Raydawg - I am a very conservative Republican, but I'm not a Tea party type of R.  Frankly, I agree with your comments about immigrants coming here to work.  I find most of the Mexican immigrants I know to be fine people, who only want to have a decent standard of living.  I bear them no ill will; in fact, I welcome them.

Personally, I would demand such things as an immediate end to any form of bi-lingual society.  When my grandfather came here from Switzerland, he quickly learned to speak enough English to get along, then mastered our language in a couple of years.  Any person who speaks one of the European languages, and naturally we're talking about Spanish, can learn enough English to at least get along fairly quickly, due to the common alphabet.  It might be a different story for a person from Asia or the Middle East, but not for Mexicans.

My grandparents didn't even speak German at home - they were in America, and spoke English to their children.  I just don't understand the concept of not forcing immigrants to "fit in".  Even in clothing, the European immigrants of 100 years ago immediately adopted American attire.  Yet we see immigrants now who think it's OK to wear what was once considered bizarre attire.  Sorry, if you don't want to talk like, dress like, and act like Americans, just please stay home.

Well, there are several interesting aspects  already brought up.  I agree that any immigrant should get a limited time of government support, including an immersion English as a second language.  All  our immigration policies seem to be is a culling of the best and brightest and occasionally, taking in a few of those silly enough to support us in wars in their native lands, making them pariahs when we get bored and leave.

Part of this situation is indeed the lack of good paying basic manual jobs that allow a new person to support himself while learning the ins and outs of our systems.  I think very few people come here for a lifetime of handouts.  They usually want simply a place to live in peace, security and reasonable opportunity to earn a good living.  Most people flee their homelands due to endless wars, deprivation, cruelty by their government or the neighbors.  Religious was continue all around the globe:Christian vs Muslims, Catholic vs Prod, Sunni vs Shia etc ad nauseum.  Then we have many countries with several major ethnic groups; each group thinking the other group is shafting them (often true). African tribes, middle eastern tribal wars, south American tribal wars , Indian subcontinent..unbelievable.

Trippah wrote on 04/19/15 at 20:50:25:


I second that.

May I humbly asl to join this discussion, because...
...from 1968 to 1973 I lived in the States as a "guest" (regularly registered foreigner)

My father had the opportunity to send my brother and I to an Italian school run by the Embassy, it was there and available to us, but he (wisely) chose to make us go to local public schools.

I quickly learned (it was a very steep Learning slope) and I quickly fit in, with bloody noses, torn shirts and... lunch money...
I quickly learned to stand up for myself.

However, I need to point out that, honestly, the USA is a Nation born out of immigration, created by English and German expats who either left because of dire situations back home,
or (let's not forget that) because of HM's Court sentences deciding "thou shalt be confined to the Colonies for 20 years" etc...
Anyone who has studied some history or even just read R.L.Stevenson or Charles Dickens must be very well aware that is how the 13 Colonies, Australia and New Zealand received a sizeable portion of their original population.

Of course, these days someone will come and say "I am an original American, I descend from the Pilgrim Fathers".
Yes, I accept that, and it would be silly not to.
But it is just as true that America, i.e. west of the Appalachians, was settled by families in search of a better future and improved living conditions.

In the 1950's, films and television alike widely and proudly publicized "the self-made man" and "the American Dream".
Yet, these days, it seems that the Dream has gone all Daffy Duck, "it's mine, it's mine, it's ALL mine..."

I am not accusing nor pointing the blame at anybody.
Europe in general, and Spain and Italy more in detail, are facing a wave of african immigration that is Beyond any previous historical record and getting beyond control.
That a mere 5% of these are Christians, and less than 10% are true political refugees (war in Syria, for one) means the remaining 90% of these people are simply fleeing hunger, unemployment
or local feuds or civil war which goes unreported from major media.

THIS is a mass demonstartion of african migrants (not immigrants, just migrants, people in search of a better future) in ISRAEL



and THIS is what ITALY is having to cope with, 3 - 5 times a day for the last 10 (ten !) years or so...



Imagine having bloated corpses washing up to the shores of Miam Beach... every day... for years and years...
It's organized crime, not Spanish, not Italian, but African organized crime which funds Islamic fundamentalism.

Y E T

The United nations demand to speak to a local official governmental organization to stop human trafficking...

In Lybia ?
In the Western Sahara ?


So, guys, you're lucky, in the way that Mexico is not at war with anybody and your Border Patrols are not being shot at by human traffickers in their rigged boats or armored pickups...

