Thread: Bush, Senators play blind, deaf about ILLEGALS

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1...854073,00.html

Transforming U.S.

Bush, senators play blind, deaf about illegal immigrants


By Thomas D. Elias, Guest Columnist

Want to frighten a roomful of U.S. senators? One of the most certain ways is to try to get them to debate the hotly emotional, but vitally important, topic of illegal immigration.
How important is immigrant labor -- illegal or not -- to the American economy? Think this issue is confined only to agricultural states? Well, Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland predicted the other day that the crab processors of her state's Chesapeake Bay might have to close their factories this summer if they can't get visas for temporary workers from Mexico.

At the same time, potato farmers in Idaho, cherry growers in Michigan and cotton farmers in Georgia and South Carolina are on record saying they'd suffer dearly if they couldn't hire illegal immigrants.

That's why they solidly backed an amendment proposed by Republican Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho that sought to grant legal status and permanent resident status to any agricultural worker who has been in this country illegally, but has worked 100 days out of any one-year period during the 18 months before Jan. 1 of this year. Their families would also have qualified under the Craig plan.

Some estimates put the number of working illegal immigrants Craig sought to legalize and allow to stay in America for good at 1 million, with an additional 2 million family members quickly legalized, too.

Had Craig's plan been approved, it would have started the largest immigration amnesty program of the last 19 years, one that might have dwarfed the 1986 amnesty plan that eventually produced more than 1.5 million new American citizens -- more than half of them living in California.

That program was a major factor in changing the political complexion of California from a state that mostly voted Republican in statewide and national elections to one that has been solidly Democratic in such votes since 1994 -- except when a celebrated and muscular actor was running.

This history terrifies many Republican senators. They were also scared by seeing hundreds of Minuteman quasi-vigilantes conducting private patrols in the deserts near the Mexican border with Arizona. They get uncomfortable when they see how popular a few strongly anti-illegal-immigrant congressmen have become with far-right, grass-roots elements of their party, such as the California Republican Assembly.

One of these -- Tom Tancredo of Colorado -- is even actively contemplating a run for president in 2008.

Republican senators are divided on illegal immigration because they know cheap labor provided by the undocumented immigrants helps many businesses, which in turn boost the economies of their states and -- not incidentally -- contribute to their campaigns.

At the same time, some share the concerns of groups like the American Patrol, which are convinced that any amnesty would open the floodgates of illegal immigration, inspiring moves by many thousands of Mexicans and Central Americans who now hesitate to make the hazardous trek north. They believe even a limited legalization would cause those still living in the sending countries to believe all they need is patience and they, too, can one day win amnesty and eventually U.S. citizenship.

In fact, Craig's proposal was peanuts compared with what President George W. Bush has proposed -- a much larger plan inviting workers to enter the country legally for a limited period, after which they'd have to go home. The history of programs like the one for postwar braceros and today's H-1b visas for highly skilled workers indicates at least half those who come in under short-term visas stay much longer, legally or not.

Craig argued for his plan on moral and business grounds and vows to bring it back to the Senate soon. "We want to stabilize the current agriculture work force -- workers who are trusted, who are already on the job, who are already putting food on our tables. It makes more sense to allow them to earn legal status than to try to replace a large part of the agriculture work force," a top Craig aide told a reporter.

But most senators don't even want to talk about this idea. That's why Craig was unable to break the threatened filibuster that limited debate on his measure and killed it for now. But they had to say a little, because Craig attached it to a spending bill covering costs associated with the War on Terror.

This didn't sit well with most senators. A week before the filibuster threat derailed the plan, they passed a nonbinding resolution calling for passage of the spending bill with no immigration amendments on a bipartisan vote of 61-38, with California's Dianne Feinstein in favor and Barbara Boxer against.

The entire sequence was merely avoidance behavior, though. For illegal immigration and its role in American business is the ignored elephant sitting in America's living room and especially in California's.

This state now is host to more than one-fourth of all illegal immigrants in America.

Eventually, both California and national politicians will have to bite the bullet and confront the conflict between fears of business failure and fears that a huge influx of Latino immigrants will change the very nature of America.

The sooner the better, even if it makes all of us uncomfortable.

