I am beyond flummoxed on this issue. What is the matter with the President and the so-called Conservative Republicrats? I just finished sending this letter to the President. He no longer has my support, as he seems intent on selling this country down the river...

"April 26, 2006

President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20500

Dear President Bush,
I voted for you and your party in 2004, yet I am stunned to hear reports on your closed meetings with a select group of Congressional Representatives as you attempt to sell this country out and grant amnesty to millions of illegal trespassers who have arrived in this country and are now demanding their “civil rights.” This is a travesty and an abomination to the American public. I won’t be supporting you or your party any longer, since you seem intent on destroying our language, our borders and our way of life. My vote has been squandered. Your goal on this issue is gravely misguided.
Since you’ve apparently forgotten or abandoned your oath of office to “protect and defend” this country when it comes to illegal trespassers, I have no choice but to abandon your party. Don’t count on my support any longer. I am ashamed for you and your party.
I don’t know how to make it any clearer to you. These people are illegal trespassers. They came here on their own; they must leave on their own. No one advocates a massive roundup and deportation of these illegals. We must, instead, turn off the economic “magnet” that drew them here in the first place. We must heavily penalize those business entities that hire illegal workers instead of seeking out bona fide American citizens who are more than willing to do the jobs in question. Just because you and people like John McCain assert that these illegal trespassers are here simply to “do the jobs that Americans won’t do” doesn’t make it so. The American public is not as stupid as you apparently think we are. Your efforts to obfuscate this issue are transparent. You can pander to whatever demographic that you think worthy. However, the American public demands the following action:
• No amnesty. No "guest worker" status. No sellout! Period.
• Enforce existing immigration law. Deport those that are captured at the border and keep track of those arrested including fingerprinting and retinal scans. No more “catch and release”;
• Deny social benefits to anyone who cannot prove that they are here legitimately;
• Enforce the border to combat illegal traffic of people, drugs, and weapons;
• Build a wall or fence along our southern and northern borders and provide adequate staffing to monitor the comings and goings of human traffic along its length and breadth;
You took an oath to protect and defend this country. So far, you have failed in following through with this oath when it comes to protecting our borders. The only entity that has my support on this issue is The Minuteman Project - a group that you cynically disparage as “vigilantes.” If they be so, then count me as one of their followers. Your leadership is lacking, and I have no choice but to cease my support for you and your party because this issue is more important to our national security in the long run, than helping the nations of Iraq and Afghanistan as they seek a better future.

Bitterly yours,

Daniel R. Bogdan"

I can't sit by and watch my country be sold to the highest bidder any longer. The President is absolutely wrong on the issue of illegal immigration. I will do everything that I can possibly do to thwart his effort to legitimize the illegitimacy of the trespassers who swarm across our borders against our laws and then demand their "civil rights." It's time for citizens of this nation to take back the country. We can no longer sit by and watch our language, our culture, and our way of life being bastardized and hijacked by foreign forces with the acquiescence of our Chief Excutive. SHAME ON GEORGE W. BUSH!!!

If the true Conservatives within the Republicrat party don't stand up against this travesty, then they can count my vote out!!!

I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!!!

What happens when the newly-minted Amnesty citizens want Affirmative Action? I think a deal has to be made to get rid of AA before citizenship is conferred upon tens of millions of newcomers. The compound effects of joining two bad ideas could be staggering for the society and still not strengthen the Republican Party.

I have always been and still am a strong Bush supporter and have defended him whenever needed, but if he pursues the awarding of citizenship to millions of illegal foreign nationals, then he has lost me. There is no way to hide the true nature of such an action . . . . it's amnesty and that's absolutely unacceptable.

Dan, I agree with your letter but for two issues.

One is the guest worker program. I simply do not see a way to send millions of people to Mexico. Many of them have no home there at all, many have children who were born here who are citizens (back to that issue) and would have to either uproot children who have never known any other country or leave them behind---like so many problems, ignoring it just allowed it to expand and become unmanageable.

