Recent polling reveals that there are more voters who identify themselves as "Independents" rather than claiming a particular party affiliation. During the upcoming election year, each independent will attempt to sort through the poliitcal rhetoric to find those policitians who support positions near and dear to independent voters. It is time that we, the people, demand that candidates focus on critical issue AND dictate the terms of the platform we will support.
I propose that we, as voters, develop a chekclist of the issues and position statements that are most likely garner our votes. I also propose that we start with immigration policy because the future of this policy is murky at best.
My proposal is simple and straightforward. I will publish my personal checklist of immigration position statements that are critical to me and to the reality in which I live. In turn, you select the NUMBER of the position statement with which you agree through the Gather comment feature: a simple up or down vote! I ask that you feel free to author and add position statements to the checklist. Hopefully, toGATHER we will develop a "comprehensive" immigration policy that we, the people, can support.
You will note that I have not dealt with the issues of "deportation" and/or "the path to citizenship." I prefer to leave those statements for you to construct. I will tabulate all statements and foward the final list to political stakeholders. I pledge to try to keep my position statements brief, succinct, and w/o comment. Although I value the discussion and rebuttal provided through Gather, for the purpose of creating this check list, I hope we can limit both discussion and rebuttal.
Here goes...
I can support a candidate who will support and/or initiate legislation which will:
- Fully fund the construction of the 700 mile border fence between the United States and Mexico which was promised and signed into law by the Bush admisitration;
- Grant a full Presidential pardon to Border Agents Campion and Ramos who were wrongfully convicted for preventing a Mexican drug dealer from entering our country;
- Require the Department of Homeland Security to budget for and fund the establishment of strict criteria for a national driver's lisence;
- Establish a national data base for registering and tracking valid Social Security numbers, national driver's lisences, and individuals who hold or are issued U.S. and foreign passports;
- Impose substantial financial sanctions on employers who employ workers without first checking and verifying the validity of that prospective worker's Social Security card;
- Increase funding for state and local law enforcement in order to enhance their ability to process and arrest illegal immigrants;
- Require local school officials to demand that enrollees present a birth certificate, a valid Social Security number, and verfication of legal residence;
- Re-organize, streamline, and increase federal funding to the Department of Immigration;
- Increase the number of National Guardsmen assigned to support the Border Patrol while granting those Guardsmen increased authority to detain those individuals who attempt to enter illegally; and
- Review the provision of the 14th Amendment which automatically grants citizenship to the children born to illegal immigrants.
Here's my 10 point proposal, what's yours?
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Comments: 23
The hypocrisy is unbelievable!!
Compassion towards those who were " not lucky enough to be born in a society with the opportunities we have here in the US" is all well and good, but there are avenues for them to use to gain entry. Sadly the drug and human smugglers outnumber the 'refugees' and showing them 'compassion and respect' is ludicrous, all they'll do is laugh as they are gunning us down for getting in their way!
BTW genious Amber, there is no more INS, its ICE ( Immigration and Customs Enforcement ).
Mexico needs a wake up call ... the stopped listening to their own people
if they ever did, and now they completely ignore the US unless it is to
give us orders about what to do.
We can have the most compassion toward everyone on the planet by
pushing a democratic society incentive in the UN saying that you do not
get to be a member of the UN if your country is not democratic.
It is the 21st century for God's sake we still have genocide, poverty,
starvation and slavery in this world ... isn't it about time all of us supposedly
enlightened people started having ZERO tolerance for that kind of
stuff?
By Citizen Conservative (02/14/07)
The American Daily, Phoenix
..........."illegal aliens kill 12 Americans a day through murders, drunken driving, and other violent crimes."
http://www.americandaily.com/article/17684
I guess that someone forgot to tell the two Hispanic men-- from either the Minutemen Group or Save our State-- that they are being "racist" due to them yelling at the illegal invaders and telling them to go back to where they came from!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnLfFnpkWo4
Here is the story of true American. I guess that someone forgot to tell this Hispanic/Latino woman that she is being "racist" as well!! She founded the Illinois branch of the Minutemen Group!! Go Rosanna!!!!
February 11, 2007
By Esther J. Cepeda Special to the Daily Southtown
Sun Times News Group
Mexican fighting illegal immigration becomes a target
"Rosanna Pulido is proud of her Mexican heritage.
So proud that she has committed herself to championing the rights of Mexicans and other immigrants who, like her parents, came to this country to live the American dream. Legally, that is.
Pulido actively fights illegal immigration -- in 2005 she founded the Illinois Minuteman Project, a civilian border patrol group that works against illegal immigration, and she believes illegal immigrants dilute opportunities for those who arrive legally.
Because of that, she has been painted a traitor to her people, bombarded with nasty e-mail and threatened with bodily harm.
But that hasn't dissuaded Pulido, 50, a resident of Chicago's North Center community, and she's ready to take on a new role.
