Under Construction . . .
**Update–May Day In Denver
Check out all the latest on rallies, walkouts, and counterprotests–with photos and video at the link above!
Michael Ramirez, 4-28-06
Others have a different opinion:
Mike Keefe, 4-18-06
David Horsey, 4-13-06
Stop The ACLU Sunday Funnies
Supporters of “immigrant rights” and opponents of illegal immigration squared off Sunday in Fort Collins. Video here.
Some have already offered their reasons for attending tomorrow’s activities in Downtown Denver, including this man:
Denver-area contractor Chuck Saxton, who hires temporary workers through the day labor agency El Centro Humanitario, said he suspects some of his crews have been illegal immigrants.“I’m going to go to support them. These guys come here, they work hard and they’re honest. They’re salt of the earth,” Saxton said. “They provide a vibrancy to our economy and our country that is fading.”
People like Saxton, who exploit the cheap labor supplied by illegal immigrants while decrying those who oppose unlawfully coming to the United States and support penalties for those who employ such persons, are at the root of the immigration crisis. Better enforcement and penalizations for contractors, hotel management, construction, and food services who employ illegal immigrants is only the first step in securing our borders. Without the economic incentive to come to the US, by denying the readily available work provided by Saxton and others, the tide would begin to diminish, and those already here would be forced to pursue the proper channels for legal status, or return home.
Once again, no one denies that a majority of those here illegally do work very hard, for poor wages, and for lengthy time periods. They are, however, not taking jobs that “Americans won’t do”, they are simply replacing the willing Americans who simply won’t or can’t (minimum wage laws) take the job for the low price. Saxton can hire or help others hire cheap immigrant labor, giving those here a reason to stay, and enticing still others to make the arduous journey here. Of course, it is in his interest to rally in support of his workers, not only for their sake, but also for his.
Not all are here for work, some have quite another plan in mind:
For more, check out Legal Status, ¡Sí!, Assimilation, ¡No!
Expose The Left has May 1st Boycott Organization Bashes Troops, Bush (VIDEO)
This is not about becoming citizens, or gaining respect–not to mention that all too inconvenient legal status–it is about “reconquista” of the Southwest United States. The “Star Spanglish Banner” and the waving of Mexican flags–Mexitude.
The rallies and “Gran Boicot” should be very insightful tomorrow, and perhaps a glimpse of more civil unrest to come unless something very real and very clear is done to stem the tide of illegal immigration and anti-assimilationist entitlement.
An example of how good economic news is spun negatively by the NYTimes (who else?):
Gas prices are rising, as are mortgage rates. House prices in many once-hot markets have started slipping. The American automobile industry shows no sign of recovery. And the paychecks of most workers have not even kept up with inflation over the last four years.Yet the national economy continues to speed ahead, with families and businesses spending money at an impressive pace. Forecasters expect the Commerce Department to report this morning that the economy grew at a rate of around 5 percent in the first quarter, the biggest increase since 2003.
The industries leading the way are ones that have been receiving far less attention than cars or real estate, though they have been adding thousands of new workers each month. In the last year, hospitals, doctors’ offices and other health care employers have created almost 300,000 jobs; restaurants have added 230,000; and local governments — including schools — have added 170,000.
“The good news for the U.S. is that growth has diversified,” said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at Global Insight, an economic research firm. “We aren’t just relying on the consumer and housing.”
Just imagine how the article would play, if the first paragraph was moved down, past the three positive paragraphs. Drop the “Yet” and the article’s thrust becomes a net positive, as most people rarely read an entire article, only an abstract or the first few paragraphs to get the general idea of the story (which is why they hammer the “inverted pyramid” style in j-schools). Instead of impending glood and doom, the article would appear thus:
The national economy continues to speed ahead, with families and businesses spending money at an impressive pace. Forecasters expect the Commerce Department to report this morning that the economy grew at a rate of around 5 percent in the first quarter, the biggest increase since 2003.The industries leading the way are ones that have been receiving far less attention than cars or real estate, though they have been adding thousands of new workers each month. In the last year, hospitals, doctors’ offices and other health care employers have created almost 300,000 jobs; restaurants have added 230,000; and local governments — including schools — have added 170,000.
“The good news for the U.S. is that growth has diversified,” said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at Global Insight, an economic research firm. “We aren’t just relying on the consumer and housing.”
This positive economic news comes despite rising gas prices and mortgage rates. House prices in many once-hot markets have started slipping. The American automobile industry shows no sign of recovery. And the paychecks of most workers have not even kept up with inflation over the last four years.
