Swift raid: Special Session gambit at a national level (with union busting bonus)?

As I said in my first post (0.00 / 0)

This has nothing to do with policy or what's good for the country.

It's all politics and ICE got a two-fer: bust unions and get all those misguided white folk scared of the brown people.

SoapBlox - the new blog framework.

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by: pacified @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 14:22:42 PM CST

I don't care (0.00 / 0)

If Democrats sell out again, especially on this issue, I'm through.

I will be absolutely done with them. They will stand for nothing more than a party of lairs, who speak fairness and equality during the election and fail to act on it when it's needed most. There's a word for those kinds of people: cowards.

Every Latino I've talked to seems to think there needs to be a third party anyway.

And don't think for a second that they won't start coming after citizens too, once they get the chance.

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by: EMRosa @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 14:38:21 PM CST

Dems have nothing to lose (0.00 / 0)

by supporting the Latino workers here.  Unless they are, as you say, cowards.

All other things being equal, from a purely political point of view, supporting the fasest growing demographics group in the country is nothing but good.

Add to that the results from the '06 election.  What was one of the biggest shifts?  Latinos away from the Republicans.

If we keep that same split of almost 3-1 of Dems from Latinos, St. John McCain can pretty much forget about bothering to run for President.

SoapBlox - the new blog framework.

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by: pacified @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 15:43:55 PM CST

[ Parent ]

to back that up (0.00 / 0)

From Americablog

Lots of head-scratching among the punditry today about the upset victory of Ciro Rodriquez over incumbent Republican Henry Bonilla. Hotline reports that Bonilla's loss yesterday could be tied to his vehemently anti-immigrant positions. The GOP decided to make immigrants, primarily Mexicans, their group to bash this year.

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by: johne @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 16:04:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

R's have much to lose, and are (0.00 / 0)

Let the R's stay their hateful course. Dare I say we should encourage them?

They'll continue to bash the immigrants, bash Muslims, and the Jews.  David Duke was just on O'Reilly, and the haters were on down here railing against the scary brown people who cut the meat they eat for dinner every night.

You know if David Duke is willing to be seen in public the racists are really feeling their oats. So carry on O'Reilly, Boyles, Michelli et. all.

R's got blowback in TX and CA but they are still in denial.

CO is next. We can't be their enablers (as Luis warned against many times). We can't pander to their ignorant racism. It's morally and politically wrong and goes against our nation's founding principles.

The voters Americans are getting sick of it. P is right: Dems have nothing to lose. They have much to gain by standing up for what's right. Will they do it?

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by: Zappatero @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 20:07:37 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't think Congressional Democrats will disappoint. (0.00 / 0)

Democrats took a stand in favor of legitimatizing undocumented immigrant's status in 2006, despite the efforts of Republicans to make it a campaign issue.  This backfired.

This week's election in TX-23, which is on the Rio Grande, where a strongly Republican district backed a Democrat in a runoff election by a large margin not reflected in the polls, was largely a referendum on the border fence legislation, which was unpopular all along the Texas-Mexico border.

With a larger number of Democrats in both the House and Senate, on an issue where a number of moderate Republicans have joined Democrats in the past, and a President who is more moderate on immigration than almost any other issue, I think that we will see progress this session.

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by: ohwilleke @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 11:06:51 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I am humbled (4.00 / 2)

to link to this guest commentary at Colorado Confidential.  Just when I thought I understood this whole immigration enchilada (I'm sorry I couldn't resist), Luis brings a whole other angle to the topic.

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by: johne @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 20:12:30 PM CST

Wow, great job Luis! (0.00 / 0)

And thanks for the link, johne!

Impeach Bush and Cheney!

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by: Loki @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 09:30:11 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Excellent work! (0.00 / 0)

Have there been any statements from Dems regarding the Swift raids that I have missed? I have't had time to search, but the Repubs have been shouting out.

ACTION - VOICE - SPICE
Visit my new blog Green Chile Democrats

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by: greenchiledem @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 21:29:46 PM CST

deafening silence (0.00 / 0)

as far as I'm concerned.