As illegal entry of the country was only a minor crime when it happened, I think it helps to put that one act in perspective. Legally, it was either a misdemeanor or some kind of 'civil offense'. So we, as a country, screwed up by being so mealy-mouthed about the law. I can't see bringing the hammer down on people who committeed what WE, as a country, declared to be a minor infraction.

Solution" First, make a new law, a tough law with teeth in it. Even at the border, we can't enforce a law which is vague and weak. So we fix the law. Next, we deal with what was legally a fairly minor infraction in a way that is consistent with other minor infractions. So we create a carrot-and-stick situation.

The carrot is that by registering as an illegal alien, one can become part of the system, and then be accepted for a temporary work permit---if he has a job already. He can pay a fine, do community service, whatever. (Of course, he has to be fingerprinted and have a background check, and not have committed a crime while here.) WE are the one who failed to make it a major offense, so we are pretty much stuck with treating it equally to other minor offenses.

The stick is that if he does not register within a fairly short period of time--say 90 days---and gets caught later, he is automatically sent to Mexico and can never legally return.

This at least gets them in the system, gets them more trackable, and sends the message that breaking the law has consequences. It also helps weed out those who have broken other, more serious, laws.

But beyond that, I would deny citizenship to any adult who came here illegally. He can learn enough English to get a green card---a new law I would pass---but he can't ever be a citizen. Period.

Creating a separate class of Mexican immigrant would send the message that there are consequences of law-breaking. I believe that over time, it would become a matter of pride to immigrants to be eligible for citizenship, or to be naturalized.

It took decades to get this deep into this mess, and it will take at least one decade to get out of it.

The other issue is that walking away from the party means throwing away a vote. And the Dems want translators in the voting booths, which to me is code for wanting illegals to VOTE. I say, pick your battles. Bush is not going to be our next president, but we need people like you to make sure that whoever it is, it is not Hillary or JFK. I think it is more effective to say you DEMAND a candiate who is strong on immigration reform.

P.S. Change the Born Here Means Citizenship law---no more "anchor babies".

Dan - I agree with everything you say, however, I'd like to hear a little more detail on your assertion that the illegals go back on their own. I don't see 12 million people walking back to Mexico and I fear that that those folks will be on the dole or commiting crime somehow without a solution. Can you explain how that program would work?

Almiranta,

Thanks for the feedback. To clarify a few points for you...

I have never, EVER advocated massive roundups and deportations. In fact, I clearly stated in my letter, "...They came here on their own; they must leave on their own. No one advocates a massive roundup and deportation of these illegals. We must, instead, turn off the economic “magnet” that drew them here in the first place..."

I agree with your analysis that it took decades to get to this point and will take at least a decade to bring it back under control. The "anchor baby" issue is a real one, but may be the silver lining in this whole sordid affair. Assuming that we "turn off the economic magnet" the entices illegals to come here, many will seek to return to Mexico, or wherever they came from. Those that have children born here are faced with an admittedly more complex and difficult decision. But by having a child or children here, there is a secondary motivation for these people to come clean and make themselves known to the authorities - if not for their own sake, then for the sake of their children. That process, once begun, will help to weed out a number of illegals and bring some semblance of order to the otherwise chaotic ebb and flow of people. I also agree that we must change the anchor baby laws so that automatic citizenship is no longer the norm. That will also help in the "stick" part of the carrot and stick approach you speak of.

As for our (meaning "the government's") mealy-mouthed approach to the law, what can I say? I think it's ingrained in the DNA of every politician to be mealy-mouthed. For God's sake, they haven't seriously enforced the employer sanctions already on the books since the early 1990s! This latest, widely publicized roundup of some 1,400 illegals was a sham. Most were released within hours and told to come back later for a hearing. Sure. I'm holding my breath on seeing how many actually show up later on to be told that they're going to be deported...

