Obama mocks Republican position on immigration

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and ERICA WERNER

EL PASO, Texas (AP) - In search of Hispanic votes and an immigration overhaul, President Barack Obama on Tuesday stood at the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time since winning the White House and declared it more secure than ever. He mocked Republican lawmakers for blocking immigration over border security alone, saying they won't be happy until they get a moat with alligators along the border.

"They'll never be satisfied," he said.

Stymied by both chambers of Congress, the president ditched lawmakers in favor of voters who might pressure them, making an appeal to the public on a hot and dusty day far outside the beltway. He told a friendly El Paso, Texas, crowd that it's up to them to tell Congress to pass legislation providing a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants.

The approach also allowed the president to make clear that it's Republicans - not him - standing in the way of immigration legislation. As his re-election approaches it's a message he wants broadcast loud and clear to Latino voters who don't like his administration's heavy deportations and feel he never made good on his promise to prioritize immigration legislation during his first year in office.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110510/D9N4R4IG3.html

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President Barack Obama speaks about immigration reform at Chamizal National Memorial Park in El Paso, Texas, Tuesday, May 10, 2011, during his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

[customerserviceguy]

1. I heard an excerpt of that speech on my car radio on the way home

I think he's being a bit cocky. The independents voted for him to figure out how to work out compromises with the Repukes rather than taunt them. There's absolutely no way that any sort of immigration reform is even remotely possible without compromises with the side that is dead set against it.

[emulatorloo]

6. Republican policy is to build a big fence around the US

It is kind of silly. I don't know that Obama's comments were that far off the mark.

[customerserviceguy]

11. The moat and the alligators comments

were a bit off the track. It's not the nice-nice that independents really hoped a President Obama would bring to Washington.

Now, he might have gotten away with it on a less controversial issue, like Ryan's Medicare/Medicaid reforms, but immigration reform is not too popularly supported in the US.

[oNobodyo]

15. LOL...sorry...

But I can't see independants as all kumbaya and why can't we all get along and nor would I buy the idea that immigration reform is wildly unpopular either...It all depends on how you ask the question...

http://www.pollingreport.com/immigration.htm

What is wildly popular in these united states?...Cracking wise about other peoples goofy ideas...

Psssst...characterizing Ryans Medicare/Medicaid as "reforms" is bad enough but as a "less controversial issue"!?...You've got to be kidding me...That's sounds so much like bait and switch bandwagon propoganda right there...



Ma...get me my mole mallet...

[customerserviceguy]

20. Ok, I admit

Calling Ryan's ideas 'reform' was a bit of a stretch, but I was trying to be polite, which is all I suggest that the President emulate. The independents really don't have any guiding political philosophy, they just vote for whoever scares them the least, and last election, that was Obama over McInsane.

Next time around, if it's Obama vs. Gingrich, Bachmann, or Huckabee, we win this thing in a walk. But if it's someone as beguiling as Romney, our President might well regret the words he said today, when they're force-fed to him.

All I'm suggesting is that he make his point, and woo back the Hispanics, without alienating those who only bother to make up their minds the weekend before an election.

[pampango]

22. Actually comprehensive reform is popularly supported by all but conservatives who

are split evenly on it.



http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/05/on_the_border.html

[customerserviceguy]

23. And the way Pew asks the question, they're going to get that kind of answer

If you ask about "amnesty", you get a different response. Right now, the conservatives have framed the debate that way in enough places to keep immigration reform from passing.

[DavidDvorkin]

17. Well, I voted for him to see him grind the Republicans into the

dirt and hear the lamentation of their women.

I'm far from satisfied.

[customerserviceguy]

21. Yes, we did that

but he got elected with the votes of those who thought he was going to be a bit more genteel. We need to keep those folks on board, and we can't count on the Repukes nominating someone that really makes them crap their drawers.

[polichick]

2. The illegal immigration "problem" is a joke - if anyone wants to stop it (neither side does)...

...they only have to prosecute business owners and individuals who hire workers without papers.

