On Hannity & Colmes, Mothers Against Illegal Aliens founder Dallacroce baselessly claimed "people don't want" legal status for illegal immigrants
SUMMARY: On Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Michelle Dallacroce, founder of Mothers Against Illegal Aliens, suggested that -- contrary to most polling on the question -- the American public opposes proposals to provide a legal status for illegal immigrants in the United States.
On the April 10 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, Michelle Dallacroce, founder of Mothers Against Illegal Aliens, suggested that -- contrary to most polling on the question -- the American public opposes proposals to provide a legal status for illegal immigrants in the United States. Dallacroce said, "The only people that want that are the illegal aliens."
Dallacroce made the remark in response to co-host Sean Hannity's assertion that interviews he conducted in Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, and New York City indicate that "[p]eople want to reward illegal behavior, those that didn't respect our laws." While pollsters haven't used Hannity's wording -- whether people support "reward[ing] illegal behavior" -- in fact, polling shows that a majority of the American public supports allowing undocumented immigrants legal status in the United States.
For example, an April 6-9 Washington Post/ABC News poll found that 63 percent of respondents said they would prefer to "[l]et immigrants who have lived here a certain number of years apply for legal status and eventually become permanent citizens if they meet specific conditions, like paying a fine and back taxes." Twenty percent said they would prefer to "[d]eclare all illegal immigrants to be felons and not allow them to work here legally," and 14 percent stated a preference for letting illegal immigrants "pay a fee and work here for a limited number of years after which they'd have to leave the country."
And an April 6-9 CBS News poll found that 49 percent of those polled favor allowing illegal immigrants to apply for permits to stay and work in the United States; 43 percent opposed. Also, when CBS asked those polled if they would favor or oppose granting legal status to illegal immigrants who have "paid a fine, been in the U.S. for at least five years, paid any back taxes they owe, can speak English, and have no criminal record," 74 percent said they would favor allowing them to stay, while only 23 percent opposed.
Other polls have reported similar results. An April 4-5 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll found that 69 percent of those asked said they would favor "[a]llowing illegal immigrants who have jobs in the United States to apply for legal, temporary-worker status," while only 25 percent opposed. A March 23-30 Time poll found that 72 percent of respondents believe that the United States should let illegal immigrants "get temporary work visas," while only 25 percent believe Congress should "make Illegal Immigration a crime and not allow anyone who entered the country illegally to work or stay in the U.S." The Time poll also found that 72 percent of respondents "favor allowing illegal immigrants in the U.S. citizenship if they learn English, have a job and pay taxes." The margin of error for each poll cited above was +/- 3 percent.
From the April 10 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:
HANNITY: Joining us now is one of the organizers of today's protests in New York. Chung-Wha Hong is with us, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. And out in Phoenix, the founder of Mothers Against Illegal Aliens, Michelle Dallacroce, is with us. Michelle, let me start with you. We have this video we're going to be showing tonight. We have 10 to 12 million people in this country illegally. And I interviewed people from Atlanta and Dallas and Phoenix today and New York today. And there's one consensus. People want amnesty. People want to reward illegal behavior, those that didn't respect our laws. Do you support that?
DALLACROCE: No, the people don't want that. The only people that want that are the illegal aliens.
HANNITY: People at the protests --
[crosstalk]
DALLACROCE: The people at the protests? Yeah, but they're illegal. Everyone who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, doesn't want that. And Senator [John] McCain [R-AZ] knows that.
I thought that the folks on the right touted themselves as the "pro-family" party -- the hard-working party of the American dream. So why am I (a godless, degenerate liberal, or so I've been told ;-) the one who is so concerned about the families who are going to be destroyed when Homeland Security's SS men come to round them up and deport the ones who don't have their papers?
By the *right's* own definition, what is more American than fighting tooth and nail for a better opportunity for your family? To not rely on a government to protect you but to trust in your own efforts to secure a better future? The people who fought to get here illegally exemplify everything that the right usually likes to claim is the best thing about this country.
I am just not understanding this backlash. Is racism truly that prevalant? I have heard a lot of people claim that this is an issue of legality and not of race, but I don't see that. It looks like racism to me.