The other, more alarming element to setting up a Guest Worker Program, in my opinion, is that it is fundamentally setting up a second, inferior class of people here in the United States. Just look at how that is working out in the Mideast, where oil-rich countries import labor "to do the jobs that their citizens won't do..." They've essentially set up a system of apartheid, where one group of workers, who are not citizens, are exploited, have fewer rights than the citizens of those countries, and are treated as indentured servants. This country has been through too much conflict and struggle over its history to eliminate slavery and its lingering effects only to turn around a little over a hundred years later and essentially begin to set up another system of second-class residents. No matter how carefully crafted, setting up separate standards or rules for Guest Workers once again would institutionalize inequality under the law, and eventually cause more division and conflict for this country. We will be setting up a system for future generations to deal with, because we are either unwilling or unable to deal effectively and humanely with it now. Another poster referenced the ramifications of affirmative action being wed to a huge newly minted class of citizens who would beyond any doubt, attempt to leverage it to its fullest potential.

As for throwing away my vote by walking away from the Republicrat party - so what? This last election was the first and only time I've ever voted for someone with an R or D next to their name. I thought I understood what I was getting. But as time marches on, I have voter's remorse, I've bought a pig in a poke. Use whatever cliche you want. Unless and until the citizens of this country effectively break the bonds of the current oligarchy of "it's got to be either a D or an R," then we'll continue to get conned and scammed by both parties - because they know that there is no other viable option.

I have demanded firm and decisive action on the illegal trespassers' issue for well over 5 years at least. I have dozens and dozens of letters and responses to my representatives in Congress and the Administration, each of them assuring me that they are "on top of things," and to leave it to them. They'll take care of it for me. I'm past demanding action from a group of people who wink, nod and go into back rooms and strike deals among themselves that are sure to cause further problems and not address the issue.

This latest pronouncement from the President, coupled with his meeting with some select representatives, while purposefully excluding those with whom he knows have disagreement on this issue clearly shows me that on this issue, he can't be trusted.

I am more than chagrined. I'm more than appalled. I am sickened to see this country's "leaders" seemingly intent on forcing this country in a direction that its citizens clearly do not wish to go.

Almiranta,

Thanks for the feedback. To clarify a few points for you...

I have never, EVER advocated massive roundups and deportations. In fact, I clearly stated in my letter, "...They came here on their own; they must leave on their own. No one advocates a massive roundup and deportation of these illegals. We must, instead, turn off the economic “magnet” that drew them here in the first place..."

I agree with your analysis that it took decades to get to this point and will take at least a decade to bring it back under control. The "anchor baby" issue is a real one, but may be the silver lining in this whole sordid affair. Assuming that we "turn off the economic magnet" the entices illegals to come here, many will seek to return to Mexico, or wherever they came from. Those that have children born here are faced with an admittedly more complex and difficult decision. But by having a child or children here, there is a secondary motivation for these people to come clean and make themselves known to the authorities - if not for their own sake, then for the sake of their children. That process, once begun, will help to weed out a number of illegals and bring some semblance of order to the otherwise chaotic ebb and flow of people. I also agree that we must change the anchor baby laws so that automatic citizenship is no longer the norm. That will also help in the "stick" part of the carrot and stick approach you speak of.

As for our (meaning "the government's") mealy-mouthed approach to the law, what can I say? I think it's ingrained in the DNA of every politician to be mealy-mouthed. For God's sake, they haven't seriously enforced the employer sanctions already on the books since the early 1990s! This latest, widely publicized roundup of some 1,400 illegals was a sham. Most were released within hours and told to come back later for a hearing. Sure. I'm holding my breath on seeing how many actually show up later on to be told that they're going to be deported...

The other, more alarming element to setting up a Guest Worker Program, in my opinion, is that it is fundamentally setting up a second, inferior class of people here in the United States. Just look at how that is working out in the Mideast, where oil-rich countries import labor "to do the jobs that their citizens won't do..." They've essentially set up a system of apartheid, where one group of workers, who are not citizens, are exploited, have fewer rights than the citizens of those countries, and are treated as indentured servants. This country has been through too much conflict and struggle over its history to eliminate slavery and its lingering effects only to turn around a little over a hundred years later and essentially begin to set up another system of second-class residents. No matter how carefully crafted, setting up separate standards or rules for Guest Workers once again would institutionalize inequality under the law, and eventually cause more division and conflict for this country. We will be setting up a system for future generations to deal with, because we are either unwilling or unable to deal effectively and humanely with it now. Another poster referenced the ramifications of affirmative action being wed to a huge newly minted class of citizens who would beyond any doubt, attempt to leverage it to its fullest potential.

