of the proposal.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Glad to know this...will be moving to Idaho around November...lets me know that my previous discomfort with him is not misplaced...

[biff]

I wouldn't say that. Your definition of civility must be; 'sit there like nice little people and believe everything these LYING SUMBISHEN POLITICIANS HAVE TOLD US FOR YEARS and not express our displeasure?'
No more, we're not going to take it anymore.

[repentant_pundit]

Time to find an American who will do the job that Larry Craig won't do.

[A. Pole]

"The reality is that there are 2.5 million jobs here that Americans won't do," Craig told the 60 people at the Coeur d'Alene meeting.

Some of these jobs are at Senator McCain farm. He is willing to pay $50 per hour for lettuce picking, but no American workers show up!

[A. Pole]

"The reality is that there are 2.5 million jobs here that Americans won't do," Craig told the 60 people at the Coeur d'Alene meeting.

Some of these jobs are at Senator McCain farm. He is willing to pay $50 per hour for lettuce picking, but no American workers show up!

[arnoldfwilliams]

#1 - America is at war.

Be specific. Which cities' towers were brought down by Mexicans? Which illegal immigrants formed a militia and bombed Army vehicles on patrol?

#2 - Our current border situation constitutes a threat to our national security.

the threat has little to do with illegal immigration, and a lot to do with the war within Islam.

#3 - Begin deporting illegals TODAY. The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be finished.

Right. Torpedo the economy (there aren't enough people here to do the jobs that 11.5 million illegal immigrants are doing: have you seen the unemployment numbers recently? We need people. Badly.), it'll help us fight the war better if we can't afford it.

#4 - Militarize the borders.

Which means what? You're asking National Guardsmen to shoot women and children as they run across the border? That's plain stupid. Not to mention un-American.

[Ribeye]

Welcome.

I live in CDA and it's nice...for now.

We are seeing more and more of the "gangbanger" elemment from Spokane as well as more illegals. If they are not illgal then they are non-English speaking Mexicans that look suspiciously like the illegals we had in CA.

Craig is a bone head...as are much of the local gov't stooges. There is liberalism in the air on many issues thanks in parts to a HUGE influx of liberals from CA who like the scenery but want it to be like CA (no guns, no public smoking, lots of gov't gimme's).

[SoldierDad]

Or, with in-state tuition, and educational grants, these people will go to college (almost for free) and obtain degrees leading to much higher wage positions.

[mkjessup]

Ahhh, looks like we got a live one here...

#1 - America is at war.
Be specific. Which cities' towers were brought down by Mexicans? Which illegal immigrants formed a militia and bombed Army vehicles on patrol?

Very sloppy straw men pal. And if you need an education into the security threat posed by Mexico, I suggest you read up on the Atzlan Movement that is well underway in the Southwest. Now if you want to talk about illegal immigrants and violent crime, all you have to do is talk to Mr. Google about that. And Arnold? They're ILLEGAL immigrants, you said it yourself!

#2 - Our current border situation constitutes a threat to our national security.
the threat has little to do with illegal immigration, and a lot to do with the war within Islam.

The threat has a great deal to do with illegal immigration because a country that is unable to control it's borders effectively, ESPECIALLY during a time of war, has not only given away control of it's own sovereignty, but it has left the door wide freakin' open to enemy infiltrators, saboteurs and yes: TERRORISTS.

#3 - Begin deporting illegals TODAY. The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be finished.
Right. Torpedo the economy (there aren't enough people here to do the jobs that 11.5 million illegal immigrants are doing: have you seen the unemployment numbers recently? We need people. Badly.), it'll help us fight the war better if we can't afford it.

The economy is being torpedoed on a daily basis by the massive amounts of hard currency being wired OUT of America and sent BACK to Mexico and God knows where else. And citing unemployment figures is one more straw man of an argument Arnold, that's like citing statistics on how much alcohol Americans consume and suggesting that we probably shouldn't be so hard on drunk drivers. We don't need people so badly that we should be ignoring the security ramifications of letting people pour into this country at will.

#4 - Militarize the borders.
Which means what? You're asking National Guardsmen to shoot women and children as they run across the border? That's plain stupid. Not to mention un-American.

I asked no such thing, so kindly refrain from puerile emotional straw man arguments such as this. My suggestion was to shoot any and all drug smugglers as they are caught crossing the border, and yet I am not as barbaric (as you attempt to suggest) as to say that women and children caught smuggling drugs should be shot, in their case, they are arrested, the drugs confiscated, and they are tattooed as drug smugglers and immediately deported, and will be detected more easily if they try that crap a second time. And there is NOTHING un-American about enforcing our laws and defending our borders. Shooting drug smugglers as soon as they cross the border is an attention getter, and something which cannot be ignored by other illegals who might even be thinking about sneaking into the U.S. for any purpose.

Back to you Sparky.

[newfarm4000n]

all the while living with or marrying a legal resident (creating mullato children)

You are an utter disgrace to this forum.