John Edwards: live, work here for five years and citizenship is a "right"

Youtube's political editor Steve Grove has been interviewing the presidential contenders, and I've left comments pointing out how lightweight the interviews are. However, they appear to at least be making baby steps towards asking slightly more difficult questions.

In the latest, they interview John Edwards and ask him a series of "is this a right or a privilege" questions. Near the end, he states that he doesn't think that those who've lived and worked in the U.S. for a year have a right to U.S. citizenship, but... he does think they have that right if they've lived and worked here for five years.

That indicates to me that he's either a loose borders loon, or he's unable to think on his feet (note the long pauses), or he's confused about what a "right" is.

Needless to say, his policy would result in millions and millions and millions more people coming here illegally, laying low for the five years, and becoming citizens. His position would result in unheard of levels of illegal immigration.

Please go to John Edwards' campaign appearances and ask him about that or his other statements, then publicize his response.

Comments

Who knew John Edwards could be a bigger moron than we originally thought? Seriously, who votes for these people? I guess his barber does, since he gets $400 a pop.

That's great, just great. If you break the law for a year, tough luck to you. If you break it for 5 or more years, then as Steely Dan would say, "Won't you sign in, Stranger." What a fool.

Look guy's the government you are hoping will stop mass illegals coming here is doing it to you! the system hates you wants you removed and you still don't get what's being done to you? soon old Senator Edwards will start to act like he is totally behind the Amnesty bill and for one reason "he has been told to act and talk just like Bush" he will get in Line as he has been told to by the one world rats who own him, the fact is all of you are doomed to live in a third world hell and sad to say you still don't get what that means do you? You must all be mad; in fact most people can't understand why bush rat is so helpful to mexico city? The reason why Bush is helping the third world rulers is its part of the plan to totally Dismantle us as a nation of Laws and what will you do when this so called nation is 60 percent third world people all looking at you for a nice living? and what will you do when some little rat comes to your doors and shot your kids? think that is racism of me to write that, right? "Well people", its happened many times over the last 10 years and it's going to happen to you if you just stand by and do nothing, and may God help you all.

Seriously WTF is Edwards thinking??? The problem with the Democrats is all their high paid consultants are absolutely deluded or in the pocket of the Cheap Labor Lobby. Because the "Cheap Votes" through mass Immigration and periodic Amnesties has been a loser strategy for the last 40 years. I am a Democrat and have in the past been very active during elections doing GOTV work. Almost every victory in 2006 involved a Fair Trade and Immigration Restrictionist Democrat. Trust me I am not the only Democrat trying very hard tell other Left-wing bloggers just how out of touch they are with the party's working and middle class base on this heinous Comprehensive Immigration Clusterfuck. The major posters at Liberal Blogs like Eschaton, Hullabaloo, TAPPED, ThinkProgress, Huffington Post and Most of DailyKos are absolutely delusional or in denial over both how hated this "CIR" fiasco is and just popular of Lou Dobbs is becoming with the base of the party. They'd rather stick their heads in the sand and pretend the 600 pound gorilla is not in the room. David Sirota is about the only major Democratic strategist who does not have his head up is ass on Immigration. Yet even he is unwilling to battle at out with the OPEN BORDERS loons. It is both hilarious and disheartening to read the comments of CIR opponents who are trying to get fellow blog followers to get their heads out of their asses. I spent hours this last week battling with what I call "MUSHEADS" over at Matt Yglesias's and ORCINUS's sites. David Niewert is for some reason a favorite liberal blogger and is totally fucked in believing that the KKK is still a bigger threat to America than Aztlan and MS-13. That is what happens when you buy into the SPLC propaganda. Hell I would not doubt that Niewert probably thinks NumbersUSA is a hate group. Beyond the OPEN BORDERS and Amnesty travesties. This "CIR" bill has some of the most incredible middle class job destruction give aways to Corporate American imaginable. Anybody who is a family farmer, engineer, computer programmer, medical technician or nurse should be outraged at this bill. And that is not just me talking. That is Senators Brian Dorgan and Bernie Sanders. Any Democratic politician who votes for the "CIR" bill deserves to be hogtied, castrated and fed their own testicles. FDR and Truman are rolling in their graves over this shit. My prediction is this "CIR" nonsense will go down in flames and not pass. House Democrats will simply not touch the bill but flee the capital at every oportunity. Pelosi will not come any where near the 70-90 Republican votes she claims needed to make up for defecting Democrats in the "Flyover" states. However, thanks to Ted Kennedy, Rahm Emmanuel, Chuck Schumer, Hillary, Lieberman and Luis Gutierrez, the Immigration Issue will not die. Rahm, Chuck, Hillary and Luis especially will not pass up the opportunity to shake down the Cheap Labor Lobby for m

After watching the video again, my thought was the format of the question was unfair because it lacked sufficient context. Primarily was the person a legal resident, non-immigrant or illegal alien. Legal Resident hell yes. "Non-Immigrant" depends, but even I think it is wrong to string out a H1-B visa "non-immigrant" for up to seven to ten years as is commonplace just so his employer can treat him as a virtual indentured servant. And I am strongly opposed to the H1-B. Illegal Alien - never, Leave the country and get in line buddy like all those good folks who respect our laws. Edwards should have simply said no to this lightning round bullshit. Immigration related matters are simply way too complex and the public deserves for the issues to be given a careful well reasoned and deliberate answer.

You Republicans think your party is Fucked over Immigration??? At least the Republicans are certain to nominate an Immigration Restrictionist who will put an end to this Open Borders insanity. My bet is that it will be pretty certain that a Secure Borders and No Amnesty plank will be in the Republican party platform. I would not be surprised if Republicans told Dubya and Jeb to lie low at the convention because of this Immigration fiasco or not show up at all. An added plus is the Republicans picked one of the most white bread cities in the country for the site of their Convention, Saint Paul and will be following the Democratic convention. Democrats will be the ones torn to pieces even if the current "CIR" bill goes down in flames this summer. Because, thanks to Ted Kennedy, Rahm Emmanuel, Chuck Schumer, Hillary, Lieberman and Luis Gutierrez, the Immigration Issue will not die. Rahm, Chuck, Hillary and Luis especially will not pass up the opportunity to shake down the Cheap Labor Lobby for more campaign money. Hillary is simply too busy blowing every CEO in Silicon Valley and Seattle in order to get H1-B blood money. Luis dreams of getting the chance to do for Chicago what Villariagosa has done for LA. No matter who gets the Democratic nomination the far left-wing OPEN BORDERS crowd and the corrupt DLC CHEAP LABOR wing of the party will not let the Immigration issue die. They will never resist the opportunity to undermine the party's adoption of a realistic populist immigration restrictionist and anti-Global Labor Arbitrage policy as part of the party's platform. As far as a secure border. Bill Richardson will go ape shit over a border wall in Southern New Mexico. Meanwhile all those groups who the party recklessly pandered to over the years could show up at the convention in Denver and raise hell demanding Amnesty. They dam well know the tide is turning quickly against Open Borders and Amnesty and will be pissed off. Nothing like having ANSWER, Anarchists, MEChA and especially Aztlan hanging outside the convention protesting or worse. Plus every Fundamentalist Anti-Abortion Anti-Homosexual, Anti-Evolution wacko from Colorado Springs will show up to protest. Hell the entire Phelps Klan from the Westboro Baptist Church will sure to be there since Topeka is so relatively close. 6 hours away on I-70. The Fundies across the street from MEChA, won't that be fun. Oh fuck, I need a drink just thinking about it. You Republicans think your party is fucked, by the time your convention rolls around you may have our house in order. The Democrats on the other hand are fucked times infinity.