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About the Thomas Crown/Redstate smear
Thomas H. Crown [1] of RedState offers a roundup of the year's events [2] that mentions me:
Second, Lonewacko Blog, if you're reading this -- and based on your obsessively repeated tirade across half the blogosphere and Wikipedia, you are: I banned you, you dirty little racist. I banned you for being a racist, and for showing us that you are a racist. I did not ban you for criticizing George W. Bush, in no small part because where you disagreed with him, I have publicly disagreed with him, you diseased piece of rhinoceros pizzle; I banned you because you decided to share your problems with brown people on this site.
As yet another example of why you can't trust what RedState says, see the archives at this site, or for a quicker read see my last post at RedState, the one that caused me to be banned by Red State.
The last post at RS was simply a quote from an article by Dan Stein of FAIR, in which he used temporally ambiguous language, referring to "illegal aliens" instead of "former illegal aliens who had been converted into legal workers." However, depending on one's temporal reference, Stein's language could have been correct: they were illegal aliens at the time of his writing and would only become legal workers should the "Gold Card" discussed in his post have been enacted. A quick glance shows that FAIR has been mentioned and linked to by RS contributors several times since then.
And, the last time I checked, RedState still has my content on their site, despite my express request that they stop displaying it (and displaying ads next to it). I was unable to find a legal right that RS has to continue displaying my content, yet they've refused my requests to delete it.
And, one wonders why they continue to display my content when Crown suggests it's offensive.
As for Wikipedia, I inserted note of my banning there, but it was deleted in October by someone using the IP address 208.34.234.180, which resolves to a Wilkesboro, NC company called Product Management Inc. with a contact person of Jim Byrd. Whether he has any link to RS is not known.
[1] t-crown.blogspot.com (whether Thomas Crown is his real name or not is unknown; I don't think I've run across him before)
[2] redstate.com/blogs/thomas/2007/dec/31/just_a_drop_of_water_in_an_endless_sea
Posted to Bloggage at 11:55 AM
Dallas Morning News/Rod Dreher names "The Illegal Immigrant" Texan of the Year
The Dallas Morning News - in an essay written by Rod Dreher - has named "The Illegal Immigrant" as their Texan of the Year (link).
In response to what was likely a barrage of emails, their Keven Ann Willey says:
I fear that many of the people upset over our choice for Texan of the Year have read only the headline of the essay and not its content. The essay makes it clear that we're not glorifying the illegal immigrant
Thankfully, the commenters at the last link have spared me from taking the article apart, including comments like this:
Your last sentence, which puts your stamp of opinion on the issue, gives your game away: "How we deal with the stranger among us says not only who we Americans are today but determines who we will become tomorrow." This is standard issue "campassionate conservative" evangelical speak...
Some suggest boycotting the DMN and their affiliated TV stations. More comments on this here, here, and here.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 02:34 PM
They graded paradise, at least the Griffith Park version
The hiking trail leading from the Griffith Park ranger station on Crystal Springs Drive up to Five Points is now open, as is the "hogsback" trail that leads from there up to Mount Hollywood. Unfortunately, as I started hiking up the latter yesterday I screamed out at the top of my lungs, "what the ##&@ did they do?" For, the wise geniuses that recently used helicopters to flock the park with a mulch compound after the recent fire (in order to prevent the natural process of erosion) have graded the hogsback trail. What that lacked in rocks it made up for in being a bit steep, including dirt steps and various other features that made it an entertaining place to engage in some trail running. It also featured unused and rusty pipes that were good for practicing balancing. That's all gone now, and it basically looks like a fire road. I don't know exactly what work they had to do that they had to bring vehicles down it (something not possible before), but the only thing that makes sense is that they wanted to build a berm in order to prevent the mulch from being washed away or to prevent a deepening of natural crevices along the sides. However, as it was the water would have run down the center, and as it is now the water will run down in a wide sheet. While that might prevent the berm they built from being breeched, I tend to think that as it was would have taken care of it. I note also that I was strongly tempted to walk cross-country at the start, but decided against it lest I displace any of their **#*@#*@#@#*@#&@#& mulch.
Posted to Los_Angeles at 05:06 PM
Julia Preston/NYT admits: border fencing, attrition works
Julia Preston of the New York Times has a brief round-up of the year's events in immigration called "Immigration Is Defying Easy Answers". After some expected NYT bias, she closes with:
The next president will still face the tricky task of negotiating not just the politics of the issue, but also some concrete realities. While border fences and immigration raids have discouraged some illegal immigrants from coming and encouraged some who are here to go home, millions of illegal workers have had families here and put down roots, and are not going to disappear.
This is somewhat of a big step for the NYT: admitting that attrition works without sneering. As for the last part of her statement, that's a very strong argument for doing even more: we can't allow people to simply move here and settle down at will, no matter what the NYT thinks.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 04:59 PM
Alan Colmes has a blog
Radio host and co-star of the Hannity & Colmes show Alan Colmes has a blog here. Please go destroy his arguments.
UPDATE: I thank Alan Colmes for sending some traffic my way. I note also that I learned about his site a few days ago and even started pointing out how he's wrong.
Posted to Bloggage at 01:32 PM
Mexico's PRD Party to establish "migrant houses" in the U.S.
According to a report in a Mexican newspaper, in 2008 Mexico's leftwing PRD Party will be establishing "migrant houses" inside the U.S. (translation here). They made the announcement in front of the U.S. Consulate in Mexico City, and the secretary general of that party (Carlos Reyes Gamiz) was accompanied by Elvira Arellano. As with Felipe Calderon, Gamiz said he was going to use U.S. non-profits to push their agenda inside the U.S.:
"The PRD has had a past presence in the U.S. territory, where a relationship has been maintained with agencies that defend human rights, and the goal is to share a work agenda, in this environment in which xenofobia and racism have a greater fervor in that country."
The PRD Party played a role in last year's illegal immigration marches in Chicago, due mainly to the efforts of one of their officials, Jorge Mujica.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:08 PM
Joy Lin/CBS News sneers at Mike Huckabee concern over possible terrorist infiltration (Pakistan)
On the topic of immigration, there are - believe it or not - people who are even worse than Mike Huckabee. One of those is Joy Lin of CBS News, who offers "Huckabee Ties Bhutto's Assassination to Illegal Immigration" (link). While Huck apparently made a few mistakes on other topics related to the situation there, one thing he said should be supported by all those who want to prevent terrorist attacks inside the U.S. Apparently that doesn't include CBS News:...After Mike Huckabee was done gladhanding with Iowans at the overcrowded Pizza Ranch restaurant, journalists grilled Huckabee on a hard right turn he took from the subject of Benazir Bhutto's assassination to illegal immigration.Yes, Joy Lin, it's a "hard right turn" and "ethnic baiting" to be concerned about possible terrorist infiltration of the U.S. The fact that he was even asked that, and had to reply "no" is completely preventable: if people went to campaign events and asked real questions about this issue - either of the candidates or of the "reporters" themselves - no "reporter" would dare ask such an incredibly stupid and irresponsible question.
In his speech today, Huckabee said it should be of concern to Americans that 660 illegal Pakistanis crossed the American border last year.
One reporter asked if that was ethnic baiting?
Huckabee went on to send a bit of a secret message, implying that he isn't concerned about illegal aliens just as long as they make some people money:
"The fact is the immigration issue is not so much about people coming to pick lettuce or make beds. It's about people that can come with a shoulder fired missile and can do serious damage and harm to us, and that's what we need to be worried about. And the unsecure borders that we have pose a real national security threat."Huckabee said he'd been briefed on a study showing that the largest category of non-Latin Americans coming over the border are Pakistanis; Lin apparently asked for the study itself, and mentions that the campaign hasn't responded. While it's good that she wants the study, the inclusion of that point seems to be an attempt by her to imply that no such study exists.
In related news, AlterNet's coverage of this is remarkably similar to that from CBS News. A post from Satyam Khanna of ThinkProgress includes the following (alternet.org/blogs/video/71880/#more):
Huckabee also seized on the Bhutto assassination to tighten up his hard-line anti-immigration stance. Yesterday, he said the U.S. should be on heightened alert from the threat posed by Pakistani immigrants.It would be extraordinarily easy for someone to discredit the Left/Dems/MSM on this issue, and only corruption prevents the GOP from doing it.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:39 AM
HuffPost breaking news alert: Laurie David stranded at Mojave desert Motel 6!
Before the advent of the Huffington Post, the only way that Laurie David could get the word out about her adventures was through things like typing out articles for the monthly Brentwood Intelligencer. Nowadays, sharing her life with the world is just a click away, as she offers "Dispatch From A Mojave Desert Motel 6" (link):If there is anyone out there wondering if I made it out of Iceland a couple weeks ago, the answer is yes. The freakish high winds finally calmed down long enough to fly home. But if you're wondering where I am right this minute you can find me in the Mojave desert at the Motel 6 in the middle of a freak wind storm!! Believe me I wouldn't make this up...I left the following comment; it hasn't been approved and it might not be. We could debate all day about the correct strategy to use in such cases. Should there just be one hidden zinger? Or, should I go whole hog and include mention of private jets? Should I include conspiracy information about powerful interests blocking Mojave wind farms? In any case, feel free to do better:
Just two hours in (two rest stops and one DVD later) the wind kicks up just past Lancaster and with it a full scale brown out sand storm! Traffic slowed to a crawl, white knuckles gripped the steering wheel and we inched forward. Then a police car blocked the way and said all roads leading to Mammoth are closed till the winds die down.