Racism - how dumb is that? Tell that to one of my best friends - he is an African American ironworker who had a good job in New Orleans right after Katrina, until his boss laid him off because he got an illegal alien to do the same job for alot less. There are hundreds of stories like that. And Bush says it's "jobs American's won't do"....BULL! Illegals are hurting the hard working legal African Americans and Latins among us the most. And you call people opposed to illegal immigration racists??
You are sorry!
Simmer down fella,
Are you seriously claiming that there isn't a racist element in the anti-illegal immigrant faction in this country? Do you really think your African American friend speaks for all of his skin tone? That his experiences are emblematic of his skin tone? I know plenty of construction workers who think that we need a wall to keep out "the beaners" but that doesn't mean that all tradesmen feel that way.
This issue is much more complex than that. Personally I am conflicted about granting legal status without criminalizing the hiring of future illegals. If we started putting the people who profit from the cheap labor in prison there wouldn't be a market for the cheap labor. But don't expect the right wing "free market" clowns to advocate that. They don't want free markets, just free labor.
Penalize Employers for hiring Illegal Workers and yhe Illegal Immigration Problem will be greatly reduced.
If the people who are here now - who are part of our community, our children's school friends, etc -- are allowed to become legal citizens, then the businesses who profit from hiring illegals won't be able to exploit them for crap wages anymore.
I am not advocating illegal immigration be allowed to continue unchecked. I am simply saying that to send back the people who are here already and who are already part of our communities would be a horrific crime.
I don't *want* illegal immigration to continue because I don't want to continue to allow businesses to conduct themselves as they did in the situation you described. You are making some wide assumptions based on what I wrote. I understand the econonmic repercussions of illegal immigration, but that is not the aspect of this issue that I was addressing. What I am most concerned about right now is what is going to happen to the between 11 and 20 million living breathing, hoping, dreaming, family-raising people who worked their asses off for a chance at a better future and now stand to be rounded up like cattle and disposed of at the border.
Don't attack Terribletink for their post. You should direct your anger to the cheapskate business owners. One can hardly blame these immigrants from wanting a slice of the pie. If they were legal then maybe your friends boss wouldn't have the option of using cheap labor. Honestly, this issue is very complex, and isn't made an easier to deal with when these hate-loving-hot-heads fill the masses with senseless rhetoric. Its deplorable that they are given airtime at all.
I feel that I can speak for everyone here in saying that we hope that your friend finds a socially responsible employer soon.
Our system of capitalism REQUIRES businesses to minimize cost while maximizing PROFIT. This is a DUTY to shareholders, and the "secret" to success.
Therefore, the "BLAME" for such practices as hiring workers below minimum wage, providing no benefits, foregoing the installation of "safety" measures for workers, getting rid of unions, dumping waste on the enviroment, and raiding workers' pension funds for "operating capital" does not fall on Business Owners! They behave exactly as they should, given the incentives available, and the lack of regulation. In fact, these business owners spend many fortunes making sure that THEIR kind of politician -- REPUBLICANS -- are elected to office, because those Regulations will become things of the past.
So, it is our elected representatives who hold the key to how capitalism operates. We can have sweatshops or good manufacturing jobs. We can have workers with benefit packages, or workers who place their vital needs on the taxpayers. We can have "disposable" workers, or workers who are protected in the workplace. It's OUR choice.
And when such value decisions are made by government, it creates an "even playing field" which gives no ADVANTAGE to those who behave in ways that are harmful to human beings.
With Republicans in office, every INCENTIVE is toward maximizing PROFIT for the individual company, with no thought to the ultimate cost to society or individual workers. This is why Republicans cannot close our borders: The companies WANT cheap labor that they do not have to care a thing about ... and the Republicans see no reason why companies should not have what they want.
Why is there no poll question:
Do you think that Employers who hire Illegal Workers should be heavily penalized, including Jail Time? I predict a huge majority in favor. This is the Major Issue in the Immigration Problem.
While I do agree Conservatives are known for their fondness of "family values" and "working hard for your family, but that doesn't mean to do it ILLEGALLY!!!!!! It's so funny how people (usually of the Left) shout "racist" or "biggot" when they cannot support their viewpoint in a debate. Since when did American Patriotism become racism? I for one have no problem with anyone who wants to come to our country to better their lives and become part of THIS country as long as they do it legally!!
