Comments on: Obama to take his shot at immigration reform

By: linda

linda — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:04:48 +0000

Illegal is Illegal. Just because people are breaking the law in droves and droves does not mean we should legislate around them. Those who broke our laws to get here and then reap benefits after the crime should be deported, along with their families.

What if all of my German family and extended family, village members and anyone who has any German blood at all decided we don’t have to stop at red lights anymore? Would you start paying for all of the consequences that came from that decision? Would you insure me as a driver? Would you pay the law suits and make sure I continued to have a license to drive? I mean after all there would be millions of us doing it, so it must now be ok. Heck even it is not legal you all should just “suck it up” because we Germans decided we don’t like the laws of the country we came to and we are going to do what we want!

By: Lori C.

Lori C. — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:57:40 +0000

If the immigrant is over 65, they can apply for SSI and Medicaid and get more than a woman on Social Security, who worked from 1944 until 2004. She is only getting $791 per month because she was born in 1924 and there’s a ‘catch 22′.

It is interesting that the federal government provides a single refugee with a monthly allowance of $1,890. Each can also obtain an additional $580 in social assistance, for a total of $2,470 a month.

This compares to a single pensioner, who after contributing to the growth and development of America for 40 to 50 years, can only receive a monthly maximum of $1,012 in old age pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Maybe our pensioners should apply as refugees!

Tell your Congressmen!!! This only encourages more illegals to come here!

By: Steve O

Steve O — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:46:57 +0000

Illegal, legal, pay taxes, don’t pay taxes, health-care burdens, all the same old debate over the symptoms of the problem. Corporate America’s Washington, D.C. lobbyist delight to see our attention diverted by the debate. Cure the disease and the symptoms will disappear. The disease is the very wealthy and influential Washington Lobby for large-cap corporations. Do you think they want to lose their access to cheap, hard working, non-complaining, and non-organized labor? Heaven forbid, they would have no alternative but to hire American Citizens and actually pay a living wage to them.

Trust your country, not your government!

By: C

Mon, 18 May 2009 14:49:07 +0000

This is a problematic issue. But, I also know for a fact, there are many illegal immigrants who are working hard AND paying taxes through their payroll checks. Although, I do agree, the reality is there are some who do not. For those who do not, yes, I do not agree with this, but many times these people are then exploited by the employers they work for, with say, only 1 day off in an entire month and very poor living conditions.

We cannot say all do not pay taxes, etc., because many do. I am a patriotic American, and have served in our Armed Forces, although I am sympathetic to the immigrants currently in our country as I know many of their personal stories. I believe some type of solution for immigration reform to allow those who do want to remain here, work hard, and assimilate into our culture would be beneficial. I know of many immigrants who do try their hardest to assmilate into our culture, learn to speak English fluently and work hard. I do not believe they should be punished, but allowed an opportunity to gain residency.

I see first-hand – there are MANY Americans who will not and ARE NOT applying for the lower paying wage jobs that many of these people are filling. I have seen in my company and others, we have openings in lower-paid positions, and your average American who is complaining of being out of work, is still not applying for these jobs. So what are those American people who are out of a job doing – probably waiting around for a better job rather than doing whatever they can to work hard in the meantime??

We are a country based on immigrants, that is how this country was formed. Our immigration system, among others is inefficient, back-logged, and out of control. We need practical reform that allows those who work hard and try to follow the rules, to remain here. I do not believe this will hurt our country. The current economic crisis we are in was not caused by the illegal immigrants here, it was caused by our banking system, their management nationally of finances, leading to the mortgage crisis. In turn, consumers taking loans they could not handle, consumers buying way over their means, companies mismanaging funds, outrageous spending of company funds, etc. This is why our country is in trouble now economically.

By: Joanne

Joanne — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:38:03 +0000

To everyone who posted a commment saying illegal immigrants pay payroll taxes…..
NOT TRUE!
I work for a company who uses hand-workers from a service, and NONE OF THEM PAY
ANY KIND OF PAYROLL TAX, NO FED, NO SS, NO CITY, NO STATE, NO SUI.
THEY ARE PAID CASH!