In an emergency, you have to do what you have to do! We were in a similar situation once, although the motel was a bit more quaint than those garish Motel 6es. I had my PA approach the manager and set things up, and we "bought out" those who were staying in the adjoining rooms so we could get some privacy. There were no other rooms available, and at first most of them didn't like the idea of sleeping in their cars, but as they say "money talks".UPDATE: Still no sign of my comment. Maybe we'll have to wait until she comes back from lunch at the IHOP before she approves or denies it. I note also that she's put this in their "Politics" section with the following tags: Extreme Weather, Malibu Fires, Mammoth Ski Resort, Santa Ana Winds, Weather, Breaking Politics News
UPDATE 2: I changed the title to be more dramatic, but despite that my comment looks like it's been denied. However, I did leave a new comment. At first glance this might appear too over the top. But, it is the HuffPost so this is normal:
I've been driving up 395 for years, and I've never seen the dust storms as bad as they've been during the Bush administration. I think it's even worse than we fear. Not only are they ignoring Global Warming, I think they must be engaging in some form of weather modification or something.UPDATE 3: The second comment was approved. I have nothing more to add.
Posted to Bloggage at 11:57 AM
UPI wacky news: "Athletes, migrants drinking Pedialyte" (in order to avoid dying in desert)
Here's some wacky, fun news for those humanitarians who support or enable illegal immigration, thereby playing a part in encouraging people to try to cross the desert into the U.S. with thousands having died along the way. It's so wacky that UPI has put it into their "Quirks" section under the title "Athletes, migrants drinking Pedialyte" (link):U.S. pro athletes as well as illegal immigrants are turning to drinks designed to rehydrate sick infants for a source of liquid nutrition...But, wait, it gets even better. The UPI article appears to be based on "Pro athletes, migrants turn to baby drinks/Solutions quench adult thirsts" from Chris Hawley of the Arizona Republic (link). They substituted the "quirks" treatment for some helpful tips and an attempt to portray border fences - not those like the Republic who support illegal immigration - as the culprits:
However, athletes aren't the only dehydrated people turning to the baby beverage for sustenance -- shopkeepers in Sonoran towns across the Mexican border say Pedialyte and its Mexican competitor, Electrolit, are flying off the shelves...
The rehydrating solutions help those seeking to cross the border on foot to stave off dehydration, the top cause of death in the desert.
"It is recommended that you carry oral solution with you," says a guide for migrants published by the government of Mexico's Yucatan state. "It is sold in pharmacies and contains salt."Abbott Laboratories (makers of Pedialyte) claim not to have known about these uses for their products, but their Mexican counterpart (Pisa Laboratories, makers of Electrolit) not only knows but, as might be suspected, promotes it:
Sales to migrants have increased in recent years as crackdowns and border walls in Texas and California have forced illegal border-crossers deeper into the Arizona desert, store managers said.
"The migrants are now using it instead of water," said Gabriela Flores, director of marketing for Electrolit. "The truth is, it does help them a lot."
Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:07 AM
Don't leave! Stay and watch this Academy Award-winning documentary
If you're like me, a production house that lists among it supporters Jackson Browne, Stan Goff, "Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains" (?), "Palisadians for Peace" (?), United for Peace and Justice, Michael Moore, and the like might cause you to sprint for the exit. However, you might want to try to ignore those folks as best you can and watch one or more segments of the Panama Deception from the Empowerment Project. Someone has uploaded a copy to Youtube, and it was the winner of the 1993 Academy Award for Best Documentary and was produced by, among others, the inimitable Barbara Trent:
Click the user's name to see the other segments, and, yes, that is an interesting profile page he has.
Posted to ThePeaceMovement at 08:34 PM
Citgo uses ethnic solidarity to sell gasoline
Via this we learn that Venezuala's Citgo Petroleum has been/is running TV ads - apparently since last year - that encourage U.S. Latinos to buy their gasoline out of ethnic solidarity. An ad is here. It starts with someone playing "Take me out to the ballgame", when he receives hand signals from someone else and then launches into a salsa number. That bring the previously bored crowd - all of the same ethnicity - alive and they begin to dance as "Energia Latina" flashes on the scoreboard.
While marketing campaigns sometimes miss the mark or try to push the envelope rather than follow a trend, I'm going to guess that they know their market and know that many would heed the call. So, mark this down as yet another small illustration of the current assimilation problem.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 08:19 PM
Less than 100 supervisors arrested on immigration charges in 2007 (+Spencer Hsu's pro-Dem spin)
Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post offers "Immigrant Crackdown Falls Short/Despite Tough Rhetoric, Few Employers of Illegal Workers Face Criminal Charges". While we should be thankful for that news, he also offers some pro-Democratic Party spin.
Despite Bush administration blather (Michael Chertoff: "The days of treating employers who violate these laws by giving them the equivalent of a corporate parking ticket -- those days are gone. It's now felonies, jail time, fines and forfeitures."):
Fewer than 100 owners, supervisors or hiring officials were arrested in fiscal 2007, compared with nearly 4,900 arrests that involved illegal workers, providers of fake documents and others, the figures show... Late in the Clinton administration and early in the current administration, the number of illegal immigrants arrested in work-site cases fell -- from 2,849 in 1999 to a low of 445 in 2003 -- although there has since been a rebound. The number of criminal cases brought against employers during that period fell from 182 to four... ICE reported that the 92 criminal arrests made in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 included 59 owners and 33 corporate officials, human resources workers, crew chiefs and others in the "supervisory chain."
Doris Meissner comes by to sideways promote "immigration reform" by refering to the "chronic failure of employer enforcement under current laws".
As for the spin, Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is quoted throughout as a supporter of enforcement, which she might just be. However, Hsu fails to note that the Democratic Party takes various steps to block enforcement, as do groups to which they're linked:
The Bush administration has said it is trying to improve its Internet-based E-Verify program, through which less than 1 percent of U.S. employers now voluntarily check new hires' Social Security numbers. It is also fighting major business, farm and labor groups in federal court to use Social Security data generated when suspect numbers are submitted to the government as a sweeping nationwide enforcement tool.
What that fails to mention is that one of the lead parties to the suit is the ACLU, and many people might miss the "labor" part; another plaintiff is the AFL-CIO. Both have degrees of influence over the Democratic Party.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 04:26 PM
MSM meme: voters ask tougher immigration questions than reporters
A subspecies of MSM reports features recounts of voters asking the presidential candidates questions about immigration- or North American Union-related matters. The reporters usually try to spin it in the best (pro-illegal immigration) light possible, frequently not offering everything that the voters and the candidates say, and frequently giving the candidates chances to "correct" "misstatements" made by the voters.These reports also reveal just how corrupt the MSM is: they're the ones who should be asking the tough questions, but instead all we get is horserace and the occasional biased recounting of what someone else asked.
The effect can be seen in a recent piece from Ron Claiborne of ABC News, and in July, Michael Luo of the New York Times reported on the candidates being asked about the NAU/NAFTA Superhighway. He allowed Giuliani to state that he had no knowledge of the scheme, when in fact his law firm is involved with the Trans Texas Corridor. Another example comes from Matt Stuart of ABC (link):
Romney faced a wide range of questions from the audiences in Coastal and Northern South Carolina today, from his stance on stem cells to the "consolidation of the North American union."The report contains nothing more about that, and just transcribes a few other comments. If Stuart had wanted to do real reporting he would have pressed Romney on the issue. So, why didn't he?
"Do you mean unifying our country with Canada and Mexico?" Romney said to the later, stating simply "No."
UPDATE: Along the same lines, see this article from Bennett Roth of the Houston Chronicle.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:09 PM
Ron Claiborne/ABC, Peter Canellos/Boston Globe help John McCain mislead about immigration
Ron Claiborne of ABC News offers "McCain Still Dogged by Immigration Issue" (link). He discusses how no matter where McCain goes he's asked questions about immigration matters; unfortunately, Claiborne didn't do his job (or at least the job I'd do) and the only questions he asked McCain about this allowed him to present his side of the matter.
And, Claiborne also allowed McCain to mislead:
He said he was often asked questions at his town hall meetings by citizens citing alarmist and usually fictitious anecdotes... Earlier that day, a woman said she had heard that some Mexican-American children in American schools were refusing to put their hands over their hearts during the Pledge of the Allegiance and other Mexican immigrants were flying the Mexican flag above the American flag somewhere... McCain wondered if these tales that people are citing are coming from talk radio where immigration is a burning issue.
I don't know about the first, but the second has happened at least twice and there have probably been more incidents. In 2006, students from another nearby school raised the Mexican flag over an upside down American flag at Montebello High School near Los Angeles. Earlier this year, a U.S. vet cut down a Mexican flag that was flying over the U.S. flag in Reno (youtube.com/watch?v=Px1PTsEdC1Y). While ABC News doesn't appear to have covered either incident, surely some editor there must have heard of those or at least should have done some research. In fact, a google search for mexican flag flying over american flag brings up several hits, including ones with that very title.