As for throwing away my vote by walking away from the Republicrat party - so what? This last election was the first and only time I've ever voted for someone with an R or D next to their name. I thought I understood what I was getting. But as time marches on, I have voter's remorse, I've bought a pig in a poke. Use whatever cliche you want. Unless and until the citizens of this country effectively break the bonds of the current oligarchy of "it's got to be either a D or an R," then we'll continue to get conned and scammed by both parties - because they know that there is no other viable option.

I have demanded firm and decisive action on the illegal trespassers' issue for well over 5 years at least. I have dozens and dozens of letters and responses to my representatives in Congress and the Administration, each of them assuring me that they are "on top of things," and to leave it to them. They'll take care of it for me. I'm past demanding action from a group of people who wink, nod and go into back rooms and strike deals among themselves that are sure to cause further problems and not address the issue.

This latest pronouncement from the President, coupled with his meeting with some select representatives, while purposefully excluding those with whom he knows have disagreement on this issue clearly shows me that on this issue, he can't be trusted.

I am more than chagrined. I'm more than appalled. I am sickened to see this country's "leaders" seemingly intent on forcing this country in a direction that its citizens clearly do not wish to go.

"Creating a separate class of Mexican immigrant would send the message that there are consequences of law-breaking."

Almiranta - you must really enjoy these immigrant demonstrations, because you are signing up for decades of them with this idea. You are asking for the same unrest that they currently have in France by creating second class citizens.

Either make them full citizens or get them out of here!

I am blown away by the President's disregard of the American people on this issue. I have written, faxed and e-mailed my representatives letting them know that I appose amnesty for illegal immigrants yet they, and the President, choose to disregard the wishes of the vast majority of American citizens. The meet in private and cut secret deals to give amnesty, which failed last time to stem the flow of illegal immigrants. And why would it! They believe they will eventually be given amnesty so they continue to come. We need to cut social services (including emergency room and food stamps), put troops on the border and insist Fox take them back!!

Well the Washington Post accomplished in this article what it wanted it to do...make everyone mad at President Bush. You know let the President speak - I can not and will not believe that paper anymore since they don't care about giving away our national security secrets. It's rubbish. Yeah sure some democrats made those comments and then called the Wash Post - only for us to get mad and Bush and then his poll numbers will go down even further.

Who do you want to believe the Washington Post or President Bush!~

Dan,
Mr. Bush advocated a "guest worker program" when he first ran in 2000. gwp is just amnesty by a polysyllabic designate. I have never been with the President on this, or the border security issue (or the drunken sailor-like spending of the so-called fiscal conservatives) but to abandon him now smacks of selfishness.

George H.W. Bush famously said that if he had to wait for a candidate that agreed with him on every issue to run, he himself would be the only candidate he’d ever vote for. I too have written to the President, and my congressman begging them to tighten border security before we even begin to talk about guest worker programs.

It is during these fights that we must recognize that in every case the alternative is much, much worse, and that we need to make our voice heard and not bow out of the process, giving the power of our voices to the clamor from the left.

I believe that what we see here is actually what Mr. Bush believes, not political expedience. He didn’t get his way on DPW, nor on Harriet Miers, can we fight to see that he doesn’t get his way on this? Support the House Members that are trying to shut down the border. I believe that is our only hope.

Daniel , you are totally wrong. This issue is not about illegal immigrants, this issue is racial and today many conservatives are recognizing that this a racial issue than a security or legal issue. Among them Bill O’Ralley.

Ronald Reagan gave to illegal immigrants an amnesty, today they are hardworking American that own houses and spend 300 billion dollars a year and contribute to the growth of this country. Also, bill Clinton granted amnesty to undocumented immigrants and they are contributing to the growth of this country as well

I don’t think that the new immigrants are different. They are contributing to this country. By hard work and paying taxes. Just an example, there are unclaimed 7 billion dollars every year in unclaimed Social Security benefits from illegal immigrants. Who benefits from this money? You are the one.