I don't care where they are from, if they are here illegally, they have no respect for our country and our laws therefore, they should not be here!!! Go through the proper channels and assimilate into our culture and you are more than welcome!!
It's also funny how some people who can't support their argument will question someone else's patriotism. (usually the right). Hasn't the right done enough of that the last 5 years on a whole host of issues? Your ancestors most likely came here for the same economic reasons that the illegals do now: the bravest and brightest trying to escape crushing poverty. The political difference is that we had open borders in the 1840's. Read your history and see how the Irish were treated and viewed back then. They were not wanted by "patriotic Americans" back then, they were reviled as lazy drunken baby producers that were a drain on our natural resources and a curse on our culture. The Irish turned out ok.
I didn't know, oh well... So are you saying we should no longer borders? Can you imagine? If I recall, when many were coming to America in the 19th and 20th Centuries from the "Old World", they were doing it legally!!! They also weren't expecting free medical care. They assimilated to our culture .
Our country CAN NOT sustain itself if we do not put a stop to this. Our hospitals, schools and wages are suffering. If you do not want to stop the illegal immagration for people south of us, shouldn't we let every other country in at their will? Do we really need to know who's coming here? Just how many people do you think this country can take care of?
If I jumped the gun there Shannon I apologize, to all the Irish posters. My point still stands that the Irish were viewed in much the same way as the the hispanic population is viewed today, in certain circles, as you are intimately aware.
Could you cite some actual information to back your stereotypical claim that they come here for free medical care?
ps Digiones just popped up on a different thread, and you re-appear here, are you too dating or just carpooling from Planet Wingnut?
Digiones?? Who's that? What do they have to do with me? I can honestly say I do not think the Illegal people here in the States had it as bad as the the Irish. If I see a "Hispanics need not apply", then I'll agree with you. It is not a question of race, it's a question of legality. As far as healthcare is concerned, in my area the local hispanic channel tells people how to get health care by calling an ambulance because they cannot refuse you. Here are jsut some examples I have found relating to the healthcare cost. [link to www.firstcoastnews.com]
And Monica wasn't about sex...
Monica was about sex. The rest was about Clinton's lack of integrity lying under oath.
Define "INTEGRITY" for us.
Clinton tried to keep a secret affair secret, as his consensual partner wished. Nobody died as a result.
Bush has repeatedly lied about the intelligence information he did or did not know about. Tens of thousands are now dead.
Tell me how you define "INTEGRITY"? It can't have anything to do with accountability or morality or common decency. It must be something else. What?
Amen Shannon!
"I can honestly say I do not think the Illegal people here in the States had it as bad as the the Irish. If I see a "Hispanics need not apply", then I'll agree with you." --Shannon
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"Irish Catholics in America have a vibrant memory of humiliating job discrimination, which featured omnipresent signs proclaiming “Help Wanted—No Irish Need Apply!” No one has ever seen one of these NINA signs because they were extremely rare or nonexistent." --Read More
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Shannon,
That is a common myth. Just thought I would set you straight (baby steps, I know).
Although the original source for the article above appears to be taken from a legitimate story, the website in the link above links to an ultra-rightwing racist website.
At first, I just thought the site was conservative, but when I went to the homepage and read some of the comments at the bottom of the articles, I realized my terrible error.
I should always stick with trusty old wikipedia:
"The story of "NINA" signs everywhere was never true-- it was an urban legend created by a popular song of the 1860s (see illustration); searches by historians, archivists and curtors have not found a single sign, or photograph, or reference to an actual sign in the U.S. Regarding Irish male workers, there probably were no such signs anywhere in the US at any time."
the Irish Immigrants you cited came to America legally, they didn't sneak into America
View their mission statement, then read my post below.
do you feel about the hiring of Illegal Workers?
That doesn't sound like a Murkin name!!!!
Because I would like to see more people become citizens, I am an illegal alien..Damn!
"People want to reward illegal behavior, those that didn't respect our laws."
Lady, you can't sit at the front of the bus - it's ILLEGAL!
Why don't you respect our laws?
TROLL REPELLENT:
No, I don't think we should have open borders. No, I don't equate Rosa Parks's actions with illegally crossing the border.