Are Claiborne and his editors incompetent, are they lazy, or were they simply trying to deceive?
Also, Peter Canellos of the Boston Globe offers "Fear of foreigners roils Iowa/Angry rural voters voicing far-fetched theories" (link) which has a very similar formulation involving those flags.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 12:52 PM
International incident involving Queen Elizabeth, David Icke, and me
There are several ways to respond to the Queen of England (Elizabeth II) putting her Christmas 2007 speech on Youtube. One can simply enjoy the spectacle and the majesty. Or, one can leave a cheerful comment on one of the copies of the speech that others have uploaded. Alternatively, one can launch into a disquisition about whether royalty has a place in that country.
Or, one can just go for the cheap laughs:
I don't know why its so hard to get a good video on the British Royal family. I've never been able to find a reptilian video on them that was really clear. I think thats why your getting 1 star.
Indeed.
Posted to WackyHumor at 12:45 PM
Steve Decosta/Standard-Times shows how to spin sweatshops (New Bedford Michael Bianco raid, WBSM)
Steve Decosta of the Standard-Times (South Coast Massachusetts) offers "Year in review: Bianco raid put SouthCoast at center of immigration debate" about the immigration raid of Michael Bianco Inc. in New Bedford. Most people admit that that factory was a sweatshop and that's not only been printed in previous reports by that paper but Decosta includes it in paragraph 21 of his "report".However, what goes before then could have equally been used to promote child labor back in the day. It also contains photos designed to provoke an emotional response, including the same picture of a crying child featured in the Urban Institute/NCLR report on "victims" of immigration enforcement; not only does Decosta mention their report, but the photo was taken by Peter Pereira from his paper.
Before the 21st paragraph where the conditions at the plant are partly described, we get things like this:
It was truly a trying year for America's tired, its poor, its huddled masses yearning to breathe free.If SouthCoastToday and the rest want to highlight their plight in their home countries, that might get a lot more support than their current tack of supporting massive illegal activity and what appears to have amounted to worker abuse.
Even as the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants were squarely in the crosshairs of law enforcement agencies and radio talk-show callers, lawmakers essentially turned their backs on their plight.
SouthCoast became the focal point of the immigrant debate — some would say debacle — after federal authorities raided a South End military contractor's factory, ripping 361 undocumented workers away from their sewing machines and from their families.
Decosta goes on to quote someone who left a comment on one of their articles using the handle "Mexifornian"; that person started off making some sense but then refered to the children affected by the raid as "collateral damage". In effect, Decosta is trying to portray the people who would put a stop to sweatshops and massive illegal activity as cold-hearted, as opposed to the warm-hearted folks who support massive government corruption and abusive workplaces. "Mexifornian" is the only person in the whole article who gives a clue that we shouldn't be supporting people coming here illegally, and it's presented only as a choice between being "sympathetic" and not.
The article also quotes "Carly Burton, a policy associate with the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition", "Rev. Marc Fallon, a caseworker for Catholic Social Services", and "Rev. Richard Wilson, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church". Fallon appears to be quite a bit of work, saying:
"Every time you listen to WBSM, the vitriolic statements you hear there, there is no distinction between them and what was being said in Germany during the 1930s."I'm not familiar with that radio station, but I tend to think there's a significant distinction. Their was a relationship between the newspaper and the station, but the paper broke it off in August after they got tired of being slammed on the air (link). In March the editor of the paper, Bob Unger, defended them against charges that (as with the current piece) they were pulling at people's heartstrings in order to support illegal immigration, refering to "WBSM's on-air jihad against illegal immigrants since the raid" (link). One of the "jihadis", host Ken Pittman, organized an "America First" rally in May (link), and he certainly doesn't sound like a "jihadi" to me (link):
I have been calling for people to help feed these people while we figure out how to reunite the families but I am calling for deportation of ALL who have broken our laws. The local newspaper, The New Bedford Standard Times has decided to overwhelmingly favor the catch and release policy and let all " deserving," aliens continue to take from the taxpayer resources with equal access to Americans.He may have subsequently appeared on O'Reilly's show, but the post doesn't describe what happened. He also alludes to possible funny business involved in granting the federal contract to Michael Bianco Inc.; perhaps SouthCoastToday should concentrate on that instead.
The O'Reilly Factor of Fox News contacted me and asked me to look into the now infamous op/ed of the NY Times newspaper suggesting that the ICE raid was responsible for babies of illegal aliens being sent to area hospitals as a result of the incarcerations of their mothers (here against the law). I was able to determine from a Hospital spokeswoman and from the very woman who carried one of the two babies in question, that these poor babes were indeed dehydrated..as a result of pneumonia, something the New York Times mentioned nothing of. It didn’t end there. I was also able to learn that one of the mothers of these two actually lied about having children when the federal officials interviewed her. This kept the two separated much longer than was necessary...
Reports like this illustrate once again the impact that discrediting religious leaders who support illegal immigration could have on this debate. Publicly asking them tough questions wouldn't give hacks like Decosta as great a chance to hide behind false compassion to support illegal immigration.
1/18/07 UPDATE: John Kerry pushed for and now welcomes an investigation into the raid (link). He's interested in how they could have gotten a DOJ contract while under investigation by ICE. But, he's mainly interested in the raid's side-effects, such as sending detainees to Texas. Of especial note, he's not so interested in the fact that almost everyone agrees it was a sweatshop. If he came out in strong support of enforcement but wanted to do it the right way, that would be one thing. However, the bottom line is that he's trying to block enforcement, whether he explicitly says that or not.
Related:
Ted Kennedy, William Delahunt try blocking immigration enforcement ("Lactation Memo")
Michael Bianco Inc. workers invite lawmakers to take tour of plant (PR firm)
Carol Rose/ACLU Massachusetts compares ICE tactics to Slobodan Milosevic, ethnic cleansing
Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley's "Save The Sweatshops" movement
NYT hides behind "terrorized" illegal aliens to support massive immigration
Posted to Immigration2007b at 03:59 PM
Scottsdale: police only asking if suspects in country illegally (AP correction)
These are the moments I live for. Yesterday, the AP offered this:Police in suburban Scottsdale have begun routinely asking for proof of citizenship from every suspect they arrest and turning those who are in this country illegally over to federal immigration officials.Today comes this AP correction, which in full states:
In a Dec. 23 story about a Scottsdale Police Department immigration policy, The Associated Press reported erroneously that officers have begun to ask for proof of citizenship from every suspect they arrest.The AP would issue similar corrections for all the errors in their previous coverage, but no computer could hold that much data.
Sgt. Mark Clark, a Scottsdale police spokesman, said officers are asking people who are arrested if they are in the country illegally, but police aren't requiring that criminal suspects prove their lawful presence in the country.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 03:09 PM
Here's your Christmas present
Here's a Christmas music video I made several years ago; history described at the link.
Posted to WackyHumor at 11:55 AM
Dana Milbank lies, misleads, smears (Tancredo)
The Washington Post doesn't appear to be sore losers about the failure of immigration "reform". They recently published a vile column from Harold Meyerson and a similar editorial. Now comes Dana Milbank with "Hasta La Vista" (link) about Rep. Tom Tancredo dropping his presidential bid. The problems start with the title, a childish attempt at irony. The running theme throughout is that Tancredo is angry; in fact he uses that word four times. Why is he an "angry man"?
We know this because he has proposed dropping bombs on Mecca. We know this because he sang "Dixie" at a South Carolina gathering full of Confederate flags and white supremacists. And we know this because he wants to expel 12 million people now living in the United States.
The first sentence was only the ultimate response to nukes having gone off in several U.S. cities. The second is discussed here and here. The third might imply that he supports mass deportations, when in fact he doesn't. Milbank then goes on to mock the fact that there were only 18 supporters when he made his announcement. Then:
In response to questions, he admitted he was pulling out to help defeat somebody he dislikes more than an undocumented Mexican in the desert: former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, the new Republican front-runner here with what Tancredo called an "abysmal" record of "inviting" illegal immigrants.
I don't think Tancredo would actually "dislike" someone who's trying to cross the desert into the U.S., he just doesn't want them to do it. On the other hand, the Washington Post's support for illegal immigration plays a part in encouraging people to try to cross the desert, despite the fact that thousands have died while trying. And, of course, Huck has promoted and enabled illegal immigration such as by helping Mexico to build a consulate in his state. Then, it's on to a lie:
Never mind that Huckabee was tough enough on immigration to win the support of the border-vigilante Minuteman Project.
The support only came from Jim Gilchrist himself, not any groups using that name. After discussing an admittedly stupid video that Tancredo released (youtube.com/watch?v=n5GUCQAdlxg), it's Milbank's turn to admit why he's the one who's angry:
"It's beyond anybody's wildest expectations that we have been able to, with the help of America, really, get our national leaders to pay attention to the issue," declared Candidate Two Percent... He boasted, with some validity, that his candidacy helped lead "nearly every Republican presidential candidate to commit themselves to an immigration plan that calls for securing our borders." It's true: As his rivals coopted his nativist positions -- even if just rhetorically -- Tancredo became a victim of his own success.