Makes a difference, does it not? In order to give credibility to the more sour version of the economic situation, the authors trot out the line that “many professional economists and ordinary Americans expect economic growth to slow in the rest of the year, surveys show”. All that job growth and a hot economy–5%–might taper, but in the realm of the fashionable left, a good economy under a Republican President and Congress is good only for the “rich”. Only Clinton was able to have an economic boom that helped all. Right.
Stop The ACLU Friday Free For All
An example of how good economic news is spun negatively by the NYTimes (who else?):
Gas prices are rising, as are mortgage rates. House prices in many once-hot markets have started slipping. The American automobile industry shows no sign of recovery. And the paychecks of most workers have not even kept up with inflation over the last four years.Yet the national economy continues to speed ahead, with families and businesses spending money at an impressive pace. Forecasters expect the Commerce Department to report this morning that the economy grew at a rate of around 5 percent in the first quarter, the biggest increase since 2003.
The industries leading the way are ones that have been receiving far less attention than cars or real estate, though they have been adding thousands of new workers each month. In the last year, hospitals, doctors’ offices and other health care employers have created almost 300,000 jobs; restaurants have added 230,000; and local governments — including schools — have added 170,000.
“The good news for the U.S. is that growth has diversified,” said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at Global Insight, an economic research firm. “We aren’t just relying on the consumer and housing.”
Just imagine how the article would play, if the first paragraph was moved down, past the three positive paragraphs. Drop the “Yet” and the article’s thrust becomes a net positive, as most people rarely read an entire article, only an abstract or the first few paragraphs to get the general idea of the story (which is why they hammer the “inverted pyramid” style in j-schools). Instead of impending glood and doom, the article would appear thus:
The national economy continues to speed ahead, with families and businesses spending money at an impressive pace. Forecasters expect the Commerce Department to report this morning that the economy grew at a rate of around 5 percent in the first quarter, the biggest increase since 2003.The industries leading the way are ones that have been receiving far less attention than cars or real estate, though they have been adding thousands of new workers each month. In the last year, hospitals, doctors’ offices and other health care employers have created almost 300,000 jobs; restaurants have added 230,000; and local governments — including schools — have added 170,000.
“The good news for the U.S. is that growth has diversified,” said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at Global Insight, an economic research firm. “We aren’t just relying on the consumer and housing.”
This positive economic news comes despite rising gas prices and mortgage rates. House prices in many once-hot markets have started slipping. The American automobile industry shows no sign of recovery. And the paychecks of most workers have not even kept up with inflation over the last four years.
Makes a difference, does it not? In order to give credibility to the more sour version of the economic situation, the authors trot out the line that “many professional economists and ordinary Americans expect economic growth to slow in the rest of the year, surveys show”. All that job growth and a hot economy–5%–might taper, but in the realm of the fashionable left, a good economy under a Republican President and Congress is good only for the “rich”. Only Clinton was able to have an economic boom that helped all. Right.
Stop The ACLU Friday Free For All
Some much needed reminders for Republicans in office from Right Wing News.
This time from the intellectual powerhouses currently in holding the Colorado Senate (from Mike Rosen’s column):
In 2004, Colorado voters, by a 2-to-1 ratio, soundly defeated Amendment 36, a measure that would have broken with tradition to split our state’s nine electoral votes on a proportional basis. This was a scheme concocted by Democrats hoping to salvage a few electoral votes in a state where George W. Bush was expected to win them all. Well, it’s 2006, and they’re b-a-a-c-k.This time it’s a frontal assault on the Electoral College in the form of Senate Bill 223, which recently passed by a vote of 20-15, with all 18 Democrats and 2 misguided Republicans out of 17 supporting it. The bill would pledge Colorado to cast all its Electoral College votes to whichever presidential candidate gets the most popular votes nationally, regardless of who gets the most votes in our state.
Colorado would be part of an interstate compact that would take effect when enough other states joined to constitute an Electoral College majority. In other words, Coloradans would sacrifice their own choice for president to the goal of circumventing the Electoral College. By this scheme, the Electoral College would be effectively neutralized and the president would be elected strictly on the basis of the national popular vote.
For example, let’s say 70 percent of Coloradans in 2008 vote for John McCain, 5 percent for Ralph Nader, and 25 percent for Hillary Clinton. Hillary carries only 15 states, losing 35. But she racks up enough votes in New York, California and Illinois to give her a plurality of the total national popular vote. Consequently, the will of Coloradans is defied and our Electoral College votes are given to Hillary. The same thing happens to other states that joined this compact and Hillary becomes president.
