Thread: Immigration reform facing long odds

Immigration reform facing long odds
By GARY MARTIN Washington Bureau
Dec. 28, 2009, 2:35PM


WASHINGTON — Immigration reform is increasingly looking like a political albatross that could hurt Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections whether President Obama succeeds or fails in overhauling today's widely disliked system.

After postponing action for a year because of the national economic crisis and a drawn-out debate over health reform, President Obama is being pushed by advocates of comprehensive reform to fulfill the campaign promise he made in 2008.

A 2010 reform push faces daunting political challenges: Solid Republican opposition to key provisions, and division among Democrats over both strategy and substance. Democrats facing tough re-election battles in states from Arkansas to North Dakota will be hard-pressed to vote to legalize the status of unauthorized immigrants during an economic downturn.

But continuing inaction on the issue could alienate crucial Hispanic voters who helped deliver the White House to Democrats last year. And that could cost Democrats swing congressional seats in Nevada, New Mexico and even Texas.

Latino civil rights groups are pushing the White House to move quickly and aggressively, arguing that a promise is a promise.

“After being on our national agenda for a decade, comprehensive immigration reform's time has come,â€

For Senate Democrats to muster the votes needed for passage, they must include guest-worker programs for agricultural producers who compete with growers in countries with lower labor rates — something not contained in the leading House proposal.

Don't we already have guest-worker programs? The problem is that ag employers totally ignore them and hire illegals as they will work for cheaper than anyone here on a visa and demanding a fair wage.

[quote]For Senate Democrats to muster the votes needed for passage, they must include guest-worker programs for agricultural producers who compete with growers in countries with lower labor rates — something not contained in the leading House proposal.

“I think a country that's strong really should be able to produce its own food, but you can't do it with domestic labor, and that's just a fact,â€

I wouldn't be surprised if the government has been working on Cap & Trade and AMNESTY while the holidays are full of stupid stuff on the news, until today anyway.

This was no year to clog the cable news with stupid specials while our corrupt government undermines us all. I fear what they do when I'm sleeping! We are at the tipping point of losing our country.

It's bad enough that we have wimps running the country now and everyone wants to attack us while we have left Israel to the wolves. North Korea, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Cuba and god knows who else is in line that is salivating over our lack of protection of our own country. YET we are in other country's protecting their borders?

I say bring EVERYONE home from all over the world and put them on all 4 sides of our vulnerable country.. stop all Refugees and immigration. We NEED to get our crap together and do some planning for WHAT IF.

Originally Posted by vortex

For Senate Democrats to muster the votes needed for passage, they must include guest-worker programs for agricultural producers who compete with growers in countries with lower labor rates — something not contained in the leading House proposal.

Don't we already have guest-worker programs? The problem is that ag employers totally ignore them and hire illegals as they will work for cheaper than anyone here on a visa and demanding a fair wage.

You are forgetting these illegals are slave labor. Often times employers take their passports or ID and make them work 60 hours or more in many jobs. They also work in unsafe conditions on some jobs as well. When I was with code enforcement part of the department I saw some of the homes the farmers had for their employees and they were disguisting. The sad part is that for them it was better than back home. The one place the farmer had buidings that were unsafe and had to be torn down. There were multiple families and some parts of the residence had no running water and dirt floors. In one section there was a Mexican blanket which was covering where there should be a door and a man walked out with a walker. He had surgery on his foot and was walking on a dirt floor. I disagree with illegal immigration but I also can't stand how those greedy employers are allowed to get away with this.

Originally Posted by swatchick

Originally Posted by vortex

For Senate Democrats to muster the votes needed for passage, they must include guest-worker programs for agricultural producers who compete with growers in countries with lower labor rates — something not contained in the leading House proposal.

Don't we already have guest-worker programs? The problem is that ag employers totally ignore them and hire illegals as they will work for cheaper than anyone here on a visa and demanding a fair wage.

You are forgetting these illegals are slave labor. Often times employers take their passports or ID and make them work 60 hours or more in many jobs. They also work in unsafe conditions on some jobs as well. When I was with code enforcement part of the department I saw some of the homes the farmers had for their employees and they were disguisting. The sad part is that for them it was better than back home. The one place the farmer had buidings that were unsafe and had to be torn down. There were multiple families and some parts of the residence had no running water and dirt floors. In one section there was a Mexican blanket which was covering where there should be a door and a man walked out with a walker. He had surgery on his foot and was walking on a dirt floor. I disagree with illegal immigration but I also can't stand how those greedy employers are allowed to get away with this.

It is exactly that, slave labor.

We have to stay active and can't get complacent. John Cornyn has said he wants "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty and even though he seems to be backing off this a bit, the OBL will be pushing hard.

I hope Lindsey Graham is not able to convince many GOP Senators to walk the plank with him on amnesty.

Originally Posted by Populist

We have to stay active and can't get complacent. John Cornyn has said he wants "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty and even though he seems to be backing off this a bit, the OBL will be pushing hard.

I hope Lindsey Graham is not able to convince many GOP Senators to walk the plank with him on amnesty.

With no jobs out there, I predict we will have LOTS more help this time.
Who wants our American jobs ging to illegals? Did you hear that convicts will have most of the "green jobs."
Van Jones got that part in. He's also why criminals got all those Stimulus checks!

They are already getting vocal about illegal immigration. After the article about children of illegals walking to Washington DC to push for the dream act over 95% of comments written in the Miami Heald comments are against it and illegals. They have even begun telling people to contact their senators and congress members to tell them no. I am impressed.