Monday, March 27, 2006

Confusion









I'm confused. Why is it a Mexican's right to work in the United States? Why should the United States show mercy and favoritism to a group of people who don't respect American law?

This seems simple to me. These illegals (yes that's what they are illegal immigrants i.e. law breakers i.e. criminals) are no doubt hard working people who just want a better life for themselves and their families. However, they are breaking the law to do so. A purse snatcher in central park New York City may be desperate for money to feed his family, but if he is caught he is punished.

Why on this issue is breaking the law not only supposed to ignored, but looked at as noble? We're not talking about breaking Jim Crow laws or some like that. Speaking of the civil rights movement, in the pictures above you notice a hispanic young man holding a sign that says, "I have a dream." How completely disrespectful of him. To compare this to the Black struggle for equality is unreal. African Americans are here because their ancestors were forced into our country. They didn't sneak across the border. They took the middle passage and then were forced to do labor without pay. How are these situations even comparable? Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Martin Luther King Jr. etc... fought being born into a country that treated them as second class citizens. The only thing these noble illegals are fighting are the border patrol and US immigration.

Also notice in the pictures all the Mexican flags. Yes I know there are American flags at these demonstrations too, but clearly these people consider themselves Mexicans first.

I'm confused. I almost feel like I'm wrong like I'm missing something. The facts are so simple in my mind, I don't know why there is even a debate.

So far in the battle between pro-security/law vs. hispanic pandering is being won by team pander. Why? Why does a group that can't vote control the immigration agenda in Washington? Are Democrats and Republicans so desperate to get the hispanic vote that they will do anything to get it?

I have a whole lot of questions, but not many answers.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Filibuster



It is hard to believe that a Republican leadership that is constantly talking about values and about faith would put forth such a mean-spirited piece of legislation. It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures, because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself. We need to sound the alarm about what is being done in the Congress.


Is that crazy Pat Robertson at again? Nope, its former first lady, current senator, and well know Bible scholar Hillary Clinton. What has American become when even the Good Samaritan is a criminal?! On a side note, the Good Samaritan is a fictional character in a parable. Hillary might as well have said this bill would criminalize Superman because he isn't really an American citizen. Also when it comes to Jesus, I'm pretty sure Dubya would work out a visa for him for no other reason then to pacify the religious right.

What bill is Mrs. Clinton referring to? H.R.418--REAL ID Act of 2005 was authored by James Sensenbrenner, a republican representative from my state of Wisconsin. The title of the bill states...

To establish and rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, and to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence.


Obviously the text of the bill contains more, but that is a summary of the basics. The major point of contention seems to be "to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal." Democrats are arguing that hard working illegals that pose no threat to security will be punished as felons.

Minority leader Harry Reid-D NV is ready to fight this one to the bitter end...

If Leader Frist brings a bill to the floor that does not have the approval of the Judiciary Committee, it will not get out of the Senate


He also said he would, "use every procedural means at my disposal." Basically if the republicans bring it to the floor of the senate the democrats will filibuster. Before I called President Bush a hypocrite over the now failed (yes!) port deal. Now I have to do the same for senators Clinton and Reid. If the security of our ports is important, certainly the security of the southern border is just as important.

On the not surprising at all news front, Mexico opposes the bill...

We oppose those measures and that our migrants be denied drivers' licenses. We're against building any wall between our two countries because they are walls that increase our differences.

-Interior Secretary Santiago Creel.

Don't you love it when a government that can't keep its citizens from fleeing the country and whose economy is largely made up of the drug trade tells another country how to do things? I'm all for increasing our differences. The main one: our government isn't a complete joke and yours is.

Ted Kennedy and John McCain have co-authored a similar bill which eliminates the HR 418 penalties to current illegals. My guess is that is the bill that will eventually become law. Either way dealing with the Mexican border is long overdue. I prefer the Sensenbrenner bill despite the claim its too harsh. These people might be nice and hard working, but they broke the law and they knew they were.

Let the pro-security vs. hispanic pandering battle begin!

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Free Agent


I've done posts on national security, presidential elections, inspirational stories....blah blah blah. Time for an entry on something that matters---Green Bay Packer football. As most males (and probably a majority of females) in Wisconsin, I was raised a Packers fan. You don't miss a game and you're passionate about the results. Yelling at the TV is optional, but encouraged. The Bears and Vikings do indeed suck.

I was fortunate to be born when I was in terms of the Packers. From age 8 to 20, I knew nothing but winning football. Well there was the one year Ray Rhodes was coach, but I'm pretty close to completely erasing that from my brain. I watched a Super Bowl victory. I've seen a first ballot hall of fame quarterback start 250+ straight games. I watched the greatest defensive end in NFL history play from my favorite team. I've seen many division titles and 3 MVP seasons.

Unfortunately last season I saw something I haven't seen since I was 7---a losing season. The Packers went 4-12. As in four wins and twelve loses. 12 out of 16 weeks of the NFL season I had to go through 3 hours of torture and the anger and depression that comes afterward. Yeah I know I care too much, but there's nothing that many Packer fans or I can do it about it. It may just be a game and I don't play or actually lose or win anything based on the result, but it just matters.

I don't want to go through the 70's and 80's like my father and grandfather did. I've heard the horror stories. The Packers being a doormat for the Bears and Vikings again would not be good for my emotional state. One thing that kept me going during the season was the upcoming offseason. All the teams are 0-0 again and in the NFL quick turnarounds aren't unheard of. Also the Packers came into free agency with more cap room then any other NFL team and they have a top five pick in the draft. Things were looking promising.

Free agency is about a week and a half old and the Packer signed two free agents of atleast some note from other teams---Ryan Pickett and Marquand Manuel. Not exactly Lavar Arrington and Terrell Owens. So day by day free agents are being signed while the Packers and relatively new GM Ted Thompson sit on their pile of cash.

Yes, there is still plenty of time for the Packers to pick up some players and the draft is still coming up, but I'm worried that this rebuilding process is going to be a long one. Bottom line, this team can not just sit on it's hands and do nothing. Time for Ted Thompson to sign some players who are going to help this team.

Failure is not an option.

Oh yes, and the Bears Still Suck.