Immigration Bill Roundup; Colorado Going To Hell In Fruitbasket

At least that is what the fearmongering, “recession” is imminent, media coverage would have you believe.

Putting the pinch on Colorado farmers:

Colorado farmers and others squeezed by a labor shortage will be pinched even more by the death of President George W. Bush’s immigration proposal in the Senate, business leaders said Thursday.

“Our labor supply is going to continue to diminish,” said Mike Gilsdorf, leader of Colorado Employers for Immigration Reform, or COEIR. “I can see a lot of overtime expenses.”
. . .
“Immigrant workers benefit all of us by keeping the economy growing and healthy,” she said.

Adams said by not fixing the current immigration system, the United States is inviting major labor shortages and an even worse recession than the one she is predicting now.

Fewer immigrant workers could mean less production and money circulating in the economy, plus other ripple effects, Adams said.

“We get many things cheaper because they were made in other countries or because of immigrant labor. That gives us additional money to spend on other things that create new jobs,” she said.

For one thing, the likelihood that current laws will be enforced with any greater consistency is extremely low; secondly, the illegal immigrants living “in the shadows” (they are quite visible while living in those shadows) are not likely to leave en masse. Finally, the immigrant workers the farmers’ advocates refer to are mostly illegal–and by law, they shouldn’t be hired anyway. That is one of the thrusts of enforcement–businesses should be punished for hiring illegal immigrants, and creating the draw the lures more and more here illegally.

In addition, the argument that illegal immigrants benefit the economy due to the cheapness of their labor sounds suspiciously similar to what old Southern slaveholders argued would happen to their plantations should slavery be abolished–we need our cheap labor, or we’ll die!

Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar puts the blame on “poison” from some members of the Senate–and likely the vaunted but “evil” talk-radio/blogosphere–for defeating the messy, pointless, unenforceable slop that was Bush/Kennedy’s comprehensive immigration reform:

U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar expressed disappointment this morning at the demise of the immigration reform bill, blaming “poison stemming from some members of the Senate” and predicting continuing crisis for the country’s “broken” immigration system.

“I think we can expect chaos, confusion, porous borders, victimization and tremendous economic insecurity among farmers and ranchers and others who want us to fix the system,” said Salazar, a Colorado Democrat, during a telephone news conference after the vote.

A fix worse than the problem it is designed to correct is not desirable in any context. At least Sen. Wayne Allard recognized this much in his vote against the bill:

“Porous borders and lax enforcement present major security risks to our country,” Allard said. “Instead of enacting so-called ‘comprehensive immigration reform,’ we need to find common sense solutions to the labor concerns we face in the agriculture industry and start doing what we all know needs to be done: secure the border and enforce our existing laws.”

Hear, hear. Amnesty is not the solution. Nor is punishing the millions of legal immigrants that have plowed their way through the labyrinthine paperwork and excessive fees to acquire the “documents” that would have been given willy-nilly to any and all here illegally. Fairness? I think not.

The left is worried about the people “living in the shadows”. The last two May 1 immigration rallies don’t put too much credence into that notion:

Beware Democrats who voted against this bill, or dare call illegal immigrants illegal–you’ll be “drummed out” of the party.

Chinablogging–(More) Toothpaste With Antifreeze, Contaminated Seafood, Censorship

Crikey–China product defect overload!

From the nice try department–China guarantees safety of products

Cool, minty death breath–More toothpaste with antifreeze suspected

Somethin’ fishy–contaminated Chinese seafood detained

Battling Chinese censors–China’s new citizen journalists

CU Regents Approve Tuition Hike

Regent Tom Lucero was the sole dissenter, citing the school’s obligation to middle-class students and their families not to raise tuition so sharply:

The regents vote was 8-1. Regent Tom Lucero cast the dissenting vote. He said the increase would be a heavy burden on middle-class students.

“I understand we’re being squeezed by the state, but at some point we have a moral obligation to students of the university,” Lucero said, in reference to low state support.

But other regents said the increase is necessary to maintain the quality of the university. Regent Michael Carrigan said “Regent Lucero, with all due respect, what do you suggest we cut?”

Oh, I don’t know Regent Carrigan. As an alumnus, how about the bloated bureaucracy and useless administration?

Overpriced, underqualified tenured professors (especially CU ethnic studies professors).

