Anyone know anything about this candidate?
Congressional candidate targets immigrants
By SUSAN SILVERS
Article Last Updated: 07/22/2008 12:14:27 PM EDT

BRIDGEPORT — Democratic Congressional candidate Lee Whitnum called Monday for extensive crackdowns on job-specific and illegal immigration to open up jobs for more Americans.

Whitnum, who gathered enough signatures in the 4th Congressional District to force a primary against fellow Greenwich resident Jim Himes Aug. 12, called for two dedicated police officers in every community to enforce immigration regulations, such as overstayed visas and illegal entrants. During a meeting of the editorial board at the Connecticut Post, Whitnum said that Congress has unnecessarily admitted foreigners to do work that could be done by the nation's own.

"There's no shortage of talented, educated people here," said Whitnum, a Stamford substitute teacher who said her own career as a software engineer was derailed by an influx of outsiders.

The winner of the primary will take on Republican Christopher Shays, now in his 11thterm. She said Shays is one of those responsible for the problem. "They keep giving away our jobs," she said.

Whitnum contended the shortages in some fields are caused because Americans undergo longer periods of training, making them even more qualified. In others, she said the problem is a shortage of training programs rather than of able and willing Americans.

And, she said that, in particular, illegal immigrants have taken jobs that would otherwise go to African-Americans.

On other points, Whitnum:

l called Himes "part of the problem" in Middle
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East policy for actions including visiting Israel earlier this month. "We need an arms-length relationship with all allies," she said.

l said that the United States made a major mistake by invading Afghanistan, failing to work with the Taliban to improve to life of its citizens;

l said that a low teacher-student ratio is the key to success, and said that the Internet should make it easier for parents to be involved with their children's education.

Whitnum said she hasn't raised any money for her run against outsiders and has put in about $9,500 of her own, which she hopes to eventually recoup somehow. She said she knows she is waging an uphill fight. "I'm doing the best I can with what I have," she said.
http://www.connpost.com/ci_9954281?source=rss