Political realities drive push for immigration reform
“I believe we can get it done. I’ll see you at the bill signing.”
– President George W. Bush in 2007,
expressing confidence in passage of a
major immigration reform package
———————————
Of course, the bill signing envisioned by President Bush never did take place. Opposition from within his own party quickly doomed the measure, and the relationship between Republicans and Hispanic Americans has been all downhill ever since.
In 2004, Bush attracted 44 percent of the Hispanic vote on his way to re-election. In 2008, after the demise of the immigration bill, John McCain pulled just 31 percent. Mitt Romney, whose solution to the problem was self-deportation, got 27 percent in 2012. An ever-declining percentage of a fast-growing demographic group is a long-term formula for failure, as McCain himself reminded his party Monday.
“If we continue to polarize the Latino/Hispanic vote,” the Arizona senator said on CNN, “the demographics indicate that our chances of being in the majority are minimal.”
So this week, McCain joined seven other U.S. senators — an equal mix of Republicans and Democrats — in announcing agreement on a broad, comprehensive immigration-reform package. Marco Rubio of Florida, a potential GOP presidential contender in 2016, was also among the group. And while that ought to be encouraging, the truth is that conservatives and liberals seem to have very different ideas about the details of the proposal, which at this point exists only as a vague description of principles.
The Hispanic Leadership Network, an offshoot of a major Republican SuperPAC, sent a memo to congressional Republicans this week, offering a series of friendly reminders about how to talk about immigration reform in public.
Such broad descriptive language can sidestep or paper over major policy differences, but those differences become glaringly apparent once you start putting it into legislative language of “shall” and “shall not”. In one indication of the work ahead, senators don’t expect to have an actual bill to introduce until the end of March, and even that schedule is probably optimistic.
McCain, Rubio and other prominent Republicans know that their party would be damaged permanently if it is seen to be blocking yet another effort at immigration reform. Yet a different bloc of Republicans, most of them in the House, remains committed to oppose anything that might offer amnesty or a path to citizenship for those who came here illegally.
President Obama’s strained relationship with House Republicans adds another layer of difficulty to the problem. The president is scheduled to announce his own immigration-reform package today in Nevada, which is also the home state of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Not coincidentally, the growing Latino vote has been crucial in turning Nevada from a red state to a blue state in the last two presidential elections.
Obama has promised to make immigration reform a primary goal of his second term in office, and like Reid, he’s under pressure to produce. However, he also recognizes that the pressure on Republicans is even more intense. The longer this problem remains unresolved, leaving some 10 to 12 million illegal immigrants in legal limbo, the more difficult it becomes for the GOP.
In Georgia, for example, non-white Hispanics make up an estimated 9 percent of the population, but they comprised barely 1 percent of the turnout in the 2012 election. Regardless of what happens in Washington, that second number is going to rise and rise quickly in future election cycles, and if Republicans can’t at least be competitive for that vote, things get very difficult.
– Jay Bookman
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462 comments Add your comment
Erwin's cat
January 29th, 2013
11:27 am
JHM – Exactly what my Hispanic wife says. She is absolutely gobsmacked at how the GOP let this huge potential opportunity get away from them.
X2…same could be said of gay marriage…isn’t a commitment to family values better than a perceived “pagan” single life
getalife
January 29th, 2013
11:27 am
“Rove Says Bobby Jindal ‘Is Right’ About ‘Stupid’ GOP”
It begs to question, why do cons blindly slobber all over a stupid party?
JKL2
January 29th, 2013
11:28 am
Good thing the Democrats passed this important legislative reform when they had control of everything back in 2008…
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
11:29 am
Our cons apparently comprise the 44% minority of their own party
“Cons” is such a negative term. Perhaps we should refer to these fellow contributors here at Jay’s as the “Lagging Indicators.”
(kind of a mouthful, though.)
Thomas Heyward Jr
January 29th, 2013
11:29 am
There is no immigration “reform” nor will there ever be.
.
It’s only the state looking for fresh meat to exploit.
.
Given enough time, even intellectually-challenged Romney/Obama voters figure out that the whole system is only a ponzi scheme designed to enslave you through debt so they start behaving more frugally which deprives the state of revenue.
.
