Posted on 07/01/2006 7:13:50 PM PDT by garbageseeker
What are Hispanic groups and the Democratic Party have to fear about the upcoming immigration hearings by the GOP?What are they hiding?I thought that they would be glad that they are finally to air their views in the public.
John Tresvina, president of the Mexican American Legal and Education Defense Fund, said the hearings were "basically a stalling tactic."
"It's a way to appeal to their base," Tresvina said at the annual meeting of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
Latinos do not pose a threat to the government and should be valued for their economic contributions, said Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with labor leader Cesar Chavez.
"We have to let people know what the truth is. This is a distraction," Huerta said.
House Republican leaders scheduled the hearings to get feedback on a Senate-passed bill that would offer legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.
Speakers said Friday that the measure is far from perfect but still better than the one offered by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., which would have subjected those in the country illegally to felony prosecution.
On Wednesday, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean warned that Republicans were using "immigrant bashing and scapegoating" to seek votes in the November election.
His Republican counterpart, Ken Mehlman, canceled his address to the convention because of weather-related travel problems but said in a letter that it was important for the party to reach out to Hispanic voters and continue working on the immigration issue.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California said Republicans showed their true colors this week when two-thirds of them voted to eliminate ballots in more than one language.
"We believe any diminishing of language assistance and bilingual ballots is a diminishment of our American democracy," Pelosi said in remarks prepared for a speech Friday evening.
"You got to be an optimist to be a Democrat, and you've got to be a humorist to stay one." -- Will Rogers
Actually it's illegal aliens and their supporters who are afraid of hearings.
They always wanted the public to know about the virtues of public immigration and they are the ones who stalling.
So is waving the Mexican flag on American soil - eh?
I like the truth to a Democrat is like krypronite to Superman
If they want to tell the truth they could start by calling them what they are. "illegal aliens"
or Felons
They have a new flag now. It is a hybrid. On one side of the flag its American.On the other side its the Mexican flad.
Ping
"Latinos do not pose a threat to the government and should be valued for their economic contributions, said Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with labor leader Cesar Chavez."
All might be interested in this article on Cesar Chavez.
>http://www.amconmag.com/2006/2006_02_27/article.html<
Here is an excerpt:
"Chavez’s essential problem was straight out of Econ 101, the law of supply and demand. He needed to limit the supply of labor in order to drive up wages. Just as American Federation of Labor founder Samuel Gompers, himself a Jewish immigrant, was one of the most influential voices calling for the successful immigration-restriction law of 1924, Chavez, during his effectual years, was a ferocious opponent of illegal immigration."
Ping
Caesar Chavez did not like illegal immigration. But Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with labor leader Cesar Chavez, supports it. The UFW needs news members to join their ranks.
In fact, the UFW has leaned to the socialist forces in the Latino movement
What Hispanic leaders? Who are they and who elected them to office? What office do these leaders hold? Why are they afraid to have hearings about illegals if the majority of Americans support them as they claim? Who gives a sh** about Hispanic leaders who have no authority in this country and what they think? For that matter who cares what Dems think except other Dems?
Ping
Well said! Ditto.
I agree it was well said.
R O T F L M A O
Good points!
B U M P
"Caesar Chavez did not like illegal immigration. But Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with labor leader Cesar Chavez, supports it."
The problem is, she's trying to make it a "Latino" problem; rather than an "illegal" problem. She is conflating the two in such a way as to imply -- illogically -- that if you don't continence Illegal "Latino"(Mexican) immigration, than you don't like Latinos(Mexicans)-- an absurdity at best.
Bump
Thanks for the bump, buddy!
I have some humor
The flag does exist. They sell them Downtown.
"We have to let people know what the truth is. This is a distraction," Huerta said.
Latinos DO pose a threat - not only to our government but to our culture and way of life.
Look at the relative economic prosperity of the US, and compare it to the relative poverty of Mexico. Mexico probably has more natural resources per capita that we here in the US, yet Mexico is mired in poverty and in corruption at all levels of government. The same can be said for Nigeria and many other countries around this planet.
