From the office of Congressman Andy Harris:
Congressman Harris Statement on the Obama Administration’s Refusal to Enforce Immigration Law in Maryland
“Illegal immigrants already cost the State of Maryland $1.3 billion annually. Even more worrisome is President Obama’s picking and choosing from among the acts of Congress the Administration and Attorney General Eric Holder will enforce. If the President doesn’t like the current law, he should have come back early from his vacation in the tropics and worked with Congress to change it, not doing yet another unconstitutional end run around our immigration law.”
This is typical red meat electioneering by a tea party operative. Where does the figure of $1.3 billion come from? What picking and choosing is he referring to? Just because Harris says it does not make it true. I do not believe anything this man says. I need proof. As far as “working with Congress” is he kidding me? The Tea Party/GOP is not interested in “working” with any Democrat. They vote down their own initiatives if it serves their purpose. The American people will see through this and vote them out in 2012.
Proud to be Liberal, your name tells us everything about you. You wouldn’t believe anything that another liberal doesn’t tell you.
This number most likely came from the same racist report that his bloviated friend Pat McDonough uses. It is worth noting that FAIR includes the following assumptions. Since their parents should never have been here, all services for US born Children of illegal immigrants. Since these numbers are hard to come by they assume all hispanics are illegal unless otherwise noted. It also admits that since in some cases like education since it took the percentage of hispanic students and found that percent of the school budget it’s estimate is actually very high.
typical tea party propaganda, the notion that illegal inmigrants don’t contribute to our economy and only “cost” us money is nonsense. I would like to see an accounting of the money illegals cost and contribute. Big business need low cost employees to do the work that we americans don’t want to do. When was the last time anyone told their kids to go and be a farm hand? a dishwasher? pick up fruits and vegetables for a living? Also, I believe that the illegal inmigration issue was around when Bush and Co were in charge. Nice to blame Obama for everything that they created such as unregulated financial markets, derivatives and subprime mortgages. Any attempt to correct these through financial regulation has been met with resistance and an attempt to keep the status quo by the republican’ts.
Wow, how out of touch you are with this issue. Illegals have figured out how to game the system. They are buying ssn’s and using them to get jobs that pay higher wages then the menial jobs they used to take. Millions of american construction workers are being displaced with illegals who work for lower wages. These are jobs that American workers do want but are priced out. You are lying to yourself if you believe that this is not a major problem.
B that is because the shameful practice of employers who hire illegals and pay them less. The real issue is not the worker but the employer who is backstabbing americans. To seriously get ride of illegal immigration we need to start enacted penelties for employers who hire them that come with real teeth.
I read an article recently about a Alabama Pickle Farmer who is mad that the GOP legislature, who he voted for is requiring employers to check immigration status. He said he will now have to raise the cost of his cucmbers since he willhave to pay more people to harvest his crop and pay them more then the 10 dollars an hour he paid his old workforce.
THis “shameful” practice you speak of is hardly the reason. At this point it is a liberal talking point that sounds good and gives libs a reason to not act on the poor illegals themselves. As I stated above, the illegals have learned how to work the system. They all have social security numbers now. Even if suspect, it is illegal to check any further, and nothing comes back from their background check showing anything wrong.
no it is a matter of practicality. Rounding up illegals to ship them back so they can return again and again is the definition of insanity and does not address the long term problem. building a fence around the border is not practical because somehow they will find a way around it and then all it does is keep migratory animals from actually migrating. By punishing the employers you can then actually try rounding up illegals, all though I suspect most would leave on their own as the reason theey came here was a job and that will be gone, and then it will actually work.
B: You have just given us the best reason why Americans should support unions.
Would someone answer this: How are people in this country illegally able to work, get social security numbers, and pay taxes? So, we just ignore their illegal status because they haven’t ‘committed any (other)crimes’? Why are employers still allowed to hire illegal immigrants? And yes, there are plenty of young people who could get off their numerous electronic devices and do farm work, wash dishes, whatever is available. Of course, that’s a whole other issue: the fact that we have raised a generation of children and young adults who believe they shouldn’t have to do any ‘dirty work.’ Maryland was picked by Obama for two reasons: Governor O’Malley and the fact that it is well-known as a ‘sanctuary state.’
Gibby: Ever heard of a ITIN? “IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA).” This is how they pay taxes. And I would add that they are better “citizens” than the billionaire tax dodgers with their loopholes that have corrupted our government. Aren’t you worried about them?
Proud to be Liberal and other non-thinkers, Why do we have laws about legally entering the U.S.? When citizens go to the airport, they go through a scruting, yet, illegals come into our country unscreened and people like yourself say so what. You fit the definition of a liberal very well.
If you are here illegally you are breaking the law….period. I am all for people bettering themselves by coming to America, but do it legally.
Lets send all illegals home and put all the “Occupy Wall Street” protestors to work doing the job the illegals are doing.
OMalley has his head so far up Obamas ass it’s no wonder Md was chosen for this new ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION program. Again what do you LIBERALS not get about ILLEGAL, period. Cross the border illegally in any other country in the world and see where you end up. Tax and spend your way out of that one!
