I can also say that Newt is looking for the Latino vote, which is a smart thing for the republican party to try, but their constituency won't allow it. As the Latino population grows, this will be a real problem for conservatives.

How Ironic ! Here we have Newt who is unelectable for countless reasons including fraud, greed, moral judgement and arrogance, yet when he finally says something that is 100% true ( people may not like it but it is nonetheless true ), there is great fear that it will hurt him in the polls ! That says volumes about the types of people who even considered supporting him !

My gut feeling is that Newt knows full well that he is not electable, and he is only in this race so that he can fill his campaign war chest with hundreds of millions ( which by law the candidates can keep personally if they retire from politics ) and at the same time feed his out of control ego with lots of free air time. Maybe jis jewelry bill was a lot higher than we know ! Most women would not stay in the same room with him even if he gave them the Hope Diamond !

We have lost the idea of the American culture and it is being replaced with the hyphenated separatist groups.

And so goes the World, Jon. Better get used to it.

Have been voting mostly GOP for 38 years and don't know anyone who would argue w/Newt's humane approach. It always seems to be some Democrat assigned characteristic that there is no heart in GOP, because it markets well.

Bigger concern is Newt's ability to get Independent votes.

So jack from portsmith just exactly why would you want to give away our heratige and replace it with what's coming towards this country?

You think it's bad now just wait until the American culture is balkenized and we become nothing more than a third world country.

We are on a downward spiral and you think that is just great.

Or is it you're on of the moneyed and think you are above it all. Take a good look around and see the people in the streets as things get worse more people will come to realize the the moneyed people are turning this country inside out and pitting the American citizen against the illegal aliens for their monetary gains.

I'll agree with Newt on this one. I think the mainstream Republicans are out of touch with reality when they talk about wanting to round up and ship 10+ million illegals back to Mexico. Not even considering the cost and logistics nightmare of such an effort, think what will happen to the price of food if we did that. Farmers wouldn't just have to pay minimum wage, they would have to pay much more because I don't see many Americans working the fields for minimum wage.

I do think immigration reform is needed for a variety of reasons, not the least of is, those businesses that attempt to obey the law and not hire illegals are at an extreme cost disadvantage to competitors that hire illegals.

Stereotyping is what we like to do any more. I am a conservative who is in favor of Newt's proposal, as I was when it came up in the past.

Its more glamorous to say the GOP hates minorities, or the GOP wears hoods and bedsheets. It is completely false, and an evil attempt to sway minority voters to vote democrat. It is disgusting!

This will not negatively affect my opinion of Gingrich. Other things make me balk at voting for him, but this is certainly NOT one of them.

given the fact that they've been law-abiding citizens for 25 years."

See, this is one of the problems, they haven't been here legally, therefore they are not law-abiding or citizens!!

Yep, I think so too. Neut has come out in support for the illegals calling for the Dream act and also just recently came out in support of gun control where he joins forces with Peolsi and associates. I used to like Neut, but with these two statements I will cast my vote in another direction. You carry too many qualifiers for mr, lived here 25 years, law abiding, have a job, pay taxes, etc. I don't buy it. What about their speaking englishm which is the national language, or read English. Sorry Neut, but you just don't cut the mustard.

So jack from portsmith just exactly why would you want to give away our heratige and replace it with what's coming towards this country?

We are on a downward spiral and you think that is just great.

Jon,

I didn't say whether I agreed or disagreed with it. You're putting words in my mouth. But consider for a moment that your very words were probably spoken by several Native Americans tribes a few hundred years ago--and it changed nothing.

What I am saying is that these changes are coming and we should be trying to construct a positive construct instead of looking at the entire matter in a negative light. Look at it entirely negatively, and you will reap ill results.

people will come to realize the the moneyed people are turning this country inside out and pitting the American citizen against the illegal aliens for their monetary gains.

I agree with this sentiment right up to "for their monetary gains" because it is more complex than that. They are definitely pitting American citizens against illegal immigrants, and in the process they are pitting American citizens against American citizens, and all of it is for their monetary gains.

I truly doubt if Newt really feels that way about illegals considering how he feels about actual American citizens occupying Wall Street...I just think he's been in the game of politics long enough to realize that sometimes you have to do/say something to distinguish yourself from the rest of the field in order to get noticed.

Newt's proposal is like being a "little bit" pregnant. You are either pregnant or you're not just like you are either legal or you're not.

Newt is right on with the immigration policy. I'm a republican, but I know of no one in my circle who thinks rounding up 11 million, tax payers and kicking them out of the country is a good idea. You really want to screw up this economy more that it already is!? ... then kick out those 11 million tax payers. The more important issue here is how to protect and secure our borders. The rest will take care of itself through humane and logical legislation.

jack from portsmith, you are exactly right about the so called native american which in reality they are not, they came across the land bridge long ago but that is for another topic and another discussion.

But should as an American society be the first country in world history to just sit back and give what we have built as a prosperous nation away just to appease illegal aliens.

I believe myself to be a patriotic AMERICAN CITIZEN not a HYPHENATED american.

I totally disagree with you that looking at this issue as a sovereignty issue and that we are being invaded by illegal aliens is no different that being invaded by a military that is trying to take over our country as being negative.

To protect our borders is not a negative act it is a positive act.

People like you love to post vague statements then deny the implications of your own words. If you don't feel a certain way or believe in something come out and say it don't hide behind simplistic vague statements that you can later deny when called out on them. Or are you just another political hack.

I believe as the hispanic population grows it will be a problem for America.

Curious, how does the hispanic population directly affects your life and your culture? Keep in mind that the growth factor for the population comes from the children that are born here and are U.S. citizens. Studies show that decendents from immigrants are fully assimilated by the 3rd generation. You are spouting the same rhetoric that was spouted about Irish, Polish, and Jewish immigrants.

If any other country 'rounded them up and shipped them out', we would call it ethnic cleansing and the UN would move militarily against that nation.

I am all for closing the border, as well as deporting any who screw up & fall into criminal activity, but the family who has been here for 2 decades and have proven to be a contributor to society, I would never ask them to get out.

Romney is right on amnesty being a magnet. Reagan passed the bill pushed by Ted Kennedy that gave about 3 million illegals amnesty sending the message, like Newt is doing again, that if you can steal in and stay long enough, the softy Americans will give you amnesty. How strong was that message? We now have 12 million, 4 times as many, wanting amnesty. Do it again and next time it will be 48 million.

"Democrats pushing for comprehensive immigration reform..."

"comprehensive immigration reform". Code words for amnesty.

I imagine that it's about providing cheap labor for "his friends"---corporate farmers. If Newt was so much into keeping families together, why didn't he keep his own family together? Since when did "compassion" become a word that he understands the definition of?

No matter how we deal with the illegals already here, someone is going to have to secure the border just to have the credibility to speak about humane solutions without looking weak. Its one of those "only nixon could go to china" situations. As for my solution: blanket plea bargain, issue green cards for those who accept the plea, no path to citizenship. Anchor babies; they're already citizens, that's the law and if you're going to enforce the illegal immigration part, you have to enforce the birthright part too. Law is law until we change it.

See, this is one of the problems, they haven't been here legally, therefore they are not law-abiding or citizens!!

Unless they have been deported before, then the offense is on the same level as jay-walking.

Jon Exner, re; post 1.4. I would first like to thank you for your service to our country.

I would say however that we need to be very careful in our analyst of what any particular group contributes to the vast tapestry that is know as the United States.

America is a huge country, comprised of almost every race and national heritage. Children of slaves and slaveowners, refugees of past wars, immigrants, and indigenous people who's ancestors were here long before the country was formed.

Unfortunately the hispanics do not come to this country to assimilate into the American culture they come here to be separate and distinct from the American culture and society.

I opine that hispanics are a major portion of American culture. For example, all of Puerto Rico, and a large percentage of New Mexico, California, and Texas (to name a few areas) are certainly highly influenced by our shared Spanish heritage. To deny these facts reflect a lack of understanding of who we really are.

Rather than disparage the various groups, we should celebrate and draw strength from our diversity. That is why we are a great nation.

Many Americans, particularly conservatives, seem to have a myopic view of how things should be. I can only hope that in the long run prejudice will be replaced by understanding and bias by acceptance.

TamL,

Although I favor open immigration, I do think the Hispanic immigration is different from the historical immigration trends we've experienced. The number of Hispanics immigrating is much larger than we've ever experienced from a single region in the past - both in terms of the number of immigrants, and the percentage of the total US population. In adjusting to this situation, many communities have started offering multi-language/cultural services that make it easier for these immigrants to function within the US without integrating with the US culture. While the goals of these efforts are laudable, they do make it easier for this class of immigrant to not integrate into the normal American society.

If you carry out the immigration rates, combined with the birth rate difference between Hispanic immigrants and existing US citizens, we can easily have a very large percent (majority?) of the population being Hispanic in the US in a few decades.

So, we can easily wind up with a case where the majority of people in the US are not integrated with the English speaking US citizenry we know today. When they start to vote in mass, the laws and societal structure in the US can realistically be expected to change significantly.

Again, I am for a greatly streamlined immigration process for anyone that wants to work here. But, I also think the Hispanic situation is different from past immigrations, and therefore, we need to be careful about the solution we use.

Have been voting mostly GOP for 38 years and don't know anyone who would argue w/Newt's humane approach.

I dont agree with it at all....Now you know one. The law is the law. We are losing our country to this problem. Newt is done in my book, and I am not alone

I actually agree with Gingrich's statement here. I was a democrat until this past election and most Democrats do believe in the humane handling of the immigration problem. Those that claim differently are probably Obamamaniacs, lol.

Silver Flyer, I agree with your post except the last part. I have found in recent years that it is the liberals are the ones "with the myopic view of how things should be".

Isnt this what we all really want? Not to punish the nice ones who've come over and contributed to our society in a good way and live nice lives but also to stop the influx of criminals and government aid suckers who are living off the taxpayers and causing crime? That's what *I* want!!

Jon, Our heritage is slaughtering the indigenous population and taking their land. And then filling it with slaves.

Is that the heritage you were talking about?

Try to remember how we got here and what we did to take it.

Allow illegals? They come in at an average rate of 100 per day. They move in with friends and family and use fake social security numbers, conterfeit birth certificates and adoption papers. Our governemnt can't tell who is who. Infact, washington is still trying to prove that Obama is illegal.

Jobs jobs jobs...everybody crying jobs jobs jobs. When illegals displace American citizens that would like to work with their hands, not only are jobs lost, but those people must then move into other avenues of the economy. They go back to school, or find some other way, they have no choice. The competition for skilled jobs then become greater, displacing folks in that sector of the economy as well.

This isnt even taking the cost of putting their kids through school, medical costs ect. Most illegals send this money back to Mexico, taking it out of local economies, as well as our National economy

Something I am noticing is that there is a discrepancy about whether or not illegal immigrants pay taxes or not. If they work at a farm, they work under the table, hence no taxes (I used to work at a couple farms with a family whose parents are illegal but their kids were born here. I was friends with the kids.). However, if they work at a place such as a fast food restaurant or warehousing, they HAVE to pay taxes, for they cannot be working there without being on the books (they have to have their green card to do that, but it could be expired while they are working. Sometimes companies may miss their renewal date...). Hence, they PAY their taxes. The manner of which they apply for their work visas need to be simplified and the prices need to go down. Many families need to work extra but cannot find this work in their home country. They come illegally because they cannot afford hundreds, if not thousands, it costs to get "los papeles"(the papers or green card). There is a HUGE waiting list, not to mention bribery if you want your name to be moved up the list in order to get the visa. Maybe the number of Visas to Mexico and Central America needs to go up so they can actually help control costs of supply and demand. It would also help alleviate most of this 'illegal' talk. Sure illegals would still enter, howbeit it would be a lot less. Gringrich's heart is in the right place, but he has screwed up too much in the past to get my vote for him.

Jon Exner, the same was said about every new wave of immigrants who came to this country, the Irish, the Chinese, the Japanese. I would remind you that in the southwest, the Hispanics and American Indians were there before Caucasians. One only needs to look at the Spanish influences in architecture, city and street names to recognize that. They do assimilate into America by the 2nd generation because their off spring embraces America and this new life.

I often read or hear comments about America's culture being lost. What is our culture? It is a mixture of those immigrants country of origin from Santa Claus to Hanukkah, from Chinese food to Mexican food and on and on . Our culture is a Heinz 57 variety because as a country we eventually assimilated those things from other countries that we liked best. That's why America is called the melting pot of the world. We should be proud of it rather than denigrate it.

However, if they work at a place such as a fast food restaurant or warehousing, they HAVE to pay taxes, for they cannot be working there without being on the books. Hence, they PAY their taxes.

The only way this can happen is by identity theft...thats ok with a lot of you I know. If sharing America's wealth is what you are after, prepare to be granted your wish. We are in a nosedive right out of prosperity. The poor will soon truly know what poor is.

If you carry out the immigration rates, combined with the birth rate difference between Hispanic immigrants and existing US citizens, we can easily have a very large percent (majority?) of the population being Hispanic in the US in a few decades.

Your point? What difference does it make? Right now we are a majority caucasian. With global travel and global migration, in 10,000 years we all be shades of tan anway. Does the ethnic majority matter as long as we are all loyal to the U.S.?

I did not hear him say he would unilaterally decide to ignore the laws as Obama has done.

Uh Jim? What do you think got him "relieved" from his position as Speaker of the House?

If you carry out the immigration rates, combined with the birth rate difference between Hispanic immigrants and existing US citizens, we can easily have a very large percent (majority?) of the population being Hispanic in the US in a few decades.

Your point? What difference does it make?

I will tell you what difference it makes....our politicians dont listen to our cries for a secure border because they are afraid of losing votes. I dont know about you, but I would rather have American values represented rather than Mexico's. Wake the hell up

@ LAhater:

1. Stellar economic track record with the stock market dropping 400 points this week:

First of all, when Obama got elected, the 'stock market' was at 7000 points and dropping everyday. It is now at 11,345, over 4000 points since he got in. The market's volatile and changes everyday.

2. Unemployment is still at 9%:

Secondly, the job arena was losing over 500,000 jobs every month!! The rate has slowed down and started to pick back up. He cannot force employers to employ people, but he can provide a climate that's conducive to hiring

3. Solyndra lost $500 million dollars:

This deal was initiated by Bush administration. Also, China flooded the Solar market with cheap solar panels, causing Solyndra to not be competitive to stay in business. Also, the Administration set aside $10 billion dollars for such contingencies. And lastly, the Afghanistan has cost the tax payers 5 billion dollars a week for 10 years!!!

4. Failed stimulus package:

First, the auto industry would not think so. Their jobs and the industry was saved by this. Secondly, we had a crumbling infrastructure. We needed that stimulus to help with this. I know you don't like Obama and you never will. It's too bad for you

"a more "humane" policy on illegal immigration has knee-capped recent Republican presidential candidates"

And these are the pro-life folks .........

jody-iowa you are one of the simple minded when you say that the same was said of every wave of immigrants who came to this country. This nation like every nation has over time developed immigration laws to control immigration and population.

When you refer to the immigration of other groups they came here under whatever laws that existed at the time. The illegal aliens of today are ignoring our immigration laws and invading our country. There is no similarity between the legal immigration of the past and the illegal alien invasion of today.

You jest when you say the hispanics were here before the Caucasians. You do understand just what an hispanic is don't you. They are the result of the Spanish conquistadors mixing with the natives of central and South America.

The Spanish had their own form of genocide they tried copulate the population out of existences.

