/PRNewswire/ -- The Log Cabin Republicans are appalled by the overwrought political actions by Senate Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) by merely allowing 3 Democrat-only amendments to the Defense Authorization Bill (FY2011 NDAA). Right now, Senator Harry Reid is not permitting any open debate or other amendments to this bill.
However, one of the 3 amendments that does have Senator Harry Reid's full support is the DREAM ACT. The DREAM ACT would offer paths to citizenship for undocumented students who came to the US as children, most likely illegally. Nevada has the largest percentage of illegal immigrants in the United States.
"Senator Harry Reid is treating the United States Senate like his own personal re-election campaign," says R. Clarke Cooper, Executive Director, Log Cabin Republicans. "We are simply asking the majority to play fair and not stack the bill with Democrat-only amendments that help Senator Reid's re-election bid and could potentially kill any Republican support."
Also appalled by the process, or lack thereof, are Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Senator Collins "would like the Senate to proceed to a full and open debate on the Defense Authorization bill, with members to offer other amendments on all relevant issues."
The Log Cabin Republicans met early today with Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) minority staff and were told, "the hay is in the barn." However, the LCR wants to know if that is the case "then why aren't the horses feeding?"
Showing posts with label illegal immigrants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label illegal immigrants. Show all posts
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Poll Shows Liberals Opposed to Extending Taxpayer Funded Healthcare to Illegal Immigrants
/PRNewswire/ -- According to a nationwide poll of 600 self-identified liberals and progressives, a majority of liberals oppose extending taxpayer-funded healthcare to illegal immigrants. The poll revealed that although liberals support a universal plan and agree with the President's handling of healthcare reform, many express concern that current proposals would extend healthcare coverage to illegal aliens and result in increased costs. The poll was conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC, on September 3, 2009.
Key findings of the poll revealed:
-- Fifty-three percent reported opposition to providing healthcare to
undocumented aliens.
-- Forty-six percent felt that current proposals would likely provide
coverage to illegal immigrants.
-- Forty-eight percent of liberals and progressives felt that providing
healthcare to undocumented immigrants would likely lead to increased
healthcare costs.
-- With regard to the President's handling of healthcare reform, the poll
revealed that sixty- seven percent of self-identified liberals approve
of the President's actions. Seventy-five percent were in support of a
public healthcare plan administered by the federal government and
forty-nine percent felt the President's plan would result in better
overall quality of healthcare services.
"The results of this poll demonstrate that illegal immigration and healthcare are issues that concern all Americans, regardless of political affiliation," says Leah Durant, Executive Director of Progressives for Immigration Reform. "Although liberals favor extending healthcare to America's poorest citizens and legal residents, without entitlement provisions Americans will be asked to shoulder an ever increasing burden for the world's uninsured. It's time to create a new progressive narrative around healthcare that is balanced and fair, and results in policies that are economically sound."
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Key findings of the poll revealed:
-- Fifty-three percent reported opposition to providing healthcare to
undocumented aliens.
-- Forty-six percent felt that current proposals would likely provide
coverage to illegal immigrants.
-- Forty-eight percent of liberals and progressives felt that providing
healthcare to undocumented immigrants would likely lead to increased
healthcare costs.
-- With regard to the President's handling of healthcare reform, the poll
revealed that sixty- seven percent of self-identified liberals approve
of the President's actions. Seventy-five percent were in support of a
public healthcare plan administered by the federal government and
forty-nine percent felt the President's plan would result in better
overall quality of healthcare services.
"The results of this poll demonstrate that illegal immigration and healthcare are issues that concern all Americans, regardless of political affiliation," says Leah Durant, Executive Director of Progressives for Immigration Reform. "Although liberals favor extending healthcare to America's poorest citizens and legal residents, without entitlement provisions Americans will be asked to shoulder an ever increasing burden for the world's uninsured. It's time to create a new progressive narrative around healthcare that is balanced and fair, and results in policies that are economically sound."
-----
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
White House Meeting on Immigration 'Reform' Likely to Leave Out Interests of the American Public, Cautions FAIR
/PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow's long anticipated and oft-delayed White House meeting on immigration will likely produce a blueprint for a massive illegal alien amnesty in exchange for hollow promises of future enforcement, warns the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The plan being promoted by President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders is essentially the same one that the American people rejected in 2006 and 2007.