No word on the insatiable greed for profits that drives these companies to cut wages and benefits to the bone. No word on the managers and owners who do this with full knoweldge.

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by: Zappatero @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 09:25:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]

It's worth pointing out (4.00 / 3)

that this is one of those moments when the Great Satan, Ken Salazar, spoke out immediately in favor of doing the right thing while the rest of the Colorado Democrats have been standing around with their fingers in the wind trying to decide whether or not to support Bush's action.

Illegal is not a noun

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by: Luis @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 14:12:55 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Exactly (0.00 / 0)

Let's hope the Dems bring something a la McCain-Kennedy to the floor soon in the 110th.  People who have worked and lived here for decades with children here (and the majority of them DON'T commite crimes) need some path to becoming citizens.

SoapBlox - the new blog framework.

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by: pacified @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 15:26:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yep (0.00 / 0)

He was on Jay Marvin yesterday morning, again making sense.  In that case it was regarding him and crazy eye-brow Allard ramming through legislation to put up our HDTV towers.  A little known fact is the there will be a net reduction in towers on Lookout Mountain with this.  Also, Denver has become an embarrassment wrpt. digital television.  The analog signal are mandated to be turned off in '09.  And right now, because of the hodge-podge of antenna placement and limited broadcast strength, very few people in the metro area can pick up a signal.

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by: johne @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 15:37:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Please join us in Solidarity (4.00 / 1)

I know its a busy time of year, but please help us fill the churches and demonstrate that Colorado is opposed to DHS raids and show support for those who will have not Christmas this year.

Simultaneous Statewide Prayer Vigils Friday December 15th, 7pm
The Greeley community will protest the raids and call for comprehensive immigration reform with a candlelight prayer vigil at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Greeley on Friday, December 15th at 7pm.

Denver - Friday, December 15th, 2006 - 7:00pm
A Candle Light Vigil In Solidarity With Immigrant Families!
St. Cajetan’s Church – 1190 9th Street, AURARIA CAMPUS – (close to Speer & Colfax)
Bring a candle to show your support…

In statewide solidarity and unity, CIRC members in Durango, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Grand Junction and other communities will also hold simultaneous candlelight prayer vigils across the state on Friday December 15th at 7pm.

How you can support workers and their families
Coloradans that wish to support the SWIFT workers and families who have been separated and left without income can make a donation payable to: “Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church” with “fund for families affected by ICE” in the memo-line. Mail to: Our Lady of Peace; Att: Rev. Bernard Schmitz; 1311 Third Street Greeley, CO 80631. Phone: 970.353.1747. Your contribution will go towards emergency rent and food expenses.

ACTION - VOICE - SPICE
Visit my new blog Green Chile Democrats

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by: greenchiledem @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 21:56:17 PM CST

I hope this doesn't come out the wrong way, (0.00 / 0)

but damn us and our bleeding hearts.  Sometimes I think it would just be easier to be selfish, uncaring, and, and, a republican.  I can't make that, but I know even a small donation would go a long way.

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by: johne @ Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 22:22:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Ummm... (4.00 / 1)

Did they or did they not break the law?  It's my understanding that they were stealing social security numbers to work at Swift.

I'm all for immigration.  I support the rights of children of immigrants (legal or otherwise) to services in Colorado, including in-state tuition.

But when someone breaks the law, they deserve to be punished.  No matter what time of year it is.  Even if Americans don't want their jobs.

If I went to Canada and stole a Canadian ID to get a job, I'd expect to get punished for it.

I'm not sure what you're holding the Democrats responsible for here, exactly.  It seems like if Democrats support people's right to immigrate and work here, access to humanitarian and educational opportunities and fairness in application of the laws, they are a damn sight better than the Republicans and there is a HUGE difference between the parties.  If, on the other hand, you think that Democrats should turn a blind eye while laws are disobeyed, then I'll disagree with you.

If you want to complain about the Democrats, how about their weak support of Latino/a candidates statewide?  Or their failure to open up higher educational opportunities in this state to Latino/as?  There are lots of real bones to pick, but not enforcement of laws.

