Lou Dodds quits CNN

[bush_cheney2004]

What BC really means is, they like keeping their Latino housekeepers well underpaid. The best way to do that is to maintain their status as illegal immigrants, so that they are non-legit in the system, have no real rights or protections, don't get the same benefits, if any at all, or even laws protecting them from manipulative employers.

Speak for yourself.....illegals have plenty of rights....more than in Canada. That's why we even have Canadian illegals.

I can't think of a similar parallel in Canada. Although illegal immigration exists here too, as everywhere, there is no underground job market on any kind of similar scale, that sustains a need for these people, a sort of "untermensch" in US society.

Well hell man.....even Canadian citizens flee to the USA for better jobs and lower taxes....DUH!

Edited December 17, 2009 by bush_cheney2004

[Shady]

So slavery was legal immigration?

Nope. What's your point?

[bush_cheney2004]

Nope. What's your point?

My point is that the United States was built by more than just legal or illegal immigration.

[Shady]

My point is that the United States was built by more than just legal or illegal immigration.

Ok, I can agree with that. But slavery had little to do with the building of America and its ascendancy to power and wealth. That basically occured during the early to mid 1900's, some 150 years after slavery was abolished. And even during slavery, with the South having access to free labor, was still far behind the North in both power and wealth.

[Michael Hardner]

Ok, I can agree with that. But slavery had little to do with the building of America and its ascendancy to power and wealth. That basically occured during the early to mid 1900's, some 150 years after slavery was abolished. And even during slavery, with the South having access to free labor, was still far behind the North in both power and wealth.

That's a good question. But 20th century supremacy was built on something, don't you think ?

[whowhere]

And btw. What do we tell the millions of people who apply for citizenship the legal way, who have to wait in line, while at the same time, see millions cutting in line, breaking the law with little to no consequences? I guess they're suckers for doing the right thing.

This demonstrates how much of a simpleton you are. Illegal immigrants pay taxes into government programs they will never ever benefit from. They also spend money boosting the local economy. Really illegal immigrants will wake up one day when they are sixty five with a deportation officer sending them back to their native country because they have out lived their contribution. The US government understands they are getting all the benefits of a Labour force without having to sustain them via governement programs.

The US has it right, citizenship is worth something there. In Canada the politicians have made it worthless. As for lou dobbs he was repetitive and boring.

[Born Free]

The US has it right, citizenship is worth something there. In Canada the politicians have made it worthless.

Care to elaborate on that?

Edited January 16, 2010 by Born Free

[Guest American Woman]

This demonstrates how much of a simpleton you are. Illegal immigrants pay taxes into government programs they will never ever benefit from. They also spend money boosting the local economy. Really illegal immigrants will wake up one day when they are sixty five with a deportation officer sending them back to their native country because they have out lived their contribution. The US government understands they are getting all the benefits of a Labour force without having to sustain them via governement programs.

The US has it right, citizenship is worth something there. In Canada the politicians have made it worthless.

I'm not sure where you're getting the information that the U.S. sends illegals back to their native country when they reach retirement age, but as for the rest of it, I don't understand how "citizenship is worth something here" while the government is allowing illegals to stay here. The government knows they are illegals, knows where to find them since they are filing taxes, allows them to stay and work by giving them an identification number, yet they are still "illegal." Seems as if everyone (except the government and employers of illegals) is getting screwed since the "illegals" can't benefit from government programs that the government knowingly takes their money for, yet the "illegals" are taking jobs that unemployed citizens could fill; so how that is "respecting" citizenship is beyond me.

As for lou dobbs he was repetitive and boring.

About as repetitive and boring as Rush and Coulter.

Edited January 17, 2010 by American Woman

[whowhere]

I'm not sure where you're getting the information that the U.S. sends illegals back to their native country when they reach retirement age, but as for the rest of it, I don't understand how "citizenship is worth something here" while the government is allowing illegals to stay here. The government knows they are illegals, knows where to find them since they are filing taxes, allows them to stay and work by giving them an identification number, yet they are still "illegal." Seems as if everyone (except the government and employers of illegals) is getting screwed since the "illegals" can't benefit from government programs that the government knowingly takes their money for, yet the "illegals" are taking jobs that unemployed citizens could fill; so how that is "respecting" citizenship is beyond me.

About as repetitive and boring as Rush and Coulter.

Canada gives auto citizenship to the world if they pass a point score which is not that difficult. http://www.workpermit.com/canada/canadian-immigration.htm. That is without having a firm job offer, if someone gets an employer to offer them a job. The employer fills out this applications from HRDC, http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/foreign_workers/fwp_application.shtml. Canadians looking for work are competing with corrupt employers who deprive Canadians valued work experience and a Government Bureacracy which rolls the red carpet out to those who aspire to canada. Once they are here, it doesn't take long for these people to become eligible for landed immigrant status and they are entitled to vote in turn skewing the votes of domestic Canadians. Also these people who come to Canada are able to qualify for mortgages on homes and essentially get all the benefits of Canada as if they were born to Canada. The US does not do that.

Face the facts, these illegals are stimulating the US economy and are NOT entitled to government programs. Logic dictates this has to lower your taxes. Politicians wasting money is another issue but the plus is the illegal immigrants don't have a voice to select your politicians. Canada on the other hand gives a voice to these transplant "Canadians" in turn who complicate the politics of Canada.

What kind of Jobs are you trying to get? The lower the skillset of a job the more applicants. The US has a tremendous amount of Government Programs for people to pursue. Canadian could only dream for a fraction of what Programs exists for Americans.