And neither the so called American inians nor the population of central and south America were indigenous to those land masses they crossed over the land bridge from Russia into what is now called Alaska.

I was one of those undocumentd Americans, DocHolliay.

I was legally adopted as an infant by an Illinois-born Army et and his wife. They didn't want me to know I was an abandoned baby so they never told me before thy did.

18 years after the adoption, ICE lost my adoption paper and decided that made me illegal and detained me for three years in a deportation camp. I was legal--I had a legal social security card, had just gotten my first driver's license, had a birth certificate issued saying that Dad was my Dad and Mom was my Mom. I had 12 years of school report cards to prove I'd been here my whole life, Dad and Mom's tax papers to prove they paid taxes and Dad's service papers to prove he'd served in Vietnam and Korea.

I was a LEGAL American citizen who became undocumented when ICE lost my adoption paper. Please don't tell me you think I DESERVED to sit in a deportation camp for three years because THEY lost a piece of paper.

silver flyer when you continue to give amnesty to 12 - 20 million illegal aliens every 10 or 20 years it's only natural that they will bigger part of the national thread as you put it, and I believe that is exactly what this whole debate is about.

Are we going to enforce our immigration laws or are we just going to open the doors for anyone in the world who wants to come here.

The consequences of that action would be dire to say the least. No national heritage no sense of citizenship. The problem does begin with the elected officials who try and divide us up into little groups to fight against each other. Deflect attention away from what they are doing to screw the American citizens in favor of illegal aliens just to get re-elected.

Amanda sorry to hear about your plight but I have to assume that your parents must have had copies of your adoption papers. Something smells fishy very fishy in your story.

@OldDoc #1.40,

Uh, listen genius ... maybe you should go back and check your facts. Of the 84 trumped-up charges against Gingrich, 83 were dropped outright. The other involved some kind of potential conflict with him speaking at Kennesaw State University in his home state. I believe Mr.Gingrich agreed to pay $300,000 in legal charges, but even the last charge was later on pretty much debunked.

Nice try ! Gingrich will eat Obama's lunch in national debates !!

Prove it, Kornfed.

Jody...go to youtube and search on Azltan Nation.

Watch a video or two, then come back here and tell us about "culture".

Toasty McGrath

Prove it, Kornfed

That would be my question to Amanda...Maybe she can tell us what fascility..where it was located. ICE would not detain for 3 years. Something else to this story

Unfortunately the hispanics do not come to this country to assimilate into the American culture

Baloney.

Treating all members of a demographic group as though they are exactly the same is the hallmark of a bigot.

What's ironic is the degree to which the 'nativist' wing-nuts refuse to assimilate to American culture.

All men created equal? Not according to Exner.

All endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights? Not according to Exner.

Equal treatment without regard to race, creed, or national origin? Not according to Exner.

Constitutional law regarding the 14th Amendment is well established and has been unchanging for its entire history. But Exner doesn't accept the Constitution. His views are not only unAmerican, they are unConstitutional.

What effect does illegal immigration have on the wages of the poorest Americans?

What effect does illegal immigration have on the unemployment rate?

If farmers could not get workers at illegal wages would they let their crops rot or pay more and attempt to pass the increase on to the consumer?

How does amnesty stop further illegal immigration?

Just asking.

Maybe we can expand legal immigration when unemployment drops below 5% or 6%.

I see hs dropout is still obsessed with Azatlan, which is a figment of the Nazi and skinhead imagination.

If you don't know any Latinos, I guess the skinhead fantasy of Azatlan is very scary.

Yes-- because Americans across the political spectrum (including this Democrat) do NOT want amnesty for immigration lawbreakers!

AngelicaS...Okay...tell that to the State of Texas. The head of its Department of Labor publicly admitted in May 2011 that Texas would lose billions if it had to pay American salaries.

Come up with an answer other than generic across the board statements that are anything but true.

I'm an American. I think illegal immigration is wrong. But I also think that the answer to the problem is being dragged out as long as possible in order for certain states to continue to enjoy the exploitive salaries they are paying the illegals.

Those who mouth off about the illegals are the first to refuse to take their war cries to the state politicians whose states benefit the most from illegal workers.

I dont know about you, but I would rather have American values represented rather than Mexico's.

Mexico's values are pretty much the same as America's. Multiparty democracy, check. Christian heritage, check. Free market economics, check.

What stands in stark contrast to American values are the values of the nativist haters. The nativist haters have values that align more closely to those of the Third Reich. In fact most of the talking points used by Kornfed ca be traced to the John Tanton network of lobbying groups. The same John Tanton who thinks that the Third Reich had the right ideas about 'genetics' prior to World War II and wants to bring a 'less objectionable' for to the United States.

It's working.

I don't know about Kornfed, but I would rather have America's values than Nazi values.

how does the hispanic population directly affects your life and your culture?

Well... for one, I would guess that it would be the untold billions of dollars a year they cost the American taxpayer. From the drain on everything from our healthcare system to our education and law enforcement systems, the costs are staggering.

A number, or a link? Not sure, but by most reports and studies it's in the billions of dollars. After looking all over the web for statistics it becomes clear that you can find sites which will support just about any claim. Even factcheck.org claims that the illegal immigration problem doesn't cost us anything. But I personally know several people in the medical/healthcare field... several people in the field of education and in law enforcement who could tell you quite differently.

I don't mind people wanting to improve their lives... I admire the struggle that many go through to provide for their families. But it's no longer about that.

It's now about the Imperial Federal Government and local government taking money... by force...that I have earned.. and spending it on people who say that have a claim to it, simply by sneaking across the border.

And when I don't feel like surrendering that portion of my life or liberty or property I don't really care for those people standing across the border yelling at me or calling me names.

@commonsense

There is a strong latino movement for Aztlan, NCLR is a big supporter of it, and government funded with our tax dollars. It's pretty easy to find the youtube videos of speeches and rallies given at colleges in support of it.

Also, you might to google a movie coming out May 5, 2012 (you know what day that is don't you?).

It isn't a figment of any imagination.

Denial is ignorance.

"comprehensive immigration reform"

End the racist quotas that limit the number of people based on geographic region and attempt to limit the number of Catholics and other religious groups.

End the idiotic waiting lines that benefit no one. Thirty years for a visa to be approved? What on earth for?

End the stupid attempt at social engineering that limits the number of 'unskilled laborers' to 5,000 per year (when American businesses have been hiring an average of 500,000 per year for decades). Why do you think there are 10 million unauthorized immigrants?

End rules that prohibit immigrants from working for their first three years in the country.

Pass out work visas like candy. You can come in, and if you get a job and pay taxes, you can stay.

Don't break up families.

Don't make WORKING a crime. Do the people who complain about immigrants working prefer welfare?

Encourage assimilation instead of punishing it.

There are a LOT of things that need reforming.

As to people already here, why not judge each individual based on his or her own merits? Isn't that what we want for ourselves?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I just want to ask everyone whether the Pilgrims (or early settlers) were considered legal or illegal immigrants? Should they (and their descendants) be thankful for the opportunity to dwell on this rich land and thus extend their arms to the new settlers ("illegal immigrants") like the Natives once did?

Jon,

I believe myself to be a patriotic AMERICAN CITIZEN not a HYPHENATED american..

Oh, stop it! And the rest of us aren't patriotic?

Alex M, you need more tin foil for that hat of yours.

Kornfed, I have never referred to you as a racist. Your views are bigoted. Some are even laughable, but I don't believe in 'race' as a scientific concept, so I avoid the term "racist".

The law is the law.

Except when it comes to the Constitution of the United States, right Kornfed?

Kornfed, I have never referred to you as a racist. Your views are bigoted

In what way. Every country wants its sovereignty...at least I thought they did. Why dont you point out my bigotry.

Except when it comes to the Constitution of the United States, right Kornfed?

Spit it out guy...I havnt got all day

On this topic; Newt Gingrich is wrong.

You could tell by the words he chose that he is misguided on this; he verbally referred to illegal aliens as "good citizens" if they have been here for 25-years and illegally put down roots. He just doesn't get it.

Newt, they are NOT "citizens". Not then, not now after 25-years. Amnesty is allowing any illegal alien to stay here whether they are given citizenship or not.

The point is: they should not be allowed stay that is the very description of amnesty.

Kornfed...I should think that a bigot would be proud to admit bigotry and not hide behind it like the dance of the 7 veils. After all, isn't that what all the kerfuffle hatred for this president since the day he took office is all about?

The thing I find most amusing about bigots is how they circle around their wildfires trying to impress upon others how their words as clear as print on a newspaper don't mean what they intended them to.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I just want to ask everyone whether the Pilgrims (or early settlers) were considered legal or illegal immigrants?

According to the Laws of the day; they were 100% legal. Duh!

Kornfed...I should think that a bigot would be proud to admit bigotry and not hide behind it like the dance of the 7 veils. After all, isn't that what all the kerfuffle hatred for this president since the day he took office is all about?

Sticks and stones ewent, sticks and stones. Lets get beyond the school yard banter shall we. Point it out and lets lock horns

Whelp, I am off to work. I didnt think you wanted to have that conversation with me anyhow ewent. Save face

John Exner sad:

Amanda sorry to hear about your plight but I have to assume that your parents must have had copies of your adoption papers. Something smells fishy very fishy in your story.

Dad and Mom never kept any of the paperwork relating to my adoption because they never wanted me to know, so as soon as they had a birth certficate issued to show them as my parents they got rid of everything else. They died in a car acident six mots before I got picked up by ICE and neither Dad nor Mom had any extended family who could hep.

Kornfed said:

ICE would not detain for 3 years. Something else to this story.

I was given two options; sign a paper saying that I acknowldged that I was illegal and accept deportation without right of re-entry; or2) prove that I was legal by producing the adoption record. For me the first wasn an option--I WAS NOT illegal. So I sat in ICE detention for 3 years writing letters to every courthouse in every state Mom and Dad had ever lived in trying to find that adoption paper; the agency who had adopted me to Dad and Mom closed a few years after my adoption.

As to whether ICE would detain for three years, yes, they do. They can hold you as long as they want. See the below clip from an Associated press article dated 2009:

An official Immigration and Customs Enforcement database, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, showed a U.S. detainee population of exactly 32,000 on the evening of Jan. 25.

The data show that 18,690 immigrants had no criminal conviction, not even for illegal entry or low-level crimes like trespassing. More than 400 of those with no criminal record had been incarcerated for at least a year. A dozen had been held for three years or more; one man from China had been locked up for more than five years.

Nearly 10,000 had been in custody longer than 31 days -- the average detention stay that ICE cites as evidence of its effective detention management.

Based on a 2001 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, ICE has about six months to deport or release immigrants after their case is decided. But immigration lawyers say that deadline is routinely missed. In the system snapshot provided to the AP, 950 people were in that category.

Immigration lawyers note that substantial numbers of detainees, from 177 countries in the data provided, are not illegal immigrants at all. Many of the longest-term non-criminal detainees are asylum seekers fighting to stay here because they fear being killed in their home country. Others are longtime residents who may be eligible to stay under other criteria, or whose applications for permanent residency were lost or mishandled, the lawyers say.

ICE officials often argue that immigrants largely hold the keys to their own freedom. If they simply agree to return to their home country, they can go. But even giving up, or winning a claim, doesn't always spell freedom because ICE acts as police officer, arraignment judge, jailer and prosecutor. It has sole jurisdiction over when a detained immigrant is sent back after a deportation order is issued, and can continue to hold immigrants while it appeals a decision that didn't go its way. Ahmad Al-Shrmany, a 34-year-old Iraqi with no appeal pending, begged for a year to be deported and yet remained in detention. He wanted to be allowed to go to his native Iraq or his adopted Canada, where he had been granted asylum a decade ago. A lawyer filed a habeas corpus petition in December that went unanswered.

"Just deport me. That's your job," he told ICE officials.

Kornfed...He who looks in the mirror, usually sees the reflection. A real man owns up to his flaws and stands up for his beliefs. Face saved.

Jon Exner - your understanding of American history is embarrassing.

What "culture" are you talking about? American culture has been - since it's inception - always evolving with each new wave of immigrants.

It appears, from your comments - you dont mind all the evolutions that occured so long as it was white people's culture changing things - whether that be italian, polish, german...but the minute non-white people come here and it affects the "culture"...you cry foul?

Newsflash - irish, german, polish, ect...all those immigrants still identified (heavily) with their former native lands.

I am married to someone, who's grandfathers parents were fresh off the boat from poland - their polish heritage was a very heavy influence in their lives.

They didnt discard it and say "but we are americans now, how shall we act?"

And yes, they did consider themselves POLISH AMERICANS...not just Americans.

It will take many generations (of all immigrants) before they drop their former native land, and simply ID as Americans.

I know several people of mexican decent, who simply identify as Americans - but thats probably because their family has been here for about 6 generations...

this stuff takes time.

it appears, you're simply ignorant about american history...and impatient about our current reality, it's not so white anymore...im sorry that terrifies you, but it's no ones problem but your own.

stop the influx of criminals and government aid suckers who are living off the taxpayers and causing crime

Excellent post, impatient.

What would really surprise most people though, is that unathorized immigrants are the most law abiding segment of our society (apart from the whole bit of everstaying a visa or crossing a border without inspection when there was no other way to enter the country, and both of those transgressions are civil misdemeanors, not criminal felonies, partly because no one is hurt by those actions).

The rate of felony convictions for male US citizens aged 18 to 39 is about 3.5%. For male unauthorized immigrants in the same age group, it's less than 0.5%.

The bigots don't want you to know that. Just like they don't want you to know that unauthorized immigrants are not allowed welfare, and very rarely receive any. Or that they are the healthiest segment of our society, the least likely to receive medical care in or outside of an emergency room, and the most likely segment to actually pay for the medical care they do receive.

@ewwwwwwwwwent #1.59,

Your last sentence of this post is simply inaccurate.

States that pass laws and attempt to control the economic effects of illegal immigration are simply and quickly SUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ! Quite a few states have attempted to curb the perceived "benefits" as you imply and the result is they are criticized nationally, called racist, sued by the DOJ and attacked in the media.

You liberals attack if they attempt to improve law enforcement in this area, and you attack for them not taking aggressive action and reaping the "perceived benefits" of cheap labor. You are disingenuos to say the last ! You are exposing your own hypocrisy by arguing BOTH SIDES of an issue.

Illegal is illegal, I don't give a crap how long you have been in this Country.

Newt is an IDIOT if he thinks Conservatives will support him after this, I have said he is a bother all along.

The 30 million Illegals (11 million is BS!) can leave or be buried here, it makes no diff to me but I have had my fill of this, time for action!

I dont know about you, but I would rather have American values represented rather than Mexico's. Wake the hell up

You mean your values. Not American values. Define that please. What does that mean to you...and how does a growing hispanic population change that. Loyalty to familiy, loyalty to faith, hard working, focused on the future for themselves and their children. What part of that doesn't fit into American values?

No you want white poor people dependent on the state..weak minded easily bent to what you want..unable to think for themselves. I think you are the one who needs to wake up.

I honestly think Newt has dementia. He flip flops so much he's hard to keep up with. No self respecting person can continuously embarrass themselves like he does and be sane.

So Ewent (#1.59)--- I see you are in favor of ILLEGAL immigrants and the lawbreaking businesses conspiring to eliminate American jobs and depress wages. Well --- your so-called "cheap labor" scheme IS NOT CHEAP. When businesses hire ILLEGAL immigrants and pay them poverty level wages and NO benefits--- the American taxpayers are forced to subsidize their lawbreaking enterprises. This blackmarket system that you endorse is DEVASTATING OUR COUNTRY and our financial welfare (a few examples):

1. The Miami Herald Editorial Board reported on February 14, 2010, and I quote:

Caring for undocumented residents cost Jackson $150 million last year, about as much as it received from the voter approved half-penny sales tax.