By: K

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:54:10 +0000

Glenn, I agree with you on several fronts – unions are just in it for the money!!! Also, you are right about claiming 9 kids. I think that the IRS should change the W-4 form to include a place for dependents’ social security numbers (for everyone). That way they can only declare what they actually have in their household. So even if they don’t file their taxes in April, the government has captured more tax monies that would have previously!

MR – I also agree with you in the fact that legal and illegal immigrants are the ones that will work menial jobs for minimum pay. I am not sure the American public realizes how many of those types of jobs would be left empty if they were all deported. Not saying it is right, just saying that the American economy would take a huge hit – one because the rate of pay would have to increase in order to get the caucasian population to do those jobs. I worked at a food processing facility that paid much more that minimum wage and couldn’t get anyone to do the work but the immigrant population.

The immigration issue is one that is multiple sided. I don’t believe that one bill in congress is going to solve all of it’s problems.

By: Lori C.

Lori C. — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:46:17 +0000

Good Heavens, Lizzy – what color is the sky in your world anyway? Have you seen the car lots that advertize primarily to the illegals? No license necessary – no insurance needed…The cost of uninsured driving accidents alone is astounding. Who pays for that? (I bet YOU have uninsured drivers insurance.) Once they are established they bring their whole family over – no need to check in at the border – stupid gringos! Aging illegals-do you think we deport them? Heck no! We take care of all of them. Stupid Americanos! The overflow of the poor is killing us financially. California will serve as an example to warn the rest of the country of what can happen to them. We have bent over backwards to take care of people who fly the Mexican flag and thumb their noses at us stupid taxpayers. So, Lizzy and MR – YOU can bend over! I’m sick of it. I hope they take over your neighborhood like they did mine. That’s right Joe, crime, gangs and graffitti – welcome to America – a better life.

By: Lizzy

Lizzy — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:18:47 +0000

Everyone pays taxes (in a different scale) – if you didn’t know – taxes are paid for gas, for food, for rental properties, etc – so YES – illegals are also paying taxes, and YES they are contributing to the economy based on the fact that whatever they pay for – will not get anything in return BECAUSE THEY ARE ILLEGAL. No they do not get any food stamps, or government assistance if they are illegal immigrants. All you have to do is go online to any governmental office and see for yourself. I never said or implied that it is ok to break the law – but that doesn’t give anyone the right to think of them as being below anyone. Also, why is it that when people refer to immigrants they immediately think of latin america? What do you call illegal immigrants from Asia, Europe and other parts of the world who are doing exactly the same thing? I believe change needs to happen, for those people who can positively contribute to our society. What a shame that the only people who can truly say I am an American and this is my land > Native Americans, are not the ones being vocal about this, and yet they also have to keep fighting for their rights. Have you all forgotten what happened in the old days when Irish came to America? and then when Italians came…no different, just a different group of people, but same issues all over again. Instead of fighting one another, wouldn’t it be better to bring this up to your House Representatives – but if you do, make sure to inform yourselves and make the right petitions. If you are here now, think back a little, and think what it was like for your parents or grand-parents when they decided to move to this wonderful land of opportunity. Don’t take away the opportunities that others continue to look for, as once our ancestors did.

By: joe

joe — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:36:05 +0000

For MR, my kids aren’t held back they’re in private BECAUSE, the schools are now doing what they call Spanish Immersion, which means they teach half the day in spanish and half in english.
The parent’s of kids in this program have been leaving the school in droves and enrolling in private or in the other local elementary that does not subscribe to this one more bending over to accomodate people who only want the benefits of America withoput having to at the very least learn a common language.
Had to move because my once nice area became tijuana complete with crime, gangs and grafitti on houses! (Complete lack of respect for the neighborhood).
As far as We are all immigrants? that is a lame excuse used by Illegals to justify their law breaking/line jumping.
also as far as jobs Americans won’t do? Somehow the grass got mowed and I was able to buy a hamburger before, and understand what the person behind the counter was saying!

By: Glenn

Glenn — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:26:06 +0000

“MR” you need to read my last posting! You dare to call people IGNORANT and yet you are the one that doesn’t know all the facts. 95% + of the illegals in the Southeast U.S. don’t pay ANY income tax! Now, what part of that don’t you understand !!!!!