Immigration Part IIIV...
So the bill was squashed. The president is bitterly disappointed. I was hoping for something positive to happen like making right what was wrong with this bill, but it wasn’t going to happen because both the president AND the democrats in congress being so far removed from the will of the American people.The bottom line is that most Americans are simply not willing to give yet another pass to illegal immigrants in the hopes that a security solution will somehow follow. Many were fooled before, even Ronald Reagan, but fool us once. I think most opponents of this bill feel much like me. That is to say, not in anyway at all opposed to immigrants of any nationality coming to this country for a better life, despite how proponents chose to characterize us (I think the tactic of calling opponents xenophobes and worse has had a much worse affect on those who supported this bill). We simply are taking a stand against rewarding illegal activity yet again.
Yes, the current system of processing applications is broken. Well, let’s fix it. We absolutely need to secure our border with Mexico. Let’s do it. We need to crack down severely on companies exploiting sub minimum wage illegal immigrant labor. Let’s do it. Once that has been done, let’s determine how many immigrants are required to keep the American work force stable and establish this figure as a quota. If we’re even marginally successful at these tasks, by then attrition should have sent many here illegally back home on their own. Let assist those who voluntarily want passage back if required.
By killing this bill, Americans chose not to stop immigrants from coming here to make a better life for themselves, they chose not to again reward flagrant violation of our rule of law and sovereignty.
If we need 12 million immigrants to balance the American labor force let’s make it happen. The only stipulation being that those who jumped ahead in line not be given a free ticket. I hope the President, Congress, the House, and law makers at large get the message sent here: next time an immigration reform bill is drafted two things will render it un-passable: giving illegal immigrants quarter of any kind, and no finish/start linkage to sealing the borders. Let’s get it right the next time and not waste anymore effort trying to prove this truth wrong.
posted by Tony Alva @ 2:12 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
I'm sure you are following this much closer, because, well , let's face, I don't care, but did Pork kill the Bill, or was it just a matter of non-alighnment on the issue at hand.
What kills me is that there even such a thing as Pork. Why can't we just pass laws and be done with it? How did this corrupt policy get so ingrained in our legislative process?
As far as the immigration thing goes, I think you know my stance, go ahead and fix the problem, legislate, regulate, whatever, but please, please, no wall or fence.
I heard/read, that Dems attempted to bribe the GOP stalwarts with attachable earmarks and pork, but nobody bit. I’m not sure to what degree any of it is true, so I’m inclined to be a bit cautious with the drama.
I think this was a watershed moment in US politics and perhaps a sign that the ship is righting itself a bit. Both participating parties and the President came into this thing fully loaded with agendas. The President and other GOP proponents wanted to give big business a break by keeping the cheap (and exploitive) labor flowing. The Dems were looking to build a bigger voter base for the 08 elections. It was painfully obvious to most. What all completely ignored was what the majority of citizens wanted: which is an end to free range border crossings and no pass given to anybody who came here illegally. The PEOPLE killed this bill, not one or the other party.
I also think it exposed the dirty hubris machine that gets cranked up nowadays when it comes to political debate. As soon as the media took the issue nat’l the labels were applied. Opponents were immediately assigned “xenophobe” at best, “racist” at worse. The thing the pot stirrers never considered was that, by and large, a majority of people’s biggest beef was the blatant disregard of our rule of law (not just border jumpers but businesses who hire) and lack of sovereignty respect. We offered amnesty to illegal aliens once already as part of a reform bill and it failed miserably. I also think the byproduct problems that inevitably bubbled up with an influx unchecked illegal immigration is now vastly widespread vs. contained to CA and TX exclusively as has been historically. I’ve written about its impact in my county many times. It has devastated out county, schools, and even my neighborhood. I wasn’t making any of it up, or showing some latent personal xenophobia, I was and am telling the truth. It was just too easy to trot out some asshole redneck wearing a rebel flag shirt shouting racial epithets at day labors standing on the corner and have the hubris machine say “All opponents to the bill are like this guy”.
