Friday, December 14, 2007

A Trek through the Political Immigration Swamp!

I came across this interesting article from the Washington Post:

The Immigration Swamp
As the presidential campaign intensifies, so does the nativist ferocity.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
THE IDEA that 12 million illegal residents of the United States can be induced to quit the country en masse within four months is absurd on its face -- a non-starter in logistical, humanitarian, political, diplomatic, commercial and economic terms that would leave an indelible stain on this country for years. Yet that is the wrathful centerpiece of
Mike Huckabee's "Secure America Plan," which the Republican presidential candidate issued the other day in the course of his party's escalating enthusiasm for nastier-than-thou prescriptions to deal with illegal immigrants.

Never mind that Mr. Huckabee, when he was governor of Arkansas, actually pursued a pragmatic policy in regard to illegal aliens, urging that exemplary youngsters be eligible for scholarships to public universities even if they were undocumented because, as he put it, "we are a better country than to punish children for what their parents did." Having lately surged enough in the polls to sniff the sweet smell of success, he is not about to let experience, common sense or simple decency get in the way of short-term electoral advantage.
Mr. Huckabee was promptly rewarded for his reversal with an endorsement from Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, a group of xenophobes who spend their time videotaping and harassing day laborers wherever they find them. The candidate, apparently once fazed by the Minuteman group's vigilantism, said he had undergone a conversion and cravenly apologized for his past skepticism; Mr. Gilchrist, for his part, said of the Huckabee immigration program: "It was a plan I myself could have written."

It's a fair guess that this cruel campaign of immigrant-bashing will eventually turn toxic for the Republican Party itself, whose own strategists (Karl Rove, among others) have long grasped the growing electoral clout of Hispanics. Those Hispanic voters, native-born or not, are anxious and angry about the intensifying nativist zeal in political rhetoric, which many are rightly blaming on the Republicans. In a new survey by the Pew Hispanic Center, half of all Hispanics in America reported that the debate on immigration has had a specific negative impact on their lives; 41 percent said that they or someone close to them had suffered discrimination in the past five years -- up from 31 percent in 2002. The new data undercut the Republicans' frequent protestations that their targets are not legal immigrants but illegal ones. The attacks have become so venomous, and the policy proposals so pernicious, that, predictably, they have caused collateral damage among Spanish-speaking and non-native-born people generally. The anti-illegal-immigrant crowd would have us believe it honors and admires legal immigrants; in fact, it is making America a less hospitable place for them.

The candidates are stepping into a breach left by the colossal failure by Congress in June to enact comprehensive immigration reform, which held out the promise of calming a turbulent national debate. The bill would have tightened security at the borders; cracked down on employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers; established a legal mechanism for immigration for the hundreds of thousands of workers who enter the country each year to fill low-skill jobs; and provided a path to legal status for the illegal immigrants now living in America. It was a sensible response to a problem that will not be fixed by grandiose and far-fetched schemes such as Mr. Huckabee's -- cadged from an anti-illegal-immigrant think tank -- which goes heavy on enforcement and security but suggests no realistic plan to address the economy's appetite for immigrant workers in the future, let alone those here now. Virtually all the presidential candidates now tip their hats to tougher enforcement of existing laws, with the Democrats generally differentiating themselves by saying or hinting that illegal immigrants might subsequently be offered a shot at legalization. But in Congress, some Democrats, mostly from red or purple states and wary of being attacked as insufficiently fierce on illegal immigration, are also going the enforcement-only route. A bill co-sponsored by freshman Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat, which seeks to purge undocumented immigrants from the work force, would probably drive millions of them further underground; nonetheless, he has attracted a few dozen sponsors from his own party.