On a positive note though……..when a state resorts to begging poor uneducated, unskilled workers to enter so as to prop up their unsustainable ponzi scheme …then this shows desperation by the statist crooks.
.
The end is nigh.
.
Thank God.
.
Godspeed the collaspe…………..and let FREEDOM reign.
skipper
January 29th, 2013
11:30 am
Erwin’s cat;
Penalty bong-hit for you! (mixing in gay talk with immigration reform!)
Erwin's cat
January 29th, 2013
11:31 am
Democrats have been pursuing it because it’s the right thing to do
and the fact it is becoming a significant voting block has nothing at all to do with it all.
getalife
January 29th, 2013
11:32 am
tom is cheering for the collapse of America.
Do you see that picture of w tom?
He did collapse America silly.
Did you cheer him on ?
You betcha.
the cat
January 29th, 2013
11:32 am
Thomas Heyward-what the heck are you talking about?
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
11:33 am
“According to Rubio overstaying visas are responsible for 40% of our illegal immigrant problem. That means the other 60% cross over the southern border”
Conservative logic isn’t like regular logic…but, td thinks he’s somehow stopped all illegal immigration from the north. Congratulations, dude!
getalife
January 29th, 2013
11:34 am
Basically, the party of stupid will pass immigration to try to save their stupid party.
Erwin's cat
January 29th, 2013
11:35 am
get – Basically, the party of stupid will pass immigration to try to save their stupid party.
too true
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
11:36 am
“Why is Obama calling for those illegally here to pay a FINE to the Fed gub’ment but he will allow them to remain? Just another desperate attempt by this Prez to “redistribute” the wealth to the Fed gub’ment.”
So, Morality just came out against fines for criminals. Interesting thought, Morality…
Keep Up the Good Fight!
January 29th, 2013
11:36 am
Stands, you mean “laggers”
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
January 29th, 2013
11:38 am
I think she’ll be hawking non-prescription boner pills, no?
Well, Sarah’s just another one of the Big Disappointments us Republicans have had. Remember the night of her VP nominee acceptance speech and she was giving the librul Democrats the what-fer and we were all guessing about how big the McCain victory would be? They even bought her a whole bunch of nice clothes to campaign in. Then she turned out to be dumb as a bag of hammers and when McCain lost big-time they took the clothes away from her and later she couldn’t even hold onto a job at Fox News—too dumb, Rupert Murdoch said.
It has went that way for us ever since. Now a whole bunch of states are making Gay Marriage and pot legal and we took a beating last November you wouldn’t give to a rented mule. We’re cursed, I tell you. And now they’re talking about letting all the illegals get to be citizens just as good as us rednecks.
Cursed, I tell you. Right now we couldn’t sell bottled water to travelers in the Sahara Desert. At least this will be the end of the Boner when he sides with the Obama immigration bill and the Tea Party turns plumb against him.
getalife
January 29th, 2013
11:39 am
The immigrants will pay fines and taxes to help our deficit.
The money we spend on border control is way too much in a time of cuts.
Paul
January 29th, 2013
11:40 am
Thomas H jr
As I said, you take any topic and use it to post about just one or two subjects…….
the cat
The same thing he always talks about.
Hey, did you ever see Big Bang Theory when some unknowing person hears Sheldon say something that appears off the wall so he asks “what?” and the rest of the group yells “NO” followed by ‘too late….”?
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
11:41 am
Everybody was quick to pass judgement on Arizona since most of them were not directly on the border (like the Arizonans are)
If you actually know anyone from that part of the country, you’d know that the Arizonans making the most noise are nowhere near the border.
And most of the noise they’re making is nonsense.
See also:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/09/AR2010070902342.html
UNCLE SAMANTHA
January 29th, 2013
11:41 am
DIVIDED GOVT WORKS
not saying it will for the nezt 4 years………… but in the end it usually works when bothsides hit the reality they cannot get their way entirely
Mr_B
January 29th, 2013
11:41 am
“Hispanics represent 9 % of Georgia but only 1% voted”.. does that 9% include illegal aliens and those under the voting age – neither of which currently votes?”
Aren’t you folks always crying about The Illegal Voter and the theft of elections from good Anglo politicians like Romney?
Marty Huggins'
January 29th, 2013
11:41 am
Paul
January 29th, 2013
11:24 am
So anytime legislation is passed that gains votes for one and loses it for the other only one side is doing it for the good of the country?
