While there are a number of people who are using the immigration issue solely for electioneering, there is a reason it resonates with many:
The number of immigrants living in American households rose 16 percent over the last five years, fueled largely by recent arrivals from Mexico, according to fresh data released by the Census Bureau.
And increasingly, immigrants are bypassing the traditional gateway states like California and New York and settling directly in parts of the country that until recently saw little immigrant activity — regions like the Upper Midwest, New England and the Rocky Mountain States.
Coming in the heart of an election season in which illegal immigration has emerged as an issue, the new data from the bureau’s 2005 American Community Survey is certain to generate more debate. But more than that, demographers said, it highlights one reason immigration has become such a heated topic.
“What’s happening now is that immigrants are showing up in many more communities all across the country than they have ever been in,” said Audrey Singer, an immigration fellow at the Brookings Institution. “So it’s easy for people to look around and not just see them, but feel the impact they’re having in their communities. And a lot of these are communities that are not accustomed to seeing immigrants in their schools, at the workplace, in their hospitals.”
By far the largest numbers of immigrants continue to live in the six states that have traditionally attracted them: California, New York, Texas, Florida, New Jersey and Illinois.
I think historians would be more capable of pointing this out, but to my knowledge, every time there has been a dramatic increase in immigration, it has coincided with latent and overt racism, xenophobia, and a general political hysteria regarding immigration. It is easy for me, in West virginia, to dismiss most of the concerns about illegal immigration- it simply does not effect me in any way, and my general attitude is ‘the more the merrier.’ I want more American citizens who are citizens not because of the location of their birth, but because of a desire to become a part of a big and wonderful thing.
While there are elements of racism and poltical campaigning tied to many of the immigration issues, it is unfair of me to not acknowledge that the issue resonats with many because increased immigration is impacting their lives. The census data proves it.
Pb
No doubt that it’s a big issue, and I know I’ve seen a lot of it here in NC in recent years–it seems that part of that is because this is (or was) an easy place to get a driver’s license.
Mr Furious
Racism? Immigration? Two birds with one stone here…
“Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia!” — George F. Allen
Mr Furious
Nicely put, John. It would behoove people to remember that 98.5% of us are immigrants or their descendants.
Mr Furious
Oops. that 98.5% was supposed to be a link
(the preview is not currently working for me…)
Pb
Geographically if not politically, anyhow–I’ve got ancestors that were here before the United States was founded, does that count? No love for pilgrims? :)
HyperIon
are you having the same type of preview problem i have experienced recently? sometimes when trying to post i see only the left-most button (the one labelled
Perry Como
All the macacas should just go home. (And by macacas I mean people with mohawks)
RK
No doubt the immigration issue is being distorted to a degree… especially the economic “impact”…
This guy, Jim Lott blogs on behalf of the hospitals in California and he freely admits that “undocumented immigrants” aren’t the real problem … they represent only 20% of unreimbursed care shelled out by California hospitals every year… an interesting stat and surprising candid coming from the hospitals…
HyperIon
what gives?
everytime i try to type 2 less than signs (that is,
Perry Como
Like this? «
DougJ
I can only speak for myself, but I am filled with justifiable rage at the number of macacas who have invaded my previously white town.
Cyrus
Ahhh, we’ve found the problem. HTML. A less than sign tells the comment thingy that it’s the start of formatting, like boldface type or a blockquote, or something related.
There is a way to make a less than sign appear, but my HTML class was years ago and I haven’t used it too much. Is typing [ampersand]lt the secret? Let’s see: <. Looks like it in the preview. An ampersand introduces a code for a symbol that would normally be interpreted as HTML code, and “lt” is short for “less than”.
Another example:
does the gap here look different from this         gap? The first one is just hitting spacebar four times. Because [ampersand]nbsp, short for non-breaking space, makes the HTML thingy treat each space seperately instead of combining them like it normally would.
OK, done trying to show off now.
Cyrus
LOL. That looks ridiculous. It worked in the preview and got screwed up when I posted.
dlw
A friend of mine mentioned that there is a statistical (yeah, I know damn lies) link between anti-immigrant feeling and uncertainty about the US economy.
Any thoughts on that? Is it more a reflection of us being scared for our own jobs or is this just all wrong?
Buck
I think folks are more apt to fear for the future availability of social security, medicare, medicaid, etc than they are going to fear for their jobs.
