Obama takes on immigration. Intends to fix, NOT fortify. - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Greenen72;29750681]It's going to suck when the whole amnesty thing fails like the last time we did it[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Reform_and_Control_Act_of_1986[/url]

[QUOTE=PvtCupcakes;29751007]I'm just saying that I'd rather not see Obama give the Republicans exactly what they want like he has in the past. I don't want to end up with more troops on the border and less opportunity for immigrants and none of the stuff in the article.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't like that either, but the fact of the matter is if the Republicans don't like it, it won't get passed.

[QUOTE=Gaza Pen Pal;29750997]Such a shame everything in life is a binary choice and we can't choose something, in- between?[/QUOTE] Esperanto! Really though, it's like being able to read and write. In a society that predominately speaks English, it is a big help if they can speak it, even a little bit. It helps them get on with everyone else better so it's for their benefit too.

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;29750978]That's like trying to get Hitler to like Jewish people. The government is nearly divided, the only way he can get passed the house is to agree on their terms. Lest he has his proposals die in a bunch of crappy committees the GOP sets up.[/QUOTE] I'd rather nothing happened than to have an entirely Republican law.

To be honest, I think we need to focus on our economy. Adding more people only drives up unemployment numbers. This doesn't strike me as the best time to reform immigration.

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751071]To be honest, I think we need to focus on our economy. Adding more people only drives up unemployment numbers. This doesn't strike me as the best time to reform immigration.[/QUOTE] My county is actually starting to scrape bits of the stimulus package share Obama threw at us years earlier. I'm seeing highway construction errwhere. I think it's safe to say that the stimulus is finally being tapped and Obama could focus on other issues

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751071]To be honest, I think we need to focus on our economy. Adding more people only drives up unemployment numbers. This doesn't strike me as the best time to reform immigration.[/QUOTE] Really it's taking away all the jobs that illegals do for cheap. The jobs that would disappear into an underground illegal market are suddenly back on the level. Also it wouldn't change actual unemployment, just take into account the illegal market and get a better figure, cosmetic change only.

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751071]To be honest, I think we need to focus on our economy. Adding more people only drives up unemployment numbers. This doesn't strike me as the best time to reform immigration.[/QUOTE] Both are pressing issues, you can't just ignore one entirely. This would help the economy as well, as was mentioned, because it would help remove the underground illegal market and help put employees on a level playing field, as well as giving a boost in taxes and wages.

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751071]To be honest, I think we need to focus on our economy. Adding more people only drives up unemployment numbers. This doesn't strike me as the best time to reform immigration.[/QUOTE] Illegals are coming in anyways, if we were to tax them then we would get more money from them.

[QUOTE=Devodiere;29751030]Esperanto![/quote] Not a terrible idea, America certainly needs a decent education system. [quote]Really though, it's like being able to read and write. In a society that predominately speaks English, it is a big help if they can speak it, even a little bit. It helps them get on with everyone else better so it's for their benefit too.[/QUOTE] The majority of these immigrants live near the border where Spanish is incredibly prevalent if not in some areas dominant.

[QUOTE=Gaza Pen Pal;29750997]Such a shame everything in life is a binary choice and we can't choose something, in- between?[/QUOTE] De-facto is English. As far as I think it would go... Speaking other languages is protected by Freedom of Speech. [editline]10th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Gaza Pen Pal;29751141]Not a terrible idea, America certainly needs a decent education system. The majority of these immigrants live near the border where Spanish is incredibly prevalent if not in some areas dominant.[/QUOTE] What, I live 90 miles from the border... What the fuck are you talking about?

[QUOTE=Gaza Pen Pal;29751141]Not a terrible idea, America certainly needs a decent education system. The majority of these immigrants live near the border where Spanish is incredibly prevalent if not in some areas dominant.[/QUOTE] Plenty of people speak Spanish because they are more comfortable with it, that's fair enough. When you encounter someone who does not speak Spanish at all though, they have the inability to communicate with them even in bad English. It is a skill, and one that is highly useful even in areas with high levels of Spanish speakers. Giving them the opportunity to learn English and gain that skill is very valuable.

The country is getting older- baby boomers, a HUGE demographic, heading to retirement. The country is getting a huge boost to Hispanic demographics, I saw a report that said Hispanics will be the largest ethnic group(not a clear majority, just that largest single group) in about 50 years. These two things add up to: the US is going to need immigrants, or the labor pool will be too small. We'll have the economy contract instead of expand if we depend on native born, since Americans just aren't having enough kids. Meanwhile, a larger Hispanic population means it will be politically smart to be dealing with illegals ASAP and not in a hostile way- amnesty in one form or another.

[quote]Obama argued that correcting the nation's broken immigration system and legalizing the country's illegal immigrants who "live in the shadows" would bolster the U.S. economy[/quote] Funny part is this actually isn't true, if they're legal that means they'll abide by wage regulation and such, a cost business intentionally avoids :v: Good luck finding jobs minimum-wage seeking uneducated illegal immigrants. I don't mind them being here, I would just go about this in a completely different fashion. The low wage (which is obviously a higher wage than their home country) is why they move here, it's why they get hired, I have to imagine prospects will be slim unless they get some serious education fast. (Of course this could be avoided by ending misc wage regulations, lolnope) [editline]e[/editline] [QUOTE=XD!;29751132]Illegals are coming in anyways, if we were to tax them then we would get more money from them.[/QUOTE] In case anybody was wondering, this is really what it's about. That and maybe loyal voters.

