In an editorial today welcoming Mexican President Vicente Fox to Washington state, the King County Journal shows it's on to Mexico's hyprocrisy.
Welcome President Fox, but we wonder ...* Mexico is tougher on illegal immigrants than the United States. In the first eight months of last year, Mexico deported 120,000 from Central America alone, raiding businesses to root out the undocumented workers.
* President Fox has decried the criminalization of undocumented Mexicans in the U.S., but his own country classifies illegal immigration as a felony punishable by up to two years in prison.
* President Fox would like to have the U.S. turn a blind eye to illegal workers so, as he told Jim Lehrer of PBS, "that they can be here without having to hide away, and that they would have a status of regularization that will permit them to have all the rights, and keep on working hard, and at the same time go back and forth to Mexico."'
Meanwhile in Yakima, Fox's first Washington stop today, the Herald-Republic reports that WA state government aid to illegal immigrants is substantial but cannot be tallied because no one really knows the immigration status of many of the recipients. A lengthy list of programs benefitting illegal immigrants is included. This P-I story also discusses the substantial population of illegal immigrant students in public schools in parts of Eastern Washigton, and the total lack of legal immigration status verification.
Leading a protest in (a different location than originally planned) in Yakima as Fox arrives today is Bob Baker of Mercer Island, an airline pilot and retired naval aviator who's heading up the "Protect Washington Now" campaign for Initiative 946. It would "require state and local government employees to verify identity and immigration status of every applicant for non-federally mandated public benefits, and report immigration violations, making failure to report a misdemeanor." If the U.S. Congress does its job on legal employment verification - a large but utterly necessary part of the unfolding immigration reform effort - then the envisioned 99 percent error-free database should be shared with state agencies to help dispense or deny government program benefits. Getting reliable immigration status verification in place will be challenging and costly. Failing to do so will be even more problematic.
UPDATE: Vicente is talking the right talk:
Earlier Wednesday in a speech to the Utah Legislature, Fox said Mexico does not support undocumented migration and that his country must expand economic growth so it is not necessary for people to seek work and benefits outside his country.
De tus labios a los oidos del Dios, El Presidente. Because a bit of divine intervention will be required.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at May 24, 2006 02:10 PM | Email ThisNo doubt he would like that. As long as a young ocean of Mexican nationals is working in the US and sending the money back home, he can keep putting off the unpleasant task of fixing the broken and dysfunctional system that is the government and economy of Mexico.
Posted by: ewaggin on May 24, 2006 06:45 PMIf the entrepeneurial Mexicans that cross our border to work were to be forced out of the country and have no choice but to live and work in their home country, there will be a violent revolution in the country within a short time.
The simple fact is that there is no hope for Mexicans in their home country. The whole government down there is designed to make sure that the ultra-rich get ultra-richer and that the poor get ultra-poor. It's all about the cronyism and corruption, with just a sliver of a middle class permitted to make sure that the country is functional enough to permit tourism and trade in their natural resources. It's very, very sad.
We should do the right thing and make the Mexican people stay home and work for change within their own country instead of coming here to live off the scraps of our culture - and we need to actively support change. We need to work diplomatically to help the country modernize and end the de facto rule of a few super-rich families. We need to support investment in the country with strings attached that assure the money made by the workers stays in the workers pockets. The country needs laws and a tax code that encourage job creation, small business and a real environment where those that work hard can prosper.
I've lived amongst the Mexican people in their own country in my time. They work hard, with few exceptions they are law abiding, god fearing people who only come here because it is the only way to ever get ahead. We should not permit them to destroy our national borders, but we should help them to restructure their country for posterity.
As happens, the money they make here goes to Mexico and in a matter of a few short years winds up in the hands of the robber barons that run the monopolies in that country.
Unless that changes, we will always have illegal immigration no matter how much we tighten our borders.
Posted by: Johnny on May 24, 2006 07:12 PM
We the United States (specifically the US Senate) are also in need of treatment to stop enabling them by passing that pathetic piece of s**t legislation they call Comprehensive Immigration Reform. That is a code word for smoke & mirrors.
I think that states it succinctly enough...
Posted by: KS on May 24, 2006 07:49 PMIf they are the addict, then we need to spend millions to allow them to keep being addicted so we can feel better about ourselves and also to keep them needing us and thus voting for us...doesn't matter if that vote is illegal or that enabling them is the worse thing we could do for them or us.