It has never made sense to me how all of the jobs are going to Mexico and all the Mexicans are coming here for jobs.
Seems like they would pass one another at the Rio Grande.
The Other Steve
Other way around…
If the economy is doing good, nobody cares about immigrants. When the economy starts slowing in comes the wave of feeling we are competing.
Just like animals compete over food supply.
Fortunately this sentiment doesn’t exist for those people who do not believe in Evolution.
Lee
As someone living in one of the 6 states (Texas) I also share the same feelings of ‘the more the merrier’ and wanting Americans that WANT to be Americans.
kchiker
So as xenophobia increases, what are the chances that recent ‘potentially racist’ remarks (a few potential ’08ers immediately come to mind) are not accidental?
And why haven’t the liberals ever learned to speak in code?
RSA
I think TOS nails it: if things are going well enough, who’s going to care a lot about immigration? When things are going badly, anti-immigration feeling is exacerbated by people’s general tendency to try to build causal explanations for correlations. “There’s increased uncertainty about my job, and I see a lot more immigrants around–they must be part of the problem.” Now, this may be true in a statistical sense, but I expect that most people who have this view didn’t get it by looking at the statistics.
What’s also interesting, from a political perspective, is that some Republicans have tried to connect other uncertainties, such as the war on terrorism, to immigration. The most prominent cases showing a relationship between border security and terrorism have happened in Canada, and yet when people talk about controlling immigration, it’s always Mexico they seem to focus on.
ThymeZone
The problem is that politicians want to manipulate that.
For the most part, the impact is favorable, especially in the long term. But damagogues can make it out to be bad.
And so the lines of division are drawn. We live in a divide and conquer atmosphere poisoning our politics.
Immigration is tailor-made for that kind of thing.
They have, they just aren’t as blatantly cynical and manipulative as the other guys.
Darrell
John, do you believe we have a right to control who enters and leaves our country? You know, like every other sovereign nation does.. If so, can we have agreement that the US, especially with our current social system which pays for the education, welfare, etc of all residents, legal or not, that we need to have reasonable limits on who and how many come in and who does not? What’s more, we can’t perform criminal background checks on those who come here illegally in violation of our laws.. Maybe that’s why 17% of those locked up in federal prison are illegal aliens, whereas illegal aliens as a percentage of the total population represent about 4%.
I think we need to increase the number of legal immigrants to control the type who come here. Why should Mexican immigrants (who currently make up about 55% of the illegals) be getting preferential admission to this country over immigrants from Cambodia, Peru, or Eastern Europe?
Darrell
Or how about the other explanation – illegal immigration violates a fundamental American sense of fair play.. of right and wrong.
Illegal aliens jumping the line in knowing violation of our laws while others wait years to come here legally. That’s wrong and you know it. Do you acknowlege that aspect of legitimate fair minded resentment toward illegal aliens too?
elledblu
It is easy for me, in Arizona, to dismiss most of the concerns about illegal* immigration – my general attitude is ‘the more the merrier.’ I want more American citizens who are citizens not because of the location of their birth, but because of a desire to become a part of a big and wonderful thing.
In an earlier immigration thread a couple months back, I defended John, saying I don’t think John is one of those “I don’t give a rat’s ass about anything unless it affects me” types.
I guess I was wrong.
*The linked to and quoted article was primarily about legal immigration, btw.
Mr Furious
Pb-
1.5% of the population is Native American. That’s where I came up with the 98.5.
ThymeZone
You, who defend child murder, and defend this Turd Government we have in Washington, are going to stand there and lecture about “right and wrong?”
You, a confirmed homophobe willing to crap on gay people for votes, are going to lecture us?
Uh, I don’t think so.
skip
Senator George Allen did em all one better, ridiculing a child of India immigrants, calling him “Macaqa” and welcoming him sarcastically “to America.”
RSA
Darrell writes:
What unadulterated crap. If you were asked to list, in order of importance, reasons not to relax our current immigration laws, how far down the list would “It would be unfair to people already waiting in line” come? Does that suggest that maybe fairness isn’t the reason?
Darrell
That would be the campaign worker of Allen’s political opponent who was following Allen around from stop to stop in his face with a video camera. Isn’t that simply incredible that such behavior might perturb Allen?