Undisturbed by the failure of Amendment 36 and apparently unaware that in 2004 George W. Bush actually received the plurality of popular votes (therefore defeating John F. Kerry twice), the usual gang of idiots trots out yet another ploy to circumvent the Electoral College. Not to mention that with few exceptions the Electoral College has corresponded with the meaningless national popular vote, these activists in legislators’ clothing refuse to tackle the subject directly. Knowing that a Constitutional amendment would never pass (too many small states vs. Texas, California, New York, et al.) they try the backdoor option, by committing the electoral votes of Colorado to whomever receives the–once more for clarity–meaningless popular vote. Had this plan been in effect in 2004, Bush would have been reelected easily (a nearly 3 million advantage in votes). Democrats and liberals know that the urban centers lean left, and would love to take advantage of that by favoring concentrations of populations in urban areas over “flyover” country–the rural, Southern and especially Western part of the United States.
May 1 should be an eventful day here in Denver, as it no doubt will be across the country. Thousands plan on attending the rally, as in this report from CBS4 (video):
(CBS4) FORT COLLINS, Colo. The Latino community is gearing up for what could be the largest rally in Denver’s history. About 50,000 people who oppose the recent immigration reform proposals are expected to miss work and school to rally at the steps of the capitol on May 1.Jessica Sanchez, part of a mostly Hispanic housekeeping staff at the Hilton hotel in Fort Collins, said she’s going to miss work to attend the rally.
“We’re fighting for better rights, for everybody to be treated fairly, not like criminals,” Sanchez said.
The hotel is like many businesses across Colorado, preparing to lose Hispanic employees on the day of the rally. Of the 30 employees in the hotel laundry room, 25 are Hispanic and all of them asked for Monday off.
“It’s a good cause, they believe in it, they’re passionate about it,” said Ken Somday, the general manager of the Hilton.
He said with nearly half of his staff gone on Monday, managers will fill in for them.
“I’ll be doing some rooms,” Somday said. “I’ll be working with my schedule. I’ll be the executive housekeeper and we’ll be cleaning rooms that day.”
Enforcement of immigration laws begins with holding employers to account, no doubt something Mr. Somday would oppose. The article did not say how many of the staff were legally here, and if so, they would be more than within their rights to protest.
Meanwhile, others had their own rally Thursday, to cut off non-emergency state services to those here illegally (video):
DENVER — Backers of a measure to block illegal immigrants from non-emergency government services gathered on the steps of the state Capitol Thursday afternoon to rally support for their cause.The proposal to keep these services off-limits to illegal immigrants is being challenged in the state Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, the group Defend Colorado Now is going forward with a plan to collect signatures to let voters decide if there should be such a ban. About 150 people gathered at the Capitol to kick off the drive for 68,000 signatures — the number of signatures needed to get the issue on the November ballot.
Former Gov. Dick Lamm was among the speakers at the rally. He blasted what he said are liberals who wanted open borders and businesses who want cheap labor.
“I believe this is a defining time in American history. Either we have a border or we don’t have a border,” Lamm said to loud applause. “A country without a border isn’t a country.”
That should be the quote for the opposition to illegal immigration, and a rallying cry. Find out more about Defend Colorado Now, and how to sign/distribute a petition. Holtzman’s folks were out there, and shouts of “Tancredo!” punctuated the rally:
Ina Bailey, a retired teacher from Colorado Springs, attended the rally and plans to help collect signatures.“I don’t want to become the United States of Mexico,” said the German immigrant.
Bailey criticized illegal immigrants because “instead of coming to this country and having a deep desire to be an American citizen and learn English and assimilate into this society, they don’t want to assimilate. They want us to learn Spanish.”
Michelle Malkin has some interesting links to LA school district internal documents, as well as letters to parents and employees on how to handle Monday’s festivities. Also some race-baiting from La Voz de Aztlanand links to the “Star-Spanglish Banner”.
May 1 should be an eventful day here in Denver, as it no doubt will be across the country. Thousands plan on attending the rally, as in this report from CBS4 (video):
(CBS4) FORT COLLINS, Colo. The Latino community is gearing up for what could be the largest rally in Denver’s history. About 50,000 people who oppose the recent immigration reform proposals are expected to miss work and school to rally at the steps of the capitol on May 1.Jessica Sanchez, part of a mostly Hispanic housekeeping staff at the Hilton hotel in Fort Collins, said she’s going to miss work to attend the rally.
“We’re fighting for better rights, for everybody to be treated fairly, not like criminals,” Sanchez said.
The hotel is like many businesses across Colorado, preparing to lose Hispanic employees on the day of the rally. Of the 30 employees in the hotel laundry room, 25 are Hispanic and all of them asked for Monday off.
