The Republican Senate and the Temptation of Immigration Reform

llAnyone who believes in the Constitution and the primacy of individual rights and freedom should be relieved after the electoral beat-down administered to Harry Reid’s do-nothing Senate. Over the last 6 years the federal Leviathan has grown fatter and fatter, every pound coming at the cost of our freedom and autonomy, not to mention the trillions of borrowed dollars burned in various Keynesian stimulus fires. At the same time, the imperial presidency of Obama, abetted by his courtiers in the Senate, has trampled the Constitution’s limits on government power, and extended intrusive, inefficient, wasteful federal bureaucracies into the business of the states and the rights of the people.

Anything that slows down or challenges this expansion in the next two years will be welcome. The President should be made either to sign or to veto legislation on reforming taxes, securing the border, and correcting the flaws of Obamacare, to name a few issues voters are concerned about. And every piece of legislation should make clear that its ultimate goal is to restore to our politics the ideals of freedom, and the virtues of self-reliance, self-responsibility, and prudence.

Yet there is a danger that many Republicans in the Senate will heed the siren song of “getting things done” and “bi-partisan cooperation” already being sung by the usual progressive mouthpieces. Here’s Tom Brokaw, mouthpiece emeritus of NBC news, on the implications of the Republican victory:

“They [the voters] are thinking that they would like to have Washington get something done. And the question is not just which party can get it done, but how can they change the tone in Washington so they can work together . . . The question then is what are they [Republicans] prepared to give to the Democrats to meet them at middle ground? What they are going to do about immigration? What are they are going to do about the minimum wage?”

Brokaw’s examples of immigration and the minimum wage tip his hand. The subtext is that “cooperation” and “working together” on these issues really mean that Republicans give ground to pass legislation the other side wants for ideological and political advantage. No matter how much evidence piles up, for example, that raising the minimum wage does little to help those who need it most, like working families––half of minimum-wage earners are 16-24 years old, and a quarter are teenagers–– the progressive mantra of “income inequality” continually exploits this issue for political gain. In Brokaw’s view, then, if Republicans ignore the fact that raising the minimum wage could cost half a million jobs, according to the CBO, and they go ahead and “compromise” with the Democrats and vote to raise it, then they will be doing the right thing. As usual, progressive harping on “gridlock” and “obstructionism” is usually code for the other side’s sticking to its principles.

Yet “immigration reform” is a greater danger, for several Republican Senators last year joined with Democrats in writing the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” bill, an overstuffed farrago of changes to immigration law, the most dangerous of which is a virtual amnesty for illegal aliens. Of course, improved “border enforcement” is part of the bill, but we’ve been down that road before. In 1986 Ronald Reagan signed the bi-partisan Immigration Reform and Control Act, which granted amnesty to nearly 3 million illegal aliens, along with stricter rules against hiring illegal aliens, a presumably thorough vetting process for those getting citizenship, and informal pledges that there would be stricter enforcement of the border. We all know how that worked out: the border remained porous, the employment sanctions were ineffective, and now we have nearly 12 million illegal aliens living and working in this country.

There are two reasons why some Republicans are willing to repeat this mistake. First, certain industries obviously depend on cheap labor to do work Americans don’t want to do. They have a point, since there is a lot of hard, dirty, physically taxing work American citizens are unlikely to do without labor costs pricing products or services out of the market. And many don’t have to take those jobs, since food stamps, Social Security Disability, extended unemployment payments, and other social-welfare transfers make it easier not to work. There is a fierce theoretical debate about whether these unemployed Americans would work if wages were increased enough, and the supply of cheap labor reduced. But as long as welfare for those who don’t work and cheap labor for employers remain available, we’ll never know the answer to that question.

The more delusional argument is that growing numbers of Latino Democratic voters will eventually swamp the Republican Party if it does not reach out to this demographic and do something to show that Republicans aren’t the xenophobic, nativist, or racist troglodytes of mainstream media caricatures. Usually accompanying this argument are encomia to those 12 million God-fearing, hardworking, family-values illegal aliens whose natural political homes would be the Republican Party if not for the extremist nativists on the fringe who keep blocking immigration reform. Little evidence, however, suggests that caving in on illegal aliens will win over millions of Latino voters, 75% percent of whom favor a “bigger government providing more services,” according to a Pew poll, a view consistent with the policies of the Democratic Party. It’s patronizing and reductive to think that Latino voters––a complex demographic with multiple, often-conflicting interests–– determine their vote simply on the issue of illegal aliens at the expense of all those other interests or concerns.

