Ignoring illegal immigration is not an option
Sen. Graham has helped put together a plan that deserves a fair hearing
http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... 50317/1008
Published: Friday, May 25, 2007 - 2:00 am





Sen. Lindsey Graham has gotten booed by loyalists in his own party for his role in helping craft a behind-the-scenes, bipartisan immigration reform plan. This comprehensive proposal deserves a fair hearing in Congress, and in South Carolina, if people truly want to do something about the porous and unworkable immigration system now in place.
It would be hard to find one person in our country who defends the system as it is. It encourages illegal immigration by not severely punishing employers who hire illegal workers. It also entices those illegal immigrants into our country by having a poorly guarded southern border and a seemingly endless supply of low-wage jobs for people willing to work hard. And it keeps those workers on the fringes of our society while automatically recognizing their children as American citizens.
Those on the far left in our country demand no punishment for those who ignored our laws by entering the United States illegally. Furthermore, they want no restrictions -- such as a requirement that this nation of immigrants recognize the English language as our common bond -- and they are offended by the notion that our immigration policy should be shaped to meet the economic needs of our nation instead of the welfare needs of other countries.
Those on the far right refuse to acknowledge that while illegal immigrants broke our laws to get here, they did so with a wink and a nod from the federal government, major corporations and small businesses. And many of those illegal immigrants have contributed to our country by working hard and otherwise respecting our laws. Requiring all 12 million of these people -- or however many it really is -- to "just go back home" isn't an immigration reform plan, it's political posturing that doesn't advance this debate one single inch.So how can we reform the immigration system?
A bipartisan group that includes Sen. Graham and Sen. John McCain, and that has the blessings of President Bush, has put together a plan. Congress owes it to the American people to go over the 300-pages line by line in an effort to make sure this plan really will work. It shouldn't be rushed through to meet an artificial deadline. But those who oppose this plan have a burden to come up something better that has a political shelf life of more than 10 minutes.
As described by Graham and others, this comprehensive immigration reform package has key ideas to address what caused the influx of illegal immigrants in the first place -- the magnetic attraction of jobs. As Graham described the plan in a conference call, it secures our borders, establishes a comprehensive employer verification program, creates a temporary guest worker program to meet the needs of businesses and lays out a plan for dealing with the illegal immigrants already in the United States.
Those illegal workers would have a chance to come out from the shadows of our society and start on a long pathway that could lead to citizenship years down the road. Those illegal immigrants would have to pay a fine, spend time on probation, learn English and continue working hard at their jobs. They wouldn't get to jump in line in front of those trying to enter our country legally. In time, they could return to their home country, apply for a green card, pay a larger fine and prove they are ready to assimilate in our country.
In addition, a fundamental change will be a shift from a family-based immigration system that rewards the extended family of immigrants to a merit-based system that allows this country to meet its pressing labor needs, especially those for high-skilled workers. This, too, is an improvement.
The plan put together by Graham and others may not be perfect. Despite some obvious shortcomings, this package provides the framework for a sensible solution to a highly emotional and politically divisive issue in this country. There certainly should be room for some changes in the plan, but the whole 300-plus pages shouldn't be tossed out the window.

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mattielou When is Lindsey going to have his town meetings next week ? I hope
everyone who post will attend his first meeting if it is in Anderson or
Seneca. I hope we all can tell him we are not bigots because we don't
agree with him on immigrantion.
Also, I am sick of the Mexicans breaking in to my country and then
marching in the streets demanding citizanship with all the benefits. Hey,
go back home and demand your gov. give you medicare, SS, E.I.C.
and medical benefits. The Mex. Gov. would throw them in jail. There is no middle class in Mexico and we will not have one when this immigrantion bill passes with Lindsey's help.
The voters in Az. are marching in the streets because their two Sen.
support this bill, thanks we only have one. But he needs to go back to
Wash. DC knowing that we are mad as hell and not going to take him voting for this bill
If we can't do this we need to stop posting and learn Spanish.
Please stay tuned and look for the dates he will be here.

