Free Republic

"Another Southwest governor is lashing out in frustration over the inability or unwillingness of Washington to handle border-security issues and a flood of illegal immigrants entering the country from Mexico. Saying he is tired of waiting for the federal government to do its job, Texas Gov. Rick Perry unveiled what he called a comprehensive blueprint for border security, which includes the use of the Texas National Guard for training and for deployment in emergencies. "

The term "anchor baby" is unfamiliar to most Americans, but it nicely describes one of the more troubling aspects of American immigration policy. Put simply, an anchor baby is the offspring of an illegal immigrant who, under current legal interpretation, becomes a U.S. citizen at birth and, in turn, is the means by which parents and relatives can also obtain citizenship for themselves by using the family reunification features of immigration law. It's estimated there may be as many as 200,000 anchor babies born each year in the U.S. No single agency keeps track, but there is abundant, if fragmented,...

"Any guest-worker program approved by Congress for the nation's 11 million illegal aliens would spawn a new wave of cheap-labor illegals that already-overwhelmed federal authorities are unprepared to handle, law-enforcement authorities and immigration officials say. " " If any of the guest-worker, or amnesty, plans now pending in Congress are approved, the nation will experience an even greater flood of illegal aliens than in the wake of President Reagan's 1986 amnesty program, said several officials. "

The illegal invaders are threatening our Ports on May 1. Go here to read the transcript: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/12/ldt.01.html CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They've already marched in the streets. Now supporters of unconditional amnesty for illegal aliens are taking their protests to a whole new level, trying to shut down the nation's ports and rail lines. ERNESTO NEVAREZ, L.A. PORT COLLECTIVE: It will come to a grinding halt, transportation, commerce. They are going to put a wall along the border with Mexico. We're going to put a wall between us and the ocean. And those containers ain't going to move....

It's a thorny problem that cuts to the heart of America's undocumented worker issue. Immigration opponents say it's another reason to shut the borders tight; immigrant rights groups point out that identity theft is an inevitable outcome of unfair labor laws that push foreign visitors deeper into the shadows

"Among successes the White House claims in 2005: A bankruptcy law that made it harder for Americans to wipe out their debts, legislation to discourage multimillion-dollar class-action lawsuits and confirmation of John Roberts as chief justice of the United States. Bush also won a free trade pact with six Latin American countries. There was a highway bill, at last, to modernize the transportation network. He also got major energy legislation — the first such national plan in more than a decade — although the act does little in the near-term to ease gas prices, which topped $3 a gallon after...

Freepers there is a credit card company that is a scam. I need your help, where can I report this company? The company is ASPIRE CREDIT CARD COMPANY. Their address: PO Box 105374, Atlanta GA 30348. My husband received a application in the mail and it sounded good to him so he applied. He didn't use it at all but suddenly the following month a bill came for annual fee $150.00 PLUS a account maintenance fee of $6.50 a month. We were furious, we called and told them to cancel the account immediately and we would not pay those fees....

WASHINGTON (AP) - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff promised Tuesday to end the ``catch and release'' policy that has allowed tens of thousands of non-Mexican illegal aliens to disappear within the United States. ``Return every single illegal entrant - no exceptions,'' Chertoff said in prepared testimony to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on proposals to overhaul the immigration system. Chertoff was joined by Labor Secretary Elaine Chao in presenting administration views on the illegal immigrant problem. He said President Bush remains committed to a comprehensive approach including gaining control of the border, enforcing workplace laws and establishing a temporary worker...

This past weekend the Millions More Movement march took place. Well, was anyone there calling for an end to subsistence-welfare? This has done more damage to black families than any sinister plot that some evil racists might have come up with. In the black inner cities of America’s big cities, over 85% of children are born out-of-wedlock. Why? The best evidence points to the anti-poverty welfare state enabling women to support children without husbands, and this welfare state makes it easy for men to shirk their responsibilities. These perverse incentives have resulted in a cultural breakdown in poor black communities...

The casinos don't need this," said William F. Shughart II, an economist at the University of Mississippi . "If they are [eligible], that would be a complete waste of money." In fact, the casino industry is trying to appeal to governments by saying it will provide jobs and tax revenue, said Alberto Lopez, director of strategic communication at Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which lost two major casinos on the Mississippi coast. "We're actually scratching our heads. We can't ever remember an instance of being offered a tax credit -- ever." The indiscriminate nature of the president's proposal is likely to sharpen...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Lawmakers proposed tax changes Monday to encourage charitable giving and help victims of Hurricane Katrina get back on their feet. The Senate's top tax writers offered a package of tax aid that would let hurricane victims tap their retirement accounts without penalty. It also would assist businesses and encourage the donations of cash, food and school books. Senators said the incentives, estimated roughly to reduce taxes by $5 billion to $7 billion, could pass quickly this week. It would be followed with provisions for health coverage for storm victims and, later, by tax incentives to rebuild battered...

"There are some criminals lurking among Hurricane Katrina victims in the shelters housing them in Texas. There have been arrests made for offenses that include public intoxication and drug possession."

The story that isn't shown on TV. Scratch the surface in San Antonio and you find people who deeply resent the idea of their law-abiding city with its NBA basketball champion team being forced to accommodate people from a city known for its lawlessness well before Hurricane Katrina. The fear here is that the evacuation of New Orleans will see chaos and gang violence spiral outwards to the communities at the front line of the relief effort. "SWAT police don't normally get assigned to jobs like this but a lot of these people are carrying guns," he said. "We've been...

"POEM Once there were two women who never knew eachother, One you do not remember, the other you call mother. Two different lives shaped to make yours one. One became your guiding star, the other became your sun. The first gave you life and the second taught you to live it. The first gave you a need to love and the second was there to give it. One gave you nationality, the other gave you a name. One gave you the seed of talent, the other gave you aim. One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears. One saw...

SAN FRANCISCO, July 7 (Reuters) - The percentage of California households that can afford to buy a median-priced home has neared a record low, according to a report released on Thursday. The percentage fell to 16 percent in May from 17 percent in April and 19 percent a year earlier, according to the report by the California Association of Realtors. "The record low was 14 percent set back in May and June of 1989," said Robert Kleinhenz, an economist with the group. "We've been under 20 percent for a year now," Kleinhenz added, noting the effect of the lengthy run-up...