I think that the real issue is not about legality or security. The real issue is about race, and you stated very clear. The fear of all the white folks, because this is a white issue, is that America is changing. You and most of white are afraid that the color of the future American be slightly darker, and they will speak a different kind of English. You were not afraid of black because you know hoe to slave them, and how to keep them in separate. But with Hispanics is different. You can’t slave them, you cannot segregate them as you did with blacks.

You are concern because they start buying houses, speaking a different language that your ignorance can’t understand because you are too lazy to learn a different language other than English. These people are gaining economics power and now they start deciding the elections, what give them political power.

If you were concern about security, why don’t you say anything about to building a wall on the border where the terrorists came from: CANADA.

By the way, from the 12 millions of illegal inmigrants only 4 to 6 are mexican. The rest are asian, irish, eastern european.

"Support the House Members that are trying to shut down the border."

Yes, and vote in the primaries to replace any that are not living up to what they ought to be, so that we can get decent representation. I'm all for getting rid of wishy-washy semi conservatives, but only to replace them with bona fide conservatives... not to give the country over to the liberals to wreck even further.

*Shakes Head*

Another thing I disagree with the President on, and always have. We don't need amnesty of any kind because all it does is reward criminal behavior. Just because it's a "minor crime" to cross the border illegally doesn't mean it's not a crime.

If you give the illegals amnesty, instead of making them go through the legal process like everyone else does, you're telling them they're Democrats. You're telling them they're too poor, too oppressed, too victimized to be treated like ordinary strong people. They need to be wrapped in cotton, bottle fed and promised that nobody's gonna hurt them by making harsh demands. The government will make it all better.

Extramedium commented,
"...I'd like to hear a little more detail on your assertion that the illegals go back on their own. I don't see 12 million people walking back to Mexico and I fear that that those folks will be on the dole or commiting crime somehow without a solution. Can you explain how that program would work?"

Well, actually, it's pretty simple. Start enforcing the laws already on the books and introduce some modest legislation to complement them! Here are some examples of how doing this will allow us to regain control of our society and cause the illegal trespassers to reconsider their decision to come here... and ultimately trek their way back to Mexico once the rules for our society are finally imposed upon them (the same rules that we are playing by).

Example 1:
Social Security notifies an employer that a SS number on the part of an employee doesn't seem right. The employer is required to obtain secondary documentation from the employee. In addition, a Federal Agent might come by the place of work and meet with the employee face to face to "discuss the matter" with the employee, asking for other documentation. There's nothing like "the heat" coming in to where you work to make you consider either fessing up or trying to get a job somewhere else. Similarly, SS could cross index the SS number with the IRS to determine if taxes are being paid. Again, a visit from and IRS official is intimidating, and likely to result in one of several scenarios. The employer might get fined (and let's make it hefty) for not withholding SS and Income taxes by both the Federal and State authorities. That will make both the employer and the employee understand that there are rules and that they must be adhered to;

Example 2:
An illegal applies for social services to which they are not entitled. The government (local, state or federal) must require hard documentation as to their residency status. They must vigorously cross-index the documentation to the various databases (Social Security, IRS, etc) and do an extensive check of all the documentation proferred as "proof" of eligibility. If the "proof" comes up as bogus, it is not enough to simply deny the assistance. Lying to the federal government is a felony offense and must be treated as such. Severe fines must be imposed;

Example 3:
An illegal is involved in a routine traffic stop and is found to have no insurance, inadquate or nonexistant identification (particularly driver's license), or some other infraction such as a DUI. Impose the penalties to the maximum. And then, if it is determined that their residency here is not legal, deport them.