More important, the pro-amnesty Republicans have done little to convince us skeptics that they have a reliable and effective means of sorting out those illegal aliens who possess all those laudable qualities and values and so deserve to become citizens. The 1986 bill had a lot of tough talk that in the event was ineffective in separating the good from the bad. Over the past year talk has circulated that in any eventual reform even a few DUIs or convictions for welfare fraud won’t prevent an illegal alien from getting citizenship. But right now we can’t even track and keep out of the country thousands of illegal alien felons. The illegal alien who recently murdered 2 sheriff deputies in Sacramento had racked up 10 misdemeanor violations and been deported twice. Indeed, in 2013, 60% of deportations were of foreigners who had already been deported. What makes us think that the CRI will put in place reliable mechanisms to improve on this sorry record and keep thugs and felons from becoming citizens or continually crossing our semi-open border?

Of course, something must be done about the problem of 12 million illegal aliens residing in our country. The costs of the criminal activities of a substantial portion of this group, as well as of social services, are high both in dollars and in social disorder. As for the former, according to the Heritage Foundation, the difference between taxes paid and “direct and means-tested benefits, education, and population-based services” received by illegal aliens is $54.5 billion a year. Grant them amnesty and make them eligible for other benefits reserved for citizens, and the tab will increase to $106 billion. These figures don’t include the ancillary costs of crime and disorder of which legal citizens, unlike the affluent Senators and pro-amnesty plutocrats, must bear the brunt.

So far the victorious Republicans are studiously ignoring immigration reform. House Speaker John Boehner and soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didn’t mention it at all in their Wall Street Journal op-ed outlining the Republican Congress’s “priorities” for next year. But Obama’s recent threat to use Executive Orders to do something about immigration if the Republicans don’t act might tempt some Republicans to resurrect the CIR bill in order to head off the president. Mitt Romney has predicted action on immigration in a Republican-controlled Senate, and Ari Fleischer wrote last week, “It is high time for the GOP to move forward on immigration reform.” With the 2016 presidential election in mind, such Republicans, hoping to peel off Hispanic voters, may want to prove that the party isn’t filled with xenophobes and racists. And others may want to demonstrate they can “govern” and “solve problems” through “bipartisan consensus,” and so avoid the usual mainstream media charges of “obstructionism” and “gridlock” that they believe turn voters against them.

They should resist this temptation and pass only immigration legislation that strengthens border security by whatever means necessary. And they should remember that what many decry as “gridlock” is in fact James Madison’s “balance of power,” the protection of individual freedom from concentrations of federal power.

Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.  

Subscribe to Frontpage’s TV show, The Glazov Gang, and LIKE it on Facebook.

  • Well Done

    This idea that “no one is illegal” is probably the most stupid, senseless campaign. Ever. If we combine that stupidity with another rather stupid little slogan, “think globally, act locally”, we can come to the conclusion that a person has no right to prevent strangers from moving into his house. This shows how full of it activists are. It’s like there are so many people who want to be activists that there are no sensible causes left… they’re grasping at whatever daft idea percolates up from one of their “workshops”. LOL calling these little get-togethers “workshops” is itself rather stupid… the whole point of most of these peoples activism is to totally avoid actually doing any useful work.

    • nomoretraitors

      “Progressives” are not “daft.” They know exactly what they are doing — undermining white America by flooding it with illiterate unskilled hordes who will need the help of the Democratic plantation

      • Betty4440

        you know what I fail to understand is if the want to be AMERICANS. why then do thy want to fly a foreign flags? and not learn English? can any one answer this question? and really act like AMERICANS TRUE AMERICANS. NOT COMMIES AND MUSLIMS.

        • MarilynA

          I figured out why immigrants, especially these illegal ones, start yammering to set up a system of government like the ones from which they fled. Once they get here and get a minimum wage job. or welfare benefits, and manage to get a roof over their heads with indoor plumbing, running water and electricity. and get an old car, they look around and realize that they now possess as much as the rich people have back in their third world countries. So they immediately start yammering to change our system to the one like back home because they think that if things were the same here as there they too would be a “Patrone.”

  • 11bravo

    Border enforcement first. Boehner needs to call the president out personally on this.
    Make the statement that the democrats are blocking a path to citizenship – all they need to do is control our borders first – then we talk pathway. Obama will be out of office by then.

  • http://www.cafepress.com/americanoriginals Freedom1958

    Border enforcement is critical, but we must step up interior enforcement even more. The illegals come because, once they’re in, they really don’t have to worry much about deportation. People hire them because the worst they are likely to get is a fine if caught.
    We need deportation to be the default action. We need mandatory jail terms for those who hire or harbor illegals. We need mandatory e-verify, and the system should be opened up to the point where a home owner can use it to screen people who want to mow his yard.
    To sum it up, we need to make the United States a more hostile place for illegal aliens than their home countries. If we do that, most will leave of their own accord.

    • Gee

      US laws on hiring, transporting and housing illegal aliens already has prison sentences and the fines are in the thousands of dollars per alien.

