Thread: Response From Senator Brown

Thank you for contacting me about my views on the current immigration proposals being considered by Congress.

I have supported legislation to curb illegal immigration by increasing criminal penalties for immigrant smuggling and document fraud, eliminating the use of government documents that are easily forged, and doubling the number of border patrol guards. Better enforcement and tougher penalties for both undocumented immigrants and their lawbreaking employers are the way to fight unauthorized employment, and employment opportunities are what drive illegal immigration.

Unless we fix the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and enforce our own labor laws, we will continue to debate how high the fence should be and how many agents should guard our border – with no real solution in sight. In 1994, the U.S. signed NAFTA, which promised, among other things, to help create a thriving middle class in Mexico. At that time there were 3 million undocumented workers in the U.S.; today there are more than 11 million. In Mexico, 9 million more live in poverty than when NAFTA was enacted. NAFTA has failed the U.S. and Mexico. By creating an atmosphere where Mexican citizens feel they have no chance of a successful life in Mexico, these ill-conceived trade agreements increase the number of illegal immigrants coming into our country.

In addition to addressing the forces that are compelling illegal immigration, we must take action to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows. While I do not support amnesty and have serious concerns about guest worker programs, I do believe our nation should consider establishing a process by which illegal immigrants can eventually earn citizenship.

The solution to our immigration problem will not be a simple one, as many things in our country need to be fixed to stop illegal immigration. It is time to take a common sense approach to immigration reform. Thank you again for contacting me.


Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown

Well, another one for AMNESTY.

For years I tried to make it as an honest man, in the construction industry. It took me a long time to realize it was a losing battle. There are so many people cheating the taxpayers, yet when you repeatedly try to help and alert the atate and/or federal authorities they seem resigned to defeat. Strike One

I attended meetings of the IRS Citizens Advisory Panel, regarding the unfair challenge that honest people face. They thought that collecting taxes out of cheaters was nigh impossible, so they would settle for what they could "realistically' collect. Strike Two

Our public safety dapartments complain that they are underfunded and therefore can not provide adequate protection. Lack of protection has cost me hundreds of thousands $. Strike Three

Our churches are supposed to be promoting honesty, decency and morality. This is why they get tax breaks and constitutional protection and the allegiance of millions. They are so mired in selective political issues that they have missed their original calling. Strike Four.

After surviving these obstacles, and returning to work (that many despise), I now find that our country has been flooded with people sneaking in here from other countries who will-- as soon as the economy slows down--provide tremendous competition, and be regarded as the darlings of the US hating, internationalist crowd.. Strike Five

Mostly I think about moving elsewhere, such as to another English speaking country that will actually protect its citizens and demand high standards for new people. But, I don't know, with my present physical handicaps, if I could survive living away from my close relatives and kin. It would be really tough, because at least I can call on them for some help in a dire crisis.

More double-speak.

You could always move to Mexico. Pretty soon there isn't going to be anybody there, anyway.

Seriously, if they don't do something to get these people to home, this problem is just going to get worse.

E-mail the Rasmussen poll results to him and his staff that shows Americans reject the Bush/Kennedy amnesty bill. I'll do this, and hope some of y'all do too!

staff email addresses:

www.outsourcecongress.org

poll results:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... mmigration