Becoming Illegal (From a Maryland resident to his senator)
Dear Senator Sarbanes,
As a native Marylander and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue
Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the
Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process
for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.
My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to
illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the
Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's
provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the Unit ed
States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a
$2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years.
I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the
process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay
taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two
years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way
that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an
excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes
in 2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local
emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have
stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant
figures I could save almost $10,000 a year. Another benefit in
gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive
preferential treatment relative to her law school applications,
as well as "in-state" tuition rates for many colleges throughout
the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the
burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome
car insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I
still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become
illegal (retroactively I f possible) and copies of the necessary forms,
I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistanc e.
Your Loyal Constituent,
Pete McGlaughlin
Get your Forms (NOW)!! Call your Internal Revenue
Service 1-800-289-1040. Please pass this onto your friends so they
can save on this great offer!!!!
Explain it to me once more: WHY do I have to "Press 1 for English"?
0
Becoming Illegal (From a Maryland resident to his senator)
Dear Senator Sarbanes,
As a native Marylander and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue
Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the
Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process
for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.
My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to
illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the
Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's
provisions is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the Unit ed
States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a
$2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years.
I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the
process started before everyone figures it out.
Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay
taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two
years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way
that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an
excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes
in 2004 and 2005.
Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local
emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have
stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant
figures I could save almost $10,000 a year. Another benefit in
gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive
preferential treatment relative to her law school applications,
as well as "in-state" tuition rates for many colleges throughout
the United States for my son.
Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the
burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome
car insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I
still have college age children driving my car.
If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become
illegal (retroactively I f possible) and copies of the necessary forms,
I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistanc e.
Your Loyal Constituent,
Pete McGlaughlin
Get your Forms (NOW)!! Call your Internal Revenue
Service 1-800-289-1040. Please pass this onto your friends so they
can save on this great offer!!!!
Explain it to me once more: WHY do I have to "Press 1 for English"?
Subject: Fw: George Carlin's Solution to Saving Gasoline and Illegal
Immigrants ...
> Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas we use. The best way to stop using
> so much gas is to deport 30 million illegal immigrants! That would be 30
> million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down.
>
> Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an
> illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some
> ammo and ship him to Iraq. Tell him if he wants to come to America then he
> must serve a tour in the military. Give him a soldier's pay whil e he's
> there and tax him on it. After his tour, he will be allowed to become a
> citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be
> taxed and be a legal patriot.
>
> This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution
> for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for
> themselves. If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the
> canteen, rifle or ammo. Problem solved. If you think this is a good
> solution to both the problems, forward it to your friends.
> Viva la Red, White & Blue!
0
Subject: Fw: George Carlin's Solution to Saving Gasoline and Illegal
Immigrants ...
> Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas we use. The best way to stop using
> so much gas is to deport 30 million illegal immigrants! That would be 30
> million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down.
>
> Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an
> illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some
> ammo and ship him to Iraq. Tell him if he wants to come to America then he
> must serve a tour in the military. Give him a soldier's pay whil e he's
> there and tax him on it. After his tour, he will be allowed to become a
> citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be
> taxed and be a legal patriot.
>
> This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution
> for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for
> themselves. If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the
> canteen, rifle or ammo. Problem solved. If you think this is a good
> solution to both the problems, forward it to your friends.
> Viva la Red, White & Blue!
Note: https://usatoday.com you can post your comments under the storys..There is also some more info there that you can pick up.. My handle there is Jim8
0
Note: https://usatoday.com you can post your comments under the storys..There is also some more info there that you can pick up.. My handle there is Jim8
||an_brick.gif' border=0> Guess this is the wall going up at the Mexican border and hey look here comes an illegal from Canada||moose.gif' border=0>||an_roll_laugh.gif' border=0>
0
||an_brick.gif' border=0> Guess this is the wall going up at the Mexican border and hey look here comes an illegal from Canada||moose.gif' border=0>||an_roll_laugh.gif' border=0>
Date: Mon.18, Jun 2007
Just a note to tell you that my mailbox is being flooded with mail
concerning gas prices and illegal immigrants. To boycott oil Companies
or
not; to provide amnesty to illegal immigrants or not, etc. Since I have
become jaded to the various solutions proposed by the Republicans,
Democrats, Sierra Club, ACLU, etc., I have elected to solve the
problems
as they affect me. My response solves both my gas and illegal
immigrant
problems.... I have hired illegal immigrants to push my car. They're
plentiful and cheaper than buying gas. Then I pay them in Pesos so
they
have to go home to spend it.
Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
0
Date: Mon.18, Jun 2007
Just a note to tell you that my mailbox is being flooded with mail
concerning gas prices and illegal immigrants. To boycott oil Companies
or
not; to provide amnesty to illegal immigrants or not, etc. Since I have
become jaded to the various solutions proposed by the Republicans,
Democrats, Sierra Club, ACLU, etc., I have elected to solve the
problems
as they affect me. My response solves both my gas and illegal
immigrant
problems.... I have hired illegal immigrants to push my car. They're
plentiful and cheaper than buying gas. Then I pay them in Pesos so
they
have to go home to spend it.
Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
This is very interesting..................
Here is a REAL INTERVIEW with an illegal Mexican at a protest march in
>Texas.
>
> Trying to reason with an Illegal Mexican
>
> This is good! Below is a good example of a discussion with a master of
>circular logic. Don't be logical, don't respect the truth or your
>adversary, just say what you think makes a new case when the previous case
>gets too difficult to defend. On the streets of downtown Houston, May 1,
>2006. Jim Moore reporting for a Houston TV station:
>
> Jim: Juan, I see that you and thousands of other protesters are
>marching in the streets to demonstrate for your cause. Exactly what is your
>cause and what do you expect to accomplis h by this protest?
>
> Juan: We want our rights. We will show you how powerful we are. We will
> bring Houston to its knees!
>
> Jim: What rights?
>
> Juan: Our right to live here...legally. Our right to get all the
>benefits you get.
>
> Jim: When did you come to the United States?
>
> Juan: Six years ago. I crossed over the border at night with seven
>other friends.
>
> Jim: Why did you come?
