In Need of an Enemy?

[edgray]

Republicans move to block US citizenship for children of illegal aliens

Senators plan to halt 'invasion by birth canal' by overturning constitutional guarantee for anyone born on US soil

Senior Republicans have escalated the increasingly bitter fight over immigration with proposals to rewrite the US constitution to block the children of illegal aliens from obtaining citizenship.

In the latest move to inflame the racially tinged issue ahead of November's congressional and state elections, Republican senators say they intend to call hearings on overturning the 14th amendment to the constitution, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the US. Leading Republicans have denounced the provision as outdated, saying it encourages "invasion by birth canal" in which illegal immigrants smuggle themselves into the US to have "anchor babies".

The change is being pushed by the Republican whip in the Senate, John Kyl, and senator Lindsey Graham, who said that "birthright citizenship is a mistake".

"People come here to have babies," said Graham. "They come here to drop a child. It's called drop and leave. To have a child in America, they cross the border, they go to the emergency room, have a child, and that child is automatically an American citizen. That shouldn't be the case. That attracts people here for all the wrong reasons."

Kyl and Graham support changing the 14th amendment to specifically bar the children of illegal immigrants from citizenship.

"If both parents are here illegally, should there be a reward for their illegal behaviour?" said Kyl.The move has been given added momentum by the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, who has thrown his weight behind the proposal for hearings on the issue.

Lamar Smith, the senior Republican on the House of Representatives judiciary committee, has introduced legislation to deny citizenship to children of illegal immigrants. More than 90 members of the House are co-sponsoring the bill.

Advocates of tighter restrictions, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform , estimate that more than 425,000 children are born to illegal aliens in the US each year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/03/republicans-block-citizenship-illegal-aliens

I read this today and really got me thinking about the need for an enemy in politics. It seems, correct me if I'm wrong, that right-wing govts across the world (and some left ones too) seem to bolster support by building a fictitious enemy. Most recently of course we've seen the overblown threat of terrorism erode rights, and increase police powers, and in both the UK and the US, the right have blown the immigration situation out of all proportion.

What do you all think? Are we becoming too frightened of the bogey man? Are politicians utilising fear too much? And is it making us more hateful?

 

[Alien Allen]

The kids were born here illegally

What the hell is it with people that they do not understand that

Has nothing to do with race or ethnicity

They are here fucking illegally

 

[edgray]

it seems to me that there are much more pressing issues to worry about than this. I get the feeling they're just trying to rile people up, create a new enemy, just to get some support.

 

[Zorak]

The kids were born her illegally

What the hell is it with people that they do not understand that

Has nothing to do with race or ethnicity

They are here fucking illegally

Is it just the fact they are there illegally that angers you so much?

As far as I can tell, the children have no more control over where they were born than you did. I guess you're just slightly luckier that your illegal alienage lineage isn't quite so fresh in the memory.

 

[Alien Allen]

Is it just the fact they are there illegally that angers you so much?

As far as I can tell, the children have no more control over where they were born than you did. I guess you're just slightly luckier that your illegal alienage lineage isn't quite so fresh in the memory.

Let me guess

You are for open borders

 

[justmee]

at first glance i thought the you was asking if i was in need of a enema...lol

 

[Abcinthia]

at first glance i thought the you was asking if i was in need of a enema...lol

That would be a much more interesing thread.

 

[Accountable]

The kids were born here illegally

What the hell is it with people that they do not understand that

Has nothing to do with race or ethnicity

They are here fucking illegally

The kids were born here. That makes them legal. If the parents want to press the issue that they're citizens, we should graciously find the citizen a legal home. The parents can claim their kid after they've returned to Mexico and re-entered legally.

Of course if we made that our public policy, I'd expect the parents to sneak back across the border the same way they snuck in.

My point is that we shouldn't change the Constitution just because of a relatively few people trying to game the system. There is no reason we can't enforce immigration law and help the citizen at the same time. There are plenty of legal residents who would happily welcome a baby into their home.

