Born in the USA

[Geo]

I hear people say we have a serious immigration problem. What makes it more serious right now than before? I understand it is all of a sudden a priority. But how did this issue jump to the top of the list? Data?

The evidence I have seen does not support the conclusion that people come here to make legal babies nor does it show that those legal babies make their illegal parents citizens and faster.

Do we need amendments to create term limits, a line item veto or to enforce existing abortion laws? (genuine question)

 

[Alicia Leonard]

The one thing I never hear in this argument is where the 14th amendment came from and it had nothing to do with immigration from my understanding and had everything to do with allowing prior slave's children to be granted citizenship. If this is true, then one can say that the amendment has been abused and at least one parent should have to be a citizen for their child to be granted citizenship. We are the last country to deal with this as illegal immigration has almost bankrupted so many other countries, they have had to do the same and enact a one parent rule.

The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow . Jim Crow Stories . 14th Amendment Ratified | PBS

The Fourteenth Amendment was one of three amendments to the Constitution adopted after the Civil War to guarantee black rights. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, the Fourteenth granted citizenship to people once enslaved, and the Fifteenth guaranteed black men the right to vote.

 

[futurebeachbum]

I hear people say we have a serious immigration problem. What makes it more serious right now than before? I understand it is all of a sudden a priority. But how did this issue jump to the top of the list? Data?

The evidence I have seen does not support the conclusion that people come here to make legal babies nor does it show that those legal babies make their illegal parents citizens and faster.

Do we need amendments to create term limits, a line item veto or to enforce existing abortion laws? (genuine question)

I think that if our government had ever tried to secure our borders and enforce our immigration laws then this would be less of an issue.

In general, I'd prefer to minimize the amount of monkeying we do with the Constitution. A lot of the later amendments are train wrecks (case in point 17th and 18th amendments both were disasters.)

That being said, I would support an amendment to limit terms, but not a line item veto. I don't think abortion is significant enough of an issue to deserve the press it gets, much less an amendment.

 

[Geo]

Hi FutureBeachBum:

My attitude and my premise isn't that we should leave things in place because they were already there. I am for change (hope and change)! Lol

Just not for changing the constitution because the populace is drunk on media perpetuated outrage dressed in red, white and blue.

 

[Geo]

ALeonard,

You are correct about the 14th amendment being intended to address issues born out of slavery (no pun intended). But the historical docs reveal significant attention- discussion and debate surrounding Asian immigrants particularly on the West coast.

So while we didn't have an illegal immigrant issue or perceived problems with Latinos back then, we did consider the children of noncitizen immigrants.

 

[Alicia Leonard]

ALeonard,

You are correct about the 14th amendment being intended to address issues born out of slavery (no pun intended). But the historical docs reveal significant attention- discussion and debate surrounding Asian immigrants particularly on the West coast.

So while we didn't have an illegal immigrant issue or perceived problems with Latinos back then, we did consider the children of noncitizen immigrants.

We also didn't have social services that were paying for said non-citizens. And the framers of that amendment did argue that it did not apply to immigrants from my understanding in letters later written over the issue you bring up.

 

[Geo]

Agreed that they weren't considering pragmatic elements like social security. But to that point I would respond that the issue and solution is with social security rather than with citizenship rules.

On your last point, I am under the impression that the 14th amendment was completely intended to apply to immigrants after considerable discussion/debate. Can anyone versed on this subject set us straight?

 

[Alicia Leonard]

Agreed that they weren't considering pragmatic elements like social security. But to that point I would respond that the issue and solution is with social security rather than with citizenship rules.

On your last point, I am under the impression that the 14th amendment was completely intended to apply to immigrants after considerable discussion/debate. Can anyone versed on this subject set us straight?

This is one thing I could never wrap my head around, Geo, when I worked social services. If I got pregnant, and went to the health department for care, I have to give a slew of information, including an id, ss number and such to receive a discount rate on services. A non-english speaking woman without id can receive services and will not be asked for the same info. They can bring a note from a neighbor, or nothing. The system has now moved to treating a citizen to a harder standard than a non-citizen, while the citizen has to help pay for the non-citizens care. Hold us to the same standard, if we are equal.

 

[LuciferSam]

I heard something last week about (and I might be wrong baout the statistic) one in five newborns here being delivered to an illegal immigrant. I don't care where they are from, it just violates common sense that being born here equates to citizenship. Forty weeks and a Social Security number...it isn't right.

Bob has simply determined some time ago that anyone who is concerned about illegal immigrants fears hispanics taking over. It is lazy thinking on Bob el loco's part.

It makes a lot of sense. it's easy to indoctrinate children.

 

[LuciferSam]

Since the Iphone doesn't allow you to add to a post here comes the third in my series-

I am from the Midwest along with the mother of my kids and my oldest child. My youngest however was born in FL.

Drinking beers and watching SEC football I have been reminded many times by southerners that I am a Yankee and that the only member of my family who is a Southerner is my daughter.

I have been here longer than she's been alive. I have immersed myself in the culture, learned to cook the food and speak the language. I've assimilated in many ways. But I will always be a Yankee and my daughter- because she was born here gets street cred.

This sentiment makes sense to so many of the same folks who suddenly see no wisdom whatsoever in the 14th amendment.

Again- why now?

I said this on another post, because its easier to indoctrinate/brainwash the kiddies.