Immigration

I remember when we had heated arguments in the forum regarding immigration, specifically illegal immigration. My position was that migrant Mexican farmworkers came to this country at the invitation of the farmers who needed the cheap labor willing to accept poor working conditions. I said at the time that if the industrial farm machine no longer hired migrant farmworkers, they would no longer come to this country. I felt that punishing people who came as invited and who already suffered under horrendous work conditions was inhumane.

Today, several news stations reported that Mexican immigration was at zero. There are no jobs to attract them, and they are not arriving. All that hoopla about them causing harm to U.S. workers was strictly bias and hatred - looking for a source to blame for poor political policy that had led this country into its abyss under Republican leadership.

We don't need to "strengthen" borders where no one wants to come across. The huge sums of money spent for border issues could better be spent resolving immigration issues for those who came legally into the country caught in the bureaucratic morass.

A friend of mine is still complaining that illegal immigrants are keeping up the cost of health care, that people are swarming across the borders to get better health care for free and have their babies.

Well, the Red Cross health care in every Mexican town is nearly free - a membership fee of about $250 a year for free care. The paid care is rational, at the rate of other professional fees in the country. Nobody would choose to come to the U.S. for free medical care; they chose to come here because they were enticed by the ads for a better life for their families and children by participating in backbreaking work. In fact, U.S. citizens near Mexican borders avail themselves of Mexican health care for its lesser cost.

Of course, that forum topic is no longer interesting since the primary antagonists are not longer posting. I am just so tired of bigotry and racism that looks for scape goats. I am responsible for what happens to me in this country according to the representatives I vote into office. Unfortunately, $ had changed the power of my vote, but it still counts. No one race, religion or custom is the singular cause of woes.

4/24/2012



DK...

When I go to my Dr., they now want your

drivers license and insurance card, they copy this for

their files, I was told it's to make sure you are who you

are, I'm sure the state regulates what goes on..



Joe ..........

I agree with your views. What happens when people have no one to blame? When farm production suffers, what then?

As for border protection, the millions they spent on it hasn't accomplished much, according to what I read. I guess the only benefit was putting people to work building fences. Ithought building walls was a thing of Eastern Europe.

DK wrote:

Quote :

We don't need to "strengthen" borders where no one wants to come across. The huge sums of money spent for border issues could better be spent resolving immigration issues for those who came legally into the country caught in the bureaucratic morass.

Extremely well said.

Ann

4/24/2012

This topic is what's known as a keg of dynamite. First off I don't mind if immigrants come here to work in the fields, as long as their paid a decent wage. Second those who come across to take advantage of our system and I have read many cases in the newspapers here. They know the system better than I do and I'm born here. I think the whole thing in the nutshell is people want anyone who tries to come here to get in line just like anyone else, our immigration system has been screwed up for decades. At one time our laws were very strict, my great grandparents went through hell to get into this country. Oh yes by the way, I read 118 Americans have given up their citizenship because their disgusted with the Federal Government, to me this is a stupid mistake by doing that you don't have a country to live in and you give up your rights as a citizen, all they have to do is vote the BUMS out of office.... Can't wait for Nov. 2012...



Cheers..Joe...

I was just summarizing an issue that is now a "non-issue." All the states that raced to implement illegal immigrant legislation to target non-whites to show I.D. and forbid service agencies from tending to the sick or feeding the hungry - it was all a waste of hate. The "illegals" are no longer coming here. Alabama may have to go out of the agriculture business statewide because when they tried to get unemployed locals to do farmwork after passing the hate illegal immigrants legislation, the white locals had neither the physical capacity nor strength to do it day in and day out; they also refused because they made so much less in a 14 hours day than their unemployment benefits. The crops rot in the fields. That 14 hours includes a two-hour non-paid bus ride each way.

Fortunately, we can vote in this country. Unfortunately, the information we receive about our government and politicians is what's paid for by interest groups and big money. Thus, when we go to the polls, we are ignorant of truths and vote based on our ignorance. Until the corruption in campaign finance is ended, we have lost our vote.

I try to avoid politics. It is strange to me how stuck in a time frame folks are.
We were with some friends yesterday and the women asked me how I liked Romney. I replied "not at all."

She asked "why?"

I said he wants to cut taxes by 20%

She asked why I didn't like that and I said, " we can't afford it--look at all the money we owe China."
Her husband went on an Obama rant and blamed everything on him. I held my peace.