Example 4:
When enrolling their children into public schools, the school administration must also be vigilant in examining their residenncy status as well as the health records of the children, including their birth certificate. Again, as above, impose the appropriate penalties. In this instance, because a child who might have been born here is involved, set aside a way for the parents to be punished and make them undergo some rigorous procedures to make sure that they get the message that we have rules and they are expected to fully comply with them;

Example 5:
When applying for a home mortgage, a business loan, or any other type of loan, the illegals must present absolute proof of citizenship or legal residency. The bankers/mortgage brokers/others involved must once again vigorously examine the documentation offered, such as the social security card, birth documents, etc. Parenthetically, you wouldn't believe what I had to go through with my first mortgage. My birth certificate didn't have the official embossed stamp from Cook County, IL, and because my Social Security card was a photocopy, it caused my closing to be postponed for almost a month, while I wrote to the Clerk of Cook County, IL and the Social Security Administration to get a valid copy dutifully stamped and certified. If it was good enough for me, it ought to be good enough for everyone...

Example 6:
The Great State of Georgia recently passed legislation and was signed by our Governor, Sonny Perdue that imposes a 5% surcharge/tax on any money being sent to Mexico by anyone who couldn't prove that they had a legal status in this country. In my opinion, it ought to be higher - say 15%, but by nibbling away at the money that would otherwise be bled out of the country, we are making it more difficult and less inviting for illegals to come here and earn money "under the table" without paying any taxes whatsoever;

Example 7:
Pass legislation that English is to be the only official language to be used by any government agency. No more catering to those who refuse to even learn rudimentary English. They could even go further and legislate that any private agency that receives government funding must enforce the English-only policy. If they choose not to do so, then withdraw any government funding. This type of tactic is employed by the government all of the time, particularly in regards to education funding;

Example 8:
Within the law enforcement community, it is common knowledge that certain areas are the venues where day workers congregate for exploitative jobs. Make it obvious that the areas are being watched. Be real upfront about it, in fact, going so far as to follow the company that is hiring these day laborers. Then, once on the job site, require Identity checks. Anyone who is here illegally and who was picked up by this company should be fined via the employer. Put the burden on the employers to provide due dilengence before they hire someone. That way, we will also be getting a better picture of who is knowingly involved in skirting around our employment laws.

Each one of these steps in and of themselves, if properly pursued, will slowly but surely send out the message both to the employers and to the illegals that so long as they follow the law to the letter, there are no ramifications. Those less scrupulous employers will have a harder time in hiring and maintaining the illegals. Their cost of business will inexoriably rise as they are flushed out. By simply enforcing the laws on the books in this variety of ways, the illegals would be forced to either begin to play by the same rules (paying income tax, workman's comp, social security, state income tax, etc.), at very least, will find their blatant acts of illegal employment being challenged on a variety of fronts.

Little by little, the magnet of under-the-counter wages that lures these illegals here would be turned off. Those that are working here would be flushed out and if the potential penalties involved were great enough, some people will simply choose to go back to where they came from, knowing that the goose that had been laying the golden egg has finally had enough...

It all really comes down to a simply concept. As Americans, we have turned a blind eye to this problem for years. We have turned the other cheek to the greedy employers who employ illegal workers at lower wages under the table and pocket the difference as profit. If as a nation, from community to community, we stopped and said by way of enforcing actionable laws that we've had enough, they'd get the message. They'd either come out of the woodwork and participate on a level employment playing field, or they would find somewhere else to run their scam.

I'm not talking about running around in the middle of the night with torches and pitchforks here, everyone. I'm talking about drawing a line and making examples of the illegals when they are discovered. Believe me, word will get around very, very quickly. The end result would be that little by little, those who are intent on subverting our laws and customs would find it harder to do so and the stakes higher when they're discovered. Just so no one posts back some comment to the effect that we'd be essentially causing a diaspora for the poor, downtrodden Mexican workers, let me point out that the diaspora has already occured. Mexico must really suck economically speaking, or they wouldn't be looking northward for us to take the burden of their failed economic and political system.

And just to wrap up, let me emphatically state that I enthusiastically endorse LEGAL immigration. We should honor those who are willing to come here and play by the rules to get here. It is both an insult to them and to this nation that there are so many who choose to jump ahead of them and ignore our laws and customs.