My point is that calling illegal aliens "criminals" because they are here illegally is stupid. If they are working hard, paying taxes (yes, they pay taxes), serving in our military (yes, they serve in our military), and are ENCOURAGED to come here by businesses that want cheap labor, it is foolish to use words that lump them in with felons.
Yes, they serve in our military just like anyone who wants to become American citizens can serve in the military. The main thing there would be to do it legally by joining the Armed Services BEFORE coming to America. I personally think it's a great way to become a citizen, but don't try to spin it like that.
There was a resturant in one of the Towers (the name is evading me at the moment) that had a large staff, many of the workers were illegal immigrants who never went home, who were never recognized, who just disappeared in the fire and destruction. They are a part of our economy and culture and they can't just go home. How do you know the military post was spinning? Are you saying that there are no illegal immigrants in the military right now?
I'm not saying that. What I am saying is anyone from another country can enlist in our military to acquire citizenship. The poster was trying to glorify the sacrifice made by some people who are maybe in the military and are illegal. Does anone out there understand what "illegal" means? You may complement them on their desire for a better life or there strong work ethic, but they still broke our law when they crossed our border. These rallies have not been "pro-immigration" they are pro-illegal immigration and support for anarchy.
As several posters have stated. Make hiring illegal aliens a serious crime and the problem will go away. But the republicans won't do that because they like the cheap labor. rounding up all those dirty smelly mexicans and sending them home will only make room for more illegals. Sorry that this doesn't fit in your Foxworldview but that's life. Keep posting, I'm enjoying the CAPS!!!!!
I agree, crack down on business that hire illegal aliens and the problem will be greatly reduced. You cannot blame this all on Republicans though! Neither side wants to do anything about it. Both sides benefit from cheap labor and both sides are soliciting for future votes. Labor unions are also wanting to unionize these workers and we know unions and Democrats go hand in hand. There isn't a whole lot you can do when the people who are supposed to protect you just looks the other way! They are willing to jepardize the strength of this nation for their own political gain.
But if there are no jobs because business men and women (from both parties) don't want to pay the consequences then the work issue will be reduced. the reality is that no one knows what the impact will be if all the illegals or undocumented workers left. I would be willing to bet that there would be a major economic impact not just because there would be a temporary disruption in the labor market which will translate to a disruption in the stuff made, picked, or the services rendered. It may be that this will be short lived, but who knows it may be long term. In addition, prices will rise, (damn that free market) food will cost more, housing will cost more resturant meals will cost more and on and on.
for sure, if all Illegal Immigrants left, wages for American Workers would RISE.
You comment about unions being willing to sacrifice our nation's security or strength or whatever is a bunch of crap. One of the reasons our country is so strong is becuase of Unions. Unions are what forged the middle class. Unions are what gave us the decent wages that people from poor countries come here for.
Union men fought in WWII, in Korea, in Vietnam, probably not so much in Iraq I but you can thank reagan for that.
What is weakening our country are all the jobs that are leaving our country not the illegals that are coming in. And the jobs that are leaving our country are going courtesy of big business, and we all know whose bread they butter.
Sorry if it came out as if I'm saying union members would sell out their country. I actually meant the politicians. I would have to put the union leaders inthe same category though..
When Union Membership was strong, wages for working Americans were the highest in the World. With the waning of Union Membership, workers wages in America are now behind many of the Industrialized Nations in the World.
the latest Polls "indicate" that the Majority of Employers hiring Illegals are Republicans. I have never heard George W. mention the Employers as part of the problem. The reason is OBVIOUS.
you would probably find the majority of members of that group tend to vote Republican (not that it makes it right to hire illegals), so the poll cited above is probably somewhat skewed. Employers certainly are a major factor in the equation, but as an example, let's say Jose applies for a job, has what certainly appears to be proper documentation, and makes an good showing in his interview, would you, as a business owner hire him or turn him away at the risk of a discrimination lawsuit? It isn't as simple as a single phone call, web inquiry, etc to verify whether Jose is legal or not, so there are factors in the equation beyond just the employer, including government and border security (and I am sure other factors also).
