Iraq and Immigration

Hey folks,

The two big news stories are still today, and most likely will be for a few more days, it Immigration and Iraq. First up Iraq. Looks like the LWL is FINALLY going to see the light. According to the AP -Dems set war bill without Iraq timeline, By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

In grudging concessions to President Bush, Democrats intend to draft an Iraq war-funding bill without a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and shorn of billions of dollars in spending on domestic programs, officials said Monday.

Translation, no surrender measure. A clean bill to do what it has always been intended to do. Support the Troops. But it is not entirely clean.

The legislation would include the first federal minimum wage increase in more than a decade, a top priority for the Democrats who took control of Congress in January, the officials added.

While details remain subject to change, {As Always with the Democrats} the measure is designed to close the books by Friday on a bruising veto fight between Bush and the Democratic-controlled Congress over the war. It would provide funds for military operations in Iraq through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Democrats in both houses are expected to seek other opportunities later this year to challenge Bush's handling of the unpopular conflict.

Democratic officials stressed the legislation was subject to change. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss provisions before a planned presentation to members of the party's rank and file later in the day.

They have no problem leaking what they are doing when it is a full out attack on Bush. But because this is a "victory" for Bush, they "They spoke on condition of anonymity." {Laughing} You know who they are afraid of right? Soros and Moiveon.org. They could not care less about YOU. They are afraid of upsetting their looney base.

So from doing something right, finally, to doing something WAY WRONG. According to USA Today -Senators to debate immigration policy, By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY.

WASHINGTON — Forget your poor, tired, huddled masses. Now some policymakers are saying the nation might be better off fixing its sights on engineers and Ph.D.s.

The immigration legislation the Senate begins debating today takes a step in that direction, a step that other countries have taken with mixed success.

In what Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez called "a very significant and, we believe, very important shift," the bill proposes to change the policy that has made family the chief factor in determining who becomes a citizen.

If the bipartisan bill is enacted, relatives of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents will still make up most of the nation's immigrants. But their numbers will shrink as the proportion who gain entry because of their skills grows. "We have to be more focused on what the country needs," Gutierrez told USA TODAY.

"This legislation will transform our immigration system so that future immigration decisions are focused on admitting immigrants who have the skills, education and English proficiency that will help America compete," President Bush said in his weekend radio address.

WHAT ABOUT THE AMNESTY for all the illegals? That’s the hang up. That’s the problem. Skilled, and English speaking future immigrates? Great. But how about securing our boarders, and NOT rewarding criminals FIRST.

I want you to see what is happening here folks. This story and the one I’m about to share with you, is yet another effort to make YOU and me, the bad guys. The Racists. Those without any compassion. Because WE want to protect this country, because we want those that want to, to come here LEGALLY, checking for disease, criminal history, ETC. WE are the problem.

This story goes on to state the obvious.

Of the more than 1.2 million people who immigrated last year, fewer than 13% were admitted based on job skills. The Senate bill would change the equation to set aside about one-third of the immigration slots each year for people who earn admission based on a points system designed to measure their ability to succeed in the economy.

That’s LEGALLY. What is the percentage of those up to 20 million that will become legal, as soon as the President signs the bill, are criminals?

Then get this story also from USA Today -Feds watching anti-immigrant extremists,By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY.

Now WAIT! Just that title. Just the headline. I do not know anyone in my circle that is anti -immigration. I know just about everyone that is anti-ILLEGAL immigration. You see, some do not want you to think of the difference. They want you to forget the Illegal part. Forget we have laws. If you are against someone sneaking in to your house and steeling food and other things from you, then YOU have a problem you must be anti-thief, make that anti-borrower. You have to have compassion on him. He does not have, you do, so just accept that he has a right to take it from you.

Carl D. Wynn Jr., who last fall posed as a U.S. border agent and wrongly suggested that a Little Rock construction company had hired illegal immigrants, has come to symbolize how the divisive immigration debate can progress from legal expressions of opposition to offensive action.

Wynn, also accused of attempting to sabotage the same company by planting tire-ripping spikes outside the business, has quickly come to represent a "troubling" development within the radical ranks of the anti-immigration movement, said Little Rock U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin, whose office won a guilty plea last month from the laborer.

So they highlight one nut job.

Since 2000, the number of extremist groups has increased by 40%, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which closely tracks the groups' activities. In the past two years, the growth has been largely driven by the emergence of about 144 "nativist" groups that oppose immigration.

"When folks try to take law enforcement matters into their own hands, it creates a potentially dangerous situation," Griffin said. "Mr. Wynn's actions are troubling to us."

Charles Frahm, FBI deputy assistant director for counterterrorism, said there is increasing concern that the most radical elements of the anti-immigration wing may be "susceptible" to recruitment by white supremacists and other groups inclined toward violence.

OK you are not going to like this. Some of you are about to get really upset with me. Let me say I do not support any hate group whatsoever. I think the KKK, Black Panthers, and other hate groups, like Islamofascists, should be done away with. I am NOT endorsing any hatred here whatsoever. BUT!

Why do you think there IS an increase? Maybe, just maybe because some see this for what it is. The possibility of changing our country for the worst. An invasion assisted, encouraged, and legalized by our President. I don’t know, maybe that has a little to do with it. Oh wait, they say so.

Frustrated by the surge of illegal immigrants into Las Vegas, the self-employed electrical engineer formed the Emigration Party of Nevada Headquartered largely on the Internet, Pauly has advanced some radical ideas for dealing with illegal immigrants. He openly advocates the deployment of government snipers to the porous southwest border and favors the forced sterilization of Mexican women after the birth of their first child.

"For the time being, we do not associate with anyone who is violent unless in self-defense," Pauly said in a later e-mail message. "However, I remind you of this quote of Thomas Jefferson's:

'The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is its natural manure.' "

Now you may not agree with his extreme view, but his problem is ILLEGAL Aliens sneaking into the country. Now the President and some in Congress wanting to reward them. I’ll make a prediction for you folks. If this passes. If President Bush gets a bill to sign, and signs it, this will GUARANTEE a Democratic victory in 08. Why? Because the same mis-guided and, quite frankly, ignorant, Conservatives and Republicans will sit out thinking they are teaching a the Republican party a lesson like in 06. See where that got us today?

Write, Email, call, if you live in or near the capital in your state, GO, knock on the door. Tell these Senators that this bill needs to die. We need to secure the boarders first. We need NOT award criminals. We need, which there is none now, an assimilation clause. We need to enforce the laws we already have. We need no more bills. We need no rewards. Simply put, we are NOT against immigration, we are against ILLEGAL Aliens. Yes that is what I will be calling them from now on. If you are Illegal, you are NOT an Immigrate.

WAIT!! This just in, AP- Senate puts off action on immigration

Senate leaders agreed Monday that they would wait until June to take final action on a bipartisan plan to give millions of unlawful immigrants legal status.

Get this.

"It would be to the best interests of the Senate ... that we not try to finish this bill this week," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., as the chamber began debate on the volatile issue. "I think we could, but I'm afraid the conclusion wouldn't be anything that anyone wanted."

NOONE wants it in the first place. Can you say, feeling the heat?
Peter

Sources;
AP -Dems set war bill without Iraq timeline
USA Today -Senators to debate immigration policy
USA Today-Feds watching anti-immigrant extremists
AP- Senate puts off action on immigration