May 11, 2010

Republicans play politics with Show-me-your-papers law

You just knew some Republican locked in a primary battle was going to jump on the recently passed unconstitutional and racist show-me-your-papers law in Arizona, and the winner is carpetbagger Rep. Kim Meltzer, R-Clinton Twp?.

She is running for the Michigan Senate in the 11th Senate District currently held by term-limited Republican Alan Sanborn, the most conservative member in the Senate, and it is considered a safe Republican district. She is facing off with some well known, actually infamous, opponents in former state Representative Leon Drolet. He has led the “tea parties” and a crooked recall of Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, and it’s a miracle he’s not in jail. Also running is former extremist state Rep. Jack Brandenburg.

Meltzer plans to introduce a bill “that would give local law enforcement the ability to arrest people determined to be illegal immigrants.” Just the press release had it’s desired effect, and I saw her face on every single local news broadcast last night.

According to a story in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, the proposal will only “allow police to ask about immigration status in the normal course of "lawful contact" with a person, such as a traffic stop or if they have committed a crime.” Once sentence in the attempt to localized the AP report caught my eye: “Arizona's voter-approved immigration law requires police enforcing another law to question a person about his or her immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that the person is in the United States illegally.

The law was not “voter-approved.”

It’s obvious why Meltzer is introducing the bill, and one reason is because she has to play to the extremists that control the Republican Party to win the primary and the seat. However, what was confusing was the take and support of Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Brighton. This is a perfect example of what happens when a nice guy goes to Lansing.

Rogers said, “he'd like to see Michigan group with other states to create one comprehensive policy, rather than having states individually approving local immigration authority.”

I could not agree more. What a great idea, and I guess that’s why the Founding Fathers thought of it some 230 years ago and formed the United States of America and the present system of federal government.

The show-me-your-papers law is also about voter suppression of minority voters, and Meltzer has been the point person in the House fighting any attempt to increase voter turnout and make it easier to register and to vote.

15 comments:

Not Anonymous said...

Well, it's nice to see that you finally have realized that police can only check on citizenship when performing their duty, such as coming into contact with them for another matter pertaining to the law.

As for your comment that the law was not voter approved, I'm going to say the same thing you have said when it comes to how Obama is destroying this country. The law is voter approved because the legislature in Arizona was elected by the people to represent them.

Representative Rogers suggestion would be okay but for one little detail. There are already laws regarding illegal aliens. They are federal laws. Obama and his lackey's just refuse to enforce those laws.

The illegal alien laws won't suppress voters. It may suppress illegal aliens from voting, but who cares? If they are voting, they are voting illegallly anyway.

Maybe it would be a good idea to just have people show up at the polls in November with people dressed in blue windbreakers with ICE written in big gold letters on their backs. That could solve the illegal voters problem and the illegal aliens problem all at the same time.

I understand that you're interested in illegal aliens being given amnesty or allowed to stay and vote even though they aren't citizens. They are more likely to vote for the Socialist Democrats.

The fact is that the first act of an illegal alien is to break the law when he/she comes to this country by coming here illegally. Perhaps they should try to go through the door rather than through a locked window.

The one thing I can't understand is why don't you care about Robert Krentz and his family. Why isn't PETA out there trying to get rid of these illegals?

They dichotomy of being a Socialist Democrat.

Communications guru said...

The police cannot check on citizenship when performing their duty. Once a person is in custody it can be established. Once it is established, he is turned over to the feds, and they are responsible for paying for his incarceration.

First, President Obama is not destroying the country. Second, the facts are this: the law was not voter approved. What I was doping doing was pointing out something that was incorrect in the article. Are you disputing that?

Representative Rogers’s suggestion is already in place, and it has been for more than 230 years. President has no “lackey's,” and how is he any different than Bush to Regan?

The illegal alien law is desired to suppress voter turnout. The intent is to intimidate voters. Like I said before, what exactly are citizenship papers? This not about stopping illegal aliens from voting because that is not happening. It’s about depressing the voter turnout of legal minority voters.

Who said I was “interested in illegal aliens being given amnesty or allowed to stay and vote even though they aren't citizens? I don’t know if that’s the best approach. I know Ronald Reagan did it, but I’m not sure it’s the best approach. Second, non-citizens are not voting. Third, there is no such thing as a “Socialist Democrat” in this country, and that is just a fascist Republican talking point.

The fact is we don’t have an illegal alien problem; we have an illegal employer problem. An entire race of people did not kill Robert Krentz. In fact, it has not been proved an illegal alien killed him. What does PETA have to do with this?

Once again, anonymous, there is no such thing as a “Socialist Democrat” in this country, and that is just a tired, old and falsie fascist Republican talking point.

Not Anonymous said...

