Bob

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-c...medium=twitter

So any thoughts on this?

What's getting hidden away in this?

Oregon4now

This pretty much sums up my personal feeling on the matter.

Immigration reform is of particular importance to the growing Hispanic electorate, which is Democratic-leaning and whose continued support Mr Obama will need in his 2012 re-election bid.

fatbrit

Not like we actually need immigration reform, is it?

anotherlimey

If Obama's leading the reform, surely he's authorizing he SEALs to shoot illegals in the head?

We've seen this before. But Democrats like the left-leaning vote and Republicans like the underpaid workers.

Octang Frye

I find it disgusting that Obama's first visit to the g-damn border and all he sees fit to do is attack those who wish to see it protected.

We have an a$$hole here in Denver called Hancock who's running for mayor, and has the support of the corrupt ex-governor Ritter.
Asked about illegal immigration, Hancock said on the radio that he's against it... that we need to do away with illegal immigrants by making them legal. "A path to citizenship." Rewarding law-breaking. **** that.

fatbrit

I never buy the left-leaning vote. Firstly, the time span from an amnesty to voting citizen is in the order of a couple of decades, and this is far too forward thinking. Secondly, many of those who will be affected are poor Catholics with strong family values, which is really more the preserve of conservative ideals.

fatbrit

If you're not going to "reward law breaking", how exactly do you intend to solve the issue of the many, many millions who are already here?

Octang Frye

Self deportation.

fatbrit

Right!

Think there is a realistic possibility of all those folks self-deporting themselves?
Think there maybe some economic consequence to us losing 5% or more of the population?

Bob

Till the hill billies made a mess of the borders, they did used to do just that, slip back and forth during seasonal work, but now once over they'd rather stay than go back because of the hassle, or the cost of using a mule.

sir_eccles

Correction 5% or more of the working population.

fatbrit

Dunno if you've been out the West side in your travels, but there are whole swathes of cheap apartment complexes empty. This is where the working poor lived. Certainly the severity of the recession in Phoenix has played its part, but another factor has been the relentless pursuit of MCSO and, later, the legislature on the undocumented population.

You'll not find many empty apartment blocks in Albuquerque, though, since that was a common destination for the exodus.

Of course, since we chased off a good chunk of the conference crowd (a major earner for metro Phoenix) with our loop-ball politics, there was less demand for menial service jobs.

I think it's called shooting yourself in the foot.

anotherlimey

But the Dems do risk alienating many Hispanics here who can vote.

fatbrit

They certainly comprise a considerable voting block. Maybe even bigger than the nutball Xtian one. But are they as homogeneous?

anotherlimey

No, but then they wouldn't have that label if Politicians didn't think they all thought the same way.