UPDATE: The technicalities of the Gilchrist endorsement are described here:
it is important to note that the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC), the nation's largest Minuteman organization, is a 501(C)4 non-profit organization and cannot and does not endorse any candidate for public office. MCDC is not associated with Mr. Jim Gilchrist, who today endorsed Mike Huckabee for president. Jim Gilchrist's erstwhile Minuteman Project is itself an organization which by its own representations as a non-profit civic group cannot legally endorse candidates. It does not have any volunteers who observe illegal border activity. It has no border fence building projects. Jim Gilchrist here speaks only for Jim Gilchrist, he does not speak for the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, nor is he nationally representative of most patriots in the "Minuteman movement" – who under no circumstances could ignore the failed record nor endorse the duplicitous "plan" recently rolled out by candidate Mike Huckabee. The national media needs to recognize that Jim Gilchrist's endorsement is his own personal statement, nothing more.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:35 AM
Virginia Employers for "Sensible" Immigration Policy
A new group of businesses has been formed to oppose anti-illegal immigration laws in their state, called "Virginia Employers for Sensible Immigration Policy". One of the organizers is Julia Ciarlo Hammond, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. They'll supposedly only focus on measures affecting employers, and they state that they want to follow the law, they just don't want undue burdens. But, don't they all.
The coalition includes some of the most influential industries in the state, including many that rely heavily on low-cost and migrant labor. The group includes home builders, contractors, hog and poultry growers, retailers, truckers, the hospitality industry and the state Chamber of Commerce.
A purported list of their members is here: raisingkaine.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11853
Note that they point out that the majority of campaign contributions from the various groups are to Republicans, as the same time that many at that site play their own very small role in enabling illegal immigration through various statements such as calling those who oppose illegal activity names.
National names on the list are Pilgrim's Pride Corporation, Smithfield Foods, and Tyson Foods.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:17 AM
Linda Chavez meddles in Prince William County Virginia immigration debate
From this 12/14 article:The chairman of a federal civil rights panel clashed yesterday with Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart over the recent crackdown on illegal immigrants approved by the board.As Stewart points out, Chavez is a known apologist for illegal immigration, so - surprise! - whoever nominated her to the committee knew what she was going to say.
Linda Chavez, a conservative commentator who heads a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights panel examining whether the crackdown violates federal antidiscrimination laws, said she believed the supervisors based their action largely on anecdotal evidence of problems caused by illegal immigrants...
I'll outsource the rest of this to most of the comments here.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:15 AM
Here's a keeper
Here's some raw concert footage from 1987 in Rochester, New York featuring Natalie Merchant/10,000 Maniacs performing My Sister Rose. The sound isn't that great and the video could use some post-processing, but considering the twirling I hardly noticed that:
A version of Peace Train from the same concert has better sound (link).
Posted to WackyHumor at 08:48 PM
Illinois gov. Rod Blagojevich now part of FBI's "pay-to-play" corruption investigation
From this:Federal prosecutors for the first time brought their corruption investigation to the desk of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, making public Friday the allegations of two convicted insiders who say the governor offered them state business for their political backing.Oddly enough, the Tribune appears to have pulled a background on Blago's woes that was excerpted here. I read the article on their site, but when I refreshed the page it was gone. In any case, another person involved in this issue is Antoin "Tony" Rezko, who's also linked to Obama. See the sidebar articles at the first link or this.
In a 78-page court filing that identifies the governor only as "Public Official A," federal authorities detailed the accusations of the two former political operatives who have already pleaded guilty in a shakedown scheme and are cooperating with prosecutors.
Blagojevich told one of the men he "could award contracts, legal work and investment banking to help with fundraising," according to the filing.
The other insider, Stuart Levine, described a flight home from a New York trip during which he thanked Blagojevich for reappointing him to an influential and allegedly corrupt state hospital board.
"You stick with us and you will do very well for yourself," Blagojevich replied, according to the court document.
Levine did not have a direct conversation with Blagojevich about the board activities but he understood the governor "meant that Levine could make a lot of money working with Public Official A's administration," according to the filing.
Previously:
FBI probes Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich; hiring kickback?
DOJ sues Illinois over statewide sanctuary policy (Blagojevich)
Rod Blagojevich, Luis Gutierrez, and the alleged FALN terrorist
Illinois House approves driver's licenses for illegal aliens
Will Rod Blagojevich pro-illegal immigration scheme violate law?
Illegal aliens march in Chicago, get support from Blago, Gutierrez, local media
Blagojevich-linked group agitating illegal aliens, calls for general strike
Blagojevich stands behind NOI member on Illinois hate crimes commission
Blagojevich gives illegal aliens better deal than veterans
Posted to Politics at 08:03 PM
Jay Newton-Small/Time misleads about immigration (Huckabee, Tancredo, INS)
A minor example of how Time magazine and the rest of the MSM mislead and/or don't understand immigration issues is presented in "Tancredo's Single-Issue Victory" (link):...By basics [U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo] means forcing all illegal immigrants to go home and reapply to enter the country legally if they want to return, making English the national language and denying municipal services for illegal aliens such as driver's licenses, Social Security benefits and state-subsidized education. Huckabee has come under particular fire for backing college-level grants for the children of illegal immigrants in Arkansas. "We are a better country than to punish children for what their parents did," said Huckabee, defending his stance, in a Florida debate last month...1. "forcing" would seem to imply some form of mass deportations; Tancredo actually supports attrition which might be better described as "encouraging".
Tancredo has announced he is also not running for reelection for his Congressional seat. His immediate plans, he said, are to hang out with his grandkids, stump for Romney and finish his last year in office. After that, who knows? Romney may one day need to appoint a head of Immigration and Naturalization Services.
2. I don't believe Tancredo supports ending "state-subsidized education" for K-12, especially since that was decided on by the Supreme Court (thanks to Peter Schey). He does oppose college-level discounts for illegal aliens.
3. Huck's program, as discussed at the link, was irrespective of their parents' status(es), and that misleading formulation has been used many times in the MSM. Even the WaPo has corrected that formulation.
4. Jay Newton-Small includes a quote from Huck, but as with Joseph Berger of the NYT he doesn't include the response from Mitt Romney regarding discounts being a finite resource.
5. The INS hasn't existed for over four years.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:35 AM
Mike Huckabee sued over Mexican consulate deal
A private citizen in Arkansas (Jim Parsons) is suing the former governor of that state, Mike Huckabee, over his role in helping the Mexican government establish their latest consulate there (link). The main claim is that Huckabee used public funds to offer discounted office space to the consulate, and that per AR's laws he was forbidden from doing so. The suit also contains a state Freedom of Information Act request, and raises the issue of hard drives that Huckabee apparently had destroyed on his way out the door at the end of 2006. The suit wants a refund for the cost of destroying them.
The Huckster is being sued as a private citizen; others named in the suit include current governor Mike Beebe (only in his official role), and the Mexican consulate.
Related:
More on Mike Huckabee's questionable Mexican consulate deal
Mike Huckabee defends Mexico consulate deal (businesses agreed to pay Mexico's bills; law violated?)
Thanks, Huckabee: Arkansas Mexican consul opposing immigration laws
A question you can ask Huck
Mexican consul from Little Rock encourages advocacy for illegal immigration
Posted to Immigration2007b at 03:35 PM
You can't trust what Harold Meyerson says (immigration edition)
Harold Meyerson of the American Prospect offers a vile, illegal immigration-supporting smear piece called "Hard-liners for Jesus". Pretty much everything in it is bad, including comparing the GOP to the KKK. And, he misleads about the immigration stance of all the GOP candidates and the vast majority of GOP voters:But it's on their policies concerning immigrants where Republicans -- candidates and voters alike -- really run afoul of biblical writ. Not on immigration as such but on the treatment of immigrants who are already here. [Biblical "stranger" references; those are answered here and here]Very few people want to actually punish illegal aliens. And, in fact, some such as Ruy Giuliani or Mike Huckabee are supporters of amnesty. The most that others support is attrition, which is designed not to punish illegal aliens but to reduce the jobs and benefits magnet so that many will go home and many fewer will try to come here.
Yet the distinctive cry coming from the Republican base this year isn't simply to control the flow of immigrants across our borders but to punish the undocumented immigrants already here, children and parents alike.
And, supporting illegal immigration is not humanitarian in the least.
You can leave comments at the WaPo, or send him an email explaining why he's wrong to meyersonh *at* prospect.org
However, the better option in the long term is to go to appearances by those religious leaders who make the same "stranger" arguments, publicly point out how they're wrong using the last link, and then upload the exchange to video sharing sites. If we could completely discredit someone like Roger Mahony or Jim Wallis it would prevent people like Meyerson from making similar false arguments.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:03 PM
Matt Yglesias, Ross Douthat, and Marc Ambinder at... The Table
This video of the premiere edition of The Atlantic's entry into vlogging is just too funny for words. I was laughing so hard at the intro music plus the hosts turning to the camera that I was unable to listen to the rest (probably for the best).
IT WAS ALL JUST A DREAM UPDATE: Now, SansAClue (Yglesias) says the intro was meant to be ironic. Apparently, as in, we were expecting three privileged Northeast establishment hacks and... we got something different? Despite his explanation, I'll continue laughing at them, not with them.
