DNC National Committee Chair say Republicans would make Illegal Immigration a Crime

[Guest]

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz of Florida, and Chairwoman of the Democrat National Committee, blasted Republicans for believing that Illegal Immigration should be a crime.

This is what she said at a Christian Science Monitor Breakfast on May 26th.

“We have 12 million undocumented immigrants in this country that are part of the backbone of our economy and this is not only a reality but a necessity" "And that it would be harmful; the Republican solution that I’ve seen in the last three years is that we should just pack them all up and ship them back to their own countries and that in fact it should be a crime and we should arrested them all.

That same morning, at that breakfast, Miss Wasserman Shultz said that if Republicans had their way their Presidential candidates, who denounced the auto industry bailouts, would have all Americans "driving foreign cars".
This she says, as she herself drives a 2010 Nissan Infiniti FX35.

The Democrats seem to have a winner in the leadership of their party in Miss Wasserman Shultz. This is the same Miss Wasserman Shultz who has made many disparaging comments directed at Gov. Sarah Palin in regard to the latter's intelligence.

It's certainly hard to maintain those glass houses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUqJO6sk7AA&feature=player_embedded

[Guest]

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz of Florida, and Chairwoman of the Democrat National Committee, blasted Republicans for believing that Illegal Immigration should be a crime.

This is what she said at a Christian Science Monitor Breakfast on May 26th.

“We have 12 million undocumented immigrants in this country that are part of the backbone of our economy and this is not only a reality but a necessity" "And that it would be harmful; the Republican solution that I’ve seen in the last three years is that we should just pack them all up and ship them back to their own countries and that in fact it should be a crime and we should arrested them all.

That same morning, at that breakfast, Miss Wasserman Shultz said that if Republicans had their way their Presidential candidates, who denounced the auto industry bailouts, would have all Americans "driving foreign cars".
This she says, as she herself drives a 2010 Nissan Infiniti FX35.

The Democrats seem to have a winner in the leadership of their party in Miss Wasserman Shultz. This is the same Miss Wasserman Shultz who has made many disparaging comments directed at Gov. Sarah Palin in regard to the latter's intelligence.

It's certainly hard to maintain those glass houses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUqJO6sk7AA&feature=player_embedded

On this issue the Democratic chair is wrong....illegal immigration is a crime as is hiring an illegal immigrant to lower employee costs and increase profits. So I also agree with the Supreme Court in regard to their recent ruling.

Just FYI....The FX35 is a pocket rocket love that car.

[Guest]

thanx for the post, richielion...had my best laugh of the day!

[Guest]

Mexico economy, despite the oft-advertised drug wars and murders is at better than 5.5 % growth while we remain at about 1.9%. It pays to work in a foreign country pay little or no tax and send it back home. Guess americans should cross over to the northern border unnoticed work without paying taxes and sent their pay checks back home. could be despite Obama's failed economic policies we too can raise our growth 5.5%:024:

[Guest]

...it might be a good idea to make it a crime. Actually, I'd say that hiring or employing illegals should be the crime with the greatest penalty. But that isn't anything that could work if done immediately. If our feckless Congress suddenly passed such a bill, there wouldn't be enough Immigration officers to chase the millions of illegals already here, not enough jail cells to house them all, or not enough airplanes to fly them all back home.

And I won't mention what would happen to segments of our economy and sections of the country that would suffer terrific hits. No people to pick the crops, to work in hot kitchens, work in home construction (particularly in right-to-work states like Florida), do landscaping and lawn maintenance, etc., etc.

Now don't tell me that these people are displacing unemployed Americans. Americans simply won't work that hard for the amount they are paid. (I just had a major landscaping job done and eight Mexican workers got more done in a day and a half than any other group I had ever seen. Before that I had pavers put on a driveway by six Brazilian workers. Not a word of English among them and they worked for the better part of a day bent over, lifting heavy stones and mixing concrete. Older American workers couldn't do that physical work. Younger ones simply wouldn't work that hard.)

But if illegal immigration was made a crime over a period of time, over 5-6-7 years, so employers could prepare for an alternative work force and the illegals could prepare to go home....now that might work.

[Guest]

I agree with Big Kahuna. There are not enough Americans willing to take the same kind of jobs that illegals are taking. If I had a choice of hiring an illegal and a citizen for the same job at the same pay, I would hire the US Citizen.

However, if the US Citizen demanded 4 times as much money and benefits, I would hire the illegal. It is just economics.