Darrell
It’s only not a major issue for halfwits with no moral compass. Tell us RSA, do you enjoy it when someone cuts in line in front of your while you’re waiting for movie or concert tickets? yeah, that’s what I thought
bud
As one in a state (Oregon) that is affected by immigration (Hint for John – affect is a verb and effect is a noun :-) ) my problem is not immigration, or even illegal immigration, it’s the massive levels from Mexico that is occuring.
This has major implication for the future, since this is, essentially, establishing large and permanent enclaves of a different culture and language. Now, I expect immigration to expand our culture in various ways, but that’s a part of assimilation. These influences are some ways good, and some ways bad (damn tortillas probably acount for a good 10 pounds of my overweight!) but are usually positive. With the huge numbers, continuous reinforcement/replacement and cross border flows, these enclaves are going to present a problem in the future. The only multi-lingual society that can be said to operate with minimal friction is Switzerland, and that’s because there are three competing tongues and there is no such thing as “Swiss”. Every other “bi-lingual” country , including Belgium has continuous friction. If we don’t control this we’re going to wind up with our own Quebec – the “left-bottom” quarter of the US.
Perry Como
They do:
Universal healthcare = support for terrorists
Minimum wage increase = support for terrorists
Securing ports = support for terrorists
It’s easy to figure out once you learn to read between the lines.
Tony Alva
Perfect example of of those unaffected by illegal immigration talking about how ‘great’ an open door policy would be. Everybody who fits this catagory will jump all over Darrell in this one instance where he makes the most sense.
When your neighborhood has many homes housing multiple illegal immigrant “hostels” which are driving down property values, when your schools are suffering with the burdan of ESL kids, when gang related crime becomes a problem, ALL of which didn’t exist ten years ago in my county here in GA then you might just change your mind.
We are NOT getting Mexico’s best in this deal, at least not from what I have bore witness to here. Classifying anyone who points to these very REAL negative byproducts of runaway illegal immigration zenophobic, racist, etc… just stagnates real conversation about how to solve the problem. I’m not jumping on this becasue it’s the hot political topic of the day, this is a reality for me and my fellow middle class Georgians living in Gwinnett County and has been for a few years long before the ltest ruckus was drummed up about it in Washington.
I have no problem at all with Mexican immigrants, or any other immigrant for that matter if they’ve made the commitment to obey the law upon entering this country and prospering from it’s bounty (it starts with not breaking it by crossing our border ilegally). That’s not what’s happening, not here at least and it’s obvious.
Sorry John, but on this rare instance I have to disagree with your position here, and more scary than that, Darrell seems to be making the most sense.
RSA
I can’t help reading this as evading the question. To take your example, say someone proposed to throw open dozens of extra ticket windows, so lots more people can get tickets faster. You’re saying that a major objection to doing this is that it’s not fair for the people who have been waiting in line for a long time already. Hmm.
RSA
Not to mention:
Gay marriage = Destruction of the family.
Teaching evolution = Rejection of God.
Conservationism = Communism.
Tom in Texas
Because the overwhelming majority of potential immigrants are from Mexico, therefore the overwhelming number of actual immigrants are Mexican by birth. The only way to remedy this would be a quota. And we all know where principled conservatives stand on quotas…
In a previous thread, I discussed my opinion on immigration, particularly from Mexico. I think the only permanent way to stop the outflow of Mexicans to our border states is to improve Mexico’s quality of life. If help them to become similar to Canada, the immigrants from Mexico will shrink to a number approaching those coming from the north now. Nafta is an excellent way to start. High paying respectable jobs in their homelands will reduce their incentive to move here.
Darrell
I have no problem increasing the number of legal slots (ticket windows) for those who want to enter legally, as long as we clamp down on those coming here illegally.. analogous to those sneaking into an event without paying, taking seats from those who waited in line, then begging money from paying patrons so that they can buy sodas.
If you were more honest, you would admit that playing by the rules is something most Americans believe in.. But you’re not honest, so you take a legitimate objection, and declare it “unadulterated crap” with no substantive explanation why. You then make a dishonest analogy trying to ‘disprove’ me. I’m used to this kind of shit here, and it almost invariably comes from the left.
Darrell
Oh really Tom? I guess all those millions (billions?) of “potential immigrants” now in China, Taiwan, Yugoslavia, and SE Asia who want to come here don’t count, huh? Do you see what an idiotic statement that was of yours? Please try again.
