Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Next step for immigration

Next step for immigration - Los Angeles Times

Interesting article by our Governor Schwarzenegger, a legal immigrant.

Blocking illegal migrants - and rhetoric | csmonitor.com

Blocking illegal migrants - and rhetoric csmonitor.com

Great editorial from The Christian Science Monitor.

"Accurate terms, not bogus rhetoric, should impel this debate."


Yes! Who can deny that? An example from the editorial:

Undocumented immigrants: This phrase is designed to avoid implying guilt
for those who enter the US illegally but haven't been convicted of the crime.
It's similar to describing speeding drivers as "undocumented speeders" or
taxpayers who cheat the government as "undocumented tax cheats." Yes, in a
courtroom, there should be a presumption of innocence. But in writing laws and
setting policy, let's characterize this group for who they are: illegal
immigrants.

Another excellent semantic point the Monitor makes (and one I agree with whole-heartedly):

An anti-illegal-immigrant stance is not an anti-immigrant one

For my part, note that I am a second-generation Swedish-American, my dad and his family being immigrants. How could I possibly be against immigrants? I'm not, anyway. It's the "illegal" that bothers me. Why should people go breaking our laws - important laws which affect our national security and well-being - and it be considered okay?

Immigration debate seen skirting root cause

Immigration debate seen skirting root cause - Yahoo! News (Reuters)

The root cause being the extreme economic disparity between Mexico and the United States.

Who wouldn't rather have $5/hour instead of $5/day?

Obviously what's most needed is a vast improvement in the Mexican economy. This would be the best answer for everyone - American and Mexican alike.

This is probably a crazy idea, but it does sound obvious to me - why don't we take some of that money we're mostly wasting in the Middle East (include Afghanistan) and spend it instead helping Mexico improve its economy?

Of course we'd have to make sure that the money doesn't wind up in the hands of the criminals and lost to Mexico's infamous corruption. (Note that there's also plenty of corruption and waste in the Middle East.)

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Schools, Kids Becoming Targets in Iraq

Schools, Kids Becoming Targets in Iraq - Yahoo! News (AP)

If the Iraqis can't even make peace with each other, as well as having little regard for the death and injury of their own innocents, why are we still wasting ourselves over there?

From the article...

Schools and children have increasingly become targets in a bloody conflict
pitting Shiite and Sunni Muslims against each other as Iraq teeters on the verge of civil war. The violence has reached immense proportions in recent weeks, with dozens dying every day and overwhelmed Iraqi authorities seemingly incapable of stopping attacks.

With kidnappings of children and attacks at schools on the rise, some parents are just keeping their kids at home.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

CNN.com - L.A. braces for protest, as Bush addresses 'emotional debate'

CNN.com - L.A. braces for protest, as Bush addresses 'emotional debate' - Mar 25, 2006

OMG, it's come down to this - I actually very much agree with and appreciate what Bush is saying here...

"America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

"When illegal immigrants know they will be caught and sent home, they will be less likely to break the rules, and our immigration system will be more orderly and secure."

The president acknowledged it was an "emotional debate" but continued "America does not have to choose between being a welcoming society and being a lawful society."

Illegal Immigration, also Reform Proposals

MercuryNews.com 03/25/2006 REFORM PROPOSALS

A good summary of the proposals before the Senate about immigration reform.

I am just stunned by the protests here in SoCal. The size of the protests. Why can't we get this kind of turn-out about other (more) important issues, such as the Iraq War? And the attitudes of many of the protesters. Marching for their rights? What rights? An illegal immigrant does not and should not have the kind of rights an American citizen has. That pisses me, frankly. What pisses me even more are the protesters carrying Mexican flags. What is that about? They love Mexico that much, then why don't they go back there?

I am not anti-immigrant - my father and his family are immigrants.

BUT, my family are LEGAL immigrants. They also made the point to learn and use English (what a concept), they (we) fly the American flag, and became American citizens, as well as active registered voters and contributors to their community.

I don't get it - illegal is illegal. What part of "illegal" do these people not understand?

And WHY the MEXICAN flags? This is the United States!

You can tell I'm pissed, can't you? Yes, I am - and very offended.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Bush: Troops to Stay in Iraq Through '08

Bush: Troops to Stay in Iraq Through '08 - Yahoo! News

Amazing and disturbing the president's talk today about a future president bringing our troops home from Iraq.

How long are our troops expected to be there? Isn't it time soon for the Iraqis to start standing on their own feet?

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Bush advance staff impersonated reporters: W Post

Bush advance staff impersonated reporters: W Post - Yahoo! News

Quoting a Mississippi man whose house was wrecked by Katrina about these Bush staffers:

"They just came up and said they were with the media, and then they said
they were with Fox," Akins was quoted as saying.

"They just talked to us and asked us about rebuilding our house. Then,
after everything was over with, they approached us and they were laughing, and
they said: 'You know, we really weren't with Fox. We're government, Secret
Service men,"' she said."

And, no, they weren't Secret Service, either.

How very strange and bizarre. And not good.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Execution-Style Slayings Mount in Iraq

Execution-Style Slayings Mount in Iraq - Yahoo! News (AP)

What a mess Iraq is. It's hard to be optimistic about it, especially as Iraq seems to sink deeper and deeper into civil war, with us playing monkey in the middle.

Note that this war, our war - or whatever it is - has been going on for three years now.

The answer? Darned if I know. Business as usual doesn't seem to be working too well, however.

My biggest concern is for our troops caught in the middle of all this mess. Also, why should our troops be further endangered by the Shi'ite and Sunni inability - refusal? - to get along?

Friday, March 10, 2006

U.S. Hostage Tom Fox Killed in Iraq

U.S. Hostage Tom Fox Killed in Iraq - Yahoo! News

This is too sad. I had been hoping that this sort of thing had ended. Apparently not.

I am concerned about the remaining hostages - the ones in this Peacemaker Team and the journalist Jill Carroll...

I'm so sick of all this - the war, the Muslim extremists...

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Southland To Get Cold, Possibly Wacky Weather

CBS 2 / KCAL 9: Southland To Get Cold, Possibly Wacky Weather

What the hey? That headline caught my eye. "Wacky"? "Wacky weather"? And, here in the Land of No Weather? Whaa...?

The coming storm could produce small hail, ice pellets, waterspouts, strong
wind gusts in some areas and a slight chance of thunderstorms, the NWS reported.

Actually, for lack of a better term, the above quoted does sound kinda wacky. Really wacky will be if I see any snow - and it's almost cold enough for it. Brrr...this T-shirt's not cutting it today - something warmer's needed.

BTW, aren't ice pellets and small hail pretty much the same thing?

Bracing for winter in SoCal