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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: MattT on October 07, 2008, 07:42:32 PM
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Wow i was very impressed with Obama tonight!. He looked very comfortable, mcsame was very choppy and erratic wondering aimlessly around the stage. This was a TOWN HALL DEBATE, and mcsame lost terribly.
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Whoop-de-fuckin-do. ::)
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Mccain was about to seriously melt at one point. Obama obliterated him with fact and evidence and left Mccain reeling in agony. A Momentous PWNING. Watch the polls jump for Obama and watch Mccains ship sink, plane crash...further into the abyss.
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Wow i was very impressed with Obama tonight!. He looked very comfortable, mcsame was very choppy and erratic wondering aimlessly around the stage. This was a TOWN HALL DEBATE, and mcsame lost terribly.
GEEZUS! You actually care? Obama isn't going to wave a magic wand and fix anything, MattT. This debate was completely irrelevant an doesn't change anything.
Obama is still going to win.
The US is still going down the gutter.
What's the big deal?
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Wow i was very impressed with Obama tonight!. He looked very comfortable, mcsame was very choppy and erratic wondering aimlessly around the stage. This was a TOWN HALL DEBATE, and mcsame lost terribly.
Silly twink, did you even fucking watch it?
Jason
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They're both losers.
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The last debate was close in my opinion... this one was a LAND SLIDE... McCain was flustered, questioned a young black mans knowledge, and once again will get PWNED in the fact checking... he repeated the SAME THINGS the media hammered him for that were lies...
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Mccain was about to seriously melt at one point. Obama obliterated him with fact and evidence and left Mccain reeling in agony. A Momentous PWNING. Watch the polls jump for Obama and watch Mccains ship sink, plane crash...further into the abyss.
I know you love Obama, but he's not going to fix anything TA. The sooner guys like you wake up and realize these staged elections are only to massage your belief the entire process is relevant, the sooner we can move on and tackle the real problems.
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For the revolution to happen, we must all boycott forever the political system that is before us...
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McCain said he was "taking the gloves off on Tuesday". ::) Obama 2 McCain 0 see you Oct 15 ;D
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Silly twink, did you even fucking watch it?
Jason
Seriously mcsame looked old and weak, does he look like he could be the next leader of the free world? He looks like an old pissed of grandparent, u can tell hes an asshole, and had a terrible performance. He needed to hit it out of the park tonight, and yet again he failed to do so.
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For the revolution to happen, we must all boycott forever the political system that is before us...
Voting is a waste of one's time.
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They're both losers.
- says the man with a brain. Thank you Tommy.
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Seriously mcsame looked old and weak, does he look like he could be the next leader of the free world? He looks like an old pissed of grandparent, u can tell hes an asshole, and had a terrible performance. He needed to hit it out of the park tonight, and yet again he failed to do so.
So, what you're telling me that you didnt see it?
Jason
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I know you love Obama, but he's not going to fix anything TA. The sooner guys like you wake up and realize these staged elections are only to massage your belief the entire process is relevant, the sooner we can move on and tackle the real problems.
STOP believing the likes of conspiracists like Alex Jones. Please. You first need to read real American History. Once you have done that, then you will have a basis of how and why incidents arise and how events take place and are solved.
If you were to say the same about Bush, "nothign will get done", you would be laughed at as a fool. Look what he has done! Look at the last eight years.
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They're both losers.
the fact that anyone thinks either of these stooges got owned, just shows how low things have gotten.
They both suck
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First debate was tied.
Tonight, Obama looked Presidential, and McCain looked desperate.
McCain is losing by 5 points nationally, and it's only going to get worse now.
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Wow i was very impressed with Obama tonight!. He looked very comfortable, mcsame was very choppy and erratic wondering aimlessly around the stage. This was a TOWN HALL DEBATE, and mcsame lost terribly.
Wow I'm very impressed by a Canadian fruitcake... who believes Dubai is located in India and who knows more about slurping the Knob of Will Harris than politics...opinions and analysis.
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Doesn't matter who wins. The government is not about who is elected president. It's just something they came up with to satisfy the people into believing they are living in a democracy.
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First debate was tied.
Tonight, Obama looked Presidential, and McCain looked desperate.
McCain is losing by 5 points nationally, and it's only going to get worse now.
what is this point system, where did you get that?
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McCain won and mattT won't be voting :-*
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what is this point system, where did you get that?
www.fivethirtyeight.com
www.pollster.com
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STOP believing the likes of conspiracists like Alex Jones. Please. You first need to read real American History. Once you have done that, then you will have a basis of how and why incidents arise and how events take place and are solved.
If you were to say the same about Bush, "nothign will get done", you would be laughed at as a fool. Look what he has done! Look at the last eight years.
I don't believe everything Alex Jones says, as he certainly has his faults. I have read American history and have a thorough understanding of what is going on TA. The men who founded this country would be inciting REVOLT if they saw what is taking place right now. The principles that founded this country have been wholly abandoned.
Bush has created a mess because the American people voted him in TWICE and the congress let him run roughshod over the Constitution and the interest of the populace. By the way, it's not just GW's fault that all of this is happening. It's his entire cabinet, his administration, the Congress, the regulating bodies of the Govt - there's plenty of blame to go around.
Tell me what Barack Obama is going to do to turn this whole thing around. Let's hear some details. Sell me on Obama, TA.
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what is this point system, where did you get that?
Nationally, Obama leads by 6 points in aggregate polling:
http://www.pollster.com/polls/us/08-us-pres-ge-mvo.php
State-by-state, Obama has an even stronger lead:
www.pollster.com
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First debate was tied.
Tonight, Obama looked Presidential, and McCain looked desperate.
McCain is losing by 5 points nationally, and it's only going to get worse now.
Yes, and? What is Barack going to do to save us?
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Tell me what Barack Obama is going to do to turn this whole thing around. Let's hear some details. Sell me on Obama, TA.
He's going to stop giving giant tax cuts to the oil companies and very rich people.
They've enjoyed the hookup for 8 years, even during good times, when you're supposed to tax people (so you don't have to tax in a recession).
making these rich fvckers pay taxes will help correct economy, restore dollar strength, and restore faith in the dollar.
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Tell me what Barack Obama is going to do to turn this whole thing around. Let's hear some details. Sell me on Obama, TA.
They can't go it, nobody can give any details of what will happen. It's always the same schpiel......"CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!" Nothing ever changes. :(
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Doesn't matter who wins. The government is not about who is elected president. It's just something they came up with to satisfy the people into believing they are living in a democracy.
Thank you. As long as the illusion is alive and well, we'll continue on this tragic course. I'm glad some people are cognizant of this!
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Nothing ever changes. :(
wrong. the economy changed since Clinton was president.
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He's going to stop giving giant tax cuts to the oil companies and very rich people.
They've enjoyed the hookup for 8 years, even during good times, when you're supposed to tax people (so you don't have to tax in a recession).
making these rich fvckers pay taxes will help correct economy, restore dollar strength, and restore faith in the dollar.
So now it's the oil companies fault we're fucked?
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He's going to stop giving giant tax cuts to the oil companies and very rich people.
They've enjoyed the hookup for 8 years, even during good times, when you're supposed to tax people (so you don't have to tax in a recession).
making these rich fvckers pay taxes will help correct economy, restore dollar strength, and restore faith in the dollar.
Oh really? What makes you think Obama is going to actually follow through with this? Because he says so in front of a TV camera?
Because he gave you HIS WORD? Please! You're way too smart as to believe that, 240.
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McCain can't even look at Obama in the eyes, like a man!
(http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/10/02/obamamccain5_narrowweb__300x365,2.jpg)
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McCain can't even look at Obama in the eyes, like a man!
(http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/10/02/obamamccain5_narrowweb__300x365,2.jpg)
McCain is such a contemptuous old fart. He's an angry, deceitful person.
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McCain can't even look at Obama in the eyes, like a man!
(http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/10/02/obamamccain5_narrowweb__300x365,2.jpg)
(Insert random racist remark here.) :D
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Mcsame reffered to Obama as "That one" >:( its now on all the news stations.
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I've learned a lot watching McCain and Obama! Here's what I've learned so far, feel free to chime in with your revelations.
1. Don't bother with fact checking or stating your true intentions. Lying is good! Say whatever you want; no one is ever going to hold your feet to the fire on it.
2. Use large vocabulary words as much as possible, even if the word is incorrectly used or unnecessary. People will think you are smart!
3. Do not answer any question directly. Say "ummmm", "aaaannnnnnnnnnnnnndddddd ddddddd" or "My friends" as much as possible when thinking of the best way to avoid giving a real answer.
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Mcsame reffered to Obama as "That one" >:( its now on all the news stations.