Tom in Texas
Darrell;
by “potential immigrants” I was referring to those who live in this country already and are attempting to assimilate themselves into our nation’s fabric. Otherwise there are 6 billion or so “potential immigrants” and 270 million who already immigrated.
Darrell
My, isn’t that a ‘realistic’ solution.. What color is the sky in your world? Tom, unless we take control of the Mexican and central american governments whose corrupt policies spawn this poverty, such change isn’t happening.. at least not anytime soon. This is your ‘brilliant’ idea? Great.
In the meantime, most of us need to deal with the reality of illegal immigration, and in the foreseeable future. We must better control our border while cracking down hard on employers of illegal aliens, while at the same time implementing a driver’s license-like Social security card rather than a paper one without picture or fingerprint.. a card which could be checked to validate the status of a job applicant. If we make it more difficult for them to get work, we will have much fewer coming here and staying.
Tom in Texas
Apologies let me try again;
Potential immigrants can come from any country, Darrell. And I’m sure that there are more potential immigrants in a nation of over 1 billion than there are residing in Mexico. But their potential to immigrate hinges upon their ease of access here. The fact that Mexico borders us means that we will see more immigrants from there than China. It also means that it is in our nation’s self interest to take an active role in Mexico’s political affairs, more so than in China.
Darrell
I guess then that you didn’t read my question upthread – Why should Mexican and central american immigrants (making up approx. 70% of all illegals) who knowingly broke our laws and skipped the line to come here.. why should they receive preferential immigration treatment over engineers from Taiwan, teachers from Laos, or doctors and dentists from eastern europe trying to come here legally? Just because they successfully broke our laws and are here they should be able to stay? That’s what you need to answer.
Tom in Texas
Consider how many immigrants came from Italy and Ireland in the 19th century. Why no longer? I humbly submit that it is because Italy and Ireland are modern developing nations whose people can provide for themselves, and don’t need to leave to provide a better life for themselves or their family. If there’s opportunity for them at home, they won’t seek it abroad. And we helped these European countries achieve this Darrell. Why couldn’t we do the same in Latin America? What makes Mexicans or Dominicans so different from the Polish immigrants of a century ago?
Darrell
Tom, please address the reality of the situation, not what you “hope” it should be. We can, and have been, ‘suggesting’ to Mexico what they should do. Their response? The Mexican government printed and handed out guides how to immigrate to the US illegally. Tell us again how reality based your idea is to ‘try harder’ with the Mexican government.
Mr Furious
Have you watched the video, shithead? This guy was not in Allen’s face, he was in the back of the crowd. And everybody does this type of oppo research/monitoring. I’m sure Allen has somebody taping Webb.
What Allen did was clearly single out and ridicule the one non-white person there. That’s bad enough. Because he’s of indeterminate ethnicity, Allen assumes he’s foriegn, and “welcomes” him to America. That’s worse. He also calls him “macaca.” Twice. Clearly. That is a French slur for North Africans. Allen’s mother is French/Tunesian, and Allen speaks French. He knew exactly what he was doing.
He’s a long-documented racist, so I’m not surprised at this stunt, I just cannot believe he is so fucking stupid as to pull it on a guy with a goddamn video camera trained on him.
Please nominate this fucking stupid-ass wannabe cracker, I’d much rather face him than McCain.
Please tell us again how Allen was justified or didn’t mean anything, Darrell.
Mr Furious
Happy to see you’re still in the thread, Darrell, I anxiously await your reply.
Darrell
To the extent we did help, they asked for our help..except for Germany after WWII having our ‘help’ forced upon them.
Because we’ve tried, and they’ve responded in no uncertain terms that the solution for them is to send more illegal aliens to our shores. that’s why. That is the reality you choose to ignore.
RSA
Darrell writes:
If you were less stupid, you would realize that I never contested Americans’ belief in playing by the rules, but rather your claim that it’s the major basis for Americans’ views on illegal immigration. Here are a few more plausible guesses at why many Americans might oppose illegal immigration: it might be argued that illegal immigrants drive down wages; it might be argued that illegal immigrants put a burden on social services; it might be argued that illegal immigrants don’t assimilate as well as legal immigrants; it might be argued that illegal immigrants commit more crimes, being poorer, etc. But apparently none of these issues is as important as a concern for other people already waiting in line. . .
