Every week on Monday morning , the Council and our invited guests weigh in at the Watcher's Forum, short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture, or daily living. This week's question: What Are Your Feelings on The GOP House Leadership Saying They Are 'Hell Bent' On Passing Immigration Reform This Year?
Liberty's Spirit:Yes there needs to be immigration reform. The situation as it exists is untenable. First the government needs to secure the border. We we saw with the Bundy ranch development, when the federal government wants to, they are able to amass a huge show of force. It would be nice if they did that to oversee our security. Border states have been asking for help for years to combat the actions of those that traffic in humans and drugs, and not simply during the Obama administration. If it becomes unprofitable for coyotes and others, like the Chinese tongs and East European mafias, that actually smuggle in people through the ports of New York and on the west coast, then we could put a huge dent in human trafficking. It is a big issue here in the Untied States even though no on seems to want to talk about it. The borders are not just porous from those crossing over the Rio Grande. Furthermore, a bigger issue is that the openness of our borders allows for infiltration by terrorists groups. It is believed that our enemies already have sleeper cells throughout the country, which came undetected, including through the Canadian border (people tend to forget our border to the north in this discussion)
There however is a big problem once the border is secure: what to do with the myriad of illegal immigrants that are already living in the United States. They do take jobs away from American citizens. They are paid less than Americans, under the table, by these employers who do not file the appropriate taxes on their behalf. Furthermore, the illegals do use our healthcare system, welfare system, educational system and invariably do not pay taxes themselves on what they earn. On top of that, if they happen to have a child born in the United States, these children are entitled to safety net protections. Do we deport American citizens to a country that they know nothing about? Do we deport people who have set up roots in this country or do we create a system for them so that they can become legal? It it cheaper for this country to just let them stay and create a path to citizenship? Should they be allowed to stay but not allow them to become citizens (equal protection and civil rights issues with that one but could be overcome)?
If the government is not going to deport those who came here illegally then here is some ideas: These people broke American law when they came. Letting them off the hook without paying some recompense to society is inappropriate. I have no issue with doubling the years it takes to become a citizen once they gain a green card. Let it take them 10 not 5 years before they can apply for citizenship (heck make it 15 years, but make it a long waiting period). They should pay a fine, one that is not simply a slap on the wrist. Make it painful. When we don't pay our taxes on time the government levies penalties and interests. The government comes after citizens for monies citizens owes, let them go after these illegals. I am not opposed to the idea of the DREAM ACT for those that were brought here by their parents if they were under 14 years of age. However, the idea that going to college could alleviate their obligations to society is a nonstarter (they should not be allowed to earn scholarships or get student loans for school either). The only way to gain legal status for these persons should be through serving in the US armed services. But they also have to be able to meet the standards set by the armed services in education and ability as well. In fact I have no issue with any illegal wanting to serve in the US armed services if they want to shave off a few years from the (10 year) waiting period.
Lastly, and in some ways most importantly, is dealing with those Americans who hire illegals. There should be jail time for every year taxes were not filed and paid, huge fines levied and community service once they are let out of prison. This should include those individual families who hire illegals for any domestic purpose as well. Not simply corporations. These Americans are not filing appropriate taxes for their illegal alien employees and by doing this they are aggrandizing themselves at the expense of the American people. They are literally stealing from every one of us.
The Noisy Room: This is something I predicted long ago. You have the Progressives on the Left who want a permanent voting majority and the Progressives on the Right supporting crony capitalism and pushing for a permanent slave class for the Chamber of Commerce and their cohorts.
I consider the 'hell bent' push from the GOP House leadership as nothing short of an utter betrayal of conservative principles and America in general. All to push a Marxist agenda and line their own pockets. They have to push it this year, because it will never fly under more conservative leadership. We are no longer talking two parties, but in reality a one party system vs. the American people.
Boehner and the current power brokers of the GOP no longer represent the people who elected them -- indeed they haven't for years now -- but rather their own influence and wealth, and it's time for their constituents to un-elect them. Conversely, the party segment upon whom they heap the most abuse, hate and outright lies -- the Tea Party and those aligned with it -- resonate with the real America, the grass roots taxpayers and represent a restoration of Constitutional principles and the vision of our founding fathers.
The GOP "old guard" have morphed into self-declared enemies of America's everyman -- indeed, have created themselves as the enemies within -- and it is a matter of greatest urgency that they be unplugged from any ability to influence our economic and civil welfare. They're promising to permanently poison the political font in this country and that's simply unacceptable. It's time to fire the lot of them.
I am reminded of the boardroom scene at the end of The Secret of My Success, where the senior execs tell the corporate raider, Donald Davenport, that they are worried they'll be replaced: "What we're concerned about, frankly, is the upper management positions;" to which Davenport responds, "Most of 'em will have to go. But a handful of 'em... who have been so helpful... like yourselves, of course... will be stayin' as long as you like."