Do you understand that? Please check you feelings...they are what matters.
Posted by: Dengle on May 24, 2006 09:19 PMAt least then our social programs would be bankrolled by people who live and consume here.
California should switch to State sales tax (like WA) and bag their state income tax system
Posted by: sfth on May 24, 2006 09:40 PMMexicans make up the majority of illegals, but they are by no means all of them. Many of them come from other parts of Centeral and South America.
You think they magically skip from Salvador to the US without going through Mexico? Well they don't.
Mexico must live by the laws of supply and demand as well as we must. Sam Brownback is 100% right, we will never control the borders without a realistic influx of legal immigration, our laws cannot ignore supply and demand if they are to be effective, which is exactly why we need a guest worker program.
Posted by: Cliff on May 24, 2006 10:49 PMWhat I truly, truly find amazing is that on the north, Fox says to let us in, but on the south, he throws illegals in jail.
Channel 13 had a little of the third set of protesters- the Fox critics. Matt's discussion here was much, much better.
Posted by: swatter on May 25, 2006 07:07 AMOooh, I hate politics!!!!
Posted by: swatter on May 25, 2006 09:14 AMThe achilles heel of our system -- populism.
The liberals love to exploit it because (like children) they believe that good things come without vigilance, effort, or planning. They love to pander to those who may feeeel disenfranchised and illegal immigrants are a prime constituency.
Conservatives cannot get elected if they turn their backs on the "hispanic vote" because it amounts to a swing vote factor. Merely hinting at enforcing the law (see "Bombastic Bob" Dornan) can lose them an election. Along with millions of conservative voters, I wish that GW Bush would stand up and lead on this issue spitting directly in the Democrats criminal eye, but he won't because his hands are tied by other more imminent potential disaster. Besides, even conservatives have become inculcated with political correctness. Often its not popular to do what is necessary and people will hate you for doing it. That's why so many people loved and still love Bill Clinton -- he never made any of the hard choices that were necessary. Act as if the problem doesn't exist and voila -- it dissapears (at least for you)!
PRETEND ILLEGALS ARE JUST NICE FOLKS LOOKING FOR WORK
This illegal immigration issue may well be the method by which liberals blow America apart. Most people balk at such a comment even though ILLEGALS have already institutionally bankrupted us with our own liberalism. Liberals smile contentedly and adults shake our heads and grumble.
Wait until one of the MANY MANY Mexican gangs (young and old) beats up their kids or steals their car and wrecks it or takes over the neighborhood -- outlawing english speaking on the street under pain of death -- just as they have in large portions of Phoenix and East LA. You think inner city blacks have problems now -- watch as the Mexican gangs continue to leave black bodies in the streets on an ever increasing basis until civil authorities can do nothing to stem the violence wrought by illegal aliens or the retaliation in kind. Those who live outside the law -- cannot be restrained by it -- and -- THEY KNOW IT!
It doesn't matter that Congress has consistently told illegals in no uncertain terms that America will not enforce real law -- instead they just bleat trifling meaningless rhetoric. But hey, don't worry, these "illegals" are nice boys who want to work -- mow lawns, trim trees, frame houses, dig ditches and those many things that are done daily in nearly every neighborhood in America. You see them there working hard. They are not casing your garage, or watching your daughter, or checking out your boat in the back yard -- no -- it would be RACIST to even imagine such a thing. Don't worry, they are just nice Spanish speaking boys working. They are just working and doing the things that others will not do.
What about your neighborhood?
Liberals (Democrat and Republican) are sheep and illegal immigrants are wolves in sheep's clothing. Watch it burn.
Posted by: Amused by liberals on May 26, 2006 11:33 AM
BOTH SENATOR WASINGTON STATE AND POLITIC SUPPORT GUEST WORKER AMNESTY,AND THEY NOT AGREE ENGLISH BE NATIONAL OFFICIAL ENGLSIH .
NO BILL IS BETTER THAN ANY COMPROMISE BILL - WE WILL GET EVEN AT THE BALLOT BOX IN NOVEMBER
The SENATE has JUST PASSED an AMNESTY BILL THAT GIVES ILLEGAL INVADERS MORE RIGHTS THAN ORDINARY AMERICANS!!!!
IT GIVES SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TO IDENTITY THEIVES!!!!