      The Attorney General is the problem – he refuses to enforce the laws on the books already

      • Betty4440

        well the little o has appointed a new one and more than likely she will be no better than Holder.

      • MarilynA

        Another problems is that our jails are so luxurious that most prisoners fare better while locked up than they would back on the street where they came from. We need to stop making our jails and prisons so much like luxury hotels. Bringing back the chain gangs might be a good idea.

        • Gee

          The prison terms are for Americans hiring, transporting and housing illegal aliens

          • A Disqus User

            “Multiculturalism” is a program that is FORCED upon EVERY & ONLY White countries.

            “Multiculturalism” is a program to turn EVERY White country into a non-White country.

            This IS geNOcide. WHITE geNOcide.

            If you are White, and you object to your own geNOcide, you are called a RACIST!

            Well guess what, my people, White people, are catching on very quickly to the following two things:

            1 – Multiculturalism is a code for White geNOcide.

            2 – Anti-racist is a code for anti-White.

      • dwayne roberson

        I would be more optimistic if “get things done” meant enforce existing law. Political egos would rather put their name on new legislation out of approbation lust more then impactful results. The arrogance of now. They don’t bother to read legislation they actively pass so it is no surprise they are ignorant of neglected law already in place.

      • Skip V. Patel

        Arrest the employers and the problem will be solved in a matter of days.

    • Aubryn

      We are unlikely to see progress on many of these points unless and until Congress is willing to deal with the fact that our illegal president cannot pass e-verify himself. Obama’s intent is to erase our borders entirely with the goal of fundamentally transforming America until there is no America.

  • http://www.GodAuthoredBible.com geneww1938

    I have read too many articles about RINOs and politicians concerned about losing the 2016 elections if they do what they believe is right [for our country] concerning all aspects of illegal immigration and those here that are illegal.

    I wish they would ignore the 2016 consequence and just do right on a day by day basis. Then 2016 would find us wanting them to return in a massive way.

    It is about time they stop selling their soul to Satan’s American Dream of wealth, fame, luxurious living… and instant gratification of their lusts at the expense of their character, Biblical principals & tenets and the interests of our Constitution and people.

    • SuzyQ

      IF they allow amnesty the consequences of 2016 will be no more republicans ever voted into office. Do they NOT see this?

  • Larry Larkin

    The only “hands across the aisle” that should be shown to the Democrats are with fingers skyward – one with the knuckles facing the Democraps and the middle finger extended up, and the other with the fingers up and the palm out, accompanied by the words “talk to the hand”.

  • notme123

    “illegal” not according to or authorized by law……illegal immigrants/aliens, whatever, they may be human beings but they are still illegal…
    and as for the “bipartisan” bs, what happened to the over 300 bills on dirty harry’s desk?! dump them all on 0′s lap, and see what happens.

  • chickenman555

    Just secure the border, No more, no less. No minimum wage increase. Enforce our current laws. NO KOWTOWING TO OBAMA AND THE PROGRESSIVES. Remember, obolo told Republicans to sit in the back of the bus. They can ride, but they can’t steer the bus. Now is not the time to be bi-partisan. Job one is restoring our country. That includes defunding obamacare, auditing the fed. get rid of IRS. Pass the bills so obolo has to sign them or veto them. Put the onus on his back for a change. And then ride the horse. Don’t give in to the liberal media and their machine.

    Oh, yes, we need someone besides McConnell to be senate majority leader. Jess Sessions comes to mind. McConnell is too indoctrinated with the same old, same old philosophy. Time to saddle up, America, and tell the senate and the house what this country needs. Make obolo show his hand. Reid tabled too many bills from the house to protect obolo’s agenda.

    Make them Listen.

  • GSR

    No one, not even Tom Tancredo nor Pat Buchanan is for stopping all immigration. Those two simply believe in actual law enforcement when it comes to immigration and they also believe in reasonable limits to legal immigration.
    So do I. So I believe, most Americans do also. Illegals aliens should be deported. Period. You start by deporting the “worst of the worst”, which is probably a good million or so, then work your way up the list to the “less worse”. Many, many illegals will go home on their own – self deport, out of fear. Yes, fear is needed in any law enforcement. Fear is what makes most people drive the speed limit – fear of getting a pricey traffic ticket.
    We mustn’t let the professional Latino lobby bully the American people and system to meet their whims. Most illegal aliens come here to make more money to send home to their families back in their homeland. Most had jobs back in their homelands; they are only hear to make a few dollars an hour more. The United States doesn’t exist to simply as an “employment office” for the 3rd world.
    Integrity in the immigration system must be restored and the only way to do that is to enforce laws, which means deportation for many.

    • SuzyQ

      and CLOSE the border…..

  • Douglas Mayfield

    ‘…correcting the flaws in Obamacare’?

