I disagree. Because he's not going back to DC.
Lindsey Ping
Posted on 06/03/2007 4:19:42 PM PDT by mdittmar
GREENVILLE, S.C., and PHOENIX - In South Carolina last week during the congressional break, Sen. Lindsey Graham generally avoided crowds. Likewise Sen. Jon Kyl, back home in Arizona, scheduled no public appearances, instead huddling with party officials in Phoenix.
It could not have been an easy week for the two GOP senators, key brokers of the compromise immigration-reform bill that has infuriated so many of their red-state constituents. How well they and other senators in the hot seat endured the heat may become clear when the Senate resumes debate on the bill this week – and whether the amendments to come are designed mainly to alter it or, rather, to kill it.
The week at home made one thing evident: Senators who back this measure, especially Republicans, are taking a calculated risk.
To some, they are traitors and sellouts, offering "amnesty" to illegal immigrants who broke the law by crossing into the US. Angry constituents promise repercussions at the ballot box, and political analysts say those are not empty threats.
"Among a lot of Republicans, there's been intensely negative reaction directed against the Republican senators who have been involved with [the bill]," says Merle Black, a political scientist at Emory University in Atlanta and coauthor of the book "Divided America." Though the Republican senators "are saying that they're actually responsible for most of the conservative parts of the bill, they're not seen that way by their supporters."
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
The Heritage Foundation is estimating that the total cost to us over the lifetime of each illegal will be slightly over $1 million. Imagine the staggering overall cost of this immigration bill if you multiply it times the total number of illegals that will result from passage of this bill, given the following info.
The “Z visas” also pave the way for “chain immigration” allowing an immigrant to bring in relatives. Previously chain immigration was limited to immediate family members. New legislation will open it to include possibly more than 11 family members of any relation. Once those family members become resident they too will be able to bring in their extended families and so on.
As I have posted in other threads on immigration, even the 12 million number was a total guess by somebody in D.C. and was not even remotely based on any factual data. About a month or two ago, I read an article (I had thought by one of the founders of the Minuteman) who had worked with one of the think tanks to attempt to derive a better number. His estimate was between 35 and 55 million. But the scary part about this amnesty bill is how it expands the number of illegals whatever the number. Let’s assume for discussion that the number is as low as 20 million...watch what happens under this bill. In 1986 just less than 3 million illegals were granted an amnesty (US citizenship); they each brought up on average 5 more family members who also instantly became US citizens, so 3 million X 5 = 15 million + the original 3 mil = 18 million. Now consider the 20 million that have come up since 1986 get amnesty under this new bill, and they haul up 5 more each: 100 million + that 20 = 120,000,000. And what if the existing number is 50 million, the new total will become 250+50=300 million new neighbors. Now consider where they fall economically? At the bottom, unlike legal immigration where we now expect something of value, these illegals bring nothing but 3rd grade educations and the trappings of a failed culture, like grafiti and 3rd world diseases. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TO AMNESTY!!!!
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Lindsey Graham in hiding from the people he needs to send him back to DC. Not good.
Actually, it could be good - maybe the incumbents will lose their seats and real conservatives will be elected.
They HAVE to send him back, otherwise one of those terrible Democrats will get in.
Good. I hope they know it’s personal now.
When their policies affect our lives and loved ones- that’s personal.
I used to like him, but some people go south on us. We need to look for replacements and warn the GOP about keeping damaged goods.
I disagree. Because he's not going back to DC.
Lindsey Ping
Just say NO to Amnesty!! Before it’s too late!!
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White House comments: (202) 456-1111
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They HAVE to send him back, otherwise one of those terrible Democrats will get in.
What’s the difference? Lindsay deserves what he gets.
For the love of the country,some true American HAS to oppose him in the next primary.
This man lied when you voted for him! He made you believe he was someone he wasn’t. How does that make you feel? TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE!
300 million new neighbors? The credible numbers I’ve heard are around 20-25 million. The population of the US is between 300-400 million.
the CIA sources put Mexico’s population at 108 million.
Rest assured, they can take my threats to the bank. They're toast!!
