The Immigration Factor in 2008

I would like to hear thoughts on how Democrat's failure to reject Amnesty will hurt/help them in 2008. Personally, I believe the pubs will ride this issue of no amnesty into the White House. I don't want that to happen, but feel it just may.

It's actually a lose-lose situation for Republicans. This issue is very important to their base, but very unpopular with independents.

Incidently, independents voted for Busby by a 3 to 1 margin yesterday. If that number holds nationally, we'll win the election 56% to 44%.

Why does this result surprise so many people? Why are people ready to jump off roof tops? This is a Republican district by 20+%. 50% of registered voters there are Republican. Dude won 50% of the vote. Southern Cal. San Diego. Their homes are worth more than your life. Can you think of a couple of reasons why Republicans in southern CA would be all hot about illegal immigration?

Anyone that is sweating their jobs ... you just arent going to tell them about kindness to immigrants and open borders and guest workers and H1Bs ... People have heard the song and dance for a long time and one by one they watch the jobs dry up. Its not fine and wonderful. Dont kid yourself. This is one big loser to working america and I doubt even organized labor will be much interested in following the lead of their dutyful leadership.

A majority of rank-and-file Democrats want illegal immigration reduced or eliminated. They don't want amnesty and they don't want guest workers. With wages and employment stagnating, working Americans don't want increased job competition from low-wage illegal immigrants.

The Democratic Party leadership has sold out working Americans on this issue, and taken the side of the rich Corporatocracy and George Bush.

Their stance on this issue may completely eliminate the gains that could have been made from Bush's corruption and ineptitude.

It's not too late, however. Our Democratic legislators and candidates need to start paying attention to their constituents, instead of their rich campaign contributors. Trying to sell amnesty and guest workers to working Americans is like putting perfume on a pig. It still stinks, no matter how much you put on.

unlawflcombatnt

EconomicPopulistCommentary

EconomicPatriotForum

___________
The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."

Feinstein and Boxer voted for the Senate's massive increased immigration, guest worker, amnesty plan, I called their offices to tell them they would NEVER get another vote from me. Democrat elites need to wake up and hear that the rank and file of their party who are not sharing in this "booming economy" want the borders closed. They want to vote for someone who will put our citizens' interests first, for a change.

Democrats are kidding themselves if they think they can do anything but lose seats in 2006 and 2008 unless they start listening to the polls which are expressing the peoples' will loud and clear. I believe many Democrats will vote Republican if it comes to that in order to close the borders and stop the illegal immigration which is depressing wages.

:kick:

To clear up some facts, let me start with the fact about the proposed guest worker program. It is NOT Amnesty, not at all. Nobody would be "jumping ahead in the line". Those who would sign up would have to wait 11 years for green cards and pay fines---and not cut off those who have applying legally.

Amnesty is the immediate granting of residency/citizenship to any illegal immigrant regardless of their activity in this country or how long they've been here. Reagan granted such amnesty some 20 years ago. The Kennedy-McCain bill does no such thing. It recognizes first that with 11-20 million illegals in this country, there is currently no way in hell anyone's going to be able to track them all down and deport them, and passing a law that declares them to be "felons" certainly won't help.

The Kennedy-McCain bill calls for the deportation of any illegal immigrants found to be here less than 2 years after the bill's passage into law. It requires all other illegal immigrants to pay fines, pay back taxes, obey all laws, pass an english exam, and work here for about 5 years before they are even able to apply for full citizenship. It offers a way to identify who they are, unlike other proposals.

2nd--the United States had made it really hard to emigrate if you are from Mexico. While it may take 1-5 years if you are from say, Western Europe, it can take 5-20 years if you are Mexican. You must be sponsored by an employer or a relative. And you must have the money, it is expensive to emigrate---so, if you don’t have that, then you can’t apply.

If you are a poor Mexican, who can’t afford to feed your family, much less save up for applying to get it--if you have the means, then desperation is quite a motivation factor.

US immigration laws are draconian and humiliating. I have a friend who emigrated legally from Brazil and it was a horrible and demeaning process for her.

I live in Southern Arizona and have all my life. I am 3rd generation Mexican-American, who doesn't speak Spanish because my family was made to feel ashamed of you they were.

I am supporter of a comprehensive immigration policy and a wall would do NOTHING to stem the flow of people coming here. If anything, it will divide the country even more; not to mention the bad precedent it sends to our neighbors.

The border is an unique area, filled with great people and an integrated culture that cant be understood until you spend time here.

My husband is a restaurant manager and has been in the business over 15 years now. In his experience, most of the American-born, anglo kids that came to work in the restaurant did not last too long. They complained about the work. I see that all over this country. Such an entitled people we've become, many whom has done nothing special to achieve having American citizenship, other than by the luck of being born here.

I think what is happening in this country on the question of immigration is really about the future of our country. We should not continue supporting bills that asks us to criminalize 11 million human beings in this country. It must NOT raise the specter of mass deportation and ignite a flame of intolerance that this country is not about.

Chavez, whose picture you use, was strongly opposed to illegal immigration because it drives down wages of legal residents. His granddaughter twists his view for her own ends.

The problem isn't really just about life around the border, and one doesn't need to live at the border to feel the effects of illegal immigration.

You're right, this debate is about the future of our country. There are millions of personal stories like yours that illustrate why this issue is so divisive. Just here on DU, one can read account after account of how middle class Americans have been hurt by the demand for cheap labor. In my own opinion, in a time of limited resources, it just comes down to asking whether current citizens deserve the support of their elected officials, or whether we will spend our money and energy satisfying the desires of big business and fixing the problems Mexico has failed to address in its own economy.

Amnesty is the pardoning of someone who has broken the law. That's exactly what Bush proposes with illegal immigrants and their employers. It doesn't matter if the illegal immigrants pay a trivial fine, which in many cases is less than what they'll receive in Earned Income Tax Credit. It's still AMNESTY.

"Paying back taxes, obeying all laws, and being able to speak English" is what we expect ALL citizens to do in the first place. That's not any kind of penalty or hardship. It's to be expected.

Illegal immigrants have broken the law by being in this country, plain and simple. The employers who've hired them have also broken the law. Both will be forgiven for their illegal activity under the Senate plan.

You whine about "Anglos" not lasting at your restaurant very long. Did you ever think of paying them more? Also, are you currently replacing them with illegal immigrants who'll work for less?



unlawflcombatnt

EconomicPopulistCommentary

Economic Patriots' Forum

___________
The economy needs balance between the "means of production" & "means of consumption."