Could any, not all but any, of those who did not support Bush’s amnesty plan have been doing so because of concerns remaining from how the ‘86 amnesty thing went?
Seems that both sides compromised on this proposal, with dems getting a realistic path to citizenship( which is a pet of theirs and is an issue our country needs to deal with and will benefit the nation in the long term) and repubs getting what they want a securing of the border (which is a pet of theirs and is an issue our country needs to deal with and will benefit the nation in the long term)
Now it could be argued both sides were wanting what they wanted to garner votes from their base or supporters. But it could also be seen as a compromise for the better of our country.
I suppose it depends upon ones level of partisanship and/or dislike of the “other” side as to how one views it though.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
January 29th, 2013
11:41 am
DIVIDED GOVT WORKS
not saying it will for the next 4 years………… but in the end it usually works when bothsides hit the reality they cannot get their way entirely
Aquagirl
January 29th, 2013
11:42 am
Conservative logic isn’t like regular logic…but, td thinks he’s somehow stopped all illegal immigration from the north. Congratulations, dude!
He also apparently thinks nobody came from the South on a visa. They’re all barefoot Rio Grande swimmers.
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
11:42 am
“O” ’s mansions are located in Hawaii, California, Illinois and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
11:42 am
joe — “What part of ” ILLEGAL ‘ don’t any of you morons understand.”
“.. here is the definition of what it means to do something ILLEGAL!
” Contrary to or forbidden by law ”
Sigh. It seems we have to bring this back up every time the immigration issue is discussed.
Contrary to what many think, it is not a crime to be in this country without proper documentation. It is not a felony and it is not a misdemeanor. It is a “document offense,” about on the same level as driving without a driver’s license or proof of insurance.
If you’re caught without proper documentation, you’re not automatically going to be jailed and deported, at least not in most cases. Generally, what happens (at least in the case of expired visas or residency permits) is that the offender’s status is regularized as quickly as possible (e.g. visa or residency extension), but if that’s not possible, they’re given a short period to wrap up their affairs here in the US and then leave.
Undocumented persons who commit *actual* misdemeanors or felonies are treated differently, but as a general rule, just being here without proper documentation is *not* a “crime.”
Wish Brocephus was here; he’d be able to give us a more comprehensive rundown on it all.
getalife
January 29th, 2013
11:45 am
td,
Totally dumb (td) member of the party of stupid (pos).
getalife
January 29th, 2013
11:46 am
no morals,
Wealth envy ?
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
11:46 am
““O” ’s mansions are located in Hawaii, California, Illinois and U.S. Virgin Islands’
The conservatives’ “mansions in four states” claims is almost correct! LOL!
TBS
January 29th, 2013
11:46 am
Look
I didn’t say Mexicans and it doesn’t matter. Business keep hiring, there will be illegals. Doesn’t have to be just Mexicans.
Look before I leap...
January 29th, 2013
11:48 am
@td
In your rush to quote meaningless stats, you have managed to miss the entire point of my post.
The OP stated that the keyword in the debate was NOT Hispanic.
I disagree.
It is not race-baiting to acknowledge the reality of the “who” and the “why” when it comes to the immigration issue. To not do so makes it virtually impossible to develop a coherent response to the problem.
That said, there are many on both sides of the ideological divide who would make it an issue of race.
Some on the right would have us believe that the brown people are coming and they are going to take all of your stuff and some of the left would have you believe it is an issue of ethnic discrimination in order to achieve political gain.
Aquagirl
January 29th, 2013
11:48 am
The conservatives’ “mansions in four states” claims is almost correct! LOL
The Hawaii mansion is confirmed by the World Weekly—how can you not trust bat boy?
http://weeklyworldnews.com/politics/51125/obama-buys-40-million-estate-in-hawaii/
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
11:49 am
E. Cat — “X2…same could be said of gay marriage…isn’t a commitment to family values better than a perceived “pagan” single life”
Just so, Cat.
You have a group of Americans who *want* to get married and have a stable family life, who are inclined to adopt kids, who often are well-educated and affluent professionals — but the GOP wants nothing to do with them?
Joey don’t gettit.
Didn’t Reagan say something once about people who are 70% like the GOP should be treated as allies instead of opponents?