[one-eyed fat man]

4. Wish it was that easy

If you own a small business and you hire someone with bogus papers you will never find out. They fill out the W4, you make the tax payments every pay period. The IRS could tell you that the SSAN you are sending income tax and FICA payments on belongs to some dead guy in Cleveland, and not only are they getting tax payments from your landscaping firm in New York, there's a chicken packing plant in Alabama been sending taxes since 1998, an oil field truck driver in Montana since 2003, all to that SSAN number.

They could make up a number from whole cloth and you will not hear a peep out of the government as long as you send the taxes in on time.

Not all the illegals are picking crops or day labor construction for cash under the table. There is a big industry in providing them documents that look as good as anything put out by the GPO and will let them get "real" jobs.

[polichick]

10. I'm sure you're right about the big industry providing documents, but...

I don't think either side wants to see business owners pay a price for hiring workers without proper docs. I wonder how many Congresscritters employ domestic workers without docs.

There's always a lot of lip service around election time.

[palmtree guy]

13. its true

one of them was recently found out as being a well liked cop in Alaska!!

[Tx4obama]

3. Here's a longer excerpt from Obama's speech regarding the moat and alligators

Excerpt is on comment #5 on the link below
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4846560

[emulatorloo]

5. Uh Oh - that link is to THIS thread. So I am caught in a circle chasing my tail! n/t

[Tx4obama]

7. LOL. Here is the correct link below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1077959&mesg_id=1078068

[emulatorloo]

9. thnks! I was getting dizzy

:toast:

[Tx4obama]

8. Ooops! Wrong link. Here is the correct one below ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1077959&mesg_id=1078068

[Hugh Everett]

12. Mexican Border is now under GOP control.

The Mexican Border is now under Republican control as a result of the recent election. This means that Arizona can build its own multi-layer fence, Texas can call out the Texas Rangers, and New Mexico can use National Guard helicopters.

The best solutions are usually the simplest, so why not fly apprehended illegal aliens to Belize and let them walk back 2000 miles? The associated cost, time and hassle might create a tangible barrier to reentry.

[boppers]

14. You think Belize wants that headache?

Why on earth did you chose Belize?

[Hugh Everett]

16. Why?

Because its on the southern tip of Mexico. Looking at a map, there appears to be an airport in Chetumal, Mexico, on the border with Belize.

This can be the new port of reentry for illegal aliens, rather than Juarez or Nuevo Laredo.

Under the current process, Mexicans we deport today are returning tomorrow with a new set of coyote guides.

[boppers]

19. Oh, I think I see what you're getting at.

I was wondering why we were talking about sending Chileans, Mexicans, Peruvians (etc.) to Belize.

[Xolodno]

18. I always get a laugh when I hear....

...Republicans want ABC and XYZ for illegal immigration reform, secure the border, etc. Its all a big joke and pandering to thier base who knee jerk on fear.

Nobody wants to solve the illegal immigration problem and the fact that they want a wall to make the Berlin wall look shameful won't work either....and they know it....(besides...whose going to build it?)

Illegal Immigrants using phony SSN numbers, pay income taxes to both federal and state. They also pay into Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, etc...oh and guess what, they will never draw from it, because the minute they do, then the gig is up and its deportation time.

And if they get "paid under the table"....they still buy local goods and services which may or may not have sales tax, pay rent, all which gets funneled into legal residents, companies, etc. bank accounts...of whom do pay taxes. The services they do draw from are miniscule.

IF they actually did solve the immigration problem and no one could get in or get hired....the economic consequences would be severe. As thier would be less tax income, less demand on goods and services which would create more unemployment...oh and not to mention the initial price shock on our food (have to pay real wages for crop harvesting).....but the irony of it all, those who probably complain the most about "illegal immigration" may have to take up jobs cleaning hotels, laundry, harvesting crops and construction.