In a Temporary Lull

The Battle of the Border is at a temporary standstill.

Congress continues to struggle to investigate:

• Benghazi


• IRS


• Fast & Furious


• VA scandal

Elections are months away, and most Democrats are running for cover, and hoping to survive.

Republicans may have their own scandal in MS, with the Senate primary.  Pity - they should fully cooperate, and let the chips fall where they may.

I've an uneasy feeling - no particular reason - one of those "just before the storm" feelings.  I hope it's not justified.

Why The Proposed Immigration Bill Is NOT a Good Idea

The Guiding Principles that have been proposed are:

• NO path to citizenship - instead, the illegally-present people will have their status changed to legal resident, or citizen-but-without-voting-rights.  This would be a LEGAL status, but NOT citizenship.
  
  
  
  • I can just see the follow-up headlines:  How can those cruel, heartless, Republicans keep these LEGAL people in 2nd-class citizenship status?  Allowing this "legal but non-citizen status" is only a ploy - it will not last until the ink is dry on the agreement.
  
  
  • Not to mention the issue of people who are NOT eligible voting in many cities already.  Now, why is that a CITY problem?  Because voter fraud is harder to get away with in the smaller towns, unless it's a town with a university in it.
  
  
  
  


• These now-legal residents would learn English, learn about American legal system, and gradually become part of our society - no longer "in the shadows".
  
  
  
  • Probably a silly question - if they are "living in the shadows", then who is it that I see on the news all the time?
  
  
  
  


• They would have to pass a background check.
  
  
  
  • Statistics on crime in the immigrant population is mixed.  Academic studies tend to find low crime rates; the FBI and other official statistics show much higher rates.  See this link for a discussion of the situation, and make the judgement for yourself.
  
  
  • Keep in mind that the crime rate falling may occur even though crimes committed by immigrants are rising.  2006 FBI stats showed:
  
  
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    95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.

    
    
  
  
  • 83% of warrants for murder in Phoenix are for illegal aliens.
  
  
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    86% of warrants for murder in Albuquerque are for illegal aliens.

    
    
  
  
  • 75% of those on the most wanted list in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Albuquerque are illegal aliens.
  
  
  • 24.9% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally
  
  
  • 40.1% of all inmates in Arizona detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally
  
  
  • 48.2% of all inmates in New Mexico detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally
  
  
  • 29% (630,000) convicted illegal alien felons fill our state and federal prisons at a cost of $1.6 billion annually
  
  
  • 53% plus of all investigated burglaries reported in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas are perpetrated by illegal aliens.
  
  
  • 50% plus of all gang members in Los Angeles are illegal aliens from south of the border.
  
  
  • 71% plus of all apprehended cars stolen in 2005 in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California were stolen by Illegal aliens or “transport coyotes".
  
  
  • 47% of cited/stopped drivers in California have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 47%, 92% are illegal aliens.
  
  
  • 63% of cited/stopped drivers in Arizona have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 63%, 97% are illegal aliens
  
  
  • 66% of cited/stopped drivers in New Mexico have no license, no insurance and no registration for the vehicle. Of that 66% 98% are illegal aliens.
  
  
  
  


• They would have to pay "significant" fines and back taxes.
  
  
  
  • Because, we've NEVER seen favored groups excused from obligations that affect non-favored groups.
  
  
  • NEVER.
  
  
  • NEVER.
  
  
  
  


• They would have to support themselves, AND their families, without use of public benefits.
  
  
  
  • BUT, if their household includes American-born minor children, they already CAN get those benefits - which is a HUGE incentive to start making babies, FAST!
  
  
  • Contrary to public image of immigrant poverty, the non-natives live fairly well, compared to the natives.  See the table below for a comparison. (Click to enlarge)
  
  
  
  

"In some states, the difference with natives is even larger. In Arizona, Colorado, Texas, California, Nevada, North Carolina, Illinois, and Massachusetts the per-capita household income of natives is at least 50 percent higher than immigrants. The per-capita figures indicate that immigrant households are a good deal poorer than native household once household size is taken into account."  From the Center for Immigration Studies (quote and table)

 



 

Immigrants ALREADY use far more benefits than natives.  Who, besides a chuckleheaded Liberal/Leftist, expects that to change with legalization?