No Republican that supports this bill or any bill that doesn’t close the borders will be returning to DC after their next election. They are going to be turned out in the primaries. Trust me I have never been involved in primary p[olitics this changes now and I know alot of others that this is changing for.
Next time its not the lesser of two evils next time it is get rid of the career politician before he even gets a chance to stand against a Democrat.
Though a New York Times/CBS poll showed that a majority of Americans support the different provisions of the bill – among them a guest-worker program, legalization for illegal immigrants, and a more secure border – discontent stretched from Greenville, S.C., to Phoenix.
From the article, and full of B$. That poll asked general questions, as soon as “amnesty” became apparent the results flipped, and that fellow FReepers, is media manipulation.
Bolton’s a straight shooter, so is Michael Steele and many others. Have you seen any serious internal discussions about a VP candidate for Fred.
Dude, c'mon. That's tinfoil territory.
They aren’t just mexicans.
The problem here in Illinois is that conservatives have NO representation. Turban Durbin and Barak Hussain Obama use letters of complaint from conservatives as toliet paper.
Mexico supposedly accounts for “only” 42% of illegal aliens..try Nicaragua, El Salvador, Belize, China, Philippines, Middle East, etc....
watch this video from 1997 and see how many people would like to live here:
http://www.numbersusa.com/video/
Your concern is misplaced. There are plenty of well-known Republicans in South Carolina who can keep that seat in the Republican column.
The fiddler will be paid on this one.
It’s a lot more likely that some people’s off-shore bank accounts are being fattened up.
The vast majority of illegals are from Mexico with China coming in second.
Lack of border control and the entire lack of federal response to illegal immigration is a huge issue. Using inaccurate stats does not further the cause to stop this travesty.
"El Presidente Fox, we took a piksure of Senor Bush in heez pajamas!!" 
Love this!!!!!!
Good post. This country will be gone if this bill passes. We don’t have the infrastructure to absorb this many people.
After what the GOP and moderates are doing right now, they all deserve to have their asses swiftly kicked right out of office. And I mean royally.
Stop that thinking. A moderate rino is not better than a DBM/dem. That's what got us into this crap in the first place because the conservatives let too many moderates have power! Now were in danger of losing control of congress for at least another 40 years! NOW is the time to find a conservative canidate before the primary, vote for the conservative and send Lindsey packing!
The current roster or Republicans has got to be the dumbest bunch ever to hold office.
“dead women or live men.”
Sounds about right for Lindsey G..
They damn well better feel the heat, and respond accordingly. If they don’t they’ll be out of job and every shred of credibility.
Same for the RNC. Its time to clean house and ditch these back stabbing sellouts for actual conservatives. They’ll never get another dime from me or my wife until they fix this garbage. Not another dime. What they will get are repeated nastygrams and ugly phone calls.
See post 32.
Well, according to a former Daschle aide, Graham was quick to work with Daschle and the minority on a number of issues. After one such meeting, Graham emerged from Daschle's office, walked to the door, turned around, and proclaimed loudly for the Daschle's entire staff to hear: "Republican by day, Democrat by night."
WHAT!?! Perhaps Palmetto Staters can find a good conservative to take him out in the primary and we can keep the seat out of the hands of the dems and get rid of McCain’s gutless cabin-boy.
I know; but I still haven't seen an adequate explanation of how the usual motivations like graft and corruption would suddenly motivate nearly an entire political party to voluntarily "throw the game". I always thought politicians preferred to receive bribes as a steady income over the long term. If someone's giving them special one-time bonuses for abandoning their seats, I should think the amounts of money involved would be difficult to cover up and we'd be hearing about it.
They're in hiding because they didn't want to have to read anymore stories about how they were booed. They're all a bunch of sleazy cowards. Larry Craig of Idaho is another one.
Now that’s the time to take a stand - in the primaries.
Thank you.
IS IT AMNESTY?
If someone steals your car – and they get to keep your car – that’s amnesty. Suppose a thief stole your car, but they can just pay a fine and keep the car.
Ordinarily, when we are talking about crime and punishment, criminals pay a fine and go to jail but they also must return the car. The punishment does not begin until the stolen property is RETURNED or recovered.