Darrell
As usual Furious, you are a dishonest sack of shit. The video shows the cameraman only a couple of feet away from Allen. Now he could have been using a zoom, but you don’t know that.. where do you get off lying your ass off that he was in “the back of the crowd”.
Yeah, you really told me off, didn’t you Furious?
Tom in Texas
Darrell;
As I said, I think NAFTA is one way to accomplish just what you claim to be so unrealistic. A free trade agreement guaranteeing certain worker’s rights where companies build factories in Mexico and provide their citizens with quality jobs with insurance, sick leave, and other benefits will help their entire society.
Darrell
Tom, NAFTA has been in place for what, 8 or 10 years now? Have you seen significant changes in Mexico as a result? No?
I’m all for NAFTA, but NAFTA is not a miracle cure for Mexico’s woes, no matter how much you wish it were. Well then, please do let us know when you’re prepared to address the reality of the situation we face now with illegal immigration.
Tom in Texas
NAFTA in its current form is not what I am talking about Darrell. There needs to be a real effort to improve Mexican’s lives, not just a company’s bottom line. And as to blinding myself to reality, at least I am proposing a possible solution. Your answer? Throw them out, lock the door, and try to ignore the inevitable devolution of our southern neighbor. Just because you roll up the window doesn’t lower the temperature outside Darrell. At some point, you have to address the root cause of an issue, not just its effects.
Darrell
NAFTA is only one step toward free trade. The problem with most of Latin America is an incredibly corrupt political system. It stifles investment, it forces more people into the underground economy, and it holds back competition. Payoffs, graft, and theft are rampant among politicos and their appointments at all levels. Latin govts see us as their “relief valve” to keep the pressure off reform of their own dirty dealings. Latin workers with little or no prospect of work at home are ‘exported’ to Uncle Sucker though illegal immigration into our country, and they then send back substantial amounts of their money back home, so that the local economy does not appear as bad as it would be otherwise without the relief valve.
Darrell
Tom, your solution (NAFTA) has already been tried over the past 8 – 10 years and found wanting. You should have the honestly to admit that.
Tom in Texas
Right, and what happens when we give these Latin citizens well paying jobs? Their children go to college at home or overseas and learn. The newly created educated and influential middle class addresses their own root concerns through a democratic arena. And all those tinpot dictators are thrown out.
Tom in Texas
Darrell; your solution (isolationism) has been tried for most of human history and never worked. Try the next one.
ThymeZone
So the topic now is not what Allen said, but where the cameraman was standing?
Once again you queer the thread, you dishonest fuck.
Darrell
You know Tom, I’d like to see the situation improved in Mexico, as well as Zimbabwe, Laos, Ghana, and a whole host of other impoverished areas of the world. But the fact is, we can’t take of the whole world. We can make attempts to help, but we can’t care for everyone in the entire world.
I’ll have you note that the downtrodden Mexican factory workers are paid substantially more than their counterparts in China. Where is your compassion for the Chinese Tom?
Darrell
Feel the moonbat love.. kisses to you too
Darrell
Thanks for showing your true colors Tom. When losing a debate you willfully distort my position. How honest of you.
Re-read this thread and others I’ve posted in. I am for increased LEGAL immigration as I have written on this thread and others. How isolationist!
Mr Furious
Watch it again, asshole. Judging by the amount of shaking, and the fact that if he were right up front, he’d be looking UP at Allen, he is zooming in from some distance.
Neither one of us can testify to that distance being ten, twenty or fifty feet, but you go ahead and concentrate on that, Darrell, to the exclusion of every other relevant thing that I mentioned.
Here is the video. Watch it and let us know who is the lying sack of shit—me, or Darrell.
Darrell
Again, you have failed to explain why we should be giving such preferential immigration treatment to Latin citizens (70%+ of illegal immigrants), when there are so many other deserving immigration candidates from other parts of the world waiting to come here legally? For that matter, why should we be giving preferential treatment to Latins coming here illegally over Latins waiting in line to come here legally?
Please Tom, don’t answer any of these valid questions. Much easier for you to lie about my positions calling me an isolationist. Much easier to make your ‘points’ that way
Mr Furious
Come Darrell, in the crowd or in Allen’s face?
Does Allen’s hand brush the lens as he points “over to the guy in the yellow shirt”?