Posted to WackyHumor at 08:31 PM
ArnieCare: budget busting universal healthcare in California (illegal aliens, Fabian Nunez, Don Perata)
Unlike, say, Grover Norquist, I'm not a reflexive opponent of some form of universal healthcare, at least on the face of it. But, as with other things there's frequently a hidden agenda, such as people pushing UHC who have wider goals. Does anyone think Arnold Schwarzenegger, Fabian Nunez, and Andy Stern of the SEIU (pictured right) are just humble albeit misguided progressive servants of the greater good?
And, there's the matter of corporatism, as those who are some degree of crook want everyone else to pay the full and true cost for their workers. And, of course, there's the insanity of providing a huge array of public services at the same time as allowing loose borders. And, there's the insanity of threatening to declare a fiscal emergency and then just a few days later having a vote on a massive UHC plan.
Yes, the insanity I'm discussing is in California, right now. From the 14th (link):
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will declare a state of fiscal emergency under never-before-used rules that would force lawmakers into a special session to address a $14 billion deficit. The governor, touring a hospital in Long Beach, said he will declare the emergency in January when lawmakers return from recess. Under the action, the Legislature would have 45 days to find ways to plug the shortfall, including cutting spending from the current budget.Flash forward to earlier today ("California Assembly approves plan to overhaul health care system", Tom Chorneau, link):
California's Assembly approved a landmark overhaul of the state's estimated $190 billion-a-year health care system Monday, setting the stage for a vote in the state Senate in the coming weeks.The problem is that a large part of that 6.8 million are illegal aliens who should not be here in the first place. And, by offering benefits, we'll attract even more people, leading to an even greater problem. By restricting benefits (as Proposition 187 tried to do), we can reduce the number of those who shouldn't be here. That will to a certain degree reduce consumer spending and the like, but overall it will leave more for U.S. citizens and those who are here legally. If the Legislature wants UHC, they should be responsible enough to try to reduce illegal immigration in California. And, that will make the sales job even easier, as people no longer have to guess whether those pushing this scheme are in one way or another agents of or at the least useful idiots for the Mexican government. Of course, whether people like Fabian Nunez, Gil Cedillo, and others really represent U.S. interests or Mexican interests is a very open question.
The proposal, which has the support of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as some key labor unions and a handful of big corporations, would require all Californians to have health insurance through their employers or government-sponsored programs, or to purchase it on the open market.
The new system, which also would require voter approval, would be financed by a new tax on hospitals, an increase in the tobacco tax, billions of new federal matching funds, and a tax on employers of up to 6.5 percent of their payrolls.
Supporters say the overhaul would reduce the cost of health care because most of the estimated 6.8 million uninsured residents, who now receive care at hospital emergency rooms, would get the benefit of regular doctor visits and preventive care once they were covered.
Whether he's playing a game or not, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata wants a study of the costs first, apparently specifically because it has to not only be passed by the Legislature and then signed by Arnie but also be approved by the voters.
I didn't read the whole bill since it's around half a meg of text. While some parts of it seem like they might restrict benefits to non-illegal aliens, others have the opposite effect (link):
...On and after July 1, 2009, children who otherwise meet eligibility requirements for the program but for their immigration status are eligible for the program.Note also that neither the SFGate article above, nor the Mercury News version from Mike Zapler (link), nor the Los Angeles Times version ("State Assembly backs healthcare for everyone" by Jordan Rau and Patrick McGreevy, link) mention anything about immigration.
...Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on and after July 1, 2009, a child who is otherwise eligible to participate in the program shall not be determined ineligible solely on the basis of his or her immigration status.
...An individual under the age of 19 years who would be eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal benefits without a share of cost, if not for his or her immigration status, shall be eligible for full-scope Medi-Cal services under this section.
...To establish that the individual meets the immigration requirements under this section, the parent or caretaker relative shall sign under penalty of perjury an attestation that the individual is not described in any of the categories enumerated on the attestation for which federal financial participation for full-scope services is available.
Posted to California at 11:19 PM
What? Washington Post tells truth about Mike Huckabee in-state tuition
Apparently there's been some sort of cosmic shakeup or something, because the Washington Post has finally told the truth about something relating to immigration. Bearing in mind that this is probably just a fluke, Michael Dobbs' "Fact Checker" column basically agrees with my earlier assessment and says:Asked about the measure during the November 28 CNN/YouTube debate, Huckabee said that his proposal applied to students who had been in Arkansas schools from the time they were "five or six years old," were "A-plus" students, "drug and alcohol-free", and in the process of "applying for citizenship." He implied that his support was limited to these students, a point reiterated by his spokeswoman Kirsten Fedewa.He gives him "three Pinocchios" for failing to tell the whole truth.
"He did not support in-state tuition," Fedewa said in an e-mail. "He supported scholarships for students who qualified."
The distinction that Huckabee is attempting to draw is an artificial one. His original State of the State address talked about making all Arkansas high school graduates eligible for state "financial aid," not just A-plus students applying for citizenship. It is true that Huckabee was particularly interested in the scholarship part of the bill. But it is untrue to claim that he "did not support in-state tuition" for illegal immigrants.
Of course, not everything is sweetness and light in WaPo land. Michael Dobbs has also denied the NAFTA Superhighway (link). And, both David Broder (link) and Howard Kurtz (link) previously retransmitted the Huck spin.
Posted to Politics at 10:31 AM
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Dems scale back border fence
From this:[The House] last night passed a giant new spending bill that undermines current plans for a U.S.-Mexico border fence, allowing the Homeland Security Department to build a single-tier barrier rather than the two-tier version that has worked in California.Reps. Peter King (R-NY) and Duncan Hunter (R-CA) both oppose the move. The first says it "guts the Secure Fence Act almost entirely", the second says it would be a "significant step backwards". Apparently the changes are in line with what the DHS wants.
The spending bill, written by Democrats and passed 253-154 with mostly their votes...
...The 2006 Secure Fence Act specifically called for "two layers of reinforced fencing" and listed five specific sections of border where it should be installed. The new spending bill removes the two-tier requirement and the list of locations.
House Democrats said they were just adopting the Senate version, which was backed by a bipartisan group of border-state senators and passed the Senate several times this year.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas Republican who has led the charge to change the 2006 law, said she wants to give Homeland Security more flexibility and wants local officials and landowners to be consulted...
There's also what appears to be a minor Rudy Giuliani connection to all this. His law firm (Bracewell & Giuliani) apparently donated money to Hutchison, and that firm has represented DynCorp - a "virtual fence" subcontractor - in litigation. See comments 10 and 44 here. Whether there's shenanigans involved isn't known.
Related:
Secure Fence Act: a hoax and a scam? (Kay Bailey Hutchison, DHS)
Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:15 AM
Jim Gilchrist reconsidering Mike Huckabee endorsement
Huckstered! From this:Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist says he will have to reconsider his endorsement of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee after learning the Republican presidential candidate favors allowing illegal aliens to wait only days to receive documents allowing re-entry into the U.S...He says it will be a few days before he'll have an answer from the Huckabee campaign about his concerns.
"I'm going to have to follow up on this," Gilchrist said. "I had not seen before anything in Governor Huckabee's plan where repatriation and touch-back could involve only days, not years...
Posted to Immigration2007b at 09:52 AM
Some forms of xenophobia are acceptable
Even many "liberals" would agree that some forms of xenophobia are acceptable. For instance, the Indian singer - whose name I tried and failed to find - who was playing a double guitar in a Bollywood music video while dressed as a cowboy. It's OK to be afraid of foreigners like that.
Another foreigner it's OK to be afraid of is this guy:
Posted to WackyHumor at 08:24 PM
Barack Obama: not as smart as a 5th-grader
Last week, a fifth-grader asked Barack Obama a raw question about immigration and terrorism at a stop in Iowa. Obama's response shows that he's not qualified for any political office:
Posted to Politics at 09:28 AM
Maybe she has other talents
I certainly have never taken a former supermodel turned megastar singer anywhere, much less to Disneyland Paris. So, it's only jealousy when I point out that whatever Nicolas Sarkozy sees in Carla Bruni, it's probably not her voice (link). I'm also going to rip off a commenter at that link and ask, "is that Sarkozy with the candle?"
Posted to WackyHumor at 09:25 AM
Jorge Bustamante/U.N./Notre Dame wants pro-illegal immigration boycott (earlier: dual citizenship to support Mexico's agenda in U.S.)
From this:Jorge Bustamante, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and a sociology professor at the University of Notre Dame, this week called Republican Party policies on immigration "immoral." Writing in the Mexico City daily Reforma, Bustamante said the Republican candidates share a in immigration stance that "lacks even the most minimum recognition of the demand for the Mexican migrant labor."He didn't suggest any specific companies, only suggesting an internet search. The second link describes how he met with Peter Schey of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, the National Immigration Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the California Rural Legal Assistance program in May.
He called on Mexicans to harness "the real power we have as consumers" to boycott big companies that do business in Mexico and fund Republican candidacies...