If you can steal a $20,000 car, pay a $5,000 fine, and KEEP the $20,000 car — for a NET GAIN of $15,000, WHERE’S THE PUNISHMENT? That is amnesty. (And the statistics show that illegal aliens will get $21,000 in benefits every year, net of taxes they pay.)
Illegal aliens must leave the USA, not just pay a fine. Under the AMNESTY (there I said it) bill, illegal aliens will get to KEEP what they stole — illegal presence and illegally working inside the USA.
Also, the immigration amnesty bill DOES NOT REQUIRE THE BORDER TO BE CLOSED. The deal allows 12 million invaders to gain instant amnesty with a “Z” visa – even if the border has not been secured. Illegal aliens don’t need citizenship to work, so the border never needs to be secured. The “Z” visa goes into effect immediately.
Then, millions more will follow, by getting false affidavits from their friends that they were in the USA before January 1, 2007.
THIS SHOULD BE CALLED THE OSAMA BIN LADEN / AL QAEDA WELCOME MAT BILL OF 2007. Al Qaeda can walk into the country any time they want, and simply submit fake affidavits when they arrived.
I live in Chicago... You are telling my story.
I’m frustrated that I can’t even complain to the Republicans.
OK, no dead women.
It would be tinfoil territory to say that Mexico HAS photographs of Bush from his binge-drinking days living wild in Mexico.
I think it is fair game to say that Bush’s actions make no sense and that WOULD BE the only possible explanation. It is just another way of emphasizing that Bush’s actions are bizarre.
What is the population of Mexico? At some point, even the upper crust Mexicans are going to realize that allowing so many of their poorer citizens escape to the North will affect them personally. A 120 million number doesn’t seem realistic...it would destroy Mexico as a viable country!
Dear Bob:
Thank you for contacting me about the current immigration reform debate in the Senate. I appreciate having the benefit of your perspective on this important issue.
Unchecked unauthorized immigration unquestionably is having significant adverse effects on American workers and on some of our communities’ health and education infrastructure. The challenge facing President Bush and Congress is how to stop the flow of immigrants coming illegally across our borders and deal with those who are already living and working in this country illegally.
The Senate is currently considering immigration reform legislation authored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Kyl (R-AZ) and supported by President Bush. This bill would tighten border security, increase enforcement against employers who hire illegal workers, establish a process by which undocumented workers and their families who may have entered the United States illegally but are now contributing and responsible members of society can earn citizenship after paying fines and learning English, and create a temporary program for foreign workers who must return to their homeland after a specified period of time.
The Senate is expected to debate the Kennedy/Kyl immigration reform bill through early June. Many amendments to the bill will be considered, and the underlying legislation could change dramatically. I will be following these deliberations closely.
The most controversial elements of the Kennedy/Kyl bill is its path to citizenship and the new point system it proposes for future immigration. I understand the strong feeling within Illinois that undocumented immigrants should not be rewarded for flouting U.S. law. And I appreciate that many Americans feel we should just seal our borders and deport undocumented workers currently living in the country. However, it is significant that the Department of Homeland Security recognizes that identifying and deporting 12 million undocumented workers currently working in this country would be both difficult logistically and disruptive to the American economy. Further, I am concerned with the proposed change under a new points system to reduce the emphasis we place on uniting families in our immigration system.
I agree with President Bush who said: “Some in this country argue that the solution is to deport every illegal immigrant, and that any proposal short of this amounts to amnesty. I disagree. It is neither wise, nor realistic to round up millions of people, many with deep roots in the United States, and send them across the border. There is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant, and a program of mass deportation. That middle ground recognizes there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently, and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record.”
Again, thank you for contacting me. You may be assured that I have heard your views on this issue.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
P.S. Our system does not allow direct response to this email. However, if you would like to contact me again, please use the form on the website: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/
Stay up to date with Barack’s work in the Senate and on issues of importance to Illinois. Subscribe to the weekly podcast here: http://obama.senate.gov/podcast/
BUMP. Amnesty is a sure way to destroy this country. On Monday lets start calling and calling.
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