“It’s a good cause, they believe in it, they’re passionate about it,” said Ken Somday, the general manager of the Hilton.
He said with nearly half of his staff gone on Monday, managers will fill in for them.
“I’ll be doing some rooms,” Somday said. “I’ll be working with my schedule. I’ll be the executive housekeeper and we’ll be cleaning rooms that day.”
Enforcement of immigration laws begins with holding employers to account, no doubt something Mr. Somday would oppose. The article did not say how many of the staff were legally here, and if so, they would be more than within their rights to protest.
Meanwhile, others had their own rally Thursday, to cut off non-emergency state services to those here illegally (video):
DENVER — Backers of a measure to block illegal immigrants from non-emergency government services gathered on the steps of the state Capitol Thursday afternoon to rally support for their cause.The proposal to keep these services off-limits to illegal immigrants is being challenged in the state Supreme Court.
Nevertheless, the group Defend Colorado Now is going forward with a plan to collect signatures to let voters decide if there should be such a ban. About 150 people gathered at the Capitol to kick off the drive for 68,000 signatures — the number of signatures needed to get the issue on the November ballot.
Former Gov. Dick Lamm was among the speakers at the rally. He blasted what he said are liberals who wanted open borders and businesses who want cheap labor.
“I believe this is a defining time in American history. Either we have a border or we don’t have a border,” Lamm said to loud applause. “A country without a border isn’t a country.”
That should be the quote for the opposition to illegal immigration, and a rallying cry. Find out more about Defend Colorado Now, and how to sign/distribute a petition. Holtzman’s folks were out there, and shouts of “Tancredo!” punctuated the rally:
Ina Bailey, a retired teacher from Colorado Springs, attended the rally and plans to help collect signatures.“I don’t want to become the United States of Mexico,” said the German immigrant.
Bailey criticized illegal immigrants because “instead of coming to this country and having a deep desire to be an American citizen and learn English and assimilate into this society, they don’t want to assimilate. They want us to learn Spanish.”
Michelle Malkin has some interesting links to LA school district internal documents, as well as letters to parents and employees on how to handle Monday’s festivities. Also some race-baiting from La Voz de Aztlanand links to the “Star-Spanglish Banner”.
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%.
More importantly, the movie gets this endorsement (via LGF):
There are those who question the timing of this project and the painful memories it evokes. Clearly, the film portrays the reality of the attack on our homeland and its terrible consequences. Often we attend movies to escape reality and fantasize a bit. In this case and at this time, it is appropriate to get a dose of reality about this war and the real enemy we face. It is not too soon for this story to be told, seen and heard. But it is too soon for us to become complacent. It is too soon for us to think of this war in only national terms. We need to be mindful that this enemy, who made those holes in our landscape and caused the deaths of some 3,000 of our fellow free people, has a vision to personally kill or convert each and every one of us. This film reminds us that this war is personal. This enemy is on a fanatical mission to take away our lives and liberty–the liberty that has been secured for us by those whose names are on those walls in Battery Park and so many other walls and stones throughout this nation. This enemy seeks to take away the free will that our Creator has endowed in us. Patrick Henry got it right some 231 years ago. Living without liberty is not living at all.The passengers and crew of United 93 had the blessed opportunity to understand the nature of the attack and to launch a counterattack against the enemy. This was our first successful counterattack in our homeland in this new global war–World War III.
This film further reminds us of the nature of the enemy we face. An enemy who will stop at nothing to achieve world domination and force a life devoid of freedom upon all. Their methods are inhumane and their targets are the innocent and unsuspecting. We call this conflict the “War on Terror.” This film is a wake-up call. And although we abhor terrorism as a tactic, we are at war with a real enemy and it is personal.
There are those who would hope to escape the pain of war. Can’t we just live and let live and pretend every thing is OK? Let’s discuss, negotiate, reason together. The film accurately shows an enemy who will stop at nothing in a quest for control. This enemy does not seek our resources, our land or our materials, but rather to alter our very way of life.
I encourage my fellow Americans and free people everywhere to see “United 93.”
Be reminded of our very real enemy. Be inspired by a true story of heroic actions taken by ordinary people with victorious consequences. Be thankful for each precious day of life with a loved one and make the most of it. Resolve to take the right action in the situations of life, whatever they may be. Resolve to give thanks and support to those men, women, leaders and commanders who to this day (1,687 days since Sept. 11, 2001) continue the counterattacks on our enemy and in so doing keep us safe and our freedoms intact.
Mr. Beamer is the father of Todd Beamer, a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93.
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