Look at the slaughter houses in Iowa and Nebraska. This work used to be done by Americans. It is disgusting work but the slaughter house companies now recruit in Mexico and El Salvador instead of hiring Americans.

These illegals are NOT getting Social Security benefits nor Medicare benefits. Give them amnesty over a period of years and let them become American citizens.

[Guest]

First of all, the term illegal defines something that has broken a law. Not sure how we can grant amnesty to a certain group of criminals (people who have broken a law) and not to other criminals...Where is the line drawn in the sand?
Who may enter a bank and illegally remove funds that they need to help them and their family survive? Who may take what they have not obtained via legal channels? Who may speed down a main thoroughfare because their needs are more important than the safety of the other drivers on the road. I guess I am just not sure which laws are OK to break and which ones aren't OK to break. I and my family have always lived by the laws or paid the fine for the infraction. It was at times difficult to raise children to abide by the laws of the land when there are people that are exempt from abiding by the laws of the land. My family physician is a wonderful Pakistani woman. Several members of her family are here legally while other family members have waited and played by the rules for over 10 years. She rarely gets upset, but on this issue she is very vocal. One brother was killled in Pakistan, as undesireable members of that society sought to take his land. Too bad that we have such double standards.:confused:

[Guest]

KatzPajamas-

Semantics is what you are talking about. The term "illegal" is a hot button word. Try using something like "undocumented worker". You are talking about criminal actions such as bank robbery.

Would you rather have your crops rot on the trees or in the ground than to have them picked by undocumented workers? It is impossible to find enough citizens who will do that work. Your food would be scarce and very expensive.

Would you rather have a shortage of chicken, beef, and pork because no one will work in the slaughter houses of Iowa and Nebraska?

These people are not taking work from Americans. They are doing the work Americans will not do any longer.

What is your real problem with undocumented workers? They are not a threat to you. They are not going to take your job. If an undocumented worker does a criminal action such as robbery, he/she will be punished just like anyone else.

The visa program leading to citizenship is broken. It is time for a charitable act to let these hard-working people achieve a dream that you and I already have.

What does the inscription say on the Statue of Liberty? "Give me your tired, your poor, the wretched refuse of your native land yearning to breathe free." Shall we re-do the Statue of Liberty to have her holding a shotgun to keep people out of America? I think not. We are better than that.

[Guest]

Papers please. :doh:

[Guest]

KatzPajamas-

Semantics is what you are talking about. The term "illegal" is a hot button word. Try using something like "undocumented worker". You are talking about criminal actions such as bank robbery.


What does the inscription say on the Statue of Liberty? "Give me your tired, your poor, the wretched refuse of your native land yearning to breathe free." Shall we re-do the Statue of Liberty to have her holding a shotgun to keep people out of America? I think not. We are better than that.

T-Bugs, I don't think you have to worry too much about Lady Liberty. She watched over millions of legal immigrants just a short distance away in New York Harbor. No doubt that she'd be willing to welcome millions more immigrants, legal that is.
For those who wait in line to come to our land legally, the southern invasion is unfair. The fact that there are some 12 million illegals here does not make it right, nor does the number make it legal.
Those who employee illegal immigrants are guilty of a crime and should be held accountable. Those who thumb their noses at our laws and swarm across our borders should also be held accountable. If there are no jobs for illegals I suspect there will suddenly be plenty of foreign nationals willing to work here legally, for a fair wage and with decent living conditions.
You can call them undocumented workers, you can call them anything you want. It does not change that fact that they are breaking our laws by being here, thus, they are criminals. How they are identified and expelled is problematic but that doesn't mean their acts can or should be ignored. Our borders should be closed and as the illegal immigrants are identified they should be expelled. If there are no jobs for them in the United States I don't think that will be too difficult to keep them out. The more difficult job will be to process those who are willing to come here and work legally for a legal wage and ultimately become one of us.

[Guest]

:1rotfl:Semantics??? Legal or Illegal ............Semantics!!!:1rotfl:

[Guest]

KatzPajamas-

Semantics is what you are talking about. The term "illegal" is a hot button word. Try using something like "undocumented worker". You are talking about criminal actions such as bank robbery.

Would you rather have your crops rot on the trees or in the ground than to have them picked by undocumented workers? It is impossible to find enough citizens who will do that work. Your food would be scarce and very expensive.