Thomas D. Elias is a writer living in Southern California. Write to him by e-mail at tdelias@aol.com.

Congress!!! Wake UP!!!

There is NO CHOICE between illegal labor and paying whatever wages are necessary to hire and train American Workers for these jobs. That is our LAW.

American Agriculture doesn't need more labor every year....they need less...why?

Because millions of acres of farmland go OUT OF PRODUCTION every year. They are converted to "housing developments" and "shopping centers". Farmers need FEWER WORKERS not MORE.

Mikulski's crab houses didn't NEED aliens to pick their crabs....they WANTED aliens to pick their crabs. There are plenty of workers in DC, Maryland and Virginia to pick their crabs. Just pay the wage necessary to draw the workers....they are all over the states of Virginia and Maryland and all through DC.

That's a bunch of crap about the crabs. Besides, there are fewer crabs today than in years past....so you need fewer workers than in years past to pick their crabs....so we're not going to get any MORE CRABS because of her immigration stunt....just alot MORE CRAP.

I'm tired of this Crap about the Crabs!!

You can't believe a WORD coming out of her mouth when it comes to crabs and immigration visas. Period. She's bought and sold by special crab interests lying to her about crabs so she lies to us about crabs to ruin our Nation....all over bunch of crabs!!

You realize that should she get a case of CRABS she'd probably have to vacate her Congessional seat. Well, it would depend on how many CRABS came in the case but the bigger the better in this particular case of CRABS. Wouldn't you say?

2ndamendsis--You Are the Best!!! I plant the seed and you grab it....I was so hoping someone would get the PUN!!!

We have to have alittle fun along the way to keep all this work til 4 am every night interesting!!

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1...854073,00.html

Transforming U.S.

Bush, senators play blind, deaf about illegal immigrants


By Thomas D. Elias, Guest Columnist

Want to frighten a roomful of U.S. senators? One of the most certain ways is to try to get them to debate the hotly emotional, but vitally important, topic of illegal immigration.
How important is immigrant labor -- illegal or not -- to the American economy? Think this issue is confined only to agricultural states? Well, Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland predicted the other day that the crab processors of her state's Chesapeake Bay might have to close their factories this summer if they can't get visas for temporary workers from Mexico.

At the same time, potato farmers in Idaho, cherry growers in Michigan and cotton farmers in Georgia and South Carolina are on record saying they'd suffer dearly if they couldn't hire illegal immigrants.

That's why they solidly backed an amendment proposed by Republican Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho that sought to grant legal status and permanent resident status to any agricultural worker who has been in this country illegally, but has worked 100 days out of any one-year period during the 18 months before Jan. 1 of this year. Their families would also have qualified under the Craig plan.

Some estimates put the number of working illegal immigrants Craig sought to legalize and allow to stay in America for good at 1 million, with an additional 2 million family members quickly legalized, too.

Had Craig's plan been approved, it would have started the largest immigration amnesty program of the last 19 years, one that might have dwarfed the 1986 amnesty plan that eventually produced more than 1.5 million new American citizens -- more than half of them living in California.

That program was a major factor in changing the political complexion of California from a state that mostly voted Republican in statewide and national elections to one that has been solidly Democratic in such votes since 1994 -- except when a celebrated and muscular actor was running.

This history terrifies many Republican senators. They were also scared by seeing hundreds of Minuteman quasi-vigilantes conducting private patrols in the deserts near the Mexican border with Arizona. They get uncomfortable when they see how popular a few strongly anti-illegal-immigrant congressmen have become with far-right, grass-roots elements of their party, such as the California Republican Assembly.

One of these -- Tom Tancredo of Colorado -- is even actively contemplating a run for president in 2008.

Republican senators are divided on illegal immigration because they know cheap labor provided by the undocumented immigrants helps many businesses, which in turn boost the economies of their states and -- not incidentally -- contribute to their campaigns.

At the same time, some share the concerns of groups like the American Patrol, which are convinced that any amnesty would open the floodgates of illegal immigration, inspiring moves by many thousands of Mexicans and Central Americans who now hesitate to make the hazardous trek north. They believe even a limited legalization would cause those still living in the sending countries to believe all they need is patience and they, too, can one day win amnesty and eventually U.S. citizenship.