Our government has been taken over by political raiders who now control the narrative, the press and, indeed, the election results. From their behaviors, it would seem that our GOP "leadership" has found itself in a boardroom meeting with the Marxist raider who has assured them that, though most of the Republican influence will have to go, "... a handful of 'em... who have been so helpful... like yourselves, of course... will be stayin' as long as you like."
My take? Fire the bastards.Fire them all.
JoshuaPundit: First, I have problems calling this 'immigration reform'. What we are talking about here is an illegal migration problem and the failure to enforce our laws.Immigrants are people who have legal permission from a sovereign country to migrate and settle. True immigration reform would involve scrapping the diversity visas and country quotas and doing what Australia, Canada,New Zealand and other developed nations that are prime immigration targets have done - to establish a points system that changes according to the country's requirements and applies equally to anyone seeking to migrate.
What's happening here is that Speaker Boehner and the GOP establishment are listening to the consultant class that is pushing the notion of a Hispanic tidal wave that must be pandered to at all costs, a myth I already deconstructed some time ago. Conveniently, the idea of amnesty also appeases certain large donors who want to ensure a continuing supply of cheap labor,
In the end, three things are evident. First, we can continue to support large scale illegal migration or we can continue to be a welfare state,but we can't do both. Second, the importation of one select ethnic demographic consisting largely of poorly educated blue collar workers unsuited for a 21st century economy is both racist, unfair and a ultimately a recipe for balkanization and economic disaster.And finally, the security implications of unpoliced and porous borders are unacceptable for any sovereign nation, especially given the realities after 9/11.
Any politician of either party supporting what amounts to amnesty for political purposes is guilty of betraying their oath to the American people and the public trust. There is simply no excuse for it.
GrEaT sAtAn"S gIrLfRiEnD: What the heck? As crazy old Uncle Paddy (still in his dotage) implied...
"An imminent Republican debate over immigration will play into the hands of the Democratic party. With the widespread unpopularity of Obamacare, Republicans should instead focus on the embattled health-care law ahead of the 2014 midterm election. By pivoting to the issue of immigration, Republicans are walking right into the trap."
Former Colonel Congress Cat Allen West calls it a U shaped Ambush
"First of all, at a time when Americans are suffering from high levels of unemployment, they should not be adding illegals into the job market until we can rectify the situation for Americans.
The Democrats will certainly blame the Republicans for exacerbating the jobless situation for Americans and castigate the GOP as the party of big business and corporations who want cheap labor.
"Second, why would Speaker Boehner do anything that feeds more members into the liberal progressive welfare nanny-state? Who does the Speaker believe these new legal-status individuals will support?
"Think we have voter fraud issues now?
"Lastly, why would the GOP want to discourage its base, which enabled them to have a House majority in 2010?
Fair points all - yet it may be a way more smarter tactical play.
The qualifier in SOH's Heck Bent Stance is something something "44 must first prove he is a trustworthy partner in reform."
Since 64% of Americans believe 44 is a big fat fibber, The Speaker's play is a GOP smokescreen designed to knock the immigration sword out of the Dem's hand in the 2014 mid terms.
The Independent Sentinel:My initial reaction is to ask how Republicans are any different from Democrats except they are not as good at being Democrats as Democrats are. I remember when they conducted the autopsy after the 2012 election. I thought at the time that use of the word "autopsy" was unfortunate, but they weren't kidding apparently. They really are dead.
Until the border is secured and people here illegally are actually deported, we shouldn't be considering immigration reform. We shouldn't consider any immigration reform that doesn't include an assimilation component. Do we really want people coming here illegally for entitlements or do we want people who actually buy into our values and want to be real Americans?
Republicans are on a suicide mission if they think they can trust Barack Obama with an immigration reform package. Instead, they should be looking at ways to stop him from refusing to enforce the laws we have.
If Barack Obama wanted to cut down on illegal immigration, he would crack down on people who jump visas or cross our borders illegally. He doesn't and that should tell us all we need to know.
Bookworm Room: I'm very sorry that it isn't within my power to fire House leadership. Whether they support amnesty because they are payed to do so (and these payments could come from anyone from George Soros to the Chamber of Commerce) or because they actually believe amnesty will allow them to court Hispanic votes, it's a terrible, dangerous, very bad idea that will lead to a permanent Democrat majority for decades.
Even though many Hispanics ought to be Republican voters to the extent that their values center on family, hard work, faith, and a belief in life's sanctity, the Democrat party has bought and paid for them with welfare checks that outweigh all other considerations and by planting in them a sense of victimization that makes them a natural Democrat Party constituency.
The Glittering Eye:Presumably, it means that there are Congressional Republicans who are just desperate to pass an immigration reform bill with an amnesty provision in it. I can't quite seem to get my mind around that.
IMO a populist immigration reform bill could have been passed years ago but for its unacceptability to the Democratic Senate leadership. A populist immigration bill would include tighter workplace (and maybe even border) enforcement, some form of the DREAM act, and not a great deal else. All of those have supermajority popular support but much lower support from both parties in Congress.
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