OVERTAXED: You need to save your wrath for the companies that hire them with impunity. The Tea Party/GOP will never do anything about this as they are on the big business teat.
Proud to be Liberal, where do you get this crap. Give us your source.
monster: I read the papers. Where do you get your crap?
Proud to be Liberal, get your head out of the newspapers once and a while and read some journals. While you are at it, takes some courses in economics, history and government. That information is less biased. Of course, I have found that liberals are so indoctrinated in their view of everything, they cannot stand to deal with facts.
MONSTER: What you do is attack me rather deal with facts. That is known as ARGUMENTUM AD HOMINEM. Typical for your side! That just shows how intellectually bankrupted you are.
Proud to be liberal, talking about things being bankrupt is funny coming from liberals. You need to get your head clear and think. I can only imagine if you run your household the way you think this country should be run, we will be taking care of you in a few years. I have helped aliens study for the citizenship test, and quite frankly, I doubt you could pass it. Liberalism is a scourge that has proved itself ineffective around the world. You say you read the papers. Which part of the papers, the comic section?
MONSTER: You have just proved my point. Merda taurorum animas conturbit
In deference to Monster… just so you know. The way I run my household is to live within my means and pay down my debt that I have accumulated as quickly as possible. And part of the way I pay down debt is by increasing revenue. Is this something you could wrap your head around or would you simply propose to cut cut cut? By the way my loans are typical if not slightly less than others in my income level. I have a home loan for a home that is not beyond my means. I drive a small car that regularly gets about 30mpg and for which I pay about $1000 a year for insurance. I go out to eat maybe once or twice a week. And I pay cash for most everything, although I did recently get a bathroom loan to pay some potential illegal aliens for the work Americans would not do. With better quality and at a lower price. At least I didn’t export my labor to India or Pakistan or China to improve my bottom line. Since paying them in theory stimulates the local economy I think this is a Win Win situation.
David A. Porter: Also, the people whom you employed payed taxes.
paid
What illegal imigration program?
Where and when do we stop prosecuting illegal activity? Laws were made for a purpose and for Obama to pick and choose which ones he will enforce sounds more like a dictator than a president.Instead of leaving the country for the month of November he should be here trying to change the laws he doesn’t like. Talk about leading from behind.Oh well, since every illegal is a potential Democrat who can blame him.
HYDESMANN: You are just upset because white men are losing their hold on power. So sorry dude. Learn to live with a diverse majority and you will be a happier man.
PROUD TO BE LIBERAL and FRANKLY SPEAKING obviously by their comments support those who break the law, and like all liberals want to point their fingers at someone else for the problem. It seems like a waste of time to try and point out all the things that that are incorrect with their posts, because you can’t have an intelligent discussion with those who refuse to accept facts, and don’t believe in personal responsibility. Kind of like those occupy protesters who are too lazy to get a job, and yet wonder why aren’t in the 1%.
I did not know anyone in the 1% club of billionaires lived in Harford County. I’m impressed.
Edgewood, well said.
Hello Edgewood Resident,
I’d like to address you as an occupy protester, and as a young adult with three part-time jobs, and a college student. Your rash generalizations are what make me worry about where I’m growing up. Actually, it’s what makes me want to get involved in politics, because I realize we need people who do more research than believing the nightly news, and who make an attempt at being open minded, and who understand that things aren’t so black and white. Just wanted to say thanks for motivating me.
The purpose for this statement by Rep Harris is to shore up his Klan for Liberty base as he digs to finish the job of driving our economy off the cliff.
Getting tired of these bigoted clowns destroying the US to protect their wall street cronies. Nov 2012 can’t come fast enough.
If Rep. Harris knew anything about the immigration issue in this country, he would know that the Obama administartion has deported more illegal immigrants than George W. Bush. Between that and the killing of Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki, Barack Obama has been a great president when it comes to the issue of national security.
Tom Myers, how can you say this about Obama being a great President for U.S. security?
Tom Myers, how can you say this about Obama being a great President for U.S. security? As mentioned earlier, when we go to the airport, we have more scrutiny than any illegal alien.
MONSTER: Why are you complaining about security? There’s no pleasing you folks.
I have never complained about security, and that is another reason why illegal aliens need to be stopped. Terrorists can do the same thing by coming through the southwest. It is not bad enough that we allow this to happen, but then liberals want to give them the rights that some of us have worked and paid for. I say some of us, because I doubt that many liberals have not worked or paid for this.
They can come alot easier through the Northwest and northeast!!!
Sweeping generalizations without data merely make you resemble Glenn Beck
You get more scrutiny then an illegal alien at the same airport? How do you know the individual is illegal? Do you want safe airports?
CDEV, you pulled that comment out of context. My point, as if you didn’t know, was that American citizens are more scrutinized than any illegal alien.
Monster the reason illegal aliens, who cross gthe border illegal do not get scrutinized is they chose to cross at places that are not border crossings. This is easily accomplished because we have two huge borders without very much natural barriers!