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
11:49 am
Sigh. It seems we have to bring this back up every time the immigration issue is discussed.
Hence my bat-signal, downstairs.
Thomas Heyward Jr
January 29th, 2013
11:50 am
the cat
January 29th, 2013
11:32 am
Thomas Heyward-what the heck are you talking about?
———————————————————————————————–
.
Ponzi schemes ……………….and desperation writ large.
.
Every Ponzi scheme needs more and more gullible people………hence open borders.
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
11:51 am
“The Hawaii mansion is confirmed by the World Weekly—how can you not trust bat boy?”
At lease their counting Hawaii as a state!
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
11:51 am
Kcin – If Obama wants illegal aliens here, and he is going to let them stay here, then why would he FINE them? So he can take from these poor people and ‘redistribute” to the Fed coffers of course. That’s all I am saying. How ironic……. “redistribution” from the poor to the gub’ment caused the American Revolution.
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
11:52 am
Wish Brocephus was here
Doubt the feeling is mutual. I suspect he, like Paul Krugman, is tired of trying to reason with us people, on this topic.
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
11:53 am
Oops – “their” s/b “they’re”.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
January 29th, 2013
11:53 am
will be a moot point in the next 25 years…………. Mexico is about to undergo a huge change in its economy………… the 10 families that own the wealth and business in Mexico are being pushed to the side and a wave of new business will come to the forefront………………. an example is telecommunication…………….. TelMex had a virtual monopoly but is seeing its market share slide as competitiors are given access to the market………. Mexico’s growth is far surpassing the US right now……………. soon it will become more attractive to work in Mexico ………… they do now and will experience their own immigration problem as workers from Central and South America are trying to get in if they can’t get into Brazil.
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
11:53 am
The Hawaii mansion is confirmed by the World Weekly
Ah. So THAT’s where all that HAMP money wound up.
Thomas Heyward Jr
January 29th, 2013
11:54 am
Paul
January 29th, 2013
11:40 am
Thomas H jr
As I said, you take any topic and use it to post about just one or two subjects…….
———————————————————————————————————————
.
You can ignore reality.
You will not ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.
.
See drone warfare.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
11:54 am
Aquagirl — “The Hawaii mansion is confirmed by the World Weekly—how can you not trust bat boy?”
Just FYI, the photo at the top of the story isn’t of the alleged mansion. That’s Iolani Palace, the former residence of Hawaii’s Royal Family.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iolani_Palace
Fun fact: It’s the only *actual* palace on US soil (in that it’s the only palace in the US that was ever actually used by a reigning monarch).
Paulo977
January 29th, 2013
11:56 am
mmm…”When people do things the right way, they tend to resent people who do it illegally and get rewarded for it.”
__________________________________________________
Freire on this about the “once oppressed ”
” The very structure of their thought has been conditioned by the contradictionof the concrete, existential situation by which they were shaped . Theirideal is to be men;but for them to be men is to be oppressors”!!!!!!!!!!!!
Figure it ???
Paul
January 29th, 2013
11:56 am
Marty Huggins
“So anytime legislation is passed that gains votes for one and loses it for the other only one side is doing it for the good of the country?”
Ummm… nooooo…
That’s why I laid out the specifics of the case.
There is a danger in extrapolating from the specific to the whole, you know.
“Could any, not all but any, of those who did not support Bush’s amnesty plan have been doing so because of concerns remaining from how the ‘86 amnesty thing went?”
Sure there could be some. But I’d say the overall theme, given the fierce opposition to Pres Bush and the absolute lack of any encompassing proposals that weren’t along the lines of “deport” “self deport” or “WHAT PART OF ILLEGAL DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?” would argue against that.
Whenever I ask those who assert ‘we need to secure our borders” just how do our borders compare to pre-9-11 and then give some data regarding the current state of security, I pretty much get blank looks or diversions.
On this issue, though, I’m betting Democrats will be much more entertaining of proposals to build another chunk of fence, or hire some more Homeland types to monitor the southern border, than Republicans will be to compromise on a path to citizenship. I’m already hearing opposition from my Texas Congressmen (”they’re taking away jobs from Americans” and all that, just this morning).