You bring up an important point in this discussion: that the power structure in this country wants the cheap labor, and cannon fodder, that comes across the border and the straw/bogeyman it can stand up and swat at like a pinata (sorry if that offends anyone) to stir up it's voting base.
"My point is that calling illegal aliens "criminals" because they are here illegally is stupid."
You can call it stupid all you want..but people that come here illegally have committed a crime. It's called trespassing.
"If they are working hard, paying taxes (yes, they pay taxes), serving in our military (yes, they serve in our military), and are ENCOURAGED to come here by businesses that want cheap labor, it is foolish to use words that lump them in with felons."
Criminal does NOT equal felon. Maybe in your liberal world where you guys like to generalized everything any criminal is a felon, but to anyone who has a brain and is familiar with the definitions of terms they are NOT the same. and Yes, it is wrong that businesses are encouraging the illegal immigrants to come here. They should be punished and I wish the present law was enforced in addition to new laws being enacted to severly punished these companies.
"Criminal does NOT equal felon. Maybe in your liberal world where you guys like to generalized everything any criminal is a felon, but to anyone who has a brain and is familiar with the definitions of terms they are NOT the same." --grhino
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"The Republican-controlled House passed legislation late last year that is generally limited to border security measures. It makes illegal immigrants subject to felony prosecution." Read More
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First, let me say you are right. A criminal isn't necessarily the same as a felon.
I don't for that matter see where Ellington has made such an assertion. So I think you are battling a strawman there. Congratulations. You win that argument!
However, it appears to be a legitimate issue to bring up in the scope of this debate. The final bill may indeed open up illegal aliens to felony prosecution.
In their defence, it appears the Republicans are trying to back away from that position (try not to call it flip-flopping at all costs), but Democrats may not let them in hopes of poisoning the entire bill.
"I don't for that matter see where Ellington has made such an assertion. "
Did you actually read his post???? see below
"My point is that calling illegal aliens "criminals" because they are here illegally is stupid........businesses that want cheap labor, it is foolish to use words that lump them in with felons.
"In their defence, it appears the Republicans are trying to back away from that position (try not to call it flip-flopping at all costs), but Democrats may not let them in hopes of poisoning the entire bill."
Yes, there is a provision in a bill that would make coming here illegally a felony. That bill did pass the house, but that specific provision has not come anywhere near to passing the Senate. And what's really ironic is that when Republicans tried to change the language to not make it a felony (which Democrats have been complaining about for some time now) they all (Democrats) voted against the change. So apparently they are for classifying illegal immigrants as felons. So I think Ellington really needs to take this up with the Democrats in Congress.
"Did you actually read his post?" --grhino
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Where is ellington equating criminals and felons? I think you are mischaracterizing what he is saying for your strawman.
All felons are criminals. Illegal immigration is a misdemeanor crime. It is wrong to lump in illegal immigrants with felons by calling them criminals (the broader term).
It doesn't really matter to me at all one way or the other. You were simply wrong in your representation.
+++
"And what's really ironic is that when Republicans tried to change the language to not make it a felony (which Democrats have been complaining about for some time now) they all (Democrats) voted against the change. So apparently they are for classifying illegal immigrants as felons." --grhino
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You're much too smart to actually believe that I hope. The Democrats were simply poisoning the bill in an effort to make it unpassable. This is politics 101.
I don't like that kind of strategy, but to mischaracterize it as you have is simply dishonest or wishful thinking, but most likely simply disingenuous.
"All felons are criminals."
True.
" Illegal immigration is a misdemeanor crime."
True.
" It is wrong to lump in illegal immigrants with felons by calling them criminals (the broader term). "
Just by calling someone a criminal does not equate them to a felon. That was the whole point of my first post (which apparently you didn't understand). Maybe to you liberals it does. But it doesn't to me. Criminal does NOT equal felon (subject of my original post).
"The Democrats were simply poisoning the bill in an effort to make it unpassable. This is politics 101. "
Exactly...the Democrats care more about "politics" than about actually getting a suitable immigration bill. Rather than change the Republican bill to take out what they have been complaining about, they would rather vote to leave that provision in so that the bill will not be passed. That's great leadership. The Republicans realized that they made a mistake and want to correct it for the overall social good of everyone but the Democrats won't let them because they would rather score political points. That's exactly what's wrong with your party and why you guys keep losing elections..