That’s what I thought.
How about sticking to what’s relevant, Allen’s comments. Or if you prefer, you can go on a tangent about the yellow shirt…
Tom in Texas
Look Darrell — I am not in favor of illegal immigration. I just think it is unrealistic to expect the problem to disappear because of a card with a picture on it and a policy allowing only future doctors to immigrate. Those people that were attempting to immigrate will still do so — or they will go home, and become the perfect petri dish for the next Chavez to arise. It is not out of some flowery utopian dream for shiny happy people that I want to eliminate the problems in Mexico — it is because I think it is in the US’s best interests to do so.
Darrell
The campaign worker of Allen’s political opponent was following him around, hounding him with a video camera, making himself noticeably obnoxious. Is Allen’s campaign doing this sort of shit to Webb? No surprise Allen got a little perturbed over this sort of thing. Completely understandable.
Hell, your first words toward me included “shithead” and I did less to you than that jerk did to Allen.
Darrell
That we both agree that it’s in our best interest that Mexico’s situation improves, in no way changes the fact that your specific ideas on how to go about it are pure flowery utopian.
Tom in Texas
And to cross into the other debate for a moment… Since when is videotaping a politician on the campaign trail hounding them? Much less cause for demeaning him in a speech? Methinks we’re about to see a lot of interesting press briefings…
Mr Furious
Now who is making shit up?
Actually, Allen doesn’t seem perturbed in the least, liar. He’s having a gay old time making fun of the darkie in front of his good ol’ boy supporters.
You’ve earned your title, Darrell. If anything, it was a preemptive strike to your inevitable “Lying sack of shit.”
I’m still waiting for you to demonstrate (outside of your imagination) anything that indicates that this guy did ANYTHING to Allen other than document his speeches. Not even Allen or his staff acknowledge anything of the sort.
Tom in Texas
If you really don’t believe that an educated, politically aware middle class in Mexico would help us and eliminate corrupt leadership there, or that providing them with benefits through companies already operating there would help create such opportunity (much like the American middle class explosion of the last century was a byproduct of such benefits), then I can’t help you. I am not saying NAFTA works as is. But the idea of stable industries in developing nations bringing stability to the country itself is hardly utopian.
Darrell
It’s clear from the video that the cameraman made himself known.. Judging from the video, he had the camera in Allen’s face too, trying to provoke a reaction. Of course, it could have been zoom from the “back of the crowd” as Furious suggested, but if that was the case, we would have seen other heads between the camera and Allen, of which there were none… making it likely the cameraman was in his face.
I note that leftists screamed like stuck pigs when Lieberman supporters hounded Lamont in a diner. They were generally polite and didn’t do much… now when the shoe is on the other other foot, the leftist hypocrites want to have it both ways
Tom in Texas
Incidentally I am not avoiding you for the next few hours, Darrell — I have to work this evening. I’ll respond later tonight if this debate continues.
Mr Furious
I’m onmy way home, I’ll check back later tonite to see what bullshit detail Darrell focuses on to avoid the topic at hand…
Zoom or telephoto?
Yellow button-down or polo?
Live or Memorex?
Which George is more dreamy? Bush or Allen?
Darrell
Tom, would you please be so kind as to direct us to any comments I made which would indicate that I feel otherwise. Let me direct you to my 5:01pm post:
Is that clear enough? Tom, please try and debate without willfully misrepresenting my positions, ok? That’s not very Texan of you :)
Mr Furious
What’s clear from the video and the statements after the fact, is that Allen “knows” him because he tapes all of the speeches, not that he obnoxiously “made himself known”
there’s no response to a heckle from Allen, and there was nothing to indicate anything of the sort from Allen or his staff after the fact.
Darrell you are making shit up out of whole cloth.
Continue this “debate” with yourself or pp/Nut/Thyme, I gotta run.
ThymeZone
Allen apologizes for remark
If he means the apology as stated, then AFAIC, the issue is closed.
Darrell
Well then, why don’t you wave your magic wand to bring stable industries into Zimbabwe, Ivory coast and Cambodia too, if it’s such a straightforward plan? The problem you don’t seem to want to acknowledge (and my aggressive debating style probably doesn’t help) is that these countries have sovereign governments that are going to do what they are going to do. Our govt. can suggest helpful solutions and even offer financial assistence too, but those in power in those countries are benefiting greatly at the expense of their people, and they’re not going to want to give up their ‘gravy train’ just because Uncle Sam says so. Comprendes?