Hey Tom,
“If Rep. Harris knew anything about the immigration issue in this country, he would know that the Obama administartion has deported more illegal immigrants than George W. Bush. Between that and the killing of Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki, Barack Obama has been a great president when it comes to the issue of national security.” – From what I have read, President Obama, through September 2011, has deported 1.06 million, while former President Bush deported 1.57 million. So, as of right now, former President Bush actually deported more, though President Obama is on pace to deport about twice as much.
PAUL Mc: Are you saying that President Obama deported almost the same amount of illegals in two years as Bush did in eight? That sounds pretty good to me.
Hey Proud,
“PAUL Mc: Are you saying that President Obama deported almost the same amount of illegals in two years as Bush did in eight? That sounds pretty good to me.” – I am saying that President Obama, in 2 years 8 months, has deported about 1/3rd less people than former President Bush did in 8 years.
Anyways, have a nice day.
PAUL Mc: So that breaks down to 30,285.7 a month for Obama and 16,354 a month for Bush. That’s twice as good. Don’t you think that is better?
BTW Paul I calculated 35 months for Obama. Using 32 month like you did would give Obama a higher ratio. 🙂
Hey Proud,
President Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. The report I read was in September of 2011. So, 32 months. The average per month is 31,468 for President Obama and 16,354 for former President Bush. Yes, nearly two times the amount per month.
As for it being good or bad, I think it is good. The numbers speak for themselves.
Anyways, have a nice day.
Wow this “press release” is even shorter than the last one his PR intern put out. By the election they are going to simply read “I am right . They are wrong. Please donate.”
Has Andy done anything to help out the people who elected him? or those that he represents? Why do we continue to elect these people.
Quit whining and go do something for our state.
one more former student: What you need to understand is that Andy represents an Oligarchy/Plutocracy form of government. This is not the average working stiff in Harford County. He does plenty for his constituents: they are just not the middle class.
We basically have TWO unguarded borders. To just put our focus on ONE would not keep us any safer from terrorists, whom as far as I know came to the us LEGALLY!!!. Let’s fix the illegal inmigration by offering those whom haven’t committed crimes, legal reentry and deportation to those whom have a criminal background of violent nature. Enforcement of work status should have employer penalties to those whom hire illegals and fine them without allowing them to deduct the cost from their taxes as is currently being done. I would propose also and national id card that proves you are a US citizen or a legal resident which everyone should carry over the age of 18. Using driving license doesn’t prove your legal status.
frnkly speaking, of course we have two borders, but let me assure you that the Canadian border is not like the Mexican border. Canada means business, just like the U.S. used to be. Now, America has become a willy-nilly of unenforced laws cheered on by a bunch of liberals who believe that anything goes.
frankly speaking: You will have to excuse MONSTER. He is an angry white dude who cannot stand that he is no longer in charge. When he talks about “willy-nilly of unenforced laws” he is referring to the American status quo that leans left now. If he were really against unenforced laws he would be equally concerned about environmental laws, work safety laws, etc. not enforced. Is he as livid about the billions spent by lobbyists to create loopholes for corporations to pollute or kill unions? A union shop automatically would assure that legal workers, paid a living wage, would raise America workers instead of corporations. You see, the tea party members are minions of big business that vote against their own best interests because they have drunk the Kool Aid fed to them by the Koch brothers and Fox. They actually believe that more profits for billionaires would help them!
Proud to be liberal and other dupes, you make an assumption that I am a white dude. Why is that? Herman Cain isn’t white and he wouldn’t agree with your philosophy, and neither would anyone who has an ounce of brainpower. Do you have retirement savings? Chances are good businesses that you have no respect for are holding your retirement. Not to mention that real jobs are created by businesses and not government. Heil, der fuhrer’
MONSTER: You keep proving my points with your vitriol. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.” Abraham Lincoln
BTW: Fascism was an Oligarchy/Plutocracy. You should read some history before you prove you are a minion of corporations.
Proud to be liberal, I do read history. Because of that I know that Abraham Lincoln didn’t originate the quote you mentioned. It came from Mark Twain. You are a typical big mouth know it all who really doesn’t know anything. As Margaret Thatcher said (paraphrased) socialism is wonderful until you run out of everyone else’s money. Have you been reading about Europe lately? That seems to be happening. Tell me about unions and how wonderful they are, and then tell me about jobs being shipped overseas. You really don’t have a clue.
MONSTER: You believe what you want sir. It does not matter who said it, you opened your mouth and what we see are foolish, ill conceived tea bag talking points. You have nothing to add to this argument but your hate and blind allegiance to the very forces that are wrecking this country. I am done with you. Go back to your fantasy world where corporations work to improve our people.
Fascism is a socialist ideology.
Mussolini started as an Italian Socialist and broke away because of internationalism inherent in Socialism in favor of Italian nationalism.
Fascism is anti-capitalist. Fascists favor government control of the economy and corporatism.
Conservatives in the US favor free markets and capitalism. And while you might like to claim Fascism is a right wing ideology you’d be wrong.
Actually I found a document that attributes it to Proverbs 17:28:
“Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” – King James
Perhaps we should jail the backstabbing job creators who hire illegals!
CDEV, anyone who contributes to illegal aliens should be jailed, and that includes O’Malley and his Democrat puppets in Annapolis. The Democrats build in voters this way, and you should be offended.