Thanks for that, MattT! That's good stuff; keep it coming.
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I don't believe everything Alex Jones says, as he certainly has his faults. I have read American history and have a thorough understanding of what is going on TA. The men who founded this country would be inciting REVOLT if they saw what is taking place right now. The principles that founded this country have been wholly abandoned.
Bush has created a mess because the American people voted him in TWICE and the congress let him run roughshod over the Constitution and the interest of the populace. By the way, it's not just GW's fault that all of this is happening. It's his entire cabinet, his administration, the Congress, the regulating bodies of the Govt - there's plenty of blame to go around.
Tell me what Barack Obama is going to do to turn this whole thing around. Let's hear some details. Sell me on Obama, TA.
Lets take it on a per issue basis. Give me an issue and I will tell you, with evidence what Barack proposes. Be specific on your issues please.
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So now it's the oil companies fault we're fucked?
No, it's the fault of Bush for letting them keep billions in tax cuts.
Had he raised taxes during surplus, we wouldn't be in this jam.
You always raise taxes during good times, and cut them duriing a recession. Bush didn't raise them, and the dow lost 5000 in the last year becase we're just printing money now to stay afloat.
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Lets take it on a per issue basis. Give me an issue and I will tell you, with evidence what Barack proposes. Be specific on your issues please.
Illegal immigration.
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Wow i was very impressed with Obama tonight!. He looked very comfortable, mcsame was very choppy and erratic wondering aimlessly around the stage. This was a TOWN HALL DEBATE, and mcsame lost terribly.
how are those real estate developments comming along ::)
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Mcsame reffered to Obama as "That one" >:( its now on all the news stations.
and McCain mentioned a "gold-plated cadillac"
what the hell was he thinking?
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Lets take it on a per issue basis. Give me an issue and I will tell you, with evidence what Barack proposes. Be specific on your issues please.
Simple - the economic crisis. What is Barack going to do to solve this problem? IMO, everything else pales in comparison with this issue.
What's Obama's magic plan?
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CNN Poll
Who one the debate Obama 54% Mcsame 30%
Who better to handle the Economy Obama 57% Mcsame 34%
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and McCain mentioned a "gold-plated cadillac"
what the hell was he thinking?
Hold on a second. You're kidding, right?
No way he said that.
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I've learned a lot watching McCain and Obama! Here's what I've learned so far, feel free to chime in with your revelations.
1. Don't bother with fact checking or stating your true intentions. Lying is good! Say whatever you want; no one is ever going to hold your feet to the fire on it.
2. Use large vocabulary words as much as possible, even if the word is incorrectly used or unnecessary. People will think you are smart!
3. Do not answer any question directly. Say "ummmm", "aaaannnnnnnnnnnnnndddddd ddddddd" or "My friends" as much as possible when thinking of the best way to avoid giving a real answer.
Look, lets look at the facts. A debate format is rather poor in able to provide exact details as there are only a few minutes to answer a complicated point that is not simply black and white in nature.
Also you must realize that they aren`t reading directly from their playbooks. IF you want EXACT details it will take a little research on your own. You should be smart enough to realize this.
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Simple - the economic crisis. What is Barack going to do to solve this problem? IMO, everything else pales in comparison with this issue.
What's Obama's magic plan?
What aspect of the Economic crisis? There are many. Can you be more specific please. There are many components. Surely you realize this.
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I have read American history and have a thorough understanding of what is going on TA.
You Can read?
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Look, lets look at the facts. A debate format is rather poor in able to provide exact details as there are only a few minutes to answer a complicated point that is not simply black and white in nature.
Also you must realize that they aren`t reading directly from their playbooks. IF you want EXACT details it will take a little research on your own. You should be smart enough to realize this.
Simple - the economic crisis. What is Barack going to do to solve this problem? IMO, everything else pales in comparison with this issue.
What's Obama's magic plan?
Illegal immigration.
Two issues here, what is Osama going to do about this?
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No, it's the fault of Bush for letting them keep billions in tax cuts.
Had he raised taxes during surplus, we wouldn't be in this jam.
You always raise taxes during good times, and cut them duriing a recession. Bush didn't raise them, and the dow lost 5000 in the last year becase we're just printing money now to stay afloat.
Bush is either the most cunning President of all time (all of the money he made for his friends) or the biggest dolt of all time (if he actually thinks anything he did was for the betterment of the US).
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Illegal immigration.
In what regards? Curtailing it?
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Hold on a second. You're kidding, right?
No way he said that.
Yep. I'll post the youtube once it's up. I don't remember the context, but sheesh...
If obama had talked about a walker and Depends, everyone would have known what he was hinting at. Gold-plated Cadillac. "That One"
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Two issues here, what is Osama going to do about this?
Again,
Be more specific. You can`t expect a simple answer for such a broad question. What aspects and specifics?
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Again,
Be more specific. You can`t expect a simple answer for such a broad question. What aspects and specifics?
Illegal immigration! WTF, what do you mean, "in what regards"?
Yeah, we don't have enough of them, how is Obama going to increase illegal immigration? ::)
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What aspect of the Economic crisis? There are many. Can you be more specific please. There are many components. Surely you realize this.
Here you go - as if I don't know what you're trying to do. Trying to play these little games. Grow up.
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My question to Relentless in others, why have you NOT researched each candidate?
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Shocking
Who better to handle Iraq Obama 51% mcsame 47%
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In what regards? Curtailing it?
You are a child. As if we haven't seen you play these little games before.
Why don't you get specific instead of having others give you a list of specific issues?
YOU ARE THE ONE CHAMPIONING OBAMA. He's your candidate, not mine.
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Illegal immigration! WTF, what do you mean, "in what regards"?
Yeah, we don't have enough of them, how is Obama going to increase illegal immigration? ::)
Plan for Immigration
“The time to fix our broken immigration system is now… We need stronger enforcement on the border and at the workplace… But for reform to work, we also must respond to what pulls people to America… Where we can reunite families, we should. Where we can bring in more foreign-born workers with the skills our economy needs, we should”
— Barack Obama, Statement on U.S. Senate Floor, May 23, 2007
At a Glance
Create Secure Borders
Improve Our Immigration System
Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally
Bring People Out of the Shadows
Work with Mexico
Speak your mind and help set the policies that will guide this campaign and change the country.
Present your ideas
Watch Videos
The Problem
Undocumented population is exploding: The number of undocumented immigrants in the country has increased more than 40 percent since 2000. Every year, more than a half-million people come illegally or illegally overstay their visas.
Immigration bureaucracy is broken: The immigration bureaucracy is broken and overwhelmed, forcing legal immigrants to wait years for applications.
Immigration raids are ineffective: Despite a sevenfold increase in recent years, immigration raids only netted 3,600 arrests in 2006 and have placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan
Create Secure Borders
Obama and Biden want to preserve the integrity of our borders. He supports additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry.
Improve Our Immigration System
Obama and Biden believe we must fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill.
Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally
Obama and Biden will remove incentives to enter the country illegally by cracking down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.
Bring People Out of the Shadows
Obama and Biden support a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.
Work with Mexico
Obama and Biden believe we need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration.
Barack Obama's Record
Crack Down on Employers: Obama championed a proposal to create a system so employers can verify that their employees are legally eligible to work in the U.S.
Fix the Bureaucracy: Obama joined Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) to introduce the Citizenship Promotion Act to ensure that immigration application fees are both reasonable and fair. Obama also introduced legislation that passed the Senate to improve the speed and accuracy of FBI background checks.
Respect Families: Obama introduced amendments to put greater emphasis on keeping immigrant families together.
For More Information about Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan
Read the Plan
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what happened in the green points where McCain was ahead?
Obama has good timing with the biggest margin of lead...
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Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Immigration Reform
Monday, April 3, 2006
Printable FormatMr. President, I come to the floor today to enter the debate on comprehensive immigration reform. It is a debate that will touch on the basic questions of morality, the law, and what it means to be an American.
I know that this debate evokes strong passions on all sides. The recent peaceful but passionate protests that we saw all across the country--500,000 in Los Angeles and 100,000 in my hometown of Chicago--are a testament to this fact, as are the concerns of millions of Americans about the security of our borders.
But I believe we can work together to pass immigration reform in a way that unites the people in this country, not in a way that divides us by playing on our worst instincts and fears.
Like millions of Americans, the immigrant story is also my story. My father came here from Kenya, and I represent a State where vibrant immigrant communities ranging from Mexican to Polish to Irish enrich our cities and neighborhoods. So I understand the allure of freedom and opportunity that fuels the dream of a life in the United States. But I also understand the need to fix a broken system.