    How do you ‘correct’ socialist poison which, even now, although it has not yet been fully implemented, is destroying health care in America?

    People voted for the Republicans because they are angry and rightly so. One of the reasons why they are angry is Obamacare which, among its disastrous affects, is wiping out private insurance. People are losing their medical insurance all over the country.

    How do you ‘fix’ that? Apparently, Mr. Thornton’s plan to ‘correct the flaws’ is to allow Obamacare to complete the eradication of private insurance and reduce everyone to absolute dependence on the government for their health care

    • MarilynA

      You are right. The premiums are so high and the deductibles are now higher than most people spend going to see doctors in a year. Ergo: Most people are now paying for insurance to cover other people’s chronic ailments while having to pay all of their own medical bills.
      Did any of you hear that the Capital gains taxes are going to be increased from 15% to 39% the first of the year? I thought I kept up to date on most things and I don’t remember Congress passing a law allowing that. Is this another one of Obola’s Executive Orders? The state of Tennesse didn’t have an income tax but it taxes interest and dividends so high I decided to move out to another state where you can at least avoid paying taxes on investment income if your income falls below the poverty level. The people of TN need to go back out there to Nashville and some more throw rocks through the windows at the state legislators until they change that law.

    • Skip V. Patel

      Private Insurance companies wrote and are reap the profits of “Obama Care”…..it’s a windfall for the insurance companies.

    • Aubryn

      I was insured with a policy that suited me perfectly, including treating my pre existing auto immune disease. That policy was cancelled as I had no neonatal care……..I had not anticipated having to carry such coverage as my adult children insure their own children. I now have no healthcare at all, and yes I am suffering. However, the pot smoking layabouts here now have medicaid.

  • Hard Little Machine

    If Obama waves his royal scepter and decrees amnesty then the states MUST enact laws blocking employment from all who are granted this amnesty and let Obama toss it to the Supreme Court.

  • rbla

    No to amnesty. However re minimum wage the GOP should give the Democrats and toadies like Brokaw what they wish for and look real “compassionate” to boot. BUT along with minimum wage severe penalties for employers who seek to hire, mostly illegal aliens, off the books. This will encourage many of those to self-deport.

  • joe kulak

    “No human being is illegal” — you may as well contend that no human being is a criminal. Of course that plays well to the lefty crowd that craves “equality” above all else, including especially, individual liberty.

    • reyol

      No human being is illegal – except for the ones inconvenient to their mothers!

  • Guest

    In the 50s, we began class with the Pledge of Allegiance, and opening prayer.
    Then—and
    as was reflected in TV shows, for example, in which the religious
    leader was the fool or the crook—in the 60s and 7i0s, we led to
    apprehend Society as progressing into a forever secular age where—except
    for the all-powerful and all-knowing State—there was to be no god.

    And
    now, most everything in the media is cast in terms of religious
    overtones—Islam is a peaceful religion; the Jews and the Moslem must
    learn to co-operate; the religious leaders is to find her place of
    assist in the community, and so on, . . .

    And, the little stone which was cut from the mountain, rolled throughout
    the earth until it became a mountain of holiness which filled the whole
    earth: However faulty and broken it must appear, inextricably, is Man
    drawn to imitate the heavenly pattern. So, in our time, a part of the
    new world regime has to do with vacating all elements of the Treaty of
    Westphalia, which is just one vector (A vector has force and direction.)
    which pressures for erasure of USA borders.

    I was in college in
    Texas, with a fellow-student who was of the ruling family in Guatemala.
    So naive, I once asked him why his national government didn’t educate
    the indigenous Indian people. He paused and then spoke ever so softly:
    “We need people to harvest the crops.”.

    Because the largest
    part of what goes on today, has to do with getting someone else to do
    the work which is essential to a higher standard of living, always, have
    various peoples desired an underclass, a working class in their midst;
    even so—and in spite
    of their protestations to the contrary—except, mostly from border
    areas, for such an underclass, there’s indirect pressure desirous of the
    benefits of having a relatively disparate and uneducated labor force,
    coming from our general USA populace, also.

    In the main, our
    beyond border southern population is composed partly, of descendants of
    Spain — for centuries, just possibly THE most corrupt nation in Europe
    (And, which may have something to do with why the USA sent our
    presidential electronic election results to Spain, to be tallied by a
    Spanish company) — and partly, of indigenous peoples who are still in
    process of being brought out of a typical heathen savagery, and again,
    in that regard, with little—or, no—help whatsoever, coming from their
    European descended over-lords.

    If you google for China’s
    interest in USA gun-control, you cannot but be surprised at China’s
    pressure in that direction, and with other things now manifesting in
    China, China appears to be in anticipation of a USA invasion.

    One high-positioned Chinese dignitary has said: “The problem with the United States is, there are too many Blacks.”.