The American people have little reason to believe that any commitments to protect their interests would be honored. Since taking office, the Obama administration has all but abandoned enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Worksite enforcement has been dramatically curtailed, implementation of E-Verify requirements have been scuttled, cooperation with state and local law enforcement has been scaled back, while the Department of Justice has made it easier for illegal aliens to remain in the country. Ironically, tougher enforcement efforts implemented during the final 18 months of the Bush administration had, for the first time, begun to reverse the flow of illegal immigration.
"The only thing comprehensive about so-called comprehensive immigration reform would be the amnesty for people who have violated our laws," observed Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "While millions of illegal aliens would be rewarded, struggling American workers and overburdened taxpayers would pay a heavy price were Congress and the administration to repeat the mistakes of the 1986 amnesty."
Some of the questions likely not to be addressed at tomorrow's White House summit include:
-- What impact would a massive amnesty have on already soaring
unemployment?
-- How would a repeat of the massive fraud that took place in 1986 be
prevented?
-- How would adequate background checks be carried out on the estimated
12 to 15 million illegal aliens who would be eligible?
-- How many additional relatives, now living outside the U.S., would be
eligible for amnesty?
-- How would future illegal immigration be averted when the
administration refuses to implement existing systems to prevent
employment of illegal aliens?
-- How would state and local governments - some already teetering on
bankruptcy - pay for services required by newly legalized aliens and
their families?
"The American people have some very clear ideas about the priorities President Obama and Congress need to address - and a massive illegal alien amnesty isn't one of them," said Stein. "The public wants our immigration system fixed, but they expect their interests, not the interests of the people who broke our laws, to be paramount. Unfortunately, the public interest will at best be an afterthought as the president and congressional leaders pursue a politically driven, narrow interest immigration agenda," concluded Stein.
-----
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
The American people have little reason to believe that any commitments to protect their interests would be honored. Since taking office, the Obama administration has all but abandoned enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Worksite enforcement has been dramatically curtailed, implementation of E-Verify requirements have been scuttled, cooperation with state and local law enforcement has been scaled back, while the Department of Justice has made it easier for illegal aliens to remain in the country. Ironically, tougher enforcement efforts implemented during the final 18 months of the Bush administration had, for the first time, begun to reverse the flow of illegal immigration.
"The only thing comprehensive about so-called comprehensive immigration reform would be the amnesty for people who have violated our laws," observed Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "While millions of illegal aliens would be rewarded, struggling American workers and overburdened taxpayers would pay a heavy price were Congress and the administration to repeat the mistakes of the 1986 amnesty."
Some of the questions likely not to be addressed at tomorrow's White House summit include:
-- What impact would a massive amnesty have on already soaring
unemployment?
-- How would a repeat of the massive fraud that took place in 1986 be
prevented?
-- How would adequate background checks be carried out on the estimated
12 to 15 million illegal aliens who would be eligible?
-- How many additional relatives, now living outside the U.S., would be
eligible for amnesty?
-- How would future illegal immigration be averted when the
administration refuses to implement existing systems to prevent
employment of illegal aliens?
-- How would state and local governments - some already teetering on
bankruptcy - pay for services required by newly legalized aliens and
their families?
"The American people have some very clear ideas about the priorities President Obama and Congress need to address - and a massive illegal alien amnesty isn't one of them," said Stein. "The public wants our immigration system fixed, but they expect their interests, not the interests of the people who broke our laws, to be paramount. Unfortunately, the public interest will at best be an afterthought as the president and congressional leaders pursue a politically driven, narrow interest immigration agenda," concluded Stein.
-----
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
In Obama's Town Hall Agenda, What's Missing?
/PRNewswire/ -- President Obama's Town Hall on immigration reform -- canceled a second time last week and awaiting a new date -- includes no proponent of the most viable real-world option: The Red Card Solution. Helen Krieble, small business owner and author of the Solution, is working to change that.
Wednesday, June 23, Krieble hosts a bipartisan morning briefing at the Library of Congress to explain The Red Card Solution to congressional staffers. That afternoon, she'll debut a new Red Card Solution documentary at the National Press Club Building and lead a panel of experts in national economics, politics, security, and media.
"Labor and business are starting to come together to support a non-immigrant worker program that can help achieve border security and supply the country's economic needs," said Krieble, whose equestrian farm in Colorado suffers like thousands of small businesses unable to find sufficient temporary workers. "The Red Card Solution is not about citizenship, it's about work. It's about workers and employers and the ability to come together legally," she said.
Currently millions of undocumented foreign workers cost U.S. citizens billions of dollars annually in border patrol, uncollected taxes, and education, health care, and corrections expenses. To expand on The Red Card Solution's taxpayer benefits:
-- Taxes are collected on wages paid to legal, temporary workers.
(Currently, in most cases, no taxes are collected.)
-- Temporary workers paying taxes will cover their fair share of social
services currently provided at taxpayers' expense.
-- Money and resources currently pouring into border security will be
better used as border patrol agents focus less and less on the fewer
illegal workers and more on criminals and terrorists.
-- The costs of the private-sector program are entirely funded by user
fees, not tax dollars.
One of the solution's strongest features is that its funding source is private enterprise.
"The Red Card Solution is underwritten when employers pay to list jobs with the private employment services opening offices in foreign countries," Krieble said. "That means business, not taxpayers, will foot the bill. Free markets are freed do what they do best: link employers who need a service with workers who can provide it."
Historically Viable
The Bracero Program after World War II opened Mexican workers to temporary, legal entry into the United States for farm jobs. The program was limited in scope and, some say, failed to protect the workers from abuse. But in one important area -- security -- the plan made a clear impact:
"In the Bracero Program era, apprehensions of illegal aliens coming into the United States from Mexico dropped to almost nothing, from more than a million a year to only 35,000. After the program was abolished, the number returned to a million-plus," Krieble said. "Then as now, the question is: why risk work here illegally if you can do it legally?"
Not about Amnesty
The Red Card Solution matches workers and employees through private agencies outside U.S. borders:
-- The U.S. government authorizes private employment agencies to grant
temporary non-immigrant work permits. Foreign workers apply in their
own countries for the permits.
-- Job applicants are matched to current, unfilled U.S. jobs; temporary,
non-immigrant workers fill a specific job for a specific time and may
return home when the job ends.
-- Permits are in "smart card" biometric data, enabling border
authorities to see that temporary workers enter legally for pre-agreed
employment and return when the work ends.
-- All permit holders must pass criminal background checks in their
home-country databases and in U.S. databases.
"The Red Card is not about amnesty," Krieble said. "Illegal workers already in the U.S. may go outside U.S. borders to apply and return legally for available U.S. work."
-----
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Political News You Can Use
Wednesday, June 23, Krieble hosts a bipartisan morning briefing at the Library of Congress to explain The Red Card Solution to congressional staffers. That afternoon, she'll debut a new Red Card Solution documentary at the National Press Club Building and lead a panel of experts in national economics, politics, security, and media.
"Labor and business are starting to come together to support a non-immigrant worker program that can help achieve border security and supply the country's economic needs," said Krieble, whose equestrian farm in Colorado suffers like thousands of small businesses unable to find sufficient temporary workers. "The Red Card Solution is not about citizenship, it's about work. It's about workers and employers and the ability to come together legally," she said.
Currently millions of undocumented foreign workers cost U.S. citizens billions of dollars annually in border patrol, uncollected taxes, and education, health care, and corrections expenses. To expand on The Red Card Solution's taxpayer benefits:
-- Taxes are collected on wages paid to legal, temporary workers.
(Currently, in most cases, no taxes are collected.)
-- Temporary workers paying taxes will cover their fair share of social
services currently provided at taxpayers' expense.
-- Money and resources currently pouring into border security will be
better used as border patrol agents focus less and less on the fewer
illegal workers and more on criminals and terrorists.
-- The costs of the private-sector program are entirely funded by user
fees, not tax dollars.
One of the solution's strongest features is that its funding source is private enterprise.
"The Red Card Solution is underwritten when employers pay to list jobs with the private employment services opening offices in foreign countries," Krieble said. "That means business, not taxpayers, will foot the bill. Free markets are freed do what they do best: link employers who need a service with workers who can provide it."
Historically Viable
The Bracero Program after World War II opened Mexican workers to temporary, legal entry into the United States for farm jobs. The program was limited in scope and, some say, failed to protect the workers from abuse. But in one important area -- security -- the plan made a clear impact:
"In the Bracero Program era, apprehensions of illegal aliens coming into the United States from Mexico dropped to almost nothing, from more than a million a year to only 35,000. After the program was abolished, the number returned to a million-plus," Krieble said. "Then as now, the question is: why risk work here illegally if you can do it legally?"
Not about Amnesty
The Red Card Solution matches workers and employees through private agencies outside U.S. borders:
-- The U.S. government authorizes private employment agencies to grant
temporary non-immigrant work permits. Foreign workers apply in their
own countries for the permits.
-- Job applicants are matched to current, unfilled U.S. jobs; temporary,
non-immigrant workers fill a specific job for a specific time and may
return home when the job ends.
-- Permits are in "smart card" biometric data, enabling border
authorities to see that temporary workers enter legally for pre-agreed
employment and return when the work ends.
-- All permit holders must pass criminal background checks in their
home-country databases and in U.S. databases.
"The Red Card is not about amnesty," Krieble said. "Illegal workers already in the U.S. may go outside U.S. borders to apply and return legally for available U.S. work."
-----
www.politicalpotuck.com
Political News You Can Use
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
More Dire Warnings for Social Security
/PRNewswire / -- In response to the dire warnings issued in today's Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report, RetireSafe and its 400,000 senior supporters called on the President and Congress to take immediate action to secure the promised benefits older Americans rely on.
"With unfunded liabilities of up to $100 trillion and the Social Security Trust Fund scheduled to pay out more than it takes in by 2016, America's seniors deserve to know that the Social Security benefits they rely on to make ends meet will still be there for them," said RetireSafe President Michelle Plasari.
According to Plasari, there are simple ways to make Social Security more secure for current and near retirees:
Guaranteed Benefits. Currently, Social Security benefits are not a sure thing. They can be cut by Congress on a whim. Congress has continually used incoming Social Security dollars for other projects -- including pork barrel spending. For years, RetireSafe has supported legislation that would provide a certificate of guarantee to Social Security beneficiaries.
Fair COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Seniors' annual cost-of-living-adjustments are calculated based on the spending habits of younger workers. The formula used doesn't account for increased spending on health insurance, long-term care or prescription drugs. For decades, the government has maintained an "experimental" index that tracks seniors' true cost of living. To see just how much more seniors could get over their retirement visit RetireSafe's Fair COLA Calculator at www.retiresafe.org/cola_calculator.html.
Repeal Double Tax. Seniors are subject to unfair taxation during their retirement years. After spending their whole lives paying taxes to the government -- the IRS still gets to tax 85% of their Social Security benefits if their retirement earnings reach a certain level.
Abolish the Early Retiree Earnings Limit. Early retirees who continue to work are penalized for doing so by earning limits. The limit taxes seniors at an outrageous amount -- more than many multi-millionaires. In today's economy more and more early retirees are returning to work to make ends meet -- and being penalized by the tax man for doing so.
Prohibit Totalization. The Social Security Administration has signed a totalization treaty with Mexico. The agreement would allow millions of illegal immigrants to collect Social Security benefits. This is a slap in the face to older Americans who worked hard their whole lives yet continue to struggle on their current benefit.
-----
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Political News You Can Use
"With unfunded liabilities of up to $100 trillion and the Social Security Trust Fund scheduled to pay out more than it takes in by 2016, America's seniors deserve to know that the Social Security benefits they rely on to make ends meet will still be there for them," said RetireSafe President Michelle Plasari.
According to Plasari, there are simple ways to make Social Security more secure for current and near retirees:
Guaranteed Benefits. Currently, Social Security benefits are not a sure thing. They can be cut by Congress on a whim. Congress has continually used incoming Social Security dollars for other projects -- including pork barrel spending. For years, RetireSafe has supported legislation that would provide a certificate of guarantee to Social Security beneficiaries.
Fair COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Seniors' annual cost-of-living-adjustments are calculated based on the spending habits of younger workers. The formula used doesn't account for increased spending on health insurance, long-term care or prescription drugs. For decades, the government has maintained an "experimental" index that tracks seniors' true cost of living. To see just how much more seniors could get over their retirement visit RetireSafe's Fair COLA Calculator at www.retiresafe.org/cola_calculator.html.
Repeal Double Tax. Seniors are subject to unfair taxation during their retirement years. After spending their whole lives paying taxes to the government -- the IRS still gets to tax 85% of their Social Security benefits if their retirement earnings reach a certain level.
Abolish the Early Retiree Earnings Limit. Early retirees who continue to work are penalized for doing so by earning limits. The limit taxes seniors at an outrageous amount -- more than many multi-millionaires. In today's economy more and more early retirees are returning to work to make ends meet -- and being penalized by the tax man for doing so.
Prohibit Totalization. The Social Security Administration has signed a totalization treaty with Mexico. The agreement would allow millions of illegal immigrants to collect Social Security benefits. This is a slap in the face to older Americans who worked hard their whole lives yet continue to struggle on their current benefit.
-----
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
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