They have as much right to their opinions as I do mine.

4/24/2012



As I've said before the Govt. is " STUPID !" Hello, we have

prisoners sitting in prison doing " NOTHING !" We could have

them pick the crops, pay a small wage, that way they have

some spending money, I don't mean Murders, people who have

a short sentence, 5 years or less......

Cheers..Joe...

Good point, Joe. We have more people in prison than any other county in the world.
Maybe work would take some of the criminal energy out of them.
It is certainly worth a try.

4/24/2012



Another way for them to pay their debt to society..

It's not cruel , why should they be in prison doing nothing

watching TV, We should send a petition signed to Congress,

as if they'll pay attention..

Cheers..Joe...

Tell you the truth, I figured the situation in Alabama was one in which they were not really looking for replacement workers; they were probably looking to be paid a subsidy for their losses. By the way, any time prisoners are used for labor, people complain that they take away jobs from locals. Go figure...

Alice, I have been in your same friend situation many times. It's one thing to have opinions about specific policy decisions, but it's another to blame one man for whatever is not suitable. Any president accomplishes certain positive policies and certain negative ones. They are influenced by what they inherit, who is in Congress and what's going on in the world.

There is no question that the eight years that President Bush was in office led the country into its worst economic situation since the depression and took the rest of the world (except China!) with us. We had two unfunded (and one "illegal") wars; we had tax cuts that ripped the budget; we had unregulated greedy and corrupt corporate entities across the board from banks to health care; and the the list goes on. They all catapulted into disaster for all of us.

President Obama made errors in judgment along the way and errors of priorities; but he saved General Motors and gazillion jobs across the industries that are touched by automobile production; he saved the financial structure; he slowly helped some people save their homes; he implemented policies to help students survive an economy in which they have no jobs and no way to pay their loans; he implemented the Simpson/Bolles Commission that had great but politically impossible ideas to cut the deficit; he implemented health care overhall for the first time in fifty years with the support of both parties that provides insurance for pre-existing conditions and the working poor and many other provisions that will lower costs over time; and the positive list goes on.

For those who favor the wealthy and are comfortable with their income and insurance and life in general, the needs of the middle class, students and the impoverished as well as women, have no importance. All that matters is the corporate schema and policies to "make jobs" that they did not make with all their greedy freedom in the Bush Administration years - they sent their jobs overseas, sent their profits overseas, and used this country without giving back their fair share. The wealthy got wealthier and the middle class became impoverished (personal experience here). The wealthy do not create jobs; it is the struggling new businesses that grow to make jobs.

The poor, ignorant Republican ordinary people are being passed a bowl of porridge to think that religious policies make the Republican party a moral party. The big money that supports big corporations from pharmaceuticals to oil is spreading the kool aid that the wealthy are some great institution and the government is evil. When times are tough, it is government that sees us through - not the greedy corporations. Why should they? They are swimming in profits. Why should they want green energy? That's a cut to their profits in favor of new businesses that create new jobs - not overnight - but in the future. When times are tough, someone has to be taxed. It makes more since to tax billionaires than me; it makes more since to stop subsidies to wealthy corporations than cut food stamps for the needy.

I hope the nation wakes up before November 2012. This is not the Republican Party in which I was a member. My Republican Party had a sense of fairness, a since that small business was important and so was innovation, a since of fiscal responsibility not fiscal scalping of the poor to benefit the rich. My Republican Party has been replaced by religious radicals ruled by corporate greed and I don't recognize them. I am not a member of the Democratic Party; but I am a student of teachings of Christ who said over and over that I am my brother's keeper, that the impoverished need help from those who are blessed, that from those who have much, much is expected in return. I see more Christian teaching reflected in the policies of the Democratic Party than the look back policies of the Republicans. I miss Ted Kennedy. He was wealthy but he was a strong voice for the people; it's possible to be both, just not in the current Republican Party controlled by Grover Norquist and singular big money interests that are propaganda geniuses.

We should send a petition signed to Congress,

as if they'll pay attention..

Cheers..Joe..

You have that right

4/24/2012



DK...

When is everyone going to get off " The Bush Blame

Game !" Let's get with get with the program , all poliiticians on both

sides of the isle are to balme, When I was a kid 50 years ago the

Democrats were completely different, now they're so far left and

liberal ....It's time the American people open their eyes and elect

people who don't have agendas....Remember it's " WE THE PEOPLE,

NOT WE THE POLITICIANS. That's the problem in this country, they all

think their God....Time for them to go..



