[eleni121]

The miniscule costs of basic health and food benefits for immigrants legal and otherwise are far outstripped by the breaks that the middle and upper economic classes receive in the form of tax loopholes and benefits.

[StatesEnemy]

First of all, the burden of illegals on our social systems is hardly MINISCULE.

As for loopholes and creative accounting 'techniques' - I'm all for a flat tax that does away with all those evasions.

[janetgreen]

The miniscule costs of basic health and food benefits for immigrants

The costs for these services, plus schooling, IS NOT miniscule in California, eleni. The costs (BILLIONS) are placed on the backs of ordinary taxpayers and homeowners. California taxes are among the highest in the nation, yet our state is going bankrupt. Property taxes are sky high, and they want to raise them to build more schools for the millions of illegal alien kids who reside here. The free breakfasts and lunches, the assisted housing, the food stamps, the welfare checks, everything is free to them, and we just can't afford it anymore. Many medical centers have been forced to close because of the high costs of providing medical care to millions of "emergency room" patients who don't have emergencies at all, but know that ER care is free.

Bush's program will encourage millions more to come, and they will, hoping for dead-end jobs, with income supplemented by free perks paid for by us. It isn't fair.