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
11:57 am
Kcin – Why wouldn’t we count Hawaii as a state? What I want from you on the left is to explain to me where Nanny Pelosi’s 52 states are? Looks like Mexico may soon be one? And of course Hollyweird North aka D.C.
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
11:57 am
but the GOP wants nothing to do with them?
I think the GOP has pretty much thrown in the towel on the Gay Menace, and other than the yowling heard here from some Dead Enders, it’s all over but the shouting–don’t you?
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
11:57 am
SfD — “Doubt the feeling is mutual”
FWIW, he usually recites current law and procedure, and then lets the conserva-shrieking proceed.
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
11:59 am
U. Sam, agree – the Mexican economy is improving, the middle class in growing, and, as the economic disparities even out, illegal immigration will slow. This is due in no small part to maquiladoras and NAFTA, btw.
(Write it down – U. Sam and I agree!)
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
12:00 pm
FWIW, he usually recites current law and procedure
True, but then he has to use every ounce of self-discipline not to go overboard when he politely informs people that they, too, can work on the border and risk their lives for marginally middle-class wages, if they really feel THAT strongly about the subject.
Put it this way–I don’t think his disgust over our collective ignorance is an act.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:00 pm
SfD — “I think the GOP has pretty much thrown in the towel on the Gay Menace, and other than the yowling heard here from some Dead Enders, it’s all over but the shouting–don’t you?”
Yes, I think it’s inevitable, but there will (IMO) be skirmishes fought on the outskirts of the main battle for many years to come.
Mick
January 29th, 2013
12:01 pm
rb – When they find section 8 housing, food stamps, and the rest of the “programs” more lucrative than working
Those programs have been around long before obama…
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
12:01 pm
“Illegal immigrant’s aren’t illegal – in Mexico they are. Obama could care less about little things like illegal/legal – to him that is just a matter of opinion if he does not agree with the law and it is to be IGNORED.
Mad Max
January 29th, 2013
12:01 pm
Like all pieces of Obama legislation, the President will ignore any recomendations from bipartisan committees. He needs immigration reform to feed the never ending election spin machine. Therefore, as usual, we will get sermons from the bully pulpit demonizing the GOP in order to give clueless democratic candidates something to criticize GOP opponents about in 2014. Obama’s priority is taking control of the House, not immigration reform. Thus, nothing is going to happen except outfield chatter- until 2014.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:02 pm
SfD — “Put it this way–I don’t think his disgust over our collective ignorance is an act”
Completely agreed. I know he doesn’t appreciate the ‘fed workers are overpaid lazy bums’ line, particularly when it emanates from one or more of our Federal *retirees* here on the board.
Redcoat
January 29th, 2013
12:03 pm
We are being invaded by increasing numbers of those who are seeking only money and benefits and will not assimilate…..and they have supporters…… expecting assimilation is being portrayed as racist…..Our country is being changed…..Will these added “taxpayers” satisfy our debt or add to it? and do they realize government doesn’t provide anyone’s freedom…..we have enough here already that have forgot, have redefined it, or just don’t care anymore…..
Paul
January 29th, 2013
12:04 pm
Thomas H jr
” See drone warfare.”
Even tho much of the rest of the blog will unitedly scream “NOOOOOO”
I’ll ask, ‘what?”
I like being contrary that way.
Soothsayer
January 29th, 2013
12:06 pm
Man, 69, accused of killing man who went to wrong house (AJC)
A Gwinnett County man is accused of shooting and killing a man who friends said pulled into the wrong driveway.
Phillip Walker Sailors, 69, of Lilburn, was booked into the Gwinnett County jail Sunday afternoon and charged with murder for the death of Rodrigo Abad Diaz, according to jail records and his arrest warrant.
Diaz, 22, was shot in the head Saturday night as he tried to drive away from Sailors’ home on Hillcrest Road in Lilburn, the warrant states.
Now see, in this rootin’-tootin’ gun-crazy world we live in, if somebody you don’t know pulls into your driveway after dark, you just blast ‘em! And ask questions later. Heck, it don’t matter none if they’re trying to pull away. Blast ‘em!
bookman parrot
January 29th, 2013
12:07 pm
jay, i can’t agree more strongly with your title this time around. But unfortunately the Dems want illegals made legal, for anticipated huge gain in votes.