All things said, How has Canada prospered selling Canadians out as the Politicians Have? Short term Gain, long term nothing, that's Canada. The US has acheived alot and has developed alot. As an American you have an opportunity to be apart of the US drive of acheivement. As a Canadian we are lucky to have food and shelter never mind being apart of something more than the mundane.

[Oleg Bach]

Dobbs seems like a bright enough man. They gave a televised tour of his home today..he's okay - and has a big head with a big brain..he might make an effective political guy..I like him.

[Gabriel]

This demonstrates how much of a simpleton you are. Illegal immigrants pay taxes into government programs they will never ever benefit from. They also spend money boosting the local economy. Really illegal immigrants will wake up one day when they are sixty five with a deportation officer sending them back to their native country because they have out lived their contribution. The US government understands they are getting all the benefits of a Labour force without having to sustain them via governement programs.

The US has it right, citizenship is worth something there. In Canada the politicians have made it worthless. As for lou dobbs he was repetitive and boring.

But whowhere, they DO benefit from the taxes that they may pay. They live in cities with municipal services like garbage collection, road maintenance, and a police force. They get ill and go to emergency rooms where they cannot be denied care. They send their kids to schools which are publicly paid for (schools rarely, if ever, check for valid citizenship). These kids even go to universities and colleges which are largely subsidized if public. These laws also cost money to enforce, from paying the border security guards to the court fees. Not to mention the downward pressure it has on wages for certain lines of work. It is SO incorrect to make this suggestion, and I've heard it from many folks who seem to think illegal immigration is a good idea. There are many studies and reports out there, if you're inclined to read them, which compare the costs of illegal immigration to the benefits, with respect to finances alone. In other words, we can compare the money they pay into the public purse via direct and indirect taxation (and many of them really don't pay any taxes aside from sales taxes when they purchase goods and services) to the cost of benefits they receive. Illegal immigration always costs more than it delivers.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Gabriel

[whowhere]

But whowhere, they DO benefit from the taxes that they may pay. They live in cities with municipal services like garbage collection, road maintenance, and a police force. They get ill and go to emergency rooms where they cannot be denied care. They send their kids to schools which are publicly paid for (schools rarely, if ever, check for valid citizenship). These kids even go to universities and colleges which are largely subsidized if public. These laws also cost money to enforce, from paying the border security guards to the court fees. Not to mention the downward pressure it has on wages for certain lines of work. It is SO incorrect to make this suggestion, and I've heard it from many folks who seem to think illegal immigration is a good idea. There are many studies and reports out there, if you're inclined to read them, which compare the costs of illegal immigration to the benefits, with respect to finances alone. In other words, we can compare the money they pay into the public purse via direct and indirect taxation (and many of them really don't pay any taxes aside from sales taxes when they purchase goods and services) to the cost of benefits they receive. Illegal immigration always costs more than it delivers.

CPP and health care are the number one costs to the country. Illegals pay towards these programs but will never get them. As for all the maintainence service such as police, court costs, it's only insignificant amounts of money paid out for the taxes paid by these illegals.

[Gabriel]

CPP and health care are the number one costs to the country. Illegals pay towards these programs but will never get them. As for all the maintainence service such as police, court costs, it's only insignificant amounts of money paid out for the taxes paid by these illegals.

It doesn't matter what the largest expenses in the country are. There's one relatively simple comparison that matters: how much do illegal immigrants contribute, on average, and how much they consume, on average. Clearly collecting the data isn't the easiest task in the world, but the costs incurred by society are much larger (financially, anyways) than are the benefits received (again, financially). You're welcome to tell me that these costs are justified by enriching the fabric of American society, but that's something entirely different

I'll take it upon myself to look for some research studies on this. Granted, it's a complicated subject with complicated analyses.

It just occurred to me, if what you've said is true (and it certainly isn't!), then illegal immigration on the whole BENEFITS the American economy.

EDIT - Here's a piece of information, I know it's not too juicy, but it indicates that at the state and local levels (combined), the average illegal immigrant household received ~$14000 in benefits and paid ~$5500 in taxes. Here's the link.

Let me ask you a general question - do you honestly believe that you just said prior to doing any research? Does your judgment lead you to believe that it's likely that illegal immigrants in the USA, on average, contribute more than they receive in taxes? I can tell you that my judgment tell me the EXACT OPPOSITE prior to doing much homework. I'll concede that I have spent quite a bit of time looking at this issue over the past couple of years. Even before doing any research, though, I assumed that illegal immigration was much more of a burden than an asset (financially speaking, of course).

Edited February 4, 2010 by Gabriel

[Guest American Woman]

CPP and health care are the number one costs to the country. Illegals pay towards these programs but will never get them. As for all the maintainence service such as police, court costs, it's only insignificant amounts of money paid out for the taxes paid by these illegals.

Education for illegals seems to be the biggest cost to taxpayers, and the burden generally falls to state and local governments: The biggest cost burden is education for children, which is the most expensive public service.

On the other hand, the biggest benefit of illegal taxes seems to be Social Security: While it has been evident for years that illegal immigrants pay a variety of taxes, the extent of their contributions to Social Security is striking: the money added up to about 10 percent of last year's surplus.

It seems to be a wash, though, for the most part: The overall effect, the council said, is a bit of a wash -- and a minor one at that....

Interesting site: Do illegal immigrants receive more government benefits than they pay in taxes?

[Oleg Bach]

Money spent of education of illegals is money well spent - seems that some of the black kids that kick the brains out of other kids on a bus platform was money wasted - and they are legals.