When Congress last addressed this issue comprehensively in 1986, there were approximately 4 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. That number had grown substantially when Congress again addressed the issue in 1996. Today, it is estimated that there are more than 11 million undocumented aliens living in our country.
The American people are a welcoming and generous people. But those who enter our country illegally, and those who employ them, disrespect the rule of law. And because we live in an age where terrorists are challenging our borders, we simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, and unchecked. Americans are right to demand better border security and better enforcement of the immigration laws.
The bill the Judiciary Committee has passed would clearly strengthen enforcement. I will repeat that, because those arguing against the Judiciary Committee bill contrast that bill with a strong enforcement bill. The bill the Judiciary Committee passed clearly strengthens enforcement.
To begin with, the agencies charged with border security would receive new technology, new facilities, and more people to stop, process, and deport illegal immigrants.
But while security might start at our borders, it doesn't end there. Millions of undocumented immigrants live and work here without our knowing their identity or their background. We need to strike a workable bargain with them. They have to acknowledge that breaking our immigration laws was wrong. They must pay a penalty, and abide by all of our laws going forward. They must earn the right to stay over a 6-year period, and then they must wait another 5 years as legal permanent residents before they become citizens.
But in exchange for accepting those penalties, we must allow undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows and step on a path toward full participation in our society. In fact, I will not support any bill that does not provide this earned path to citizenship for the undocumented population--not just for humanitarian reasons; not just because these people, having broken the law, did so for the best of motives, to try and provide a better life for their children and their grandchildren; but also because this is the only practical way we can get a handle on the population that is within our borders right now.
To keep from having to go through this difficult process again in the future, we must also replace the flow of undocumented immigrants coming to work here with a new flow of guestworkers. Illegal immigration is bad for illegal immigrants and bad for the workers against whom they compete.
Replacing the flood of illegals with a regulated stream of legal immigrants who enter the United States after background checks and who are provided labor rights would enhance our security, raise wages, and improve working conditions for all Americans.
But I fully appreciate that we cannot create a new guestworker program without making it as close to impossible as we can for illegal workers to find employment. We do not need new guestworkers plus future undocumented immigrants. We need guestworkers instead of undocumented immigrants.
Toward that end, American employers need to take responsibility. Too often illegal immigrants are lured here with a promise of a job, only to receive unconscionably low wages. In the interest of cheap labor, unscrupulous employers look the other way when employees provide fraudulent U.S. citizenship documents. Some actually call and place orders for undocumented workers because they don't want to pay minimum wages to American workers in surrounding communities. These acts hurt both American workers and immigrants whose sole aim is to work hard and get ahead. That is why we need a simple, foolproof, and mandatory mechanism for all employers to check the legal status of new hires. Such a mechanism is in the Judiciary Committee bill.
And before any guestworker is hired, the job must be made available to Americans at a decent wage with benefits. Employers then need to show that there are no Americans to take these jobs. I am not willing to take it on faith that there are jobs that Americans will not take. There has to be a showing. If this guestworker program is to succeed, it must be properly calibrated to make certain that these are jobs that cannot be filled by Americans, or that the guestworkers provide particular skills we can't find in this country.
I know that dealing with the undocumented population is difficult, for practical and political reasons. But we simply cannot claim to have dealt with the problems of illegal immigration if we ignore the illegal resident population or pretend they will leave voluntarily. Some of the proposed ideas in Congress provide a temporary legal status and call for deportation, but fail to answer how the government would deport 11 million people. I don't know how it would be done. I don't know how we would line up all the buses and trains and airplanes and send 11 million people back to their countries of origin. I don't know why it is that we expect they would voluntarily leave after having taken the risk of coming to this country without proper documentation.
I don't know many police officers across the country who would go along with the bill that came out of the House, a bill that would, if enacted, charge undocumented immigrants with felonies, and arrest priests who are providing meals to hungry immigrants, or people who are running shelters for women who have been subject to domestic abuse. I cannot imagine that we would be serious about making illegal immigrants into felons, and going after those who would aid such persons.
That approach is not serious. That is symbolism, that is demagoguery. It is important that if we are going to deal with this problem, we deal with it in a practical, commonsense way. If temporary legal status is granted but the policy says these immigrants are never good enough to become Americans, then the policy that makes little sense.
I believe successful, comprehensive immigration reform can be achieved by building on the work of the Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee bill combines some of the strongest elements of Senator Hagel's border security proposals with the realistic workplace and earned-citizenship program proposed by Senators McCain and Kennedy.
Mr. President, I will come to the floor over the next week to offer some amendments of my own, and to support amendments my colleagues will offer. I will also come to the floor to argue against amendments that contradict our tradition as a nation of immigrants and as a nation of laws.
As FDR reminded the Nation at the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, those who landed at Ellis Island ``were the men and women who had the supreme courage to strike out for themselves, to abandon language and relatives, to start at the bottom without influence, without money, and without knowledge of life in a very young civilization.''
It behooves us to remember that not every single immigrant who came into the United States through Ellis Island had proper documentation. Not every one of our grandparents or great-grandparents would have necessarily qualified for legal immigration. But they came here in search of a dream, in search of hope. Americans understand that, and they are willing to give an opportunity to those who are already here, as long as we get serious about making sure that our borders actually mean something.
Today's immigrants seek to follow in the same tradition of immigration that has built this country. We do ourselves and them a disservice if we do not recognize the contributions of these individuals. And we fail to protect our Nation if we do not regain control over our immigration system immediately.
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My question to Relentless in others, why have you NOT researched each candidate?
Who says I haven't? You are the one spouting Obama support, convice me I should vote for him.
You can't because you haven't done your research, you're voting for him only so you can say you voted for the first black president.
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My question to Relentless in others, why have you NOT researched each candidate?
I've spent MUCH time researching both candidates TA! I've just happened to reach the point of boredom with the election process.
Where's the substance with Barack?
Give us something. Give us anything. Share your enormous wealth of knowledge.
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Barack Obama on Immigration
Democratic Jr Senator (IL)
Encourage every student to learn a second language
Q: Is there any down side to the US becoming a bilingual nation?
A: It is important that everyone learns English and that we have that process of binding ourselves together as a country. Every student should be learning a second language, because when you start getting into a debate about bilingual education, for example, now, I want to make sure that children who are coming out of Spanish-speaking households had the opportunity to learn and are not falling behind. If bilingual education helps them do that, I want to give them the opportunity. But I also want to make sure that English-speaking children are getting foreign languages because this world is becoming more interdependent and part of the process of America's continued leadership in the world is going to be our capacity to communicate across boundaries, across borders, and that's something frankly where we've fallen behind. Foreign languages is one of those areas that I think has been neglected. I want to put more resources into it.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008
Need to look at different aspects of immigration reform
We need stronger border security. We are cracking down on employers that are taking advantage of undocumented workers because they can't complain if they're not paid a minimum wage and not getting overtime. Worker safety laws are not being observed. We have to make sure that doesn't lead to people with Spanish surnames being discriminated against. We have to require that undocumented workers go to the back of the line, so that they are not getting citizenship before those who have applied legally.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008
Have border patrolled, surveillance, and deploy technology
Q: Do you think your vote on the border fence or the implementation of it was wrong?
A: The key is to consult with local communities, whether it's on the commercial interests or the environmental stakes of creating any kind of barrier. The Bush administration is not real good at listening. I will reverse that policy. There may be areas where it makes sense to have some fencing. Having border patrolled, surveillance, deploying effective technology, that's going to be the better approach.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008
Increasing the legal fees on immigrants is not helping
It is important that we fix the legal immigration system, because right now we've got a backlog that means years for people to apply legally. What's worse is, we keep on increasing the fees, so that if you've got a hard working immigrant family, they've got to hire a lawyer; they've got to pay thousands of dollars in fees. They just can't afford it. It's discriminatory against people who have good character, but don't have the money. We've got to fix that. We have to improve our relationship with Mexico and work with the Mexican government so that their economy is producing jobs on that side of the border. The problem is that we have had an administration that came in promising all sorts of leadership on creating a US-Mexican relationship. Bush dropped the ball. He has been so obsessed with Iraq that we have not seen the kinds of outreach and cooperative work that would ensure that the Mexican economy is working not just for the very wealthy in Mexico, but for all people.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008
Deporting 12 million people is ridiculous and impractical
The American people want fairness, want justice. They recognize that the idea that you're going to deport 12 million people is ridiculous, that we're not going to be devoting all our law enforcement resources to sending people back. But what they do also want is some order to the process. We're not going to be able to do these things in isolation. We're not going to be able to deal with the 12 million people who are living in the shadows and give them a way of getting out of the shadows if we don't also deal with the problem of this constant influx of undocumented workers. That's why comprehensive reform is so important. Something that we can do immediately that is very important is to pass the Dream Act, which allows children who through no fault of their own are here but have essentially grown up as Americans, allow them the opportunity for higher education. I do not want two classes of citizens in this country. I want everybody to prosper. That's going to be a top priority.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008
Immigration raids are ineffective
THE PROBLEM
Immigration Bureaucracy is Broken:The immigration bureaucracy is broken and overwhelmed, forcing legal immigrants to wait years for applications.