It is crystal clear to me that the reason for this economic disparity is cultural. We have our culture (or mix of cultures) and Mexico has its culture (or mix of cultures). The economic and societal fortunes of the USA and Mexico (this also applies to Nigeria, Cambodia, El Salvador, and most other countries) stem from their respective cultures.
Simply stated - I don't want our national culture blended with these other national cultures. We have enough homegrown cultural problems without importing more.
I have no problem with immigrants per se, but I don't want their cultures to take root here.
The only way this can be prevented (or at least delayed) is for immigration to be limited and controlled, to such an extent that immigrants are fully assimilated into our culture. No Cinco de Mayo, no talk of Aztlan, no bilingualism, no balkanization.
The proposed amnesty is the single biggest danger to our country in my lifetime, and I intend to speak out and do whatever I can to assure no amnesty is given and that the illegals are pushed out and kept out. I intend to pressure my government every way I know how.
The Democratic Party are looking like a bunch of "jackasses" by siding with the Latino groups. They are hiding the fact that they are ones to gain if CIRA is passed.
I agree with you.
: )
bttt
Sunlight is the best disinfectant...BUMP
You bet.
"This is a Mexican group, not Hispanic. Hispanic implies all people of Spanish ethnic origin. That is an erroneous racial stereotype to think that all Hispanics will back Mexican illegals on the immigration issue."
Many Hispanics do not 'back Mexican illegals on the immigration issue'.
You nailed it!
It is SO annoying that MALDEF, LULAC and UFW presume to speak for ALL Hispanics and/or "Latinos" in the U.S.
bump
An interesting quote:
"George P. Bush is the son of Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his Mexican-born wife Columba – which makes him the nephew of the Republican candidate for President. At a recent Republican rally he spoke in fluent Spanish about how his mother had instilled in him the values of Cesar Chavez, the Chicano who organized farmworkers. "She told me we have to fight for our race, we have to find the leaders who represent us," he said. About his uncle the candidate, he said, "This is a President who represents the diversity of our society, who we can count on to change the Republican Party to represent our views." (Reuters, Aug. 2, 2000.) "
http://www.amren.com/009issue/009issue.html
"This is a President who represents the diversity of our society, who we can count on to change the Republican Party to represent our views." (Reuters, Aug. 2, 2000.)"
...And fealty to the United States - and our Constitution --be damned.
Thanks for the quote and the accompanying link.
Absolutely! Are they American?
"Hispanic leaders" Why are they making distinctions based on race? Are they racist?
I do not think that people of the various nations that you mentioned in your post pose any more of a threat to our way of life than any other group that has emigrated here in large numbers at any time in our history. I also don't think that Latino/Hispanics are a race, the term simply refers to anyone whose native land is primarily Spanish speaking.
The cultural problems that you identify are manifold. The first, the lack of economic success in these immigrants home countries is different in almost every case, and is a mix of various things culture only being one part. The larger problem with many new immigrants comes not neccessarily from them per se as much as it does from our current cultural malaise. We are so inclined to tend toward fractional societal constructs over the common values that we as a nation used to emphasize, that it is difficult to blame the newcomers. They are simply existing in a time in our society when we refuse to force immigrants to assimilate. The vast majority want to, and do become a part of our great experiment, but it is the American haters in our own land who give the others an excuse not to become part of our culture. There are some cultural celebrations which have become part of national culture which certainly were not part of our original settler's melieu upon the founding of our nation and they have not destroyed us (ever had a green beer on St Patrick's day?).
I am a staunch supported of immigration, it is part of what has given us a great national heritage. I also recognize the value that other cultures have had in enriching our own, including Mexican and other Central and South American nations. I am not in favor, however of lawbreaking, and of the intrinsic unfairness of letting people who broke the rules move to the front of the line. I am also not in favor of immigrants who want to share the bounty of this great land and not become part of our nation's rich culture themselves, thinking that they can change it to mirror the country that they just left.
Illegal Aliens: A Few Myths to Keep in Mind . . .