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
12:08 pm
“Obama’s priority is taking control of the House, not immigration reform.”
Interesting opinion. But maybe he needn’t bother, since the TGOP seem intent on giving it away.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
January 29th, 2013
12:10 pm
Regnad Kcin
it is in the best interest of the US to make sure the Mexican middle class becomes more powerful……… it appeared that the PAN was going to help but they actually became as corrupt as the PRI………. now that the PRI is back in power they have become more adapative and realize they must let the middle class grow or they will never be in power again. The key will be when PEMEX (the oil/gas monopoly) is finally split and competition is allowed…….. there will be an telecom/internet and energy growth in Mexico that will take them into new heights………… in addition the Mexican middle class would love for Mexico and the US to tweak NAFTA. China has taken alot of Mexican mfg jobs…………….. Mexicans resent China……….. as China labor rates increase it makes sense for the US and Mexico to partner to bring the MFG jobs back to North America for products sold in North America
the key is the US cannot be a bully and try to force Mexico……….we must PARTNER and let them develop the way they want at their pace
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:10 pm
“Morality” — “Obama could care less about little things like illegal/legal – to him that is just a matter of opinion if he does not agree with the law and it is to be IGNORED.”
Well, that’s just your opinion. And it’s wrong.
All Obama did in that respect was *formalize* a policy that ICE and DHS had been operating under for more than a year. Besides, it’s called “prosecutorial judgment” and it happens every day when a DA declines to prosecute a case or accepts a plea deal.
This link will lead you to the “Morton Memo,” which lays out how DHS was prioritizing its resources in this regard a year before the President made it official.
http://www.ice.gov/doclib/secure-communities/pdf/prosecutorial-discretion-memo.pdf
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
12:11 pm
Many Mexicans in this USA are still loyal to Mexico and would prefer to be in Mexico if the gub’ment there was not so corrupt, the drug lords weren’t in control and they could find a decent job there. I don’t blame them for leaving – they are looking for a way to provide for their families. Our gub’ment is supposed to protect our borders. They failed to do their job and should be, as Eastwood say’s “let go”. Time for TERM LIMITS In Congress to rid us of the failed PARTY LOYALISTS. Time for a BALANCED BUDGET amendment to the Constitution to protect the FISCAL future of the USA and run the lobbyists and criminal politicians out of D.C.
UNCLE SAMANTHA
January 29th, 2013
12:12 pm
bookman parrot
that sounds great except the hispanic community is by and large more conservative than liberal………. there is more upside potential for the republicans than democrats
Paul
January 29th, 2013
12:13 pm
Sooth
Now the challenge will be to find the blogger who doesn’t show up for a while –
Hmmmm…. wonder of Mr. Sailors would’ve shot if the guy had been driving a Beemer and had on a dress shirt and tie?
Regnad Kcin
January 29th, 2013
12:13 pm
U. Sam – a cogent and comprehensive analysis…I agree.
indigo
January 29th, 2013
12:13 pm
If you are caught without proper documentation in Canada, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal or Italy, is it considered just a document offense?
Soothsayer
January 29th, 2013
12:14 pm
Paul: my money’s on Fish Sandwich.
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
12:16 pm
particularly when it emanates from one or more of our Federal *retirees* here
Yep, their lifetime pensions/bennies are totally earned, whereas those of us who’ve merely paid unemployment insurance all our lives are “moochers” if we try to collect ~$250/week after getting sh-t canned, or expect Social Security to pay us what we were promised over the course of our working lives, or (Allah forbid) those of us of the female persuasion expect health insurance coverage to include ladypart maintenance.
Such lovely people.
/rant
barking frog
January 29th, 2013
12:17 pm
getalife
Basically, the party of stupid will pass immigration to try to save their stupid party.
……………………………………………………………………………………….
another example of our President being a tricky man…..
godless heathen - owner of many things he does not need
January 29th, 2013
12:18 pm
Heck, it don’t matter none if they’re trying to pull away. Blast ‘em!
And go to jail charged with murder/
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
12:19 pm
Mama – you should refrain from addressing JERKS….. especially one’s that dare disagree with you and Obama. Thought Police consider those that disagree with the LEFT to be HATERS – which is the “redefinition” of HATERS aka those that dare disagree with the SOCIALIST left.
getalife
January 29th, 2013
12:21 pm
Tricky would be using this issue to open trade to Cuba.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:22 pm
indigo — “If you are caught without proper documentation in Canada, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal or Italy, is it considered just a document offense?”