But, in 1995 he went even further. In response to a possible presidential run by California governor Pete Wilson, he said:
I'm proposing to introduce an initiative that will facilitate permanent Mexican residents in the United States to become citizens of that country, so their increasing number will translate in a real possibility of more votes against Wilson in the next elections... ...This way if a Mexican by birth acquires U.S. citizenship, that fact would allow him to vote in the United States, without loosing his Mexican nationality... ...anyone who wants to defend the interests of Mexico in whichever country they reside, augment their political power in order to make it within that country's rules...
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:17 PM
What Lawrence Downes/New York Times forgot to tell you, Part 2 (Phoenix furniture store protest)
For the backstory, see "Lawrence Downes/New York Times misleads & smears, and all to support illegal activity".In recent news, a pro-illegal immigration protester was arrested after allegedly pushing Michelle Dallacroce from Mothers Against Illegal Aliens at yesterday's weekly protest in front of the store.
And, the owner of the store has sent a letter to Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon (letter here). It includes, among other things, the following:
* We have reason to be concerned that citizen taxpayer dollars committed to subsidize [Salvador Reza]'s various operations and activities may have been used to fund his protest activities outside Pruitt's...That's certainly odd: Lawrence Downes' report only mentioned "hate speech" originating from one side, and didn't follow the money trail to see whether Reza is publicly funded and whether he's used part of that to sponsor the protests. In fact, Downes' report completely took his side of the matter. How odd.
* Reza and his affiliated "community activists" must immediately cease the smear campaign of false, misleading and reckless language against Pruitt's Furniture and the Sensing Family. Hate speech and incitement are unacceptable.
* ...your policies, decisions and actions have established a de facto day labor center in the area of [the corner with the furniture store]
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:11 PM
Rudy Giuliani will "end" illegal immigration at border; anywhere else? (Florida speech)
Rudy Giuliani gave a big speech in Florida earlier today, and his remarks as prepared for delivery are here: joinrudy2008.com/article/pr/1085[After my administration ends] We'll hand over a country where we've ended illegal immigration where it has to be done - at the border.I don't recall Rudy having stopped illegal immigration before, so I guess he's refering to his record as mayor of, what city was that again?, oh yeah, wasn't he the mayor of New York City, and on 9/11? I seem to recall him mentioning that.
And also a country who's arms are wide open to people who come here, people who come here legally and openly. We want them, we need them, we will accept them, and what we want them to do, if they want to become citizens, is meet all the requirements and then be able to read English, write English, and speak English.
Ending illegal immigration won't be easy. It requires changing human behavior – but it needs to be done for everyone's good. I have the will. I have the way to do it, the plan to do it, and I have the track record to bring safety and order and fairness to a situation that is now [our] out of control. I've done it before, I can do it again.
The second paragraph can mostly be ignored. However, the claim that he can "end" illegal immigration at the border is fantastic for at least three reasons:
1. It's physically impossible to "end" illegal immigration. The most that could be done would be to sharply reduce it.
2. Since somewhere less than half of current illegal aliens are those who came here legally and then violated the terms of their visas, just concentrating on the border won't do anything about those who'd do the same in the future. Rudy might have a plan for that, but perhaps he should include that plan in his speech for completeness' sake.
3. The idea that illegal immigration can be reduced by concentrating only on border security is false, because unless we're going to construct a tall wall along all the borders, people will keep trying to come here as long as they know they can receive jobs and benefits. Rudy certainly has a plan for the former, but it involves the precursor to a national ID card. See also this.
As for his claims, his support for illegal immigration is well known; see for instance this video (youtube.com/watch?v=QhS-Ic9JohM) - from a September 7, 2001 radio speech - where he says that NYC is "quite tolerant of illegal immigration"... and he "agrees with that."
(On a sidenote, I typed in rudygiuliani.com only to find out that it's a parked page with ads; then I typed in "rudy" in Google and found out that his site is only in second place, behind the unrelated movie of the same name at imdb.com and just ahead of the Wikipedia entry about the same movie.)
Posted to Politics at 04:42 PM
Snowman goes global: Youtube questions at World Economic Forum (Davos)
The World Economic Forum and Youtube appear to have joined forces and are requesting that Youtube users submit questions for the Davos event to be held next year (youtube.com/thedavosquestion). One or more top-rated videos will be selected and screened for the attendees, and then the attendees will deign to provide responses. The user videos should answer the following question:
"What one thing do you think that countries, companies or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008?"
Then, starting January first, visitors will vote for their top choice. (Since coming up with a voting system isn't that difficult, I wonder why they couldn't have had it in place for the CNN debates.)
Unlike with the questions for the U.S. presidential race, I'd be very happy if all or most of the questions are completely idiotic and then an effort could be started to vote up the absolute worst one. Maybe Hank The Angry Drunken Dwarf could join forces with the Snowman to promote World Communism, or maybe Obama Girl has a song.
Note that the spokesmodel for this effort is Lori Harfenist ("The Resident"). While easy on the eyes (youtube.com/watch?v=2zMxGgmPcHs), she's not exactly known for being a heavyweight pundit nor someone willing to ask real questions (see all her other videos, like youtube.com/watch?v=eVVHotSNR8g, youtube.com/watch?v=6Lqsc97lYlo, or youtube.com/watch?v=e3b-Xbau0nY). Note also that Chad Hurley, Youtube founder, spoke at last year's event (youtube.com/watch?v=2xXlZK5rCls).
Posted to Miscellania at 11:35 AM
Erica Vieyra/Olentangy H.S. teaches kids ignoring U.S. immigration laws is OK
Erica Vieyra is a Spanish teacher at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio (near Columbus and Cleveland), and one of her classes teaches children that ignoring U.S. immigration laws is acceptable behavior. The goal is to help them build "empathy" for "immigrants", but it's actually pro-illegal immigration propaganda that the school district should put an end to. The Office of the Superintendent (Dr. Scott Davis) is here, but I couldn't find an email; perhaps scott_davis *at* olentangy.k12.oh.us. Hers is erica_vieyra *at* olentangy.k12.oh.us. After reading about this case, please send them polite messages with your thoughts.This minor case also shows the danger of allowing those who put their ethnicity above our laws to obtain positions of power, whether high school teacher or an elected official.
From Holly Zachariah of the Columbus Dispatch (link):
The students had a role-play project: assume a Latino identity, build an imaginary life in your home country and develop a workable plan to immigrate to the United States.Related:
Try it legally, Erica Vieyra told her 40 senior Spanish students at Olentangy Liberty High School. Fill out the correct documents, follow the proper steps. And then, after they spent days completing the actual paperwork from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, she took out her red ink pad and stamped a big, fat DENIED across every request.
Now, she told the students, come illegally. Forge your documents, find a way across the border. Then, research real ads and find a place to live in Columbus. Figure out what it would cost, how to get food. Plan how to survive.
...Vieyra promised them that the process -- even in make-believe -- would frustrate them. But they would gain, she hoped, an understanding of what is one of the most important political and humanitarian issues facing the U.S. government today...
...But [Vieyra] cautions that the point isn't to sway the students, only to teach them a little empathy.
Brent Lueck/Cary Junior High plays "we're all immigrants"/Ellis Island game
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:31 AM
Fifth grader asks Barack Obama tougher question on immigration & terrorism than MSM; Sunlen Miller/Teddy Davis/Nancy Flores/ABC News spin
An Iowa fifth-grader asked Barack Obama a raw version of a tough question about immigration and terrorism. Instead of discussing what parts of the question the kid got right - and what parts Obama's answer got wrong (pretty much all of it) - ABC News is now covering for Barack Obama and suggesting that the threat of terrorist infiltration doesn't exist [1].Here's the question:
"When you're elected president, what if like the illegal immigrants start to take action and start bombing and stuff?"Obama should have differentiated between economic-based illegal aliens, those who are coming here to commit crimes, and those who are coming here for reasons related to terrorism. He did not, and Sunlen Miller of ABC News plays along with his misleading statements:
Obama proceded to give Bowman a social sciences lesson, explaining "Immigrants are coming into the country and not blowing things up. They are usually working in meat packing plants, or working in restaurants or working in agriculture, picking vegetables..."He didn't give him a lesson, he misled the kid. He also demagogued a non sequitur about Romney and gave an advertisement for illegal activity. And, not just the audience but ABC News ate it up.
Someone in the crowd yelled "Mitt Romney," and Obama had his straight line.
"Yeah, they are mowing Mitt Romney's yard. I forgot about ol' Mitt, who's got the gall to running all these ads about illegal immigrants."
The crowd roared in laughter but Obama stopped himself there and went on. "We've got a problem with terrorists who are trying to kill us... That's a separate problem from immigrants," Obama assured Bowman.
The first report as well as the fuller "news" report [2] from Miller as well as Teddy Davis and Nancy Flores both try to trace this back to ads from Tom Tancredo and others.
What would make me extremely happy is if someone in the audience had pointed out all the ways that Obama was being misleading, and had then posted that to video sharing sites. That would have an impact not just on Obama's poll numbers, but the MSM as well.
