Bush/GOP criminalize Good Works - Hillary/Church fight back (immigrants)

[papau]

Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said this week, "It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scripture because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."

http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=1331575&ct=2093045

CRIMINALIZING THE GOOD WORKS OF THE FAITHFUL: In Isaiah 49:10, the Old Testament reads, "They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water." In this spirit, faith-based humanitarian groups like Humane Borders have offered basic medical and food supplies to those attempting to cross the U.S. border. These migrants, half of whom are women or children, face dangers including "fording flood-prone rivers, crossing dangerous deserts on foot and evading the armed gangs of smugglers and traffickers who will attempt to rob, rape and kidnap them." Hundreds die attempting to cross each year. Yet several bills being considered in the Senate now, including the potential compromise bill backed by Arlen Specter (R-PA), include a provision that would make it a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison to offer aid to undocumented immigrants. According to Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney, "the proposed law is so broad that it would criminalize even minor acts of mercy like offering a meal or administering first aid." Mahoney has instructed the priests of his archdiocese to disobey the law if it is enacted: "Denying aid to a fellow human being violates a law with a higher authority than Congress — the law of God." As Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said this week, "It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scripture because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."

The most comprehensive reform proposal on the table -- the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act proposed by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John McCain (R-AZ) -- http://immigration.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.shusterman.com/cgi%2Dbin/ex%2Dlink.pl%3Fthomas.loc.gov/cgi%2Dbin/query/z%3Fc109:S.1033:
includes a responsible plan to help undocumented workers become lawful, tax-paying members of our society. To earn citizenship, individuals would have to apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay taxes, obey the law, learn English, and pay a $2,000 penalty for having come here illegally. Nor could they "cut in front of the more than 3 million 'green card' applicants who have obeyed the law." This is a rigorous but fair process. Many conservatives, however, including President Bush, support a limited temporary "guest worker" program, which allows undocumented to apply only for a six-year temporary residency. This strategy is impractical and irresponsible on its face: undocumented workers will have little incentive to expose their illegal status if they face mandatory deportation after just six years. It is also unpopular. According to a Time poll, the overwhelming number of Americans (76 percent) favor gaving undocumented individuals a path to earned citizenship.

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also:
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0&fp=44234060234fe044&ei=6PYjRKi-Ea7caZaelfcF&url=http%3A//select.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/opinion/23brooks.html%3Fhp&cid=1105272740

"...conservatives may "walk off a cliff on the subject of immigration," fundamentally "shifting away from the idea that the United States is a universal nation, where immigrants come from across the world to work, rise and join in the pursuit of happiness."

[calmblueocean]

1. I hate to say it, but this sort of thing is why I don't care for Hillary.

"Not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures"? Could she be any more cloying in her attempt to spin this for the religious right?

Honestly, I consider myself a solid liberal, but I'm for greater border security. Of course, I think we ought to combine that with significantly increased *legal* immigration. Make it more appealing for prospective border crossers to go through legal channels. Increase and modernize the resources of the INS so they can actually deal with amount of immigration we're getting. Let's know who's coming into the country, and make it harder for those who won't reveal who they are to get in.

Done well, you can garner support from right, left, and center with an approach like this. But playing to the Hispanic base by not supporting greater border security while trying to sell it to the right by thumping the Bible is tin-eared to the extreme and smacks of hollow politics.

[MADem]

2. What a wedge issue!!!!

Talk about grabbing a big iron spike, and hammering it solidly into the GOP-Catholic axis!!

It's absolute genius--who are those weekly pew warmers gonna listen to, the Hierarchy, or MonkeyBoy's crew??? If they can't decide, they just might STAY HOME....fine with me!

[papau]

3. I agree - I think calmblueocean has a valid point on border security, but

McCain/Kennedy does the border security as well as being fair and charitable.

"The most comprehensive reform proposal on the table -- the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act proposed by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John McCain (R-AZ) -- http://immigration.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.shusterman.com/cgi%2Dbin/ex%2Dlink.pl%3Fthomas.loc.gov/cgi%2Dbin/query/z%3Fc109:S.1033:
includes a responsible plan to help undocumented workers become lawful, tax-paying members of our society. To earn citizenship, individuals would have to apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay taxes, obey the law, learn English, and pay a $2,000 penalty for having come here illegally. Nor could they "cut in front of the more than 3 million 'green card' applicants who have obeyed the law." This is a rigorous but fair process. Many conservatives, however, including President Bush, support a limited temporary "guest worker" program, which allows undocumented to apply only for a six-year temporary residency. This strategy is impractical and irresponsible on its face: undocumented workers will have little incentive to expose their illegal status if they face mandatory deportation after just six years. It is also unpopular. According to a Time poll, the overwhelming number of Americans (76 percent) favor gaving undocumented individuals a path to earned citizenship."

The GOP version just seems mean spirited.

[MADem]

4. Well, the junior NY Senator is just ripping a big page out of the GOP

playbook--ye olde "Jesus" card--and using it to see 'em and raise 'em. It makes it very difficult for anyone on the right to come after her; they'll be afraid they will be perceived as "being mean to JEEEEEESUS!"

Hey, they pull a knife, we pull a gun.

They're the ones that want to play it that way, and she's just bringing it on!

It's profoundly clever, really, and when paired with the Teddy-McCain thing, it makes much more sense as a coordinated strategy.

[NMMNG]

5. Ah, the "Compassionate Conservatives" are at it again I see

Why don't they just shoot the people as they cross the border? :sarcasm: