A Reagan Legacy: Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants

[imgleft:mdrybt41] media.npr.org/assets/news/2010/07/04/rea...jpg?t=1278268175&s=2 [/imgleft:mdrybt41] As the nation's attention turns back to the fractured debate over immigration, it might be helpful to remember that in 1986, Ronald Reagan signed a sweeping immigration reform bill into law. It was sold as a crackdown: There would be tighter security at the Mexican border, and employers would face strict penalties for hiring undocumented workers.

But the bill also made any immigrant who'd entered the country before 1982 eligible for amnesty — a word not usually associated with the father of modern conservatism.

In his renewed push for an immigration overhaul this week, President Obama called for Republican support for a bill to address the growing population of illegal immigrants in the country. This time, however, Republicans know better than to tread near the politically toxic A-word.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =128303672

Reagan disciples do seem to forget about his amnesty program. Rush tried to talk about it last week w/o mentioning Reagan's name. Like amnesty came out of nowhere.

Illegal immigration is one of the issues where the rank n' file on both sides oppose it, but the party bigwigs quietly allow it. With zero population growth, maybe they realize we will need the illegals to pay for Social Security's Ponzi scheme?

I remember that one. Plus the self employment tax he
signed in. Got my vote first time-not second

When Reagan had his policy - this country did not have 25 million Americans out of work - and getting worse every month.

We also did not have 25 million illeagal immigrants (maybe more)- a good percentage of whom are demanding and expecting a range of taxpayer funded social programs to subsidize them.

It may have been a mistake for Reagan to have done this - looking back he might feel differently if he saw the problem as it exists today, given what it has become.

I was not advocating deporting these illeagals 10 years ago - because our economy could easily absorb them and I was not fully aware of the problems with supporting them with our social programs and welfare state. I have also become more aware of their expectation to access welfare state, and their changing attitude about their right to be in this country without asking permission.

And third - the propensity of our government to expand social programs and the welfare system to accomodate them - which America can not afford.

Forth - we can not afford 25 million more subsidized "undocumented Democrats"!

BearMtnHIB wrote: Forth - we can not afford 25 million more subsidized "undocumented Democrats"!

Would you feel differently if they all promised to vote Republican?

Your mind led you to the wrong word - probably just a defect, your obiviously pre-programmed to object to anything critical of a Democrat.

The important word here is "subsidized". I would object less if they pulled their own weight and promised to contribute instead of costing us more. They are not making this promise - every time I see a protest rally full of illeagals - they are demanding their rights as citizens.

They have not earned that right.

But given the problem at hand - I would still like to send them back home. We simply can not afford them at this time.

I, also, wonder if we can afford not to have them.......

Think of the 1 million+ vacant houses, think of the millions of dollars in food, clothing, etc, they won't be buying. I would guess that it is a small percentage that are feeding off of the system.

Think.....

I have thought about it - and every time I learn more - I realize that we would be much better off by sending them home at this time.

With their extensive experience in demanding their rights as citizens in a country that is not theirs - they might come together in their own country - and demand that their government stop the corruption that leads to poverty and provide an environment where they can flourish without illeagally crossing the border into the US. There is no reason that Mexico and other central American countries can't adopt the same policy that made the USA the primary destination for these immigrants.

Bad government policy is driving them here for now - and I fully admit that bad government policy on this side of the border will lead to the same bad conditions for everyone here very soon.

BearMtnHIB wrote: Your mind led you to the wrong word - probably just a defect, your obiviously pre-programmed to object to anything critical of a Democrat.

my, my....that was a little rude don't ya think? My mind led me to the term "undocumented Democrat" and that implies that an "undocumented Republican" might be less onerous to you. Don't post what you don't mean, if you don't want to be called on it.

Getting back to the actual topic,

How many dollars have those illegal immigrants sent back to their countries? A lot of that money not taxed, regardless of what others may say.

I have friends who took the long, legal way to become immigrants in this country. They also believe that anmesty should not be an option. It's called "ethics." Where are the ethics of those who come here illegally.