    And with this—if it was as I remember, at one of the military trade fairs—a general from China told one of our generals: “We’re going to hurt you.”.

    If the complexities touching upon the current immigration debate are seen
    as a part of the age-old contest of goodness against evil striving for
    control of Mankind, when that invasion from China does come about, most
    likely, people with brown skin—and again, who are in process of being
    brought out of heathen darkness—will be killed.

  • Guest

    In the 50s, we began class with the Pledge of Allegiance, and opening prayer.
    Then—and
    as was reflected in TV shows, for example, in which the religious
    leader was the fool or the crook—in the 60s and 70s, we led to
    apprehend Society as progressing into a forever secular age where—except
    for the all-powerful and all-knowing State—there was to be no god.

    And now, most everything in the media is cast in terms of religious
    overtones—Islam is a peaceful religion; the Jews and the Moslem must
    learn to co-operate; the religious leaders is to find her place of
    assist in the community, and so on, . . .

    And, the little stone which was cut from the mountain, rolled throughout
    the earth until it became a mountain of holiness which filled the whole
    earth: However faulty and broken it must appear, inextricably, is Man
    drawn to imitate the heavenly pattern. So, in our time, a part of the
    new world regime has to do with vacating all elements of the Treaty of
    Westphalia, which is just one vector (A vector has force and direction.)
    which pressures for erasure of USA borders.

    When I was in college in Texas, with a fellow-student who was of the ruling family in Guatemala—and so naive—I once asked him why his national government didn’t educate the indigenous Indian people. He paused and then intoned ever so softly: “We need them to harvest the crops.”.

    Because the largest part of what goes on today, has to do with getting someone else to do the work which is essential to a higher standard of living, always, have various peoples desired an underclass, a working class in their midst; even so—and in spite of their protestations to the contrary—except,
    mostly from border areas, for such an underclass, there’s indirect
    pressure desirous of the benefits of having a relatively disparate and
    uneducated labor force, coming from our general USA populace, also.

    In

    the main, our beyond border southern population is composed partly, of
    descendants of Spain — for centuries, just possibly THE most corrupt
    nation in Europe (And, which may have something to do with why the USA
    sent our presidential electronic election results to Spain, to be
    tallied by a Spanish company) — and partly, of indigenous peoples who
    are still in process of being brought out of a typical heathen savagery,
    and again, in that regard, with little—or, no—help whatsoever, coming
    from their European descended over-lords.

    Having googled for China’s interest in USA gun-control, I could not but be
    struck by China’s seemingly inapposite pressure in that direction. And with other things
    now manifesting in China, China appears to be in anticipation of a USA invasion.

    One high-positioned Chinese dignitary has said: “The problem with the United States is, there are too many Blacks.”.

    And with this—if as I remember, it was at one of the military trade fairs—a general from China told one of our generals: “We’re going to hurt you.”. Ouch!

    If
    the complexities touching upon the current immigration debate are seen
    as a part of the age-old contest of goodness against evil striving for
    control of Mankind, when that invasion from China does come about, most
    likely, people with brown skin—and again, who are in process of being
    brought out of heathen darkness—will be killed.

  • PhillipGaley

    In the 50s, we began class with the Pledge of Allegiance, and opening prayer.

    Then—and as was reflected in TV shows, for example, in which the religious leader was the fool or the crook—in the 60s and 70s, we led to apprehend Society as progressing into a forever secular age where—except for the all-powerful and all-knowing State—there was to be no god.

    And now, most everything in the media is cast in terms of religious overtones—Islam is a peaceful religion; the Jews and the Moslems must learn to co-operate; the religious leader is to find her place of assist in the community, and so on, . . .

    And, the little stone which was cut from the mountain, rolled throughout the earth until it became a mountain of holiness which filled the whole earth: However faulty and broken it must appear, inextricably, is Man drawn to imitate the heavenly pattern. So, in our time, a part of the new world regime has to do with vacating all elements of the Treaty of Westphalia, which is just one vector (A vector has force and direction.) which pressures for erasure of USA borders.

    When I was in college in Texas, with a fellow-student who was of the ruling family in Guatemala—and so naive—I once asked him why his national government didn’t educate the indigenous Indian people. He paused and then intoned ever so softly: “We need them to harvest the crops.”.

    Because the largest part of what goes on, has to do with getting someone else to do the work which is essential to a higher standard of living, always, have various peoples desired an underclass, a working class in their midst; even so—and in spite of their protestations to the contrary—except, mostly from border areas, for such an underclass, there’s indirect pressure desirous of the benefits of having a relatively disparate and uneducated labor force, coming from our general USA populace, also.

