Thread: Why conservatives should oppose Arizona's immigration law

Why conservatives should oppose Arizona's immigration law
By Connie Mack
Friday, May 28, 2010

America is at a crossroads on a number of issues. And as we tackle national concerns such as immigration, conservatives have a responsibility to commit ourselves to our philosophy of less taxing, less spending, less government and more freedom.

That means opposing any administration, Republican or Democratic, when it taxes too much, spends too much or takes over nearly one-sixth of the economy.

When the Obama administration undermines the basic concepts of capitalism and the free market through endless bailouts, "stimulus" plans and a government takeover of health care, it is picking and choosing winners and losers in the economy -- and threatening our liberties.

The latest issue freedom-loving conservatives should be concerned about is the Arizona immigration law.

This law clearly challenges citizens' freedoms, and it does so by putting some Americans at risk of losing their freedoms while others stand little or no chance of being affected.

During World War II, while a German American hero and future president -- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower -- led the allied forces in Europe, this country put Japanese Americans in detention camps. That outrage was wrong. We destroyed lives and undermined the very fabric of our Constitution.

We did so under the guise that we were at war and in crisis. But it is precisely at such times that we must take extra measures to safeguard our rights, our freedoms and our nation.

Instead, America took away the constitutional rights of citizens -- a shameful overreach of the government.

The Arizona immigration law reminds us of how fear and distrust can lead to bad laws and even more government overreach into the private sector and our private lives.

Illegal immigration poses clear security risks to our nation and is a cancer on our economic well-being.

The Obama administration and previous administrations have failed to secure our border. While the announcement of additional National Guard troops at the border is a good first step, the federal government must do more to secure our borders -- both north and south -- now.

But trampling on the rights of some Americans to protect the majority conflicts with the values our nation was founded upon.

Our Constitution protects individual freedoms and liberties. Nowhere does this document speak of protecting the majority over the minority. Anger about the economy, increased crime and security concerns are fueling this law, not constitutional principles.

Conservatives' most important responsibility is to remember to protect freedom, liberty and the rights of every citizen. The Arizona immigration law doesn't do that, and that's why I oppose it.

I am proud that the GOP has been the party in which freedom has always mattered. We are a party whose members are willing to stand up for liberty because we believe that freedom matters and that it works.

As the wise saying goes, he who sacrifices freedom for security ends up with neither.

I do not want to live in a nation where American citizens are asked "Where are your papers?" We are better than that.

The writer, a Republican, represents Florida's 14th District in the U.S. House.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... inionsbox1

this was missed yesterday which led to this reply today

Rep. Connie Mack is Wrong on Arizona Law by Randy Pullen
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-202272.html

Hey Connie, do we need to check your shed, garage and offshore bank accounts, too? Or are you just shacking with the illegal alien housekeeper and don't want to lose her?

Shame, Shame, Shame on you, Connie Mack.

I do not want to live in a nation where American citizens are asked "Where are your papers?" We are better than that.

Hey Connie could you please see to it that Officers of the Law stop asking for "Drivers License, Registration and Proof of Insurance" when they pull over American citizens for traffic violations. I don't want to live in a country where laws are enforced against the majority of citizens while certain "groups" are exempted from prosecution "We ARE better than that!"

I also resent the fact that you only mentioned Japanese Americans being detained during WWII. German Americans and Italian Americans were also put in detainment camps but somehow that FACT is rarely taught anymore.

Illegal immigration still remains the most important battle to win. Jerome Corsi did a great job at pointing out that illegal immigration and trade agreements are the tools the CFR uses to essentially wipe out Western Culture

I still focus on Republicans, who like the Democrats are pushing for a One World government. Below is an article about Connie Mack. He doesn't hesitate to use George Bush's talking points about Security and Prosperity. Fools are still unable to look around and see we haven’t seen prosperity and security in decades...but they somehow manage to give this evil spin credibility.

The below link to the Heritage Foundation gives readers a look at Connie Mack promoting CAFTA (which passed by two votes in the middle of the night. Once again, another trade agreement pushed down our throats as we are demanded to like it). Even though sold as such, we now know trade agreements have nothing to do with furthering free trade where competition is free and undistorted. They are merely the tools used to diminish a country’s sovereignty and economy and if they promote anything at all…it is swarms of illegals by the millions.