Don’t know. Why don’t you go investigate for us?
In any event, what other countries do is irrelevant to the point of what *we* are doing *right now.*
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
12:22 pm
I read that story Sooth linked @ 12.06 — really, there’s nothing funny about it.
Obviously the shooter has to accept responsibility for the horrible thing he’s done, but (at the risk of going “we-are-ALL-responsible”) it bears considering why he apparently felt so threatened, in this circumstance.
Maybe he’s just pathological and it manifested itself; or maybe there’s been a national campaign of fear directed against people who happen to look like the shooting victim.
Look before I leap...
January 29th, 2013
12:23 pm
“Sooth
Now the challenge will be to find the blogger who doesn’t show up for a while –”
Funny I had the same thought. My first two guesses were proven wrong pretty quickly this morning.
“Hmmmm…. wonder of Mr. Sailors would’ve shot if the guy had been driving a Beemer and had on a dress shirt and tie?”
Obviously Mr Sailors had subscribed to the idea that the brown people are coming to take your stuff.
I support the idea that Sailors has a right to come onto his stoop with a weapon to demonstrate his ability and resolve to protect his family and home.
But to fire into a retreating vehicle takes him to the level of gun-happy whack job.
Aquagirl
January 29th, 2013
12:23 pm
What’s WITH the random caps? Is IT some kind of rare NEUROLOGICAL disorder?
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:23 pm
“Morality” — “Mama – you should refrain . . .”
http://www.ice.gov/doclib/secure-communities/pdf/prosecutorial-discretion-memo.pdf
Your bleating about the President ignoring immigration laws because he doesn’t like them has now been disproven. You may now take a seat and pipe down.
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:24 pm
Aquagirl — “What’s WITH the random caps? Is IT some kind of rare NEUROLOGICAL disorder?”
I suspect that’s what his doctor was going to see him for today.
td
January 29th, 2013
12:26 pm
Rubio will be on Rush at 1pm today. You progressives make sure you tune in so that you will not have to hear the media matters political spin. BTW: Rush is now on WSB radio in the Atlanta market.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
January 29th, 2013
12:26 pm
“President Obama’s strained relationship with House Republicans adds another layer of difficulty to the problem. The president is scheduled to announce his own immigration-reform package today in Nevada ……. ”
Two points:
1) Supposedly, he is going to indicate in his speech that he does not favor improved border security. We’ll see ……………..
2) He is flying all the way from D.C. to Las Vegas to make a 30 minute speech at a high school and then flying all the way back to D.C.
What a pathetic waste of taxpayer money in times of severe debt.
Rubio blasts Obama for resistance to border security provision in immigration plan – Fox News | Ramonia.de
January 29th, 2013
12:26 pm
[...] path to legal immigration, in one chartWashington Post (blog)CBS News -Voice of America -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)all 1,320 news [...]
Lance from Carrollton
January 29th, 2013
12:26 pm
Jay, you conveniently leave out the fact that only 38 Republicans filibustered the 2007 Immigration reform. 15 Democrats joined in on the effort to block the reform. The Democrats, beginning in 2005, blocked any deal they could so everything would backfire onto President Bush. Social Security Reform, Immigration Reform, etc… Up to the point of the financial collapse, in 2007 and 2008 most bills that made it out of Congress were Democrat bills. Blaming the failure of Immigration reform in 2007 on Bush and the Republicans is not historically true. Backlash from constuencies across America caused the bill to die, including with Democrats.
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
12:27 pm
Indigo – the P.C. have determined that illegal aliens are not illegal if they are illegal aliens in the USA. In Mexico, Russia, China, Canada, France, Great Britain, India, Somalia, Venezuela and Cuba (and every where else – pretty much) they are illegal and will most likely be imprisoned or at the very least be thrown out. Got it?
getalife
January 29th, 2013
12:27 pm
“Is IT some kind of rare NEUROLOGICAL disorder?”
Same mental defect of conservatism.
Their principles change to save their stupid party.
Paul
January 29th, 2013
12:28 pm
“But to fire into a retreating vehicle takes him to the level of gun-happy whack job.”
