Posted on 06/04/2006 5:43:52 PM PDT by Iam1ru1-2
Two current Washington controversies highlight, to the extent that most rational citizens require, the bizarre disconnect between many in Congress and the American people.
First is the Senate version of an illegal immigration bill, the amnesty bill that dare not speak its name. From its principal provisions to details which are still being analyzed and unintended consequences that cannot be accurately predicted, it is a new low in legislative garbage, seriously responsive or responsible in almost no aspect, compounded deception in the extreme.
The border security provisions started out bad and ended up worse, with even the much-discussed border fence now conditioned on consultations with various levels of the Mexican government. It gets worse, with the so-called penalties that must be paid for illegals to move to citizenship seeming like a fire sale of entitlements and, in the case of job rights, making them more equal than citizens.
If there is any real punishment in the bill, it is for immigrants who have spent years fulfilling the requirements for legal citizenship, for those still waiting respectfully in line, for citizens who wouldn't cross a street against a light much less a border against the law, for employers who play by the rules.
Doing citizenship right is no match for "rights" that are proclaimed rather than earned, certainly no match for the martinets of the Senate who apparently hear not the discontent of their constituents, liberal and conservative alike. This is not an issue of traditional ideological splits in the population, not that you would get that from polling or senatorial posturing. You will get it in any bar, liquor or coffee, in almost any town.
The tragedy of the illegal immigration mess is that no comprehensive legislation should now be needed at all. If existing laws had been enforced for the two decades those laws have not been enforced, then the problems of illegal immigration would never have reached the proportions they have.
It is now up to House conferees (not yet appointed) to either fix the Senate disaster or kill the bill outright. Neither outcome is yet predictable, but, regardless, a bipartisan bloodbath for incumbents is growing in odds daily. Unfortunately, two-thirds of the Senate, not up for re-election, will escape that first fusillade of discontent gone wild.
The illegal immigration issue is at least serious, with serious, long-term consequences for the country. The other issue of disconnect is just silly, an example of excess political testosterone if there ever was one.
We refer, of course, to the aftermath of the judicially-approved FBI search of the congressional office of Representative William J. Jefferson (D-La.). If you are reading this, you likely know the details, amply elucidated almost everywhere. This one, too, represents bipartisan madness, but the Democrats have mostly let their Republican counterparts take the lead. Why not? They volunteered.
The argument, started by Speaker Hastert (R-Ill.) but parroted by way too many others, is that the search was unconstitutional and a violation of separation of powers, with all manner of folderol and claptrap pilled on top like ersatz whipped cream.
The constitutional argument is as bogus as they come, inviting but one question: What part of the felony exception in Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution do you not understand? It is unquestioned that Congressman Jefferson is being investigated for multiple felonies, and most of us out in the hinterlands don't hide 90 big ones in our Hungry Man frozen dinner boxes. Even if we're innocent until proven guilty.
While separation of powers issues might entice us when we sense clear and present danger to the Republic, that is nowhere in evidence here. The danger to the Republic is for any elected official anywhere to indicate on any issue that he, she or collectively they are above the law that must govern us all. Forget the details, forget the nuances. That's what is being communicated in its barest essence. All who are doing so, for whatever motivations, should seriously question whether they're in the right profession before their constituents do it for them.
Guess it's time to take out the trash this November.
That should be comprehensive "legislative garbage." And then there's this little gem from the article...
"... the amnesty bill that dare not speak its name.
The senate is the problem. Unfortunately, each senator is elected by a majority of voters in their respective state. House members, however, are elected from districts where the member reflects the majority view from his/her district.
Senators, being elected every 6 years, have at least 2/3's that can turn a deaf ear to the public. Shame, they're the ones we want out. Anyway, the bet they're making, that we'll forget, is a gamble. Internet memories last longer. The message to the House should be clear: hold the line and you may be up for a promotion to the Senate.
Repeal the 17th Amendment. The Sin-ate needs housecleaning.
The senate is the problem. Unfortunately, each senator is elected by a majority of voters in their respective state.
Build walls.
Require employers to verify people through a registry that has pictures, fingerprints and DNA.
If they fail to do so, try to get away with stuff, fine the hell out of them and make a few offenses a felony.
Then you wouldn't even have to remove illegals, with no work for illegals in conventional jobs without obeying the law, 90% will have to go home or starve.
If they want to go back home and apply legally, all the power to them and I welcome legal activity.
How about Boxer, Kennedy and Clinton, et al.
Even if the Senate version of "reform" passed, the issue will not disappear in four or six years. The Senate is just trying to kick the can down the road two years.
A strange title for your source material. One would think that they would be in favor of someone crossing the border of their own free will, working for someone of their own free will and an employer hiring of their own free will.
You could even call it individual freedom.
Right on!
Right on!
Right on!
It's entirely possible that there would be fewer "lifetime" Senators. That would certainly be part of any effort to "reform" the Senate.
And you would be wrong.
Because the essence of individual liberty is freedom from arbitrary exercises of authority and compulsion from without.
Are they as stupid as they appear to be?
Or do they know that the billions of dollars in earmarks carefully doled out to powerful local constituencies combined with gerrymandering just about gurantee them reelection?
That would also explain the outrage at the FBI raid: they consider their offices to be bought and paid for, their property, and, like medieval princes, they won't brook any intereference from the executive or the rest of the peons like us with their dearly bought sinecures.
This is also a bipartisan fraud: if you are a dem who is allowed some earmarks, do you really want dems to win so that you'll have more competition or a redistricting? Or do you want to just go home and yell more BS about Chimpy McBushHitler for the masses of asses (just like the Pubs yell about the Gay Marriage Amendment or abortion before election time), and then go back to enriching yourself after a safe election?
It's a conspiracy of the RINO's and the Rats to use as much public money as needed to keep their sorry butts in office.
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