Are we to believe these REPUBLICANS and Democrats do not know this?? They are the enemy and we need to recognize them.

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/10/02/gue ... th-panama/

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

I do not want to live in a nation where American citizens are asked "Where are your papers?" We are better than that.

Hey Connie could you please see to it that Officers of the Law stop asking for "Drivers License, Registration and Proof of Insurance" when they pull over American citizens for traffic violations. I don't want to live in a country where laws are enforced against the majority of citizens while certain "groups" are exempted from prosecution "We ARE better than that!"

I also resent the fact that you only mentioned Japanese Americans being detained during WWII. German Americans and Italian Americans were also put in detainment camps but somehow that FACT is rarely taught anymore.

And the Japanese were paid 3 times for their on average less than 1 year in the camps. They were paid for their losses at the time, then they were paid 3 more times by the Bush I administration. For anyone to speak historically about freedom or the lack thereof, and talk about the Japanese instead of the African, doesn't have a sense of history or knowledge about the Republican Party. For ayone to speak about Dwight Eisenhower in the same paragraph as opposing enforcement of US immigration law doesn't know the history of illegal immigration, because Dwight Eisenhower conducted "Operation Wetback" and removed illegal aliens from the United States which is why we didn't have an illegal immigration problem during those years or many that followed until it became clear that no other President had the guts to enforce US immigration law. Dwight Eisenhower is also the President who introduced what is today the 1964 US Civil Rights Act in 1957, the 1957 US Civil Rights Act. It was gutted severely by Democrats, but several of the important provisions passed and were signed into law. Then John Kennedy who voted against the 1957 US Civil Rights Act reintroduced the bill during his Presidency.

During World War II, while a German American hero and future president -- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower -- led the allied forces in Europe, this country put Japanese Americans in detention camps. That outrage was wrong. We destroyed lives and undermined the very fabric of our Constitution.

The WWII internment was upheld as being Constitutional. As many German and Italian Americans were interned as Japanese Americans. 10,000 of those "Japanese Americans" renounced their US citizenship and swore allegiance to Emperor Hirohito. Most of the remaining interned Japanese Americans were minors interned with their non-citizen immigrant parents. They were not put into "detention camps", they were put into relocation camps away from the West Coast war zone, and it truly was a war zone, every weekend I drive by one of the oil facilities the Japanese shelled in WWII. When I go to the beach the old concrete gun bunkers are still there, facing toward a possible Japanese invasion. Up the coast environmentalists are worried about all the oil still in oil tankers Jap subs sunk within sight of the coast.

Mack is inventing something that didn't happen to promote his globalist agenda.

I'll concede that Mack is correct about one thing - citizens' rights are violated every day - BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!

Originally Posted by Bowman

During World War II, while a German American hero and future president -- Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower -- led the allied forces in Europe, this country put Japanese Americans in detention camps. That outrage was wrong. We destroyed lives and undermined the very fabric of our Constitution.

The WWII internment was upheld as being Constitutional. As many German and Italian Americans were interned as Japanese Americans. 10,000 of those "Japanese Americans" renounced their US citizenship and swore allegiance to Emperor Hirohito. Most of the remaining interned Japanese Americans were minors interned with their non-citizen immigrant parents. They were not put into "detention camps", they were put into relocation camps away from the West Coast war zone, and it truly was a war zone, every weekend I drive by one of the oil facilities the Japanese shelled in WWII. When I go to the beach the old concrete gun bunkers are still there, facing toward a possible Japanese invasion. Up the coast environmentalists are worried about all the oil still in oil tankers Jap subs sunk within sight of the coast.

Mack is inventing something that didn't happen to promote his globalist agenda.

He's just a globalist whiner. What a shame. Connie Mack IV. Wouldn't I, II and III be ashamed of this? I think so. Shame on you, Connie Mack.

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

Hey Connie could you please see to it that Officers of the Law stop asking for "Drivers License, Registration and Proof of Insurance" when they pull over American citizens for traffic violations. I don't want to live in a country where laws are enforced against the majority of citizens while certain "groups" are exempted from prosecution "We ARE better than that!"

Conservatives should be working to conserve, not to destroy.