>
> Juan: For work. I can earn as much in a month as I could in a year in
>Mexico. Besides, I get free health care, our Mexican children can go to
>school free, if I lose my job I will get Welfare, and someday I will have
>the Social Security. Nothing like that in Mexico!
>
> Jim: Did you feel badly about breaking our immigration laws when you
>came?
>
> Juan: No! Why should I feel bad? I have a right to be here. I have a
>right to amnesty. I paid lots of money for my Social Security and Green
>Cards.
>
> Jim: How did you acquire those documents?
>
> Juan: From a guy in Dallas. He charged me a lot of money too.
>
> Jim: Did you know that those documents were forged?
>
> Juan: It is of no matter. I have a right to be here and work.
>
> Jim: What is the "right" you speak of?
>
> Juan: The right of all Aliens. It is found in your Constitution. Read
>it!
>
> Jim: I have read it, but I do not remember it sa ying anything about
>rights for Aliens.
>
> Juan: It is in that part where it says that all men have Alien rights,
>like the right to pursue happiness. I wasn't happy in Mexico, so I came
>here.
>
> Jim: I think you are referring to the declaration of Independence and
>that document speaks to unalienable rights . Not Alien rights.
>
> Juan: Whatever.
>
> Jim: Since you are demanding to become an American citizen, why then
>are you carrying a Mexican Flag?
>
> Juan: Because I a m Mexican.
>
> Jim: But you said you want to be given amnesty . to become a US citizen
>
> Juan: No. This is not what we want. This is our country, a part of
>Mexico that you Gringos stole from us. We want it returned to its
>rightful owner.
>
> Jim: Juan, you are standing in Texas. After wining the war with Mexico,
>Texas became a Republic, and later Texans voted to join the USA. It was not
>stolen from Mexico.
>
> Juan: That is a Gringo lie. Texas was stolen. So was California, New
>Mexico and Arizona. It is just like all the other stuf f you Gringos
>steal, like oil and babies. You are a country of thieves.
>
> Jim: Babies? You think we steal babies?
>
> Juan: Sure. Like from Korea and Vietnam and China. I see them all over
>the place. You let all these foreigners in, but try to keep us Mexicans
>out. How is this fair?
>
> Jim: So, you really don't want to become an American citizen then.
>
> Juan: I just want my rights! Everyone has a right to live, work, and
>speak their native language wherever and whenever they please. That's
>another thing we demand. All signs and official documents should be in
>Spanish. Teachers must teach in Spanish. Soon, more people here in Houston
>will speak Spanish than English. It is our right!
>
> Jim: If I were to cross over the border into Mexico without proper
>documentation, what rights would I have there?
>
> Juan: None. You would probably go to jail, but that's different.
>
> Jim: How is it different? You said everyone has the right to live
>wherever they please.
>
> Juan: You Gringos are a bunch of land grabbing thieves. Now you want
>Mexico too? Mexico has its rights. You Gringos have no rights in Mexico.
>Why would y ou want to go there anyway? There is no free medical service,
>schools, or welfare there for foreigners such as you. You cannot even own
>land in my country. Stay in the country of your birth.
>
> Jim: I can see that there is no way that we can agree on this issue.
>Thank you for your comments.
>
> Juan: Viva Mexico!
>
> You will not see this heart-stopping photo on the front page of the NY
>Times or on the lead story of the major news networks. The protestors put
>up the Mexican flag over the American flag flying upside down at
>Montebello High School in California.
>
> I predic t this stunt will be the nail in the coffin of any
>guest-worker/amnesty plan on the table in Washington. The image of the
>American flag subsumed to another and turned upside down on American soil
>is already spreading on Internet forums and via e-mail.
>
> Pass this along to every American citizen in your address books and to
>every representative in the state and federal government. If you choose to
>remain uninvolved, do not be amazed when you no longer have a nation to
>call your own nor anything you have worked for left since it will be
>"redistributed" to the activists while you are so peacefully staying out of
>the "fray". Check history, it is full of nations/empires that disappeared
>when its citizens no longer held their core beliefs and values. One person
>CAN make a difference. One plus one plus one plus one plus one plus
>one........
>
> The battle for our secure borders and immigration laws that actually
>mean
>something, however, hasn't even begun.
>
> If this ticks YOU off...PASS IT ON!
>
>
>
>
>Be careful who you vote for...
0
This is very interesting..................
Here is a REAL INTERVIEW with an illegal Mexican at a protest march in
>Texas.
>
> Trying to reason with an Illegal Mexican
>
> This is good! Below is a good example of a discussion with a master of
>circular logic. Don't be logical, don't respect the truth or your
>adversary, just say what you think makes a new case when the previous case
>gets too difficult to defend. On the streets of downtown Houston, May 1,
>2006. Jim Moore reporting for a Houston TV station:
>
> Jim: Juan, I see that you and thousands of other protesters are
>marching in the streets to demonstrate for your cause. Exactly what is your
>cause and what do you expect to accomplis h by this protest?
>
> Juan: We want our rights. We will show you how powerful we are. We will
> bring Houston to its knees!
>
> Jim: What rights?
>
> Juan: Our right to live here...legally. Our right to get all the
>benefits you get.
>
> Jim: When did you come to the United States?
>
> Juan: Six years ago. I crossed over the border at night with seven
>other friends.
>
> Jim: Why did you come?
>
> Juan: For work. I can earn as much in a month as I could in a year in
>Mexico. Besides, I get free health care, our Mexican children can go to
>school free, if I lose my job I will get Welfare, and someday I will have
>the Social Security. Nothing like that in Mexico!
>
> Jim: Did you feel badly about breaking our immigration laws when you
>came?
>
> Juan: No! Why should I feel bad? I have a right to be here. I have a
>right to amnesty. I paid lots of money for my Social Security and Green
>Cards.
>
> Jim: How did you acquire those documents?
>
> Juan: From a guy in Dallas. He charged me a lot of money too.
>
> Jim: Did you know that those documents were forged?
>
> Juan: It is of no matter. I have a right to be here and work.
>
> Jim: What is the "right" you speak of?
>
> Juan: The right of all Aliens. It is found in your Constitution. Read
>it!
>
> Jim: I have read it, but I do not remember it sa ying anything about
>rights for Aliens.