    In the main, our beyond border southern population is composed partly, of descendants of Spain — for centuries, just possibly THE most corrupt nation in Europe (And, which may have something to do with why the USA sent our presidential electronic election results to Spain, to be tallied by a Spanish company) — and partly, of indigenous peoples who are still in process of being brought out of a typical heathen savagery which was of a long time in the making, and again, in that regard, with little—or, no—help whatsoever, coming from their European descended over-lords.

    Having googled for China’s interest in USA gun-control, I could not but be struck by China’s seemingly inapposite pressure in that way. And with other things now manifesting from China, China appears to be in anticipation of a USA invasion.

    One high-positioned Chinese dignitary has said: “The problem with the United States is, there are too many Blacks.”.

    And with this—if as I remember, it was at one of the military trade fairs—a general from China told one of our generals: “We’re going to hurt you.”. Ouch!

    If the complexities touching upon the current immigration debate are seen as a part of the age-old contest of goodness against evil striving for control of Mankind, when that invasion from China does come about, most likely, people with brown skin—and again, who are in process of being brought out of heathen darkness—will be killed.

  • mikeh420

    Mexican citizens break laws as naturally as most of us breathe air. How dare we deny them their culture.

  • Waiting

    As a child of sharecroppers, I know what hard work…work in the fields…is. It was work at one time that an honest hardworking citizen could get fairly easily because it takes a lot of hands to plant and harvest crops. The day came, however, when people in my family couldn’t get that work because illegals and *migrants* took it over. If one was not from south of the border and speaking Spanish, that one shouldn’t bother to show up for work.
    Man-made governments have many liars and those who profit from the lies.

    • Betty4440

      I can understand what you are talking about. seen it with my on eyes. cotton fields and tobacco fields.

    • Dan Knight

      Understood. … I recall doing the work ‘Americans won’t do’ – and have done for years. Many of us do – and we already get paid less after taxes than they do in cash. Bruce should spend a few weeks at Home Depot watching the ‘evil whiteys’ vs. the ‘illegals.’ I suspect even Bruce’s eyes would pop. In our town, they are half the contractors, and they pay cash – plenty of cash.

  • Erudite Mavin

    Republicans have been blocking the Democrats re amnesty and why Obama did his 2012 Dream Act Amnesty Executive Order and said he will do more.

    It is the Libertarians such as Rand Paul who push Amnesty along with Koch Bros. and tea party Express, etc.

    Immigration: Rand Paul to back path to citizenship

    ASSOCIATED PRESS | 3/18/13

    WASHINGTON

    — Republican Sen. Rand Paul said Tuesday that illegal immigrants should be
    allowed to become U.S. taxpayers and ultimately get a shot at citizenship, a
    significant step for the Tea Party favorite amid growing Republican acceptance
    of the idea.

    “Let’s start that conversation by acknowledging we aren’t going to deport” the
    millions already here, the potential 2016 presidential candidate told the U.S.
    Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

    ——————-

    Sen. Rand Paul: Illegal immigrants should be allowed to obtain legal status

    By Rosalind S. Helderman, Published: March 19, 2013

    Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a conservative tea party icon and possible 2016 presidential contender, endorsed an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws that would allow the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to obtain legalized status

    ———————

    06/12/2014

    -

    Rand Paul continues to mislead on immigration (amnesty,Bloomberg, Norquist)

    Yesterday Sen. Rand Paul spoke on a conference call organized by Michael Bloomberg’s Partnership for a New American Economy and – together with Grover Norquist – promoted comprehensive immigration reform (what most call “amnesty”).

    Bloomberg, Democrat — Norquist, Libertarian pro Islamic — Rand Paul Libertarian, Isolationist

    ———————–

    Rand Paul: GOP must get ‘beyond deportation’

    By: Katie Glueck April 1, 2014

    Sen. Rand Paul on Tuesday argued the Republican Party needs to get “beyond
    deportation” in order to break through to Hispanic voters.

    ========================================================

    Justin Amash supports pathway for citizenship for illegals as does

    Charles Koch of the Koch Brothers and the CATO Inst.,

    Tea Party Express and some of the other TP heads.,

    FreedomWorks, and the list goes on.

    Libertarian Ron Paul when in congress voted against every bill that would fence the border.

  • cree

    This rant should sound familiar.

    The immigration reform we need is to follow the formation of the immigration laws already on the books. We keep going over and over the illegal alien problem because it is still illegal for people to show up here and expect citizenship, work, education, health care or welfare. That is the case because the laws have not been repealed but ignored.

    The reason the problem is so massive and burdened with the compassion element so predominant is because we’ve kicked the can down the road for so long, ignoring blatantly the consequences to Americans and aliens alike, the laws were intended to prevent.

