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EDITORIAL: Ensign leads on immigration

The U.S. Senate finally appears to understand that American citizens do not want illegal immigrants rewarded for breaking the law, and Nevada Sen. John Ensign is a big reason why.

The economic stimulus bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee last week included a measure that requires tax rebate recipients and dependent children to have valid Social Security numbers. That measure was introduced by Sen. Ensign after he pointed out that the rebate legislation, if not amended, would allow illegal immigrants working under fraudulent taxpayer identification numbers to receive checks.

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  • "I am not sure the American taxpayer would like people who are here illegally in this country to be getting a tax rebate," Sen. Ensign successfully argued.

    The bill sailed through the committee on a bipartisan vote.

    What a difference 20 months and a grass-roots uprising can make.

    In May 2006, when the Senate was hurriedly shoving "comprehensive" immigration reform down the throats of an unsupportive electorate, Sen. Ensign introduced an amendment to ensure that illegals, once granted amnesty, could not receive Social Security benefits based on their years of work under stolen or bogus taxpayer identification numbers. That amendment was hotly debated before being withdrawn from consideration on a 50-49 vote.

    The lawmakers who slapped down Sen. Ensign in 2006 as some kind of xenophobe thought it was perfectly reasonable to not only forgive illegals for cutting ahead of millions of other foreigners who want to work in the United States, but to put them on a path to retirement. The resulting public outrage was unlike anything Washington had experienced in years.

    Thankfully, the "comprehensive" approach is dead. Its biggest supporter back then was Arizona Sen. John McCain. Would he be the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination if hadn't repudiated his hill to die for? Certainly not.

    So amid a campaign season in which candidates are sniping about who held what position when, Sen. Ensign can boast that he has consistently represented the will of the electorate in the illegal immigration debate.

    Citizens want current immigration laws enforced. Citizens want America's southern border secured. Citizens do not want illegal immigrants to receive taxpayer-funded benefits, as evidenced by statewide votes in California and Arizona.

    And if Congress is going to put the federal government further into debt by handing out "rebate" checks during an economic downturn, citizens don't want illegal immigrants getting back money they probably never paid in the first place.

    After hanging tough in what looked like a losing battle, Sen. Ensign now has Congress falling in line behind him. He deserves voters' thanks.



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    Steve wrote on February 03, 2008 04:50 PM: Mark Wilson,

    I don't disagree with you on the concerted effort to get Billary elected. There definitely seems to be a "plan" to get her in office. If the casinos were taking the bets, I'd lay a LOT of money that it will be a Billary ticket with Obama as VP.

    Bobby,

    As I said before, I will vote for Billary LONG before I'd vote for RINO McCain. I did not support our former RINO Governor and I will NOT support RINO McCain.


    Bobby wrote on February 03, 2008 01:12 PM: So which OPEN BORDERS DEMOCRAT are some of you folks going to vote for, HILLARY CLINTON, OR JOHN McCain??


    Bobby wrote on February 03, 2008 12:38 PM: Though I am a conservative,if John,"Americans wouldn't pick lettuce for fifty dollars an hour," McCain, wins the Republican nomination, I will vote for Hillary Clinton or Obama. Why? Because the Republcans have been such utter sellouts supporting Neocon Bush on illegal immigration and job depression, whereas, if they have to fight a liberal President, they would have to take the whole illegal immigration thing more seriously. With McCain, they will just lay back, and sell-out the citizenry. By the way, tell grandpa and grandma, to types who have been supporting John,"Kennedy McCain Amnesty", McCain to wake up. They are destroying the grandchildrens future by voting for this clown.


    Mark Wilson wrote on February 03, 2008 12:04 PM: Steve,
    I concur, voting third party or staying home is equivalent to a vote for Hillary. But if the G.O.P. was serious about keeping “filth” out of the White House, then why the flip would they want the worst possible candidate, John – every Democrat’s favorite Republican –McCain on the ticket unless it was part of a coordinated effort to secure the White House for the future enabler-n-chief?
    Mark Wilson


    elmo wrote on February 03, 2008 11:34 AM: Yes, something fishy is going on with the election. Just look at NH, polls say Obama will win easily, where they use "PAPER" ballots, he wins like the polls say. However, where they use the machines, it is totally opposite, Hillbilly wins like the polls say Obama should.