From the Center for Immigration Studies

 

 

• Eventual citizenship for those brought to the US by parents, before the age of 16.  This is a recognition that children have little choice in where they live.
  
  
  
  • The DREAM Act - this is the legislative proposal that allows non-natives who were brought to the US as children to qualify for college enrollment at citizen tuition rates - AND also includes eligibility for public subsidies for tuition, grants, and loans.  See this link for a fuller discussion of the expected impact on the taxpayers.
  
  
  
  


• Enforcement of security at the borders, as well as internally within the nation.
  
  
  
  • Current law does fingerprint international visitors, but NOT Canadians or Mexicans.  If they travel outside of certain zones, they SHOULD be required to, but, in real life, they aren't.
  
  
  • The Canadian/Mexican exception allows MANY foreign visitors to slip by at the borders.  The documents are easier to fake, don't include biometrics (fingerprints, eye scans, DNA).  So, basically, as long as you claim to be from our neighboring countries, you can ignore all of that "rigorous" security.
  
  
  
  


• Enforcement of existing laws.
  
  
  
  • What about E-Verify?  The federally-funded employment pre-screening that uses applicants work documents to keep illegals from working.
  
  
  
  

 

Here's a map of the coverage of E-Verify.  Click this link to see how YOUR state fits into the requirement for using E-Verify.

As you can see visually, MANY states do not require employees to use E-Verify.  So much for "rigorous" enforcement of employment law.

 

 

Here's the full text:

Here are the full GOP principles:

Standards for Immigration Reform

Our nation’s immigration system is broken and our laws are not being enforced. Washington’s failure to fix them is hurting our economy and jeopardizing our national security. The overriding purpose of our immigration system is to promote and further America’s national interests and that is not the case today. The serious problems in our immigration system must be solved, and we are committed to working in a bipartisan manner to solve them. But they cannot be solved with a single, massive piece of legislation that few have read and even fewer understand, and therefore, we will not go to a conference with the Senate’s immigration bill. The problems in our immigration system must be solved through a step-by-step, common-sense approach that starts with securing our country’s borders, enforcing our laws, and implementing robust enforcement measures. These are the principals guiding us in that effort.

Border Security and Interior Enforcement Must Come First

It is the fundamental duty of any government to secure its borders, and the United States is failing in this mission. We must secure our borders now and verify that they are secure. In addition, we must ensure now that when immigration reform is enacted, there will be a zero tolerance policy for those who cross the border illegally or overstay their visas in the future. Faced with a consistent pattern of administrations of both parties only selectively enforcing our nation’s immigration laws, we must enact reform that ensures that a President cannot unilaterally stop immigration enforcement.

Implement Entry-Exit Visa Tracking System

A fully functioning Entry-Exit system has been mandated by eight separate statutes over the last 17 years. At least three of these laws call for this system to be biometric, using technology to verify identity and prevent fraud. We must implement this system so we can identify and track down visitors who abuse our laws.

Employment Verification and Workplace Enforcement

In the 21st century it is unacceptable that the majority of employees have their work eligibility verified through a paper based system wrought with fraud. It is past time for this country to fully implement a workable electronic employment verification system.

Reforms to the Legal Immigration System

For far too long, the United States has emphasized extended family members and pure luck over employment-based immigration. This is inconsistent with nearly every other developed country. Every year thousands of foreign nationals pursue degrees at America’s colleges and universities, particularly in high skilled fields. Many of them want to use their expertise in U.S. industries that will spur economic growth and create jobs for Americans. When visas aren’t available, we end up exporting this labor and ingenuity to other countries. Visa and green card allocations need to reflect the needs of employers and the desire for these exceptional individuals to help grow our economy.

The goal of any temporary worker program should be to address the economic needs of the country and to strengthen our national security by allowing for realistic, enforceable, usable, legal paths for entry into the United States. Of particular concern are the needs of the agricultural industry, among others. It is imperative that these temporary workers are able to meet the economic needs of the country and do not displace or disadvantage American workers.