Further evidence why the gun lobby is opposed to mental health screening for gun owners.
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
12:29 pm
Indigo – Also, as far as I know, the USA is the only nation where illegal aliens can have children and their children born to illegal aliens are legal citizens of the USA because they came across the border and had them here.
Stevie Ray
January 29th, 2013
12:30 pm
I recall the penalty for illegally being in Mexico is quite severe indeed.
I say amnesty followed by enforcing border control. After that, actually enforce our immigration laws. Anyone coming is illegally gets deported. I also think we take a successful strategy from Fidel, Deport all currently incarcerated drug and related criminals from our prisons. That saves about 50K per year..of course the private corrections industry and municipalities with debt outstanding to support business would have a hissy..
td
January 29th, 2013
12:30 pm
It appears that not even the LMS believes Obama is shooting skeet at Camp David. I think he has just been busted in a lie.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/28/dubious-congresswoman-challenges-obama-to-skeet-shooting-match/
Joe Hussein Mama
January 29th, 2013
12:30 pm
td — “Rubio will be on Rush at 1pm today. You progressives make sure you tune in”
Sorry, I can’t do that any more.
It used to be a point of pride with Rush that he never had guests on his show. He used to *brag* about not needing them. Then he started having them on shortly after the war in Iraq started up.
Sorry, but Rush Limbaugh is kinda like the Who and the Rolling Stones. Early stuff great, kinda gone downhill in recent years, now all sucky and worthless, just going through the motions to cash in.
Stevie Ray
January 29th, 2013
12:33 pm
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
January 29th, 2013
12:26 pm
Why is it a problem for BO to waste our cash? According to him, the DEMS and their “economic” advisors, debt is nothing to be worried about. We will manage that at a later date..
getalife
January 29th, 2013
12:33 pm
It appears cons like td would slobber all over the gop if the gop went lib like on immigration.
Cherokee
January 29th, 2013
12:34 pm
Soothsayer I’m glad you brought up that story. It’s a real tragedy on all sides. A young guy dead, and an old man who will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
He has the ultimate responsibility, but I imagine he was scared to death – I know my inlaws spent their last years totally afraid of who was around them, because they spent all their time listening to Fox News and the hysteria of the gun nuts.
I wonder if people like td will admit their complicity in establishing and compounding the fear that causes these types of tragedies?
stands for decibels
January 29th, 2013
12:35 pm
What a pathetic waste of taxpayer money
Ok, I looked it up:
“Mr. Bush has made 77 visits to his ranch in Crawford during his presidency, and spent all or part of 490 days there.”
Just in case anyone else was wondering.
Soothsayer
January 29th, 2013
12:35 pm
“I read that story Sooth linked @ 12.06 — really, there’s nothing funny about it.”
Couldn’t agree more sfd. Just trying to point out how gun crazed our society has become.
Stevie Ray
January 29th, 2013
12:36 pm
Paul
January 29th, 2013
12:28 pm
No bail for that zealot who clearly was itching for an opportunity to kill a human. If a clever attorney lets him go free, he will have another trophy to hang on the wall next to his racoon, possum, doe, eagle and the likes..
TBS
January 29th, 2013
12:37 pm
Obama is shooting skeet.
He gives a sh#t.
I don’t recall him saying he wanted every gun or rifle banned, so unless you know he was using something he wants banned, you are just pissing in the wind………… which is blowing right at you
Morality?
January 29th, 2013
12:37 pm
Paul – Who is going to do the “mental screening” for gun buyers? I mean are the INSANE politicians in D.C. qualified to decide who is SANE? I do agree with back ground checks for those buying a gun BUT, BUT, BUT that should be done on a state level where we have some in SANITY in gub’ment. My concern is that the Dem led Fed gub’ment will DECIDE who has a right to buy a gun based on their political views. We need to keep politics out of gun ownership.
Cherokee
January 29th, 2013
12:38 pm
So some idiot congress critter from Tennessee wants to challenge the Prez to a skeet shooting match, and you think the media is questioning his veracity?
Corbin Sharpe. I think, therefore I am...I think.
January 29th, 2013
12:38 pm
Who’s Rush Limbaugh?
TBS
January 29th, 2013
12:38 pm
He, who, me, we