Immigration Raids are Ineffective: Despite a sevenfold increase in recent years, immigration raids only netted 3,600 arrests in 2006 and have placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families.
OBAMA'S PLAN
Improve Our Immigration System: We must fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill.
Bring People Out of the Shadows: Allow undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.
Work with Mexico: We need to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease illegal immigration.
Source: Campaign booklet, "Blueprint for Change", p. 38-39 Feb 2, 2008
Solve the driver's license issue with immigration reform
On the driver's license issue, I don't believe that we're going to have to deal with this if we have comprehensive immigration reform, because people don't come here to drive. They come here to work. If we have registered them, if they have paid a fine, if they are learning English and going to the back of the line, if we fix our legal immigration system, then we will not have this problem of undocumented workers in this country, because people will be able to actually go on a pathway to citizenship.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Los Angeles before Super Tuesday Jan 31, 2008
Immigrants are scapegoats for high unemployment rates
Q: How do you address high unemployment & declining wages in the African-American community related to the flood of immigrant labor?
A: Before the latest round of immigrants showed up, you had huge unemployment rates among African-American youth. So to suggest somehow that the problem that we're seeing in inner-city unemployment, for example, is attributable to immigrants is a case of scapegoating that I do not believe in, I do not subscribe to. There is no doubt that we have to get control of our borders. We can't have hundreds of thousands of people coming over to the US without us having any idea who they are. We have to crack down on those employers that are taking advantage of the situation, hiring folks who cannot complain about worker conditions, who aren't getting the minimum wage sometimes, or aren't getting overtime. There are a whole host of reasons why we have not been generating the kinds of jobs that we are generating. We should not use immigration as a tactic to divide.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Los Angeles before Super Tuesday Jan 31, 2008
Support the DREAM Act for the children of illegal immigrants
Q: You said, "I stood up for a humane and intelligent immigration policy in a way that, frankly, none of my other opponents did." What did you mean by that?
A: What I meant was that, when this issue came up--not driver's licenses, but comprehensive immigration reform generally--I worked with Kennedy, Durbin, & McCain. It's a hard political issue. This is not an issue that polls well. But it is the right thing to do. We have to show leadership on the issue. The problems that workers are experiencing generally are not primarily caused by immigration. There is what I said was that we have to stand up for these issues when it's tough, and that's what I've done. I did it when I was in the state legislature, sponsoring the Illinois version of the DREAM Act, so that children who were brought here through no fault of their own are able to go to college, because we actually want well-educated kids in our country who are able to succeed and become part of this economy and part of the American dream.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Los Angeles before Super Tuesday Jan 31, 2008
Health plan: not enough resources for illegal immigrants
Q: Does your health care plan cover the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants?
A: It does not. We've got limited resources. When we've got millions of citizens that aren't yet covered, it's important for us to make sure that they are provided coverag We have an obligation to make sure that children are covered. The only way we're going to be able to overcome the insurance companies, & the drug companies, & the HMOs who are profiting from the current system is if we are having all these negotiations in a public setting, we are very clear about who's carrying water for the drug companies and the insurance companies, and who is looking out for the families who are struggling. Those who have health care are looking at such high premiums that effectivel it's not really health insurance, it's house insurance. They're paying premiums, in case they get hit by a car, they don't lose their home. But they never go to a doctor. We've got to have the American people clear about the choices that we face.
Source: 2008 Congressional Black Caucus Democratic debate Jan 21, 2008
Illegals shouldn't work; but should have path to citizenship
Q: Under an Obama administration, what rights do immigrants have if they're working without proper authorization come January 2009?
A: I think that if they are illegal, then they should not be able to work in this country. That is part of the principle of comprehensive reform, which we're going to crack down on employers who are hiring them and taking advantage of them. But I also want to give them a pathway, so that they can earn citizenship, earn a legal status, start learning English, pay a significant fine, and go to the back of the line. But they can then stay here and they can have the ability to enforce a minimum wage that they're paid, make sure the worker safety laws are available, make sure that they can join a union.
Source: 2007 Democratic radio debate on NPR Dec 4, 2007
Don't deputize Americans to turn in illegal immigrants
Q: Would you expect Americans to turn in illegal immigrants when they come across them?
A: We do not deputize the American people to do the job that the federal government is supposed to do. So as president, I will make sure that the federal government does what it's supposed to do, which is to do a better job of closing our borders, have much tougher enforcement standards when it comes to employers, and create a pathway of citizenship for the 12 million people who are already here.
Source: 2007 Democratic radio debate on NPR Dec 4, 2007
OK to provide government services in Spanish
Q: Will you remove the question about what language we speak when we call any U.S. government office?
A: No, because there are Spanish-speaking U.S. citizens who may not speak English well, and if they're seeking help, for example, on some vital health care question, or a senior citizen who emigrated here a long time ago and they're trying to get their Social Security check, I don't want them to not be able to get those services.
Source: 2007 Democratic radio debate on NPR Dec 4, 2007
Comprehensive solution includes employers & borders
What we have to do is create a comprehensive solution to the problem. As president I will make sure that we finally have the kind of border security that we need. Employers have to be held accountable. When we do those things, we can take the illegal aliens who are here, get them out of the shadows, make sure that they are subject to a stiff penalty, make sure that they're learning English and go to the back of the line so they're not getting an advantage over people who came here legally.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada Nov 15, 2007
Undocumented workers come here to work, not to drive
When I was a state senator in Illinois, I voted to require that illegal aliens get trained, get a license, get insurance to protect public safety. That was my intention. The problem we have here is not driver's licenses. Undocumented workers do not come here to drive. They're here to work. Instead of being distracting by what has now become a wedge issue, let's focus on actually solving the problem that this administration, the Bush administration, had done nothing about it.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada Nov 15, 2007
Support granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants
Q: In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, do you support driver's licenses for illegal immigrants?
A: Yes. I am going to be fighting for comprehensive immigration reform, and we shouldn't pose the question that, somehow, we can't achieve that. The American people desperately want it; that's what I'm going to be fighting for as president.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada Nov 15, 2007
FactCheck: Lightning IS likelier than employer prosecution
One Obama claim that we wondered about turned out to be true, or at least close enough. Obama said, "An employer has more of a chance of getting hit by lightning than being prosecuted for hiring an undocumented worker. That has to change."
We find different estimates of the number of persons struck by lightning, ranging from 600 to 1,000 people killed or injured by lightning in the US per year. We have no idea how many of those lightning casualties are employers, let alone how many might have hired illegal aliens. What we do know is that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service reports that in the most recent 12-month period on record, the total number of arrests of persons in the "employer supervisory chain" was 91.
Source: FactCheck.org on 2007 Democratic debate in Las Vegas Nov 15, 2007
Illegal immigrants' lack of ID is a public safety concern
There is a public safety concern [with denying driver's licenses to illegal immigrants]. We can make sure that drivers who are illegal come out of the shadows, that they can be tracked, that they are properly trained, and that will make our roads safer. That doesn't negate the need for us to reform illegal immigration.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University Oct 30, 2007
Immigration system is broken for legal immigrants
We've got to fix a broken immigration system not just for the undocumented but for legal immigrants. Because the backlogs are horrendous, the fees have been increased and doubled and tripled, and as a consequence more and more people are having difficulty just trying to reunify their families even if they're going through the legal pathways, and that puts more pressure on people to go into the illegal system. That is something we're going to try to pass.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on Univision in Spanish Sep 9, 2007
Reform must include more border security, and border wall
Q: None of the 9/11 terrorists entered the US through the Mexican border. Why build a wall there in the name of national security? I would like to mention that Senator Obama, Clinton and Dodd voted in favor of the wall.
OBAMA: I have been a consistent champion of comprehensive immigration reform. And keep in mind that my father came to this country from a small village in Africa because he was looking for opportunity. And so when I see people who are coming across these borders, whether legally or illegally, I know that the motivation is trying to create a better life for their children and their grandchildren. So I was one of the leaders, along with several other senators, in passing comprehensive immigration reform. It failed in the House. That is going to involve some elements of border security because we've got to make our borders more secure. We can't just have hundreds of thousands of people coming into the country without knowing who they are.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on Univision in Spanish Sep 9, 2007
Sanctuary cities show that feds are not enforcing law
Q: Would you allow "sanctuary cities" to ignore the federal law & provide sanctuary to immigrants?