What about the Republicans who have not finished that fence yet?
CDEV: You must understand that some people on this site actually believe that unions are the reason corporations ship jobs overseas. It is the LACK of unions that allow corporations to ship jobs overseas. You cannot reason with this person, so don’t try. He hates the middle class and wants to see it destroyed so corporations can make even more money and pay off congress and give billion dollar bonuses to executives. He is the tea bag monster.
Larry Summers quote – “Another cause of long-term unemployment is unionization. High union wages that exceed the competitive market rate are likely to cause job losses in the unionized sector of the economy. Also, those who lose high-wage union jobs are often reluctant to accept alternative low-wage employment.”
Paul: A quote from this Sunday’s Times, “When US sales fell, global commodity prices followed. As a result, American companies could lower prices on consumer goods without firing a lot of workers or cutting their pay. But not any more: demand from China, India and Brazil, among others, is sending the prices of oli, grains, metals and other commodities higher than ever. US companies – stuck with a higher bill- have cut costs by laying off workers rather than by slashing prices (and making less profit.)”
What this says to me is that corporations have been ‘hoisted by their own petard’. There greed for profits by shipping jobs overseas are now hurting the American worker. It is not unions that have done this no matter what Summers says.
their greed
A corporation’s or business’ purpose is to make a profit for the investors. If the business doesn’t make a profit it goes out of business.
Paul: This is the very crux of our discussion: I favor corporations making a profit, of course; however, I am opposed to excessive profits, excessive compensation for executives, excessive pollution and decimating the work force for those profits. There should be more Googles and Microsofts and fewer Massey Energy Company.
Apple, ExxonMobil, Google, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Chevron, Facebook, etc…have all made excessive profits for their shareholders and executives. All private companies are entitled to make unlimited profits and reward the shareholders and executives.
Fascists and socialists governments pick winners and losers denying people success and the fruits of their investment and hard work.
Are you advocating fascism or socialism?
I like my potential illegal aliens. They work hard but they are unable to vote. So supporting a democratic ticket is not within their ability. I would also like to suggest that I know at least one American that is a burden on the state, taking support for food, power and medical care for her and her four children from three fathers, that I would like to see deported. She’s defaulted on three leases and has managed to manipulate other people and the system to believe she is deprived and a victim of circumstances beyond her control. She pays less into the system than she takes out. At least my illegal aliens behave like Americans should behave – they live and work in our society and still pay the same gasoline and sales taxes the rest of us do – while not being adorned with the label.
David Porter: Using your reasoning, the following states are no different than the person you mentioned who takes more than she gives back.
States Receiving Most in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:
1. D.C. ($6.17)
2. North Dakota ($2.03)
3. New Mexico ($1.89)
4. Mississippi ($1.84)
5. Alaska ($1.82)
6. West Virginia ($1.74)
7. Montana ($1.64)
8. Alabama ($1.61)
9. South Dakota ($1.59)
10. Arkansas ($1.53)
In contrast, of the 16 states that are “losers” — receiving less in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes — 69% are Blue States that voted for Al Gore in 2000. Indeed, 11 of the 14 (79%) of the states receiving the least federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid are Blue States. Here are the Top 10 states that supply feed for the federal trough (with Blue States highlighted in bold):
States Receiving Least in Federal Spending Per Dollar of Federal Taxes Paid:
1. New Jersey ($0.62)
2. Connecticut ($0.64)
3. New Hampshire ($0.68)
4. Nevada ($0.73)
5. Illinois ($0.77)
6. Minnesota ($0.77)
7. Colorado ($0.79)
8. Massachusetts ($0.79)
9. California ($0.81)
10. New York ($0.81)
Proud to be Liberal, I do read history and that is why I know your quote is incorrectly attributed to Lincoln, when in fact, it was Mark Twain. Maybe you should read more history and drink less of that cool aide that you accuse others of drinking.
MONSTER: As usual you are incorrect. Again. Ever heard of Google?
Proud to be liberal, facts do matter to me. Your quote was as inaccurate as most of your statements. You shouldn’t structure arguments on what you want or think the facts are without checking. You say you read the papers, you must be ignoring Europe. You like to spout Latin as if this shows everyone your depth of intelligence, yet you can’t even get a simple quote that most high school students could identify. You are through with me. Good. Where do I send your welfare check?
I’m sure we could all learn an thing or two.
http://www.amazon.com/They-Never-Said-Misleading-Attributions/dp/0195064690/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202336462&sr=8-1
Monster, were do you get your facts from tom mare on wcbm 680.
Concerned Citizen,
I would be happy to send you a bibliography from where I get my facts, especially if it would help to educate you. In fact, why don’t you send me yours?
If you can find a copy of the Communist Manifesto, you’ll have his bibliography.
And you will find yours under Mein Kampf.
Proud to be liberal, is that the best you have?
To all of you slamming employers for this problem – who’s job is it to control and enforce our immigration LAWS? How much do we pay annually for this LAW enforcement in our airports, ports and borders? So – one very simple question: Why is there so much as one person inside our country illegally? If you think for a moment on this question and its implications whether hiring a cook, lawn service, painter or laborer – this is a pathetic failure by our Federal government and the States and citizens are left holding the bag.
