Former Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo's 2010 ballot proposal to require that employers verify the immigration status of new hires has met with the somewhat predictable charges of racism from members of the left wing of the Democratic party. Those of us with longer memories, however, may recall that the Tancredo proposal, or something very much like it, was, in fact, once proposed by, you guessed it, members of the left wing of the Democratic party.
For example, Radio America talk show host Thom Hartmann, whose left-wing pedigree is clearly beyond debate, made the case for the Tancredo proposal years prior. Usually the proposal was offered as an alternative to the confiscation of cars of unlicensed drivers and other measures aimed directly at illegals and their families, which the left viewed as petty and mean-spirited. Worse, according to Hartmann, those measures were seen as half-hearted and doomed to failure, providing political cover for the very businesses that profited from illegal labor.
The only justifiable and effective measures, according to Hartmann and others, would be sanctions aimed at the employers of illegals. In particular, members of organized labor, some of which were and are very left-leaning, agreed with Hartmann.
Illegals, they argued, were not only impossible to organize, but the employment of illegals and the failure to take the only truly effective steps to stop it constituted a conspiracy by the corporations to drive the wages of all Americans to Third World levels. What has changed?
Colorado Democratic party chairwoman Pat Waak, charges that the proposal, which would employ the federal E-Verify system, might "jeopardize job recovery." Certainly for unemployed illegals this might be the case. State Representative Edward Casso D-Commerce City claims that the measure "does nothing but inspire a racist agenda," though the proposal would have the same affect on European, Australian or Canadian illegals that it would on Hispanic or Asian illegals.
Perhaps all that has changed is that the proposal comes from a Republican that is commonly thought of as right-wing. This characterization seems out of date considering Tancredo's newest crusade to legalize marijuana. Also likely is that Tancredo's corporate donor base will not be particularly pleased with the E-verify proposal. The ballot proposal is very similar to an Arizona law that has been strongly opposed by corporate interests in that state.
The Tancredo proposal faces a number of hurdles before the measure can be placed on the 2010 Colorado Initiative Ballot, the most important of which will be fundraising. Clearly, Tancredo will not be able to look to the corporate community for support. Instead he might well consider quietly reaching out to organized labor and their supporters using the same very persuasive arguments that they put forward when the idea was theirs alone.
Comments
How in the world do these mendacious xenophobes manage to conflate the idea of holding employers found hiring undocumented workers responsible with requiring employers to check some imaginary national database of citizens before hiring anyone? There's a word for that kind of claim. Lie.
I absolutely DEFY Richard Blake - or anyone else in the xenophobe fringe - to document so much as ONE "left winger" that ever proposed requiring employers to verify citizenship before every hire. They can't because it never happened. It's a LIE. It's as delusional as thinking their latest absurd "idea" will ever appear on a ballot.
Pecker Pringle or what ever your name is.
You Sir, are the LIAR! Or a dimwit.
Took 4 seconds to search for Thom Hartmann and Illegal Aliens. Can't link it here, but all anyone (but YOU, fact denying leftard) has to do is go to Hartmann's website, thomhartmann dot com, and see the article titled "Reclaiming the Issues: “It’s an Illegal Employer Problem”.
Sorry Leftard, you lose.
Now, I do not know any xenophobes. But I have became aware of ANOTHER hate filled lying Leftard. You Sir, are that Leftard. Just another rat faced, LaLaLand Socialist, hate filled, ignorant leftard.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Peter- SAVE and E-Verify are not imaginary, and they both exist and work. The program itself is free, there is no reason not to use it, unless you prefer employing illegal aliens over citizens, which seems to be your position. There is nothing xenophobic about controlling illegal immigration, it exists in ever single country. We are not obligated to provide for anyone who enters into the country illegally, we should be arresting them at every given opportunity. No one should be rewarded for breaking the law, and if you disagree, then you pay them from your own pocket.
The facts are that even if the undocumented cost 60 billion a yar, they pay taxes, tools, sales tax on everything like you and me, they do not have a card to show when they purchase anything, so the 60 billion now turns to zero, since 80% work and taxes are withheld from their pay checks, including social security.
Tom is a joke he should go to Disney world and play with Jerry. tom was FIRED form his "JOB" 16 out of 18 republican senators that voted down immigration reform in 2007 lost their seats.
TOM should get real instead of building his career on the backs of poor migrants that cant fend for themselves.
STOP THE FOOLISH HATE> ALL ARE GOS CHILDREN>
ALL HUMANS ARE GODS CHILDREN.
Does not hide the fact that Tancredo is a racist!
"Colorado Democratic party chairwoman Pat Waak, charges that the proposal, which would employ the federal E-Verify system, might "jeopardize job recovery." " - What a complete whack job!!
E-verify is 99% percent accurate and does NOT discriminate against any American of any RACE,CREED, RELIGION, or SEX.
E-verify is 99% percent accurate and does NOT discriminate against any LEGAL Visa holder of any RACE,CREED, RELIGION, or SEX.
If E-verify is pushed across the nation 7-30 Million middle class and lower class (NON_AG) would be opened for the 17-30 million unemployed Americans and being the recovery of our nations economy!
The American minorities would be the biggest winners, if E-verify was used across the nation.
The only losers would be individuals who are here in the country illegally, Hate groups like (La Raza, MalDef and etc) and those American business owners willing to sell out thier own citizens for bigger profits...and a few politicians who already sold out for vo
"Colorado Democratic party chairwoman Pat Waak, charges that the proposal, which would employ the federal E-Verify system, might "jeopardize job recovery." " - What a complete whack job!!