I hope I've clarified my position. I love this country and hope for the best for her. Unfortunately, due to the sheer numbers of illegals and the methods they use to skirt around our laws, they are pulling the rule of law into the gutter and spitting upon it by their actions...

And yet, they demand their civil rights!

Go figure...

Pat mentioned,
"...This issue is not about illegal immigrants, this issue is racial and today many conservatives are recognizing that this a racial issue than a security or legal issue..."

Bullshit!

solilsolate stated,

"If you give the illegals amnesty, instead of making them go through the legal process like everyone else does, you're telling them... they're too poor, too oppressed, too victimized to be treated like ordinary strong people. They need to be wrapped in cotton, bottle fed and promised that nobody's gonna hurt them by making harsh demands. The government will make it all better."

In case Pat is still around reading these posts that's the real racism that would be at play if this nation just rolls over and gives them what they want on THEIR TERMS. I have no problem opening my arms to anyone who wants to come to this nation ON OUR TERMS. To reward illegal behavior by legalizing the criminals, it only begs for more illegal behavior to occur..

So while Pat may be quietly and passionately playing the world's smallest violin for the illegal trespassers (which is what they are no matter where they came from), the rest of America recognizes this reality and the need to say "Nada mas!"

Dear Pat,

For a great study on real racism, go to this web site to see how Mexico treats its naturalized citizens and immigrants - legal or otherwise.

The title of this paper is "Mexico's Glass House."

http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/Mexicos_Glass_House.pdf

Then tell me again how xenophobic and racist THIS COUNTRY is...

And as for, "...that your ignorance can’t understand because you are too lazy to learn a different language other than English."

I shouldn't have to speak a foreign language in my own country. If I were to go to Germany, even to visit, I'd learn some German. Japan - some Japanese...

And I'm all for securing our northern border as well. What made you think I wasn't?

If you want to see the real face of racism, I suggest you look in the mirror...

DBogdan:
It's time for citizens of this nation to take back the country. We can no longer sit by and watch our language, our culture, and our way of life being bastardized and hijacked by foreign forces with the acquiescence of our Chief Executive. SHAME ON GEORGE W. BUSH!!!"

Are you serious? Who are you going to vote for then? His plan, to stop any NEW illegal immigration and the Senate's plan was to make it nearly 11 years AND a Requirement to learn the language as part of citizenship. Is this part of you losing your language (which there is no national language at all). Hell I just moved from Seattle to Dallas and I can assure you I have never been "Fixin' to mosey" in my entire life. It might be English but it's foreign to me. And our culture has changed everytime a large group of people came here. The same argument was used against Asians on the West Coast, Italians, Germans, Polish, etc etc etc throughout the history of this nation, and we have arrived at where we are today.

I think the only legitimate question we have is where the loyality of these potential new citizens lie? Are you a Mexican, a Mexican-American or an American? Because honestly, we don't seem to be up in arms about illegal asians coming here or people coming from Eastern Europe.

However, I must say that I can respect the depth of your convictions on the issue.

wawilliyo,

When you see massive demonstrations on the part of illegal trespassers who are waving the Mexican flag, when you see groups like La Raza openly challenging the right of this country to control several southwestern states, when you see large groups of people who simply refuse to learn (American) English, there is little room for doubt where their allegiance lies.

That's a critical point that you made, because these illegal trespassers, unlike many other cultures that have immigrated here, have a unique tendency NOT to assimilate. In part, the reason is one of geography. Unlike the Asians, unlike the Europeans, these people are quite close to their homeland. As such, it's easier for them to stick to the ways of their native country - in this instance for the sake of this argument - Mexico. By maintaining considerably closer ties with their homeland and culture, they differ from the Asians and other Europeans. There is less incentive to become part of the "great melting pot," which I was told this country is all about.