Well I always believe in personal responsibility so when the employer hires an illegal alien he is responsible for his illegal actions and since he is providing the insentive for them to come he is, in my opinion, more culpable then the government who cant send them back fast enough. I figure that we do not want big goverment solving all the problems. Maybe the employers can make sure not to hire them.
I’m really disappointed, though not entirely surprised, that the adults discussing issues in my hometown can’t engage in a reasonable debate without name calling and rash generalizations.
My hope is for discussions such as this to be taken on without mention of “liberal” and “conservative”, and for people to realize that issues are not so black and white, and open their minds to the ideas of others. If the people and the people in power today cannot comprehend this, then I only have hope for my generation to replace them and find a better way to run this country. Right now, you’re doing your children a great disservice by dividing their home.
LNbelair,
more power to you, do it
This needs to be said twice:
“I’m really disappointed, though not entirely surprised, that the adults discussing issues in my hometown can’t engage in a reasonable debate without name calling and rash generalizations.
My hope is for discussions such as this to be taken on without mention of “liberal” and “conservative”, and for people to realize that issues are not so black and white, and open their minds to the ideas of others. If the people and the people in power today cannot comprehend this, then I only have hope for my generation to replace them and find a better way to run this country. Right now, you’re doing your children a great disservice by dividing their home.”
Well said.
Noble;
You have hit one out of the park with this one! We as a society have forgotten how to disagree agreeably. Each of us has reached this point in our lives after all sorts of different paths and now find ourselves pretty much stuck in some mode, unfortunately the more poorly educated, the harder it is to even accept that we have differences and all of the opinions are still 100% correct. I don’t answer too many of the contributors, knowing that he/she/it will denigrate me instead off offering a well thought through argument.
For clarity, LNbelair hit it out of the park. I just ran the highlight reel.
But I’ve made the same statement on this site because it’s disgusting unproductive behavior.
And I noticed that like clockwork, someone was there to label and put down the poster for having a good thought.
Noble, I put down Lnbelair because he is a hypocrit. At first I respected what he said until he injected that citizens who want a crackdown on illegal immigration are usually motivated by racism. Is he not calling names?
@ previous poster, the issue is more like brown. A bunch of racist anglos freeting about open borders in the south, but not so much about the same open border in the north. The excuse, is that terrorists can come in from the south which is by the way a harder border to cross than the north border would ever be. No river, desert or fence to speak of, but somehow an open border in the south is a security risk, at least more so than the one in the north. The argument that the illegals pose a security risk now is contradicted by the fact that legal inmigrants came in and flew jets to the World Trade Center, not poor hispanics from south of the border. Wanting to work is somehow counter productive to our nation’s economy, but somehow they are able to find work and many of our 99% just can’t find a job.
I’m aware that it’s an issue that most of the time stems from racism, even by those who fervently deny that. I’m more complaining about the way issues such become personal shouting matches.
LNbelair, I had some respect for you, but I believe you to be nothing but a racist. Play the race card any time you can to get what you want. You are a hypocrit when you say that people who use this blog shouldn’t call others names. You just did and offended me and all the others who believe that we have laws for a reason. If you lived in Arizona, you would understand the problems illegal aliens cause and how disappointed citizens are when the federal government cannot protect our borders.
frankly speaking, you are making it a racist issue. You have to be a liberal.
@monster-Most racists are not liberal, I don’t really understand your deduction here. I call them as I see them. There is more than a tint of racism (pun intended)to many that argue for a fence in the southern border, but not the same in the northern border, if security and terrorism are the main reasons why we should fence the southern border. I never said that everyone that wants stringent enforcement of inmigration laws is therefore racist, but you’d have to admit that many do see it from the prism of color (no pun intended this time). I want fair inmigration policy where a person from the south of the USA has at least as good a chance to enter the USA legally as someone from Mongolia, Israel, Russia or eastern Europe. As it stands, latin americans don’t even have a place at the back of the line because inmigration policy is not seeking to fill menial labor, just high tech and advanced degreed individuals. Indeed we need all the brain power we can get as evidenced by your comments, but we also need low skilled workers to pick our fruits, labor our farms and do the jobs that need to be done but Americans don’t want to do.
Frankly Speaking, neither you or I can speak for all. The people I know do not see prejudice or bigotry in this issue. If you weren’t so arrogant, you would look at the data around the U.S. and what illegal immigrants are costing this country. They are getting far more than they are paying. You like to talk about the northern border. Look at the data, don’t give me the liberal talk about fairness. Having crossed the Canadian borders many times, I can tell you it isn’t the same as the south. I have been on trains when Canadian officials have removed those who did not have proper credentials entering the country from the U.S. Canada enforces its laws, unlike the U.S. who passes laws and doesn’t enforce them. Many gun laws for example are never enforced and so we hear the liberals yell for outlawing guns.
We should give immigration preferences to people who have professional credentials or make financial investments (eVisas) in the US.