Would you rather have a shortage of chicken, beef, and pork because no one will work in the slaughter houses of Iowa and Nebraska?

These people are not taking work from Americans. They are doing the work Americans will not do any longer.

What is your real problem with undocumented workers? They are not a threat to you. They are not going to take your job. If an undocumented worker does a criminal action such as robbery, he/she will be punished just like anyone else.

The visa program leading to citizenship is broken. It is time for a charitable act to let these hard-working people achieve a dream that you and I already have.

What does the inscription say on the Statue of Liberty? "Give me your tired, your poor, the wretched refuse of your native land yearning to breathe free." Shall we re-do the Statue of Liberty to have her holding a shotgun to keep people out of America? I think not. We are better than that.

Tbugs...On this issue you are, unfortunately, misinformed... The packing plants in the Midwest as well as the fish processing plants in New England used to be well paying middle class jobs. Then the unions were busted so that lower paid workers could be hired. It is all about corporate profits....

Every country has immigration laws which should be enforced. We all have to follow the rules.

[Guest]

Call a spade a spade, please.

Calling an illegal immigrant an "undocumented worker" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist".

It's more than just 'the job' when it comes to illegals. There's a heck of a fallout. Take, for example, something that happened to my family.

My ex-mother-in-law (not 'ex' at the time) was driving down a road one afternoon when she stopped at a traffic light (along with many other cars - this was a very busy intersection in Nashua NH). Well, an illegal immigrant came along and rear-ended her causing a fair amount of damage to her car. She and her 80-year-old-plus mother in the passenger seat both had to go to the hospital to get checked out (nothing more than bruised, fortunately). The guilty driver drove away form the scene after looking at the damage and starting to panic.

Fortunately he left his front license plate behind but UNfortunately, when the cops went back to the registered owner, she claimed it was stolen - JUST stolen and hadn't yet reported it. That was the end of the investigation.

So my mother-in-law has her car insurance rates go up. Has to pay out of pocket for some of the hospital work, and her health insurance has to pay for the rest.

The illegal gets off scot-free. He bears no responsibility for his actions.

We figured that the guy was "only" uninsured. It wasn't until after that the cops told us this had all the hallmarks of an illegal and that it happens more than you might think.

They are *illegal*. What part of "illegal" do people NOT get? I'm all in favor of LEGAL immigration - that's how my family got here - by playing according to the rules.

[Guest]

DPlong,

Unfortunate about what happened to your mother-in-law, but there was no proof that the accident was caused by an undocumented alien. It was a stolen car. Your story was sad but had NOTHING to do with undocument aliens. The police said it had the earmarkings but had no proof. How about just a plain old car theft?

Richie,
You can roll on the floor laughing. You know "illegal" is a hot button word.

Cologal,

You did not mention what would happen to the crops or to the slaughter houses without undocumented workers? You just blamed the loss of higher paying jobs on unions and corportate profits.

Bluedog,

You just call them criminals and that is that. Don't give them jobs. They will go home and documented workers will come in their place. Sorry, guy, that is a dream world. We have to stick with reality.

Dale,

Sounds like you have it correct. The Tea Party is putting on their black armbands and demanding "papers, please."

Wow, everyone answered - and I have not had my coffee yet. Have a great day in The Villages. Watch out for those undocumented workers and call the Tea Party if you see someone offering to trim your palm trees if they look Hispanic.

[Guest]

They are *illegal*. What part of "illegal" do people NOT get? I'm all in favor of LEGAL immigration - that's how my family got here - by playing according to the rules.

And I repeat...they are ILLEGAL. What part of "illegal" do you, Tbugs, NOT get???? :confused:

[Guest]

DPlong,

Unfortunate about what happened to your mother-in-law, but there was no proof that the accident was caused by an undocumented alien. It was a stolen car. Your story was sad but had NOTHING to do with undocumented aliens. The police said it had the earmarkings but had no proof. How about just a plain old car theft?

Richie,
You can roll on the floor laughing. You know "illegal" is a hot button word.

Cologal,

You did not mention what would happen to the crops or to the slaughter houses without undocumented workers? You just blamed the loss of higher paying jobs on unions and corporate profits.

Bluedog,

You just call them criminals and that is that. Don't give them jobs. They will go home and documented workers will come in their place. Sorry, guy, that is a dream world. We have to stick with reality.

Dale,

Sounds like you have it correct. The Tea Party is putting on their black armbands and demanding "papers, please."