That was a bad example, but nice try.
Although Rosa Parks broke the law and yes she was a criminal when she did it, but she was an AMERICAN CITIZEN!!
As a black man, I find it offensive when people try to compare what is going on with illegal border jumpers to the Civil Rights Movement. An illegal alien have no civil rights to speak of.
If you break the law, you are a criminal by definition. The fact that some pays taxes or serve in the military (I don't have a clue how this is possible) means nothing.
Can someone explains how does an illegal alien join the American military?
Now I've seen it all. Why am I not surprised that an organization like Fox News is willing to give them a podium and take them seriously?
Is this what the racist movement against illegals has become? Dressed up in the guise of motherly concern for our children?
I just took a look at the MAIA mission statement. What I find the most interesting is that NOWHERE does it say anything about going after businesses who hire illegals and holding them accountable. It's all about how the illegals are part of an illegal invasion force with the sole purpose of victimizing our children.
The illegals are here because there are lawbreakers who are willing to hire them. Why not change the name and mission to something more constructive? Like "Mothers Against Businesses Who Hire Illegals"? I'LL TELL YOU WHY, because it's a racist, narrow-minded organization that believes the illegals are the only lawbreakers in this issue.
Pete, I read the mission statement like you asked and it's not racist. It's a group that feels their children are being harmed by the emigration of illegal aliens to our country. So it's racist to want to protect the sovereignty of your own nation?
What other lawbreakers who have committed such horrendous acts as these immigrants would you like to see exposed for the true criminals they are:
-- the folks who participated in the Boston Tea Party? -- Rosa Parks? -- the folks who ran the Underground Railroad?
Just curious as to how we should remember these awful, awful un-American criminals and their oh-so-flagrant disregard for our precious laws.
Have you ever considered that sometimes what is right and what is legal may be two different things?
are coming here to better themselves, however they are not following procedures set up by our country and thereby probably denying/delaying entry to someone who is following the rules. It is a complex situation, employers share some of the responsibility, the government shares responsibility in maintaining databases as it is too easy to obtain offical looking paperwork. When a lot of our ancestors came to the US, they came through Ellis Island, where they were screened for health issues among other things. Illegals now could be carrying some type of disease (even unknowningly) that could have a large impact on this country, the illegal could be from other than Mexico, Central/South America and have nefarious plans, the illegal could be here to take advantage of other seams in our system. Immigration is ok, as long as it is controlled so that the economy can absorb the labor force at a pace to keep wages stable or growing rather than declining.
As a side note, my son spent 18 months in SA and had to go through some health screenings immediately upon his return, not counting the immunizations, etc that he had to endure before going.
Although many Americans can say their Parents or Grandparents were Immigrants, they were LEGAL Immigrants.They didn't sneak into America illegally.
Illegality brought my ancestors here it was called kidnapping and enslavement. The only health screening they received was to throw the dead overboard when they died on route.
Lynn, Just because this terrible time in America took place does not justify people today sneaking over our boarder. What does one have to do with the other. Besides, I don't know how "illegal" it was considered back then since it was common practice for African Tribal leaders to sell their own people in trade not only amongst each other but with the white man. Doesn't mean it was right, it just gives a different perspective the the "all were kidnapped" issue.
And I am convinced that the situation is one of hopeless gridlock. It is one of those "Hobson choice" types of issues. I could not "cut the babe in two on this one" I doubt Solomon could -- and in the current Congress, on either side of the aisle, I am not seeing anything close to Solomon. Salmon, yes there are plenty of mouth agape fish staring into the camera like they were just hit with a club, but no Solomon.
However, I would like to address one of the comments here. I believe it was from "Right On" -- I could be wrong in the attribution, but the comment is there by someone. They says their friend lost his job to an "illegal" because of pay. I find this questionable on a few levels. First, how do his friend know the guy "who he lost is job to is an illegal" -- just because he speaks little or no English -- he could still have a worker Visa. Second, if his friend did loose his job to an "illegal worker" he would have a lot of options open to probably crush his former employer -- the Dept. of Immigration for example. Last, I have worked on construction sights, during college in the summer, where they hired I am sure "illegal workers". When business is running wide open, like it does in the summer, they do not fire anyone who is getting the job done and I am sure there is more than enough work to keep everyone in a job. If it slows down, then yes an employer could do that everything -- and it would not suprise me.