Such measures, in addition to state and local legislation that would deny some benefits and services to illegal immigrants, are a response to understandable and legitimate concerns that the nation's borders are porous; that illegal immigrants are straining government services and budgets; and that neighborhoods are being degraded by flophouses, day laborers and immigrant gangs. But the rhetorical excess that has accompanied the proposals, and the suggestions that millions of people might be expelled or hounded from the country, not only respond to popular disquiet; they also whip it up. According to the latest FBI statistics, from 2006, hate crimes against Hispanics had increased by more than a third since 2003. America has had its paroxysms of anti-immigrant fervor in the past, also accompanied by spasms of violence and persecution. Today, as in the past, the national atmosphere is subverting the discussion, drowning out reason. Look at the uproar that overwhelmed New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's sensible, safety-minded proposal to make illegal immigrants eligible for driver's licenses, and you will see logic defeated by posturing, political cowardice and the poisonous diatribes of talk radio. Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who championed comprehensive reform, is now chastened by the ferocity of the demagogues who mischaracterized it as an "amnesty"; he says he "got the message" and will now speak only of enforcement in the near term. In such an ugly environment, the best one can hope for is candidates who can appeal to the nation's self-interest as well as its better instincts; who can explain that resolving the immigration mess through a comprehensive approach is not only an economic imperative but also the only realistic way out of a political swamp.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems the only answer, according to this article, is to pass the CIR that was proposed, and that it is the only way out of the quagmire. The author would allow every person of the world to enter the USA and be given a Drivers License and a low paying job, while the citizens keep getting pushed back and out of the way.

I say.... For the American Citizen, EVERYTHING, for the 'Illegal Immigrant', ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!

Anonymous said...

Advocates for illegal immigrants contend that, at a minimum, hundreds of people unauthorized to work have left the state or been fired. Some school districts have at least partly attributed enrollment drops [and the consequent massive savings in taxpayer dollars] to the law. Though the housing slump and seasonal economic factors make it difficult to pin down how much is attributable to the new law, illegal workers say employers are checking papers and are less inclined to hire them.

“They started asking everybody for papers one day, and those like me that didn’t have them [because we’re illegal]were fired,” said Luis Baltazar, a Mexican illegal immigrant who worked for a paving company until a few weeks ago and was soliciting work at a day labor hiring hall here.

Another illegal immigrant, Jose Segovia, said work had plummeted in the past few weeks, more so than in the four previous Decembers he spent in Phoenix. “Some of my illegal friends went back to Mexico,” Mr. Segovia said, “and I am thinking of going, too, if it doesn’t get better here.”[Arizona Is Split Over Hard Line On Illegal Immigrants, By Randal C. Archibold, December 14, 2007]

Anonymous said...

“Day laborers looking for work in Phoenix on Wednesday. Some say a law that takes effect Jan. 1 has made jobs harder to find.”.

Well, it has if you’re illegal, but not if you’re an American Citizen–the Law of Supply and Demand says that it would make jobs easier to find for American Citizens.

Dee said...

Liquid, More and more articles I see are suggesting CIR is the answer.

Anonymous said...

Everything I have been reading is stating the laws in OK and AZ are working and that the judges are beginning to agree as well. A complete CIR with the entire package will not pass, not in our lifetime. Your side has had 7 Amnesties since 1986 with only promises of enforcement that has never occurred. The only IR to pass in the future is going to be enforcement measures.

Dee said...

Well Liquid, Since you spend your time on all those ANTI sites, I don´t doubt they are slanted their way.
Remember, we are deleting your misuse of amnesty from the dictionary.
The bills you describe are not PRO bills. They were the Administration, Big Business bills.

Dee said...

SAVE Act will NOT pass before the election. Now way No How.

Anonymous said...

The bills I describe are not PRO bills??? yet you want the CIR passed, something you claim Admin and Big Business want!!

The SAVE Act may not pass before and election, however it just might, and if not, it just might shortly afterwards.

Anonymous said...

Actually I spend most of my time on your OPEN BORDER PROPAGANDA sites. The postings above are from an article on Hispanic News.

Dee said...

urls please for articles say extreme laws in OK and AZ (not yet passed) are working.

Dee said...

urls please for articles say extreme laws in OK and AZ (not yet in force) are working.

Anonymous said...

Type into your search engine:

Arizona Is Split Over Hard Line On Illegal Immigrants

Do your own homework, I gave you the headline. There are many more out there.

Dee said...

Liquid,
You goofball!
Quit yanking my chain!
This is the article I provided earlier.

(As Bugs Bunny would say about you, "What a Maroon!")

Anonymous said...