This means that virtually the ENTIRETY of the additional tax paid by South Floridians goes to pay for the healthcare of those who aren't even supposed to be in in the United States. Meanwhile Jackson is on the verge of collapse. This means that American citizens and LEGAL immgrants are in jeopardy of losing their fail-safe healthare safety-net!!

2. Also, as posted on the LA County Mayor's website:

January 19, 2011 -- Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich released figures from the Department of Public Social Services showing that in November 2010, $53 million in welfare benefits ($22 million CalWORKs + $31 million in Food Stamps) were issued to parents who reside in the United States illegally and collect benefits for their native-born children in Los Angeles County -- representing an increase of nearly 3 million from November 2009. This amounts to approximately 22% of all CalWORKs and Food Stamp issuances in the County.

In 2009, CalWORKs and Food Stamp issuances to illegals totaled nearly $570 million. Based on the monthly figures in 2010, the total cost for the year will exceed $600 million.

"When you add this to $550 million for public safety and nearly $500 million for healthcare, the total cost for illegal immigrants to County taxpayers exceeds $1.6 billion dollars a year – not including the hundreds of millions of dollars for education," said Antonovich.

3. On April 3, 2011, the Seattle Times reported as follows:

As the state Legislature looks for ways to close a $5 billion budget shortfall, lawmakers are eyeing millions in cuts that could reduce or eliminate services used by illegal immigrants. Washington is projected to spend more than $300 million over the next two years on services illegal immigrants can tap, primarily welfare and health care for children, the seriously ill and pregnant women.

Washington state estimates it will spend more than $300 million over the next two years on services illegal immigrants can tap, not counting K-12 education. A breakdown:

$125 million on health care for 7,400 pregnant women ineligible for Medicaid because of federal restrictions.

$73 million on welfare for children. The federal government requires proof that the children are here legally, but not their parents. This program also can't be changed.

$59 million for medical and dental coverage for 25,000 children from low-income families ineligible for Medicaid because they can't prove they are here legally.

$24 million for kidney dialysis and cancer treatment for 1,300 low-income people ineligible for Medicaid because they can't prove they are here legally.

$15 million for in-state tuition subsidies for students who have lived in Washington for at least three years. The state does not check legal status.

$5.6 million in nursing-home care for low-income undocumented residents.

4. On September 2, 2011 the Washington Post reported:

The Internal Revenue Service allowed undocumented workers to collect $4.2 billion in refundable tax credits last year, a new audit says, almost quadruple the sum five years ago.

Although undocumented workers are not eligible for federal benefits, the report released Thursday by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration concludes that federal law is ambiguous on whether these workers qualify for a tax break based on earned income called the additional child tax credit.

5. African American unemployment is over 16% and African American teen unemployment is over 40%!

Thanks EWENT FOR SELLING OUT THE AMERICAN WORKER AND THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER IN FAVOR OF YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF A BLACKMARKET LABOR SCHEME! Despicable!

Many of you don't have a clue about "Hispanics". There is no more problem with "Hispanics" living in the US, than their is with whites, blacks, natives or asians.

There are a HIGH percentage of Hispanic/Latino Americans(born here), who speak English as their first language and identify themselves as Americans.

They learn about the US in US schools, not the history of their parents(or grandparents) countries of origin.

If a kid is born here and goes to school here(in the US), he/she will be taught English first and study the curiculum that most public school children are taught. They will be "Americanized" from day 1.

Most will end up working, paying taxes(not talking about just income taxes) and contributing to the US economy by spending $$ on goods and services here.

My grandparents were born in Mexico. My grandfather fought in WW2 for his citizenship, though my grandmother never got hers. Both learned basic English(he thru school and work, she from her kids).

My father NEVER referred to himself as Mexican/American. He considered himself American(rightfully so), as he was born here.

Even though Spanish was his first spoken language, my grandmother made him speak English in public, after he entered public school.

I wasn't taught Spanish growing up, as my mother only spoke English(so dad didn't speak it to us). If you listened to my dad speak English, you would never guess that his first language had been anything other than English.

He was more intelligent, well read(with a HUGE vocabulary), and knew more trivia than most WASPs I know, who have family roots in the US going back many generations.

As Mitt Romney pointed out, amnesty for Confederate soldiers just led to a never ending succession of Civil Wars in this country. First the South, then, well, er, ah...

It's dysfnctional immmigration rules that make unauthorized immigration inevitable. If you don't allow immigration to the extent demanded by the economy, you will get unauthorized immigration. Period. "Amnesty" has nothing to do with it. Why pay $5,000 to a coyote, when you can cross the border with a visa for free. Duh!

Hey, Mitt. Reagan's amnesty worked like a charm. NOBODY complains about the people who became citizens under that program. Not even the Nazis.

What people complain about is the new unauthorized immigrants, and that is caused 100 percent by the dysfunctional rules we have. They didn't work in 1986, they don't work now, and they will NEVER work, not even if we waste trillions of dollars on fences and concentration camps.

Angelica, you are devasting our country with your lies, propaganda, and "anti-immigrant hysteria" as Ronald Reagan called it.

Ron 1.9 = Ron you are part of the problem. You espouse something good, and then you reveal yourself as someone who is a "what's in it for me" person. It is either principle or gimme, and you told us that principle is unimportant to you.

I just have to laugh at all of the people crying that those illegals are breaking the laws and in America we don't give anyone else a free pass, so why should they get one. Hahaha!!! Really? What about Lindsey Lohan and others like her, who continually break laws and spend a few hoursin jail, only to be released due to overcrowding? Most people who are arrested on misdemeanor charges spend little to no time in jail. So the immigrants who come here illegally, who are committing a misdemeanor should be treated more harshly than those who buy drugs, speed or run a red light? I guess those people are much better citizens than the poor immigrant who is just trying to work to support this family! And by the way, I know lots of citizens who believe that it is their right to receive public assistance such as walfare and food stamps. My friend who is down on her luck right now, finally broke down and decided to apply for food stamps. When she went down to the office, she was disgusted at the party like atmosphere amongst the people waiting in line. By thier conversations (and yes, they were in English) she could tell that they were all regulars there.

jessica if my understanding of American history is so insufficient why don't you explain why I have to press 1 for English and 2 for spanish. When in our history did we ever have to press 2 for Italian or 2 for German or 2 for Dutch or 2 for Japanese the list could go on and on.

Perhaps jessica you are the one who just does not get it!

If a person entered America illegally then they must go. As far as breaking up their family, they should have thought of that before they chose to sneak in to my country illegally, America needs to go one step farther and amend the 14th amendment that grants citizenship to babies born here.... Get all illegals out now!! Sick of the crimes committed by illegals, rape, murder, burglary ect. ect

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) under Obama no longer reviews records that might determine if companies the department investigates may be employing illegal aliens.

Under a policy adopted in 2010, DOL no longer passes information to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency which is responsible for enforcing laws against the employment of illegal aliens.

Government Executive website

Those are jobs that belong to citizens, currently illegal held by illegal aliens.

I'm sick of all the crimes committed by those born and bred "Americans".

ALL criminals should be prosecuted fully and convicted.

As it stands now, those with $$ for sharp lawyers, and/or connections/fame, almost always get off, slapped on the wrist, or with drastically reduced sentences.

Do you actually think poor illegal immigrants get a fair shake under our law. I know poor average Americans sure don't.

How about changing the process to allow immigrants to work legally and reside in the US(without giving them access to tax payer funded assistance programs), so they won't be "illegal" anymore.

Can we deport those dangerous criminal citizens who have shown they can't be trusted to live peacefully in our society? I say we deport them first, over hard working "illegal" immigrants.

Maybe we should have more work furloughs for convicts(most of them are citizens) and let them do hard labor/cleanup jobs.

A few points... First didn't anyone notice Newt emphasized going to church twice? Since when was going to church a criteria for anything per our constitution?

Second, what happened to paying some kind of penance, whether a fine or serving in the military or what have you? Just because people manage to evade ICE for 25 years, they don't have to suffer any consequences for breaking the law?

It is true that in the past we had legal entry for agriculture because this is seasonal. It was very effective because it was limited and well monitored. Now it is a flood from the south, so good luck with that. The large numbers are the problem, because the change to the melting pot is skewed to only the south of our border rather than per quotas around the world. This in turn has resulted in less assimilation, because the communities are so large and self sufficient as well as catered to by businesses including television broadcasts and radio.

The number of illegals are more like 20,000 +, not 11,000 (lie #1) so obviously this number of people could not be rounded up and deported. But amnesty always results in a new and larger flood. The must be some kind of punishment for breaking the law in the path to citizenship -- Especially if they've committed fraud with stolen ID.

The stolen ID (of the dead or minors) has become so rampant that e-Verify does not work. This is a crisis in itself, and cannot be excused!

President Obama's picking and choosing from among the acts of Congress the Administration and Attorney General Eric Holder will enforce. If the President doesn't like the current law, he should have come back early from his vacation in the tropics and worked with Congress to change it, not doing yet another unconstitutional end run around our immigration law. The 1% that want the illegals here, need to pay extra taxes for them to be here. DIvide the cost of 338 billion a year, and take it out of their profits. Then see how long they fail to enforce the law! Those millionaires need those slaves to work in their houses, Romney needs them to cut his grass, take out his trash etc. They're addicted to slave labor. Every business needs to pay for the welfare their employees qualify for. That will force them to pay better wages.

Newt Gingrich: "If you've come here recently, you have no ties to this country, you ought to go home, period," Gingrich said. "If you've been here 25 years and you got three kids and two grandkids, you've been paying taxes and obeying the law, you belong to a local church, I don't think we're going to separate you from your family, uproot you forcefully and kick you out."

How about if they don't belong to a local church? Is that reason alone to change your mind and kick them out, Newt? How about if they're Muslim?

Because it frequently seems that for those on the right, "the more like me you are, the more I can tolerate you."

Will this hurt his image? Yes. But only among those who were already intolerant in the first place.

The immigrants that came thru Ellis Island did so legally, they had alot of requirements to meet before they got citizenship. Most of them bent over backwards to learn the language, get jobs and were proud to become Americans. They faced alot more discrimination then it seems Mexicans are now. They didn't hve anyone handing their kids scholarships, schools didn't teach in their language and if they did get here illegaly they got deported. The Irish mainly came because of extreme famine in Ireland. Mexicans don't want to stay n their country and fight for change and reform, and why should they when they get so much handed to them. They can take over America slowly but surely, every day more and more coming in. The goverment is letting them and want to give them amnesty. Everybody should start learning spanish I guess. WE all better get ready for them to have the power to change alot of our laws. Are we ready to except the Mexican law that the legal age of consent for sex is 12 years old?

The principle behind Attrition Through Enforcement is that living illegally in the United States will become more difficult and less satisfying over time when the government – at ALL LEVELS – enforces all of the laws already on the books.

The goal is to make it extremely difficult for unauthorized persons to live and work in the United States.

There is no need for taxpayers to watch the government spend billions of their dollars to round up and deport illegal aliens; they will buy their own bus or plane tickets back home if they can no longer earn a living here.

Commensense, you say that illegal immigrants are the most "law abiding" segment of our society? Then how come so many of them are driving cars, despite having no driver's license and no auto insurance?

Here are some statistics from the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety's report, “Unlicensed to Kill: The Sequel”. Jan. 2003:

Approximately 20 percent of all car accidents nationwide involve a driver who lacks a valid license. In the ten states with the highest concentration of illegal immigrants, (according to FAIR’s most recent estimates: California, Texas, New York, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey and Colorado) 14.6 percent of driving fatalities are caused by an unlicensed or improperly licensed driver. Furthermore, the percentage of those killed by hit-and-run drivers is higher in these states, 6.1 percent compared to the national average of 5.3 percent.

Spot on LAHater! The Libs choose to ignore Obama's dismal record and constant lies, along with a complete lack of accountability! He is one and DONE! Worst President EVER, bar none.

I guess Republicans are evil, horrible people.

Why are we even having this conversation?

Republicans think that their lilly white A*s are better than people from other countries. They think they are pure, that because they are "good christians" they can kill or torture or starve others that are not like them.

Republicans are disgusting people.

A person just coming to the USA (they come from everywhere, Russia has thousands a year coming here) might want to turn America into their ideal of what they want the country to be - but it is plain as day (if you actually know any Hispanics or other nationalities) that those first generation kids born here totally want the American life style - they could care less about some country they didn't grow up in.

Ever hear the term; coconut - it is what American Hispanics call them selves - they may be brown on the outside but inside they think just like white people - in other words they like what you like...pizza, credit cards, nice cars, good jobs.

Illegals take work form US citizens! Illegals take our jobs away! Illegals are a scourge on our society! There's a movie out there that touches on the illegals and the work they do and how they take "our” jobs away. It's called "A Day without Mexicans." It's a comedy, but if you really think about it, it's right on the mark. Many, if not most of the jobs these "illegals perform will not be touched by Americans. Those jobs are below their self-esteem.

Look at what's happening in the South East, where illegals have fled the state. Farmers will now have to dump their winter and, probably, their summer crops because there are no "US Citizens" willing to do the work those illegals did. Even at higher wages than what the illegals were getting, most of the US Citizens just don’t want to do that back-breaking work—their just plain lazy!! Many of those farmers were all for these strict immigration laws; now that their livelihood is at stake, it's a whole different song.

So, the high road, white knights that fight for justice, think really hard about what you wish for, you just might get it. And, when you get it, you will have to live with the consequences – higher food costs; scarcity of food products; lack of services in the public and private service industries, etc., etc.

There are ways to fix this “illegals” problem and it’s not to round them up and ship them out. Do that, and you’ll trigger a depression greater than what happened in the 1930s. For once, you blinder-wearing, emotion-filled, brainwashed minions, use a bit of thinking process, if any is left in your pee-brains and think something through before spouting garbage. Whether you want to acknowledge or not, Illigals are a major part of our society, so deeply ingrained that they cannot be removed without major, but MAJOR, impact to our economy and our way of life.

Yes, our economy is in the dumps, but instead of finding an easy scapegoat to shoot arrows at, look at the real problems—Corporate greed; deregulation of Wall Street, allowing them to pilfer and rob us blind; deregulation of banks and mortgage agencies, two unpaid for wars—how can you start two wars and lower taxes at the same time (oh yeah, Mr. Chaney stated that deficits are not important)—even a high school econ student would tell you that it’s a very idiotic thing to do.

So, you quick-to-blame-the-wrong-group-of-people-for-our-economic-problems types. Get out of your closets and attack the real problems facing out society, problems that when fixed will turn things around. Here’s one possible solution—vote out the current Congress and get people in there that care about America and it’s citizens, rather than their political careers. Let’s get people in there that swear allegiance to this country and not to lobbyists.

I’ll tell you, Newt is not one of those that cares about this country. Just look at his past record—pretty much all for Newt’s benefit and nothing for this country. Newt, like Romney (seasoned politicians both), will say and go in whatever direction the wind blows in order to get votes. Neither of them have any ethics worth discussing. As for the rest of the GOPers; well, they speak for themselves. No need to waste any more words on their incompetence. I’m not crazy about Obama, but if it’s a choice between Abama and any of those eight clowns, then it’s Obama. What we need is a democratic (or competent republican) alternative to Obama—Let’s convince Hilary to run again.



This conservative says he is 100% correct in this regard. The other conservatives better get on board if they want to be truly conservative.