That being said are there "illegal workers" in NO, I am sure. Are there document workers from other countries, I say yes. Could they drive the wage down? Hard to believe, but anything is possible given were we stand today. If it is true and if whoever's friend did loose their job for the stated reason, then what we are seeing is more of a top-down message coming from the White House. Bush has said it is fine to under pay workers and the contractors have just run with it. Just check out the WH own site.
[link to www.whitehouse.gov]
Just like so many things they will say that was not what we meant -- think prisoner torturing. But this is what the Neo-cons and the corporatists have wanted for years a reason to drop all pretense of minimum wages. Why do contractors hire "undocumented workers", because the govenment would do it directly if they could and by refusing to pay minimum wage for this labor their hand can be seen nudging their "subcontractors" to do it. The border problem is a problem because of lack of employer enforcement, not immigrants of any type, because people are not going to stop coming no matter what. You have to punish the "enablers" or employers cause they feed the problem. The WH and Congress will not do this as they are controlled by corporatists whose idea of utopia is a small group of very wealth individuals being serviced by a very poor everyone else -- think 3rd world banana republic.
I find it interesting that the closer it comes to election time that certain groups trout out issues like immigration as a focal point issue. GW Bush and the Republican party have had the last 5 years to bring this issue forward and chose not to do so. What is the sudden urgency? This reminds me of the 90's when people starting vilifying all of the "evil" welfare mothers that are stealing from the system and making American go to hell in a hand basket.
Its class war fair to divide Americans on hot button issues. Wake up.... Yes immigration is an issue, yes we need to find a practical solution to the problem. Yes people need to come to the US in a legal matter, but we also need to stop companies from exploiting cheap illegal labor just to pad the bottom line.
Shannon and others - Do you think that immigration is the number one reason that health care, schools and wages are a problem in the US? Personally I think the Republican party though it was an "easy" issue to tackle, as they perceived that this group of people had no power or support in the US (like welfare mothers) It appears as if they really miscalculated this time.. If they actually wanted to tackle these issues they would look at some very simple factors like all of these costs keep rising and the average American is getting pinched and is expected to pay more, yet at the same time American Corporations and the uber rich are still seeing record profits. Do you see something wrong with that equation or is that just getting right past you?
One argument I keep hearing is "my ancestors came here legally". How do you know? History shows numerous instances where american immigration laws were breached. Importing slaves was banned in the early 1800's, but that didn't stop the confederates from accepting them. And what about criminals? Wasn't South Carolina and Georgia a dumping ground for felons, similar to the way the british treated australia? One thing is certain, maybe the people think not, but our immigration laws are steeped in racism and politics. We've denied access based on race (think Coolies!), religion and political persuasion throughout history. Maybe the current supporters aren't racists or bigots, but the politicians? You bet they are.
[link to www.visa2003.com]
Snoopy
...a group with "mothers" in its title.
Ideally, mothers are those folks that nurture and protect possiblity.
In reality, mothers can be officious folks: folks that dictate.
The "mothers" groups always seem to be the latter.
If any such groups were the former, I think they'd have titles like:
Mothers Against Poverty
Mothers for Equal Education
Mothers for the Environment
Corporations prefer to have cheap exploitable labor right next door. If your a company that doesn't care about your workers, what would be better then an employee that you can exploit - low wages, no benefits, forced overtime, and if you complain they can fire you for any reason without recourse. ** Shannon weren't you just complaining about illegal immigrants stealing health care? If a US corporation hires someone, shouldn't they be providing them with Health Care benefits of some sort? Oh yeah that's right, they don't want to do that for American Citizens either, my bad.
I really hope your never in a situation in your life were you need to leave your children for a strange country just to provide them with food and shelter. Given the choice between feeding my kids and being a law breaker I know which choice I would make.
Shannon - Its easy to generalize a group of people without looking at all of the circumstances and situations that cause the problems. Stop acting like the problem is so simple, that its just about following our immigration laws... I know your smarter then that from the items you've posted.