[1] blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/12/obama-ol-mitt-h.html
[2] abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4003240
Posted to Immigration2007b at 08:39 PM
Michael Gerson turns on Mike Huckabee, spins LULAC/Tyson Foods meeting
Bush hack turned Washington Post hack Michael Gerson - at that link trying to push for Bush's immigration "reform" by calling the GOP base names - offers "Homespun Meets Hard-Line". Like yesterday's WaPo editorial he turns on Mike Huckabee because of the latter's new (supposed) tough stance on illegal immigration. A full discussion of everything wrong with the column isn't worth the time, however I will note this:
Contrast [a Jim Gilchrist statement] with Huckabee speaking in Little Rock at a meeting of Hispanic civil rights leaders two years ago: "I would hope that no matter who we are, or where we are from, that America should always be a place that opens its spirit to people who come because they want the best for their families." And Huckabee has accompanied his choice of new friends with an immigration plan that would require 12 million illegal immigrants to return home before applying for permanent status -- a completely unrealistic approach borrowed from anti-immigration activists.
I believe the "meeting of Hispanic civil rights leaders" Gerson is refering to is the one that featured not only the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) but Tyson Foods as well. LULAC is a once-mainstream, now-radicalized racial power group. They were at the National Latino Congreso, the spoke out in favor of bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, and their national treasurer even parroted the "the border crossed us" line (basically denying the U.S.'s territorial claims). They might also end up being involved in a class action against Tyson Chicken; the attorney in that case says Gerson's "civil rights" group might have conspired with Tyson Chicken to help them hire illegal aliens.
As for Huck's plan, the 120 days is unworkable, but since releasing the plan he's stated that those who left could come back within "days, maybe weeks".
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:54 AM
Jennifer Delson/LAT gushes over departing Orange County Mexican consul (Haro; MC cards)
Luis Miguel Ortiz Haro - Mexican consul for Orange County, CA - is being reassigned, apparently as part of the Mexican government's normal process of shifting their agents around. Jennifer Delson of the Los Angeles Times says bye-bye in her own special, pro-Mexico way (link). And, oddly enough, she discusses the identity cards that that country passes out, glossing over the fact that they do so to assist illegal immigration. First, the tears:
He ran his Santa Ana office in the style of a populist Latin American patriarch, peppering his conversations with popular idioms and spending countless hours on the problems of immigrants, which fell beyond the formal scope of his job... Leaders of community organizations have streamed into his office to bemoan his departure. Employees held back tears...
Don't worry: there's more at the link (although it doesn't rise to the gush-o-meter busting level of Yvette Cabrera). Then, the part where she doesn't tell their readers the whole truth:
During his tenure, the Santa Ana office increased the number of Mexican identification cards issued. Ortiz Haro recently said that his consulate issued more of the cards, known as matriculas consulares, than any other consulate in the U.S., with the exception of Los Angeles and Chicago.
She doesn't describe that the Mexican government passes out those cards so that illegal aliens can open bank accounts and even obtain driver's licenses in some states. Nor does she go into the fact that due to massive immigration from Mexico that government has been able to obtain a great deal of political power inside the U.S.
In a way, it's like someone writing a glowing article about a union boss that most people realize works for a crooked organization. I wonder whether if we looked back we could find that these types of articles are part of a decades-long pattern of deception by the Los Angeles Times.
Posted to Immigration_consul at 07:20 PM
Brent Lueck/Cary Junior High plays "we're all immigrants"/Ellis Island game
From this:After closely examining the immunization records and marriage and birth certificates of the eighth-grade "immigrant" with a magnifying glass, Brent Lueck asked him the important question.While the Irish and other groups certainly faced a great deal of prejudice, that doesn't mean that worries about what impact importing millions of Catholics into what was then an almost competely Protestant country would have was itself prejudice. This apparently far-left event was the culmination of a three-week class and I don't know what was in the class. However, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it engaged in the logical fallacy of implying that today's immigration is the same as yesterday's, despite the conditions changing.
"You're from Ireland," he said. "Are you a Catholic?"
Lueck said he was worried that the "immigrant" might try to subvert America in the name of the pope. "I've got some issues with you, some loyalty issues."
It was just one example of the mock prejudice faced by about 120 eighth-grade students Friday at Cary Junior High [Illinois] taking part in a simulation of immigrant arrivals and experiences at Ellis Island...
Note also that he's been doing this for three years, and in 2004 I noted another example of the same thing from a town in Iowa. In that case, the logical fallacies were at least noted in the "news" report:
Students also learned how the lives of present-day immigrants mirror the struggles of new Americans from 100 years ago...
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:16 PM
Vile: Washington Post turns on Mike Huckabee to support illegal immigration
The Washington Post offers a vile, spittle-flecked editorial called "The Immigration Swamp/As the presidential campaign intensifies, so does the nativist ferocity." They turn on Mike Huckabee for changing from a strong supporter of illegal immigration into someone who (supposedly) wants illegal aliens to return home within 120 days:
The idea that 12 million illegal residents of the United States can be induced to quit the country en masse within four months is absurd on its face -- a non-starter in logistical, humanitarian, political, diplomatic, commercial and economic terms that would leave an indelible stain on this country for years. Yet that is the wrathful centerpiece of Mike Huckabee's "Secure America Plan," which the Republican presidential candidate issued the other day in the course of his party's escalating enthusiasm for nastier-than-thou prescriptions to deal with illegal immigrants.
Then, they refer to the Minuteman Project as "a group of xenophobes who spend their time videotaping and harassing day laborers wherever they find them" and a group that engages in "vigilantism". They refer to Huck's (supposed) turn to the right side of things as a "cruel campaign of immigrant-bashing".
Then, it's off to selective reading land as they quote the Pew Hispanic Center study in which people claimed to have suffered discrimination. Then:
According to the latest FBI statistics, from 2006, hate crimes against Hispanics had increased by more than a third since 2003.
Unfortunately, the FBI doesn't seem to break out the race of the offender vs. the race of the victims, but they say there were a total of 853 "anti-Hispanic" crimes in 2006 (fbi.gov/ucr/hc2006/table7.html). Not only that, but when counting the offender's race they lump Hispanics as white; of known offenders, 3710 were white and 1026 were black (fbi.gov/ucr/hc2006/table3.html). But, some of those listed as white might in fact be Hispanic. And, from Earl Ofari Hutchison (link):
In fact, even though hate-crime laws were originally created to combat crimes by whites against minority groups, the majority of L.A. County's hate crimes against blacks in 2006 were suspected to have been committed by Latinos, and vice versa, according to the county Commission on Human Relations.
So, the WaPo appears to be stretching to smear. And, they make clear that their real reason for doing this is economic:
[Promotes "comprehensive immigration reform"; Huckabee's plan] suggests no realistic plan to address the economy's appetite for immigrant workers in the future, let alone those here now.
Someone should really follow the money on the WaPo; what do they or those to whom they're linked have to gain from the importation of cheap labor?
The editorial ends in as vile a manner as it began:
America has had its paroxysms of anti-immigrant fervor in the past, also accompanied by spasms of violence and persecution. Today, as in the past, the national atmosphere is subverting the discussion, drowning out reason. Look at the uproar that overwhelmed New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's sensible, safety-minded proposal to make illegal immigrants eligible for driver's licenses, and you will see logic defeated by posturing, political cowardice and the poisonous diatribes of talk radio. Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who championed comprehensive reform, is now chastened by the ferocity of the demagogues who mischaracterized it as an "amnesty"; he says he "got the message" and will now speak only of enforcement in the near term. In such an ugly environment, the best one can hope for is candidates who can appeal to the nation's self-interest as well as its better instincts; who can explain that resolving the immigration mess through a comprehensive approach is not only an economic imperative but also the only realistic way out of a political swamp.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 11:31 AM
AOL takes pro-illegal immigration side, spreads AILA propaganda
AOL (America Online) has created a new immigration section for their AOL Latino channel. It features a blog with a La Opinion-style slant, such as refering to the Minuteman Project as "caza-inmigrantes" (migrant hunters) [1] That post also uses phrases like "indocumentados" and "antiinmigrantes" (refering to the rhetoric of Romney and Giuliani).
They're doing this in collaboration with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a far-left group. Documents from that group are available, such as "The Truth About the DREAM Act" [2], which contains such very doubtful claims as the assertion that the DREAM Act wouldn't increase illegal immigration. They also provide helpful links to "GobiernoUSA.gov".
Oddly enough, AOL doesn't seem to have made room for those who oppose illegal immigration. Finding nuggets at the site is left as an exercise, but unless we're willing to start a boycott of AOL there's probably not much that could be done.
[1] aollatinoblog.com/2007/12/13/los-minutemen-ya-tienen-candidato-y-no-es-tancredo/
[2] aollatinoblog.com/2007/11/13/the-truth-about-the-dream-act/
Posted to Immigration2007b at 10:58 AM
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley wants to allow illegal aliens to attend community college
North Carolina governor Mike Easley wants illegal aliens to be able to attend community colleges in his state as out-of-state students. The previous policy of their CC system was to allow individual colleges to decide; now they must allow illegal aliens in. While this isn't as objectionable as those who would allow them to attend at the in-state rate or obtain other discounts, and while they say that it won't cost them money even if the numbers attending quadrupled (of course, that might be a low estimate), it's probably an initial step on the slippery slope. Plus, I don't like his Dick Durbin-esque tone. Says he:
"What people are upset about, they care deeply about their citizenship. It really means something to them... All the governors allow kids – illegal immigrants – to go to community colleges because they don't want to build an underclass in their state. All the states do that... We're not talking about 50-year-olds who are jumping the fence to go to school. We're talking about little kids who've grown up here through no fault of their own. They don't know where they were born... If you slam the door on them, you lose that talent. If you don't take advantage of it, it's just kind of dumb."