We can be picky about whom we let emigrate to our country.
it is still policy of the USA to admit people into the country in direct correlation to the current ethnic compositon. Under this policy, hispanics are not considered a race, so therefore their ethnicity does not come into play or influence the number of legal visas offered to latin americans. That explains why europeans by way of Spain and Jewish as they are also considered caucasian actually are able to enter the legally as a greater proportion because they are of european descent than would Mexicans, never mind that they live next door to us and are by all accounts poor and directly a river away from prosperity. This could easily be fixed by creating a more responsive temporary visa program. I am quite confident that most mexicans would rather live in their country if they had the ability to work in the USA legally for periods of time. I feel like our current inmigration policy needs to be revised and improved as far as how people get in legally and thus diminish the likelyhood that people would cross illegally to work. Under the current system, once they have kids here, they are almost assured that they won’t be sent back, specially if they have children with an American citizen.
frankly speaking: Yes! Yes! Yes! I could not agree more “our current inmigration policy needs to be revised and improved as far as how people get in legally and thus diminish the likelyhood that people would cross illegally to work.”
Paul: Fascism is not socialism. Although in the end, Fascism overtook all, it originally was supported by corporations. I base my premise upon this: “Fascism, in Italy and Germany alike, was subsidized by the magnates of heavy industry (iron and steel, mining) and by big bankers with a stake in heavy industry. The chiefs of the steel and mining enterprises were notorious for their authoritarian attitudes, their ‘tough boss’ psychology.” “The exaltation of big business at the expense of the citizen was a central characteristic of government policy in Germany and Italy in the years before those countries were chewed to bits and spat out by fascism. Fascist dictatorships were borne to power in each of these countries by big business, and they served the interests of big business with remarkable ferocity.”
Democrats also favor capitalism. We just oppose an Oligarchy/Plutocracy. We believe in free enterprise, but we do not believe all (meaning safety, freedoms, health, rights) must be sacrificed to their profits. We believe that elected members of Congress and the President must represent those that elected them and not lobbyists. We believe in fair play.
proud to be liberal, before the Nazis people were eating out of garbage cans and making bread with sawdust. Germany had few consumer goods. As far as business is concerned, many corporations were nationalized. As horrible as the Nazis were, the people were no longer starving. The one-sided surrender agreement imposed very harsh restrictions on Germany leading some to say that WWI caused WWII. Now where you get all this information about businesses causing this is beyond me. Why don’t you share this source with me so I can live in your world. For you to say you believe in capitalism is a bold face lie to anyone who has read your blogs.
MONSTER: but not to anyone who can read English.
The job of the president, congressmen and senators is to uphold the Constitution and not social engineering or a command and control economic system. The reason were are a republic and not a direct democracy is so that mob rule through direct democracy will not steal the property of citizens.
Fascists ideology has most in common with socialists not free market capitalists.
PAUL: “…so that mob rule through direct democracy will not steal the property of citizens.” But it is acceptable for corporations to steal the property of the citizens? Do you feel that corporations may commit any act in the name of profit? Can they pollute, sell defective or knowingly dangerous products? Can they sell investments they know will fail and buy “insurance” against the inevitable failure?
What you “free market” anti-government supporters do not understand is that our ONLY defense against a free fall market is our elected representatives (the Government). We are a nation of laws and rules, enacted by the representatives of the people for the protection of our liberties, health and safety. It is the role of the government to ensure we the people are safe and free (law and order).
That is why we must end the corruption of lobbyists. Elected representatives must represent the people and not corporations: this is an Oligarchy/Plutocracy which Fascists created and supported. I am sorry you cannot grasp this simple concept in you blind allegiance to the Tea Party and its twisted message that anything that does not produce wealth for the very few is un-American. Quite the contrary, the Tea Party is un-American and today’s Republicans are acting against the best interests of you (unless you are a billionaire) and you can’t even see it.
We must be able to balance the free market where corporations can make a profit yet do not harm the people or the environment. This can only be done when both parties act in good faith for the benefit of all. The GOP seems to be incapable of this unfortunately and have turned Congress into a blood sport.
The Greeks understood this when they said all things in moderation. Medio tutissimus ibis
@Proud To B Liberal,
You are right the 1% made up of corporations and billionaires are too wealthy. We the 99% need our elected officials to strip them of their excess cash and property and give it to the citizens of this country that are the basis of that wealth.
The 1% will not give back on their own so we must through government level the playing field by clawing back our nation’s resources from the robber barons.
The best way to do this is by eliminating the Electoral College, allow for majority rule and increase unions and union membership.
Proud To Be Liberal thank you for supporting Social Justice and a purer form of democracy.
Occupy America Democrat
I am proud to be liberal not proud to be an Anarchist. As I said before: “I favor corporations making a profit, of course; however, I am opposed to excessive profits, excessive compensation for executives, excessive pollution and decimating the work force for those profits.” I believe “We must be able to balance the free market where corporations can make a profit yet do not harm the people or the environment. This can only be done when both parties act in good faith for the benefit of all.”
