Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[iam416]

I wouldn't impeach him. I also wouldn't pass more laws he has zero interest in enforcing.

[Dr. Strangelove]

DC Circuit rules Trump is NOT immune from prosecution. Whatever immunity protected him while President is gone today. Unanimous decision.

Judgment also indicates that if he wants the District case to continue to be stayed he has to appeal to the Supreme Court by Monday. Asking for an en banc review won't halt the lower court case until the review is possibly granted (though more likely to be denied IMO -- he's got to take this upwards instead).

fwiw I was wrong, Asking for an en banc hearing gains him nothing. The order effectively forces him to skip that level if he wants the trial to remain on hold. Has to take it to the SC and by Monday.

[Da Geezer]

The very-Republican WSJ editorial board says pass the bill

https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-...sylum-bc2f9543

The WSJ Editorial Board has been in favor of open borders throughout this debate. They represent big business interests, and big business wants the US to increase its population. Their underlying thesis is that low birth rates are catching up with most advanced economies, causing global slowdowns now and in the future. Of particular concern is China which faces a "population cliff".

[Da Geezer]

This isn't true. Most of and nearly all of Trump's executive orders regarding the border got overturned in court. As Lankford has pointed out, there were thousands crossing daily into the US illegally in 2019, despite historical revisionism claiming Trump fully secured the border through executive fiat. Trump was constantly trying to cut a deal with Dems on immigration because they all knew he couldn't reform the entire system under his own authority. He had a deal, then broke his own word because rightwing trash media scared him off.

You even draw attention to the House GOP's competing bill, HR-2. Why would they even need to pass that if Biden can fix everything himself?

They need HR-2 to fix the things that cannot be done by executive fiat, and also because all executive orders are voidable when another President takes office. That is how Biden created this mess in the first place. Plus, Biden has refused to enforce existing laws that are already on the books. What is the guarantee he would enforce the Senate Bill even if it passes?

What the Senate bill does is legalize the status quo or something akin to it. One thing that even the far left has not as yet claimed is that illegal immigrants are, in fact, legal. With the Senate bill, that which is illegal today becomes legal.

The summary of HR2 is as follows:

H.R. 2 would limit the ability of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide parole to aliens (non-U.S. nationals), which allows them to temporarily enter the United States, in part by defining the reasons for which that parole may be granted. The bill also would change how DHS treats aliens applying for asylum and unaccompanied alien children crossing the border. The bill also would change the department’s procedures for interacting with aliens seeking to enter the United States without authorization. H.R. 2 would require the Department of State to negotiate with countries in the Western Hemisphere, particularly El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, concerning agreements related to claims for asylum.

H.R. 2 would require all employers to use E-Verify, a federal web-based system that allows public- and private-sector employers to confirm that employees are eligible to work in the United States. H.R. 2 would phase in the requirement over several years, with deadlines depending on the size of an employer’s workforce. In addition, the bill would modify existing civil and criminal penalties for hiring people without work authorization.

H.R. 2 would require DHS to resume activities related to building a wall along the southwestern border of the United States, as planned or under construction before January 20, 2021 (the date on which that project was paused), and would require DHS to construct at least 900 miles of wall and physical barriers along that border. The bill also would direct Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to hire enough border patrol agents to maintain staffing at 22,000.

In addition, the bill would require CBP to hire new polygraph examiners to test candidate agents, increase annual flight hours for manned surveillance operations, and operate unmanned aircraft systems around the clock along the southern U.S. border. The bill also would authorize appropriations for various programs within DHS, including Operation Stonegarden (a grant program), eradicating invasive vegetation along the Rio Grande, and upgrading technology at ports of entry.

Why do Democrats oppose these common-sense changes? Any fair-minded person can see what the Dem plan is, and that is to give citizenship to all the illegals and use them to create a one-party state. That is all this has ever been about.

[Jeff Buchanan]

The WSJ Editorial Board has been in favor of open borders throughout this debate. They represent big business interests, and big business wants the US to increase its population. Their underlying thesis is that low birth rates are catching up with most advanced economies, causing global slowdowns now and in the future. Of particular concern is China which faces a "population cliff".

