Senate Committee Advances Immigration Bill

This is a complex issue, regardless of one's emotional reaction to it. To me, illegal does mean illegal, and that previously reflected my stance. My position hasn't changed radically but there is a great deal to think about.

The first and most important item is border security. Frankly, I feel no matter what Bill is eventually passed, Congress will not adequately address that issue. What is the point in even amnesty for illegal aliens currently here if the borders remain largely as they are and hundreds of thousands more continue to flood in? Unfortunately, our politicians have all but made it clear they will not commit to sealing our borders to a reasonable degree.

As regards illegals already here, I haven't seen one person suggest we boycott certain garden items long know to have a significant element of illegal aliens involved in their production and delivery. I haven't heard anyone desiring higher construction costs by immediately throwing all illegals off the job. There is a portion of our economy that incorporates illegal aliens. There is absolutely no getting around that.

Still, until the borders are secure, any effort to provide an avenue for illegals to remain in the US is simply a bunch of political year posturing meant to appease a growing constituency, but not yield any effective action on behalf of most Americans at large.

Deal with the borders and I'll listen. But, until then, I'm compelled to not support any legislation which, or politician who eases the path for illegals to become legal citizens. But then those Americans like me aren't going to take to the street, aren't we? We may throw the bums out next November, but that's the most that we'll do. It may mean throwing more Republicans out than Democrats. But as much as I loath the Left, I can't say the performance of the Republicans in Congress has been worthy of unquestioned support. Perhaps I and many will simply stay home. I think they are gambling that we won't.

Comments

[Crazy Politico]

I don't think either side has done much on the issue to gain my support. The GOP want's to worry about border security last, or so it seems. The Democrats want to not criminalize illegal activity?!?!???

Maybe I will vote libertarian, even though most I personally know are flakes, at least it might wakes some other folks up.

[CateKelly]

Expand and enforce OSHA rules to improve working conditions in order to make jobs more attractive to Americans. If consumer costs for products go up, sobeit. And, if there is a "solution" presented to making illegals, "legal" it damn better include mandatory military service for at least one member of every immigrant family.

[Sgt. York]

Liberals (of the university-enducated professional class) seem to believe that there aren't any hard-working Americans who lay carpet, do drywall, roof houses, or do landscaping. Plenty of Americans are janitors in factories and maids in hotels but it is almost impossible to convince a liberal that this is the case.

What is happening is that hard-working Americans are getting fired and illegal foreign workers are getting their jobs and driving down wages and driving down working conditions for entire industries.

Liberal are blind to this serious issue because they don't really understand that there is a laboring class in America. On the flipside, Republican politicians don't give a crap because big corporations want to hire illegal foreign workers and they pretty much do what they are told by the corporations.

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[shonane]

Sgt. York - Stop putting labels on people. I am a liberal and I think we need to enforce our immigration laws, like yesterday.

And we don't need to just be focusing just on the national security issue with this issue. Look at the costs to our society!