>
> Juan: It is in that part where it says that all men have Alien rights,
>like the right to pursue happiness. I wasn't happy in Mexico, so I came
>here.
>
> Jim: I think you are referring to the declaration of Independence and
>that document speaks to unalienable rights . Not Alien rights.
>
> Juan: Whatever.
>
> Jim: Since you are demanding to become an American citizen, why then
>are you carrying a Mexican Flag?
>
> Juan: Because I a m Mexican.
>
> Jim: But you said you want to be given amnesty . to become a US citizen
>
> Juan: No. This is not what we want. This is our country, a part of
>Mexico that you Gringos stole from us. We want it returned to its
>rightful owner.
>
> Jim: Juan, you are standing in Texas. After wining the war with Mexico,
>Texas became a Republic, and later Texans voted to join the USA. It was not
>stolen from Mexico.
>
> Juan: That is a Gringo lie. Texas was stolen. So was California, New
>Mexico and Arizona. It is just like all the other stuf f you Gringos
>steal, like oil and babies. You are a country of thieves.
>
> Jim: Babies? You think we steal babies?
>
> Juan: Sure. Like from Korea and Vietnam and China. I see them all over
>the place. You let all these foreigners in, but try to keep us Mexicans
>out. How is this fair?
>
> Jim: So, you really don't want to become an American citizen then.
>
> Juan: I just want my rights! Everyone has a right to live, work, and
>speak their native language wherever and whenever they please. That's
>another thing we demand. All signs and official documents should be in
>Spanish. Teachers must teach in Spanish. Soon, more people here in Houston
>will speak Spanish than English. It is our right!
>
> Jim: If I were to cross over the border into Mexico without proper
>documentation, what rights would I have there?
>
> Juan: None. You would probably go to jail, but that's different.
>
> Jim: How is it different? You said everyone has the right to live
>wherever they please.
>
> Juan: You Gringos are a bunch of land grabbing thieves. Now you want
>Mexico too? Mexico has its rights. You Gringos have no rights in Mexico.
>Why would y ou want to go there anyway? There is no free medical service,
>schools, or welfare there for foreigners such as you. You cannot even own
>land in my country. Stay in the country of your birth.
>
> Jim: I can see that there is no way that we can agree on this issue.
>Thank you for your comments.
>
> Juan: Viva Mexico!
>
> You will not see this heart-stopping photo on the front page of the NY
>Times or on the lead story of the major news networks. The protestors put
>up the Mexican flag over the American flag flying upside down at
>Montebello High School in California.
>
> I predic t this stunt will be the nail in the coffin of any
>guest-worker/amnesty plan on the table in Washington. The image of the
>American flag subsumed to another and turned upside down on American soil
>is already spreading on Internet forums and via e-mail.
>
> Pass this along to every American citizen in your address books and to
>every representative in the state and federal government. If you choose to
>remain uninvolved, do not be amazed when you no longer have a nation to
>call your own nor anything you have worked for left since it will be
>"redistributed" to the activists while you are so peacefully staying out of
>the "fray". Check history, it is full of nations/empires that disappeared
>when its citizens no longer held their core beliefs and values. One person
>CAN make a difference. One plus one plus one plus one plus one plus
>one........
>
> The battle for our secure borders and immigration laws that actually
>mean
>something, however, hasn't even begun.
>
> If this ticks YOU off...PASS IT ON!
>
>
>
>
>Be careful who you vote for...
From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Monday 25JUN07 3 p.m. EDT
Great job today -- Pour it on rest of aft and Tuesday morning
DEAR FRIENDS,
If you haven't tried to place a call to your Senators today (or haven't been able to get through), please do so right now. (See lists below for where we see your Senators leaning right now.)
Rosemary Jenks (our NumbersUSA director of government relations) just called me and said her team of lobbyists is reporting that the White House has dispatched officials at the highest level to "buy" votes.
She said Senate staffers are confirming that the Administration is offering various favors of all kinds to Senators who have publicly committed themselves to a NO on cloture but who might be willing to switch votes and to Senators who haven't declared themselves yet.
"We'll have a pretty good idea after the vote tomorrow which Senators sold," Rosemary said.
Senate offices should have no question where their constituents stand -- and that is the opposite of what the White House is buying.
You have already sent more than 50,000 faxes to your Senators today.
(That was after sending 35,491 faxes on Sunday, 34,755 faxes on Saturday and an incredible 109,823 faxes last Friday.)
Your NumbersUSA TV and newspaper on-line ads continue to target Senators in more than a dozen states. Click here to view many of them.
Our date with destiny is Tuesday morning (tomorrow) at 11:30.
That is the schedule for dealing with two unrelated bills, including the cloture vote to allow the S. 1639 Kennedy/Bush Comprehensive Amnesty Bill back on the Senate floor.
Your NumbersUSA team of lobbyists -- and our allied organizations and Senate staffers -- feel that at this time we are 5 votes short of killing this monstrosity of a bill in the first round.
But those last five are proving to be extremely difficult votes to get. Constituency pressure is proving to be about the only thing that works -- and it has worked remarkably well in places like Georgia, Texas and even beginning to work in Michigan.
The good news is that the No. 2 Democratic leader, Sen. Durbin (D-Ill.), has said he doesn't believe he can get more than 37 of the majority party to vote for the amnesty. That means the Republican leader, Sen. McConnell (R-Ky.), must persuade 23 of the 49 Republicans to go against their base and support the amnesty. And McConnell himself still isn't committing to a YES for the amnesty.
The pro-amnesty forces must get 60 Senators to vote YES tomorrow to keep the bill alive. The grassroots citizen army of people like you is the only thing that has gotten us this close to stopping the Kennedy/Bush plan.
TAKE YOUR ACTIONS
ACTION 1: Phone Your Senators
Senate Switchboard: 202-224-3121
All DC and local phone numbers for all Senators:
https://www.numbersusa.com/congressinfo/
2. ACTION 2: Fax Your Senators
www.NumbersUSA.com/actionbuffet
PEEL OFF MORE DEMOCRATS
I am so proud of all of you Democratic members of NumbersUSA who report heavy phoning of the Democratic National Committee, warning it of the political dangers of allowing the party to be solidified in the public mind as the party of amnesty.