Actually, this is a very good point. I'd call it big picture sort of thinking. TBH, I think Biden, as others have noted here, has really hurt immigration reform - something that is clearly needed - with his failure to guide policy improvements. The US can benefit from properly controlled immigration and that's not open boarders and sanctuary cities. Clearly he needs Congress' help but he cold easily take the lead in shutting down the boarder, until the extremists on both sides of isle get their shit together and adopt incremental improvements not related to attempts to give the other side a political advantage. A sort of arm-twisting.

Whatever. I'm not confident there's the leadership in Washington to deal with what a mounts to an immigration crisis.

[Dr. Strangelove]

We oppose changes because your party refuses to give us changes to the LEGAL immigration system. In fact, your party has been taken over by race-baiting shitheads who think we need to cut way down on LEGAL immigrants too.

You get everything you want and we get nothing. And you're disgusted and baffled we won't agree to that.

5 years ago we had a deal in place that would give something to everybody and your side's media screamed and howled that DREAMers must not be allowed to become citizens. So Trump tucked his little cowardly tail between his legs and reneged on his deal with Pelosi/Schumer.

[Dr. Strangelove]

[Dr. Strangelove]

House will vote on a standalone Israel aid bill tonight. It's being voted on under suspension of the rules so it needs 2/3 to pass, not simple majority.

It will likely fail not just because a lot of Dems won't vote for a standalone bill, but also because a chunk of the Freedom Caucus is angry it's not offset by cuts elsewhere in the budget.

[Tom W]

It's the absolute dumbest debate in the history of debates. We've added a migrant population equal to Chicago and Los Angeles (proper) combined since Biden has been in office. There is no way to spin that as a positive for the United States. Period. We don't need more legislation either just DO YOUR DAMN JOB.

And those are just estimates. Nobody knows for sure how many "phantom" immigrants are out there. They just can't be tracked, so they can be cheap disposable labor for just about anything, legal, or otherwise, that you want to get away with. That's probably why nobody is really doing anything to stop it. And ROTFLMFAO at those who think that this is all about "human compassion".

[Dr. Strangelove]

One note from earlier. House REPUBLICANS were the first demand a border bill before any more aid to Ukraine. Not Biden.

[Mike]

Who gives a shit!? The Ds want an open border and have proceeded accordingly. One of the parties wants an open border and the other doesn't. All this posturing is 100% bullshit to distract from that fact. I'm much more interested in the arguments from Ds and progressives as to why adding 8 million or so migrants in 3 years is a good thing. That is what they set out to do and they succeeded. Convince me that is in the best interest of the United States.

[Mike]

In other news Jennifer Crumbly, mother of the Oxford (MI) school shooter, was found guilty of all four counts of involuntary manslaughter this afternoon. Her husband is being tried separately so his prospects don't look too good right now. Especially since he was the one who bought the gun.

[crashcourse]

toby keith died--as american as it gets

VIDEO: Taylor Swift starstruck by Toby Keith in 2005 after signing with his record label (msn.com)

[Dr. Strangelove]

Who gives a shit!? The Ds want an open border and have proceeded accordingly. One of the parties wants an open border and the other doesn't. All this posturing is 100% bullshit to distract from that fact. I'm much more interested in the arguments from Ds and progressives as to why adding 8 million or so migrants in 3 years is a good thing. That is what they set out to do and they succeeded. Convince me that is in the best interest of the United States.

Why should Dems trust R's at this point? How many immigration deals do you get to last-minute back out of and still consider yourselves the more trustworthy and honorable party? The Gang of 8 2013 Bill (passed 68-32 in the Senate) was left to die in the House after rightwing media got to work. You backed out of the 2019 deal last minute again because Trump chickened out. And now you're last-minute backing out of this one, that's endorsed by the MAGA-supporting Border Patrol. All three times because the deal wasn't "perfect".

Now you want Biden to reenact the Trump executive orders, which will only make the problem more manageable, not solve it. And you make those demands with no promises that you'll even consider any other immigration reforms in the future.

Look, Biden's made the problem significantly worse. I will not deny that. But I also will not let go unchallenged about how the Republican Party & Trump bear no blame for how fucked up the system has gotten. Your party routinely breaks its promises with us then runs to friendly press and casts us as satanic villains.

[Dr. Strangelove]

toby keith died--as american as it gets

VIDEO: Taylor Swift starstruck by Toby Keith in 2005 after signing with his record label (msn.com)

Kris Kristofferson thought a bit differently.