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by: Makesmeralph @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 10:53:04 AM CST

You’re missing the point entirely (4.00 / 2)

This isn’t about whether or not someone broke that law—if it was, they would have separated the workers based on warrants, and not by race. If this was about identity theft, they would have gone after the people who sold the false documentation. How many were actually charged with identity theft? 65 out of 1282.

Saying this was only about identify theft, is like saying the civil war was only about slavery.

This is not to mention the probable constitutional violations—dare I say fascist tactics—used by ICE to gather and detain these people, and not disclose where they are.

On the local level, the Democrats clearly don’t care about the real issues. The hardest working people in the US—who are sometimes ripped off and forced to work in unsafe conditions in a black market place—might as well be invisible to them. They characterized themselves as being “tough” on immigration, and played right into the right’s petty argument.

Maybe, just maybe, the Democrats could at least pretend to give a damn about these human rights issues.

But I only hear silence.

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by: EMRosa @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 11:55:33 AM CST

[ Parent ]

It's a pretext (0.00 / 0)

As TPM Muckraker has pointed out, the raids netted only 65 arrests for identity fraud type charges.  And I'll bet most of those 65 are people who bought fake IDs, not knowing that the seller (likely not to have been arrested) was using a real SSN from someone else.

Also, as the article I linked to points out, this is hardly classic "identity fraud" in that the effect on the "victims" is to have their Social Security accounts artificially inflated by taxes paid by someone working under their SSN.

Illegal is not a noun

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by: Luis @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 13:41:25 PM CST

[ Parent ]

65 seems like a lot to me. (0.00 / 0)

I hope they go after Swift as well.

Finding illegals in the meat packing industry is kind of like Inspector Renault learning that there is gambling going on at Rick's.

Still, I think it's a little silly to bend around backwards to find a way to blame Democrats for this.

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by: Makesmeralph @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 16:15:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

what? (0.00 / 0)

I don't think anyone is blaming Democrats for the raids themselves. It just further emphasizes a great problem in the Democratic community here. We've heard nothing, since they seem to care more about their political careers than doing the right thing. Can you imagine if a member of the General Assembly got on the phone and started making calls, demanding to know where the people in Greeley went to?

And there's no excuse. 65 ID thieves (not convicted yet, by the way) in no way justifies this. Period.

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by: EMRosa @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 16:42:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Ken Salazar, to his credit, hasn't taken that bait. (4.00 / 2)

Amidst his usual moderation noises, the bottom line of his press release in response to the Greeley raid was that the Congress needs to get together to pass some variant of the immigration bill supported by the President, Democrats, and moderate Republicans this year, which was scuttled by the GOP Senate leadership.

This bill had included a border fence, but also a path to a green card and citizenship for most undocumented immigrants, and a program, called a guest worker program, that would allow people to come to the U.S. to work in less skilled jobs, something almost never allowed for that purpose under existing employment based immigration rules which pretty much limit employment based immigration to the college educated.

While the compromise bill was not all that could be desired, it would have been a decisive step towards replacing the status quo black market in manual labor with a system in which people who are simply going to work, raising families and seeking a better life have a legitimate status instead of being demonized as criminals.

Salazar's continued commitment to this realistic course, is far better than the enforcement oriented approach taken during the special session, although, of course, state government really has a negligable role in the immigration debate in any case.

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by: ohwilleke @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 11:00:23 AM CST

isn't guest worker bad? (0.00 / 0)

Because it creates a permanent under-class?  We don't want these folks becoming resentful towards the US, but proud U.S. citizens.  Isn't the guest worker program what many hypothisize as the cause for much of the social unrest in Europe between the natives and the new immigrants?

SoapBlox - the new blog framework.

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by: pacified @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 15:30:12 PM CST

[ Parent ]

yes and no (4.00 / 1)

It's certainly better than what we have now.  Also, I believe the currently favored program is supposed to have a path to citizenship.  In general, European countries aren't used to immigrants like the US.  If you thought Tancredo is crazy you should hear some of the crap out of Jean-Marie Le Pen.

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by: johne @ Fri Dec 15, 2006 at 15:40:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]