And most of you are pledging to withhold any more donations to your Party if it continues to make amnesty a Democratic Mandate. (Thanks to all of you Republicans who are making the same pledge to the RNC.)
We think the message is starting to get through in many Democratic offices. The authoritative Roll Call newspaper reported today that the No. 2 Senate Democratic leader "Durbin has warned Republicans repeatedly that Democrats will be able to muster no more than 37 votes of the 60 needed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill."
Durbin said: “Thirty-seven votes is our high-water mark. We may not be able to get that again.”
I believe you can whittle that number down before tomorrow.
DNC: 202-863-8000
We can win this fight if you can persuade NO on cloture vote out of the majority of these six Democratic Senators who are leaning against S. 1639, but who won't commit to a NO on cloture:
Bingaman (D-N.M.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago
Boxer (D-Calif.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago
0
From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Monday 25JUN07 3 p.m. EDT
Great job today -- Pour it on rest of aft and Tuesday morning
DEAR FRIENDS,
If you haven't tried to place a call to your Senators today (or haven't been able to get through), please do so right now. (See lists below for where we see your Senators leaning right now.)
Rosemary Jenks (our NumbersUSA director of government relations) just called me and said her team of lobbyists is reporting that the White House has dispatched officials at the highest level to "buy" votes.
She said Senate staffers are confirming that the Administration is offering various favors of all kinds to Senators who have publicly committed themselves to a NO on cloture but who might be willing to switch votes and to Senators who haven't declared themselves yet.
"We'll have a pretty good idea after the vote tomorrow which Senators sold," Rosemary said.
Senate offices should have no question where their constituents stand -- and that is the opposite of what the White House is buying.
You have already sent more than 50,000 faxes to your Senators today.
(That was after sending 35,491 faxes on Sunday, 34,755 faxes on Saturday and an incredible 109,823 faxes last Friday.)
Your NumbersUSA TV and newspaper on-line ads continue to target Senators in more than a dozen states. Click here to view many of them.
Our date with destiny is Tuesday morning (tomorrow) at 11:30.
That is the schedule for dealing with two unrelated bills, including the cloture vote to allow the S. 1639 Kennedy/Bush Comprehensive Amnesty Bill back on the Senate floor.
Your NumbersUSA team of lobbyists -- and our allied organizations and Senate staffers -- feel that at this time we are 5 votes short of killing this monstrosity of a bill in the first round.
But those last five are proving to be extremely difficult votes to get. Constituency pressure is proving to be about the only thing that works -- and it has worked remarkably well in places like Georgia, Texas and even beginning to work in Michigan.
The good news is that the No. 2 Democratic leader, Sen. Durbin (D-Ill.), has said he doesn't believe he can get more than 37 of the majority party to vote for the amnesty. That means the Republican leader, Sen. McConnell (R-Ky.), must persuade 23 of the 49 Republicans to go against their base and support the amnesty. And McConnell himself still isn't committing to a YES for the amnesty.
The pro-amnesty forces must get 60 Senators to vote YES tomorrow to keep the bill alive. The grassroots citizen army of people like you is the only thing that has gotten us this close to stopping the Kennedy/Bush plan.
TAKE YOUR ACTIONS
ACTION 1: Phone Your Senators
Senate Switchboard: 202-224-3121
All DC and local phone numbers for all Senators:
https://www.numbersusa.com/congressinfo/
2. ACTION 2: Fax Your Senators
www.NumbersUSA.com/actionbuffet
PEEL OFF MORE DEMOCRATS
I am so proud of all of you Democratic members of NumbersUSA who report heavy phoning of the Democratic National Committee, warning it of the political dangers of allowing the party to be solidified in the public mind as the party of amnesty.
And most of you are pledging to withhold any more donations to your Party if it continues to make amnesty a Democratic Mandate. (Thanks to all of you Republicans who are making the same pledge to the RNC.)
We think the message is starting to get through in many Democratic offices. The authoritative Roll Call newspaper reported today that the No. 2 Senate Democratic leader "Durbin has warned Republicans repeatedly that Democrats will be able to muster no more than 37 votes of the 60 needed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill."
Durbin said: “Thirty-seven votes is our high-water mark. We may not be able to get that again.”
I believe you can whittle that number down before tomorrow.
DNC: 202-863-8000
We can win this fight if you can persuade NO on cloture vote out of the majority of these six Democratic Senators who are leaning against S. 1639, but who won't commit to a NO on cloture:
Bingaman (D-N.M.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago
Boxer (D-Calif.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago
Conrad (D-N.M.) -- voted YES on cloture but concerned about violations of the Senate budget process
Levin (D-Mich.) -- voted YES on cloture two weeks ago, but up for re-election next year and perhaps influenced by the state's junior Sen. Stabenow who has pledged a NO on cloture.
Nelson (D-Neb.) -- voted YES on cloture two weeks ago but NO on the amnesty last year. He campaigned for re-election last year as an anti-amnesty candidate. Problem is that he generally votes for cloture as a matter of principle to allow issues and candidates to get their debate. He needs to be helped to feel secure in a NO vote because the way S. 1639 is being brought up violates normal procedure and that the debate already occurred in May.
Webb (D-Va.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago -- says he will likely vote NO on final bill but may vote YES on cloture to see if his amendment passes -- his amendment would reduce the number of illegal aliens getting amnesty by perhaps a third -- most people who know him well feel he has a great distaste for this whole matter of rewarding illegal behavior, as do most Virginians.
THESE DEMOCRATS HAVE PROMISED A 'NO' ON CLOTURE
Baucus (D-Mont.)
Byrd (D-W.Va.)
Dorgan (D-N.D.)
Landrieu (D-La.)
McCaskill (D-Mo.)
Pryor (D-Ark.)
Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)
Sanders (I-Vt.)
Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Tester (D-Mont.)
If any of those are your Senators, please keep calling and ask them not to accept any favors from the White House.
And please keep the pressure on all other Democrats to listen to the AFL-CIO's opposition to this bill and vote NO. I know that we have already provided you with the text of the letter of Samuel Gompers, the founder of the AFL, when he made the case for protecting American workers and unions from massive flows of foreign labor.