She's the new Illinois chapter leader of You Don't Speak For Me, a Washington, D.C.-based organization made up of U.S.-born Hispanics and legal Hispanic immigrants who believe illegal immigrants -- and politicians eager to pander to special interest groups -- are cheating hard-working, legal immigrants and U.S. citizens by diverting already-scarce resources.
Like the founders of You Don't Speak for Me, Pulido is incensed by some lawmakers' priorities."
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/news/251634%2C112NWS2.article
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kXMV3aZ7V8
By Citizen Conservative (02/14/07)
The American Daily, Phoenix
..........."illegal aliens kill 12 Americans a day through murders, drunken driving, and other violent crimes."
If you would like to read more stories about the family values of illegals........Please go to this site.......
http://www.americanpatrol.com
Click on "Family Values" on the left hand side.
Soozan: I certainly don't want to live in the police state you envision.
At the present time this restrictive methodology is used to restrict the number of educated, trained people allowed to pursue citizenship/employment in an aggressive, specific, restrictive manner. Employers are required to document extensively. Engineers, educators, technicians, economists and other professionals must 'prove' there is no US citizen available to fill the unique employers position in order to be hired. Not so the laborer. Porous borders, delimiting enforcement policies and procedures, wink-wink nod-nod expressions of concern from the top in Washington ... all contribute to the very profitable exploitation of unorganized 'illegals' as sweat-shop labor for large corporate enterprises or the small businesses who supply them.
The solution to this flood of humanity - desperate to live on rice and chicken necks, sleeping in shifts, twenty to a miserable one or two bedroom apartment if they'r lucky - lies less in Washington than in Mexico.
Until widespread educational opportunity, diverse social services, adequate wage rates, available individual credit, employment opportunity - and the development of a middle class - are achieved there, people will cross our borders to collect resources for those they care about back home.
Our country looks more like the oligarchies to the south each year. Guard posts at gated communities and McMansions, security forces at the entrance to office buildings and private security forces for upscale neighborhoods all represent a perceived need to protect the (apparently) rich from the resentful underclass. Mexico has always maintained this wide chasm between the poor, indigenous population and landowners and business interests. A truly MIDDLE class has not developed as it did in the US. Not a priority ... not beneficial to the folks at the top.
Our official and business contacts with the social, political and governmental leadership of these (somewhat) feudal societies is maintained at the crystal and sterling silver level. It does not engage in the development of a Mexico in which the average Mexican has a stake in their country and a sense of participation or hope. Staying at home to build a life COULD be BETTER than suffering deprivation, disgust and enmity to send money home - or, worse, stealing away to live a hidden life, abandoning your heritage and living with a fraudulent identity .. always fearing THE MAN.
So, what to do? Maybe the barren, longhorn range of most of the border to the south could be converted to US governmental ownership and developed as an Afghan-like mountain/desert military training facility - probably little or no property taxes being contributed to local governments there anyway. Few 'invaders' would risk crossing a military post to get "in". Existing military 'security' restrictions and regulations would provide legal mechanisms for handling the determined smugglers. And controllable crossing points could be provided at regular intervals. Existing communities would continue to be the major crossing points.
To those who would argue that the area is too long or large to be controlled, consider how difficult it is to approach White Sands or Area 51. Meanwhile, Presidential jawboning on the discontinuity Mexican governmental inaction contributes to our political stability - rather than "mi amigo" toasts and golf outings - might aid in starting a change toward solution rather than division in the United States.
Amber? I agree with you. If someone comes here legally they deserve compassion and respect. If they come here illegally they deserve a one way ticket home. It is not the responsibility of the United States government (by extension we the tax payers) to pay for a better life for every person who lives under a bad government in this world. We don't have the resources and we don't have the room. I would much sooner feel sorry for them while they are back home where they belong than here.
Carolyn G- I agree with you 100% with your reply to Amber. If they come here legally, then fine. Those who come her illegally, yes I feel compassion for them, but when it comes down to it, America is having a hard enough time taking care of its own people. Lets fix the problems here before we start taking on others problems.
I checked my article in an effort to find out where we are on the 10 point program I proposed. As stated in my intial article, I now intend to turn this article into a survey, of sorts, and send it to political candidates. I will then publish the results of my efforts here on Gather.
I am writing to you because you proposed point #11. I agree with giving compassion and respect for those who come into our country legally and serve to increase the diversity of this great Country. I know you realize that compassion and respect are the foundation of our Consitution. We, citizens of the U.S., are guarenteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With those rights come the responsibilities of citizenship. It seems to me that illegal immigrants want the life style, the liberties, and the happiness from resideing in the U.S. BUT they want none of the responsibilities!
Respectfully, I don't think I will add your point #11 since compassion and respect are inherent in U.S. citizenship. I was looking for feedback on position statements from politicians and not for values statements with which we all agree.