GEORGE GRAYSON
Mexico City. Last Tuesday the Pew Hispanic Center announced that 41 percent of Mexicans surveyed in February and 46 percent questioned in May stated they would live in the United States if given "the means and opportunity." Indeed, two out of 10 people interviewed said they were prepared to enter the U.S. illegally. These figures could have amazing consequences because our Spanish- speaking neighbor has a population of nearly 106 million inhabitants.
Recent Virginia news stories have focused on the issue of illegals attending college in the U.S. Although we can sympathize with individuals, it might be useful to look at half-truths -- or, in some cases, myths -- that have suffused the immigration debate.
(1)Mexico has no good universities. True, many schools in the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) -- with 350,000-plus students -- are highly politicized. However, ITESM, known as "Monterrey Tech," has a network of excellent campuses throughout the country.
(2)Welcoming the 65,000 illegal aliens who graduate from high school to American colleges is cost-free. In fact, there are a limited number of places in freshman classes. Should individuals who have broken the law be preferred over applicants who have played by the rules?
(3)DIVERSITY HAS enriched the United States, which -- as a "nation of immigrants" -- has a moral obligation to extend a helping hand to the less fortunate of other lands. Times have changed. Exploding populations in poor countries and advances in transportation and communication have made America a "promised land" for millions upon millions of "have-nots." The U.S. has responded with the world's most liberal immigration policies. Yet, uncomfortably high domestic unemployment and overcrowded schools, highways, and hospitals mean that only a small fraction of those clamoring for admission can be accommodated without greatly sacrificing the quality of life of Americans, especially the poor.
(4)Illegal aliens are younger than the U.S. population as a whole and are, therefore, an economic asset. While there is an element of truth to this proposition, it overlooks the competition that immigrants pose to younger workers in the U.S., notably African-Americans and Chicanos, who suffer the highest rates of joblessness.
(5)Because they pay taxes, contribute to Social Security, and don't apply for welfare, illegal aliens put in more than they take from government coffers. Officials in Arizona find this proposition nonsensical: Illegal immigrants cost their state -- for education, health care, and prisons -- approximately $1.3 billion more annually than they pay in taxes. A study by the Center for Immigration Reform (CIS) found that the burden of such unlawful residents on the 2002 federal budget was $10.4 billion -- with Medicaid, health care, and prisons constituting the high-ticket items.
(6)Mexicans and other illegals perform menial work spurned by Americans. In some instances this is true; however, in March, 2003, there were 8.8 million Americans working full-time without a high-school education, 1.3 million school drop-outs unemployed, and a further 6.8 million not even in the workforce. "There is a good deal of evidence that these workers are in direct competition with Mexican immigrants -- i.e., these are jobs that Americans are doing already," according to immigration expert Mark Krikorian.
(7)AS IS THE case with most problems in a democracy, pressures will eventually compel American politicians to limit the flow of illegal aliens. In pursuit of political clout, many Hispanic-American groups welcome the influx of Spanish-speaking people.
The Electoral College magnifies the influence of ethnic groups viewed as power brokers in pivotal states such as California, Texas, Florida, and New York. Postponing action on unlawful immigration will strengthen those special pleaders who oppose enforcing U.S. laws.
(8)The guest worker plan that operated between 1942 and 1964 -- along with the 1986 amnesty -- proved successful in reducing illegal immigration and fostering bilateral cooperation. In fact, a robust stream of unlawful immigration paralleled the legal guest-worker program. Rather than end unlawful entries, the amnesty legislation gave rise to a snowballing of unlawful newcomers who believed that the first amnesty would beget a second amnesty, and so forth.
Continuing a porous border will see the current flood of illegals become a tidal wave and possibly spark an anti-foreign backlash in view of the two-thirds of Americans who oppose amnesty. The Statue of Liberty may hold the torch of freedom in one hand, but she has a book of laws in the other.
George Grayson, who represented the 97th District in Virginia's House of Delegates, teaches Latin American politics at the College of William & Mary.
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