PERSUADE A FEW MORE REPUBLICANS?
The following list contains the Republicans most favorable toward voting NO but also who may be most susceptible to the favors the White House is selling this afternoon.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS LEANING NO ON FINAL PASSAGE BUT PROBABLY LEANING YES ON CLOTURE (when it counts)
Please do everything you can to get to these Senators and help them understand what is at stake and where the citizens of your state stand.
Bond (R-Mo.)
Burr (R-N.C.)
Cochran (R-Miss.)
Ensign (R-Nev.)
Gregg (R-N.H.)
Hatch (R-Utah)
In addition, there still is a remote chance you can persuade:
Bennett (R-Utah)
Coleman (R-Minn.)
32 DEFINITE REPUBLICAN 'NO' ON AMNESTY CLOTURE
Many of you will find ways to express tremendous appreciation and to help solidify them so that no offer from the White House or party leadership can turn them at the last moment. We know that White House and other Administration officials are meeting this afternoon and evening with some of these to change their vote.
Alexander (R-Tenn.)
Allard (R-Colo.)
Bunning (R-Ky.)
Chambliss (R-Ga.)
Coburn (R-Okla.)
Corker (R-Tenn.)
Cornyn (R-Texas)
Crapo (R-Idaho)
DeMint (R-S.C.)
Dole (R-N.C.)
Enzi (R-Wyo.)
Grassley (R-Iowa)
Hutchison (R-Texas)
Inhofe (R-Okla.)
Isakson (R-Ga.)
Roberts (R-Kan.)
Sessions (R-Ala.)
Shelby (R-Ala.)
Smith (R-Ore.)
Sununu (R-N.H.)
Thune (R-S.D.)
Vitter (R-La.)
ALL OTHER SENATORS NOT LISTED ABOVE APPEAR TO BE PLANNING TO VOTE TO HELP PASS A BILL THAT WOULD BE:
largest amnesty for illegal aliens in history
largest increase in foreign labor in history
largest expansion of social welfare programs in history (to handle the 35-40 million -- mostly low-educated, low-skilled -- foreigners who would get Green Cards over the next 20 years alone
All those Senators need your constant phoning, as well. A few could still be brought to the side of American workers, students and communities and vote NO on the amnesty. And the rest need to be shown full wrath to help the others decide to stay on the side of the voters.
If you have any information that indicates otherwise, let us know by sending us a message from our Help Desk page.
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT
You have plenty of talking points on your Action Buffet corkboard and on your Vote Day page.
THANKS,
0
Conrad (D-N.M.) -- voted YES on cloture but concerned about violations of the Senate budget process
Levin (D-Mich.) -- voted YES on cloture two weeks ago, but up for re-election next year and perhaps influenced by the state's junior Sen. Stabenow who has pledged a NO on cloture.
Nelson (D-Neb.) -- voted YES on cloture two weeks ago but NO on the amnesty last year. He campaigned for re-election last year as an anti-amnesty candidate. Problem is that he generally votes for cloture as a matter of principle to allow issues and candidates to get their debate. He needs to be helped to feel secure in a NO vote because the way S. 1639 is being brought up violates normal procedure and that the debate already occurred in May.
Webb (D-Va.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago -- says he will likely vote NO on final bill but may vote YES on cloture to see if his amendment passes -- his amendment would reduce the number of illegal aliens getting amnesty by perhaps a third -- most people who know him well feel he has a great distaste for this whole matter of rewarding illegal behavior, as do most Virginians.
THESE DEMOCRATS HAVE PROMISED A 'NO' ON CLOTURE
Baucus (D-Mont.)
Byrd (D-W.Va.)
Dorgan (D-N.D.)
Landrieu (D-La.)
McCaskill (D-Mo.)
Pryor (D-Ark.)
Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)
Sanders (I-Vt.)
Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Tester (D-Mont.)
If any of those are your Senators, please keep calling and ask them not to accept any favors from the White House.
And please keep the pressure on all other Democrats to listen to the AFL-CIO's opposition to this bill and vote NO. I know that we have already provided you with the text of the letter of Samuel Gompers, the founder of the AFL, when he made the case for protecting American workers and unions from massive flows of foreign labor.
PERSUADE A FEW MORE REPUBLICANS?
The following list contains the Republicans most favorable toward voting NO but also who may be most susceptible to the favors the White House is selling this afternoon.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS LEANING NO ON FINAL PASSAGE BUT PROBABLY LEANING YES ON CLOTURE (when it counts)
Please do everything you can to get to these Senators and help them understand what is at stake and where the citizens of your state stand.
Bond (R-Mo.)
Burr (R-N.C.)
Cochran (R-Miss.)
Ensign (R-Nev.)
Gregg (R-N.H.)
Hatch (R-Utah)
In addition, there still is a remote chance you can persuade:
Bennett (R-Utah)
Coleman (R-Minn.)
32 DEFINITE REPUBLICAN 'NO' ON AMNESTY CLOTURE
Many of you will find ways to express tremendous appreciation and to help solidify them so that no offer from the White House or party leadership can turn them at the last moment. We know that White House and other Administration officials are meeting this afternoon and evening with some of these to change their vote.
Alexander (R-Tenn.)
Allard (R-Colo.)
Bunning (R-Ky.)
Chambliss (R-Ga.)
Coburn (R-Okla.)
Corker (R-Tenn.)
Cornyn (R-Texas)
Crapo (R-Idaho)
DeMint (R-S.C.)
Dole (R-N.C.)
Enzi (R-Wyo.)
Grassley (R-Iowa)
Hutchison (R-Texas)
Inhofe (R-Okla.)
Isakson (R-Ga.)
Roberts (R-Kan.)
Sessions (R-Ala.)
Shelby (R-Ala.)
Smith (R-Ore.)
Sununu (R-N.H.)
Thune (R-S.D.)
Vitter (R-La.)