Wow, everyone answered - and I have not had my coffee yet. Have a great day in The Villages. Watch out for those undocumented workers and call the Tea Party if you see someone offering to trim your palm trees if they look Hispanic.

Tbugs.... I certainly did not blame the unions. Your stated position is that American workers don't want these jobs. You are, most likely, correct about the agriculture jobs. But the meat packing jobs were middle class jobs when they were union jobs. Now they are not.

When I started this job 21 years ago I was required to produce my birth certificate as well as my Social Security card before I was hired. These corporations know that SS numbers and cards are being sold to multiple people. All they have to do is check the number for the actual name listed on file. BUT THEY DON'T Then they say well he/she had a SS number. Its a joke. I will have to check but isn't using a false SS number a crime? If so then the perp would be breaking the law AKA illegal!

I agree with the AZ law recently upheld by the Supreme Court. If the employer fails to adequately check the id of an employee then they are at fault. End of story.

If I had to pass complete background check for my job 21 years ago why doesn't this apply now? Its the LAW!!!!

[Guest]

Richie,You can roll on the floor laughing. You know "illegal" is a hot button word.


Illegal is a "hot button word", you say. It is also the word that aptly describes the status of your "undocumented" person. Are you a "no borders" advocate?
I don't think you can answer "no" to that question, with your opinion.

[Guest]

Well, time for another group answer, I guess.

Cologal, I apologize for stating you mentioned unions in a negative way. It is the big corporations you are blaming. Once again, if the corporations were willing to pay much higher wages, your consumer price would be much higher. Would you be willing to pay $18 per pound for ground beef or $17 per pound for chicken?

Richie and ceejay, with the stroke of a pen, an illegal immigrant could be an undocumented worker. Look at the way marijuana possesion has been decriminalized. Reefer madness has not overtaken the country. Just decriminalize not having "papers". These people have not hurt you. Be compassionate. I know that is not the Tea Party way, but try it anyway. You might like it.

[Guest]

Well, time for another group answer, I guess.

Cologal, I apologize for stating you mentioned unions in a negative way. It is the big corporations you are blaming. Once again, if the corporations were willing to pay much higher wages, your consumer price would be much higher. Would you be willing to pay $18 per pound for ground beef or $17 per pound for chicken?

Richie and ceejay, with the stroke of a pen, an illegal immigrant could be an undocumented worker. Look at the way marijuana possesion has been decriminalized. Reefer madness has not overtaken the country. Just decriminalize not having "papers". These people have not hurt you. Be compassionate. I know that is not the Tea Party way, but try it anyway. You might like it.

I'm compassionate for lawbreakers that aren't violent and by that I mean that I don't encourage violence against them.

But if the laws are broken, justice must be served. That may mean jail time and deportation, or just deportation depending on if the lawbreaker is a repeat offender. Compassionately, we can dust 'em off and show them the exit door.

[Guest]

Well, time for another group answer, I guess.

Cologal, I apologize for stating you mentioned unions in a negative way. It is the big corporations you are blaming. Once again, if the corporations were willing to pay much higher wages, your consumer price would be much higher. Would you be willing to pay $18 per pound for ground beef or $17 per pound for chicken?

Richie and ceejay, with the stroke of a pen, an illegal immigrant could be an undocumented worker. Look at the way marijuana possession has been decriminalized. Reefer madness has not overtaken the country. Just decriminalize not having "papers". These people have not hurt you. Be compassionate. I know that is not the Tea Party way, but try it anyway. You might like it.


Actually I stand for the AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS worker!!!! This race to the bottom in the name of cheaper consumer costs is ridiculous. This country was built on a strong middle class, in the name of the "Global Economy" jobs have been shipped overseas, unions busted and wages stagnated.

Lower prices are less useful if you don't have a job!!! What ever happened to a rising tide floats all boats! Seems like we have returned the robber baron era.

[Guest]

...it might be a good idea to make it a crime. Actually, I'd say that hiring or employing illegals should be the crime with the greatest penalty. But that isn't anything that could work if done immediately. If our feckless Congress suddenly passed such a bill, there wouldn't be enough Immigration officers to chase the millions of illegals already here, not enough jail cells to house them all, or not enough airplanes to fly them all back home.

And I won't mention what would happen to segments of our economy and sections of the country that would suffer terrific hits. No people to pick the crops, to work in hot kitchens, work in home construction (particularly in right-to-work states like Florida), do landscaping and lawn maintenance, etc., etc.