mattielou Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 2:33 am

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popeye1250 Ravenel? Hell, *MICHAEL MOORE* could run against Graham and he'd get my vote! This is just too strange, Lindsey Graham voting with the MOONBATS!!!
Newt Gingrich said on tv a few days ago that "if this bill passes it will be a disaster for the country and a disaster for the Republican Party!"
And I hear hat Inglis is leaning that way too.
It's funny to watch these pols squirm when their corporate paymasters put the pressure on them and to watch them try to say the opposite of what they really mean.
Bush, Kennedy, Gram et al *keep telling us*- "this is ***NOT*** an amnesty bill!"
Yesterday on the news (Fox, CNN) what did they say?
"The Senate today worked on the *"AMNESTY PROVISIONS"* of the Bill." O-KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
The old saying comes to me; "There's something rotten in Denmark!"
This is going from propaganda to outright Lies!
And Graham's office yesterday refused to give out info about his whereabouts/ public appearances!
Gee, it seems as though he doesn't want to have any contact with his constituents!
As for McCain he's finished.
Howie Carr of wrko-680 am boston called him "a political corpse."
He's no longer in the "top tier" of Republican candidates and to ad insult to injury RON PAUL is ahead of him! lol
And this is due largly to his stance on immigration!
Politicians think that The American People will "forget."
"McCain/ Kennedy S-2611" We didn't "forget!"
Personally, I'd like to see Rep. Henry Brown run against Graham in the R primary.
Brown is an excellent public servant who LISTENS to The People, unlike Graham.
If Graham votes "yes" on this bill, Brown votes "no" and he's a shoe-in!
He can beat Lindsey Graham over the head with it *relentlessly* and The People will love it!
This bill is how politicians lose elections, they don't ***LISTEN*** to The People!

popeye1250 Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 4:57 pm

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Rob13 Grahams actions have always been questionable and this one takes the cake on the immigration. He is backing a lame duck President along with McCain, a too old and mixed up Pres. candidate both of whom seem to side with the Mexicans rather than us citizens. The Dems are having a roll in the floor laugh at this bill. It will fail and the Dems can blame it on the Republicans! We are screwed..we need to quit voteing for the Dems or Republicans! They are both doing this country in! I think it is too late, but hope not. I hope Ravenel will challenge Graham next election. I will give him a chance. Could not vote for MeeCain due to his stupid statement about torture. He said we should not torture for info as if we do, then the terrorists will torture our troops. DUH! They are already killing them, what is a little torture compared to that. The guy doesnt have a clue! Wish Fred Thompson would run, I would give him a chance too. At any rate, Graham will not get my vote again for anything!

Rob13 Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 3:26 pm

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popeye1250 With all the calls going to senators and congressmen some at the rate of 80 to 1 against this bill I don't know why there is any doubt as to where the American People stand on this Bill.
When did Senators and Congressmen start thinking they were part of Management on not the hired help?
And Lindsey Graham calls people who are against this bill "Bigots" at a La Raza awards dinner? La Raza!!!
He tells a crowd in Columbia, "I agree with the President, not with you!"
There is only one word for Lindsey Graham; Arrogant.
Beezer Homes, D.R. Horton, golf courses and other businesses who donate large sums of money to politcians are the ones who want this corrupt bill.
I'd like to see a list of Graham's contributers.
Didn't we recently have a Congressman go to jail for selling his vote?
The President of a large corporation has -one vote- just like you or me!
If this bill is so "good" why can't I find *one person* among family, friends, neighbors etc who is "for" it? Just one.
When someone is trying to *SELL* you something you know it and start feeling uncomfortable!
That's what's happening now with Bush, Graham, Kennedy et al!
They're trying to SELL this no good Bill!
Ted Kennedy is holding a squeeling, squirming pig and Bush is trying with all his might to get the lipstick on it! (Funny visual!)
These pols are like a late night "info-mercial" "buy, buy, buy, buy now, limited time offer!"
Whatever happened to the days of "The American People are Always Right?" Now according to Graham and the others we're stupid and don't know what's good for us?
This "Bill" started out behind closed doors with Kennedy "giving "LA RAZA" VETO POWER over anything that went into it! That alone should stop this "bill" dead in it's tracks!
Can you imagine if The Minutemen had VETO POWER over anything that went into this "bill?"
There'd be 100 lawsuits and injunctions against it!
Somehow it's "OK" because Kennedy did it?
If Graham votes for this POS I'll get up at 0600 on election day to make sure I get my vote in early!
I saw a great bumpersticker last week; "DEPORT LINDSEY GRAHAM in 2008!"
I want one!

popeye1250 Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 2:27 pm

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CMC761 j_richard, that is a good example of the stealth actions of our government that rarely see the light of day. They're working to combine our social security programs - a disaster in the making. Do these people have any idea how corrupt the system in Mexico is?