ALL OTHER SENATORS NOT LISTED ABOVE APPEAR TO BE PLANNING TO VOTE TO HELP PASS A BILL THAT WOULD BE:
largest amnesty for illegal aliens in history
largest increase in foreign labor in history
largest expansion of social welfare programs in history (to handle the 35-40 million -- mostly low-educated, low-skilled -- foreigners who would get Green Cards over the next 20 years alone
All those Senators need your constant phoning, as well. A few could still be brought to the side of American workers, students and communities and vote NO on the amnesty. And the rest need to be shown full wrath to help the others decide to stay on the side of the voters.
If you have any information that indicates otherwise, let us know by sending us a message from our Help Desk page.
KNOW YOUR SUBJECT
You have plenty of talking points on your Action Buffet corkboard and on your Vote Day page.
THANKS,
From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Thursday 28JUN07 Noon
Grassroots America beat The Establishment on amnesty bill -- almost unprecedented
DEAR HARD-WORKING, TENACIOUS ACTIVIST CITIZENS OF THE NUMBERSUSA ACTION NETWORK,
For at least five months, most newspaper editorial boards, the majority of columnists and news stories and pronouncements from the other elite institutions of America have told you that a "comprehensive immigration bill" would inevitably pass the Senate this year.
That only caused most of you to fax, phone and visit Senatorial offices all the more often.
Most national religious leaders who spoke out on this issue said the moral high ground was in rewarding the U.S. businesses and foreign labor who broke our immigration laws.
But in the pews (and quietly in most of the parsonages), the overwhelming majority of the people of faith stayed grounded in the values of justice and freedom, and stood against massive new flows of foreign labor that are at the expense of our society's most vulnerable citizens. You stood against this massive government-coerced population explosion that is so destructive of the natural habitats or our country that stand in the bulldozers' path.
In the last week, several venerable warriors from past decades of massive legislative battles such as this one have gloomily proclaimed that when The Establishment almost totally unites for something, the grassroots never prevail.
But the nearly HALF-MILLION activist members of the NumbersUSA Action Network just devoted even more time and energy to leaving no doubt where the quantity, the quality and the passion was among each Senator's constituency.
YOU NEVER GAVE UP -- DESPITE MANY TWISTS AND TURNS THAT WERE DEMORALIZING.
YOU NEVER GAVE UP -- DESPITE VICIOUS SLURS THROWN AT YOU BY U.S. SENATORS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATE AND MAJOR NEWS MEDIA FIGURES.
THE ESTABLISHMENT lost today.
The average American citizen won. You disproved the cynicism (born of great experience) in this town that this kind of victory was impossible.
53 U.S. Senators actually paid attention to what you had to say, felt enough pressure to wonder if there might be validity on our side of analysis, and concluded that through combination of political wisdom and policy wisdom they should vote the way the majority of their constituents believed proper -- rather than be swayed by all the power, money and prestige of The Establishment.
That may not be a miracle, but it is a mighty cool breeze of representative democracy on a hot, humid, sticky mid-day in the marble chambers sitting atop the swamps along the Potomac!
Just to make sure you don't miss the context of your victory, consider this:
In recent months, the pro-amnesty, pro-globalized-labor forces had assembled this Establishment Goliath of support for their "comprensive immigration reform" concept:
Pres. Bush
Senate Democratic Leaders
Senate Republican Leaders
House Majority Democratic Leaders
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Dozens of other corporation lobby groups
The largest philanthropic foundations
Perhaps 90% of the newspaper editorial boards that weighed in
The Washington offices of most major religious denominations
Nearly all ethnic advocacy groups
Most of Washington's think tanks
As the L.A. Times said on its Sunday front page, NumbersUSA activists were probably the largest and the loudest going up against that formidable force.
But you all were also part of an incredible chain-reaction type of civic involvement that used the internet and talk radio to multiply the message along with dozens of other citizen groups.
And we were greatly assisted by the fact that a handful of significant sources of power joined the citizen revolt of bloggers, talkers and forwarders. Among them:
The American Legion
The AFL-CIO (somewhat timidly)
The National Review on-line magazine
CNN's Lou Dobbs
Your power was not in just being loud and persistent. It was that you knew the issues. You knew the many ways this bill was bad for America.
It is trite to say but the exclamation of the boy in the crowd that "The Emperor Is Wearing No Clothes" describes so well what you did.
Thank you to those who have acted almost daily since Congress returned in January.
Thank you to those who recently have acted several times a day. Incredible.
Thank you to those who had so little time to give, but stepped in once or twice a week.
And thank you to the 78,343 "replacements" who only joined since June 1 but have been so important in overwhelming the Senate with our message.
We will even lavish praise on the 6,733 of you who joined yesterday and made your first calls and sent your first faxes!
At this moment, there are 444,496 of you who are registered, proven activists using the NumbersUSA tools! What an army you have been. But you are not MY army, or OUR army. You are YOUR OWN army -- 444,496 separate individuals working in collective, cumulative power, saying just what you want to say, writing just what you want to write. That is the power that won the victory today.
I only caution that what we did today was forestall disaster.
Our future, the next generation's future, depends on our marshalling these same forces together to begin to make improvements in immigration policy, one piece at a time, starting tomorrow.
We will be posting new opportunities of action soon, and especially opportunities to praise and criticize the votes today of your own Senators.
www.NumbersUSA.com/actionbuffet
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DID ON THIS ANTI-AMNESTY CAMPAIGN,
P.S. We welcome responses to our Alerts. Do NOT click "reply." Please send your responses from our Help Form at:
https://www.numbersusa.com/helpform
This may be a good time for you to make sure that you've let us know all of the areas you are interested in. In order to further customize the type of alerts you receive click here https://www.numbersusa.com/survey?action=longlist
As a NumbersUSA subscriber, you will receive occasional emails about immigration-related opportunities. If you want to increase or reduce the frequency of these emails, click here and choose from Total Activism, Moderate Activism, or Limited Activism at the bottom of your registration form: https://www.numbersusa.com/user
NumbersUSA - relies upon individuals like you to reach its goal of an environmentally sustainable and economically just America.
0
From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Thursday 28JUN07 Noon
Grassroots America beat The Establishment on amnesty bill -- almost unprecedented
DEAR HARD-WORKING, TENACIOUS ACTIVIST CITIZENS OF THE NUMBERSUSA ACTION NETWORK,
For at least five months, most newspaper editorial boards, the majority of columnists and news stories and pronouncements from the other elite institutions of America have told you that a "comprehensive immigration bill" would inevitably pass the Senate this year.