Now don't tell me that these people are displacing unemployed Americans. Americans simply won't work that hard for the amount they are paid. (I just had a major landscaping job done and eight Mexican workers got more done in a day and a half than any other group I had ever seen. Before that I had pavers put on a driveway by six Brazilian workers. Not a word of English among them and they worked for the better part of a day bent over, lifting heavy stones and mixing concrete. Older American workers couldn't do that physical work. Younger ones simply wouldn't work that hard.)

But if illegal immigration was made a crime over a period of time, over 5-6-7 years, so employers could prepare for an alternative work force and the illegals could prepare to go home....now that might work.

VK Actually it has been argued that many of the jobs being taken by illegals would be taken by Americans except that both illegal and thier employers have placed downward pressure on wages. Thus if emploers were not allowed to hire illegals the wage scale would rise. Now this does create another set of problems. Employers hire illegals because they don't have to contend as much with working conditions, etc. Just look at what happened in Iowa.

The two largest increase in population have been Hispanic and Asian. Guess which group came here legally? Guess which group have within their group is primarily Mexican. Do they all pay taxes? do they all gain benefit of schools, social services, etc.

some Americans seem to believe that they are taking the high road with support of illegal immigration. Us low brows want these folks to come here in the same manner has our fore-fathers and those folks who now desire to enter legally. finally how do we remain a country "united" if too many of us are sneaking across the border.

There is only one reason why we can't bring illegal immgration under control. Its call the will to do so...but then that might mean that as a pol someone would get mad at me and would vote for me....OMG!

[Guest]

VK Actually it has been argued that many of the jobs being taken by illegals would be taken by Americans except that both illegal and thier employers have placed downward pressure on wages. Thus if emploers were not allowed to hire illegals the wage scale would rise. Now this does create another set of problems. Employers hire illegals because they don't have to contend as much with working conditions, etc. Just look at what happened in Iowa.

The two largest increase in population have been Hispanic and Asian. Guess which group came here legally? Guess which group have within their group is primarily Mexican. Do they all pay taxes? do they all gain benefit of schools, social services, etc.

some Americans seem to believe that they are taking the high road with support of illegal immigration. Us low brows want these folks to come here in the same manner has our fore-fathers and those folks who now desire to enter legally. finally how do we remain a country "united" if too many of us are sneaking across the border.

There is only one reason why we can't bring illegal immgration under control. Its call the will to do so...but then that might mean that as a pol someone would get mad at me and would vote for me....OMG!

Well said!!!!:BigApplause:

[Guest]

VK,

Please stop the nonsense about illegals doing the work US citizens will not do. I too, have had pavers installed, landscape upgraded and a regular lawn care service since I have been in Florida - over 30 years now. At no time did I use criminals do do the work. I used American citizens. Have I paid a little more? Probably, but I have recognized the value of not stealing food from the tables of American citizens so I can have a little more for myself.

I grew up in Missouri and knew men who work in the meat packing plants. These were men making an honest living who could support a family.

Colagal is right - all the jobs described were done by US citizens and could be again, if only we were not so selfish. I cannot force the hotels to hire only US citizens as maids, but I can make certain that the people who do work for me will be US citizens. All of us could do that if not for our greed.

The additional costs imposed on this society by the illegal activities of these criminals (drugs, street gangs, prison population overflow, etc) costs much more than than any short term financial benefit we might receive.

[Guest]

Congresswoman Wasserman Shultz is someone conservatives ignore at their own peril. This lady is tough, tenacious and very intelligent. She is Jewish, something she does not try to hide - she is in fact a very active and open member of the American Jewish community.

Her presence and activities contribute significantly to keeping the Jewish vote and contributions solidly Democratic. Her influence will continue to contribute to keeping President Obama supporting Israel in at least some degree.

This thread has gone all over the place, but I think it's time for Republicans to recognize that this is a brilliant pick for the DNC.

[Guest]

VK,
Have I paid a little more? Probably, but I have recognized the value of not stealing food from the tables of American citizens so I can have a little more for myself.


Well, you just disqualified yourself from ever becoming a CEO - your shareholders would barbecue you.

But, just to make myself clear - my hat's off to you. (And I do the same - I look for a bargain for the work around my house - but a LEGAL bargain - my neighbor is a general contractor and gives me good rates because the commute is so easy!)