Expensive moonbat speakers like Kofi Annan.

That’s just a start.

Colorado Flies Front Line Flag, Honors Fallen SEAL Danny Dietz

Javier Manzano
Eric Dietz, 21, and his girlfriend, 20-year-old Lyly Nguyen, hold an American Flag given to them after a ceremony held for his brother, Navy SEAL Danny Dietz. A flag presentation for the family of Danny Dietz who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005, was held on the west steps of the state Capitol today. Dietz, 25, died while conducting counterterrorism operations in Kunar Province. The flag, which will eventually fly over Dietz’s memorial in Littleton, flew over Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, at the same time Dietz was serving in Afghanistan.

In anticipation of the dedication of Navy SEAL Danny Dietz’ memorial next week on July 4, the state of Colorado paid quiet tribute to this hero (video):

Two years to the day after Danny Dietz gave his life for his country, his state paid quiet homage to his memory and sacrifice.

In front of the west steps of the state Capitol, an American flag that had flown over Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan — where the Navy SEAL was stationed — was raised up a flagpole by Colorado State Trooper Mike Garcia as members of Dietz’s family and a smattering of officials looked on.

“I’m honored,” said Cindy Dietz, mother of the Littleton man who was killed during a mission in Afghanistan and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. “It’s so special to me that this flag was flying over Danny’s base at maybe the same time he was there. And now it’s flying in his home state.”

Joined by Danny’s brother, Eric Dietz, and his grandmother, Dolores Gilmer, Cindy Dietz helped Garcia fold the flag once it had hung on the flagpole for about a moment.

The same flag will be used on July 4th when a statue of Dietz is dedicated in Littleton.

Slapstick will have coverage of the unveiling of the statue next week.

Previously:
Colorado Statue Honoring Fallen Navy SEAL Opposed, “Glorifies Violence”

France Honors WWII Hero In Colorado

Every now and then, France does the right thing:

FORT COLLINS – World War II veteran Bill Gordon leaned forward on his two canes Wednesday night so the French Legion of Honor medal, that nation’s highest military honor, could be pinned to his lapel.

Then after looking around the room at 45 friends and colleagues who had gathered to honor him, he spoke of the people who were not present: the men of B Company who fought and died more than half a century ago to liberate France from the Nazis.

There were 142 men in B Company of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment when Gordon, a 24- year-old replacement platoon leader, began leading them through the Battle of the Bulge.

By the time he was sent to a stateside hospital after being shot twice, 14 men were left from the original unit.

“I know it’s my honor, and I appreciate this great honor,” Gordon, 85, a former Army colonel, told the audience at Nico’s Catacombs restaurant, choking up a bit. “But I think I need to accept this on behalf of those men.”

Phillipe Larrieu, the Los Angeles-based Consul General of France, pinned the bright red ribbon and green-flecked medal on Gordon after expressing his country’s gratitude.

The ceremony was part of a program aimed at recognizing the anniversary of the landing of allied forces at Normandy in June 1944 by honoring about 100 U.S. veterans with distinguished records.

“France has not forgotten the American heroes of World War II,” Larrieu said. “Col. Gordon, you embody the best of America, and on behalf of France and my fellow citizens, I would like to say, ‘Thank you.’ “

An appropriate gesture at a time when the two countries could use some diplomatic rapprochement:

Gordon said he has been pained by the strained relations between the two historic allies over U.S. policy in Iraq, he said.

“It’s a great honor,” he said of the medal. “But more than an honor, it’s a reaffirmation of our great friendship.”

Now that Nicolas Sarkozy has been elected, perhaps France and the United States can once again become more like allies and less diplomatic adversaries.

No Documents, No Aid; Tancredo Sends Lettuce To Chertoff; Race Card Played In Manzanares’ Suicide

No Duh!:

The founder of a new scholarship program created to help Denver Public Schools students afford college said the fund will not give any money to undocumented immigrant students.

Tim Marquez, the oilman who pledged $50 million of his own money to help seniors from three Denver high schools go to college, said he received legal advice that indicated he couldn’t help undocumented students.

Marquez and his lawyers are basing their decision on a federal law that prohibits harboring illegal immigrants. They also said state laws could prohibit giving the money but couldn’t cite any.

