Posted on 06/14/2007 11:16:52 AM PDT by kristinn
A spokeman for the Bush administration sent an e-mail to Jim Robinson and myself confirming the authenticity of a post on Free Republic this afternoon regarding the immigration bill currently before the Senate as having been posted on behalf of the White House.
The spokesman, Nicholas Thompson, works for the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. The Politico reported yesterday that Thompson and Kerrie Rushton, associate directors in the Office of Strategic Initiatives who work under Karl Rove, would be engaging the blogosphere on the immigration bill.
Thompson's post is on the thread titled Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill, a vanity posted by philman_36. Thompson posted at comment #53.
Thompson's e-mail to Free Republic included a brief introduction and the text of his posted comment:
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that I just posted a response to the post "Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill."
The White House appreciates the opportunity to respond on Free Republic.
Response:
I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law. Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bill’s new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in. We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.
For those employers who do knowingly hire illegal immigrants, please know that we intend to penalize these employers strongly, and the Administration has already stepped up these penalties in the last couple of years. For example, a 2005 program, “Operation Rollback,” assessed $15,000,000 in civil fines to employers, an amount greater than the sum of administrative fines collected in the previous eight years and was the largest worksite enforcement penalty in US history. In the first quarter of FY07, criminal and civil forfeitures have totaled $26,700,000 for employers.
As a reminder of what’s in the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000 maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per illegal worker for the second, $25,000 maximum per illegal worker for the third , and $75,000 maximum per illegal worker for the fourth. In addition, the bill increases the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of unlawful hiring twenty-five-fold, from $3,000 to $75,000, and would impose a prison term of up to six months. This represents a significant increase in fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Nicholas Thompson
White House Office of Strategic Initiatives
Thank you for the post, and the ping!
Trent Lott has made some statements that lead me to believe the enforcement parts of the bill will either be watered down, or tossed, in the conference between the two houses of Congress.
I’ll take him at him at his word, and discount the spin.
He needs a change of heart.
Bush needs to resign for not upholding his oath of office. You know, defending the Constitution against enemies, foreign and domestic.
As the leader of the Executive branch, he is required to enforce all the laws, not pick and choose the ones he likes, like he's doing now.
Our wonderful country has been invaded and we are not amused that the very man we voted to represent us......
is turning his back on our pleas.
Stop the border invasion and send the lawbreakers back to their own countries, because they do not deserve any preferential treatment.
CLOSE OUR BORDERS!!!!!!!
Prosecute the criminals that are illegal and those that hire them! Because they are criminal also!
END the anchor baby program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And send the border breakers back!
I do not know how much plainer that can be!
Thank you kristinn for posting this!
God bless America!
Bump to your post.
BTW, anyone ever figure out who Charlie007 on this thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1814430/posts was?
You have to give the guy credit for at least being up front about his intentions.
I’m not wealthy, but I was a fairly large grass roots contributer to the RNC and maxed out on the the Bush campaign and a number of congressional and senatorial candidates. I have stopped writing checks and wonder how many others have done the same.
President Geroge Bush
Washington, DC
RE: Immigration legislation
June 12, 2007
Dear President Bush,
I am very frustrated over the Immigration bill that you, Senator Kennedy, and others seem determined to pass over the overwhelming opposition of the American People. Indeed I am not sure I have ever seen the will of the American people so manifestly ignored by their elected representatives.
The idea that those who did not care enough about this country to respect it’s laws and apply for legal entry, should now gain permanent legal status with the stroke of a pen (and some very lame fines and weak slaps on the wrist) is an insult to all Americans who believe a respect for the rule of law is one of this country’s founding principles.
I find it ironic that many of the same voices that criticize Wal-Mart for only paying entry level employees $10.00 or more an hour, are the same ones lobbying for a permanent underclass willing to work for a pittance to ensure that our supply of cheap lettuce is not threatened. Of course, once legal status is granted, the now legal aliens will have no incentive to work so cheaply, and a steady stream of new illegals will be required to keep radish prices at a minimum.