    These are the same machines that the Secretary of State in Ohio, said that a study shows that these machines are easily tampered with and unreliable. So instead of decertifying the machines, which would mean going back to paper ballots, she said that if the voters request paper ballots, they can use them, if not, use the machines.

    So do not believe the votes that have already taken place, look at Florida also, lots of stories about people asking where the presidential candidates page was. Then being told that they where on the next page, only to have a message come up on the next page saying "THANK YOU FOR VOTING". When complaining about it, they are told "WELL YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED A POLL WORKER FOR HELP BEFORE VOTING", when the poll workers where the ones telling people, on the next page.

    So the fix is already in. It has got to be Hillbilly and McCrack, that way they can say "Republicans stayed home in mass because of McCrack's stance on "illegals".

    Hmm, kind of sounds like Terminator, the machines are taking over, except in this case, someone is behind the machines, telling them how to add the votes.


    Joe C wrote on February 03, 2008 11:14 AM: To Mark Wilson,

    Unfortunately I think your feeling are completely too accurate.


    tim wrote on February 03, 2008 11:12 AM: lets see hillary or mccain,both make me shutter. is there one canidate that wont sell us out to the illegal vote? does anyone of them stand for law and order? what does this say about the canidates? screw the laws as long as it gets us elected? we need a revolution,what else can be done? our leaders are beholden to big.corps, hollywood liberals and special interest. american taxpayers be dammed.


    Steve wrote on February 03, 2008 11:00 AM: Mark Wilson,

    Unfortunately, if enough Republicans vote 3rd party (not enough to get a 3rd party elected) or stay home and don't vote, it would have the same affect as me voting for Billary. Either way, filth enters the White House for at least 4 years.


    Joe C wrote on February 03, 2008 09:54 AM: I glad Senator Ensign understands how the majority of citizens feel but this is only a small victory.
    If McCain gets the nod from the GOP he hasn’t changed a thing about his plan giving amnesty to illegals and wants a huge guest worker program that would allow at least 250 thousand to legally enter yearly for a time.
    When that time is up how do you move them out. So basically we will never see an end if McCain would be elected president.
    If a Democrat is elected it’s the same thing, acting all humanitarian rewarding business and illegal aliens for illegal activity.
    Despite the loss of jobs, lower wages, tax burden when it comes to legal citizens humanitarian concerns tough luck.

    The last Democrat debate, Senator Obama said, illegal aliens were scapegoats, and yet in his next sentence stated it is lowering wages and citizens and illegals were being exploited. How can they be scapegoats using his own words?

    This is a fight that is far from over and just like the war cost are nationalized and profits privatized.

    The agendas are many, from a scandalized church paying a billion dollars, needing to rebuild, greedy business, an indifferent and sold out congress.
    Keep calling elected officials and check out www.numbersusa.com


    Where's the money wrote on February 03, 2008 09:44 AM: Thank you Senator Engsign. What a shame that few elected officials, from either party, care to listen to what LEGAL American citizens are screaming loud and clear. We cannot continue to reward people who are breaking the law from the minute they step foot over the border.

    As a tax payer, enough is enough. I am sick of footing the bill for millions of ILLEGALS. Each time I hear teachers whine for more money, I am reminded the need wouldn't be so great if we weren't educating ILLEGALS. Hospitals and emergency rooms across the country are closing because of the burden of treating ILLEGALS. Our public and private sectors spend millions of dollars annually providing translation for people unwilling to learn our language. Diseases once erradicated are back. Crime is up -- watch the evening news and note the names and descriptions. I could go on, but hey, why beat a dead horse.

    It is enough that American taxpayers are being taxed to support an unwelcome, thankless, law breaking group. To reward them with a rebate would be adding insult to injury. Hopefully other senators will support Senator Ensign and the law.


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