So my simple question was apparently too difficult. Who’s job is it to ensure that someone enters this country legally? Has anyone been to an airport of sea port lately??? Our fed has failed miserably and now some people want to see every single person or company who employs a person to act like the INS!! Are you insane? Our police aren’t even allowed to ask about that status and you want a lawn business to seek those details? Don’t you get it, people have gamed us and own what look like real SS cards and driver’s licenses – this isn’t a personal responsibility issue (to CDEV), this is our Government’s responsibility – uphold our LAWS!! Then you can safely assume that the guy walking down the street or seeking employment is here legally or a US citizen. Wake up!
OK look it is the governments job to provide security. That said it would make the government’s job easier and less costly if certian back stabbing americans did not provide an incentive for these people to come here in the first place. If I am a potential illegal from any country. The first thing I ask myself is why am I going there. The most popular answer is a better paying job. If the scuzzy employers where not offering them the jobs and unwilling to hire them then they would have no reason to come here as they would make more money and not live with the anxiety of being sent back. So while it may be a govt. role to secure the border, something BOTH parties do a lousey job at it is our role as citizens to assist in this effort by obeying the laws designed to secure the country. Essentially whose job is it to protect campers from bears? The park ranger; but when you go off feeding the bears do you blame the park ranger when he is not there waiting to pounce on the bears in the middle of the night as they are all drawn to your campsite for the scraps of food you provide? This is personal responsibility plane and simple!!!! The govt is of the people, for the people and by the people. So essentially we are ALL responsible for this effort!
Cdev,
that is the most sensible blog I have seen from you. I just wish I could believe that you really think that people are responsible for themselves. The liberals that come on this site only think that successful people are responsible for themselves. All others are entitled to be taken care of by our government. But I do have to disagree with you in one respect. Taking care of our borders is a job of the federal government. If the feds would do their job and leave the 10 article as it should be, we would all have a better country.
Monster I am not a liberal or progressive. I am a free thinking independent who is registered as a republican. I do this so I have a say in the primary more so for my local offices which impact my life much more then federal office. Locally republicans win and my state congressional district is a shinning example of that!
I have held this belief when it comes to immigration reform for a while, and have esposed it on this site many times. I feel this way because obviously after years of trying the round them up and send them back approach has not worked. It is overly costly and does not address the underlying issue.
I agree it is the federal govt.’s job as I said above. I think a better approach would be super agressive prossecusion of employers who “feed the bears.” It also needs stiff penalties. I feel if there was a mandatory sentence of a 100K fine per illegal for a first offense and 5 years in prision, served consecutively for a second offense, then this program would highly discourage the “bear feeding.” It would also be cost effiicient if the fines went into further enforcement. I would surmise that most of the illegals would actually leave on their own. Alabama recently passed a law requiring emplyers to check immigration status and report it to INS. This is causing the illegal labor some farmers used to leave and not come back. If people don’t hire them then they won’t come. After this we can then move on to rounding up the few remaining ones and sending them back.
Cdev: The bears are here legally.
If the bear is here legally then they should be fed. It is when the bear should not be fed because they are not here legally!
True, but it is very difficult for the camper or park ranger to tell the difference between the bear who is here legally, and the one that is not. Most bears look alike.
You are missing the point the camper should be asking about legality and paying employment taxes. If things don’t add up then feed another bear!
I understand the point. Lets say that the way to tell a legal bear from one that is not, is the government placed tag in their ear. The tag is big, yellow, and has red numbers. Easy to identify a legal bear. Now who would suspect that an illegal bear would figure out how to get a tag that looks just like the government tag, place it in their ear, and get fed by the camper.
That is why you cross reference the number on the tag with the very free database made availible to you by the govt. If the number and name doesn’t match then there is a problem. Secondly I see where you are going and in that limited situation I can see an exception but in the case of the Alabama Pickle farmer he did not even ask because he knew the answer that is nowingly breaking the law and that is what needs to be addressed. The practice of paying under the table leaves you open to this so if you are not willing to do the time. Check on your employees and if they have the right to work. If you are not able to do that then you need to find a new line of buisness and are in my opinion part of the problem. If you are making excuses for lazy buisness owners then you are as guilty as the people who say don’t blame the poor illegal who breaks the law. because you too are making excuse for law breakers too!
@Cdev –
I rarely agree with you and don’t care for you at all, however employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens and businesses or individuals who hire anyone under-the-table for any reason should be fined and jailed for immigration and IRS violations.
I believe in personal responsibility. There is a big difference between the employer who knowingly recruits illegals and those who find that they have some among the many legals who are working in their factories/farms. It would be the same for you. Should you be held accountable if it is found that the company or persons who cut your lawn, raked your leaves, or took down and hauled away your dead tree were here illegally, or had in their employee illegals? Under your premise we all share in this problem, and to some extent you are correct. My feeling is: it’s not that simple.
Why should you and I not be able to assume that the people we are doing business with are here legally? Should we not assume that our Government is doing their job and preventing illegal persons from being in our country. Should I be upset with you if I find out that the tree service you were using had employees were in fact here illegally? Should I wonder if you did enough when contracting the service to ensure that they were legal? In my view, should this happen, I would be upset that our government had not prevented this in the first place. My anger would not be directed at you.
