Thread: Supporters hope agriculture will push immigration bill throu

Supporters hope agriculture will push immigration bill through Congress

Last Updated: August 23, 2007, 01:25:20 AM PDT
By MICHAEL DOYLE Sun-Star Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Get ready for another ride on the immigration roller coaster.

On Thursday, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein will be assuring a San Joaquin Valley audience that Congress will once more take up a big agricultural guest-worker bill. A top priority for Valley farmers, the bill soon could resurface on Capitol Hill.

"Agriculture is going to push this thing," Manuel Cunha, president of the Fresno-based Nisei Farmers League, said Wednesday.

The agricultural guest-worker package is getting its second wind two months after comprehensive immigration reform collapsed in the Senate. Realistically, it still faces very steep odds. Still, political optimists can sketch out a scenario for snatching success from seeming defeat.

Dubbed AgJobs, the legislation first introduced in September 2003 culminated years of negotiations among farmers and the United Farm Workers. It would offer legal residency, and eventually U.S. citizenship, to 1.5 million illegal immigrants now working in agriculture. It also would streamline an existing guest-worker program.

Step one in the plan for passage calls for farmers and their allies to emphasize anew the dangers of losing an agricultural workforce.

One-third or more of U.S. farm workers are in this country illegally, according to conventional estimates.

"You can't pick peaches or operate a canning plant if you don't have the people," Cunha said.

An active player in immigration negotiations, Cunha will be watching Feinstein's appearance Thursday at Fresno's Sunnyside Country Club. Recently, he took part in an immigration conference call with White House officials who are maneuvering in their own way.

Step two relies on the latest promise by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that he will help pass an agricultural guest-worker bill this year. With Senate floor time limited, and the legislative calendar running out, a commitment like this becomes essential.

"I am committed to doing something about AgJobs," Reid declared in late July, in response to Feinstein's questions. "I hope we can do something soon."

Revealing one potential but controversial new tactic, Reid specified he "will do everything" he can to include the agricultural guest-worker package as part of a larger farm bill. The House already has passed its version of a farm bill, without immigration provisions.

The Senate will take up the issue next.

But with billions of dollars of agricultural subsidies at stake, the farm bill has a political constituency that may be hesitant about getting bogged down in immigration.

"There are some issues that are going to require some major amending before we will be agreeable to bringing that bill up on the farm bill," Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia cautioned during debate.

If the farm bill doesn't work out as a vehicle, Reid added, he will try to bring up the 109-page agricultural guest-worker bill as a "freestanding" bill or perhaps attach it to something else.

"There is no industry in the United States that faces the crisis agriculture does right now," Feinstein declared.

Step three in the AgJobs game plan relies on employer anxiety over a new Bush administration plan for cracking down on companies that hire illegal immigrants. Two weeks ago, the White House announced plans to send out tens of thousands of so-called "no-match" letters.

These letters will notify employers that an employee's name and Social Security number don't match government records. Potentially, employers could be fined for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. More than one agricultural lobbyist believes the White House hopes angry business leaders will now lean on Congress to change the immigration laws.

"I think that's going to increase the motivation," Cunha said.

Thirty senators currently co-sponsor the AgJobs bill, although Feinstein said she believes she has the 60 votes needed to overcome a potential filibuster. Even so, the House would then have to approve its own version of the bill, which is something that Reps. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, and George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, have urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to do in a new letter.

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/local/stor ... 3418c.html

More than one agricultural lobbyist believes the White House hopes angry business leaders will now lean on Congress to change the immigration laws.

We are going to have to lean hard ourselves or businesses are going to get there way and then were back to square one!

I still say we form a tax revolt. Get a good 80-100 million people to pledge to stop paying taxes if we don't get our way. Namely enforcing our current immigration laws, cut the paying for illegal aliens children education, and quit paying for illegal aliens in general.

I think it's a good idea what do you guys think?

Every true American is in an uproar over all of this but we are all going in different directions trying to fight it. How do you get everyone together to commit to one large thing that would make a difference? If we could figure that out America would be America again.

How about arresting all of the Illegal Aliens, prosecute them, then have them work in the Agiculture Business until their time is served.Then deport them.

Jointhefight,


We have to find the cause that would have the most impact and fight for it. I picked taxes, because this country runs on money. If the vast majority take away the collection plate and refuse to pay then things will HAVE to change. As the government and all it's wastefully run programs will collapse without the money coming into to support them. They can't take out loans because the lenders will see that they won't be getting any money in to pay back the loan.

Every person I've spoke to as agree'd that that would have the biggest impact. We the people are in control, not the government. They are wanting to sell us out and have us pay for it. If we take away the money, we take away their control, and we dictate to them what we want done. No more legislating from the bench, no more illegals getting money and welfare services ment for American citizens and no more goverment telling us we need these people.

Originally Posted by Hapexamendios

Jointhefight,


We have to find the cause that would have the most impact and fight for it. I picked taxes, because this country runs on money. If the vast majority take away the collection plate and refuse to pay then things will HAVE to change. As the government and all it's wastefully run programs will collapse without the money coming into to support them. They can't take out loans because the lenders will see that they won't be getting any money in to pay back the loan.

Every person I've spoke to as agree'd that that would have the biggest impact. We the people are in control, not the government. They are wanting to sell us out and have us pay for it. If we take away the money, we take away their control, and we dictate to them what we want done. No more legislating from the bench, no more illegals getting money and welfare services ment for American citizens and no more goverment telling us we need these people.

Oh i agree that would be very effective. But so would some other things too. Problem is getting everyone to agree to commit to something and stick with it. To many people would rather sit back and let others fight.

Originally Posted by JoinTheFight

Originally Posted by Hapexamendios

Jointhefight,


We have to find the cause that would have the most impact and fight for it. I picked taxes, because this country runs on money. If the vast majority take away the collection plate and refuse to pay then things will HAVE to change. As the government and all it's wastefully run programs will collapse without the money coming into to support them. They can't take out loans because the lenders will see that they won't be getting any money in to pay back the loan.

Every person I've spoke to as agree'd that that would have the biggest impact. We the people are in control, not the government. They are wanting to sell us out and have us pay for it. If we take away the money, we take away their control, and we dictate to them what we want done. No more legislating from the bench, no more illegals getting money and welfare services ment for American citizens and no more goverment telling us we need these people.

Oh i agree that would be very effective. But so would some other things too. Problem is getting everyone to agree to commit to something and stick with it. To many people would rather sit back and let others fight.

It's been my experiance as most don't know what is going on because they don't actively look for it. They are misinformed to make the decision required to fight. Thanks to that great American education system of keeping us dumb. DOE needs to go.

Originally Posted by Hapexamendios

I still say we form a tax revolt. Get a good 80-100 million people to pledge to stop paying taxes if we don't get our way. Namely enforcing our current immigration laws, cut the paying for illegal aliens children education, and quit paying for illegal aliens in general.

I think it's a good idea what do you guys think?

If they keep this up we wont have any income to pay taxes on!



P.S. The thing is they don't really need our taxes. Whenever they want money, they print money. Like they are doing now to cover all of their wars and to give to the banks to keep them from going under.

None of have faced reality as far as spending goes in decades. Well at least me anyway.