That only caused most of you to fax, phone and visit Senatorial offices all the more often.
Most national religious leaders who spoke out on this issue said the moral high ground was in rewarding the U.S. businesses and foreign labor who broke our immigration laws.
But in the pews (and quietly in most of the parsonages), the overwhelming majority of the people of faith stayed grounded in the values of justice and freedom, and stood against massive new flows of foreign labor that are at the expense of our society's most vulnerable citizens. You stood against this massive government-coerced population explosion that is so destructive of the natural habitats or our country that stand in the bulldozers' path.
In the last week, several venerable warriors from past decades of massive legislative battles such as this one have gloomily proclaimed that when The Establishment almost totally unites for something, the grassroots never prevail.
But the nearly HALF-MILLION activist members of the NumbersUSA Action Network just devoted even more time and energy to leaving no doubt where the quantity, the quality and the passion was among each Senator's constituency.
YOU NEVER GAVE UP -- DESPITE MANY TWISTS AND TURNS THAT WERE DEMORALIZING.
YOU NEVER GAVE UP -- DESPITE VICIOUS SLURS THROWN AT YOU BY U.S. SENATORS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATE AND MAJOR NEWS MEDIA FIGURES.
THE ESTABLISHMENT lost today.
The average American citizen won. You disproved the cynicism (born of great experience) in this town that this kind of victory was impossible.
53 U.S. Senators actually paid attention to what you had to say, felt enough pressure to wonder if there might be validity on our side of analysis, and concluded that through combination of political wisdom and policy wisdom they should vote the way the majority of their constituents believed proper -- rather than be swayed by all the power, money and prestige of The Establishment.
That may not be a miracle, but it is a mighty cool breeze of representative democracy on a hot, humid, sticky mid-day in the marble chambers sitting atop the swamps along the Potomac!
Just to make sure you don't miss the context of your victory, consider this:
In recent months, the pro-amnesty, pro-globalized-labor forces had assembled this Establishment Goliath of support for their "comprensive immigration reform" concept:
Pres. Bush
Senate Democratic Leaders
Senate Republican Leaders
House Majority Democratic Leaders
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Dozens of other corporation lobby groups
The largest philanthropic foundations
Perhaps 90% of the newspaper editorial boards that weighed in
The Washington offices of most major religious denominations
Nearly all ethnic advocacy groups
Most of Washington's think tanks
As the L.A. Times said on its Sunday front page, NumbersUSA activists were probably the largest and the loudest going up against that formidable force.
But you all were also part of an incredible chain-reaction type of civic involvement that used the internet and talk radio to multiply the message along with dozens of other citizen groups.
And we were greatly assisted by the fact that a handful of significant sources of power joined the citizen revolt of bloggers, talkers and forwarders. Among them:
The American Legion
The AFL-CIO (somewhat timidly)
The National Review on-line magazine
CNN's Lou Dobbs
Your power was not in just being loud and persistent. It was that you knew the issues. You knew the many ways this bill was bad for America.
It is trite to say but the exclamation of the boy in the crowd that "The Emperor Is Wearing No Clothes" describes so well what you did.
Thank you to those who have acted almost daily since Congress returned in January.
Thank you to those who recently have acted several times a day. Incredible.
Thank you to those who had so little time to give, but stepped in once or twice a week.
And thank you to the 78,343 "replacements" who only joined since June 1 but have been so important in overwhelming the Senate with our message.
We will even lavish praise on the 6,733 of you who joined yesterday and made your first calls and sent your first faxes!
At this moment, there are 444,496 of you who are registered, proven activists using the NumbersUSA tools! What an army you have been. But you are not MY army, or OUR army. You are YOUR OWN army -- 444,496 separate individuals working in collective, cumulative power, saying just what you want to say, writing just what you want to write. That is the power that won the victory today.
I only caution that what we did today was forestall disaster.
Our future, the next generation's future, depends on our marshalling these same forces together to begin to make improvements in immigration policy, one piece at a time, starting tomorrow.
We will be posting new opportunities of action soon, and especially opportunities to praise and criticize the votes today of your own Senators.
www.NumbersUSA.com/actionbuffet
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DID ON THIS ANTI-AMNESTY CAMPAIGN,
P.S. We welcome responses to our Alerts. Do NOT click "reply." Please send your responses from our Help Form at:
https://www.numbersusa.com/helpform
This may be a good time for you to make sure that you've let us know all of the areas you are interested in. In order to further customize the type of alerts you receive click here https://www.numbersusa.com/survey?action=longlist
As a NumbersUSA subscriber, you will receive occasional emails about immigration-related opportunities. If you want to increase or reduce the frequency of these emails, click here and choose from Total Activism, Moderate Activism, or Limited Activism at the bottom of your registration form: https://www.numbersusa.com/user
NumbersUSA - relies upon individuals like you to reach its goal of an environmentally sustainable and economically just America.
Article. XIV.
[Proposed 1866; Allegedly ratified 1868. See Fourteenth Amendment Law Library for argument it was not ratified.]
Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. https://constitution.org
0
Article. XIV.
[Proposed 1866; Allegedly ratified 1868. See Fourteenth Amendment Law Library for argument it was not ratified.]
Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
Section. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Section. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.
Section. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. https://constitution.org
Some truths are self evident
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What It Means to Be an American Patriot
By Gary Palmer
Posted on: July 8, 2007
Over the Independence Day holiday, my family and I watched the movie The Patriot starring Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, a South Carolina militia colonel. While there are certain historical inaccuracies in the movie, including the misrepresentation of the brutal incineration of women and children, the film is worth watching. There is one line in particular that I missed in my previous viewings of the movie. After Gen. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown and it was apparent America had gained her freedom, Col. Martin wrote to his children, “My hope, my prayer, is that the sacrifices borne by so many will spawn and fulfill the promise of our new nation.”
While Col. Martin is a fictitious character, his words ring as true as those of any of our Founding Fathers. These movie lines echo Lincoln’s admonition at Gettysburg that those who followed would not squander the sacrifices of those who “… gave the last full measure of devotion.”