    If that being the agreed upon truth of the matter, it only stands to reason to enforce the laws that are on the books first, for a solution. For the millions who have taken advantage of our laws and our government has allowed that to occur, some manner of consequences should disfavor aliens severely and favor Americans adequately. The details of which should be the consequences of shame our politicians are paid to figure out, to be the servants of the people rather than oppressors to Americans and aliens alike under yokes of ineptitude. Politicians are still paid to get off easy (an executive usurping pen for social justice amnesty or a bill to grant, either way); the people will again, for all umpteen boondoggles, pay the price, for social justice.

    Think it will do any good? Is “Government is the problem” the truth?

  • Nelson

    “The primacy of individual rights and freedom” are contrary to immigration restrictions. If you believe in limited government that also means limited intervention in the free movement of goods and people across our borders. You can still limit evil dooers and harmful goods as part of a limited government, but you can not justly limit the movement of people who just want honest work.

  • gigologene

    There are a number of ways to enter the U.S. legally, well specified in our immigration law. Anyone not following one of the legal entry ways, is illegal. The term “illegal alien” fits perfectly.

    • MLCBLOG

      Yeah, I was dumfounded at the picture, the sign saying No person is illegal. Like it’s a dirty name we are calling someone. What a lack of respect and understanding for the law!!

  • Attila_the_hun

    News flush to Brokaw if the public wanted “getting things done” they would elect democrats, are you listening Tom?
    The republicans are elected to stop Obama from taking The USA over the cliff. Is that simple.

  • kcsummer

    WE DON’T NEED NEW LAWS. We need representatives that honor their promises and their oath of office. The American people are fed up with being lied to and used. Obama warns his patience is nearing an end. SO IS OURS. His “patience”? When was the last time you told your boss he better straighten up because your patience was nearing an end. OBAMA’S PATHOLOGICAL NARCISSISM is DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE STOPPED ASAP.

  • ModeratelyDisorganized

    “No human being is illegal.” Huh! Human actions are illegal…so perhaps what “illegals” should be called is “criminals.”

  • blackelkspeaks

    The number of illegal aliens has been touted as being about 12 million since before B. Hussein Obola came on the scene to plague this benighted land. Isn’t it time that we admit that the number is likely more than three times whatever the mendacious government statistic claims it to be? Then we can formulate a plan to eradicate this existential threat to our country by removing these unwanted criminal gatecrashers, which must be done if we are to ever have a future again.

    • Skip V. Patel

      U.S. Border Patrol Local 2544 stated in July of 2005:

      “There are currently 15 to 20 million illegal aliens in this country by many estimates, but the real numbers could be much higher and the numbers increase every day because our borders are not secure (no matter what the politicians tell you—don’t believe them for a second).

      Over two years ago, then Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele admitted on the Peter Boyles radio show (Denver) that the figure was more like 30 million.

  • Buddy_Rogers

    Any new agreement needs to void the Ted Kennedy 1965 Immigration Reform Act.
    For every one million Green Cards issued to people who broke into the USA a two year moratorium on ALL immigration from countries south of the US border will be implemented.
    In other words, 2.5 million new green cards issued would equal 5 years of NO ONE being allowed to immigrate from those countries under any conditions.

    Meanwhile, for each green card issued to someone who broke into the USA a green card will be issued to Western Anglicans who prove they are healthy, have sponsors, employment waiting in the wings, will not become a burden to the welfare system and have the best interest of their new country at heart.

    It is high time to end the discrimination and genocide via attrition of Caucasians that the Kennedy 1965 IRA has targeted for half a century.

  • edgineer

    First order of business should be to make it a federal crime punishable by imprisonment to hire an illegal alien. The illegals here would self deport….or starve.

    • SuzyQ

      And no social services allowed…no welfare checks, no food stamps, etc.

  • Mike Wilson

    The prospect of eliminating high manual labor costs has fueled many a technical revolution. These labor intensive industries requiring immigrant labor will be motivated to innovate once the source of cheap labor has dried up. Jobs Americans won’t do will be automated and the Chamber of Commerce will lose interest in amnesty. Stopping the flow is the solution, but robots don’t vote so Democrats remain highly motivated to continue the flow. We can expect Republicans to employ free enterprise principles.

  • USARetired

    Our economy indicates we have absolutely NO use for any illegal;s in this Nation, and should export all that are here, while sealing our borders!

  • Hard Little Machine

    Then perhaps we can prod state governments to not allow employment to anyone one of these Federal amnesty handouts by Obama. Of course it would wind up in the Supreme Court which would create a crisis no matter who wins.

  • http://geoffreybritain.wordpress.com/ Geoffrey_Britain

    “First order of business should be to make it a federal crime punishable by imprisonment to hire an illegal alien. The illegals here would self deport….or starve.” edgineer

    Bingo!!! That and cut off all benefits. Problem solved.

  • Hank Rearden

    The minimum wage is the fence around the welfare plantation.