Cheers..Joe..

Unfortunately, it's important to remember how we got to this economic disaster because the very programs and policies that got us here are the ones that the Republicans want to continue: further reduction in corporate taxes; continued corporate subsidies; less regulations; less tax on wealthy than the rest of us. We either need to tax or have jobs instantly. It seems taxing will be a faster method at the moment.

I agree that the two parties are full of career politicians whose job is to support special interests to get the money to get elected to their career. The Congress is playing politics instead of passing needed legislation and wasting the taxpayer paid salaries and benefits they receive.

However, it's not going to change for this election because the Supreme Court ruled that the PACs are legal so special interest money rules. Until the power of special interest money is eliminated (and it ain't happening this year), the true needs of the country and the house cleaning that needs to be done will not happen. So, in the meantime, I want to see the least harm to those least able to speak for themselves because they have no PAC or special interest money - they just try to get a job, care for their families and survive.

4/24/2012



It's time for a good old fashion house cleaning...

To me for someone to be in Congress or the Senate

for 25, 40, 50 years is a disgrace ! Time for them to go.

It's up to the people to put up a ballot for severe term limits.

Cheers..Joe...

As far as I am concerned the politicians should be payed according to their performance.
If they argue and fight and get nothing done, fine. Pay them nothing.

Joe said, "When is everyone going to get off The Bush Blame"

Speaking about the cause of problems helps prevent reoccurence.
Bush not only committed criminal acts that went unpunished, but caused our economy to crash. To get new policies implemented requires the support of the Senate and Congress. A President is powerless to get the needed approval when the opposition is fighting against it. President Obama has tried to right many wrongs, however the results are poor primarily based on politics. The GOP has fought against him and wants him to fail. They are already using the "failure" theme in their political propaganda. It is not what's best for America, but what is best for the party, and that's sad.

4/25/2012

It's time the American people wake up put a ballot

out there to make very severe term limits, I believe

what Ross Perot said over 20 years ago, whenever the

Congress wants to do something the American public

should vote on it, their word is the final word not the

Congress....

Cheers..Joe...

Term limits are critical. I like Alice's pay plan. I was funded most of my career by Federal grants. The grant included very specific performance objectives and benchmarks. Payments were made when those performances and benchmarks were met. They were part of the performance evaluation.

We do have a batch of ignorant new Congressmen who came in under the Tea Party and signed a pledge with Grover Norquist on their way in not to raise taxes or any interpretation of revenue that could be considered taxes for any reason. That pledge to one person made their constituencies without representation and destroyed any opportunity for compromise that would have benefited the country.

Critieria may exist that allows high performing representatives to get a second term while the low performing ones are out.

Not to overlook, the lack of females in Congress and the political process is a loss to this country. Women are less ego-centric and more likely to get down to business. Those who are in finance would never have allowed this country to end up in its defiicit position. Women tend to be nurturers and abhor war, favoring diplomacy. Women work well collaboratively. I know these are generalizations; but so are the reasons that keep men in office instead of women. There are so few women in office, that it's easy to select one that may appear to operate with male characteristics (admired in men and categorically damned in women).

Moving into another subject but related: I doubt that a corps of female secret service employees would have a sex scandal with prostitutes. If in fact, any female in a high visibility political position compromised the accepted morality standards, it would be with such discretion that it would take a drone to discover the fact.

If you really want to see changes in Congress, look around you for female candidates with political platforms you like. When there is a balance of males and females in both houses, this country will see a house cleaning like it's never seen before. Standards of efficiency and humanity will operate together instead of opposition.

DK. I can't argue with anything you said. We need to give women a chance rather than prejudge how they may perform.

It would be helpful to have a list of recommended female candidates for any public office.

4/25/2012

DK...

You don't understand , " IT"S A BOYS CLUB !"

Always has and always will be..I would like to see a

woman run for President , anyone but Hillary....Too

much baggage..

Cheers..Joe....

There is a program called, "Emily's List." Google it. Emily's List is a campaign to promote female candidates in every elected arena, local, state and national.

Thanks DK. I'll check it out. Is your name on the list?

I'd like a run like Newt Gingrich as an opportunity to travel at someone else's expense and promo my books - and in his case - his wife's book - he still has secret service.