 

[Minor Axis]

Unfortunately our Constitution:
Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. Note History
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Although I agree that Republican's spend a lot of time focused on wedge issues, in fact it is their political bread and butter, it looks to me that the Constitution needs to be updated to say "All persons legally born or naturalized in the United States". However, I feel that if you are here illegally, any child you have is also here illegally and should be deported along with the mother. I'm very confident that pregnant women coming over is a tried and true ploy to get their foot in the door.

The bottom line is does any country have the right to control immigration? My opinion is YES it does. If you believe in this standard then illegal aliens should be encouraged to go home, by whatever reasonable means. Now, lets debate "reasonable"!

I am not sure that the Arizona law is reasonable. Philosophically I think that if you are arrested for illegal activity, that a citizenship test is a reasonable thing. The problem I have with that law is my perception that basically if you are stopped by a police officer for anything "suspicious" (a very general and subjective term) they can possibly detain you to do a citizen check. I'm totally against racial profiling so I don't support the concept in the Arizona law because you know citizens of Hispanic decent are going to get hassled. I would not like it if I was the one being pulled over just to be given the once-over, just because. I'm sure there are a lot of white folks are not worried about it because they don't think it will impact them.

 

[Peter Parka]

The kids were born here illegally

What the hell is it with people that they do not understand that

Has nothing to do with race or ethnicity

They are here fucking illegally

Unfortunately our Constitution:
Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. Note History
1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Ah, the good old constitution which is always right and many Americans feel cannot be questioned. If you start breaking it for that, you also invite good reasons to change your stupid gun laws.

 

[Accountable]

Although I agree that Republican's spend a lot of time focused on wedge issues, in fact it is their political bread and butter,

When you write half-truths like this you imply that the other half isn't true. Modern American politics is built on wedge issues. Elephant and Asses BOTH use them at every fucking opportunity, and freely trade them between each other when it's politically expedient.

Be honest, Minor.

 

[Accountable]

Ah, the good old constitution which is always right and many Americans feel cannot be questioned. If you start breaking it for that, you also invite good reasons to change your stupid gun laws.

You typed that with one hand, didn't you?

 

[Alien Allen]

I never meant to infer the kids were illegal when born here. I know the constitution.

I think it should be amended. Times have changed.

 

[Peter Parka]

You cant have it both ways though. If you think the constitution should be amended for this, surely then there is good argument that it should be amended for gun laws too?

 

[Alien Allen]

You cant have it both ways though. If you think the constitution should be amended for this, surely then there is good argument that it should be amended for gun laws too?

Those darn gun rights drive you nuts don't they

Is this kind of like a penis envy thing for you? :eek Given the phallic symbol some make of guns

 

[Peter Parka]

Those darn gun rights drive you nuts don't they

Is this kind of like a penis envy thing for you? :eek Given the phallic symbol some make of guns

Yes, I admit it, I'm jealous that I have far less chance of being shot dead than you, got me there.:surrender

 

[Alien Allen]

Yes, I admit it, I'm jealous that I have far less chance of being shot dead than you, got me there.:surrender

You just don't get it

 

[porterjack]

at first glance i thought the you was asking if i was in need of a enema...lol

sign me up

 

[Francis]

You cant have it both ways though. If you think the constitution should be amended for this, surely then there is good argument that it should be amended for gun laws too?

Peter, have you not figured it out yet..

The NRA spends more each year to elect both sides ( Republicans and Democrats ) to the House and Senate then both parties combined in the US.. The NRA is the people of the USA that own guns and will ensure their rights stay as is.. You will not see change until something drastic happens, like someone gets in charge of that organization ( NRA ) and tries to hijack the Government IMO..

 

[retro]

Ah, the good old constitution which is always right and many Americans feel cannot be questioned. If you start breaking it for that, you also invite good reasons to change your stupid gun laws.

I actually agree with you... and the only way that the clause of the Constitution can be "overturned" is through a Constitutional Amendment. I really don't know why they're wasting their time on this, as I seriously doubt that it would pass congress, and if it did, I doubt it would be ratified.

It's frustrating that so many people game the system like this, but there are more pressing things to worry about. Like wholesale overhaul of the actual immigration process and policies.

You're right about another thing though... we do have a lot of stupid gun laws in this country. Just not the kind that you're alluding to.