IT FORGIVES PAST DUE TAXES!!!!
IT PROVIDES CITIZENSHIP FOR CRIMINALS!!!!
IT IS WEAK ON BORDER SECURITY!!!!
IT IS WEAK ON EMPLOYER ENFORCEMENT!!!!
IT IS UN-ENFORCEABLE!!!!
THE SENATE DOES NOT INTEND TO ENFORCE IT, JUST LIKE 1986!!!!!
IT WILL LEAD TO 200 MILLION MORE ILLEGALS IN 20 YEARS!!!!
IT WILL COST THE US TAXPAYER $50 MILLION EACH YEAR!!!!
IT WILL BANKRUPT AMERICA!!!!!
WE MUST STOP THIS TREASON NOW!!!!
EVERY PATRIOTIC AMERICAN MUST WRITE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, DENNIS HASTERT, AND DEMAND THAT HE NOT SEND HOUSE MEMBERS TO NEGOTIATE THE DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA!!!!!!
TELL HIM WE DO NOT WANT ANY FORM OF IMMIGRATION REFORM FROM THIS CONGRESS!!!!!
TELL HIM WE WANT EXISTING LAWS ENFORCED!!!!
SEAL OUR BORDERS!!!!
FINE AND IMPRISON EMPLOYERS!!!!
STOP ALL FEDERAL FUNDING TO STATES THAT PROVIDE EDUCATION, WELFARE AND HEALTH CARE TO THESE ILLEGAL INVADERS!!!
TELL HIM TO UPHOLD HIS OATH OF OFFICE TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FROM ALL ENEMIES, BOTH FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC!!!!
213 MILLION HISPANIC AND 50 BILLION WE FEED THEM FROM OUR TAXPAYER TO GIV ETHEM FREE HEALTCARE,EDUCATION,WELFARE AND THEIR MATERNITY...SENATOR PRES WILL DESTROY AMERICAN U GO TO THE HELL AND MOVE TO MEXICO .
UR BILL IS EVIL , U GOT UR SALARY NOT FROM ILLEGALS ,ILLEGALS IS LEECHES
Posted by: crook on May 26, 2006 05:15 PMLOCK THE DOORS
PUT ALL RED CARS ON WHEELJACKS
SELL YOUR DOG TO GYPSIES
CASH IN YOUR LIFE INSURANCE AND
DOUBLE BAG ALL OF YOUR GROCERIES!
I'm with ya dood.
Wow, I feel better now.
(BTW: I heard that Mexico is hell!)
Posted by: alphabet soup on May 27, 2006 09:01 AMLiberals in the Democrat party got us to this deplorable situation because they want insanity and one-world nonsense to rule,
and they have worked hard for decades to make it happen. I agree that liberals in the Republican party and some conservative Republicans with liberal constituencies (like Reichert )are making real mistakes on this issue.
If as it seems, you are committed to pretending that the difference between the Liberal and Conservative positions don't exist,
no facts will sway your thinking in this regard.
I suppose if you were in Reichert's position, you believe that it would be appropriate to frown at Fox?
Anyone can criticize anything; if you have a point why not make it?
If you just want to pi$$ your pants in front of us, why bother?
There are plenty of liberal morons that come here to make fools of themselves.
We got into this illegal immigration problem slowly and deliberately and we will not get out of it in one fell swoop. I share the skepticism of many who say that Republicans are doing way too little to solve this problem and I agree in spirit with John that liberal Republicans are being wimps about immigration. Nevertheless, 70% agreement with something is better than 0% agreement with nothing. John would have us abandon our proverbial house because others threaten to burn it down.
I would like to eliminate the putative burners but they are my liberal countrymen so, in the alternative, I prefer to buy fire extinguishers -- one at a time.
Without a Republican party, no reforms will ever take place. John is angry at things and acting psychologically like a liberal. I don’t like the inadequate bills being proposed either, but I refuse to pretend that extremism is the answer and I won’t give any advantage to the communists. If the Republican Party was not substantially different from the Democratic Party, nothing WHATSOEVER would be happening to resolve the illegal immigration issue. More bills on state levels that can help “dry up the incentives” for illegal immigration can come about if Republicans are elected. Otherwise it is hopeless until something explodes again like the towers.
If we are led by liberals, all is lost.
Thanks.
Posted by: Amused by liberals on May 30, 2006 11:38 PM