DocHolliday-2979123 said: First it was "illegal alien" Then "illegal immigrant" Next "undocumented worker" Last we have "undocumented Americans" wtf!!! 



Allow me to assist you here. How do you call people who from the continent of Europe? Europeans. The continent of Africa? Africans. The Asian continent? Asians. The South American continent? I let you figure it out for yourself.... I know, you are just a victim of the american educational system...

Cal_Chi,

NOWHERE...unless reading comprehension is not your forte, does your quote contain "illegal immigrant". I know in CA that illegal immigrants CAN get a license, so you're point is mute, disingenuous at best.

I have been involved in a hit and run, and family members have been in car accidents, by US citizens with NO insurance or teenagers driving mom's car. Perhaps, the AAA quote you attribute are speaking about them?

This is a totally disingenuous statement by Newt. 2 years ago he was pushing to have every illegal deported by any and all means. Since then though, his state of Georgia and several others have enacted severe immigration laws that have really hurt and scared these residents, to the point, those employers that were using them are now hurting for their cheap, and often, under the table labor. These employers are now raising all sorts of unmitigated hell with state officials for removing their laborers, and threatening to withhold their support for those officials and candidates, unless they find a way to remedy their shortages. This is why Newt said what he did. Rest assured, there is not a benevolent bone in "Newt Gringrich's" rather chubby body.

It's simple economics that the right doesn't understand. You have rotting fruit in states who just recently passed strict immigration laws. The next step will be for Mexico to fill the void. So either way, fruit, vegtables and other agricultural products will be picked by Latinos. Do you want them to pick them in Mexico where they will support the Mexican economy with their spending dollars or in the U.S? Besides, the right's best policy so far in preventing immigration has been to destroy the U.S. economy, and guess what? It's working.

Ron Paul 2012!!!

Screw these other media darlings, politics-as-usual, racially-profling, issue flip-floppers and corporate pawns that have never even served in our country's military.

iphonedude let's review what you said, people from Europe, Europeans; people from Africa, Africans; people from Asia, Asians, and then imply that people from South and I would assume central America should be refered to the same as people from North America.

Many decades ago a hispanic attempted to correct me that when I used the term American to describe what nationality I was, he indicated that I was incorrect to refer to my self as an American because of the Central and South American supposed connection.

I pointed out to the ignorant person that the reason we are Americans and they are not is because the name of our country is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, whereas the people from central and/or south America live in countries such as Panama, Brazil, Chile etc. nowhere in the name of their country does the word America appear, therefore we are Americans who come from the United States of America and they are Panamanian, Brazilian, Chilian or whatever country they come from they are not Americans.

What you are implying is that a person is identified from the continent and not the country they come from.

You are very disingenuous on your point.

Whether it's about off-shoring, child labor, or abolishing the minimum wage, the right-wing protects Big Business. As such, deep down inside Teapublican leaders like Bush, Perry, Gingrich, etc. love illegal labor. Newt the pathological liar is just saying what he really believes (except the church-going part, that's just a dog whistle to cover the rest of his statement).

confused-3012211

Illegals take work form US citizens! Illegals take our jobs away! Illegals are a scourge on our society!

Dad gummet!! I lost my lawn mowing job to a MEXICAN! What has this country come to?

Why are conservatives in our country so DUMB???

The GOP has the Redneck vote.

Jon Exner, please continue exposing the american educational system. First of all, Central America is not a continent, so I guess both of you were incorrect. Second of all, if you take a look at the name United States of America, you'll find that there is a preposition there. Yes, "of", meaning belonging/deriving/originating from something else. I would assume, something else larger, but I won't go into that so you and your buddies continue to expose our american educational system.

Whether I agree with Newt on this or not, this is why I like Newt Gingrich..He thinks for himself and damn what others think in unison. He says what he means, and he means what he says. No B.S. or pie in the sky cliches.

Aggie-345886

Whether I agree with Newt on this or not, this is why I like Newt Gingrich..He thinks for himself and damn what others think in unison. He says what he means, and he means what he says. No B.S. or pie in the sky cliches.

Yeah, except he said,

"former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in a recent interview that the president may follow a "Kenyan, anti-colonial" worldview."

If that is not a cliche in your opinion, then I guess you are just as xenophibic as Newt.

Lack-of-Commonsense (#1.88). Most people here (excluding you certainly) can comprehend the difference betweeen LEGAL and ILLEGAL immigration.

If you really had something to attack, you would do so on substance rather than on base insults and your general lies and subterfuge. I cited credible news sources, and you cite none. You have no credible basis upon which to attack anything I've said, so you resort to your propensity for INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY. Further, previously, your false claims have been utterly discredited by others, so please spare us.

If Americans agreed with you (and they DO NOT) the amnesty agenda for which you advocate would already have passed (especially when the Democrats held a super-majority in Congress for 2 years)--- but Americans across the political spectrum (including this life-long Democrat) do not agree with you, and so, such misguided lawbreaking-incentivizing legislation has not passed!

We all find your "pro-immigration lawbreaking hysteria" as well as your anti-borders agenda INSUFFERABLE!

COMMENTS WILL NOT HARM NEWT

For a tiny few whose litmus test is a 1,000 foot wall all along the border, complete with electrified fence cranking at 10,000 volts, plus drone surveillance, backed up by 50,000 Marines on the ground, Newt's modest view is not strong enough.

That number is 0.2%.

For the rest of us, a comprehensive approach, not breaking up the families, and not attempting to deport 12,000,000 people is mainstream. You think we have a deficit now, try attempting to deport 12,000,000 people.

At any rate, this little "red herring" is best served AFTER the election of 2012, when serious grown ups can sit down and put together a sensible approach.

AngelicaS

Do you always have to right in bold? It doesn't make what you say any more verifiable

Cautiously Optomistic One..

Oh yeah...I've seen that cliche on bumper stickers, billboards, chanted at Republican gatherings. NOT! It's no match for "Hope and Change" "Yes we can"...Not catchy enough.

Newt said that Obama MAY follow that worldview. The topic are discussing is Newt's lienient and permissive suggestions about immigrants, and you're saying he's afraid of foreigners? Aren't immigrants foreigners? Hardly a trait of a xenophobe.

#1.120-- sometimes I enjoy "writing" (W-R-I-T-E not "right") in bold. Correct.

We've seen this act before. Newt comes out with something reasonable. If the far right shoots him directly in the foot, he immediately back-peddles. I think he is a very smart man. He continues to throw things out there that he knows the right-wing nuts will immediately reject. As he does so, he draws the crazies into broad daylight to expose them for what they really are. This is a double edged sword. He also draws out flip-flopping Romney and the rest of the field to oppose him on perfectly reasonable statements.

Despite the strong right wing opposition displayed here, I believe such tactics will attract main-stream Republicans, some Independents and even a few disillusioned Democrats. Gingrich may very well become the Republican nominee. I believe his vast experience in politics makes him the most formidable candidate to face President Obama in the general election.

Having said all of the above, the man is a worm. All but his most die-hard republican supporters know this well. He doesn't stand a chance in debate with our teleprompter President. Barrack Obama repeatedly beat out one the best orators in modern history with no teleprompter. The well-coached wife of Bill Clinton. A strong candidate in her own right that was once deemed unbeatable. He will tear Newt Gingrich to shreds.

Face the facts. Your best candidates for a Republican win in 2012 have all begged off with good reason. They will wait for better times when the smoke has cleared of the last Republican implosion from G.W. Bush and friends. A very wise decision for any serious career politician.

AngelicaS

W-r-i-t-i-n-g in bold makes you look like a psychopath who is dying for attention

#1.124-- You suffer from projection.

I happen to think Newt is wrong and I am a republican. At what age are you willing to allow people to stay. Those that have been here 25 years, 20 years,....? When you think about all they need is one child to reach 20 or 25 years of age and then they have the right to petition not just themselves but the rest of their families. Anyone who has immigrant parents' knows this. Meanwhile the rest of the country's immigrants, who are NOT hispanic, are waiting in line in order to come to the US. Do you think it is fair to all of them, that because they didn't sneak across the border ( in other words, they obeyed the law) to make them wait any longer than they should. Forgive me, for thinking that the US was such a fair country.... Basically what this law for amnesty is saying is that, I don't care if I screw others in the process, I only care about myself first!!!!!!!!!!!! If that is the case, you will find that more people will be willing to come to this country under a tourist visa and will hide until they are either caught or they reach the age of amnesty. The law is the law. They should leave.

Aggie-345886

Newt said that Obama MAY follow that worldview.

So, since he inserted "may" into the sentence, that makes it ok?

You sound like my old bigoted grandpa, who used to tell a racist joke, then spent twenty minutes explaining why he was not a bigot.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Are you actually trying to pass, as a non-Redneck?

Aggie. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

AngelicaS

You suffer from the habit of voting for your own comment to give the impression that what you say is more valid than everyone else's opinion.

In last night's debate virtually all said they wanted to first "secure the border" or "close the border". But not one had anything to say on how they would do that. Or, considering how much importance they put on deficit reduction, how they will pay for it.

I am hoping that some people here may provide some insight on how that closing of the border will actually work, without being a big expenditure that is easily circumvented. I mean, a bigger fence is beat by a bigger ladder or a longer tunnel. Fence plus patrols on land is beat by boats going right around, after all the US has a lot of coastline. And these are very costly items for a country as broke as ours.

Let's move this discussion from empty rhetoric to some concrete proposals that have a chance of working.

Imagine being an immigrant waiting in line to come to the US. Someone else is also waiting just like you. He decides to sneak across the border but you decide to obey the authorities. It is now 10 years later. You finally get your chance to come to the US after spending all that time and money. You obviously have to start again from scratch in a new country, but who cares, right? Meanwhile, the guy that has already been in this country for 10 years has already established himself. And according to Newt, he is also granted citizenship as well. Who do you think would be more pissed off, you or him?

And yes, I have relatives that have been waiting years, so this is actually a TRUE STORY! There is only one way to remedy this situation and it is for illegals to go home!

THE LAW IS THE LAW! PHRUP!! It's amazing how small minded people are. If we're going to go back 25 years ago to correct injustice, why stop there. Let's go back to 120 years ago when the great white masters stripped the land from the Indians--let's return their land. Or let's go back 180 years ago when the great white masters had no problem with enslaving other human beings--let's bring all the slavers decendents to trial for crimes against humanity. Or let's go back 230 years ago when the colonists decided to break the law and rebel against England--after all the law was the law and the colonialists broke it. Or how about going back to over 400 years ago when the great white conquerors decided that their ideology, religion and societal norms where above those of the indigenous people they found on the American Continent--mutilation of soverign people's right to pursue their chosen beliefs--what's the punishment for that??.

You want to stop illegal immigration? You start now. What happened in the past, for whatever reason, cannot be changed. These illegals have been here for so long that they are now an integral part of our society. Removing them will cause greater catastrophe than the housing breakdown of three years ago.

I realize it's much easier to scream out emotional nonsense; but when you think something through to its conclusion, you just might realize that your emotional rant is illogical.

I don't like Newt, but his assessment of the illegal immigrant situation is right on the mark. I just hope he stays with that position and doesn't change it when the right wing nut-jobs start turning away. But, true to form, once he realizes that his stance will not fly with the obtuse right-wingers, he will change his tune. He’s done it in the past, and will most likely do it in the future.

Newt/Romney for 2012. If you don't like their current stance, come back in a week and it will change....

Excellent Point Unhappy (#1.130)!

Cautiously Optimistic one....You are just trying TOO hard. You don't know a freakin' thing about me. So, give it up already. Aren't you getting dizzy with all of your spinning as to what YOU think defines me? You're making a fool of yourself with a lot of pointless yapping. This topic is not about ME you jackass.

The bottom line being that it really doesn't matter what ideals nor ideas Newt or anyone else in the republican party has as they will be replaced instantly by the extremist wants entirely. Newt, Romney, Cain or MCain... it doesn't matter which one was voted into the POTUS position, they will have to fight in house for any and everything they want or become lame duck within their own ranks. Kind of like what happened with Obama during the first two years of his Presidency as the party majority was negated by the handful of democrats that voted with the republicans on each and every issue other than the healthcare bill and even then they would have voted no unless their party took out the public options and replaced it with the force to pay or penalties the republicans wanted.

The extremist will rule the party regardless of who is voted a republican president.

Look at the poll on CNN.
Newt just shot himself in the foot by throwing Americans in the gutter to pander to criminals for their votes.

How will backing limited amnesty for longtime illegal immigrants affect Newt Gingrich's GOP campaign?

Hurt 45% 6918

Neither 28% 4222

Help 27% 4187

Newt said that some illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay because he needs his lawn cut. The world will know for sure we lost our minds for voting for someone like this, Newt it must be nice to be dumb as dirt.

Allow me to correct you. It must be nice to be the brightest bulb in a group of candle holders despite your constant flickering and obnoxious odor. Slimy Newt IS the best you have to offer in this election cycle. Good luck with that.

After around seven amnesties, and this presidents form of another one that have only increased the illegal alien problem in our country. One would think strict enforcement is the only option left! Reminds me of the definition of insanity "doing the same thing, the same way, and expecting different results"!

A presidental contender does not say, qoute: (Faux News) " The OWS protesters should go home, take a bath, and find a job!" I'm glad that you think that it is all that easy, Newt! Get a life!

Great. Newt rises from the eighties, where ketchup was a vegetable before Reagan and none of them could spell ethics.

Reminds me of the definition of insanity "doing the same thing, the same way, and expecting different results"!

This is insane. Nowhere is insanity defined as such.

I just want to ask everyone whether the Pilgrims (or early settlers) were considered legal or illegal immigrants? Should they (and their descendants) be thankful for the opportunity to dwell on this rich land and thus extend their arms to the new settlers ("illegal immigrants") like the Natives once did?

Completely asinine point - So far off base it's difficult to know where to begin. In the first place, when the "Pilgrims" arrived, they didn't have the all-powerful, Imperial Federal Government to run to, and ask they they take money, by force, from the Native Americans, to give to them simply for "Showing up", or in the name of "compassion".

Additionally - they started from Scratch... and made their own way. They had EVERY intention of going it alone, and had NO way of knowing that there might be current occupants willing to lend a hand, which in some cases they did, but they sure as hell weren't forced by government to do so.

This conservative says he is 100% correct in this regard. There is a difference

The only politician who's been "neutered" is Pres. Obama, it happened in November, 2010 !

I guess I look at things from a more realistic point of view. If an Illegal Alien has been in the country 5+ years (it takes five years to apply for citizenship); I have to ask myself, why haven't they taken the time to Register for Residency or begin steps toward Citizenship? Illegal Aliens can't hide behind "well, my parents brought me here as a baby." Once that Illegal Alien becomes an adult, (age 18 years) they have a responsibility to establish legal residency or citizenship. However, if their parents are illegal; it is also the parents duty to correctly register the family and then this issue would be a moot point. If Aliens are illegal, and they know they are illegal; then they need to take steps to correct that issue. Knowingly refusing to become legal residents or citizens; supersedes any excuse they can make or length of time in this country without getting caught. At this point, the Illegal Alien is knowingly and continually breaking our residency/citizenship laws and should be arrested, proscecuted and deported as such.. Name one other country in the world that would put up with the infestation of Illegal Aliens, as America has; and not take steps to remedy the issue!

Just sneak into Mexico or any other country, without legal documentation, and see what happens to you! Mexico will throw you in the darkest cell they can find and if your lucky, you might be released and deported in a couple of years!