A: The federal law is not being enforced not because of failures of local communities, but because the federal government has not done the job that it needs to do.
Q: You would allow the sanctuary cities to exist?
A: What I would do as president is pass comprehensive immigration reform. And controlling our borders but also providing a rational immigration system, which we currently don't have.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate at Dartmouth College Sep 6, 2007
Pathway to citizenship, but people have to earn it
Q: Are you going to create a path to the citizenship for undocumented workers?
A: We have to make sure that employers are held accountable, because right now employers are taking advantage of undocumented workers. And we've got to give a pathway to citizenship. But people have to earn it. They're going to have to pay a fine. They've got to make sure that they're learning English. They've got to go to the back of the line so that they're not rewarded for having broken the law.
Source: 2007 AFL-CIO Democratic primary forum Aug 8, 2007
Let's be a nation of laws AND a nation of immigrants
I think it's possible for us to be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. That's what we've always been and that's what we have to continue to be. And that's why I've worked in the Senate and will work hard as president to make sure that we've got comprehensive immigration reform that has strong border security. We need to make sure that it's orderly, that we don't have thousands of people pouring over our borders or overstaying our visas.
Source: 2007 AFL-CIO Democratic primary forum Aug 8, 2007
Do a better job patrolling the Canadian and Mexican borders
We should certainly do a better job patrolling the borders in Canada. This recent case with the young lawyer who had tuberculosis being waved through by a border guard because, he said, he looked okay is a problem. We've got to strengthen our border patrols on both sides. We are a country of immigrants. We're also a country of laws. And the question is, how do we balance that appropriately? I am hopeful that we can solve this problem constructively.
Source: 2007 Dem. debate at Saint Anselm College Jun 3, 2007
Give immigrants who are here a rigorous path to citizenship
We want to have a situation in which those who are already here, are playing by the rules, are willing to pay a fine and go through a rigorous process should have a pathway to legalization. Most Americans will support that if they have some sense that the border is also being secured. What they don't want is a situation in which there is a pathway to legalization and you've got another several hundred thousand of folks coming in every year. That is a central position we should be able to arrive at.
Source: 2007 Dem. debate at Saint Anselm College Jun 3, 2007
Extend welfare and Medicaid to immigrants
Obama supports the folowing principles regarding immigration:
Continue to extend state-funded welfare benefits for legal immigrants.
Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
Source: 1998 IL State Legislative National Political Awareness Test Jul 2, 1998
Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities".
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: To create a reserve fund to ensure that Federal assistance does not go to sanctuary cities that ignore the immigration laws of the United States and create safe havens for illegal aliens and potential terrorists. This vote is a motion to table the amendment; voting YES would kill the amendment.
SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO ON TABLING MOTION:Sen. VITTER: There are so-called sanctuary cities which establish as an official policy of their jurisdiction: We are not going to cooperate with Federal immigration enforcement officials. That is wrong. What is more, it is completely contrary to Federal immigration law. My amendment says: We are going to put some consequence to that defiance of Federal law. We are not going to give them COPS funds. We are going to send those funds, instead, to all of those other jurisdictions which abide by Federal law.OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES ON TABLING MOTION:Sen. DURBIN: There are sanctuary cities in about 23 different States across America. What the Vitter amendment will do is to take away the COPS funding from those cities. Police departments will tell you they need the cooperation of everyone to solve crimes and stop crime. If you create fear in the minds of those who are here in an undocumented status that any cooperation with the police will result in their arrest, they will not cooperate and criminals will go free. Let's not use the COPS Program as some sort of threat. If you want to deal with immigration, deal with it responsibly in a comprehensive way. SUPPORTER'S RESPONSE:Sen. VITTER: If folks feel that way, they should come to Congress and change Federal law, not simply defy Federal law. This is another amnesty vote. Are we going to give folks in sanctuary cities amnesty for defying Federal law and refusing to cooperate with Federal immigration officials? LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Motion to Table Agreed to, 58-40
Reference: Bill Table S.Amdt.4309 to S.Con.Res ; vote number 08-S069 on Mar 13, 2008
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform.
Establishes specified benchmarks which must be met before the guest worker and legalization programs may be initiated:
operational control of the border with Mexico;
Border Patrol increases;
border barriers, including vehicle barriers, fencing, radar, and aerial vehicles;
detention capacity for illegal aliens apprehended crossing the US-Mexico border;
workplace enforcement, including an electronic employment verification system; and
Z-visa alien processing.
Proponents recommend voting YES because:
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Rentless is a typical American, knows nothing, but has a strong opinion... Great Job!
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If we do not legislate now, we will not legislate later this year when our calendar is crowded with Iraq and appropriations bills. We are then an election year, and it will be pushed over to 2009. Circumstances will not be better then, they will be worse.
A vote against cloture is a vote to kill the bill. A Senator may vote for cloture and then express himself in opposition to the bill by voting against the bill.
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
If this bill becomes law, we will see only a 13% reduction in illegal immigration into America, and in the next 20 years we will have another 8.7 million illegals in our country. How can that be reformed? I submit this would be a disaster.
The Congressional telephone systems have shut down because of the mass phone calls Congress is receiving. A decent respect for the views of the American people says let's stop here now. Let's go back to the drawing board and come up with a bill that will work.
The American people get it, and they do have common sense and wisdom on this issue. They know repeating the fundamental mistakes of the 1986 bill, joining a big amnesty with inadequate enforcement, will cause the problem to grow and not diminish. They know promising enforcement after 30 years of broken promises isn't good enough. They know the so-called trigger is a joke because if the trigger is never pulled, the Z visas, the amnesty happens forever.
Reference: McCain-Kennedy Immigration Reform Bill; Bill S.1639 ; vote number 2007-235 on Jun 28, 2007
Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government.
Voting YES would declare English as the national language of the Government of the US. Unless specifically provided by statute, no person would have an entitlement to have the Government of the US communicate or provide materials in any language other than English. If an exception is made with respect to the use of a language other than English, the exception does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language. If any form is issued by the Federal Government in a language other than English, the English language version of the form is the sole authority for all legal purposes. Nothing in this amendment shall prohibit the use of a language other than English.
Proponents recommend voting YES because:
Right now, the polling shows that 91% of the people in America want English as an official language, and 76% of Hispanics believe English should be an official language.
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
I believe the American people understand in order to succeed in our society, immigrants need to learn English. But the amendment would do a number of things that are problematical. The first is that it is contrary to the provisions of law that exist in many States. For example, in New Mexico, you have in their State Constitution, a provision that says that many of the documents within that State have to be provided in both English and Spanish. The same thing is true for the State of Hawaii. I believe this is a States rights issue, and those constitutions of those States ought to be respected. I do not believe it is a matter we ought to be imposing here from Washington DC.
Also, this amendment would undo an executive order conceived by President Bill Clinton and implemented by President George Bush. Both recognized it is important that people who have limited English proficiency receive the kinds of services so they can understand what is going on in terms of the interface between the Government and themselves.
Reference: National Language Amendment Act; Bill S.Amdt.1151 to S.1348 ; vote number 2007-198 on Jun 6, 2007
Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border.
Within 18 months, achieves operational control over U.S. land and maritime borders, including:
systematic border surveillance through more effective use of personnel and technology; and
physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful border entry
Defines "operational control" as the prevention of all unlawful U.S. entries, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, narcotics, and other contraband.
Proponents support voting YES because:
It is obvious there is no more defining issue in our Nation today than stopping illegal immigration. The most basic obligation of any government is to secure the Nation's borders. One issue in which there appears to be a consensus between the Senate and the House is on the issue of building a secure fence. So rather than wait until comprehensive legislation is enacted, we should move forward on targeted legislation which is effective and meaningful. The legislation today provides over 700 miles of Within 18 months, achieves operational control over U.S. land and maritime borders, including:
systematic border surveillance through more effective use of personnel and technology; and
physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful border entry
Defines "operational control" as the prevention of all unlawful U.S. entries, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, narcotics, and other contraband.
Proponents support voting YES because:
It is obvious there is no more defining issue in our Nation today than stopping illegal immigration. The most basic obligation of any government is to secure the Nation's borders. One issue in which there appears to be a consensus between the Senate and the House is on the issue of building a secure fence. So rather than wait until comprehensive legislation is enacted, we should move forward on targeted legislation which is effective and meaningful. The legislation today provides over 700 miles of
Reference: Secure Fence Act; Bill H R 6061 ; vote number 2006-262 on Sep 29, 2006
Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program.
