Posted on 04/20/2006 3:01:32 PM PDT by Spiff
I MAY HAVE ENGRAVED ON MY TOMBSTONE:
"SHE MADE JOHN McCAIN MAD!"
After attending Senator McCain's morning Town Hall yesterday, I was so disgusted at the way the local politicians censored citizen questions that I abandoned the idea of attending the evening session. The Tempe mayor laid down the ground rules: only questions and no "speeches" (which obviously included statements that disputed McCain's claims).
It was a royal sham from the word go, just like Bush press conferences. I'm sure it was packed with McCain toadies, because they started a standing ovation when he walked in and of course most people joined in (with a few exceptions like me).
Thanks to my friend Annette, who encouraged me to accompany her to the evening session, where the McCain held a real Town Hall rather than the stage production choreographed by Hizzoner the Tempe mayor.
But the Tempe experience revealed the one-liners and sound-bytes McCain used to promote his amnesty and discourage any disagreement. In promoting his bill (that he carefully avoided calling an "amnesty"), he said there were only 3 options (1) maintain the status quot, (2) allow them to stay or (3) a mass roundup, which he dismissed as impossible claiming the busses needed would stretch from San Diego to Alaska. Twice in the morning at the Tempe session and at least 3 times in the evening, he challenged the audience, "If you have another solution, give it to me and I promise to take it to the Senate for review." Of course that was just another of his ill-advised challenges used to condescendingly dismiss anyone who disagrees, secure in his arrogance that no one will dare to call his bluff. The recent "$50 per hour lettuce-picker jobs" are just another example.
In justifying the need for amnesty, he cited that the dictionary defined amnesty as "forgiveness" that required allowing them to remain in the US, dismissing any disagrement with the one-liner "Then you're reading a different dictionary than I am."
It was a real achievement to even get a turn at the mike, because the country club ballroom at Sun Lakes retirement community was jammed, at least 1500 people. Thanks again to Annette and two elderly ladies who kept poking the aide with their canes to remind him he promised me a turn at the mike.
Finally my turn came. I took a deep breath and jumped in, determined to keep going even if he tried to interrupt and talk over me:
"Senator, I'll begin by answering a question you've asked several times this evening, and then I have a question of my own." You've asked for an alternate plan for dealing with the 11 million illegal aliens in the US, and that plan has been documented by Mark Krikorian of Center for Immigration Studies in DC. It's called "Attrition through Enforcement," and it sets out a 'comprehensive' strategy well known to Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado and the House Immigration Reform Caucus. The plan has been summarized very succintly and clearly by Mike Cutler, retired from 27 years' service in Treasury, Customs and INS, who often says "Nobody breaks into the amusement park when the rides are closed."
"So Senator, you close down the rides--crack down on the employers as you promised to do 20 years ago when you voted for the "one time amnesty," end the publicly-funded benefits to illegal aliens and their families as we did with Prop 200, end the government grants to agencies who help illegal aliens like Catholic Charities and Arizona Interfaith, and end the "anchor baby" citizenship nonsense that enables illegal alien families to "piggy-back" on their US-born children. And Senator, that won't require a constitutional amendment as you claim--we need only to pass HR 698, intriduced earlier in the seesion by Congressman Charlie Norwood of GA. If you're not familiar with these provisions, I know that Congressman Tom would welcome the opportunity to outline the option with you. So that leaves you to show whether you're a man of your word and will take the option for Senate consideration as you've promised."
"Now for my question, Senator. The agencies that will be responsible for administering and enforcing your McCain-Kennedy Amnesty (and it IS an amnesty, Senator)..."
He then interrupted with a condescening one-liner that he used at the morning session, "..then you're reading a different dictionary than I am..." to which I replied, "Senator, I don't used dictionaries to read laws. I read this law in United States Code Title 8, Section 1324."
Although I wasn't watching McCain, my friend Annette told me he'd been pacing up to then, but when I didn't back down at his dismissive comments, his face began to get red and she commented that it was obvious he was mad. She also said that the room went dead quiet; perhaps the audience was eager to see how McCain would react. I'm amazed that he didn't continue talking over me, but perhaps like most bullies, they back down when they find someone who isn't intimidated by them.
But I knew that stooping would mean losing control of the mike, and continued on:
"And Senator, Section 1324 defines illegal presence in the US and prescribes only 1 penalty for illegal presence in the US--deportation."
"The two Dept of Homeland Security agencies charged with insuring compliance are CIS--Citizenship & Immigration Services and ICE--Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Their historical incompetence and non-performance of their job is well-documented by the GAO back to 1995, they were charged by Congress to eliminate the 3-million applicant backlog by the end of FY 2006, and their report last November plainly stated that new laws, such as a guest-worker plan, would seriously hinder accomplishing that objective. Corruption was added to bungling and incompetence when the CIS Security Chief resigned, blowing the whistle on bribes to CIS employees in the form of money, gifts and sexual favors."