Youth

One of the great founding principles of our country was that children would not be punished for the mistakes of their parents. It is time to provide an opportunity for legal residence and citizenship for those who were brought to this country as children through no fault of their own, those who know no other place as home. For those who meet certain eligibility standards, and serve honorably in our military or attain a college degree, we will do just that.

Individuals Living Outside the Rule of Law

Our national and economic security depend on requiring people who are living and working here illegally to come forward and get right with the law. There will be no special path to citizenship for individuals who broke our nation’s immigration laws – that would be unfair to those immigrants who have played by the rules and harmful to promoting the rule of law. Rather, these persons could live legally and without fear in the U.S., but only if they were willing to admit their culpability, pass rigorous background checks, pay significant fines and back taxes, develop proficiency in English and American civics, and be able to support themselves and their families (without access to public benefits). Criminal aliens, gang members, and sex offenders and those who do not meet the above requirements will not be eligible for this program. Finally, none of this can happen before specific enforcement triggers have been implemented to fulfill our promise to the American people that from here on, our immigration laws will indeed be enforced.

The Voting Rights Act Case Decision

Why is this so important?

Because formerly solidly-Democrat regions of the country (much of the South) are in DANGER of turning Republican.

The only way to prevent that is to flood the voting ranks with phony registrations, particularly in dense parts of the states involved.  You can't as easily do that if you have to phony up some identification.  So, the ID laws slow the "progress" of the Progressive's taking over the state (and, through their domination of the votes at the state level, the federal vote - executive and senatorial).

In some of these states (the Carolinas, for example), MANY non-citizens try to vote - often, they succeed.  Other chronic offenders are the "sunbirds" - those seniors that split their time between a Northern state and a Southern one.  SOME of them vote twice - once in the summer state, and once in the winter state.  Increase in the absentee voting has facilitated that fraud.

Yes, I do call it fraud.  In some cases, the senior may not be smart enough to realize that they are committing a crime (their dimness leads some conservatives to believe that these are Democratic voters - not me, but some).

Look for changes to be in effect by the next fall elections.  Should be interesting.

MY Red Line

I found this post on Ace of Spades.  It brings up the idea of a Red Line - the absolutely non-negotiable issues that will lead you to reject a party nominee.

Such as the Amnesty Bill - it WILL eliminate any possibility of keeping a border.  Our borders will turn into a turnstile, manned with guards who produce a "Yes, Master" cringing response when ANYONE - for ANY reason - decides that they chose to walk across the border.

Do I want immigration?  Not particularly.  I'm not against someone coming to this country and ASKING for a chance to become a citizen.  I just see no reason why the American citizens who are unemployed have to watch aliens given preferential treatment to take any available jobs.

But-but-but, you see, there are all these RULES in the bill that keep that from happening....

Crap.  EVERY one of those "rules" can be waived by order of the executive branch - and they already are, in that deportation orders are negated, agents are ordered to let criminals go - ACTUAL criminals, who have committed felonies.

It's a bad bill.  Also, the way the "reconciliation process" is structured, once a bill passes both houses, ANY and ALL changes that a small committee agrees to, even if they have been rejected by one of the chambers, gets into the bill.

UPDATE:  It looks as though the Liars have come up with a "compromise" that includes SOME of the restrictions that the opponents have looked for.

Have you learnt NOTHING, Charlie Browns?  Lucy will pull that football from under you, AGAIN.

I find it hard to believe that the Stupid is so deeply ingrained in some people.

Frankly, the ONLY thing that makes sense is widespread blackmail.  Given the Thug-in-Chief's history, it's a reasonable assumption.

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Life After the Election

It's over 1 week into the last term of Obama (if you don't believe that it's possible that he may try a power grab near the end of his term). Many people looked at their paychecks, and said "What!" It's difficult to believe that they, somehow, thought that the tax increases would just pass them by. I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying "I TOLD you so" in a smarmy voice.

It's just the beginning - we'll be facing WAY more in Ooops, Surprise! from the administration. To give the public everything they asked for without raising taxes is simply not possible.