As to OpEd versus article debate, its all mixed up now. They ALL do it - all the networks, papers, etc. You have to constantly read between the lines, sort and sift (and sniff). The facts and the truth wind up getting lost. People complain about their paper leaning one way or the other. When it comes to the news itself, most get theirs from one of a few sources - Associated Press being the largest. Sometimes I'll see an article in the paper I want to forward so I'll type a few words from the first paragraph into a news.google search. I've noticed that some papers print the entire article and some clip them - thus shaping the story we get.

The OpEd pages give the paper's Editorial staff a lot of leeway and control over opinions. And a lot of misinformation and propaganda can get inserted here.

The big networks are the same - including "fair and balanced" Fox News. There is no line between news, opinion, and propaganda anymore. It makes me so thankful for books and the internet.

Pawmetto, the entire country is on its way to third world statehood. SC sees it worse with the loss of manufacturing and importing workers. Its part of that: Americans are going to have to accept a lower standard of living. Did you ever notice the low unemployment numbers they give only reflect those who are actually filing unemployment claims? What about those who've dropped off of unemployment or are flipping burgers or delivering pizzas instead of using their skills?

CMC761 Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 9:37 am

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j_richard Social Security,

http://www.swnebr.net/newspaper/cgi-bin ... .pl?160838

j_richard Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 9:50 pm

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j_richard Saluda will not be the only county to have trouble and their bank be broken. Georgia's laws go in affect soon there will be another border crossing as they stream out of Georgia!!

Pound the state representatives at the General Assembly to get something done even if they copy Georgia's bill.

Tell them to get off and on. Off their as- and on their jobs.

j_richard Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:57 pm

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Pawmetto What has Lindsey really done other than allign himself with the political winds of the DC empire? He cannot lose politically or in terms of re-election with all the corrupt PAC money he gets. His butthole buddy Mc Cain if he wins the Prez nomination for the Repugnantclans..sic Republicans..nominates the Graham cracker for the Veep. If Hillary/Obama is the ticket he gets the reactionary vote of conservative SC voters in defiance of the national race for Prez.
Lindsey is a disgrace to the service of Strom ,whom he succeeded. Strom's legacy was closed borders.Last reported in Edgefield, the ground was vibrating from Thurmond spinning in his grave. Lindsey is a pawn in a global attempt to make SC and the rest of the nation a 3rd world country. Don't believe me? Look at Saluda county and the problems that illegal immigration has caused.. a rural county with little tax base to start with.. now none at all due to a population explosion of illegals.All free medical services and schools and social ammenities at all of our expense.. not a dime contributed by them or their illegal ilk!
Most SC people will vote for the scalawag Graham out of ignorance...not knowing he will sell us out again for the almighty global siren song.
If I could wave a magic wand to change this.. I definetly would wave it over Lindsey the corrupt one to make him disappear.
However another globalist scalawag SC politician... maybe Wilson from the midlands would appear. What's a TRUE patriot to do these days?

Pawmetto Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 6:24 pm

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Pawmetto What has Lindsey really done other than allign himself with the political winds of the DC empire? He cannot lose politically or in terms of re-election with all the corrupt PAC money he gets. His butthole buddy Mc Cain if he wins the Prez nomination for the Repugnantclans..sic Republicans..nominates the Graham cracker for the Veep. If Hillary/Obama is the ticket he gets the reactionary vote of conservative SC voters in defiance of the national race for Prez.
Lindsey is a disgrace to the service of Strom ,whom he succeeded. Strom's legacy was closed borders.Last reported in Edgefield, the ground was vibrating from Thurmond spinning in his grave. Lindsey is a pawn in a global attempt to make SC and the rest of the nation a 3rd world country. Don't believe me? Look at Saluda county and the problems that illegal immigration has caused.. a rural county with little tax base to start with.. now none at all due to a population explosion of illegals.All free medical services and schools and social ammenities at all of our expense.. not a dime contributed by them or their illegal ilk!
Most SC people will vote for the scalawag Graham out of ignorance...not knowing he will sell us out again for the almighty global siren song.
If I could wave a magic wand to change this.. I definetly would wave it over Lindsey the corrupt one to make him disappear.
However another globalist scalawag SC politician... maybe Wilson from the midlands would appear. What's a TRUE patriot to do these days?

Pawmetto Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 6:24 pm

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Truthsmack ++ [keystone]: I agree with Catherine & I am a FORMER Democrat. ++

Well, good for you, keystone. I see you're new here, so you're probably not aware that I'm a FORMER Republican and FORMER Christian fundamentalist.

Leave these kids out in the cold? "Christian nation" indeed. [snort!]

Truthsmack Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 2:36 pm

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