"Senator, these are the same people who mailed automatic renewals of student visas to flight schools for students killed in the 9/11 Islamic terrorist attacks on New York and DC. Senator, how do you expect Americans to believe that your promises of enforcement will be fulfilled by such people?"
When I finished, I was dry and had to find a water fountain. I heard just enough of his reply to hear him say he was familiar with "my" plan and wasn't going to take it back to the Senate. He diverted the subject by telling how the Irish had difficulties when they first came to America but eventually assimilated. He never answered my question of how agencies that can't and won't enforce current laws can enforce new ones.
Several people slapped me on the back as I left the room looking for water, one had even attended the morning session in Tempe and said, "You said exactly what I wanted to but couldn't."
I returned to the room just as the meeting ended, and met Annette out in the lobby. But the best part was to come: a couple approached me and the man asked, "Do you work in immigraton because you know about the subject?" When he learned I'm a computer analyst, he asked where I learned what I know, I told him I grew up in Southern California--the best classroom there is.
I learned he was a former ICE chief for their Phoenix office, so it was a real compliment when a front-line profiessional says something like that.
On the drive home when Annette told me how mad McCain had become when I didn't back down from his condescending treatment, the effort in attending that night became worth it.
During the meeting, about 90% of the questions/comments were on immigration, maybe even more. Any supporters of McCain's amnesty bill were quiet that night, because everyone speaking on immigration opposed his amnesty. It's clear that despite the overwhelming voter opposition, it didn't change McCain's determination to shove this down our throats, just as he did in 1986.
Arizonans can't vote him out of the Senate for another 4 years, but he has other plans--the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. Americans in other states don't know the REAL John McCain like Arizonans do, but we have two years to educate them. I'm sure his stubborn insistence on this illegal alien amnesty will raise his visibility with Americans on an issue that he probably prefers would have remained "low-profile."
When McCain originally took his "pro-illegal alien amnesty" position several years ago, I'm sure they expected this amnesty to sail through Congress easily. I doubt he expected to have the issue become the hot and visible issue it is today.
Let's hope every pro-illegal alien senator experienced similar confrontations during their recess.
Great job. Many, many thanks.
Thanks for the post Spiff.
I still think mccain will explode ala howard dean before the primaries are over. Thats not only my prediction, its my hope, because the man is not mentally stable and he's as calculating and scheming as clinton ever was.
He's part of the crowd that wants the title of president, he doesn't really want to be president, he doesn't think about the good of country enough for that.
You did great! I live in Arizona and I can't vote for a democrat anymore than I can vote for McCain.
I will write in MICKEY MOUSE before voting for either one of them.
I only wished that I was with Sandy yesterday to give HER the standing 'O!
Wish he would have come here because I would have tried to do the same and yes, everyone has got to realize we do not want him to make it through the primaries and force us to choose between him and Hillary Clinton, because both are a disaster for the USA.
Nappy is bending like a twig from one side to the other trying to appease everyone.... I hear she is running ahead of Goldwater in the poll, hope that is incorrect.
bttt
John McCain lost me years ago when he did everything in his power to quash any investigation into prisoners left behind in Vietnam. This from a former POW - shameful! Maybe if some had been found they might have given accounts that would have been embarassing to McCain. In any case, I have no respect for him.
Therein lies the problem, he had no competition last election and he knew it, thus didn't even try to campaign: he spent more time trying to defeat prop 200 and you'd think the size of that loss (to him) would have made him sit up and take notice. He is tone deaf.
The key word is "theory".
Thank You, Sandy, for have the you-know-whats to get up in McCain's face and tell it like it is. We need more people like you if were to take this country back from the illegals.
Great Job!
Way to go for Sandy Miller. I betcha McCain doesn't take too kindly to being challenged like that. I really don't like John McCain but what would you do if it's a choice between him and Hillary? It's a horrible scenario but I think I would have to vote for McCain--I don't believe in sitting out elections. Hopefully the Republicans will have enough sense and not let it come to that though.
Yes, McCain's qualities are very apparent to the rest of us.
Bush McKennedy's amnesty for criminal invaders will somehow magically keep further crossings at a minimum combined with no border wall leading to no actual control of the border Theory.
The key words are "appeasement", "invasion", "loss of sovereignty", and "insane".
Perfect.
She handled it perfectly.
You don't have to scream, curse or speak loudly to expose McCain. Just refute him with the facts.
My best advice to anyone that meets him or even runs against him is to do the same. McCain cannot tolerate being challenged. This is true. He especially cannot tolerate being challenged and exposed with factual information. To do so humiliates him. There is absolutely NO way he survives the Republican primaries if they go after him the right way. He'll blow up on camera more so than Dean.
I think there was a post in the past two months from a Freeper that heard McCain at a Town Meeting somewhere. He described McCain as a raving lunatic which I don't doubt. Senator McCain is definitely fake, not trustworthy, and out for MeCain. I've been a Republican for 38 years, he won't get my vote. Not in this lifetime; NOT EVER! Hopefully, the rest of the Party sees through him as well.
The questions then becomes:
Will attrition theory work?
Would it be enacted by Congress?
No & No
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