Time doesn't eliminate the fact, that an illegal alien is an illegal alien. That is why we are a country of laws. However, don't decry "tearing families apart"; when the illegal aliens had the opportunity to correct the issue and refuse to take those steps that bring them to legal residency as set forth by the Constitution.

However, this issue goes deeper than just an illegal living here free and clear for over twenty years and now wants amnesty from deportation. What does this behavior say about the illegal aliens regard for this country? America isn't here for illegal aliens to milk dry without regard to our laws, tax responsibilities or financial responsibilities. I welcome any illegal who wants to remedy this issue and become a registered, contributing member of our society. Alternately, Illegals who have been living "under the radar"and milking our government benefits, job market and straining our courts and educational facilities have to go; regardless of length in this country.

Furthermore, what does this behavior say to immigrants who have been waiting for years to enter this country the correct way? The more illegals we have in this country; the fewer contributing immigrants will be allowed to enter legally and become citizens.

In conclusion, the illegal immigrant issue must be addressed. This is a matter of National Security. We don't know WHO has crossed our borders or what hidden agenda they may have. Illegal immigrants are overwhelming our social programs; such as Social Security, Medicare, State Welfare Programs, and Education. Illegal Aliens are backlogging our Court Systems and Prisons with Crime Riddled cases and convictions. Illegal Aliens are an established source of Illegal Drug, Gang and Weapons movement in this country. Illegal Aliens are crippling our economic stability due to American job loss to a cheaper illegal workforce. Illegals are not just going for blue collar worker field jobs anymore; Americans are losing critical higher level blue and white collar worker jobs to this cheap labor market.

Bottom line... Regardless of length of time in this country; Illegal Aliens who refuse to take necessary steps to become registered residents and accountable to our governing laws; and, eventually citizenship.. Need to leave... They don't have our country's best interest at heart and it isn't our responsibility to support them or their families while they wreak havoc on this nation's economy, and National Security stability.....

Ron, you clearly have no understanding of how the immigration process works in this country. Let me explain it to you. There are two types of undocumented immigrants, ones who come legally and overstay their visas, and those that simply cross the border. If you come legally there are processes that can lead to a path to residency and eventually citizenship. If you marry an American citizen you can easily adjust your status and obtain residency. Now, if you enter illegally and are here more than a year it's very difficult to obtain residency. This is where the system really is broke. If you turn 18 as you say and should begin the process there is something called the 10 year bar that is automatically imposed on you. So if you try to obtain residency you are looking at going back to your country of origin, mostly Mexico, for 10 years. Not a very attractive option. Even if you marry an American citizen you still might have to go back for 10 years. The only way to avoid this is to obtain a waver which is done by demonstrating true hardship on your American partner. This goes above and beyond the normal, "I would miss them." So it comes down to your partner needing to be disabled in some way, or you need to have lots of kids that are born here. Remember, these children would have an American parent as well, so don't think they are "anchor babies" by any means. And one last thing, this process can cost over $10,000. This is paid not to the government, but to the lawyers.

Ok, to address your statement that all the other countries would do the same is completely incorrect. France offers the opportunity to come to France and work to any of the countries it once colonized. You would think there would be scores of people from the Ivory Coast and Cameroon arriving in France, especially since there isn't even a language barrier. But Ron, there isn't. They don't have a huge immigration problem. And they certainly don't have scores of immigrants arriving at CDG to pick fruit and vegtables that the French are unwilling to pick.

The point is the system needs to be changed. The 10 year bar needs to go away and there needs to be a path to citizenship for those that have been here a long time. Right now there simply isn't a path.

Can't you see it is this man and his friends that get richer off cheap labor going to share his bounty with those of us who are suffering. I worked until I became disabled, now I cant get good medical care even on medicare. And stop using Obama for a scape goat, this going was going down hill fast before he came to office. I am so sick of politicians who care only to line the greedy deep pockets of themselves and their rich friends. Who is going to pay the burden cost for these people to live here and bring every friend the know here. while Americans lose every thing and die from poor health care. FOR GOD SAKE WAKE UP AMERICA HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE TO SELFISH SMOOTH TALKERS LIKE THIS MAN. You can't possibly think you're safe. Stop living in denial.

Dem in Texas,

I do understand the Illegal Immigrations issues in this country. However, unlike you; I don't wish to make excuses for unacceptable behavior. We are not talking about illegals that marry Americans. Residency issues for illegals that marry Americans can easily be addressed. However, let's carry that thought process one step further. What about illegals that marry Americans and don't bother to apply for legal residency. There has to be some accountability for ones actions; at some point in a person's life.

Next let's look at the "10 year bar" from America as you indicated. No one said residency or citizenship was without difficulty; however, that doesn't make the process any less necessary. Yes, an illegal might have to return to their own country for up to 10 years before allowed re-entry and residency. Sometimes there are penalties and consequences when you knowingly are breaking a country's laws and regulations.

However, let me remind you this "10 year ban " has not always been the case. Let us not forget prior Amnesty Programs offered to Illegal Aliens during the "Regan Era" that would have eliminated the "10 year ban" on illegals registering, that went ignored by a vast majority of illegal aliens. Our government has offered opportunities in the past for illegals to register without facing forced deportation; and these opportunities have been largely ignored, until now due to National Security issues. So, no... I don't accept they don't want to go back to their own country for up to 10 years before returning here.

Bottom line, Illegal is just that-Illegal. To say, we shouldn't force Illegals to register due to the inconvenience of possible 10 year ban is foolhardy. Illegal Aliens are not American citizens or legal residents, plain and simple. As such, they offer no loyalty or accountability to this nation. They are citizens of whatever nation they came from and we currently have no way of determining any hidden agenda they may have.

To say, "Well, yes, they are breaking the law, but they would be forced to return home for 10 years"; is the same as saying there should be no accountability or consequence for a criminal action. And yes, entering any country without proper documentation is a criminal action. You can't pick and choose what laws to obey and what laws to ignore... That would destroy the very fabric of any nation.

As a previously stated, I have no problem with any Illegal Alien who wants to properly register or apply for citizenship and become accountable members of our society. I have no problem streamlining the Residency process, which includes background checks; and streamlines paths to Citizenship. However, I do have a problem with allowing Illegal Aliens Cart Blanche residency because they have "lived under the radar" for numerous years.

Finally, using your work visa examples of France and Cameroon back at you. Let me remind you those examples are inefficient. Why? America also has Work Visas... Those examples France and Cameroon, don't have Illegal Alien issues because they don't have the Social Welfare Programs to the extent America does. As such, Illegals don't stay there. Illegals harvest the fruit and return home or starve. The majority of Illegal Aliens coming to America, aren't applying for work visas to enter and work in this country. I have no problem issuing a work visa to an alien that allows them to work for a specific period of time and return home. However, this isn't happening. Those Aliens that do obtain work visas are staying past the expiration date and overwhelming our social, judicial and educational systems. Alternately, Aliens are crossing our borders at night, pulling jobs away from a already crippled economy; and, refusing to return home or be held accountable under our laws by declaring their residency.

It's time to stop making excuses for a problem that seriously needs to be addressed. If our current path to residency and citizenship is flawed.. Fine, it's time to apply pressure to our elected officials to correct these issues. However, part of this streamline process must be background checks... We need to know who is crossing our borders; or "hiding under the radar" in our country. Are they friend or foe? Finally, Aliens who refuse to become inclusive in this process should and must be deported; regardless of length of time in this country and ties to their communities. You can only offer so many opportunities to a law breaker before they must face the consequences of their actions.

That is being responsible, that is being an adult, that is putting America first before "Political Affiliation or Correctness".

Carson...I agree both parties speak with forked tongues on the issue, but disagree on the different reasons.

You can't seriously believe no Democrat business owner in the U.S. hires illegals or that none use them in their home or mow their yard. Just like you can't seriously believe the Republicans don't want their vote.

Dems are only interested cuz they think they'll gain a big new voting block. Try taking away the path to citizenship and watch the dems start screaming. That'll reveal their true motivations.

You are almost correct Carson... but let me explain something about wages. Employers of immigrants are almost always able to get a slightly better deal on the cost of labor when hiring an Undocumented worker. However, the employer will still be forced to pay at least the minimum wage. Farms and agriculture jobs usually have provisions that allow for labor under the state/federal minimum wage. The problem is that the average AMERICAN won't work for that wage or as hard for that wage or under the conditions that the Undocumented worker will tolerate. The republicans understand the NEED for the undocumented worker. Politically the problem is that people have misconceptions that undocumented workers are all criminals (aside from illegal entry), that they don't pay taxes, that they are lazy, and that they steal jobs from Americans. False, False, False, and False. Politicians also don't want to appear like they are opening the flood gates for more people to come here -- which I agree with.

I have said many times: Seal our borders tight (I say use the military) and then start the process of deporting the criminal element and legitimizing the people (Even if it isn't citizenship) that are already here on the condition that they learn english, pay (back) taxes, and stay out of trouble.

Dear David,

I would work at a farm or do that job. I have done janitor work and other works that many would turn their nose up to. At $75-$100 a day, I would harvest almonds or pick grapes any day. Problem is that farmers don't really advertise these jobs, for they would also have to pay more taxes (payroll taxes, paperwork, W-2s at the end of the year, etc.). Having some job that actually does pay better is better than no job, which is the situation for MILLIONS of people that need work because they are not going to extend jobless benefits again (where will the money come from? China probably will not lend to us anymore...)

Wayne-1656909

Actually, that isn't true. I am one of his constituents although I haven't yet decided who to vote for in the primary. His comments won't change my mind either way because he makes sense. Those who have been in our country for 25 years, have all the things he talked about AND had never been in trouble with the law or been on welfare, could be given a way to stay legally but not citizenship and not given the right to vote in our elections. I could live with that. But it would have to be written in stone that could not be changed down the road that they could not vote. That would prevent the vote buying by either party of trying to give them citizenship. There has to be punishment for coming here illegally. Those without such community ties and those who have had problems with the law need to be deported. Proof of their ties would have to be provided and scrutinized. These kind of people we could accept. You see Wayne we just think people should have respect for our laws, but many of the Obama supporters don't feel the same.

Part of that kind of solution to the illegal problem would also need to include the requirement that they and all their relatives learn English as the duel language programs in school and elsewhere in our society would be eliminated saving us billions of dollars each year.

david... you many others are disingenuous when it comes to illegal aliens. You try to portray the problem in the simplest of terms it's all about the agriculture industry. Well get real david there are not 12 -20 million illegal aliens in this country picking in the fields.

They are hired in the meat packing, construction, hospitality and other industries that the American workers would work in.

As far as the agriculture industry a guest worker program could be set up where the come and work and go home, no citizenship need be given.

Idiots blame President Obama for the stock market drop? Do they also blame him for the toilets that back up in Penn Station? Or the floods in the northeast and the fires out west? Sure...why not. Any excuse for not blaming those who had full charge for decades right?

Grinchrich is riding a high on the polls. The guy's a egomaniac. When you start with that, it's all downhill from there.

The reality is that President Obama had nothing to do with the drop in the stock market, floods, fires, toilet backups or anything else the right obsessively and addictively love to blame him for.

In 3 years, he's spent more of his energies deflecting the massive GOP initiative to destroy his right to his presidencies. God help the Republican who ever gets his job again...I personally will do all the name calling, pointing out of every possible speck of flaw and error from the rooftops. Giving as good as one gets is permissable in the face of cowards who can't man up to the loony they put in office for 8 years.

Newtster is in his glory right now. Like all Republican candidates, it's not about the people of his country, it's about him. Why doesn't the GOP just admit they read the Ayn Rand Bible as if it was law?

Carson...There's a bigger reason neither party is in any hurry to resolve the illegal issues in a formidable manner. Too many red states rely heavily on those illegals to work in their industries. These red stater businesses are cheapos who want to pay the least possible living wages. It's a throwback to their legacy as a plantation culture where free or as near to free labor is the only way their businesses can succeed.

Is that true? No. What's true is that in order for Mr. Big Business Owner to become obscenely wealthy, his wealth has to originate in cheap or free labor. Until this issue is resolved, the illegal issue won't go away.

Jobs jobs jobs...everybody crying jobs jobs jobs. When [immigrants] displace American citizens that would like to work with their hands, not only are jobs lost, but those people must then move

It doesn't work that way. The efforts of immigrants, including unauthorized immigrants EXPANDS the economy. The notion that there are a finite number of jobs in America that can never be exceeded is nonsene.

The labor of immigrants leads to an expansion of the economy, more taxes paid, and more jobs for US citizens than would otherwise be the case.

Simple economics.

In Texas alone, unauthorized immigrants add over $17 billion to the state GDP annually and pay in a net of more than $400 million in taxes over and above the cost of services they receive.

I would work at a farm

But would any farmer be willing to pay you? Would you work as hard or as productively as the people that are being targeted for persecution by the bigoted politicians in Alabama?

I doubt it. Otherwise you'd be doing it already. Nobody's stopping you, after all.

Dear,Jon

I agree with your comments and i am also thinking of what will i work as when i grow up. i have just started High school and i am thinking of the medical field but without the funds the 1% take from us 99% it might just ruin us all i am thinking for some one who can solve all problems not long term crap. and second i'm not from america but i am an American born citizen and i stand for throwing the hispanic's away!!!! who know what they're planning who knows if they might get us back when there are millions of them so they should bounce to the back and give us our jobs back.

ewent @ #3.8,

Your "logic" fails again. Some "red" states as you call them, have taken action, have passed laws to limit illegal immigration and then get SUED by the Federal government. Yet you claim they are taking advantage of cheap labor. Now which is it ???????????? You can't have it both ways !

This is ewent arguing against ewent !

Jon 3.6 = AGREED. Illegals work for minimum wage in jobs that normal Americans are making 12+ hr. so real Americans are not able to work. Illegals pay no taxes on their cash intake, often draw some gov. money, and therefore make lots more spendable cash than working Americans. In general illegals do NOT want to be Americans, they want to create their culture in the USA and live covertly. I see illegals here that drive far nicer vehicles than I do, live in equal or better houses (often 7 adults and 7 kids= why I sold my rental properties), some are criminals who steal and sell drugs, and seem to be protected by government. One police sgt. told me that if he spent 20 hrs. doing paperwork on the illegal theives, that the judge would just turn them loose; so the illegals steal with impunity. Local elderly people won;t go to the doctor's without a house sitter since crime/ illegals have taken over. Question is...... are the illegals any worse than the 5th generation scumbags that infest our land?

uncommonsense you quoted Ronald Reagan so I hate to bust your bubble but several years later even Reagan stated he made a mistake in signing the amnesty bill.

Carson Carter

...The Democrats want all their voters to think they love the illegals for humane reasons, yet they know they are populating the country like rabbits, hurting our economy by draining resources, so they say they are going to get rid of them. Neither is going to do anything about the illegals - that you can believe.

Speak on behalf of your own party, especially when you arrogantly assume you know what Democrats want. Your comment about "populating the country like rabbits" displays your party's truly bigoted colors; not ours. The population growth of that group doesn't concern me any more than the population growth among the craziest, most intolerant Americans to ever inhabit this country does.

pruden: Farmers don't advertise jobs???? Where have you been? Hightail it to Arkansas, where the new hate law has frightened legals and illegals alike and left thousands of jobs wide open. Arkansas farmers are desperate. They can't GET Americans to do this backbreaking, low-paying work. Let's see how long you last--

Carson: I'd say your boy George Bush was one republican who could count...and he wasn't counting ILLEGAL votes, he was counting LEGAL Hispanic votes. Bush now looks like a liberal compared to this bunch of extremists running the republican party--who cannot count and say goodbye to any hpe of winning the LEGAL Hispanic vote. You want Democrats to copy them and pretend they're haters too? Don't think so.