The part of this all that I am beginning to truly fear is this summer. I live in a city, as does most of my family. If sequestration does take effect, expect the "poor" (I put it in quotes to distinguish them from the truly impoverished - most of the former are making more, if you count their access to EBT, heat subsidies, rent subsidies, and all the rest, than the people to work to provide them with the benefits) to express their displeasure in LOUD, DESTRUCTIVE, and FRIGHTENING WAYS.

Post-Election, Post-Holiday Slump

There is a lot on my mind right now:

• Fast & Furious fallout continues. But the media treats the whole thing like a closed issue. Where is Congress on this? Please, PLEASE - write your Congressman, urging them to add their voice to continued hearings - INCLUDING getting access to all of the "privileged" communications.


• Then, right after that, you let them know that SOME of us care that over 300 Mexican nationals, and at least 1 Border Patrol agent, were killed by guns that the Obama administration authorized to sell to "straw purchasers". In fact, they didn't just AUTHORIZE the sale, they PRESSURED gun dealers to allow them.


• The Debt, and the non-existent Budget - 4 years without one - are crushing our economy - at least, that part that remains after the Obamacare juggernaut rolls on by. What is interesting is that the majority of the Tea Party is OLDER Americans - in contrast to the seniors of the AARP - who care more about not leaving debt to the grandchildren than for their own comfort.


• Voter Fraud - it DOES exist, and we need to start doing something about it NOW, before it causes yet another election to be questionable. Begin with:
  
• Voter PHOTO ID. ID must show full face. Obviously, states must provide photo ID for those people who don't drive, or free for those who can't afford it otherwise. The ONLY other ID that may be acceptable, and it will be the STATE'S decision, is fingerprint ID, coupled with indelible ink. If it's good enough for the Middle East, it's good enough here.


• The assault on the Catholic Church must be stopped. Government is forbidden to interfere with the religious practices of citizens, unless they violate the criminal law. Civil law is bound to respect the religious principles of church members. Heck, they even work overtime to make sure that obscure or odd religions can practice freely, even holding that Native Americans can use peyote and other similar substances in the practice of THEIR religion, even though that violates criminal drug laws.

This is just a short list of the things I'm concerned about.

There's a Change Coming - But It Won't Be What the Leftists Anticipate

Rand Paul is, to my surprise, shaping up as a reasonable possibility for leadership of the Republican Party. His dad's followers would be wise to consider moving their support to the son.

Here's what he has to say about Harry Reid's latest Power Play.

Some Immigration Thoughts

Let's look at what WE, the Americans, need of the new immigrants:

• They should be self-supporting, or sponsored by someone who IS self-supporting, who will provide a guarantee that they do NOT take government benefits while still a non-citizen.


• They MUST have at least a high-school diploma.  Preference should be given to those applying that have a college degree.  Statistics say that, if we do allow those who  haven't reached that level in, they are far more likely to be a burden, not a benefit, to our economy.


• More recent studies have shown that the situation hasn't changed.  We have MANY Americans without specialized skills/college degrees of usefulness, who are unemployed.  Does it make ANY sense to bring in more unskilled laborers?


• The issue of American citizens, born in this country, whose parents are illegally here, is, indeed, a problem.  I'm generally against the parents staying, once their status is known, unless they are NOT in violation of any laws, including those of using someone else's identity to get work (that's a hard thing, I know, as it's really difficult to get work without committing a crime.  Still, the suffering that the crime causes for the person whose identity is stolen is immense - it wrecks their credit, compromises their medical identity, and can cause them difficulties with the legal system).


• NO ONE, EVER, who has illegally voted in an American election should be eligible for citizenship, or for residency. And, because I'm all about being fair, anyone who has voted fraudulently (yes, even Granny in FL who also votes absentee in the northern state she came from), should lose their right to vote - FOREVER.

Remember That Voter Fraud That Didn't Exist?

A Democratic candidate who voted in two different places just dropped out of the race, citing "personal reasons".

 

Right.

 

Personal reasons - like she is going to face CRIMINAL charges against her person.