Posted on 06/10/2007 1:52:37 AM PDT by TheThinker
Today the Senate has promised to take up Amnesty bill again. The Amnesty bill that was offered and defeated this week offered Z-visas which would allow aliens to stay indefinitely in the U.S. without pursuing a path to citizenship. Background checks for terrorist activities were to be completed but the current system for checking the backgrounds of foreigners is inadequate because a central database for crimes committed by applicants from foreign countries doesn't even exist. Also there was no limit on the number of Z-visas that could be issued. To top it all off and this is probably most important of all, the government would be forced to issue Z-visas to applicants after 24 hours if the background check doesn't immediately find past transgressions. There was apparently no appeals process for the government in case the applicant had a suspicious past or behaved suspiciously. Americans really dodged a bullet this week.
Terrorists are just dying to destroy an American city. Illegal immigration is a good vehicle to accomplish this goal. Legal immigration as the Amnesty bill established for aliens would have been an even better vehicle for terrorist attacks. A terrorist wouldn't have to brave the border patrol, could obtain a drivers license, use the American legal system as protection or the threat of lawsuits as leverage against government and corporate interests, get a job legitimately near sensitive government installations and essentially avoid deportation and detection.
So what is going to happen when this monstrosity of a bill makes a comeback? I think, unfortunately, senators will be more steeled to opposition. The massive citizen outcry will probably not be repeated. I think most that complained will give up because they think they have been ineffective because the bill's coming back. We prefer not to worry and we are afraid of becoming too activist or passionate for fear of being labeled. I don't think this bill can be killed in its entirety. I think it's better to use our energy to target specific provisions of the bill. The number one priority is striking the Z-visa provision from the bill. The Senate just seems to want to make the our illegal immigration problem even larger than it already is. We have plenty of illegals here that have to be dealt with first. But if you think we are going to deport millions of illegals you are mistaken. The problems with that idea are too numerous to count, among them vehement opposition from human rights groups, the government of Mexico, the pain and spectacle of breaking up so many families, etc, etc. Second, proof of citizenship should be required to work in the United States or receive any government benefits. If citizenship carries no benefits then there is no incentive to become legal. We can no longer tolerate a government system that can't or won't identify aliens with shared social security numbers. Third, the ICE needs to improve sharing actionable intelligence with the border patrol and the BP needs to be given more legal protections. The fence that hasn't been built needs to be built because more than anything it is a tool for the border patrol.
Conservatives' intitial outcry was constructive in that it made our elected leaders listen and pause. They will be forced to debate and listen intently now but they obviously will not kill the bill because numerous and powerful special interests and people want this bill passed. That's why we need unrelenting pressure only on certain provisions in order to participate more fully in crafting it despite John and Teddy's best efforts. By applying this pressure the Senators will know that their every move is being followed intently and recorded and the provisions themselves become important to their future campaigns.
I like the fact that they p*** and moan about how easy it is to buy a firearm because the background check isn’t good enough. OTOH, we can establish the identity of illegals in the same amount of time?? And that’s OK?
Sobering thoughts, especially the spectre of losing an American city to terrorist attack committed by Muslims here illegally. We have only to remember JFK to see how close we came — democrats/Liberals would love to see a big bang with heavy loss of life. That would be the last nail in the republican coffin — since Harry Reid, in particular, has been so very insistent on calling the amnesty bill GW’s bill. (Watch his performance on C-Span the other night, he’s the soul of piety, butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.) The amorality of democratic behavior is breathtaking. Who says evil doesn’t exist.
Second, proof of citizenship should be required to work in the United States or receive any government benefits. If citizenship carries no benefits then there is no incentive to become legal. We can no longer tolerate a government system that can't or won't identify aliens with shared social security numbers.
Proof of Citizenship can be had at any county courthouse now. It's called a birth certificate and they're simple to get by answering a few questions. They carry a State seal so it can't get any more official than that.
And I don't know what you're thinking, but Citizenship currently does carry multiple benefits. There are already many incentives to become a Citizen.
The use of a Social Security card as an identifier was never intended.
Social Security Number Policy Chronology
(contains interesting legislative acts/information)
This is Chapter 16 of Personal Privacy in an Information Society: The Report of the Privacy Protection Study Commission transmitted to President Jimmy Carter on July 12, 1977.
An individual's SSN may be used for personal identification, although the instances in which an individual identifies himself with his SSN appear to be rare. The SSN is more often used for personal authentication, as when an individual wants to cash a check. The use of the SSN in record identification and authentication, both within and between organizations, however, is common. Most of these uses of the SSN have nothing at all to do with the purpose for which the SSN was originally created-the administration of the Social Security Act.3
Previously...Although the SSN is only one of many labels used for identification and authentication in America, it is relied on for these purposes more widely than any other kind of label except name; but the SSN is, at best, an imperfect identifier and authenticator.
Third, the ICE needs to improve sharing actionable intelligence with the border patrol and the BP needs to be given more legal protections. The fence that hasn't been built needs to be built because more than anything it is a tool for the border patrol.
That is already underway without any legislation...
DHS’ Progress In Addressing Coordination Challenges Between Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Results of Review
Coordination, interoperability, and relations between CBP and ICE have improved. Both components have made progress in defining respective roles and responsibilities and how personnel of each organization are to work together. However, communication and cross-component understanding of roles and responsibilities do not appear to have reached all levels of CBP and ICE. In addition, both components share intelligence and information using many methods. In some locations, ongoing information sharing and cooperative efforts occur; however, in other locations, information sharing between CBP and ICE needs improvement.
Everything you've got sounds just like mouthed platitudes. If I've offended you, my apologies.
Like any other bill no one wants it will appear and re-appear as often as needed until it is finally passed.
How often do we see anti-gun bills rewritten and sent back for another try. They may pass it in increments,but you can bet they will pass it.
We, the American people are the last people on this earth that our Congress is concerned with,unless they are after higher taxes. Globalism, is the desire of our politicians and by damn they are going to have it. We need to throw the whole stinking bunch out the door.
That is a lie, some senators are pushing to take up the bill and so is the latino president Jorge. But I don't think a decision has been made, but now would be a good time to tell some rino what you think of him.
No offense taken. I just don’t want anyone on the right side of this issue to waste energy but focus it effectively.
Which reminds me that I haven't seen any reports on the number of calls and e-mails this bill has gotten. Pretty strange, eh?
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