Darrell
Hold on, on the tape itself, Allen said that he recognized the Webb campaign worker and that this guy was trailing him from stop to stop with a video camera.. What are you talking about there was “nothing” to indicate anything of the sort?
Bartolome M Cajas
There is no need to discuss the issue of immigration. Just obey our laws specially our immigration laws. Enforce them now and those who have broken laws should be penalized, illegal immigrants should self deport and criminals should be prosecuted to the extent of the law. Our congress is just sitting idle. Good for those communities who are now handling to solve their porblems in connection with illegal immigration.
DougJ
All campaigns do that now, you mongoloid shithead.
Pooh
Glad to have you on record as opposing warrantless wiretapping Senator. Why do you hate America?
Pooh
Is it incredible that your behavior might perturb me? Therefore, you have no right to be outraged by whatever name I choose to call you, because I was perturbed by you.
In fact Sidarth was asking for it by wearing those clothes…
(I know, I know, typical leftie…projection…or will it just be “shitstain?” Perhaps its time to update the jingle bank…)
ThymeZone
Well, it’s consistent Darrellspeak.
Take Israel and Lebanon for example. Israel can bomb kids in their sleep, but it’s okay because … well, some people in Lebanon did some rotten stuff. See, when ends justify means, as long as you have an excuse, you can do anything. You can burn the faces off kids and call it “unfortunate collateral” as a poster here actually did.
So given that Darrell is on record as shrugging at the incinerated faces of children, why would his dismissal of Allen’s gaffe be a surprise?
Allen could burn the face of your kid as far as Darrell’s concerned, because the thing hinges on whether Allen was sufficiently perturbed.
When Ends Justify Means, then anything goes. It’s the essence of freedom. And it’s truthy.
ThymeZone
I don’t know why but that just made me laugh and spit jalapeno potato chip mush all over my desk.
Maybe because it was you. I love it when you talk dirty.
Michelle
I live in Florida where there is alot of illegal and legal immigrants, and I can tell you from experiance that I have nothing wrong with them being here, because I am married to one and he is a great guy. He came here illegal and has been here for 11 years and does not plan to go back. He came here just like everyone else to work to send money back home to his family.
If any of you actually sat down and talk to one of them you would know that they don’t want to come here and take over peoples jobs or eliminate anything about peoples lives. They just come to make better lives for their selfs and their families. In Mexico where my husband is from, they don’t have alot of opportunities as they do here. Like my husband said “There we work to eat and leave day by day, but here in the US we can work and own the things we want.” Here my husband has his own car and has bought myself one to, things that he would never be able to have back home. I do believe to help the ones that are already here and then close down the bourder so that anyone else who wants to come to this country do it the right way, because I know my husband wished that he could’ve done it that way, but being that you don’t get paid much in mexico and they make getting your papers so hard and take so long sometimes you have to make a decision just to survive. So the ones who don’t agree with the whole immigration thing, I hope you can take this in consideration. Because I know that if my husband was ever taking away from me that’s it, I will be done.
John S.
I believe you’ve captured the spirit of our more ‘brilliant’ conservative commentators.
Darrell
Since when do we need warrants to monitor overseas terrorists? never mind, you’re too dishonest to answer
DougJ
Glad you liked it, TZ.
Darrell
Really? Please link to where Allen has sent his “mongoloid hord” to video Webb at every campaign stop. I think you’re lying your ass off as usual Doug, because you know you’re a piece of shit. I could be wrong about the Allen videotape bit, but I’m not wrong that DougJ is definitely a piece of shit. But good luck with your snark! It’s all you’ve got
ThymeZone
What a pipsqueak.
Darrell
Well Pooh, I’m called much worse for much less by you ever so noble and honorable leftists all the time. But that’s ok, because I’m on the ‘bad’ side, and those calling me every name in the book are righteous leftist truth tellers.. is that a pretty accurate description of how you leftist whackjobs actually think? I mean, after all, what kind of self righteous group of aholes would go around proclaiming themselves the ‘reality based’ community?
dlw32
A much better question is why haven’t the American voters realized that the conservatives who speak in code are lying sacks of shit?!
ThymeZone
Says the King of Calumny.