Voting YES establishes a guest worker program with a path to citizenship for illegal aliens who have worked in the US for 5 years. The bill:
Increases border security and enforcement
Makes it unlawful to knowingly hire, recruit, or refer for a fee an unauthorized alien.
Establishes a temporary guest worker program (H-2C visa) with a three-year admission and one additional three-year extension; and issuance of H-4 nonimmigrant visas for accompanying or following spouse and children;
Provides permanent resident status adjustment for a qualifying illegal alien, and family, for aliens who have been in the US and employed for five years.
Proponents of the bill say:
Our immigration system is broken and needs to be repaired. This bill is a strong step in the right direction. We need to protect our borders and look out for American workers, and we also need a responsible way to meet the need for temporary workers, particularly in the agricultural area, where they represent about 70 percent of the U.S. agricultural workforce, with a path to earned citizenship for hard-working, law abiding temporary workers. This bill, the product of bipartisan compromise, takes a commonsense approach to all of these issues.
Opponents of the bill say:
Our country has been built by immigrants. But the reason we have had quotas for immigration is the world has progressed in different parts of this globe at a very different rate. In some countries, the economies have lagged far behind.
There are jobs available in this country with rates of pay that are far in excess of those of Third World countries. We have on our southern border people who aspire to come to this country. In order to protect our way of life and our standard of living and to protect jobs, we have quotas.
Reference: Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act; Bill S. 2611 ; vote number 2006-157 on May 25, 2006
Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
Voting YEA would table (kill) the proposed amendment to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits. Voting NAY supports that prohibition, while voting YEA supports immigrants participating in Social Security. Text of amendment:
To reduce document fraud, prevent identity theft, and preserve the integrity of the Social Security system, by ensuring that persons who receive an adjustment of status under this bill are not able to receive Social Security benefits as a result of unlawful activity.
Proponents of the amendment say to vote NAY because:
The Immigration Reform bill would allow people to qualify for social security based on work they did while they were illegally present in the US and illegally working in the US. People who broke the law to come here and broke the law to work here can benefit from their conduct to collect social security.
In some cases, illegal immigrants may have stolen an American citizen's identity. They may have stolen an American's social security number to fraudulently work. This amendment corrects this problem.
Opponents of the amendment say to vote YEA because:
Americans understand that for years there are undocumented workers who have tried to follow our laws and be good neighbors and good citizens, and have paid into the Social Security Trust Fund.
Once that person regularizes his or her status, and as they proceed down the path to earned citizenship, they should have the benefit after having followed the law and made those contributions. That is fairness.
We should not steal their funds or empty their Social Security accounts. That is not fair. It does not reward their hard work or their financial contributions.
The amendment proposes to change existing law to prohibit an individual from gaining the benefit of any contributions made while the individual was in an undocumented status. I oppose this amendment and believe it is wrong.
Reference: Preclusion of Social Security Credits; Bill S.Amdt.3985 to S.2611 ; vote number 2006-130 on May 18, 2006
Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship.
This amendment to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act would prohibit H-2C nonimmigrants ("Guest Workers") from adjusting to lawful permanent resident status. Voting YEA on the motion to table (which would kill the amendment) indicates supporting a path to citizenship for guest workers. Voting NAY on the motion indicates opposing any path to citizenship. The amendment says:
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an alien having nonimmigrant status is ineligible for and may not apply for adjustment of status.''
Proponents of the amendment say to vote NAY because:
The Immigration Reform Act purports to create two different paths to citizenship for those, first of all, who are in the country living outside of the law in an undocumented status, and secondly, for those who are not yet present in the country but who want to come here at some future date to work.
We have given the somewhat misleading name of ''guest worker'' to the so-called future flow. A guest is not ordinarily defined as someone who moves in with you and never leaves.
These so-called guest workers could work here up to 6 years, after which they then apply for a green card. They then get on the path to American citizenship 5 years later.
It is important for us to debate this issue honestly. The amendment simply makes the point that a guest worker ought to be temporary.
Opponents of the amendment say to vote YEA because:
If this amendment should pass, that whole compromise is destroyed because a fundamental part of that compromise was that those who have been here for 2 to 5 years would be eligible for green card status and citizenship. This amendment would destroy that compromise.
We have examples today in Europe of having people living in your country with no hope to ever be a part of that society. No hope, no opportunity, no future, but we will let you work.
Reference: Kyl Amendment to Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act; Bill S.Amdt.3969 to S.2611 ; vote number 2006-135 on May 18, 2006
Comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty.
Obama co-sponsored for comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty
SPONSOR'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Sen. McCAIN: This bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform legislation is designed to fix our Nation's broken immigration system. While in previous years we worked independently on immigration reform legislation, we are coming together today to introduce what we believe is groundbreaking, comprehensive legislation. Over a year ago, the President laid out a framework for what comprehensive immigration reform should look like. We have used the President's framework to craft this package.
The simple fact is that America's immigration system is broken. Recent vigilante activities along the southwestern border have shown that the current situation is not sustainable. Americans are frustrated with our lack of border security and our inability to control illegal immigration.
Make no mistake, this is not an amnesty bill. We are not here to reward law-breakers, and any accusations to the contrary are patently untrue. This bill recognizes the problems inherent in the current system and provides a logical and effective means to address these problems. It would be impossible to identify and round up all 10 to 11 million of the current undocumented, and if we did, it would ground our Nation's economy to a halt. These millions of people are working. Aliens will not come forward to simply "report and deport." We have a national interest in identifying these individuals, incentivizing them to come forward out of the shadows, go through security background checks, pay back taxes, pay penalties for breaking the law, learn to speak English, and regularize their status. Anyone who thinks this goal can be achieved without providing an eventual path to a permanent legal status is not serious about solving this problem.
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary; never came to a vote. [The famous McCain-Kennedy legislation which DID come to a vote was the 2007 version of this bill].
Source: Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act (S.1033/H.R.2330) 05-S1033 on May 12, 2005
Sponsored bill paying fair prevailing wage to guest workers.
Obama sponsored paying fair prevailing wage to guest workers
SPONSOR'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Sen. OBAMA: We have to ensure that communities where American unemployment rates are high will not experience unnecessary competition from guest workers. So to that end, this amendment strengthens the prevailing wage & freezes the guest worker program in communities with unemployment rates for low-skilled workers of 9% or greater.
This amendment would establish a true prevailing wage for all occupations to ensure that guest workers are paid a wage that does not lower American wages. The [underlying bill S.2611] requires that employers advertise jobs to American workers at a prevailing wage before offering that job to a guest worker. And it requires that employers pay guest workers a prevailing wage. But the bill, currently, without the amendment, does not clarify how to calculate the prevailing wage for workers not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. That leaves most jobs and most workers unprotected.
My amendment fixes that. It directs the employer to use Department of Labor data to calculate a prevailing wage in those cases in which a collective bargaining agreement does not apply. That would mean an employer would have to make an offer at an average wage across comparable employers instead of just an average wage that she or he is willing to pay.
The amendment also would establish stronger prohibitions on the guest worker program in high unemployment areas. The bill currently bars use of the program if the unemployment rate for low-skilled workers in a metropolitan area averages more than 11%. Our amendment would lower that unemployment rate to 9% of workers unemployed with a high school diploma or less. There is no reason any community with large pockets of unemployed Americans needs guest workers.
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Amendment agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
Source: S.AMDT.3971 to S.2611 06-SP3971 on May 15, 2006
Provide funding for social services for noncitizens.
Obama co-sponsored providing funding for social services for noncitizens
OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: To establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to States and local governments for the costs of providing health care and educational services to noncitizens, and to provide additional funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP).
SPONSOR'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Sen. CLINTON: Immigration is a Federal responsibility. For too long the Federal Government has neglected its duty. My amendment addresses one of the clearest examples of this neglect because our failed national immigration policy has left our State and local governments to bear the brunt of the cost of immigration. Our schools, our hospitals, our other State and local services are being strained.
This amendment does several things. It helps finally provide adequate support for State and local governments. How? Well, it not only appropriates the SCAAP funding to our States, but it establishes a program that provides financial assistance to State and local governments for the cost of health and educational services related to immigration. Money is allocated to our States in accordance with a funding formula based on the size and recent growth of the State's noncitizen population. The State must then pass the funds on to local governments and other entities that need the money for reimbursement.
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Rollcall vote #133; lost 43-52.
Source: SCAAP Funding (S.AMDT.4072 to S.2611) 06-SP4072 on May 18, 2006
Rated 8% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance.