I don't know whose "citizenship" he was refering to, whether that of U.S. citizens, or that of the illegal aliens. In the first case, he's implying that U.S. citizens care too much about something that apparently he doesn't value as highly. And, that even applies in the second case and his remarks appear a bit "tranzi". As for "just kind of dumb", perhaps calling those residents of your state who oppose this plan "dumb" isn't the best strategy; I note that there are over 400 comments on the article, and I'd imagine that many or most are opposed to his plan. If he were thinking of the welfare of his state, he might consider encouraging those students to repatriate themselves or ask their home countries to pick up any bills they incur. Rep. Sue Myrick is opposed to the plan, as are other Republicans. Needless to say, the governor and other supporters are Democrats.
And, he even played a part in the decision by the general counsel of NC's CC system (David Sullivan):
Mr. Sullivan said his directive was based on a 1997 opinion by the state's attorney general at the time - Michael F. Easley, a Democrat who is now governor - which said that the colleges could not impose nonacademic criteria for admission.
Note: this issue has also generated one of the dumbest editorials on this issue I've ever read:
And yes, plenty of Latino Americans have broken the law in North Carolina, as have many company owners who rely on cheap labor to keep costs down. But all of them came here for the promise of a better life for themselves and future generations. And most of them aren't going anywhere.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 03:58 PM
Joseph Berger/NYT promotes DREAM Act, largely ignores impact
Joseph Berger of the New York Times offers "Debates Persist Over Subsidies for Immigrant College Students". It's in their "On Education" section, which is apparently exempt from their "tough" journalistic standards and thus the fact that it's basically an editorial in favor of the anti-American DREAM Act isn't that much of a concern.While not a PIIPP, it does come close in that it profiles two sympathetic students, both of whom - surprise! - are high achievers. The most noteworthy aspect is that he doesn't explore the downsides of the bill, which would include letting illegal aliens take college discounts from U.S. citizens. In fact, only one sentence - a quote from Mitt Romney ("Illegals are not going to get taxpayer-funded breaks that are better than our own citizens") - discusses the downsides of the bill. Berger "forgot" to include the part where Romney tried to point out that "there's only so much money to go around" and that giving discounts to illegal aliens takes them away from U.S. citizens.
And, in fact, near the end the article turns into an overt advertisement:
When illegal immigrants do graduate from college, they still cannot find skilled jobs except underground. For the undocumented, a Social Security card would trump a diploma. That's why champions of legalization for the undocumented are staking their hopes on the stalled federal Dream Act. The bill, an acronym for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, would explicitly grant illegal immigrants enrolling in college six years of conditional residency that would enable them to work, drive and possibly be eligible in more states for in-state tuition. What's better, it would enable a student who completes two years of college to apply for a permanent resident’s green card.Of course it's an amnesty, because that's how it will be perceived. And, it will send a loud message to millions of people around the world that all they need to do is come here illegally and we'll provide college discounts, even if it means taking them away from our own citizens.
Given how hard two years of college can be, that bill could hardly be considered an amnesty, particularly since the students were not to blame for their illegal entry in the first place.
Please write Clark Hoyt - Public Editor with your thoughts: public *at* nytimes.com
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:04 PM
Flashback: Mike Huckabee was for amnesty in April 2007
Back on April 24, 2007, the Mike Huckabee campaign uploaded this video address, where he said he was against "amnesty", then went on to outline a plan that everyone in their right mind - voters as well as millions of prospective illegal aliens in foreign countries - would perceive to be amnesty:To address the question of what we should do about immigrants who entered the country illegally, I propose starting with the highest law of human behavior: do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.
But, that cannot mean amnesty. There must be consequences for illegal actions, for violation of our rule of law.
I propose that such individuals be required to register with state and federal authorities, pay financial penalties, and be given the choice of deportation or, undertaking the process of legal citizenship.
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:01 PM
Huge warning sign: George P. Bush joins Fred Thompson team
George P. Bush ("George Prescott Bush") has joined the Fred Thompson as the National Chair of his "Young Professionals for Fred Thompson" group. This is at least the second link he has to the Bush family.
"P." is a budding racial demagogue who spoke out against the Border Patrol's use of non-lethal weapons and eventually had to backtrack. He was even scheduled to attend the major illegal immigration march in Dallas but then didn't show for one reason or another (probably would have been too obvious). And, if you think dynastically, changing the demographics of the U.S. to be more Hispanic might actually be an intentional move to make a president run by "P." easier (he might even run as a Democrat).
Unfortunately, some of the other candidates have their own links to the Bush family, and they're even conflicting. Jeb Bush Jr. is working for Rudy Giuliani as the Chairman of "Florida Young Professionals for Rudy" (joinrudy2008.com/article/pr/911) at the same time as some of his father's former workers are now with Mitt Romney's campaign. Why, it's just like dynasties of old used to do it.
Given the Bush record of the last eight years, even Hillary would be better than someone who's got Bush links.
Posted to Politics at 07:42 PM
I'm switching to Huckabee! Catch THE HUCKABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's odd how even the mention of the name "Mike Huckabee" on a blog or similar will trigger an avalanche of glassier-eyed-than-many-Ron-Paul supporters ready to leave generic comments. Whether these are from real supporters or those who are paid to be the same, many of them have the same tenor. They're also quite busy at voting down comments that might reveal the truth.For an example of the latter, see my -6 Diggs comment here.
For a prime example of the former, see the comment here:
For those of you that like to critize and take easy cheap shots at other people instead of looking for positive things to bring the nation up, you should first take the log out of your eye before trying to take the stick out of others.That's from Matthew 7:3-5.
Americans want to experience positive change, they do not want to listen to mean spirited comments that only create division in America not unity. Those who critize are only running on ice, spining their wheels like a locomotive, but not going anywhere. It's time to hang up those old shoes of critism, and change to the positive, optimistic shoes that will bring happiness to all Americans.Couldn't he have stuck to the wood-related metaphors? I'm getting confused.
Mike Huckabee is authentic, trustworthy, caring and humble. That's why his poll numbers are skyrocketing up at supersonic speeds. THE HUCKABOOM!!!!!!It would be bad taste to even mention something about leaving the black Nikes at home, so I won't say anything about that.
NASA we have lift off, "One small step for Mike Huckabee and one giant leap for America."
Posted to Politics at 04:49 PM
SPLC tries to stifle FAIR (Mexico links, CAP)
Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center offers "The Teflon Nativists/FAIR Marked by Ties to White Supremacy" (splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=846) with the news that it's "official": the SPLC has declared the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) to be a "hate group". They mention how much press coverage FAIR has received, and they include a quote from Henry Fernandez of the Center for American Progress which helps show that their goal is to stifle FAIR:
"The sad fact is that attempts to reform our immigration system are being sabotaged by organizations fueled by hate... Many anti-immigrant leaders have backgrounds that should disqualify them from even participating in mainstream debate, yet the American press quotes them without ever noting their bizarre and often racist beliefs."
I'd imagine that the MSM will just eat this up without even looking into it, resulting in fewer press mentions and a reduced voice for those of us who support our laws. I'll let FAIR speak for themselves (if they deign to do so), but I'll point out a few things:
1. The SPLC is indirectly linked to the Mexican government (see their name's link above); I've never seen that mentioned in any of the "news" reports that take them as a semi-official source. Fernandez is also indirectly linked to that government (see his name's link).
2. Part of their designation rests on the fact that FAIR has received funding from an "infamous, racist eugenics foundation." That's a reference to the Pioneer Fund; in the same decade as they gave money to FAIR they also gave money to Stanford, the Tel Aviv University, the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of Greater New York, and others.
3. Another part is because FAIR has supposedly put forth "racist conspiracy theories about Mexico's secret designs on the American Southwest". I don't know what FAIR has said, but the Mexican government has explicitly stated that they want to meddle in our internal politics and will be using non-profit organizations to do so. That translate to obtaining political power inside the U.S. and, should that process not be stopped, some form of de jure or de facto condominium.
4. Yet another part is because FAIR supposedly has an "alternative theory alleging secret plans to merge the United States, Mexico and Canada". I guess the SPLC missed Congressional testimony from an elite group advocating for that scheme, and all the other flashing neon signs pointing in that direction.
UPDATE: FAIR responds with just some of the things the SPLC got wrong here. Note especially this:
In light of the fact that FAIR has requested the SPLC to correct these errors on at least three different occasions dating back to 2001, the publication of this erroneous information appears to be willful and malicious.
UPDATE 2: On a sidenote, the SPLC's Intelligence Report has won the 2007 "In-Depth/Investigative Reporting" award from the Utne Reader (utne.com/print-article.aspx?id=13124).
Posted to Immigration2007b at 01:39 PM
Ryan Lizza: wrong about immigration
Ryan Lizza