The other side of the equation which has barely been discussed is the reasons why the people left their country to begin with. We often hear about how they are coming here for the opportunity for a better life, to work hard and get a piece of the American pie. But what is not being uttered is that their countries don't offer them the economic and political opportunities that they so clearly crave. When I read the article about "Mexico's Glass House," i was shocked at how Mexico treats its immigrant and naturalized population. It's my understanding that Mexico has a clear economic policy that maintains an underclass of people to support their economy. I must be awful if you're not one of the top few percentage who control almost every facet of the economic and political life there. If I were in their shoes, as an underclass citizen, I would probably look for better opportunities as well. But to have Vicente Fox telling this country that we must take his social problems as some sort of pressure release for their unsolved and simmering economic and political situation is the height of hypocrisy. It would be far more courageous for Mexico to get its own house in order so that they could serve their people in a more just and equitable way. But apparently, that's out of the question.

The only way I know to try to explain how this illegal trespassing issue makes me feel to to use an analogy of a traffic jam on a major interstate...

Say you're caught in a traffic jam during rush hour. Thousands of cars stretch for miles, moving ahead inch by inch. You don't like it. You've got better things to do. However, there's no reason to go ballistic over it. After all, you are not alone. Everywhere you look there are others in the same predicament, hoping that eventually, they'll get to where they need to go...
And so, you inch along, hoping that soon there will be a break and you'll be able to be on your way.

And there is always that one SOB who decides that HE doesn't have to play by the same rules as everyone else. HE is important. HE has somewhere to go. And so he pulls over onto the emergency lane and uses it as his personal bypass to move in front of thousands of other motorists who are playing by the rules. That's essentially what's happening with the illegal trespassers. They've decided, for whatever reason, that they are exempt from the process that thousands of his fellow citizens are going through to get here legally. "Laws be damned!" they seem to say, "I've got to get there now! I'm in a hurry." In the process of cutting ahead of all the law-abiding immigrants-in-waiting, they've thumbed their noses at our laws and requirements for residency.

If Congress chooses to reward them for their behavior, their illegal actions will be validated. Human nature being what it is, we can be sure that if that occurs, it will only invite more people to thumb their noses at our requirements and they, too, will take to the "emergency lane," just because they feel that their personal situation supercedes that of everyone else.

I will continue to demand a better course of action on the part of my representatives to thwart any sort of rewarding for illegal behavior. I will also be looking at any alternative to the D's and R's on the election ballot, and if they offer a reasonable alternative, I will vote for them. As an American, that is my right. I am not now, nor have I ever been, beholden to either the Demublicans or Republicrats. More than any time that I can remember, they seem to be like two peas out of the same failed pod...

I want what's best for this country. So far, on this issue, neither the Dems or Reps are offering me any hope that they share that desire...

I would propose a swap program -let in one law abiding immigrant through the front door for every illegal caught. this gives us the workers -the closed borders -the integrety of backing up our legitimate laws- the race issue is dead -

If need be raise the legal quotas -reward legals with citizenship after a tenure period etc.

Quite frankly, I pray for a third party candidate strong on defense and borders - The new Rasmussen poll showing a third party candidate trouncing a Republican should be a eye opener for Bush and the panicky clowns in D.C. ($100 rebates is the games of the left) They could care about their conservative base.

as for the the GOP- as Ronald Reagan said - I didn't leave my party -my party left me.

The problem with your above statement is based on a huge assumption that all the people in these demonstrations (I am afterall currently in Dallas so I've seen one with 500,000 people) are illegal immigrants. Many, if not most, are not illegal immigrants, but for whatever reason seem to see this debate about racism. If they truly believe America is against Mexicans, then that is the true nature of the debate. You and I cannot change their minds of the mob just by speaking.

I also think a traffic jam mentality is also apt in that it's up to government to improve the roads and traffic conditions. If government can fix the pipeline then the roads will get better. If we can fix the current problem by making an 11 year ordeal (something those people inching along in traffic don't have to do) and learn English (something else those people inching along don't have to do) then stop the tide of new illegal immigration, then you have the start of traffic moving again. And afterall, you're in favor of legal immigration.

Or perhaps, as many in that mob in Dallas think, perhaps it's a particular group of immigrants, legal or illegal, that America seems to have a problem with afterall.