Perry Como
Darrell, being the expert on hinged/unhinged that you are, could you recommend a set of hinges that can be easily detached? At least a 90 degree range of motion and the ability to lift them up in order to detach them.
tia
lard lad
When I saw this thread, I told myself, “I bet Darrell weighs in with the words ‘jumping the line’ before it hits 50 posts.”
In fact, Darrell punched the buzzer by #23.
Just so you know.
The Other Steve
Whoa, this seems to be an example of just how out of touch Darrell is with mainstream America. He didn’t realize that videotaping opposition campaigns is the norm, and has been for like 10 years.
ThymeZone
This is the same guy who said Monday:
Darrell and the Republicans’ new campaign slogan for 2006:
Safer … but not safe. Vote Republican!
The president apparently was not asked about the Terror Threat Level Color Code indicator being a steady Yellow for several years now. Apparently “safer” does not mean “safer enough to change the color” at this particular time.
Darrell
Poignant sincere post. I understand that illegal aliens want to come here for a better life.. but given that we cannot accomodate the entire world, please understand that your husband and other illegals are taking slots, taking those same opportunities away from other immigrants who are playing by the rules waiting to come here legally. They too have families and dreams. Perhaps you can consider them as well.
ThymeZone
Right. Legal immigrants are lining up to come here and stand outside the Home Depot store looking for work every day for five years.
Darrell, shut the fuck up. Aside from the fact that you are a moral degenerate and child murder fancier, a bigot and homophobe, and a liar, you know nothing about the immigration subject. You are ignorant of all the relevant facts and have steadfastly refused to answer direct questions about those facts, and your views.
You’re a fucking troll. Shut up and go away.
Darrell
I could understand their major campaign speeches and debates being videotaped by the opposition.. but to the extent that the opposition follows the candidates around on every campaign stop, even in the small towns with a camera in their face? Call me naive, but no, I didn’t realize that was the “norm”. I don’t think you know either TOSser.
Darrell
This is the level of debate I expect from the left.
ThymeZone
When did you start thinking that this was a debate?
Does that mean that you will observe debate rules now?
DougJ
DougJ
And here you are, mongoloid shithead:
From WaPo.
Darrell
Where in the article does it say that Republicans are following Webb at every single campaign stop, including small towns, with a videocamera in his face? Somehow I missed that part.
Hilarious how you leftist hypocrites screamed like hell when Lieberman supporters tracked Lamont in CT. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, you’re all for such tracking.
Perry Como
And only a dago wop would say otherwise. Stupid micks.
Darrell
That’s one explanation. Call me crazy, but isn’t it more likely that he was singled out, not because he was “non-white”, but because he was the only one there wearing a “Jim Webb for governor” tee shirt who had been following Allen around from campaign stop to campaign stop with a video camera? Isn’t that explanation a wee bit more ‘reality based’ than your race baiting ignorance?
chopper
hector projector, at it again. “you leftist sh1tstains don’t talk nice.” the ironing is delicious.
Tom in Texas
Notice Darrell never denies that the only non-Caucasian person at the picnic worked for the other party. He just thinks there’s a different reason for ridiculing his non-whiteness.
Darrell
Deny it? Hell, I wasn’t there and neither were you. It’s doubtful (but not impossible) that he was the only non-white there. What are you suggesting Tom? That only white people support Republicans?
Also, do you retract your earlier dishonest characterization of me as an isolationist?
jaime
I’m sure there were cooks.
I’m looking forward to the Black Republican Congressional Caucus debating that issues.
DougJ
Notice Darrell never denies that the only non-Caucasian person at the picnic worked for the other party. He just thinks there’s a different reason for ridiculing his non-whiteness.
Darrell
Well, that was 2 days ago, and you’ve posted on other threads since then… so I assume you have no intention in answering any of the questions posed to you, because your positions really aren’t well thought out. Much easier to go to other threads and take cheap shots at scs.
Tom in Texas
Okey doke Darrell here we go. I still consider you to be an isolationist, because you only want to let certain immigrants of a certain economic status in. Even the most xenophobic of societies allow for some immigration — they just restrict it to those that they like.
The Statue of Liberty under Darrel? “Keep your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. I want the doctors.”
Darrell
You are a dishonest prick to characterize my views as such Tom. It’s who you are. Please don’t pretend you’re anything more than that after this shit. Fuck you.