Yes, but you claimed it as a PRO article, i claim it as a ANTI article for AZ and OK.

Keeping you on your toes.

Anonymous said...

Fight illegal immigration and take our country back. Contact your elected reps. And demand they co-sponsor the SAVE Act. The House bill has 122 co-sponsors and the Senate bill S2368 has three.

This bill forces employers to verify social security numbers and adds 8,000 BP agents.

Visit NumbersUSA - http://www.numbersusa.com/actionbuffet, for more detail. You can register and send a free faz to Congress.

Call today ! Thank you.

Dee said...

Magyart,
There are plenty of red faced angry ANTI sites for people to go to if they want, like NumbersUSA, another Tanton site. The so called SAVE Act, as I have reported, is nothing more than a Gestapo bill advocating mass deportation of 12M people and hiring heinous contractors like Blackwater. That heinous bill will never pass.

Everyone is tired of your mass form letter fax rhetoric. The American Public is on to you. The American Public are free willed. They are starting their own blogs, they are not blind sheep. We are on to you!

Dee said...

As for my site, all are welcome to post here.

I invite open, civil, free conversation in a safe environment.

Anonymous said...

Want me to list some red faced angry pro sites, dee? Oh, that's right you would be in denial over that too, wouldn't you?

Let's just take the part of the SAVE ACT that says employers must match SS numbers to their employees. What do you have against that? Shouldn't employees be working with a valid SS number? It is the law you know. Patriots honor our laws.

Dee said...

I remember the words to the whole song Pat. Most of us are Christian. It is very appropriate for the Season:

Let there be Peace on Earth
and let it begin with me
Let there be Peace on Earth
The peace that was meant to be

With God as our Father
Brothers all are we
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect Harmony

Let Peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment and live
Each moment in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth.
And let it begin with me.

Anonymous said...

dee, why didn't you answer my question?

There can be no peace inside of anyone who is dishonest.

Dee said...

You do hop around from thread to thread asking questions from one to another.

Even so, my response is, I am pure of heart. I am very open and honest. I am not angry at you. I just feel sorry for you.

Have some holiday cheer and try to relax dear Pat.

Anonymous said...

There is something wrong with someone who is presented with absolute proof of something and they still deny it, dee. I haven't seen an honest bone in your body since I came into this blog.

So what that I ask questions. You do the same thing. Is that your answer to my question by changing the subject? Is there some rule in here that you can't ask questions?

No need to feel sorry for me because I don't lie. The pity party needs to be for yourself. What happened in your life that caused you to be so untruthful and then blatantly deny it?

Dee said...

Pat, You are too funny. Absolute Proof? Hardly. I disputed many of your so called ANTI driven posts supposedly being your "absolute proof." They are all lies.

There is no such thing as reconquist sheconquista. To say there is a huge takeover being attempted into claiming the USA to MX is absolutely and utterly silly. Silly Silly Silly.

If you continue such silliness, you will lose 100% credibility. Now, you´ve lost about 95% by even making such silly, silly claims.

Anonymous said...

What about those videos, dee? Are they actors? What about all those reconquista comments that myself and others in here have posted for you? What about MECHA, Mexica Movement, Aztlan, the Brown Berets, dee? You have denied the existence of reconquista altogether. That is where you are being untruthful. Now you want to twist our words and try to claim that we said anything about a "huge takeover"? All we are asking is that you ackowledge the authenticity of the videos, the comments of the many reconquistas that we provided you as being un-American and racist against whites. I already told you THREE times that this isn't about returning land to Mexico, it is a plan to make a seperate nation in the southwest and call it Aztlan. That reading comprehension thing of yours is kicking in. Admit these things and show some honesty dee or it is your credibility that is gone, not mine. I have provided absolute proof that reconquista does exist in this country and so had liquid and Ultima.

Make your deceased father and your family proud of you by being honest for once in your life.

Dee said...

Pat, based on your last post, I doubt you read my comments. I refuted the silly Reconquista video. It was about Armageddon, not Reconquista. How silly of you to think otherwise.

Silly, Silly, Silly!

Dee said...

My parents and family are proud of me!