Jon:

Here's Reagan's quote when he signed the immigration bill into law:

"Future generations of Americans will be thankful for our efforts to humanely regain control of our borders and thereby preserve the value of one of the most sacred possessions of our people — American citizenship."

I don't sense any regret. If you say different, then prove it.

monkeyshines you misunderstood or ignored what I had posted, I said that several years later Reagan stated that it was a mistake to give amnesty.

Honestly, I do not care how many are serving with the military. The bottom line is that their parents are here ILLEGALLY, not legally!!! It is our law to send them all home, not pick and choose or ignore as the federal government has done. You should not get to automatically be a US citizen if your parents are here illegally. Every single illegal person should be deported back where they came from. Our government officials are sworn to uphold our laws and are failing to do so. I honestly do not care if it tears a family up or not. It is their fault that they came hear illegally, not mine or any other persons and they should not be rewarded in any way for being here illegally. The illegals should not get any benefits from our governments. Newt needs to go away and any other candidate that wants to reward law breakers.

Mark,

I honestly do not care if it tears a family up or not. It is their fault

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.

Mark-384387....It probably would take a Constitutional Amendment to change that. Supporters of birthright citizenship ( and who are these supporters anyway ? ) use a Constitutional Amendment written to give freed slaves citizenship to support the idea that every baby born here is automatically a citizen. At the least it would take a Supreme Court Decision clarifying that Amendment, I have not seen anyone working in that direction. Interesting how Congress ( either side) refuses to take any action that makes so much logical sense for America.

We need another Ross Perot to step up to the plate and take on both parties. But not a nut job like Ron Paul.

I'm sure Obama will ethically not seek the Latino vote in the next election.

Mark,

If we had a working application process, I could agree with you. But, when it takes over 10 years to get a green card, there is a problem. Put yourself in someone else's position - what would you do if there were no jobs where you lived, but you had a family to feed - would you go to another country to get work, even though it's against the law? I know I would.

I think the issue of illegal immigration is more difficult to solve than people think. If the government has trouble getting the people they know of back to their home countries, can you imagine the task of trying to send back hundreds of thousands ? I would like to think it is not an issue that is an all or nothing. I have to agree with Newt (never thought I would say that). If you have been here many years, pay taxes (as many illegals do) and obey the law, then yes let us have them go through the papers to begcome legal. But for those who are not part of our society as tax paying, law abiding people, they have got to go to their birth countries. And let us not think they are just from Mexico and Puerto Rico either ! On that note, I wish there was an island to send our "citizens" who are letches to our society, using up our tax dollars and breaking our laws...where can we send them ?? That woudl save us a bundle too !!

And as for needing the man power to make all this happen ? How about bringing our men anad woman in the middle east back home. Let them guard OUR borders !! They can build a wall of people down south. We have plenty of work that needs done here at home and the people...we are just leasing them to other countries. SO tired of reading about more and more American lives being lost, afraid one day I will read names of those I know and love who are over there, for other causes while we fight a war here in the US.. When will someone wake up and walk us out of there !! I fill like a sitting duck here.

Patty..."can you imagine the task of trying to send back hundreds of thousands ?"

Actually it's very simple. You start fining and jailing everyone who hires illegals. Soon no will hire them. There will be no reason for them to stay here and, more importantly, come here in the first place.

Stop hiring them and they will self-deport, as has already been seen when they lost jobs due to the economy.

Oh please, the anchor babies of illegals automatically become a US Citizen which is PROBLEM number one. It is due to the 14th amendment being mis-interpreted. No where in the amendment does state that anyone born in this country is a citizen. It was made to deal with the offspring of SLAVES who had parents that were 'stateless'. If this were to go to the Supreme Court it would be correctly interpreted. We and Canada are the ONLY 2 countries in the world that allow this foolishness.

Secondly, do tell me a ballpark number of those in the armed services thare are anchor babies? Simply stating it does not make it fact. I for one think all US kids should do summers in basic training but that is another topic.

Your assumption that tomatoes will go to $5/pound is ridiculous and also proven false. Quite simply, we have plenty of LEGAL new immigrants (you know the ones that come documented, health checked, background checked) who would still fill many of those jobs. Additionally even if you had to increase the wages it would result in no more than 20 cents a pound and if you balance that with the fact we would never have to pay for the handouts to illegal alien anchor babies (free healthcare, welfare, section-8 housing, etc et) I would be willing to pay the 20 cents a pound extra.

Don't worry though, speaking of $5/lb tomatoes that will be here soon once mega-inflation kicks in. You see a country cannot just print trillions of new dollars and live in 15 trillion of debt and not expect inflation to come and when it does you will see much higher food prices. A problem created by BOTH parties.

Mark, Who is residing in the US legally vs. illegally is an arbitrary determination. This country was founded by illegals who simply came and took over. Now we're all self rightous about who should be allowed to stay. I understand that we need to have rules, but saying that you don't care if it tears a family up is just callous. I'm especially sympathetic to young adults who were brought here as babies/children. Illegally? yes, but through no fault of their own. They were raised and educated here, not knowing any other home, and are now being told to get out. And go where?! I just see that kind of treatment as un-American.

</rant>

The law is the law is the law. It's not hard. It's not difficult. Learn it - love it - and enforce it.

I love how people argue about how these lawbreakers are "performing a valuable service to our society" (whether you're like randel who seems to think these illegals are what has allowed our military to triumph over and over - or you're like Ron who thinks that food will stop being produced because the illegals will go home and no one will be left to "work the fields").

What would happen if the illegals weren't working the fields? Hmm. No one would accept what the farmers are willing to pay and the food would rot in the fields, right? Easy to say that - now lets put ourselves in the shoes of the farmer. They've invested time and money into growing a crop (or they want to) but they can't get anyone to assist them with planting, caring and harvesting that crop for what they're willing to pay. What to do. HMM. Maybe, I'm going to have to raise the rate I'm willing to pay to attract the talent I need to do the job (my God - make farmers like every other business person in America - perish the thought). Well, hell! That cuts into my profits. Oh wait. I can raise the price of the product when I sell it and thereby maintain my profit margin.

Any moron who thinks capitalism is too fragile to handle price corrections needs to be shipped out WITH the illegals because you're too stupid to live here.

And... oh my God... if prices go up from the farmer, well, hell! That means my price goes up.

Gee. Anyone want to guess what I'm going to do? I'm going to do the same thing that happens in America day after day. I'm going to judge as to whether or not I can afford the new price. If I can't, I look for alternatives. If the alternatives aren't satisfactory and the product is one I have to have, then I figure out how to increase my cash flow to pay for it (job hopping, sticking to your guns are wage evaluation time, you name it) or make sacrifices somewhere else.

And what about those greedy people working the fields who are now making $9.00 an hour? They're taking their money and paying back the farmer by buying his products. They're buying iPhones that they can't afford and are reinvesting their money into the great wheel that is capitalistic society.

MY GOD YES. Prices go up. But so do wages. The pool of workers decreases... but so do the number of illegals sucking services out of our tax base.

And if you don't like the fact that it takes 10 years to get a green card, then fix that problem. But don't offer that up as an excuse to break the law of the land. Personally, I think it shouldn't be anything less than 10 years. There should be a component of immigration that requires service to our country (whether that's military or otherwise). And we need to discourage (as one other posted called them) "hyphenated Americans". It's fine to celebrate your culture. It's perfectly acceptable to not want to lose your roots. But when you're here, you're an American first and foremost - because it's America that protects and celebrates with you your right to be unique.

I was blessed with two grandparents who emigrated to the US. My mom's dad's family came over from Sicily. My dad's mom's family escaped from a Nazi prison camp in Russia (they were a fairly affluent family in Poland before Hitler invaded and took everything). Both of them came to America - and went through the legal channels to gain citizenship. My dad's mom was fluent in over 10 languages and taught at our local college. My mom's dad worked on the rail and had the simple but enviable goal of making life better for his family and ensuring that his children could take advantage of the opportunities offered by living here. They may have been Sicilian and Polish when they arrived on our shores, but they identified themselves as "Americans" when asked - even when travelling back to Sicily or Poland.

No one respects legal immigration more than I do. I guess that's why illegal immigration burns my britches like it does. It cheapens - at least in my eyes - what "citizenship" means. A good part of the "value" of a product is determined by the difficulty of building/creating/obtaining it. If we start allowing for "McCitizenship", does anyone truly believe that's going to increase the "value" that the newest immigrants place on "American citizenship"? I certainly don't.

</end rant>

MM-584706

As Thomas Jefferson said, the way to ruin a Democracy is to give a man something for his vote. That is a major problem with both parties and especially the Democrat buy votes with social programs. I agree that that addition to the Constitution needs to be clarified so that we no longer have the anchor baby problem. i.e. only applies if a baby is born to citizens of the USA. The way to get the politicians to vote for it is to take away their incentive to vote against it in hopes of gaining more voters. If the solution to our illegal problem did something along the liens Gingrich talked about but also included a stipulation that none of those who entered illegally could ever be given full citizenship or the right to vote, that would change the political dynamics and maybe we could get this problem settled once and for all. Then it would totally be dealt with in light of the law and economic factors not votes to keep anyoen in power.

JimmY..."This country was founded by illegals who simply came and took over."

LOL!!! Illegals? Serioulsy? What laws did they break? Maybe it was unethical to set up camp on the land of Indians that didn't want them here, but what about the ones the Indians welcomed? Did they do anything wrong or illegal?

Read some history.

drc -

You are out in left field about the 14th amendment. The first sentence of Section 1 is extremely clear:

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

How is that being mis-interpreted?

Joe King...$$$$$$$$ always cause misinterpretations. This society of Daycare Generation Twerps are so self-important, they rarely see beyond their own surgically rearranged noses.

The more tripe that comes out of their mouths, the more you see a deteriorating society into a morass of selfish narcissists who care about no one but themselves. And this is the "United" States?

They want law read hard and sharp until their businesses are in trouble. Then they get their hotcha lawyers to soften those laws as much as they can. Smell the hypocrisy yet?

Mark said:

Every single illegal person should be deported back where they came from.

And what about those who are 'stateless' and legally don't have anywhere to go? I was an 'abandoned baby', I have no birth certificate saying where I was born or who I was born to or even WHEN I was born (imagine not knowing how old you are and when your birthday is.) So since I don'thave that, is your solution a bullet in my head since I came from nowhere, and can't be sent anywhere?

Mark said:

It is their fault that they came hear illegally, not mine or any other persons

Okay. You do realize that ICE includes the 43,000 unaccompanied minors they detain each year as 'illegal', right? The majority of these 'unaccompanied minors' are vicims of the child sex trade, trafficked in so LEGAL US residents can make child porn and not be prosecuted when they are caught--since the 'illegal child' doesn't have rights and the word of an 'illegal' isn't admissible against a legal citizen, the legal pedophile can go on his merry way and do it again. These children, some as young as 18 months, didn't come here willingly and their 'illegal' status is not their fault.

ICE also includes as 'illegal' those children adopted internationally by LEGAL US citizens who paid thousands of dollars to adopt this infant, only to find out too late that the adoption agency pocketed the money for papers and instead gave the parents falsified papers instead. This isn't the child's fault; this isn't even the parents' fault.

ICE also includes as 'illegal' people like me; I was adopted as an infant from overseas and a legal citizen for 18 years of my life until ICE lost my adoption paper and decided that made me 'illegal' and decided to deport me. I had report cards and school records that proved I was here for my entire life but that didn't make a difference to them, I was still 'illegal'.

Shaking,

the Democrat buy votes with social programs

A bit cynical, are we? Has it ever occurred to you that a lot of those folks are sincere?

I don't mind Newt's view on illegal immigration so much. If they are contributing to society then why not let them stay. Besides, they take the jobs that most people don't want. I would much rather them focus their attention on the people that just suck up all the government aid that they possibly can and don't maintain a job or contribute to society. That is the real problem. Sure some of these people are Hispanic, but most are black. Now...if we could round all them up and ship them back, I would be all for that.

joe king I may not be a scholar but I know that whenever I have done any research on the 14th Amendment it always point towards the issue of slaves having the right of citizenship. Nowhere have I read that it applies to foreigners who just happens to step foot on American soil.

Secondly, I have read that at the time of passage of the 14th Amendment there were debates that clearly stated that this would not apply to diplomats etc. So if it did not apply to diplomats how could it apply to the average person who comes here illegally?

They need to go back to that sh*thold they came from and make it better. They want to carry the Mexican flag around, and celebrate the cinco de mayo here. For some to have that much pride for a worthless country is beyond me. Go be a Mexican somewhere else, this is America. That goes to the Jews, Muslims, Irish, whatever the f*ck you are This is America the best country in the world. Why do you think so many nationalities, come here? Forget that, I forgot about free welfare program our GOVT. hands out. Do you think if I move to Russia, they will celebrate the fourth of July? Deport everyone that is here illegal, that will create tons of jobs. Big head Newt thanks for helping me make my decision, you guys are making this easy for me. Thanks

Jimmy, where do you live? When our forefathers came over, there were no laws. However, do you recall Ellis Island? Most immigrants came throuh Ellis Island, legally. You really need to get some facts straight.

Love the post Happy Blaze. We give kids of illegals a free ride in most states and the citizens of our fine country accumulate tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. Some middle class just can not afford to go to college because of the loans. Maybe this is why we do not have engineers. It is a sad day when illegals and their kids take a front seat to legal citizens. How sad and pathetic gingrich was.

Happy Blaze...Much of the problem lies with students and parents themselves, simply not working to potential, or taking the easy way out. Too few are willing to do the work to become engineers, programmers, etc, so we need very desparately to import talent. Many Asians, especially many from India region are coming here in numbers ( and are being recruited by corporations to come here ) because they have worked hard to get skills that are in demand and not available here in America in sufficient numbers to fill available openings. Too many Americans think that becomming a Computer Programmer means learning how to save the Princess !

I have no problem with skilled labor coming to the US - especially those with tech skills (and I work in the software industry). These are often the best and brightest other countries have to offer, and I'd much rather they work and start businesses in the US than in other countries.

Like the saying goes, if you want to be the best, play with the best. Getting the brightest minds from around the world to come to the US is a win for the US and all of us in this country.

LOL, pride and respect has nothing to do with this. Its common knowledge and fact that Americans are just too dumb!!! Stop wrapping yourselve in the silly flag and fix the real problem. All the U.S.A chants over and over...all the "Im a patriot" type posts over and over does not make a person intelligent.

To actually fix the problem you need education period. Americans should be ashamed at the status of their education system but then again they are too stupid to realize there is a problem.

Well, you are certainly a testament to our failing educational system.

Pain in the a** Newt may be..But he is honest. Pride does not educate. Hard work educates. Money does not educate...Good teachers, strong family, and hard work educates. If that were not true explain how countries who spend little in the ways of money on education are blowing our kids out of the water on the tests . Teachers here (in ohio anyway) are held, restricted to being paper pushers. LET THEM TEACH !! We are so worried about making the nicest, grandest schools, yet we teach our kids test taking..not teaching kids to learn. We recently got several schools in our area built. They look like colleges ! One school is a whole city block and it is in a poor area where half the kids do not get further education, 10% do not even graduate. Yet the campus would rival any college. We need to get back to basics with our kids. Let teachers do what they are trained to do, give them more freedom. Get rid of the board of education..we did fine without it before.

patty,

Concerning paperwork, one thing I keep hearing over and over is the volume of paperwork teachers have to complete has increased dramatically the last couple of decades (especially since "no child left behind"). This is one area I'd really like to see changed. I'd rather have less government monitoring of teachers (which is why the paperwork is there), even though it may increase the risk of poor teaching in specific cases, than make all students suffer because teachers are focused on paperwork and not educating.