Yes, they can begin the process of establishing citizenship when they are performing their duty. They ask for their drivers license or some sort of identification. They can ask if they are citizens of the U.S.

You're using the "where are you papers" mantra that MSNBC is using. An alien in this country is required to carry their green card, or visa (not the credit card) with them at all times. If they are not citizens and they don't have the necessary documentation that they are in the country legally, they are assumed to be illegal. Ever been across the bridge or tunnel to Canada? Don't they ask you which country of which you're a citizen? Isn't that profiling?

I'm sure it escapes you that Arizona is a border state, like Michigan. They should be doing the same thing to anyone that is in this country that they might suspect of being a citizen of another country.

There are more than 460,000 illegal aliens in the state of Arizona alone. You don't consider that a problem?

Throwing Bush or Reagan at me won't work. I disagreed with Bush when he tried the amnesty route in 2006. The people rose up and shut that down, thank God. I also disagreed with Reagan giving amnesty to them in 1986. You just don't reward someone for breaking our laws.

I forgot that you are able to derive what peoples motives are without anyone saying so. It's too bad you're rarely right about that, but it's impossible to argue with someone that considers themselves always right despite evidence to the contrary.

It's already been proven that illegal aliens have been voting in our elections. If you don't want to believe it, the problems seems to be yours not the problem of the facts.

Why should PETA be interested? Do you know what happened to Robert Krentz? it also happened to his dog.

Communications guru said...

No, they cannot “begin the process of establishing citizenship when they are performing their duty” because it‘s not part of their duty. As a U.S. citizen, I don‘t believe I am required to carry something that says I’m a U.S. citizen, and I hope I never have to. I‘m also not required to present an ID unless there is a reasonable reason to do so. That‘s a right I enjoy as a U.S. citizen, and I‘m not going to give that up without a fight.

I don’t know about the "where are you papers" mantra that MSNBC is using, but whoever coined it, it’s 100 percent accurate. I have been across the border into Canada, and they never asked for my ID. Granted, that was before 9/11, but why would someone ask for my passport if I’m not crossing the border. I’ve been all over the world - from the Far East to the Mediterranean and South America - and no one has ever asked for my ID.

That is correct. We do not have an illegal alien problem; we have an illegal employer problem. If we’re going to prosecute the poor guy that just wants to feed his family, then we should prosecute the person getting rich paying him substandard wages that gives him a reason to cross the border. Hence, comprehensive immigration reform.

Of course “throwing Bush or Reagan at you won't work.” That’s because when Republicans do it, it’s OK. Of course I’m not always right, but the fact is you have never presented any evidence to prove I’m wrong or to even support your position.

“It’s already been proven that illegal aliens have been voting in our elections?” Wrong again, anonymous. It has not been proven because it’s not happening.

Yes, why should PETA be interested? Yes I know what happened to Robert Krentz. What does his dog have to do with anything?

Motor City Liberal Returns said...

Not shock the Michigan Repugs want to make sure less people vote here.

Not Anonymous said...

Citizens don't have to carry papers. Aliens have to carry their green card or visa at all times.

If you're pulled over for a traffic violation, you're asked for your license, registration and proof of insurance.

If you haven't been asked about your citizenship and why you're visiting Canada, then you were at the wrong border. Crossing into Ohio is not a different country.

Communications guru said...

“Citizens don't have to carry papers?” You’re kidding, right? Not in Michigan, but they will in Arizona. If you can’t prove you’re not a citizen, he will be detained

Like I said before, I’ve been all over the world - from the Far East to the Mediterranean and South America, including Canada - and no one has ever asked for my ID.

Not Anonymous said...

You really need to read the bill. Arizonans will not be required to carry papers. Only the legal immigrants will have to carry the proper identification. Turn off MSNBC and read the bill for a change. It's not 2400 pages long. It's really an easy read. Even you may be able to understand it.

If you've been "all over the world" and never been asked for ID you were either in the military or only traveling in your mind. I suspect you haven't traveled unless it was in the military. If you can't afford health insurance for your wife, you couldn't afford to travel "around the world". Or did Hugo Chavez pay your way?

Communications guru said...

Like I said before, when you’re pulled over for driving while brown, you will be detained if you do not have your papers. Ah, the personal attacks. I guess that means you again have no facts.

“Or did Hugo Chavez pay your way?” What the hell is that supposed to mean? Like it says in my profile “…a former print journalist, a retired military NCO and a progressive dedicated to bettering the country, the state and the community.”

Motor City Liberal Returns said...

Not anonymous funny giving out advice like "turn off MSNBC" when you depend on Fox News, right wing talk radio and shitty right wing blogs like "theblogprof or Republican Michigander" for your information.

I believe the Rethugs pushed this bill through because the Latinos population were trending more to the Democratic party and this law is a new grandfather clause.

