Illegal Immigration and Arlen Specter.
Here it is - in all it's glory. The email from Arlen Specter and I have bolded the statements that really sent me over the edge. My email in response to this beaut. is below.
Date: Mon Apr 24 15:20:47 2006
From: Senator_Specter@Specter.Senate.gov
To: xxxxxxxxx@iwon.com
Subject: Re: Illegal immigration
Dear Mrs. XXXXXXX :
Thank you for contacting my office regarding immigration reform. I appreciate your concern regarding this important matter. (So far so good, right?)
Reforming our current immigration laws has become increasingly necessary in light of the growing number of illegal immigrants entering the country. On a daily basis, there are a number of press reports highlighting the problem that our borders are largely unprotected. However, we also have a great need for labor in this country, both skilled and unskilled, which adds to the complexity of the situation. (Starting to piss me off...) We also see a certain apathy and resentment toward immigrants; notwithstanding the fact that this country was built by immigrants and that we need immigrants in order to sustain our economic vitality. (That's it. I really can't stand him now.) At present, there are several bills pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee aimed at correcting various aspects of the problem. As Chairman, I circulated a Chairman's Mark to address the complex issues (Is he implying that this issue is too 'complex' for me to understand?) that we will face as we begin to reform immigration laws. My proposal is a discussion draft intended to move the debate forward with the anticipation that the Senate will address the issue early this year.
I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to bring your views on this important matter to my attention. As your United States Senator, it is essential that I be kept fully informed on the issues of concern to my constituents. Be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind on this issue (ya damn well better start listening...) and related issues during the 109th Congress. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit my website at www.specter.senate.gov .
Sincerely,
Arlen Specter
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My Response:
Subject: Re: Illegal immigration
Dear Senator Specter,
Let me re-word this. Although I am pro-LEGAL immigration I am exceedingly anti-ILLEGAL immigration.
It is your sworn duty to protect and secure this country. If you are unable to do so - my vote will go against you AND your party (this from a life-long Republican voter) in coming elections.
I didn't want to vote for you in the last election but I did so because I felt the need to support the Republican party. This issue is large enough that I WILL vote against Republicans if this issue is not given top priority.
Secure the borders. Eject ILLEGAL immigrants. Penalize employers who ILLEGALY utilize ILLEGAL immigrants for labor.
Do you understand me now?
I don't appreciate your attitude toward your electorate. Shame on you.
Sincerely,
Monica XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX, PA 19XXX
Date: Mon Apr 24 15:20:47 2006
From: Senator_Specter@Specter.Senate.gov
To: xxxxxxxxx@iwon.com
Subject: Re: Illegal immigration
Dear Mrs. XXXXXXX :
Thank you for contacting my office regarding immigration reform. I appreciate your concern regarding this important matter. (So far so good, right?)
Reforming our current immigration laws has become increasingly necessary in light of the growing number of illegal immigrants entering the country. On a daily basis, there are a number of press reports highlighting the problem that our borders are largely unprotected. However, we also have a great need for labor in this country, both skilled and unskilled, which adds to the complexity of the situation. (Starting to piss me off...) We also see a certain apathy and resentment toward immigrants; notwithstanding the fact that this country was built by immigrants and that we need immigrants in order to sustain our economic vitality. (That's it. I really can't stand him now.) At present, there are several bills pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee aimed at correcting various aspects of the problem. As Chairman, I circulated a Chairman's Mark to address the complex issues (Is he implying that this issue is too 'complex' for me to understand?) that we will face as we begin to reform immigration laws. My proposal is a discussion draft intended to move the debate forward with the anticipation that the Senate will address the issue early this year.
I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to bring your views on this important matter to my attention. As your United States Senator, it is essential that I be kept fully informed on the issues of concern to my constituents. Be assured that I will keep your thoughts in mind on this issue (ya damn well better start listening...) and related issues during the 109th Congress. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office or visit my website at www.specter.senate.gov .
Sincerely,
Arlen Specter
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My Response:
Subject: Re: Illegal immigration
Dear Senator Specter,
Let me re-word this. Although I am pro-LEGAL immigration I am exceedingly anti-ILLEGAL immigration.
It is your sworn duty to protect and secure this country. If you are unable to do so - my vote will go against you AND your party (this from a life-long Republican voter) in coming elections.
I didn't want to vote for you in the last election but I did so because I felt the need to support the Republican party. This issue is large enough that I WILL vote against Republicans if this issue is not given top priority.
Secure the borders. Eject ILLEGAL immigrants. Penalize employers who ILLEGALY utilize ILLEGAL immigrants for labor.
Do you understand me now?
I don't appreciate your attitude toward your electorate. Shame on you.
Sincerely,
Monica XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX, PA 19XXX
posted by Grizzly Mama | 00:49
24 Comments:
Wow! You really let that "apathy and resentment toward immigrants"
come out in your reply.
Good for you!
You might want to print out your reply and drop it in the mail. Each snail mail letter carries ten times the weight of an email as they tally these things.
Great response!!!
And as Mike says I would make a copy of your original letter to him; his response to your letter; and then your response to his letter. I'd put them altogether and send them out again.
These people in power can be such condescending prats. Personally, you were very polite in your response.;)
Good response. With my temper I would have asked if he had ever been inolved in a car accident with an illegal. I would have also asked him if the railway killer Resendiz (an infamous illegal) benefited this country in any way.
Mike and Alicenot - I will do that and I will do it today. Do you think he understands about LEGAL and ILLEGAL immigrants? I don't think he does.
Jason - I don't know what they are thinking but whatever it is they are not getting it at all. I think I remember that guy - he jumped trains and rode all around the US killing people, didn't he? I will have to find some interesting statistics that Troll found - the prison population in the southwest is largely illegals I believe. Thanks for dropping by all of you.