“We can’t knowingly give money to undocumented kids,” Marquez said in a recent interview. “If a kid can provide us a Social Security number, that is all we need to know. But if they can’t, then we can’t help them at all.”

Remember folks, these kids are entitled. As one illegal immigrant advocate remarked “it is not only unkind, it is outright unfair”–any mention of legality is unnecessary when it comes to illegal immigrants.

On a related note, Tom Tancredo expressed his displeasure with the Bush administration’s overheated rhetoric surrounding illegal immigration:

It’s not every day a presidential hopeful sends Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff a head of lettuce, but that’s what Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, is doing Wednesday to show his disagreement with Chertoff’s recent comments on how failure of passing immigration reform might affect the agricultural industry.

Tancredo says he disagrees with recent comments Chertoff made that suggested if the immigration bill fails, the agricultural industry will suffer. To prove his point he is sending Chertoff a head of lettuce, a fruit basket, and a card saying, “much, much more where this comes from.”

“The administration has taken hyperbole to a whole new level this time,” Tancredo said in a statement. “They are now trying to convince the public that without amnesty, the American people are going to starve?”

“The agriculture industry and the free market has managed to keep producing through floods, droughts, and $3.00 per gallon gas,” Tancredo added, “I doubt very seriously that a nominal increase in labor costs is going to be the end of lettuce as we know it.”

Tossed salad, anyone? (**Update–produce refused for “security reasons”, Ken Salazar and Tancredo argue over impact on agriculture)

And–the race card is played in Larry Manzanares’ suicide:

But, by far, the most reprehensible comments came from community “leaders” like Rosemary Rodriguez, former Denver City councilwoman and a friend of Manzanares’.

“It’s a bad time to be a Hispanic in trouble in this city,” she explained.

Rodriguez’s insinuation, in case you missed it, is that there is systemic abuse of Latinos in Denver. She was not the only one to infer that such a devious conspiracy was afoot.
. . .
There will always be those who peddle the ugly currency of victimhood to hold political power. Sometimes the currency is used to save political allies from trouble. Other times it’s simple pandering.

In this case, it seems that we have a hat trick.

Should Manzanares’ alleged crimes not have been followed up because of his ethnicity? That would be old-fashioned racism–selective enforcement of the law based on one’s race/ethnicity. But for leftist moonbats who see everything through the prism of race/gender/oppression, this is just another example of the “white man” keeping the former judge, city attorney, and Harvard graduate down.

No Documents, No Aid; Tancredo Sends Lettuce To Chertoff; Race Card Played In Manzanares’ Suicide

No Duh!:

The founder of a new scholarship program created to help Denver Public Schools students afford college said the fund will not give any money to undocumented immigrant students.

Tim Marquez, the oilman who pledged $50 million of his own money to help seniors from three Denver high schools go to college, said he received legal advice that indicated he couldn’t help undocumented students.

Marquez and his lawyers are basing their decision on a federal law that prohibits harboring illegal immigrants. They also said state laws could prohibit giving the money but couldn’t cite any.

“We can’t knowingly give money to undocumented kids,” Marquez said in a recent interview. “If a kid can provide us a Social Security number, that is all we need to know. But if they can’t, then we can’t help them at all.”

Remember folks, these kids are entitled. As one illegal immigrant advocate remarked “it is not only unkind, it is outright unfair”–any mention of legality is unnecessary when it comes to illegal immigrants.

On a related note, Tom Tancredo expressed his displeasure with the Bush administration’s overheated rhetoric surrounding illegal immigration:

It’s not every day a presidential hopeful sends Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff a head of lettuce, but that’s what Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, is doing Wednesday to show his disagreement with Chertoff’s recent comments on how failure of passing immigration reform might affect the agricultural industry.

Tancredo says he disagrees with recent comments Chertoff made that suggested if the immigration bill fails, the agricultural industry will suffer. To prove his point he is sending Chertoff a head of lettuce, a fruit basket, and a card saying, “much, much more where this comes from.”

“The administration has taken hyperbole to a whole new level this time,” Tancredo said in a statement. “They are now trying to convince the public that without amnesty, the American people are going to starve?”

“The agriculture industry and the free market has managed to keep producing through floods, droughts, and $3.00 per gallon gas,” Tancredo added, “I doubt very seriously that a nominal increase in labor costs is going to be the end of lettuce as we know it.”