The issue with student loans is a problem of the parents and the students themselves. I remember a time when there really were no student loans. So, those of us who REALLY wanted to go to college worked our way through. We got degrees and no student loans. It was hard work and it was a sacrifice. Today, kids want everything now, including money to go to the best schools... so they get themselves loans. My niece-in-law is only 21, only has an Associates Degree and has an $80,000 school loan to pay off. How in the world does THAT happen!

And to counter the point, we spend more money per kid to educate them than just about any other country out there. It is NOT due to poor education financially, it is due to poor educators and the lack of desire on the part of the ones being educated.

Our children have no drive or desire to achieve. Way too many are in single parent homes. They have not been taught the idea you must strive to succeed. It is a society problem. There are too many having children when in fact they are children themselves, and it has become accepted and no longer shunned. They pierce themselves everywhere, look like total bums and again, expect to be hired looking like that.

Want to fix the education system? Dont let pregnant teens in school. If you get pregnant, you are out. Dont allow piecings, tatoos etc and enforce dress codes to make them look like people. Hair length rules for boys. No tatoos allowed. No piercing for anyone that is not in the ear. No stretched out earlobes.

When we force the idea that you cannot succeed in life looking like, acting like, and being a slacker, we will have success in educating our kids.

If I go to a store and see that they have hired an individual that has stretched out earlobes, tatoos all over, long unkempt hair, etc. I do 2 things. I ask for a manager and ask them what they were thinking hiring a person who so obviously has done nothing to make their appearance comply to being in the public eye. The second thing is I inform them I will no longer shop there based on their poor management decisions. If we start enforcing ideas that say if you want to look like that you will be unemployed and not able to feed yourself or support yourself, maybe it will curb the rampant clamour to look like you have no self respect.

The problem with the education and drive in our children are iisues with our society and parenting. When the home starts to impart values and drive into our children and stop allowing them to be slackers, we will produce a better product. Untill then we have to import them.

ABO 2012

. We give kids of illegals a free ride in most states

Lists the states and what programs they are utilizing. This is patently untrue. If they are kids born in the U.S. then they are citizens and have access to the same programs any other U.S. citizen has access to. If they are illegal they pay 100% of their own tuition, they are not eligible for grants or loans.

Americans aren't "just too dumb". Our teachers unions have dumbed up the school systems with their new courses of study. Look at California, now they have gay history to go along with many other inane courses. We need to get rid of teacher unions and make our educational system flourish with teacher incentives. Too many of our tenured teachers do not bother to teach. I taught in a school system for almost 5 years. I was so disheartened by the lack of actual teaching going on that I changed professions!

Look at California, now they have gay history to go along with many other inane courses

Do you read past the headlines? California does not have gay history classes. Their traditional history classes no longer eliminate or hide prominent historical figures based on their sexual orientation. Big difference.

I am sorry but the school system is not 'poor'. When my father was a substitute teacher, at one school he saw BOXES of BOOKS get thrown in the trash because they were over-ordered and the school wanted to use up all the money given to it. Miles away there were schools NEEDING THOSE BOOKS but there was not a system to OK a transfer to books to those needed schools. The money system is flawed BIG TIME. The revenue system needs to be based other than just how many students there are. There also needs to be some type of waste-proofing system for schools. Those WASTED BOOKS could have made things easier for schools who had none. Too much money goes to the administrators and those who run the schools. Too much bureaucracy and red tape (I learned that from my previous high school teacher who decided to run for school administrator and won).

Happy Blaze

I would be dead set against bringng in engineers from other countries, just another H1b flood, we sure as hell don't need. BUT, he wasn't insulting our students, unfortunately he was stating a fact about many who come out of our screwed up by Washington and liberals education system. The educations my kids got was less thanb the one I got and the next generation got worse than they did. So on it goes until we no longer lead the world in education. The answer to that is to get rid of the Department of Education and give the education systems back to the states. Then we could make some progress to return to the great education system we once had. All who are not the liberal brain washed should want that. We also need to make sure money for colleges and Universities come from the states not the Federal Government so some control is gained there. That would need to include eliminating such laws as the one that lets grants of our tax money to universities develope new medicines only to have them then turned over to a pharmaceutical company so we can pay too much to get the medicine that was developed with our money.

Happy Blaze..When you consider the number of businesses Romney sold here in the US to foreign owners, you can see why they bring in their fellow countrymen for engineering jobs. Since the GOP won't spend on infrastructure even where it is now in dangerous straits, civil engineering jobs are down. Electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering as well. Only environmental engineering is still half alive and even that took a hit in 2005 when Bush decided to gut the Clean Air Act. The GOP refused to allow any funding for alternative energy which could have created thousands of engineering jobs. So unless the states of Texas and Alaska want a glut of engineers for their oil rigs, jobs in engineering are not going to happen.

But then, that really is the GOP idea isn't it? To remove as many government jobs as possible in favor of increasing the number of privatized government contractors whose bills we can't control as easily.

Government jobs are a drain upon society. They feed, like a cancer, off the tax dollars of their host, private sector jobs that create tax dollars. When government jobs get too high, we have huge deficits as we do now because our expenditures vastly outweigh our income.

It's not really that difficult for anyone with economic common sense to understand !

Jim: be sure to tell that to the air traffic controller when you get on your next plane, the US Marshalls, those who inspect air, water and food, those medical researchers working at NIH trying to cure diseases....on and on. All "useless" because of willful ignorance about what they do?? No, we know real uselessness when we see it....

So AP, you ADMIT that you can't argue with logic ? Your only recourse is to break out that tiny little violin, play the emotional game, and try to sell us on the emotional needs that we have to have everyone and every single job is so vital !!!!

Hey, let's just have 90% government employees...... who will pay for it ? Do you think the taxes of the other 10% will cover the 90% ??

No, people like you cannot balance their checkbooks and you cannot envision limitations to total government control ... which is where the U.S. is headed.

Oh I just had to stick my big fat nose in this one.To AP, they are a drain on society.You want to know who the worse are?Well I'll tell you.

ESCPECIALLY, Homeland Security and it's vicious little bitch the TSA.That sir or madam is a LARGE DRAIN ON THE ECONOMY.450billion, not million dollars of a drain on the economy.Nobody is talking about the necessity of things going, that being the air traffic controlers.We're talking about the unnecessary ones like the BIG FAT UGLY OVER BLOATED PIG OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ONES I NAMED ABOVE.

If you got rid of those useless pigs and goons polluting this country then maybe just maybe the economy may just start to turn around because you don't have this horrific drain of tax payer money supporting these GANGSTERS.

Those are the ones that need to be gotten rid of.

There you go again Gloria, crying about TSA when you don't even fly. lol. Have you read about the crops lying rotting on the ground in Alabama since they scared all the migrant workers out with their new papers-please law? I wonder how loud you'll squeal when the price of produce goes up? Who will you blame then? Don't tell me you're going to rush right out to pick lettuce, are you?

Yeah hi Pedestrian in SF.I already know about that.Oh and no I'm not squealing.

If I had the chance to pick lettuce I would.Believe me I would.

Oh and Have A Happy Thanksgiving.

Actually, Pedestrian-in-SF, you are incorrect ! I read that once the Alabama farmers were in need to pick their crops, that a lot of unemployed, especially inner-city youth, got into action and came to the farmers' rescue picking tomatoes and other crops. Since these jobs were not ADVERTISED, a local newspaper story was instrumental in the turnaround.

The truth sucks doesn't it ? Especially when it totally defuses your scare-tactics post.

Nice link you provided there, Jim. *wink*

So, bilweeler. NOW, you suddenly think Newt is ok and has "common sense and decency?" Bullcrap. If he won the nomination, (which you know he won't - thereby making it safe for you to say the things you said), you would be one of the first to rip into him for being another right-wing facist.

You people pull the same crap with Huntsman. You talk about how he's the "only" decent Repub. Of corse, if he got the nomination (which he won't), you'll be calling him a right-wing lunatic. By the way, Michael Moore praised Huntsman. As far as many of us are concerned, that finished Huntsman right there. When a communist says he likes a Republican, you know that Republican should not be anywhere near the WH.

People who have been on these boards for a long time know my stance on illegal immigrants- I want a practical solution, not something that has o chance at all of ever being enacted.

Face it- we are NOT going to deport 11 million people. It cannot be done.

I have long been in favor of giving a card OTHER than free for those who are here working jobs that, let's face it, Americans WILL NOT take. I will leave the discussion of the morality of taking a welfare check over a paycheck because the work is "beneath you" for another day- suffice to say that there is no one who does not recognize this truth.

I find the headline of this article telling, however; Gingrich spoke the truth about his beliefs- and the writer suggests that this will "come back to haunt him".

I have a news flash for you- most people respect someone who speaks the truth, whether or not they agree with what has been said. You can disagree, withdraw your support, put it into a greater context- but at least you know where the person stands.

Unlike, say, Obama- who spends a lot of words never saying anything that can be nailed down.

Then you wonder why his ratings have tanked?

I like your post. I am tired of these people who praise Obama. This tells me they would vote for anyone running who was of their party. I didn't vote for him and all who did in my home town said they won't again. I read everything I can before an election and I make notes of all broken promises. I turned independent and mean to stay that way but I will place my vote in the person who says how he feels even if it costs him the election. At least he isn't a four flusher.

no joe - nice post and I agree the "just send them home" sentiment is completely unrealistic.

m.correll - I agree with your comments about mindless Obama supporters (even though I voted for him, but I won't do that again after seeing how he governs). I also have the same problem with mindless Obama haters. Everyone does good things and bad things at times, and people need to objectively evaluate the action or idea - not the individual.

Damage:

Bullcrap. If he won the nomination, (which you know he won't - thereby making it safe for you to say the things you said), you would be one of the first to rip into him for being another right-wing facist.

Never said I would vote for him if he was nominated. I just said he made some sense on immigration, and will be vilified for it. Judging from the numerous posts here vilifying him, I guess I nailed it.

I won't rip into him for being a "right-wing facist" though. Fascist, perhaps.

Actually, he has so much baggage, the right wing fascist label will never come into play. His personal and professional record has ample evidence of his incompetence.

bilweeler

Wrong again bilweeler, when one of us old GOPs as you like to call us conservatives, hears something that makes some sense and could be the basis for a sensible discussion, we don't start spitting venom like a pit viper. That quality is of the lefties in this world.

Note the bad language and stupid nasty comments coming from that direction any time someone disagrees with them. Difference is we know why we think the way we do, we have not be brainwashed by political correctness and give away politicians who promise to hold our hand and walk us through life.

Shaking:

Note the bad language and stupid nasty comments coming from that direction any time someone disagrees with them

Please point out any bad language or stupid nasty comments I made.

Apology accepted.

mcorrell...It's obvious you read nothing about George W. Bush. If you had, no one would have voted for him. He was a lose since college. He couldn't even keep his own Texas Oil Company afloat for a half decade and then bankrupted the Texas baseball team he bought. I guess the US economy was strike three? Who elects a president to 8 years who impregnated his college girlfriend? Got himself jailed in Princeton when he and his cowboys thought they'd show Princeton U how Texas parties and all while Big Daddy bailed him out time after time.

So much for your reading habits about President Obama. I'd rather vote for a Professor of Constitutional law and former community activist who cares more about the people of this country than some red stater egomaniac with ties to every possible Wealthhead on Wall Street...Want to explain why both Bachmann and Slick Rick made a special trip to Trump's office?

ewent - you forgot one other "little thing" that George used to do put firecrackers in frogs just to see them blow up - dispassionate - no conscience? Perfect for Cheney to use as a tool to send soldiers to die for oil - plus Momma Bush didn't like him - once said "he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer" Momma Bush dwelled on Jeb, that is until he married an Hispanic, then called his children "brown babies"- nice family those Bushes

john-537378....And he is is paying Tiffanys for the Exorcism !

JIM-839027

To prove you are not pulling your claim out of thin air, please quote exactly what he said that meant he would further dismantle the Bill of Rights.

Not to mention that the candidates said US should have a fast track to citizenship for highly educated and skilled workers! Brain drain other countries, and do not educate American citizens for these jobs! TPGOP idea--cut education for our citizens and bring in educated and skilled workers from outside the US so that we can compete--or better yet--move businesses outside the US. It was mentioned that Steve Jobs could not find the highly educated and skilled workers here in the US, so he moved his business to another country. Did he even try to set up an extensive education program here in the US? If he didn't, he should have--he had enough money and connections to do so. We should be working to educate our citizens for these jobs--not brain draining from other countries or moving businesses elsewhere when we have so many people out of work! I think the education thing is just an excuse--we know that many other countries do not require a minimum wage, so businesses can pay slave wages and thus increase their already bloated profits!

"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly

Part of the solution that would never give illegals full citizenship or the right to vote would also have to include the requirement that legal status be determined before any social services paid for by tax payers could be received, including schooling for thier children. With no food stamps, no welfare, no medicaid available, thier kids unable to go to school and no hope of ever gaining citizenship far fewer would come and those that did would be quickly identified and sent back.

Joe66....Are you telling us that until he said that you were actually considering voting for this low life POS for the highest office in the land ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

MM-584706...Hes probably be 10 times better than the failure in office now so I have nothing to lose ...do I MM????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? By the way im not voting for Obama no matter who runs against him.

He duped America with the failure of the "Contract with America" which was his baby. If you remember, not passing term limits, not passing lobby reform, the things that are biting us in the behind right now.

He is duping the Latino's right now...because he needs money and votes. It doesn't matter what he would like to do, it matters what his party wants to do; and we can be sure that is not being soft on the illegal immegration issue.

Pure vote gathering rhetoric ... and he is not worthy. The best thing for the Democratics run is a Newt ticket.

Ahh yes, the "anyone but" strategy. For republicans its "anybody but" Obama would be better, and they will vote for "anybody but" Romney. Which is why their policy strategy is "anything but" taxes, "anything but" compromise, will do "anything but" change the status quo.

Come up with a real plan, a real message, and a real candidate already. You guys are boring the crap out of me.

if you'd remember the contract for america, it said he would bring those things up for a vote. He wasnt arrogant enough to say some crap like "i'll bring the 2 side together" like obamy.

PGT:

if you'd remember the contract for america, it said he would bring those things up for a vote.

How exactly did that "contract for america" come out?

Dear Joe66,

Your comment where you said you would vote for anybody than Obama "no matter who runs against him". You show the precise reason why our country is in trouble: idealism. Nobody really cares what that person actually represents for himself...a fatal flaw to our democratic republic.

Dear pruden5956

Obama is a failure do we need him 4 more years? If you think so you the reason the country is in deep troube. Ill vote Republica you vote for who you want.

peanutgallery...So you'd prefer a president who isn't in to bi-partisanship efforts at cooperation and negotiation? Let me guess...You'd prefer a "MY Way or the Highway" president like we had in the Bush/Cheney 8 years. It figures.

I left the Republicans party BB (Before Bush) because I abhor bullies. And, at that point, I got fed up with Republicans who impose their misguided Big Business First ideology on everyone and ram down that stupidity of being a wealth protection cartel for 1% of the population.

How is maintaining a partisan stance fair or equitable? Or is the Republican Way the ONLY way these days? No thanks...I have a serious problem with bully dictatorship.