Mr. President, I have worked hard all my life and lived by the rules, I love this country and its way of life and God-given liberty, I cut my own grass, my wife watched our children as they grew up and now watches some of our grandchildren, I voted for you twice, I am a regular contributor to the RNCC, and I would gladly pay twice the price I now pay for lettuce if it meant that I would no longer have to subsidize the education, health care, and other public services for all the illegal aliens now crowding our emergency rooms, jails and schools.
But this action, this unwaivering intent to circumvent the laws of this nation, to engraft tens of millions of illegals into our society, has me breathing fire...and against those on both sides of theaisle who are so determined to push it through...including you Mr. President.
As far as the cliche’ that illegals are just doing the jobs that American’s won’t do, such cliches do you a grave disservice Mr. President. For example, a recent raid on a chicken processing plant in North Carolina removed over 100 illegal aliens. The next day hundreds of American citizens were lined up to take those jobs. So much for jobs Americans will no do.
Additionally, the argument that “We can’t deport 20,000,000 illegals” is a rhetorical straw man. We didn’t “import” the 20,000,000 and we won’t have to deport them either. If we simply remove the economic and legal incentives that they have to remain her illegally, many, if not most, will return on their own. We can then "go after" those that remain.
Perhaps if we informed them that if they leave within 120 days of our passing true immigration reform, that pointeldy makes clear that the incentives have been removed, and let them know that within those 120 days, if they are not criminals, that if they voluntarily "check out" their future application for legal work or residency will get positive consideration...but anything after that will have a life-time ban on consideration, perhaps they would also be more incented to leave.
Of course, this would actually require enforcement of our current laws, something that our government has been unwilling to do. Reference the good start at a strong physical barrier, a fence, that was voted on last year where the government passed a law requiring 800 miles of fence to be built. Less than twenty have actually been built since. I applauded that measure as did tens of millions of others...I am outraged at the thought of our own government officilas ignoging that law or otherwise circumventing it.
Finally, why should we believe the promise that if we only agree to this latest round of so called "reform", that the government will begin securing the border and enforcing immigration laws, when the very government making the promise demonstrates on a daily basis it is either unwilling or unable to do either. Secure the borders first Mr. President, fully, then speak of a guest worker program...but make sure it is not one that in any way shape or form even hints at amounting to amnesty or anything like it. Legal staus for illegals with minimal fines and no criminal action is amnesty to moist Americans.
I trust that at the end of the day, that the interests of the American people will prevail over the interests of the coalition of special interests arrayed in support of this bill.
And, Mr. President, please remind those in both parties supporting this bill, that falsely accusing the large majority of Americans who oppose it as being motivated by bigotry, will not stop us from voicing our opinions on this issue. Such accusations will only strengthen our resolve and cause us to withold our support from those politicians at the polls in 2008 and therafter.
Sincerely,
Jeff Head
Emmett, ID
Here are a list of expectations that are shared by almost everyone I talk to:
I was trying to catch up on the thread. I figured someone gave you the info. Is Hunter’s son in Iraq right now?
Folks, I think we’re just going to have to suck it up and live through a couple of terms with Hillary or Obama as President. The RINOs in D.C. are so used to listening to lies they’re unable to recognize truth when they hear it. We’re going to have to vote them out and live (for awhile) with the fallout. BLOAT!
GOOD!
And, they have plenty of help with the laws already in place.
We don't need a new bill.
And, we definitely don't need an AMNESTY bill!
Sheesh...considering the way they are spinning like tops, I'm at a loss as to why they don't understand that we simply don't trust them.
The legal and illegal immigration issue is overlapping itself.
If we were to bring in about 25 or 30 million Europeans overnight and give them amnesty, welfare, the whole enchilada if you will, several things would happen. First, this bill would be dead in about 5 minutes. Second, the welfare and booty would be stopped. Third, there would be screaming and crying about white racial preferences. Well guess what. We have latino racial preferences which is reverse discrimination.
It's all so clear now.
Nice, sweet talkin' letters, phone calls, and emails expressing our opinions have not gotten the President's attention, either. Got any better suggestions?
| You Are a Pretty Good Liar |
 Work on keeping your body language and emotions calm. And you'll be a better liar in no time! |
ping
“rolling thunder thread”
There I sat, completely at loss,
After swigging a jar of hot sauce . . .
nothing to see here
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