I remain supportive of any effort to overhaul the entire immigration process. By and large, I think the American PEOPLE are too. But as I said, it will NOT include another free pass and it will START with a secure border. Alien in-processing reform can and should happen in tandem, but full implementation only upon successful completion of the before mentioned tasks. I think if 12 million are needed, 12 million should be welcomed WITH a straight path to citizenship assuming they learn the language, pass background check, etc… Those here already by illegal means? Sorry, they are simply out of luck. No big round up (another ridiculous hubris machine concoction), but rather a big squeeze. They may not have been the ones showing up at counter demonstrations and flashed on TV screens, I could be wrong, but I believe this to be how most folks feel about it.
I think our elected leadership (both parties) completely over estimated the lemming effect they held over their constituents. For the President and GOP drafters of this bill, they now know that blind support is not a given and assuming so may hurt your re-election chances. For Democrats, they should know that while far left liberalism may enjoy pocket support, most folks fall towards the center. I can’t help to also think that, for the Dems, this whole thing was a diversion from their complete wimp out on ending the Iraq war. As I’ve said before, while I may not agree with the idea of an immediate pull out, I feel for Dem voters and the bitter let down they must feel towards their elected officials. I guess we now share something in common.
The real missed opportunity here was a chance to bring true bi-partisanship back into play. If these idiots had just ASKED what the PEOPLE wanted first, they would have had a chance to actually accomplish something together. A real accomplishment, one a majority of the American people would have been happy with.
Killing this bill WAS amnesty. Nobody's going anywhere. Reason: money. Big business wants immigrants, period. It has since the 1840s - and always will. Our country's economic strength was built on immigration. We kill that flow of people, this place becomes a quaint Euro-centric backwater.
Tom,
Can't argue with you, but I still maintain that IF the focus of reform is border security, most Americans would have zero problem allowing in as many immigrants as is needed and as I stated, reform has to include improving the legitimate process itself. As for those here already, squeeze them. As they watch jobs go to legal immigants they'll go home or make ammends.
Tony - immigrants take jobs citizens don't want. In general, they work for lower wages with fewer benefits. And they have since my "Paddy" great-grandfather got off the boat.
There would be no U.S. mega-power sans immigrantes. And if we forget that, we become a second rate former superpower.
Further, I think squeezing them is immoral - I side with the Catholic bishops on this one. A border doesn't define a human being. Why give up the moral highground of America's great history on immigration?
Fix the leak, fine. I agree with Tom, however; nobody is going anywhere - at least not home.
Tom,
Ah! at least we've revealed the true nature of your feelings here...
Like Jackson, you're a "don't like borders" kind of guy. Sorry, my idea of sovereignty is a bit more rigid. I also think a majority of Americans agree with me. No links or studies to reference, just my gut. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Re: jobs citizens don't want to do, IF that's true (and I'm not sure it is) my posit should be one you should support. My idea is NOT to keep people our country needs/want to do work out, it's to stop people from gaining entry illegally. I'd emphasize not just shutting the border down to illegal passage, but also overhaul the process itself. Six Sigma, TQM, I don’t care what method they use, it’s in need of drastic overhaul. I’m not suggesting some sorry temp worker thing that further exacerbates the already burgeoning immigrant underclass, I FULLY support a direct path to citizenship for those who qualify for entry, all 12 million or 20 million if that’s what is determined our economy needs/can bare with this ONE caveat: NOT eligible, the ones who cheated.
Re: moral high ground, did those who CHOSE to break our law seek a moral high ground? Sorry, it’s bullshit. Like I said, my take on the killing of this bill is not some xenophobic response to brown people coming here to take jobs nobody wants to do, it’s a reaction to the sorry response of our government has taken to rampant illegal activity that DOES have consequences. My county here in GA is living proof of the negative affects of the current state. Enough is enough. Folks are sick and tired of giving a pass to cheaters and, in my opinion, are finally saying “no” in the face of special interests and agendas, and party affiliations (GOP’s love for giving breaks to big business, Dem’s with their pandering to a potential voter base). Frankly, I think Washington (both sides of the isle) were stunned at the response to this bill. Although you may think differently about the issue itself, you have to be happy with the idea of a grassroots response being so effective. Proves the sleeping giant can be awaken. I think it’s the kind of response you’re looking for from the base to end the war in Iraq (although I’m not sure there exists as much agreement even amongst the base of both parties).
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