COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Newt Gingrich on Immigration Reform

This morning on the way to work, I heard Newt Gingrich on the Lars Larson Show.

Newt was making more sense on immigration than anyone else that I had heard so I went to his web site.

He says that comprehensive immigration reform involves the implementation of eleven policies:
1. Gain complete control of the borders and coasts. We have the technology and the capability to control border crossings. We simply need the will to enforce it. This may require tripling the Border Patrol, building fences where necessary and using electronic surveillance elsewhere but it is clearly doable. As a matter of national survival it must be done..

2. Enforce the Law.
With lax federal enforcement of the laws along the borders as well as against employers who hire illegal workers, it is not surprising that many cities across the country are raising a white flag in the fight against illegal immigration. The corrosion of the rule of law that began on the border and which has spread to so many American businesses now also touches some of our largest cities. Declaring themselves “sanctuary cities”, these lawless cities are prohibiting their police from asking about immigration status and enforcing employment laws (a “don’t ask, don’t enforce” policy that encourages breaking the law).

3. Use Technology to Keep Track of Who Enters the Country.
A bio-metric identifier, such as a thumbprint and/or embedded iris scan shall be required from everyone entering the United States from abroad, as well as a background check that screens out those with a criminal record. Foreign governments that want their citizens to participate in a worker visa program will be required to turn over records of convicted felons as quickly as they currently collect this data, or on a monthly basis, whichever is fastest.

4. Establish a Worker Visa Program.
Along with total border control, we need to make it easier for people to get work visas to enter the country legally and to work here at a specific job for a set of period of time and as long as they obey the law. We need a worker visa program that ensures that work visa holders pay taxes, get driver’s licenses, buy auto insurance, abide by the law. Such a program will also filter out criminals and potential terrorists, which is why we will require from foreign governments a continually updated list of their criminals.
Required Elements of a Worker Visa Program. As a part of this program, every work visa holder will be required to:
a. Carry a “smart card” with a photograph and bio-metric identifier, like a thumbprint and/or an embedded retinal scan that will be entered into a database so that their presence in the United States can be validated;
b. Sign an agreement in which the work visa holder agrees to pay taxes, obey the law, and waive any rights to appeal his or her removal from the United States within 72 hours for violating their agreement; and
c. Open and maintain an account at any U.S. financial institution with an American Bankers Association routing number into which employers of work visa holders will be required to electronically deposit their wages. No bank account, no smart card.

5. Zero Tolerance for Amnesty. As Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger put it so eloquently in a Los Angeles Times op-ed on March 28, “We can embrace the immigrant without endorsing illegal immigration. Granting citizenship to people who are here illegally is not just amnesty ... it's anarchy. We are a country of immigrants, yes. But we are also a nation of laws. People who want to be citizens will want to do it the right way.”

6. Dramatically Increase H1B and H2B Visas.
We should have an increase in H1B visas (and H2Bs also), so we have enough workers. We should provide a preference for anyone with a Masters or PhD degree. Preferences for these workers should ensure a brain drain into the United States from other countries. H1B and H2B visas should be issued in response to employment opportunities.

7. Deportation Law Reform. Change laws to permit removal of people here illegally within 72-96 hours of being picked up. The courts are simply wrong to suggest that the 14th amendment applies to those who are here illegally. We need to change the laws to permit prompt removal of people entering the country illegally. It is utterly irrational that 90% of certain groups of people here illegally who are apprehended are lost in the Court system and are never sent home.

8. Citizenship Reform.
The worker visa program should not be an automatic qualification for citizenship, though eventual citizenship could be held out as an opportunity. While many work visa holders will have no intention of becoming American citizens, for those workers and their families who qualify and wish to become citizens, we should carefully consider how to help patriotically integrate them. Our country has a rich history of immigration. It has been a primary source of our creativity and our prosperity. We should continue to strongly encourage those who want to become citizens, but it is important that we accept only those who want to embrace American values and culture. There is no such thing as a genetic American. To become an American citizen means becoming an American in values, culture, and historic understanding.

9. Require a Written Test in English of American History for any Legal Immigrant Who Wishes to Become a Citizen and Meets all Qualification Criteria. I strongly favor legal immigrants becoming American citizens. This has been a primary source of the creativity and prosperity of America. For those who want to become citizens, we must require that they take a test about American history in English.