Not surprisingly, the vast majority of Americans consider themselves to be patriotic and do respect and honor the sacrifices of the men and women who have given their lives for our republic. In fact, a January 2007 Princeton Survey Research Associates/Pew poll found that 90 percent of Americans consider themselves “completely or mostly” patriotic.
This raises the question: What does it really mean to be patriotic in America today?
Patriotism as our Founding Fathers understood it was not pride in the land in a nationalistic sense. The foundation of American patriotism rests firmly on our ideals. It is what we believe about the relationship between people and their government that makes America different from the citizens of other nations. Upholding the ideals that our Founders set forth in the Declaration and protected in our Constitution means that we as citizens have a responsibility to hold our elected and appointed officials accountable to the Declaration and Constitution.
By this standard, patriotism could be better measured by our understanding of core founding principles and our willingness to defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, including those who hold elected or appointed office, whether they are Democrats or Republicans. This requires a different kind of patriotism in that it also requires citizens to be educated and engaged.
Patriotism must be based on a love for the ideals and principles upon which America was founded. The essence of America is that we are a nation of ideals, of free people and free markets, of people committed to the idea that we are all created equal with unalienable rights endowed to us by our Creator.
Moreover, America was founded on the ideal that the only legitimate role of government is to protect those rights within the limited powers granted to it by the people. In this regard, we are different from any other nation in the history of the world. Consequently, our view of what it means to be a patriot is different that any other nation in the world.
On January 11, 1989, in his farewell address to the nation, President Ronald Reagan said that one of the things he was most proud of as a result of his eight years as president was the resurgence of national pride; he called it the new patriotism. Reagan warned that the new patriotism would not last “… unless it’s grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge. An informed patriotism is what we want.”
Our nation needs a patriotism that calls each generation to do its part to guarantee, as Lincoln said at Gettysburg, “ … that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” To ensure this will require a renewed commitment to teach our citizens America’s history, core principles and what it means to be an American patriot. Only then can we fulfill the promise of this nation and make certain that those who gave their lives for our liberty “… shall not have died in vain.”
0
Some truths are self evident
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What It Means to Be an American Patriot
By Gary Palmer
Posted on: July 8, 2007
Over the Independence Day holiday, my family and I watched the movie The Patriot starring Mel Gibson as Benjamin Martin, a South Carolina militia colonel. While there are certain historical inaccuracies in the movie, including the misrepresentation of the brutal incineration of women and children, the film is worth watching. There is one line in particular that I missed in my previous viewings of the movie. After Gen. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown and it was apparent America had gained her freedom, Col. Martin wrote to his children, “My hope, my prayer, is that the sacrifices borne by so many will spawn and fulfill the promise of our new nation.”
While Col. Martin is a fictitious character, his words ring as true as those of any of our Founding Fathers. These movie lines echo Lincoln’s admonition at Gettysburg that those who followed would not squander the sacrifices of those who “… gave the last full measure of devotion.”
Not surprisingly, the vast majority of Americans consider themselves to be patriotic and do respect and honor the sacrifices of the men and women who have given their lives for our republic. In fact, a January 2007 Princeton Survey Research Associates/Pew poll found that 90 percent of Americans consider themselves “completely or mostly” patriotic.
This raises the question: What does it really mean to be patriotic in America today?
Patriotism as our Founding Fathers understood it was not pride in the land in a nationalistic sense. The foundation of American patriotism rests firmly on our ideals. It is what we believe about the relationship between people and their government that makes America different from the citizens of other nations. Upholding the ideals that our Founders set forth in the Declaration and protected in our Constitution means that we as citizens have a responsibility to hold our elected and appointed officials accountable to the Declaration and Constitution.
By this standard, patriotism could be better measured by our understanding of core founding principles and our willingness to defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, including those who hold elected or appointed office, whether they are Democrats or Republicans. This requires a different kind of patriotism in that it also requires citizens to be educated and engaged.
Patriotism must be based on a love for the ideals and principles upon which America was founded. The essence of America is that we are a nation of ideals, of free people and free markets, of people committed to the idea that we are all created equal with unalienable rights endowed to us by our Creator.
Moreover, America was founded on the ideal that the only legitimate role of government is to protect those rights within the limited powers granted to it by the people. In this regard, we are different from any other nation in the history of the world. Consequently, our view of what it means to be a patriot is different that any other nation in the world.
On January 11, 1989, in his farewell address to the nation, President Ronald Reagan said that one of the things he was most proud of as a result of his eight years as president was the resurgence of national pride; he called it the new patriotism. Reagan warned that the new patriotism would not last “… unless it’s grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge. An informed patriotism is what we want.”
Our nation needs a patriotism that calls each generation to do its part to guarantee, as Lincoln said at Gettysburg, “ … that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” To ensure this will require a renewed commitment to teach our citizens America’s history, core principles and what it means to be an American patriot. Only then can we fulfill the promise of this nation and make certain that those who gave their lives for our liberty “… shall not have died in vain.”
Just a reminder to the activists here...Keep the heat on...Turn up the heat to your Congressmen & vote out anybody that voted for amnesty-Don't be fooled-Tell them we're sick & tired of lip service & no action...All the info & organizations you can join are at: https://www.wcnc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1103 & the fine organization that I use almost exclusively is: https://numbersusa.com Your all doing a great job & remember theres strength in numbers so jump on the anti immigration bandwagon 2day..TELL THEM NATURAL AMERICAN CITIZENS COME FIRST FROM NOW ON!..Tell them enuf is enuf were sick & tired of their bullshit & thanks for all your help whatever you can do....Jim M.
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Just a reminder to the activists here...Keep the heat on...Turn up the heat to your Congressmen & vote out anybody that voted for amnesty-Don't be fooled-Tell them we're sick & tired of lip service & no action...All the info & organizations you can join are at: https://www.wcnc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1103 & the fine organization that I use almost exclusively is: https://numbersusa.com Your all doing a great job & remember theres strength in numbers so jump on the anti immigration bandwagon 2day..TELL THEM NATURAL AMERICAN CITIZENS COME FIRST FROM NOW ON!..Tell them enuf is enuf were sick & tired of their bullshit & thanks for all your help whatever you can do....Jim M.
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