In fact, Craig's proposal was peanuts compared with what President George W. Bush has proposed -- a much larger plan inviting workers to enter the country legally for a limited period, after which they'd have to go home. The history of programs like the one for postwar braceros and today's H-1b visas for highly skilled workers indicates at least half those who come in under short-term visas stay much longer, legally or not.

Craig argued for his plan on moral and business grounds and vows to bring it back to the Senate soon. "We want to stabilize the current agriculture work force -- workers who are trusted, who are already on the job, who are already putting food on our tables. It makes more sense to allow them to earn legal status than to try to replace a large part of the agriculture work force," a top Craig aide told a reporter.

But most senators don't even want to talk about this idea. That's why Craig was unable to break the threatened filibuster that limited debate on his measure and killed it for now. But they had to say a little, because Craig attached it to a spending bill covering costs associated with the War on Terror.

This didn't sit well with most senators. A week before the filibuster threat derailed the plan, they passed a nonbinding resolution calling for passage of the spending bill with no immigration amendments on a bipartisan vote of 61-38, with California's Dianne Feinstein in favor and Barbara Boxer against.

The entire sequence was merely avoidance behavior, though. For illegal immigration and its role in American business is the ignored elephant sitting in America's living room and especially in California's.

This state now is host to more than one-fourth of all illegal immigrants in America.

Eventually, both California and national politicians will have to bite the bullet and confront the conflict between fears of business failure and fears that a huge influx of Latino immigrants will change the very nature of America.

The sooner the better, even if it makes all of us uncomfortable.

Thomas D. Elias is a writer living in Southern California. Write to him by e-mail at tdelias@aol.com.

Yeah! and they do it right in your face and then try to cover it up with lies,lies,and more lies.
Our Government is our worst enemy.
How about the "Boarder Guard" Stand Down? Did a Boarder Guard give that order?Does a "Boarder Guard have the right to give such and order.
Do yo wonder who gave the order?Do think our Government is honest enouth to tell the truth about the "Stand Down"? and who gave the order.Hell no! they don`t have a true bone in their body`s.
Americans! we need to wake up before it`s too late.......Or Die.
I am a "Viet Nam Veteran" and I would love to know what it`s like to fight for my country.

jcalex--you're gonna have the chance....things could not be worse here....we need you and every person like you fighting for this cause to get our country back from what I've called the "liars, cheaters and thieves"!!

Hey jcalex, I am a 'Nam vet also. I felt the same disillusionment after I got back to "the World" and it has never left me. Our politicians need a wake up call. I suggest that we start a national movement and call it "Fire the Politicians Day" for those in state and national government that don't listen to us, their employers. If a politician does not do something progressive towards stopping and eradicating illegal immigration, we have the ability to FIRE THEM in the next election!!!! But, they must do something that is nationally witnessed and broadcast on major media that either secures the border, using troops if necessary, or passes legislation one one sort or another, i.e. eradicating anchor babies, stopping freebies to illegals, etc. I got laid off in 2001 and still can't find a full time job but I see, every day, illegals in my neighborhood driving BRAND NEW SUVs and PICKUP TRUCKS. What is wrong with this picture? I challenge any politician to tell me what is wrong with this picture. I am struggling to find enough work on a monthly basis to support my family and I see illegals driving better vehicles than I can afford. So, this get more citizens involved and fire our elected citizens if need be and Save the United States of America before it is too late. God Bless America and God Bless All LEGAL American Citizens!!!

I am a "Viet Nam Veteran" and I would love to know what it`s like to fight for my country

jcalex & wmnick

WELCOME!

You were fighting for your country AND YOU were never expendable!!! However, you were undermined and left to hang out and dry.
wife of UASA Vet-66-70

This time we're older & wiser. We know how to search out their lies and we have a way to expose their bare butts. This time the battle is for the CONSTITUTION and AMERICAN SOIL.

Thank You for your service, Gentlemen!

Welcome,

There are many Vets here on our forums. Glad to have ya here.



William

Welcome vets...glad to hear you speak up and gladder that you're on our side of this fence. My son is a vet of Cambodia..you know...that place where we weren't having a conflict?

He's ready, too!

RR