Obama scores 8% by USBC on immigration issues
OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2005-2006 USBC scores as follows:
0%-30%: open-border stance (approx. 197 members)
30%-70%: mixed record on open borders (approx. 70 members)
70%-100%: sealed-border stance (approx. 202 members)
About USBC (from their website, www.usbc.org):
U.S. Border Control, founded in 1988, is a non-profit, tax-exempt, citizen's lobby. USBC is dedicated to ending illegal immigration by securing our nation's borders and reforming our immigration policies. USBC [works with] Congressmen to stop amnesty; seal our borders against terrorism and illegal immigration; and, preserve our nation's language, culture and American way of life for future generations.
Our organization accepts no financial support from any branch of government. All our support comes from concerned citizens who appreciate the work we are doing to seal our borders against drugs, disease, illegal migration and terrorism and wish to preserve our nation's language, culture and heritage for the next generations.
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Yes, and? What is Barack going to do to save us?
if you need saved go to church chump.
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if you need saved go to church chump.
Church is the last place I would go for anything, thanks!
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I've spent MUCH time researching both candidates TA! I've just happened to reach the point of boredom with the election process.
Where's the substance with Barack?
Give us something. Give us anything. Share your enormous wealth of knowledge.
you havent posted one thing with any substance in this whole thread..TA is owning your ass!
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you havent posted one thing with any substance in this whole thread..TA is owning your ass!
So that means I can copy and paste? Good!
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Yes, and? What is Barack going to do to save us?
not go to war with Iran, Russia, North Korea, and not cancel medicare and medicaid
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Just for reference.
http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_10622542
Growth of illegal immigration population grinds to a haltBy Mike Swift
Mercury News
Article Launched: 10/02/2008 06:30:19 PM PDT
Since 1990, the nation's population of illegal immigrants has increased every year. But a new report by an influential think tank says that the growth of the undocumented population has stopped — at the same time a new federal estimate indicates that the growth of California's undocumented population has also come to a sudden halt.
The report released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, D.C., also found that the number of newly arriving illegal immigrants no longer outnumber the number of arriving legal immigrants, reversing a trend that lasted from 1998 through at least 2004.
Because illegal immigration is so hard to measure, the Pew study was unable to say whether the change is more the result of increasing numbers of people deciding to return to Mexico and other home countries, or fewer people deciding to immigrate illegally to the United States.
The study's authors do say, however, that the slowing economy, coupled with more aggressive enforcement of immigration laws and borders, are two possible reasons why the growth has stopped.
The Pew report is consistent with a new U.S. Department of Homeland Security report, as well as anecdotal evidence such as the reduced remittances workers are sending back to Mexico. The evidence suggests that the surge in illegal immigration in California and the rest of the nation during the 1990s and most of this decade has stopped.
"This was a population that had been growing rapidly and substantially for the past 15 years, and the growth has essentially come to a halt in 2008," said Jeffrey S. Passel, the Pew Hispanic Center's senior demographer and co-author of the report.
As of March, an estimated 11.9 million illegal immigrants lived in the United States, the report said. That means that undocumented immigrants still make up 4 percent of the U.S. population, and there are 40 percent more of them than in 2000.
But the Pew report said the size of the unauthorized population appeared to have declined slightly since 2007. That finding, however, is inconclusive because the estimates are based on statistical sampling with a significant margin of error.
"It's possible that the down economy can be either discouraging people from staying or discouraging them from coming in," said D'Vera Cohn, senior writer for the Pew Research Center and the report's co-author. "It's possible that enforcement issues are making people feel less secure.'"
A second Pew report released Thursday found that the economic slowdown is hitting both legal and illegal immigrants hard. Median household income for non-citizen immigrants was down 7.3 percent from 2006 to 2007. Among citizen households, median income was up 1.3 percent.
"The current economic slowdown, which one can trace to the end of the housing boom in late 2006, is taking a much greater toll on non-citizen immigrants" than on U.S. citizens, said Rakesh Kochhar, associate research director for the Pew Hispanic Center.
In California, the illegal population isn't growing either. The homeland security report estimated that California had 2.8 million illegal immigrants in January 2007, nearly the same population the agency estimated for January 2006. The federal report pegged the nation's illegal population at 11.8 million people in January 2007 — roughly consistent with the Pew estimates.
In the Bay Area, local immigrant rights groups say they haven't detected a drop in the number of undocumented immigrants. But other evidence suggests there could be a state or national drop. The Bank of Mexico reported this week that Mexicans living in the United States sent home 12 percent less money in August 2008 than they had the previous August. The $300 million drop was the largest percentage decline on record since the central bank began tracking remittances in the late 1990s.
And newly released 2007 Census information suggests the illegal population could be dropping in other parts of California. The foreign-born population — the Pew report estimated that 30 percent of the nation's foreign-born population is undocumented — declined in more than a dozen California counties from 2006 to 2007, although not in Santa Clara County.
The biggest drops were in San Diego and Imperial County, the two California counties that border Mexico.
And while California still has more illegal immigrants than any other state, its share of the nation's undocumented population is dropping — from 30 percent of the nation's total in 2000 to 24 percent in 2007 — as immigrants spread out across the country, according to the homeland security report.
The Pew report also found that:
Four of five illegal immigrants are from Latin American countries, with about 59 percent from Mexico. Twelve percent are from Asia.
About 40 percent of the nation's illegal immigrants — or 5.3 million people —have arrived since the decade began.
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So that means I can copy and paste? Good!
Do you want more specifics?
I can provide a ton if you would like.
That goes for Chaos as well.
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Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Immigration Reform
Monday, April 3, 2006
I believe successful, comprehensive immigration reform can be achieved by building on the work of the Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee bill combines some of the strongest elements of Senator Hagel's border security proposals with the realistic workplace and earned-citizenship program proposed by Senators McCain and Kennedy.
So he supports John McCain?
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So he supports John McCain?
Yep. They all agree on it and support the Kennedy bill.
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what happened in the green points where McCain was ahead?
#1 - Obama and Hilary has just destroyed each other, and most hilary voters saying they were voting Mccain out of spite.
#2 - Palin enters the race.
The economic crisis is coming at the wrong time for mccain.
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Some of you seem to think I am against Barack Obama. AS IVE SAID BEFORE, I WOULD PICK OBAMA IN A HEARTBEAT OVER MCCAIN, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
However, I don't see as to how Barack is going to solve our INSTITUTIONAL problems. He's been left with a horrible mess that nobody is going to be able to clean up.
Is he the clear choice between the two? Of course. But what is he going to do that's really going to fix anything?
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Some of you seem to think I am against Barack Obama. AS IVE SAID BEFORE, I WOULD PICK OBAMA IN A HEARTBEAT OVER MCCAIN, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
However, I don't see as to how Barack is going to solve our INSTITUTIONAL problems. He's been left with a horrible mess that nobody is going to be able to clean up.
Is he the clear choice between the two? Of course. But what is he going to do that's really going to fix anything?
go play madden boy.
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#1 - Obama and Hilary has just destroyed each other, and most hilary voters saying they were voting Mccain out of spite.
#2 - Palin enters the race.
The economic crisis is coming at the wrong time for mccain.
So women voters for period 2, who quickly turned on Palin right?
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Some of you seem to think I am against Barack Obama. AS IVE SAID BEFORE, I WOULD PICK OBAMA IN A HEARTBEAT OVER MCCAIN, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
However, I don't see as to how Barack is going to solve our INSTITUTIONAL problems. He's been left with a horrible mess that nobody is going to be able to clean up.
Is he the clear choice between the two? Of course. But what is he going to do that's really going to fix anything?
Again, I am wondering why you haven`t researched either candidate on your specific hot button issue.
IF you need help, I can and will provide it. You have to be a bit more specific in your question. You may be new to the political process and I can respect that.
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Do you want more specifics?
I can provide a ton if you would like.
That goes for Chaos as well.
TA, I understand the intellectual argument for Barack Obama! He's obviously the correct choice between the two candidates.
BUT HE HASN'T CONVINCED ME THAT HE CAN FIX THE MAJOR PROBLEMS FACING THE US. I'm certainly not alone on this belief.
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Obama and his wife stuck around for 15 minutes talking to everyone there.
Mccain and his wife were out the door in 30 seconds.
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go play madden boy.
Pull your head out Big L. There's still time to develop your own opinions instead of riding coattails of those more intelligent than you.
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Obama and his wife stuck around for 15 minutes talking to everyone there.
Mccain and his wife were out the door in 30 seconds.
it seemed that Cindy didn't want to shake Borack's hand as well. I think that the McCains are starting to melt.
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Obama and his wife stuck around for 15 minutes talking to everyone there.
Mccain and his wife were out the door in 30 seconds.