    It is a mechanism to keep poor people – disproportionately black – on the Democratic rolls. Without reliable dependent clients who keep them in office, the Dems are on the scrapheap of history.

  • Skip V. Patel

    The author states: “….now we have nearly 12 million illegal aliens living and working in this country.”…that is pro-amnesty revisionism. The “12 Million” number has been put forward since the late 1990′s, are we to believe that DHS “statistics” are true and since the late 90′s we’ve had zero illegal immigration? Two years ago, then (Pro-Amnesty)Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele admitted on the Peter Boyles show (Denver) that the figure was more like 30 million (and growing).

    U.S. Border Patrol Local 2544 stated in July of 2005:

    “There are currently 15 to 20 million illegal aliens in this country by many estimates, but the real numbers could be much higher and the numbers increase every day because our borders are not secure (no matter what the politicians tell you—don’t believe them for a second).

    Wearing the Pro-Amnesty lobby’s rose colored glasses will not help our cause.

  • namberak

    Good piece but it repeats two cliches that I believe are not accurate but unfortunately frame much of the debate. ‘First, certain industries obviously depend on cheap labor to do work Americans don’t want to do.’ In point of fact, any analysis of BLS numbers shows this is not the case now and has never been the case. The highest penetration of illegal alien labor in any industry is about 25% meaning, fully three quarters of that group are American citizens, and of course, those numbers go down, by industry, from there. The key point though is the ‘fierce theoretical debate’ about whether sitting around collecting SS for a fake disability and cashing in food stamps and Section 8 vouchers for housing is a bigger draw than an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. I tend to believe the adage that since we’re paying for sloth, we will get more sloth, which of course promotes the false ‘jobs Americans won’t do’ narrative.

    Second, ‘… something must be done about the problem of 12 million illegal aliens residing in our country.’ Well, no, we are not required to do anything. Stampeding the herd gets us in trouble every time. (‘Shovel ready jobs’ anyone?) Just because aiders and abettors like Congressman Gutiérrez threaten everyone else with mayhem if he doesn’t get his way doesn’t mean we actually have to do anything. My years in business taught me to look for a triggering event or condition to force change from the status quo and obviously, since no agreements have been made in government, or even seem to be on the horizon without Herculean effort, there’s no extant obvious triggering event or condition. I believe BHO’s cynical exploitation of the spectacle of gangbangers and kids pouring over the southern border in the months leading up to the election was an attempt to create just such an event, but it failed, and in fact, probably rebounded against him. Be that as it may, rather than rush off to tinker around the edges for the millionth time, let’s try enforcing the laws we already have. Finish building the fence for pete’s sake! Deport the ones we catch- no more catch and release when illegals get arrested. Breakdown the wall between ICE and the IRS’ treasure trove of fake SSNs used in income reporting, and so on so as to make it more difficult to earn; slap a huge tax on remittances to make it less profitable to do so, thus, hopefully, encouraging some to go home. We can use the tools we already have if we will use them. We are not required to be a safety valve for the failed states to our south but we are also not required to ‘boil the ocean’ finding a solution to a problem we actually don’t have to address.

    • Skip V. Patel

      It most certainly is NOT “12 million”… more like 20-30 million plus “refugees”. Asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, “Temporary Protected Status” and “sponsored immigrants”…add several more millions to the 20-30 figure,

      • namberak

        I don’t fault your thinking; 12 million seems too low by half, to me, anyway.

  • DVG

    The sky high price of oil led to innovative ways to produce more energy. OK…If someone won’t do a particular job, offer more money. Maybe it’s hard work. Maybe it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do it. Maybe elitists get all snobby and consider it beneath them. Oh it’ll raise the cost. So bloody what. You think people won’t flock to these jobs if you pay them? Pay them for cryin out loud. You want to help the poor, the disadvantaged? We don’t have a lack of willing to work population. They want to work. The snobs in this country and the greedy CEO’s are as much of a problem as the statists are. Oh a job shouldn’t pay that much because it’s not a prestigious occupation? Bull crap. Not everyone is going to be a software engineer or a doctor. Shopkeeping ( retail ) was once considered middle class. Corporations have turned it into slave labor. The law of supply and demand seems fine enough for corporations when it’s all about them raising prices for profit. Supplying third world labor for American jobs is GD not acceptable!

  • James_IIa

    When was the last time you voted in the hope that your party would cooperate with the other side and “get something done”?

    This formulation indicates that the speaker simply identifies with the ongoing expansion of government, regardless of what it actually does–Or that the speaker is dishonestly presenting partisan plans as a neutral compromise that everyone should be happy with.

  • Erudite Mavin

    It is the Republicans who have blocked the Amnesty agenda and continues to.
    The Libertarians in congress from Rand Paul to Amash and their ilk are the pushers for amnesty