[QUOTE=XD!;29751132]Illegals are coming in anyways, if we were to tax them then we would get more money from them.[/QUOTE] How many tax dollars can you get out of people who have nothing?

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751071]To be honest, I think we need to focus on our economy. Adding more people only drives up unemployment numbers. This doesn't strike me as the best time to reform immigration.[/QUOTE] terrible mentality. if everyone thought like that nothing ever would be accomplished. immigration reform has been due for a very long time now [editline]11th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751817]How many tax dollars can you get out of people who have nothing?[/QUOTE] :frog: a lot of illegal immigrants actually do pay taxes

Welcome to America, immigrants. I hope you make a better life for you and your family here.

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29751817]How many tax dollars can you get out of people who have nothing?[/QUOTE] Plenty! They buy things with money too.

Doesn't that means more mexicans in the States? And maybe this will prevent the trafficking of drugs from Mexico?

Not to be racist now, but why do the yanks call Mexican folks wetbacks?

[QUOTE=Ignhelper;29752438]Doesn't that means more mexicans in the States? And maybe this will prevent the trafficking of drugs from Mexico?[/QUOTE] It would help if the War On Drugs ended. [editline]11th May 2011[/editline] also if maybe a few drugs were legalized like marijuana.

[QUOTE=JDK721;29751850] :frog: a lot of illegal immigrants actually do pay taxes[/QUOTE] They all pay sales tax

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;29750956]We're not switching to Spanish.[/QUOTE] Nah, we're switching to Spanglish, the number one language of the stereotype!

[QUOTE=Canned Induvidual;29752461]Not to be racist now, but why do the yanks call Mexican folks wetbacks?[/QUOTE] Something to do with crossing a river I think.

[QUOTE=s0beit;29751594]Funny part is this actually isn't true, if they're legal that means they'll abide by wage regulation and such, a cost business intentionally avoids :v: Good luck finding jobs minimum-wage seeking uneducated illegal immigrants. I don't mind them being here, I would just go about this in a completely different fashion. The low wage (which is obviously a higher wage than their home country) is why they move here, it's why they get hired, I have to imagine prospects will be slim unless they get some serious education fast. (Of course this could be avoided by ending misc wage regulations, lolnope) [editline]e[/editline] In case anybody was wondering, this is really what it's about. That and maybe loyal voters.[/QUOTE] Even if it doesn't help the economy it still helps the country socially. [QUOTE=Canned Induvidual;29752461]Not to be racist now, but why do the yanks call Mexican folks wetbacks?[/QUOTE] It has to do with them crossing a river to another country I believe. It's from the stereotype of them being immigrants.

[QUOTE=Canned Induvidual;29752461]Not to be racist now, but why do the yanks call Mexican folks wetbacks?[/QUOTE] One of the more dramatic and reliable ways to get into the United States via Mexico is crossing the Rio Grande river, which separates the borders of Texas and Mexico. A wetback refers to those who have recently (illegally) arrived in Texas, still wet from crossing the river (hence wetback.)

[QUOTE=Zeke129;29752509]They all pay sales tax[/QUOTE] also other taxes: [quote]Illegal immigrants are paying taxes to Uncle Sam, experts agree. Just how much they pay is hard to determine because the federal government doesn't fully tally it. But the latest figures available indicate it will amount to billions of dollars in federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes this year. One rough estimate puts the amount of Social Security taxes alone at around $9 billion per year.[/quote] [quote]The Social Security Administration estimates that about three-quarters of illegal workers pay taxes that contribute to the overall solvency of Social Security and Medicare. The agency estimates that for 2005, the last year for which figures are available, about $9 billion in taxes was paid on about $75 billion in wages from people who filed W2 forms with incorrect or mismatched data, which would include illegal immigrants who drew paychecks under fake names and Social Security numbers. Spokesman Mark Hinkle says Social Security does not know how much of the $9 billion can be attributed to illegal immigrants. The number is certainly not 100%, but a significant portion probably comes from taxes paid by illegal immigrants. Nine billion dollars sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but it is only about 1.5% of the total $593 billion paid into Social Security in 2005. The impact on Social Security is significant, though, because most of that money is never claimed by the people who pay it but instead helps cover retirement checks to legal workers.[/quote] [quote]"The ITIN program is bringing taxpayers into the system," Everson told Congress. Ford, of Middle Tennessee State University, said a majority of economists agree that illegal immigrants are a net benefit for the U.S. economy. He said the tax contributions from illegal immigrants, including sales taxes, property taxes and excise taxes (such as the gas tax), are significant. He calculates that illegal immigrants contributed $428 billion dollars to the nation's $13.6 trillion gross domestic product in 2006. That number assumes illegal immigrants are 30% less productive than other workers. "If anything we need more immigrants coming into the country, not less, especially with the baby boomers retiring," he said.[/quote] [url]http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2008-04-10-immigrantstaxes_N.htm[/url]

Watch the Republicans once again butcher any plan that might improve their country and the lives of millions of people.

[QUOTE=Chrille;29756490]Watch the Republicans once again butcher any plan that might improve their country and the lives of millions of people.[/QUOTE] I concur. The idea of finding as many places to tax as possible is certainly appealing. The immigrants would have to pay back taxes, and the money that America would gain from the taxes of 11 million illegals would be insane. Also, if they get taxed to hell, they may not want to stay in America getting people to leave, and solving the problem of illegals through simple taxation.

Hope that this goes through with out the fucking republican fucking it up with their idiocy.