10. Extensive Communications Campaign Domestically and Internationally by U.S. Authorities about the New U.S. Immigration Policies. A comprehensive immigration reform plan will only work if people understand it. There must be a substantial emphasis on the communications strategies that will be employed to explain the details of this program both at home and abroad.

11. Positive U.S. Approach to Latin America. Once a comprehensive immigration reform is adopted, the U.S. should make a concerted effort to explain its details to governments throughout Latin America and make it clear in no uncertain terms that the United States will not take kindly to any action by a foreign government that seeks to actively undermine our laws. In addition, U.S. diplomats should make clear that the U.S. government stands for greater safety, health, prosperity, and freedom for every person in the hemisphere and that its policies are devoted to that end. The U.S. should also aggressively promote the adoption of reforms in other countries in the Americas that are aimed at reducing corruption and promoting greater economic opportunities for their citizens.
He has a lot more detail on defeating America’s enemies, Defending God in the Public Square, Protecting American Civilization, Winning in a Global Economy and Promoting Active Healthy Aging. Click on the "Issues" pull-down tab near the top.

The man is articulate, intelligent and a conservative. He has a lot more info on immigration reform than what I have shown there

He says that he is not running for the Presidency. Too bad!

36 comments:

  1. Newt has well-thought, well-grounded, decent, do-able, positions on all the issues. We could do SO much worse than elect him president.

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  2. Well, Newt does make up half of
    The G Team

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  3. "PALU, Indonesia -- Three Christian militants were executed by firing squad early Friday for leading attacks on Muslims six years ago that left 70 people dead, a police official and local media said.

    The men were taken before the firing squad at 12:15 a.m. (2:15 p.m. EDT Thursday), said a senior police officer who asked not to be identified because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. Metro TV and SCTV had similar reports, but did not identify their sources.

    In carrying out the death sentence, Indonesia ignored an appeal last month by Pope Benedict XVI to spare the men. A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, told the Italian news agency ANSA that news of the execution "was very sad and painful."

    Fabianus Tibo, 60, Marinus Riwu, 48, and Dominggus da Silva, 42, were found guilty of leading a Christian militia that launched a series of attacks in May 2000 _ including a machete and gun assault on an Islamic school where dozens of men were seeking shelter. ..."


    which in a way goes hand in hand with:

    6,599 Iraqi Civilians Died in July and August, Far Higher Than Initial Estimates

    The story goes on to say
    "These figures reflect the fact that indiscriminate killings of civilians have continued throughout the country while hundreds of bodies appear bearing signs of severe torture and execution style killing," the report said. "Such murders are carried out by death squads or by armed groups, with sectarian or revenge connotations." ...

    ...The U.S. military had initially claimed a drastic drop in the death toll for August, but the estimate was revised upward after the United States revealed it had not counted people killed by bombs, mortars, rockets or other mass attacks.


    The UN reports on Iraq

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  7. And in the meantime, rufus, aQ reestablished it's Afghan training camps in Pakistan. The Pakistani have delivered all of Warizistan to the Taliban for local administration.

    While we have sent the General President millions USD in aid monies.

    If we had bombed parts of Pakistan into the stoneage, well, life would be different now.

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  8. Yeh, burnt--our troubles are with the muzzies. And "our" means all hues of Americans. there's nutjobs aplenty in the USA but you sure can't tell 'em by skin color. I don't object to that word, so as there's some black Americans in the room and we're all making fun of PC. but it sucks to throw it out on a blog--you're shooting the finger at 2 outta ten Americans--and without it being a joke.

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  10. Some folk are just plain rude & hateful, over and over again.
    Without "real" social pressure they just "let go" of their inner child.

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  11. We'll know soon enough, couple of hours at most.

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  14. yeah, we get the point about the theory of labels and all. we just don't like the word. I don't care who else does or doesn't, "I" don't like the word.

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  15. it's a sneer. Sneering is not good human behavior--unless the sneeree deserves it.

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  16. question is, why do YOU like it? what is it about it that you like?

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  17. Newt has it wrong here. It’s not more immigrants that America needs. It’s better skilled and better educated workers. What's really needed is wholesale reform of the US educational system.

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  18. rat,
    Well, Newt does make up half of The G Team

    And the other half is ? Personally, I like Gingrich better than any of the other bunch of wanna be's, especially McCain after the current Genevea accords crap. Newt will be going for the nomination. I feel sure.

    rufus
    Bush told Musharraf, through Armitage, Prepare to be bombed, Prepare to go back to the STONE AGE.