VictorLove1 said...

First, Mr Conservative, I travel to and from Alaska regularly. I enter Canada north of Seattle and drive north to Whitehorse and enter Ak., I know the Questions asked by heart...

Papers? (that's a dr. lic.)
Where are you from? better not stutter! or you will be detained!

What is your purpose for Entering Canada, where are you going and how long are you staying? Again, don't stutter!


Do you have proof of Insurance?

How much money are you carrying?
($1800 min for me since I am traveling the full width of Canada and they don't want me to get stranded with insufficient funds to take care of any vehicle breakdowns, and have enough for food, shelter etc.)

Are you transporting any fruits,vegetables.?

Are you transporting any contraband
are you carrying any firearms?

Does your dog have health papers.?
(for my white German shepherd/Timberwolf mix named Buddy)

When I travel overseas and seek a hostel or hotel, I am relieved of my passport until I check out.

Are you traveling under a diplomatic passport? If not you will be producing papers whenever asked. FYI all the airports, hotels and car rentals and banks are linked to a realtime data base to ALL law enforcement agencies.

Not calling you a liar, i'm just saying!
I don't know of any country but ours that lets people enter willy-nilly, and then says , "well your here so I guess we'll give you citizenship".

Americans have become passive to politically correct, and that emotional Albatross hanging around their neck prevents them enforcing laws, ergo, a problem to big to solve!

Wall street, the housing bust, immigration, healthcare and border control wouldn't be an issue if our elected officials and the American public subscribed to the
notion, YOU CAN PAY ME NOW, OR REALLY HAVE TO PAY ME LATER!

As a country, in its entirety, we don't do jack until the proverbial shit hits the fan, and then it cost ten times more to fix it.
And just like BP we point fingers and blame it on the other guy, and just like illegals, we don't want to accept the responsibility for our actions or lack of actions.

I put ALL of the blame directly on the shoulders of the American people.! Why? Because they abdicated their duties as citizens to provide adequate oversight of their elected officials and simply became rats following their pied pipers, and when things are good they bury their heads in the sand!

Not Anonymous said...

Thank you Victor. You made my point even better than I did. Now watch out. Guru is about to tell you how wrong you are for daring to say you've been asked questions at the border and relieved of your passport (which he claims to not need) when staying overnight in a hotel.

Communications guru said...

I’m not sure if you are addressing me because I’m not a conservative; the media is what’s conservative. I also will not call you a liar, but I can only tell you of my experience. I traveled to many foreign countries, including Canada and Mexico, in South America, in Europe, in Africa and in the Far East, and I never showed any papers or had a passport. In fact, I was stationed in Sicily for almost two years and never showed any papers. Now, my wife and two preschool children had to have passports, but I didn’t. But again, all of my travel was done prior to 9/11 and as part of the Armed Forces.

Not calling you a liar, I’m just saying.

I’m sorry to see you’re so cynical. I believe in this country, its citizens and its leaders. I know this country is far from perfect, but it seems when I try to point out the faults so it can be better; I’m told I hate America. We have more freedom than any country, and many Americans have died to ensure that freedom. I’m not wiling to give up any of that freedom just because of illegal aliens or terrorists.

VictorLove1 said...

First, your sign that you hung on your front door says, Conservative Media, When I go into IBM I'm not looking to buy beer, nor am I looking to buy motherboards at the local Qwik Shop.

Second, If I am cynical, its about some other issue and not the real state of our nation, its peoples or their leaders. When I'm tracking grizz (actually brown bears and kodiaks) you'll only find them if you can read sign and understand their habits and habitat. And I am damn confident that the sign I read on the trail of our citizen, leaders and business leads me to the right conclusion.

third, You are absolutely right.
not once in Nam did I have to show papers, nor in Germany or Japan while in the employ of our country, And I certainly wasn't defending the right of Hispanics to enter this country illegally or to overstay their visa's either!

Do you support the HCR bill as it is written? Dems got up in front of this nation and said evey person with pre-existing injuries WILL be covered. The fine for not insuring us is $100 a day, plenty of incentive for insurers NOT to cover us!
And I won't even discuss what repubs would have done, but nothing pretty much covers it.
They claim that 47% of the population don't pay taxes, And I say that means 47% of businesses
don't pay a living wage!

Communications guru said...

Correct, the sign on my front door does say Conservative Media- “This is a platform to comment on local, state and national politics and political news. A special area of interest is the role of corporate media in politics as we move closer and closer to one huge corporation owning all of the media outlets in the country and stifling all independent and critical voices. It will also focus on the absurd 30-plus year Nixonesque political strategy of the “liberal media” lie. The media is as liberal as the corporations that own them.”

Yes, I support health insurance reform. It doesn’t go far enough, but it’s a start.