McCain isn't even trying anymore (if he ever did in the first place).
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Yep. They all agree on it and support the Kennedy bill.
Not a big fan of the guest worker program crap........
They are both full of shit though, if you want change you should vote for something completely different.
There are more than two crappy choices!!!!!!!!
http://www.votesmart.org/election_president.php
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So women voters for period 2, who quickly turned on Palin right?
Palin talked about 'we're going to break the glass ceiling, girls!" in that first speech and was at almost 70% approval rating instantly.
Each day, with every interview and commercial, they learned more about her.
people who love animals didn't like her paying hunters to kill wolves from choppers.
people who accept some abortion didn't like her extreme views
people who dislike the war/economy didn't like her compelte 100% Bush backing.
People who like their country didn't believe - after seeing her destoryed by Katie Couric with simple questions - that she would be a good pick to back up a guy with cancer 4 times who's 72 years old.
That's what it comes down to. She's hot, likeable, fun... but she's not the person you want steering the world if things get ugly. not because she's a women. Because she's just not smart enough.
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Again, I am wondering why you haven`t researched either candidate on your specific hot button issue.
IF you need help, I can and will provide it. You have to be a bit more specific in your question. You may be new to the political process and I can respect that.
But a child, you are. I love it!
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BUT HE HASN'T CONVINCED ME THAT HE CAN FIX THE MAJOR PROBLEMS FACING THE US.
No one should be convinced, believing something out of 'faith' is stupid. We're just picking out of two choices, that's all we can do.
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No one should be convinced, believing something out of 'faith' is stupid. We're just picking out of two choices, that's all we can do.
There's more than two choices, stick legs, open your eyes people!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.votesmart.org/election_president.php
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McCain isn't even trying anymore (if he ever did in the first place).
CSPAN reports he was out of the building in less than 60 seconds and off into the road.
Very strange move.
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people who accept some abortion didn't like her extreme views
Yea, that topic is a killer, literally ;D
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CSPAN reports he was out of the building in less than 60 seconds and off into the road.
Very strange move.
It wouldn't be the first. He DQ'd himself with the Palin pick. I don't really see the need to debate anything further.
The Palin pick eliminated McCain from consideration for anyone of rational thought (if he hadn't been already).
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The Palin pick eliminated McCain from consideration for anyone of rational thought (if he hadn't been already).
You're probably correct.
if he had Romney right now - a 400mil self-made man who ran the olympics, a state, and knows the economy inside and out - people woudl be looking at him to save the day.
Palin couldn't run a wendy's.
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You're probably correct.
if he had Romney right now - a 400mil self-made man who ran the olympics, a state, and knows the economy inside and out - people woudl be looking at him to save the day.
Palin couldn't run a wendy's.
I never thought I'd miss Romney, but he would have made things much more interesting. Palin is "Bush in drag."
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No one should be convinced, believing something out of 'faith' is stupid. We're just picking out of two choices, that's all we can do.
Is it, really? Is this the best we can do?
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It wouldn't be the first. He DQ'd himself with the Palin pick. I don't really see the need to debate anything further.
The Palin pick eliminated McCain from consideration for anyone of rational thought (if he hadn't been already).
exactly, this is reason enough by itself to not vote for that ticket.
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exactly, this is reason enough by itself to not vote for that ticket.
McCain/Palin is probably the worst ticket in modern history. To think that people actually thought the Biden pick was foolish when Barack passed over Hillary? I thought so too at the time, but the Palin pick was political gimmickry gone wrong. FAIL FAIL FAIL. Nice try John!
However, I don't see how Barack Obama is such a wonderful candidate. When compared with McCain, of course he is going to trump all over the old man. But he's not Bill Clinton and he's not JFK.
That said, I hope he's all that you guys believe he is, because he's going to win by a landslide.
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(http://www.vulomedia.com/images/62548electiontrains.jpg)
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(http://www.fuckfrance.com/images/i892/151280.577equalsdw.jpg)
(http://i33.tinypic.com/bdmdf7.jpg)
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Hey Relentless I think we've got your point. You can STFU now.
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Wow i was very impressed with Obama tonight!. He looked very comfortable, mcsame was very choppy and erratic wondering aimlessly around the stage. This was a TOWN HALL DEBATE, and mcsame lost terribly.
Were you impressed as much as when you first sucked on Will Harris?
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OBAMA SHOT THE 3 POINTER WHILE MCCAINE KEPT GOING FOR THE 2POINT DURING THE GAME, A DOUBLE DRIBBLE HERE AND THERE COST MCCAIN SOME POINTS, BUT HE POINT CHUGGING AT THE 2 POINT WHILE OBAMA WAS SHOTTINGS 3s ALL NIGHT OVER MCCAIN. OBAMA AVERAGED 55% ON THE 3 POINT LINE ALL NIGHT WHILE MCSAME AVERAGED ONLY 75% AT THE 2 POINT LINE. MCCAIN ALWAYS SHOOTS FOR THE LITTLE STUFF, BUT IS CONSISTENT, BUT OBAMA SHOOTS FOR THE STARS AND GETS LESS PERCENTAGES TO HIM. BOTH TOOK 50 SHOTS EACH BASED ON EACH PERCENTAGE SHOOTING WHO WON LAST NIGHT??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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OBAMA SHOT THE 3 POINTER WHILE MCCAINE KEPT GOING FOR THE 2POINT DURING THE GAME, A DOUBLE DRIBBLE HERE AND THERE COST MCCAIN SOME POINTS, BUT HE POINT CHUGGING AT THE 2 POINT WHILE OBAMA WAS SHOTTINGS 3s ALL NIGHT OVER MCCAIN. OBAMA AVERAGED 55% ON THE 3 POINT LINE ALL NIGHT WHILE MCSAME AVERAGED ONLY 75% AT THE 2 POINT LINE. MCCAIN ALWAYS SHOOTS FOR THE LITTLE STUFF, BUT IS CONSISTENT, BUT OBAMA SHOOTS FOR THE STARS AND GETS LESS PERCENTAGES TO HIM. BOTH TOOK 50 SHOTS EACH BASED ON EACH PERCENTAGE SHOOTING WHO WON LAST NIGHT??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Poor gh15. Why don't you just delete both gimmicks? You've clearly lost your mind, bro. :-\
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McCain said he was "taking the gloves off on Tuesday". ::) Obama 2 McCain 0 see you Oct 15 ;D
Oh LOVELY!!! Our Canadian election takes place on October 15th.
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Some of you seem to think I am against Barack Obama. AS IVE SAID BEFORE, I WOULD PICK OBAMA IN A HEARTBEAT OVER MCCAIN, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
However, I don't see as to how Barack is going to solve our INSTITUTIONAL problems. He's been left with a horrible mess that nobody is going to be able to clean up.
Is he the clear choice between the two? Of course. But what is he going to do that's really going to fix anything?
I think he intends to put American technological breakthroughs at the forefront.
If Green technology is the wave of the future, Obama intends to ensure that GM and Ford are producing those cars in Detroit and selling them to China and the rest of the world. By empowering Americans to achieve energy independence, he strengthens national security. by engaging allies and participating in diplomacy, he strengths America's image, and her ability to gain the support of traditional allies, ...but also gain new ones.
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I think he intends to put American technological breakthroughs at the forefront.
If Green technology is the wave of the future, Obama intends to ensure that GM and Ford are producing those cars in Detroit and selling them to China and the rest of the world. By empowering Americans to achieve energy independence, he strengthens national security. by engaging allies and participating in diplomacy, he strengths America's image, and her ability to gain the support of traditional allies, ...but also gain new ones.
He didn't seem to much into energy when he NV this :
http://votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?cs_id=21114&can_id=9490
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Mccain was about to seriously melt at one point. Obama obliterated him with fact and evidence and left Mccain reeling in agony. A Momentous PWNING. Watch the polls jump for Obama and watch Mccains ship sink, plane crash...further into the abyss.
TA = useful idiot and dupe.
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TA = useful idiot and dupe.
Why are you spending all day digging through people's posts from 2008, PEA BRAIN? ::) 39,000 posts in two years! :o
Congratulations, you are getbig's Biggest Loser. ;D
(http://www.mamapop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/the-biggest-loser.jpg)
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Apparently to most bama voters - they did not realize that winning a high school level debate has no relevence to actual governance, of which the Failure-in-Chief had none prior to you idiots putting him in office.
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Apparently to most bama voters - they did not realize that winning a high school level debate has no relevence to actual governance, of which the Failure-in-Chief had none prior to you idiots putting him in office.
(http://www.socalbubble.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/denial-and-the-coming-data-meltdown.jpg)