Tossed salad, anyone? (**Update–produce refused for “security reasons”, Ken Salazar and Tancredo argue over impact on agriculture)

And–the race card is played in Larry Manzanares’ suicide:

But, by far, the most reprehensible comments came from community “leaders” like Rosemary Rodriguez, former Denver City councilwoman and a friend of Manzanares’.

“It’s a bad time to be a Hispanic in trouble in this city,” she explained.

Rodriguez’s insinuation, in case you missed it, is that there is systemic abuse of Latinos in Denver. She was not the only one to infer that such a devious conspiracy was afoot.
. . .
There will always be those who peddle the ugly currency of victimhood to hold political power. Sometimes the currency is used to save political allies from trouble. Other times it’s simple pandering.

In this case, it seems that we have a hat trick.

Should Manzanares’ alleged crimes not have been followed up because of his ethnicity? That would be old-fashioned racism–selective enforcement of the law based on one’s race/ethnicity. But for leftist moonbats who see everything through the prism of race/gender/oppression, this is just another example of the “white man” keeping the former judge, city attorney, and Harvard graduate down.

Dumb Political Reform Idea Of The Day–Eliminate Colorado’s Senate

“Good intentions” but really bad ideas as a way to increase third party efficacy and reduce partisan bickering:

DENVER (AP) — Hoping to take some of the sting out of politics, a legislative task force on Wednesday began studying potential changes to Colorado’s election process designed to ratchet down the rhetoric and give minor parties a bigger role.

Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, said recent campaigns have been so bitter they have driven voters away. He said voters often end up casting ballots for major-party candidates when they want to vote for unaffiliated or minor-party candidates.

“It seems like the playing field isn’t level,” Kefalas told the 11-member committee.

Recommendations on the table include instant runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting, where voters pick their first choice for a candidate but also list their second, third, fourth and fifth choices, depending on the number of candidates.
. . .
Another plan would retain the state House of Representatives, which currently has 65 members, but eliminate the 35-member state Senate, giving Colorado a unicameral or single-chamber Legislature.

Those 35 Senate seats would be reallocated to the House.
. . .
“We need to get away from the concept that we’re voting for the lesser of two evils,” she said.

PPH calls this a “step towards totalitarianism” and an abrogation of checks and balances.

As if a move to one legislative house would decrease instead of increasing partisan rancor–right!

Dumb Political Reform Idea Of The Day–Eliminate Colorado’s Senate

“Good intentions” but really bad ideas as a way to increase third party efficacy and reduce partisan bickering:

DENVER (AP) — Hoping to take some of the sting out of politics, a legislative task force on Wednesday began studying potential changes to Colorado’s election process designed to ratchet down the rhetoric and give minor parties a bigger role.

Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, said recent campaigns have been so bitter they have driven voters away. He said voters often end up casting ballots for major-party candidates when they want to vote for unaffiliated or minor-party candidates.

“It seems like the playing field isn’t level,” Kefalas told the 11-member committee.

Recommendations on the table include instant runoff voting, also known as ranked-choice voting, where voters pick their first choice for a candidate but also list their second, third, fourth and fifth choices, depending on the number of candidates.
. . .
Another plan would retain the state House of Representatives, which currently has 65 members, but eliminate the 35-member state Senate, giving Colorado a unicameral or single-chamber Legislature.

Those 35 Senate seats would be reallocated to the House.
. . .
“We need to get away from the concept that we’re voting for the lesser of two evils,” she said.

PPH calls this a “step towards totalitarianism” and an abrogation of checks and balances.

As if a move to one legislative house would decrease instead of increasing partisan rancor–right!

Blog Sweep 6-26-07

Ben DeGrow–GOP: Tempering Confidence with Patience in ‘08 and ‘10

The Drunkablog–Paul Campos considers blogging, trashes Ann Althouse

XDA–Drawing a Moral Line over Stem Cells

PPH–On Not Being GOP Cheerleaders–as we say here, “Supporting party above principle does a disservice to both”

Colorado Confidential–Journalists are mostly liberal[!], but the critics’ bias is worse, and besides, journalists are more informed (conservatives are stupid and uninformed) and simply moved by the stories they cover

And if you care, there will be an impeachment rally Wednesday in Denver