Our family, as most Hispanic families, are very close. We are Christian. We worship together. We enjoy each other´s company.

I am sitting here, with my Christmas Decorations up, my apple cinammon candles lit drafting a beautiful aroma through our home, my sons watching football with my husband as I make a nice Sunday Ham dinner. Me on my laptop, them watching football.

Anonymous said...

dee, the video you are talking about was one that liquid posted, not me. I posted another one or two other ones that were entirely different and left no possible doubt about the reconquista movement. You also denied or ignored those. Also myself, Ulima and liquid posted many comments made by reconquistas who also showed their hatred for whites too and the only one you tried to dispute was one made by Angel Gutierrez back in 1969. What about the many other ones that were recent?

What the H has your Christmas decorations and your family gatherings have to do with your blatant dishonesty in this blog? Trying to change the subject again?

Dee said...

Pat,
I said, there is no vast reconquista conspiracy to reclaim the USA to Mexico. There is no evidence of this.

Your bogus videos prove NOTHING!
You neither read my feedback nor try to understand it.

Since you don´t listen, interpret or comprehend, you may as well give this up. YOU will not change my mind from the FACTS.

Anonymous said...

In a couple of your posts dee you said there was no reconquista period! Make up your mind dee, you keep changing your story.

I don't know what you mean by "vast". There are enough with the reconquist mindset to be dangerous to this country. You want to put a number on it? I remember once when you would admit to a possible 10 of them. You damn well there are hundreds of them and maybe even thousand.

Here is one of the videos that I posted before. There are many others, want them too? Are these people actors, dee?

http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/the_scariest_pro_illegal_immigration_video_you'll_see_all_day/

Anonymous said...

dee, go into Wikepedia under "Reconquista (Mexico) and it is all there. Look at the paragraph entitled, Modern Usage. Are you still going to deny it even though the whole concept is spoke about in Wikipedia?

Dee said...

Pat,
I know you are looking for some vast Reconquista conspiracy. Guess What! There is none! NONE!

Stop it!

This is plain Silly!

Anonymous said...

Don't use the word "vast" dee you are back peddling on your lies now. You are the only who has used the word "vast", not me. I just said that the reconquistas do exist and in enough numbers to be dangerous to our country. Did you read what wikipedia said? They said it does exist! Are you still going to deny it? Scroll down to the bottom and you will see under "External links" a video of some of the reconquistas in this country. Are they actors, dee?

Better go to confession in church soon as you are overdue and God must be furious with you for your outright lies by now.

Dee said...

Pat,
I know you are looking for some vast Reconquista conspiracy. Guess What! There is none! NONE!

Stop it!

This is plain Silly!

Anonymous said...

What did Wikipedia say, dee? Don't avoid the question! Keep your damn word "vast" out of it. I never used that word, YOU DID!

Who the H do you think you are telling me to stop telling the truth?

Dee said...

There is NO vast Reconquista conspiracy. None! NONE!
It is just plain Silly! to say so!

Holy Moses let us live in peace
Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease
There's a man over there what's his colour I don't care
He's my brother let us live in peace

Anonymous said...

I NEVER SAID THERE WAS DEE!!!!!!!!!ARE YOU JUST PLAYING STUPID OR WHAT??????????

I just asked you to admit that there is a reconquista movement in this country. I NEVER USED THE WORD VAST. HAVE YOU GOT IT NOW???????????????????????

So again, what did Wikepedia say?

Dee said...

There is NO vast Reconquista conspiracy. None! NONE!
It is just plain Silly! to say so!

Holy Moses let us live in peace
Let us strive to find a way to make all hatred cease
There's a man over there what's his colour I don't care
He's my brother let us live in peace

Anonymous said...

You really do have a reading comprehension problem dee or you are just playing childish games here. Again, I never said there was a "vast" reconquista conspiracy. I just said that reconquista exists. Why can't you just admit that reconquista does exist?

What the H has your last paragraph to do with reconquista? Who are "us" that aren't living in peace? Who the H is your brother? Did you just go off in some psychadelic maze or something?
Is that your way of avoiding my question once again?

Dee said...

Watch this for 5 minutes Pat. It will help you.

Peace Brother

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