If your position regarding personal responsibility is limited to the employer who knowingly recruits, and intentionally employees illegals, then you and I are in agreement. But beyond that my position is, it’s not that simple.
It is that simple. If I hire the kid to mow my lawn I need to be responsible as the employer to know he is here legally. If I hire a landscaping buisness to do it I should make sure they are reputable and following the law. The govt makes laws and that is how they enforce security is through the laws if the landscaping company is breaking the law they should go to jail.
We have a landscaping company who owns a house in my nieghborhood and every summer INS raids it after we all call and complain because his illegal employees live there. This has happened three times since I have lived here and he is still in buisness and not in jail. He is the problem. He refuses to follow the laws and use the tools the government provides for him to follow the laws.
I could see a perso n being dupped once by a person but not over and over again with 20 illegals in their employ. Those are the people we need to go after because those people provide the incentive for the illegals to come. If they did not hire them they would not be here!
So yes it is simple. You are responsible for the people you hire and doing the duee dillegance with your paperwork. Don’t blame the government because you are to lazy to look into the people you hire.
CDEV, How do you go about verifying that the boy who is there to mow your lawn is in our country legally?
I know nieghbors and remember when his parents brought him home from the hospital! Besides let us not even pretend the kid who mows your lawn is the same thing as a landscaping company with 20 guys who are here illegally and they pay them under the table and don’t check anyting.
I also want to clarify I do feel sorry for these people and view them as human beings. They just need to go back and come here legally if that is what they want. My main issue is that employers need to follow the law when it comes to immigration and a vast majority of the jobs held by illegals are from employers who are not following the law looking to make a buck! The Alabama Pickle Farmer is trying to make more moneyoff his product by paying $10 an hour under the table and avoiding payroll taxes and spending the time verifying paper work. As Americans it is our job to follow the law and the law says if you employ people you should check their immigration status.
See my post up top about were the numbers came from!
@retiredawhile-did you retire your brain? what does an illegal bear look like? Tag all natural born bears and those that are here legally and then you’ll have the untagged bears-illegally here. We know the ones that are legally here and those that are born here, it is called a national id card. so simple…..but the business community would not want us to do that because it would kill their golden goose. I bet that Visa or Master Card could come up with a system that would identify all legal and natural born citizens, why is it that our govt can’t seem to get out of its way to protect our borders? Bush and Obama have been presidents while the mass exodus has been ongoing. 35% of all illegal inmigrants have actually come to the us legally and the govt doesn’t really have a system to track them-see WTC terrorists that came legally.
@Frankly Speaking.
Visa and Master Card have yet to come up with a system that prevents fraudulent use of their cards to the tune of several millions each year. CDEV’s position is that it is every ones responsibility to check the legality of all persons in the US with whom they do business. I don’t agree.
I do agree that preventing illegal persons in the US is the responsibility of the US government. I also acknowledge that the US government is not doing a great job. I also acknowledge that employers who intentionally recruit and hire illegal persons must be dealt with in a firm and severe manner. I do not acknowledge that every US citizen has a responsibility to affirm the legality of anyone who they do business with. CDEV used an analogy of “campers and bears”, along with statements that it is the responsibility of everyone to insure the legality of persons with whom they do business. I do not agree with that premise. If I had knowledge that someone was in this country illegally I would report it. I do not think it my job to ‘discern’ ones legitimate presence in the US. We should demand and expect that the US government do its job regarding immigration. We, as individuals, should not have to do the job for them.
Fed up. good try, it is very difficult for many liberals to answer direct questions.
I know but I am not going to sit by any longer and listen to the blather. This is still a land of laws and it’s time the non-thinking, entitled and socialist segments of our populations take a moment to hop off their emotion trains! Our laws, if followed and enforced would negate the need for any employer to do this. My point above was, how much $$$ are we spending on immigration at our ports and airports and how serious are we about immigration at these points of entry – and why is that important? So if some of the above characters thought about that, then considered the next question “why don’t we care about passport control and immigrations along our southern border??” This is an obvious point of federal negligence – both parties are to blame here. Our Fed gov has bilked us for billions in taxes to carry out the immigration scam that occurs…well….some times. So think about this issue next time you go through a full body scan machine (I did 4 last week – yippee!) and consider how many questions the tens of thousands had to respond to as they hiked into Tucson last week.
Just as it difficult for you to be reasonable and fair.
I am probably more conservative than most people on this message board as you all know. That being said, I am fed up with companies being allowed to skate on their legal responsibility to make sure the people they hire have the proper documentation and I want to see many more of them fined, and if repeated, jailed. Of course the Obama administration’s stance on this issue is a glaring example of their hypocrisy. We want to be a nation of laws but let us decide which laws we want to enforce and which laws work better for us if we ignore them. And before you jump down my throat, Bush was no better.
Let’s not forget that Steve Jobs, before he died, made every effort to get Obama to make it easier for more highly qualified, highly skilled workers to come to this country because there simply aren’t enough people here to meet the demand in certain areas. That is one reason why my Oracle database tech support is done by someone based in Mumbai. All Jobs got for his trouble was the Obama smile and the brush off. Any perhaps solicitation for a campaign contribution.