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Post by capttankona on May 5, 2009 15:02:57 GMT -5
Happy Cinco de Mayo. o The nation’s immigrant population, both legal and illegal, has set a record. A milestone of 37.9 million in 2007. o Immigrants account for 1 in 8 U.S. Residents, the highest level in eighty years. In 1970 it was 1 in 21; in 1980 it was 1 in 16; and in 1990 it was 1 in 13. o Overall, nearly one in three immigrants is an illegal alien. Half of Mexican and Central American immigrants and one-third of South American immigrants are illegal. o Of our adult immigrant population, 31 percent have not completed high school, compared to 8 percent of natives. Since 2000, immigration increased the number of workers without a high school diploma by 14 percent, and all other workers by 3 percent. o The proportion of immigrant-headed households using at least one major welfare program is 33 percent, compared to 19 percent for native households. o The poverty rate for immigrants and their U.S.-born children (under 18) is 17 percent, nearly 50 percent higher than the rate for natives and their children. o 34 percent of immigrants lack health insurance, compared to 13 percent of natives. Immigrants and their U.S.-born children account for 71 percent of the increase in the uninsured since 1989. o Immigration accounts for virtually all of the national increase in public school enrollment over the last two decades. In 2007, there were 10.8 million school-age children from immigrant families in the United States. They should change the name from immigration to importation of failure and social decay. Source: Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin Online Data Source; Steven A. Camarota, “Immigrants in the United States, 2007,” Backgrounder 1007, Center for Immigration Studies, Nov. 2007 |
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Post by The Avenger on May 5, 2009 15:22:54 GMT -5
Keep adding water to a glass of scotch and soon enough it ceases to be a glass of scotch.
Eventually, America will cease to resemble America and simply become "the rest of the world." I spotted a guy on the corner selling strawberries the other day in my neighborhood. I was glad to see that he was willing to work for a dollar but I was also saddened by the sight knowing that sooner or later this lovely town of mine will become another Tijuana.
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Post by capttankona on May 5, 2009 15:25:13 GMT -5
I wonder if he had a business license, was inspected, etc.
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Post by The Big Dog on May 5, 2009 15:28:30 GMT -5
I wonder if he had a business license, was inspected, etc. License? We got no license. We don't gotta show you no stinking license. What I'd be more concerned about was how many of his friends urinated in and around the strawberry patch while they were picking. |
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Post by capttankona on May 5, 2009 16:12:39 GMT -5
 ;D 
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Post by crossride on May 5, 2009 16:43:48 GMT -5
Immigration works in this country when it is done right. The way it used to be done, perhaps? Let me tell you a story.
A man had the opportunity to come to America on a temporary work visa. Long enough to bring his wife and three children with him. Well they liked it so much the decided they wanted to stay. Applied for and were granted status as Resident Aliens. The man had to find a permanent job, but since he was a good person with marketable job skills that was easy and he made a good living over the years, working his up the corporate ladder before retiring after over 30 years of productive life in this country. They children all thrived in public education and once they were a little older, the mother even went to work part time for the local school district until retiring. No one ever took a dime of public assistance.
All three children went to college (one even graduated!) and all three are valuable contributers to our country. One married a career Army man and supported him, taking care of the family, while he lived wherever, including long stretches in Germany; as he served in Bosnia, as he served in Iraq... twice; and she currently works part time for the public library in the city where they settled after her husband's 20 years in the army. Another has worked in the aerospace industry, contributing to our national pride in the space program, and currently works for an airplane manufacturer. The third spent many years as a street cop and still works in and around law enforcement in some capacity. All three are currently raising more good Americans (7 combined) and none have ever taken a dime of public assistance.
Father, mother and all three children did, eventually, become naturalized American Citizens, and damn patriotic ones at that!
Yes, I love my family and it's story, and I sometimes feel that it gives me ever more justification to be angry at the way immigration is viewed these days due to the overwhelming drain of the illegals and the proliferation of crimes being committed by those who are presumably either immigrants, or children of immigrants.
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Post by JustMyOpinion on May 5, 2009 17:51:41 GMT -5
crossride, nice story! Where did your parents come from?
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Post by subdjoe on May 5, 2009 18:40:11 GMT -5
Damned good story, Crossride. And one to be proud of. I would say that you have more right than many of us to be critical of the ones who screach for "immigration reform."
For me, this is a special day - 19 years ago I married my wife.
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Post by capttankona on May 5, 2009 18:53:54 GMT -5
I understand exactly where you are coming from Crossride.
I am the son of an immigrant, husband of an immigrant and father to an immigrant. My Mother is an immigrant, my wife is an immigrant and my daughter is an immigrant. They all had to stand online to come here after waiting months for the paperwork to get through the system.
I have realitives who would like to come here to visit. But they cannot because of the very harsh restrictions on them from our nation. The same is not true of our neighbor, who has a 52% illegal immigration rate into this nation. Because of that very fact my extended family cannot immigrate or even visit here. That really pisses me off.
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Post by saunterelle on May 5, 2009 20:06:07 GMT -5
It's the illegal immigration that bugs the hell out of me. I can't blame them for coming over to make a better life for themselves and their family, and usually they work hard for very little pay. I blame our leaders for not securing our border.
Subdjoe, congrats on 19 years of marriage!!
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Post by Mink on May 5, 2009 20:11:46 GMT -5
Crossride, your story is what immigration used to be in our country. It is a life to be proud of to!!
My father immigrated to this country on a work visa also, eventually became a citizen, married Mom and raised the family to love our country, our flag, baseball...etc and live by the rules.
Happy Anniversary subdjoe to you and your good wife!!
Now we have reason to celebrate....I made beans/rice for cinco de Mayo ;D
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Post by subdjoe on May 5, 2009 20:17:33 GMT -5
Thanks, Saunterelle and Mink. Had its ups and downs, but we muddle through. It seems like we have always been together, yet at the same time, it can't be over a year, can it?
Re immigration. My moms people came to the US in the late 1800s/early 1900s from eastern europe. Got their names changed at Ellis Island like so many others because the WASPs couldn't pronunce them or spell them. Got by digging hard coal in PA. Learned enough English to get by, raised their family to be AMERICANS. Not some hyphenated americans, jsut plain old AMERICANS.
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;D 