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That response seemed sort of condescending, like he was talking down to you; I would be extremely irritated by a letter like that myself.
Get 'im, Griz.
LHSB -
I don't think anyone said they were all immoral bad people. They are, however, breaking the law. I understand their dilemma -- they should come and go through the hoops other immigrant workers (Irish, other Mexican, Chinese among others) have had to go through. I haven't seen anyone outline the obviously outlandish immigrant laws which make it so hard for these people to comply with the law. Is it that hard? Perhaps these requirements should be looked at to make sure they aren't overly burdensome (what, beaurocracy being burdensome?) instead of pardoning lawbreakers on both sides of the issue (hiring corporations and illegal immigrants)
Your reply was pure poetry, Monica!
I have yet to receive a reply from my Senators on this issue and several other issues. It's just as well, as their answer would probably piss me off!
oh i can hear that grizzly growl now!
you go woman!
ghostie alix
Thanks Bob - I'm glad you caught the condescending tone in his reply. I was wondering if I was just having a bad day and it hit me wrong or something. The more I looked at it the more angry I became.
Thanks Mama and tshsmom - I wrote to Specter about 6 weeks ago. I wrote to a bunch of reps at the same time - Specter took the longest to respond. I guess he was perfecting his condescending tone...
LHSB - I don't believe I used the word 'immoral' or 'bad' when I referred to illegal aliens. It's interesting that you assumed that's what I meant when voicing my objections to the way my elected government deals with illegal aliens. The fact is, though, that quite a large number of the illegal aliens ARE criminal in ways other than simply not lawfully gaining entry into my country. My ancestors came here legally. My husbands ancestors came here legally. Many Mexican immigrants jump through the hoops required to legally enter this country. Many immigrants from all over the world jump through the hoops required to enter this country legally. I fully support their efforts and appreciate why and how they get here. I appreciate and welcome legal immigrants who come here to make our Republic stronger and keep our nation free. They came here legally to make a better life and they have strengthened our country as a result and they value the freedom that America has to offer. It is not true that illegal aliens work jobs that no American will work. That is a lie and I don't appreciate you coming on to my blog and lying.
BTW - I removed the comment from LHSB that was a duplicate of the first.
I have to agree - your reply was solid. Good stuff.
I just feel your passion every time I read your blog :)
Well thank you Kate - that is very sweet.
Rasta - bang up job on your letter to Specter! Wooo-hooo. Too bad it won't go through. I was very annoyed with the hoops I had to jump through to get my response to him - it was harder than crossing the Mexico/US border I tell ya.
Let's have some balance said...
"'Illegal immigrants'does not necessarily mean immoral bad people."
This can be the case if the law per se is immoral (like "you must kill your first-born on his second birthday" or something like that), but the law they are breaking by coming in without our permission is an OK law, and quite moral.
An awful lot of these lawbreakers, except for the fact that they come in uninvited, are basically good people. However, instead of coming up here with a bunch of folks who AREN'T all that great, they should stay at home and pressure their own governments to make the changes there that will make their own countries attractive.
Demonstrate by the millions in their own streets with threatening messages, and get rid of the corruption and tyranny that are keeping them so miserable. Freedom and integrity are the source of the innovation, creativity, and productivity that makes us so attractive.
We did it a few centuries ago, and so can they, IF, instead of taking the pressure off their own governments, they stay at home and see to it that the necessary changes are made.
The only ones who benefit from this "no sovereign borders" thing is Vincente Fox and his cronies.
We are already beginning to show signs of economic and political stress due to the uncontrolled influx of millions of uninvited people crossing over in a totally uncontrolled fashion.
Griz,
I wrote to Specter too, even though I'm not from his state. I had a problem with his statement that if the government kept up with its policy of "looking the other way" that we "little people" would soon stop objecting because we have such "short attention spans." His game is to just let us vent and then, when we tire and move on to other issues, slip in with the amnesty thing and a perfunctory border policy.
I wrote our senators and reps too. They must work off the same template for their letters - the one I got in response was, word for word, the same as the one Specter sent to you (with appropriate state-specific words inserted).
I haven't heard from Senator Graham yet. I'll let you know when I do.
I don't think that most people would suggest that Illegals are bad people.
But what lesson do they learn when their first act is to break the law by coming in illegally?
And is it any wonder that so many of them are now demanding other rights that have no basis in law?
God help us if we reward this attitude towards our laws by validating their tactics and granting them amnesty and a track towards citizenship.
I really can't stand Specter. It galls me that I had to vote for him due to worry about the Republican majority. I have to ask myself, 'What good is a Republican majority with guys like Specter?' Thanks for the info Cubed. For some reason I am shocked about the exact wording - were these Republicans???
God help us indeed Mike.
MonicaR said...
1) "What good is a Republican majority with guys like Specter?"
Personally, Monica, I think Specter is a mole...
2) "Thanks for the info Cubed. For some reason I am shocked about the exact wording - were these Republicans???"
No way, not where I am! This is Liberaland! It just looks as if there is some sort of form available to any of them, Republican or Democrat, can use if they want to.
THANK YOU!
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Oh Boy!
That's a smoothly straight letter by 'Grizzly Mama'...
But in fact (it's not just Arlen) I love Bush but I am equally disappointed in him on THIS issue.
White House!
America is hungry for a real leadership!
God bless the USA!
[Sorry for causing you to delete the other lines permanently because of my stubborn "frozen mouth clicker".]
No,no conservativekat - thank YOU!
Cubed - they're just gross aren't they? Politicians. Yuck.
No apologies necessary Reality Show. I'm glad you liked my letter - I was quite pissed when I wrote it and have seen atleast 5 ways to improve it since. I support Bush too but I am with you - what is going on with him? Why is he taking this unbelievable stand?
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