I think there are 2 or 3 simple changes many people agree with to one degree or another. They would have profound effects on the country.

1) Eliminate automatic payroll deduction for state and federal taxes. All paychecks should be gross pay and make everyone write a check monthly for what they owe for state and federal taxes. We get desensitized to just how much money the Feds take every paycheck. If we had to write a check every month, most of this overspending nonsense would stop pretty quickly. I’m not sure even Pelosi or Reid would get elected in their safe districts if everyone saw in  black and white how much money these slimballs were stealing from them every paycheck…

2) Flat Tax. 10% for everyone. No deductions. Make $10,000 a year, pay $1,000. Make $1,000,000, pay $100,000.  Most churches live off of 10% and manage to function well because they can’t involve themselves in everything that comes along. Same for the Federal Government. Constitutionally, the Federal Government has only a few functions, but  over the years, they keep adding to what they deem to be federal business. It's hard to find an activity where the Feds don't have some type of oversight.  

3) Regarding immigration; the most important thing is English only. No more of this press 1 for English and 2 for Spanish. Nope, everything in English. It forces assimilation. Right now, immigrants maintain their cultures. We don’t want that. If they want to maintain their culture, go back to where they came from. This is American, act like one.

I saw this thread and thought oh hear we go, but have surprisingly agreed wth most replies.

Living in California and working in the restaurant industry I have a lot of 1st hand dealing with illegal immigrant issues. When I 1st moved to Cali I was overlooked for 2 jobs not due to qualifications because I was over qualified for both. But for not speaking Spanish. I was passed for somebody with less education and less experience because I only spoke the language we use in the country.

Secondly, I spent the first 2 years here working for a company that didn't E-verify social security information. So I had multiple "fake SSD card" illegals who would do a $12-$15 an hour job for minimum wage. Who wouldn't hire that right? Spoke no English, didn't take breaks, didn't need insurance or benefits, no worries about unemployment or workmans comp claims...the perfect solution. And this is the thinking of a large majority of business in my industry here in SoCal. And I'm sure it's that way in most businesses.

I'm all for coming here for a chance at a better life. My great grand parents did it from the Netherlands. They came here, learned the language, learned the culture and became functioning members of society. Did they give up who they were and where they came from, no but they became a part of the country they immigrated to.

The current restaurant I am an Executive Chef at I will not hire someone unless they can read,write and speak English. I have Spanish speaking employees but in my kitchen we speak English. That's the language we use in the country and it's only fair to those who've had to learn it to communicate here that those planning to make a life here should learn it as well.

Here's a link that everyone should read. Since this Mexico has altered some of it's own immigration law trying to better align itself with the US so we take their illegals with less opposition. But most of these rules still apply. Mexico doesn't want you unless you can contribute something to their society. And they don't play with all the red tape of what to do with you when your caught illegally in the country.

http://touch.humanevents.com/humanevents/#!/entry/mexicos-immigration-law-let...

Jerry Eichenberger wrote on 04/20/15 at 09:57:46:


All correct. The Latino vote is why Rubio will be the next VP.

I really did not want to post about this. I fear my position is very un -PC.
On the politics ( I feel)
Democrats don't want immigration to change (except to make easier) as it will pad their voter count.
Republicans don't really want any change as having a broke system works EXTREMELY well for employers of this group. What they are fighting for right now is how to have a new law to make the current criminals not criminals but have a way to allow for new criminals to enter and still be criminals so they can be still exploited. Thats why the pugs wont go with the dems.

What about LEGAL aliens? how is it fair to reward criminals ( the mere act of crossing illegally) and punish law abiding seekers of entry? ( by making their wait even longer)

I completely disagree that illegals only take jobs no one else will take. No such job exists.. or ever existed. What they mean is no one will work for less than minimum wage except those here illegally.  (that is different) (PS.. yes I would dig ditches .. for $1 Million per year) At some price point any job can be filled.  And YES this is a crime (exploitation of illegals) against poor people.

Anyway... I think criminals should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Those charged with that responsibility that fail it, should be fired and prosecuted if applicable. If the majority feel that the current law is not right the law should it be changed. But until then the law should be enforced.  

I work with Chinese  and Indian folks all the time. I have no issue with folks that came here legally. Love them! We have lunch together and explore our cultures.. its great times! We work well together!  

PS: Rylee said "I wanted to say this so my point was not taken as "I'm totally against immigrants""

I think you missed a word .. illegal

Or at least I can say I am 10,000% for immigrants... but I am just as much against CRIMINAL illegal immigrants.