I do like how you call it "pure vote gathering rheotric" even though that is all the democrats do 100% of the time. Anytime you see a democrat talking about any issue they wind up just pandering for votes, why doesn't the left call them out about that?

It really has become the norm for the professional politicians; say whatever gets you in office, promise whatever you need to to get voted in.

Republican or Democrat they are all the same; self serving with little to no action.

I have no party affiliation...I just end up deciding which of my poor choices will get something done for the middle class....nothing yet!

RC-366319

"Republican or Democrat they are all the same; self serving with little to no action."

Agreed, I just try to figure which one is the lesser of the evils.

Sometimes it comes down to VP choices, since the candidates are soooo similar, and spout the same rhetoric, with the usual Party spin.

This year it won't be different since America is so polarized; but you can be sure neither will be a "great" choice.

How about the U.S. can't afford to give handouts to everybody? That's the problem, get it now!!

Hey Fights, did you hear that on Fox Noos? Because if you could think for yourself you'd know that 'the problem' is a lot more nuanced than that. Also, it's not even true that the US does "give handouts to everybody." That's just a republican talking point.

Consider: A budget deficit occurs whenever spending exceeds revenue. That's not an opinion; it's definitional. So how can the U.S. reduce it's deficit problem? Answer: The deficit can be reduced by less spending OR by more revenue. Better yet, it can also be reduced by less spending PLUS more revenue. So, it is not JUST a spending problem - saying that is just another republican talking point. Do you see?

Ok, I'll let you think through this next one yourself: the GOP senate fillibustered the president's recent jobs bill, that's simply a fact. It's also a fact that the spending part of this jobs bill was entirely offset by a tax increase of about 5% ONLY on income over $1 million/yr.

Now think, Fight - since the president's jobs bill does NOT increase the deficit by one dime, how can the GOP opposition to this legislation be explained by your statement of the problem? da da da da da da daaaa daa da da da da daa daaaa

Ok, time's up! What's your answer?

benji, dear. Stop going back to the old line of "did you hear that on Fox News". Its getting very old. I am a strong conservative and was one way before Fox News even aired. So if you would stop listening to the marxist station MSNBC, and Chris Matthews, Raoul Maddow, and Bill Maher, maybe you'd see the light! Duh, and you believe Obama about the jobs bill. hahahahahahahahahahaha! You really are a puppet, aren't you?

Oh, so you call yourself a strong conservative? Ok, you can think so if you want. But I don't consider you to be strong or conservative. Merely expressing 'conservative' views does not make one a conservative. Even a puppet can do that, like you accused me of. Empty words of course, like so much of else of what you said.

Regarding the only empirical statement in your post (everything else is just hot air), yes, I do believe Obama. And unlike your groundless jabbering, I will prove it.

Here's why it must be true: Obama has so many critics that if the jobs bill were not deficit neutral, and spending was not offset dollar for dollar with new revenue as he claimed, the vultures would have picked his bones clean by now. Instead, critics like yourself have to make up lies because he is too smart and careful to leave himself open. Even Bachmann Perry Cain isn't that stupid.

I'm sure that you know what I said is true, and I know you will never admit it. But I'm not interested in your admissions; I just wanted to prove the emptiness of your words - and your so-called conservativism.

Let me be blunt, Fight. You either have a weak mind and are incapable of thinking for yourself or you're just bull@!$%#ting everybody for fun and profit. If, the later (more likely), then you

re just pimping for a right wing propaganda outlet. Either way, you're not be a real conservative, or a real anything, because you don't think for yourself.

But don't lose sleep over it, sweetie-pie. You can still be a puppet spouting fake conservative talking points like all the TP/GOP politicians. The puppet masters are absolutely corrupt, you know, selling out democracy for personal riches.

BTW, I like your puppet metaphor, did you think of it because it describes the work that you do here? Except that, those who are this far down only get a measly few pieces of silver tossed at them and remind me more of an organ grinder's monkey than a puppet because a monkey is of too little importance to choreograph it's every action. Don't you agree?

That's why monkies like you are given limited freedom to improvise their own silly antics, within the constraints allowed by their leash of course,.

Hey Fights - stats you can't dispute - CBO and other non-political authorities came out with a statement yesterday that the stimulus program created 3.5 million new jobs and without it our unemployment rate would be in double digits - bad news, the stimulus should have been more

Obviously you didn't catch the pictures of all the Republicans cutting ribbons and holding up those big checks

Plus other good - bad news, your Republican governor in Florida who refused the money for a high speed train which would have created jobs is now going to California Keep electing these Turkeys - appropriate name for Thanksgiving

And as far as Newt - he's a loser and he knows he won't be elected - it's an ego thing and a way to continue his book selling and lobbying

Open border gambit? You do realise that this administration will have deported more illegals in four years that in the previous eight.

Seeing that you paint with a broad biased stereotypical brush though, I doubt you care about truth.

I heard Texas is subsidising school tuition for illegals. What party is their governor that pushed for this again?

Keep towing a party line and soon you will only have to look into the mirror to blame someone.

Both party's pander to all demographics.

Frank, I don't know what Newt said that is so terrable. I know and you know people who were born here in AMerica and never held a Job, laid their lazy ass on the Welfare System, never paid TAXES, didn't raise their familys the right way, because they are on Welfare and living off the rest of us. Just look at our Prisons today, Enough said.

What Newt said is IF they came here 25 yrs ago Raised their familys ,got an Education, PAID THEIR TAXES, found a CHURCH, than they should stay.

I agree, but they should have fixed their papers, so to speak, so the part where they were "law abiding citizens" would actually have some ground to stand on. That part in its entirety is what people have a problem with.

I just have to laugh at the "find a church" part of his statement. While he should be commended for having an open mind as it relates to the 11 million or so illegal immigrants now residing here, he demonstrated the "faux" of his statement with the add on "find a church" as if that were any indicator of a person's "value" in/to American society. Indeed, Newt's tongue is so forked he can probably clean both of his ears with it at the same time. I'm not buying his "faux" attempt to appease and appeal to the Latino voter. So, who's up next on the Republican ticket that hasn't already fallen down and gone "BOOM?"

If they're REALLY serious about reducing the Federal deficit, they should stop making us law-abiding citizens pay their way through prison. From what I've heard, these people don't have to worry about paying for food, utilities, recreation, rent, or ANY of the things the common law-abiding citizen would have to worry about. I see that as paying for the crimes of others. Isn't there something we can do to maybe put these inmates to work, like a work furlough or something, and then have them pay so much per month for their stay?

Pro-Family GOP: Red State white familes only

ruckus, no matter what Newt would have said , The DUMMY LIBERALS would have to find something wrong with it.

It's not the "Compassionate About Families" part that piques their interest. It's the part of Newt's position that flies in the face of everything today's GOP seems to stand for when it comes to immigration...which is "Throw Them All Back".

! Will these people ever stop being so biased against Conservatism?

About the same time Conservatives stop being so biased against liberals.

buckieboy-4078238

ruckus, no matter what Newt would have said , The DUMMY LIBERALS would have to find something wrong with it.

I see this type of name calling all the time, it just makes conservatives look like children.

I agree with TamL. If you can't make a point without throwing in name-calling, you lose all credibility in any REAL debate. If Libs and Cons would *work together* (Heaven forbid that happens), perhaps some kind of "middle ground" could be reached, and maybe the S&P credit downgrade would have been averted, and this country wouldn't be in the trouble it's in right now.

It is not "compassionate" to grant rewards for lawbreaking! The people who comply with the law should be rewarded--- not the lawbreakers! That is true compassion!

Angelica, if you read the article THOROUGHLY (instead of just glancing at it, like it seems you have done), you would have come across this excerpt from the article:

Those who've been arrested or convicted of crimes shouldn't be here; those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home country.

That renders your point completely moot.

RobertPappas--- Uh NO--- you have no idea what you're talking about and you COMPLETELY MISAPPREHEND THE IMPORT OF MY COMMENT.

LEGAL immigrants should be rewarded. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS must be DEPORTED.

ILLEGAL immigrants (via their ILLEGAL status) commit numerous crimes in our country on a daily basis:

(1) When ILLEGALS submit falsified I-9 forms to their employers, they commit a FELONY?

(2) When ILLEGALS steal someone's social security number, they commit a FELONY!!!

(3) When ILLEGALS unlawfully enter the U.S. after deportation, they commit FELONY (the first time it's a misdemeanor--- also a criminal act)!!

(4) When ILLEGALS fail to claim all taxes owed, they commit a FELONY!

(5) When ILLEGALS drive sans a valid license and insurance, they engage in CRIMINAL ACTIVITY!!!

ILLEGAL FOREIGN NATIONALS, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE NOT OTHERWISE LAWABIDING!

The decision to violate U.S. IMMIGRATION LAWS WITH IMPUNITY ISN'T A MINOR THING.

The injustice lies in having a system of laws (THE MOST GENEROUS IN THE WORLD, BY THE WAY) and then turn around and reward the lawbreakers to the detriment of American citizens and LEGAL immigrants!!!???!!!

Angelica - Quit shouting - we all have a "bold" button

Argh, do mean like the Oblames and the Clinton's. Bill Clinton didn't have a pot to piss in when he became President , TODAY HE IS WORTH OVER $200,000,000.

How did that happen on his Pension? Lets see, $10,000,000. a year from Dubai, and God only know how much from the other OIL RICH Countrys.

$10 mn/year from Dubai? Have anything to back that up? I seriously doubt it...

I listen to things and YES it was said when he opened up his Library. That one stuck in my Brain, there were others ( RICH ) people here in the US who give Millions every yr to that Library.

tkapo, lets see how much that you listen, When Clinton left Office they said that there were 42 million people withour Health Ins, when Bush Left there were 48 million without H Ins, HOW COME WHEN OBLAMEA gave his First Speech he said that there were 20 Million without H Ins, I remember asking my wife when I heard him say that where in the hELL did the other 28 Million People go.

Here is another one for you , When Clinton became President, Three months went by, Didn't have a cabnet Picket yet, Eight O"clock news Clinton's people James Carvill, we created TWO MILLION jobs, ( WHAT) 12O'Clock News Clinton's people We created 3.5 Million Jobs ( WHAT) that night ( Cross Fire) another Clinton Spokeperson, We created 7 Million Jobs, I said to my Wife ,How in the Hell did it go from 2 million to 3.5 Million to 7 million in one day, OH , I forgot Liberals believed any thing that Liar said, I didn't rape women, I didn't have sex with that women , all depends what Is ,is. Pardoned Mark Rick, 375 Drug Pushers, Need any more

Yeah, he's an off-the-cuff sort of jackwad

A Vet, it will haunt him...because right now he is running in the primaries, and not the general. The people that would vote for him in the primaries are the ones who won't like what he had to say. It that too much for you to comprehend?

Newt was speaking directly to eh problem and the Anerican public -- not the crowd in that room last night. That said, he will ot win the nom --and he knows it --he is taking this time int he "lime light' to say stuff he might not otherwise ver get the opportunity to get out there. For those who "attack' President Obama for having devloped the skill of being able to read, write and speak (unlike some GOP candidates) -- i feel sorry for you. It seems that eudcuation is a bad thing for you (just loo @ Rik Perry and Bachmann, and Palin before them) -- Don't let things like being able to use real words and the truth and facts stand in the way of talking BS.

Heeeeerrrrreeee we go again .... the liberal mantra rears its ugly head one more time !

"We are smarter than you..." so, if you do not agree with "us", then you simply must be, hrrrmph, uneducated, or, or ...the product of inbreeding, or, or (whatever other bull$hit you can insert here).

So glad to know you have declared your self-appointed intellectual superiority over anyone with differing views. Please pardon me while I gag and throw up on your delusions of grandeur. You magically elevate your "opinions" to "facts" as you pat yourself on the back.

With every debate, Newt Gingrich gets stronger. He is now leading in the polls and would eat Obama's lunch in a Presidential debate. Gingrich has probably forgotten more about American history than Obama will ever know ! There are only 50 states Mr. Obama, not 57 !!

Yes, we know Obama gives great speeches .... but his actions/inactions contradict his words. We know he can read a teleprompter, but who in the hell cares. Our economy has stagnated even worse under his failed "leadership".

perfect example of how if a Republican candidate dares to show even one shred of humanity or common decency, no matter how small or self-serving it may be, he will provoke the ire of the right.

ATFMAN,

You have to be kidding me. There is no solution to deport everyone here illegally and everyone knows it. It cannot be accomplished.

At least he is willing to address the issue with a viable plan that may actually be workable. And he lost your vote to whom? One of the others who expose "Deport them all" without a viable plan to accomplish this?

So you have a choice to place your vote with Newt, who has a plan to address it in a realistic manner, someone who has no plan, or the current administration who chooses to ignore it.

Somehow I doubt Newt would have gotten your vote anyway... You comment calling him Newtsie sort of gave that away.

He is the most realistic candidate out there, and would be miles ahead of the current administration. I believe he is electable and makes sense. I like the others as well, each in their own way, but do not like the premise of their plan for this issue, which is no plan at all.

ABO 2012

He is much better informed than Odumbo.

He may not have proposed amnesty but that's how his opponents in the GOP will spin it.

1pappy, you are one of the few that were listened to his answer.

Needless to say this is a complex issue. While I am no fan of Newt and don't think he will win the GOP nomination -- (Maybe for that very reason he felt he could make a statenment that was directed not @ the "hard-line" and right-wing of his party -- but instead to the real problem and directly to the American public). I do think he's idea was more "even-handed" than most everyone else up on that stage last night. I myself am the grandchild of immigrates and realize that they were the back bone of this nation over the past two centuries -- but I also agree that it is time to revisi our policy. Like a child -- we have grown to the point where wer can no longer fi our old clithes -- We do have to "crack down" on illegals -- but as stated here (and by Newt) we can not in realaliccty just collected up peole who have otherwise been law-abiding good people who have roots in the community -- and native born children and grandchildren -- we should have apolicy that address the details of the situation -- Mitt and Bachmann remarks were based on tryingt to look "hard-line' and are emply words (from empty heads?) Giving people a way to become legal after 25 years of living here os the the same as amestry for crimal who stcuk across the boarder last year. You take approper action -- the laws are already in place. It is sad that the Mitt and these crowd have so little grip on the facts, truth and the American way. All this nonsense is only going to assure the relection of President Obama. if that is their real goal -- They are doing a great job so far!!!

to: 1pappy who wrote:

"he [Newt Gingrich] wasn't proposing amnesty at all. He said if you've been here that long, you should be allowed to apply for legalization rather than a trip to the border..."

You don't know what "amnesty" means. It is a FELONY to enter this country illegally, a CRIME punishable by imprisonment and fines.

When you talk about "allowing illegal aliens to apply for legalization" WITHOUT prosecuting them, THAT is amnesty -- instead of punishing them for breaking the law you are rewarding them by handing over to them the very thing they have stolen.

I'm an Independent, but I lean heavily to the left, and I am very much AGAINST amnesty. The last time the United States granted 6,000,000 illegal aliens amnesty, their population DOUBLED to 12,000,000, and still growing.

Newt is smart enough that I almost think he was playing word games. Sure, give amnesty to all law-abiding illegal aliens. And since being an illegal alien is a crime, you will be granting amnesty to exactly no one.

If something is not done soon you will in time see these people for who they really are. we need to bring in the military now to deal with this just like we did in iraq . when we had the los angeles riots national guards were all down every street and illegals were scared to be here. we need to do that again .because this is going to be another war of innocent people getting killed Illegal aliens and gangmembers need to be put in check by our military they would have a chance TO ACT UP