E-verify is 99% percent accurate and does NOT discriminate against any American of any RACE,CREED, RELIGION, or SEX.
E-verify is 99% percent accurate and does NOT discriminate against any LEGAL Visa holder of any RACE,CREED, RELIGION, or SEX.
If E-verify is pushed across the nation 7-30 Million middle class and lower class (NON_AG) would be opened for the 17-30 million unemployed Americans and being the recovery of our nations economy!
The American minorities would be the biggest winners, if E-verify was used across the nation.
The only losers would be individuals who are here in the country illegally, Hate groups like (La Raza, MalDef and etc) and those American business owners willing to sell out thier own citizens for bigger profits...and a few politicians who already sold out for vo
"ALL HUMANS ARE GODS CHILDREN." - For those a single God faith such as Judaism, Christians and Muslims - of course....
This comment has ZERO to do with national borders, citizenship and recognizing the right for a Country to exist and the for its citizens the right to work and live in their own country without worrying about being sold out by their own people and government!
Both the left and right have sold its nations citizens out for different reasons!
its up to those citizens who see the bigger picture want the U.S to exist and prosper for our children and our great, great Grand Children!
It's really sad that the Democratic Party has decided that pandering to the illegal alien lobby is more important than helping unemployed working class Americans and legal immigrants.
About 8 million illegal aliens hold illegal jobs in the U.S., and if Obama and the Democrats enforced immigration laws (instead of gutting them like they are) many of these jobs would open up for Americans.
But Obama and the Democrats intentionally ignore this for crass political purposes.
And let's be clear about the staggering costs of illegal immigration. In California alone, illegal immigration imposes a net cost of about $10 billion annually on taxpayers.
And the Heritage Foundation estimated that if the terribly flawed Bush/Kennedy 2007 amnesty bill had passed it would have imposed a net burden of $2.6 TRILLION on taxpayers.
We simply cannot afford to take care of the 3rd World's poor anymore, especially when 15 million Americans are unemployed and our national debt has shyrocketed.
The answer common sense answer remains: enforce our exisiting immigration laws which will decrease the illegal population over time, with NO form of any "path to citizenship" a/k/a mass amnesty.
Sadly for American workers, Obama is weakening our immigration laws and pushing mass amnesty for illegals.
Get involved now to help stop this insanity: Join NumbersUSA and make your voice heard.
JOE LEGAL vs. JOSE ILLEGAL
You have two families: “Joe Legal” and “Jose Illegal”.
Both families have two parents, two children, and live in California.
Joe Legal works in construction, has a Social Security Number and makes $25.00 per hour with taxes deducted.
Jose Illegal also works in construction, has NO Social Security Number, and gets paid $15.00 cash “under the table”.
Ready? Now pay attention...
Joe Legal at $25per hr costs his employer app $50 per hr.
Jose Illegal on the other hand at $15 under the table costs his employer $15, less than 1/3 of Joe’s expense.
Joe Legal: $25.00 per hour x 40 hours = $1000.00 per week, or $52,000.00 per year. Now take 30% away for state and federal tax; Joe Legal now has $31,231.00.
Jose Illegal: $15.00 per hour x 40 hours = $600.00 per week, or $31,200.00 per year. Jose Illegal pays no taxes. Jose Illegal now has $31,200.00.
- More -
George, I can't let you get away with character assassination without challenging it. You state that it is a fact that Tancredo is a racist. Since I don't ever remember Tancredo saying "I am a racist," what do you base your fact on?
Joe Legal pays medical and dental insurance with limited coverage for his family at $600.00 per month, or $7,200.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $24,031.00.
Jose Illegal has full medical and dental coverage through the state and local clinics at a cost of $0.00 per year. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal makes too much money and is not eligible for food stamps or welfare. Joe Legal pays $500.00 per month for food, or $6,000.00 per year. Joe Legal now has $18,031..00.
Jose Illegal has no documented income and is eligible for food stamps and welfare. Jose Illegal still has $31,200.00.
Joe Legal pays rent of $1,200.00 per month, or $14,400..00 per year. Joe Legal now has $9,631.00.
Jose Illegal receives a $500.00 per month federal rent subsidy.
Joe Legal pays $200.00 per month, or $2,400.00 for insurance. Joe Legal now has $7,231.00.
Jose Illegal says, “We don’t need no stinkin’ insurance!” and still has $31,200.00.
- More -
Joe Legal has to make his $7,231.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, etc.
Jose Illegal has to make his $31,200.00 stretch to pay utilities, gasoline, and what he sends out of the country every month.
Joe Legal now works overtime on Saturdays or gets a part time job after work.
Jose Illegal has nights and weekends off to enjoy with his family.
Joe Legal’s and Jose Illegal’s children both attend the same school. Joe Legal pays for his children’s lunches while Jose Illegal’s children get a government sponsored lunch. Jose Illegal’s children have an after school ESL program. Joe Legal’s children go home.
Joe Illegal claims to be poor with 4 kids and gets $2,500 EITC back for each kid. Joe Illegal gains $10,000 to $41,200!
Joe Legal and Jose Illegal both enjoy the same police and fire services, but Joe paid for them and Jose did not pay.
Do you get it, now?
Its Air America not Radio America
Sorry my bad. I associate Air America with the CIA airline and Mel Gibson movie of the same name. Which make me wonder it was deliberate for a left-wing radio station to name themselves after a CIA operation or were they unaware?
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