    And now he's telling the UN how much we respect Islam. What a difference 5 years makes. I'm hoping he means 'respect' like you 'respect' a rattle snake. But I"m not sure at all that he does.

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  19. After his loving words about Hugo today, I'm reminded of Tom Harkin's love for the Sandinistas back in the day. Question, who keeps electing Tom Harkin?

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  20. The electorate of Iowa, Americans, one and all.

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  21. Mr Hawkin:
    Party: Democrat
    Residence: Cumming
    Marital Status: Married (Ruth)
    Prev. Occupation: Attorney
    Prev. Political Exp.: US House, 1974-84
    Education: BS Iowa St. University, 1962; JD Catholic University, 1972
    Military: USN, 1962-67; USNR, 1968-70
    Birthdate: 11/19/1939
    Birthplace: Cumming, IA
    Religion: Catholic

    Other Information

    Term: 4th
    First Elected: 1984
    Percentage in Last Election: 54%

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  22. stoutfellow,
    Rudy Guliani.

    Guliani - Gingrich
    Gingrich - Guliani

    Either way, that's
    The G Team

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  23. Like 'em both--but don't see a lot of chemistry between 'em--if that's anything. Newt at 63 is getting a little old for a vp-in-waiting slot.

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  24. I see we had a moron deface the comment section. I apologize to anyone that may have been offended by language and slurs that do not reflect the thinking of the fine men and woman who post here. I have disabled anonomous posting, I Hope). Please let me know if anyone can confirm that.

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  25. I would like a couple more members who may be interested in accepting some limited admin privlages for the purpose of helping erase immature offensive posts that are meant to insult. Whit and I cannot be here at all times. Please tell me if anonomous posts have been disabled.

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  26. For an Army brat, a Cheney style VP position, would not be a bad ending to a political career.
    Perhaps not the "dream" but the Primary voters and such will decide the order of preference.

    It would present the strengths of Republicans, in Security, while playing down the cultural divisions that plauge the country.

    But at least we'd have a War Fighting team in Command.

    Mr Guliani has a personal blood debt to repay, I'd vote to let him get on with it.

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  27. I'll help erase, but I'm a tech fumble-finger. see me as the bottom of the barrel.

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  28. Sausage, thank you for your kind help. I removed the offensive post and burned the anonomous postig. I sent you an email extending you admin privlages to help in the absence of Whit and I. I took down your email address to protect your privacy. Send me an email if you have any questions and wish to have posting rights as well. Once again, I have no intention of censoring anyone, but neither I nor any member will tolerate behaviour meant to insult fellow human beings that share our values.

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  29. PC is so rotten, nothing anywhere in the neighborhood of it don't stink.

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  30. But, it's not hard to see when mocking PC falls off into the very thing which let it get loose on us.

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  31. naw, I'm admiring frankness--

    didja hear about the two spinsters who decided to be Frank with each other?

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  32. I want Ronald Reagan back. or Barry Goldwater. guess I've passed away or something.

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  33. Classic Nahncee.
    -I'll put it in the appropriate thread here.
    ---
    NahnCee said...
    Habu - I could see Americans shooting at Americans over something like the Wall that's supposed to get built along our Mexican border. If Cindy Sheehan, et al., were to start escorting illegals through to protest the Wall, acting like Human Shields like they have in Iraq and with the Palestinians. Especially if you had a bunch of ACLU East-Coast lawyer looking people mixing in.

    We've had riots in the U.S. over people becoming dead (i.e., Martin Luther King) and over jury verdicts (the cops being acquitted over Rodney King). We also had lots and lots of riots in the campus anti-Vietnam War era, with a result at Kent State of dead students.

    To me, from what I can see, factions are every bit as inflamed now as during those episodes. AND if you add into that mixture the fact that our government has abdicated its responsibility to protect us and is kowtowing to the ACLU, the Mexican government, and trying to sell our sea ports to the Arabs it seems to me there's quite a bit of flammable material out there, actually, that could set off an internal shooting war.

    For example, how about the latest murder of one illegal Mexican by another illegal Mexican, him dragging her by the neck through the streets of Denver until she ran out of blood and died.
    Does it seem likely to you that Mexico is going to protest our death penalty, and that Mexicans might start marching in the streets again sticking up for their "rights", and that "liberals" might march with them in "solidarity" both over "immigrant rights" and against the death penalty? How do you think that might go over?

    And not a Muslim in sight.

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