Arkansas Blog

Well said, Max. There is no excuse for denying basic constitutional rights to children born on U.S. soil ("citizens"). It is an atrocity to propose revoking their citizenship as some have suggested, and to chip away at their rights in more obscure ways is no less deplorable. Those who care nothing for these child citizens are the same ones who pontificate about reviving aborted fetuses (but of course, none of them will adopt a frozen embryo). A$a's position on scholarhips is outrageous. A candidate who cares for the citezenry should support public education for all, especially for true citizens.

Well if we stop giving prenatal health care to their illegal immigrant mothers like future Lt. Gov. Holt wants, maybe they'll just die off.

Two birds, one bill...

I'm going to assume Delay meant the "children" of illegal aliens were also born in another country...at least that's what I infer.

These kids were brought here for a better word, against their wills. They came across as children. We already invested in K-12, they are now a part of the Arkansas fabric. The only thing missing is a green card.

What good common sense does it make to educate these kids and then deny them a opportunity to get a college education?

We spend millions educating native Arkansans - and what happens after they've got that college diploma? They bail to some other state with better job opportunities.

If you know anything about the Hispanic culture, you know that these "alien" Arkansas college educated kids are going nowhere...they'll stay in Arkansas and work, because of family. At least we know that a good share of our "investment" will be coming back in wages and taxes with these kids.

That's the way I see it. And Gunner and Holt haven't got enough sense to pour piss out of a boot with the direction on the heel.

A kind word from BlueTicker to the Huckster...Governor, you got this one right!

The problem with the bill was that they could not guarantee that legal residents kids would not be bumped out of a scholarship by someone whose parets were in the state illegally.

Their point was that there were spots going unused.

How could anyone look a citizen in the eyes who has lived here their entire lives, paying taxes, and say "Well your son/daughter would have a scholarship but we are going to give it to X instead whose parents are in the country illegally (not paying taxes their entire lives)." Just the mere chance that someone could be bumped was reason enough to vote against it.

Asa and Gunner are sucking wind on this one. Are these Republicans really that mean spirited and desperate. They are pandering to the "trailer trash"!

yes, yes let's kick the little demons out of Pre-K instead, though, not just kindergarten. Got to get tough on the little rascals here! Before it's too late!

The congregation of the Catholic church here in our little town has at least tripled since the Hispanic families moved here to live, work, and educate their kids. Did you read that right> Yes! Church attendance! Where WILL these people stop? well not at the baptist church to check if the huck is there probably.

thats a very good point about hispanic kids who grow up in arkansas tending to stay in arkansas. But then I guess they arent good enough for Asa! and his ilk either. My dog watered a couple of Asa! signs last night (he isnt hispanic, he's a legal wire-haired doxie shelter dog) and we both felt much better.

So your point is...that you punish the child for the sins of the Father?

I argue that how can anybody look into any kids eyes (red, yellow, black, white or brown) and say, yes, you've lived here most of your life and you've made good through our educational system...but you can't go any further because your parents are not citizens?

I also argue, that why are we denying any child who has the desire in Arkansas to go to college? This state would be far better off if we guaranteed every kid a chance to go to college.

And how do you reconcile with the influx of new kids (out of state) coming into our educational system - who's parents haven't paided Arkansas taxes all their lives, but expect to get their kids scholarships.

You want a litmus test, maybe we should have a real one. My guess is, you'd hear alot of screaming about what should be "qualifying" factors for college scholarships.

Might be a good place to use some of the 750 million dollar surplus - investing in our kids - what a concept!

I was there this a.m. and as usual you guys did not give all the facts. What Gunner said was that giving scholarship money to illegals violate the 1996 Immigration Reform Act. That law requires states to give citizens the same benfits they give illegals. California is in legal trouble for the same type of law. Non-resident students have filed a class action against the University system because the scholarship was not made available to them - U.S. citizens. OOPS. I guess Dustin wants to violate federal law. Oh yeah it's for the children.

I heard Gunner made another point...he asked why Dustin voted to give scholarship money to illegals but did not support free tuition to the children of disabled veterans. I guess we know where vets rank on Dustin's list of priorities. By the way what was Dustin's response for his lack of patritism???

The only thing missing is a green card. So, go and apply already.
How many illegal immigrants are here in Arkansas with forged documents? how many illegal immigrants have no intention of becoming U.S. citizens? how many illegal immigrants are being paid cash by employers, and paying no taxes? What's up with the inability to place the word "illegal" in front of immigrants? The issue politically is not about immigration, it is about illegal immigration, of course we have no credible data available for Arkansas in regard to the actual costs associated with illegal immigrants. Studies have been asked for in the legislator, of course the chicken kings want none of that. There is no doubt illegal immigrants are costing the taxpayers of Arkansas millions, and adding to the bottom line for companies and businesses that employ them. I say we push for free college scholarships for every child in Arkansas, paid for by Wal-Mart and Tyson.

Take a look at this article and see the real impact of illegal immigration

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33783-2004Aug25.html

Just like the African-American community has been for decades in Arkansas, now Hispanics are becoming pawns in the game of politics. Since most cannot vote, unless they have some really good forged docs supplied by the DNC maybe. McDaniel invested heavily in walking around money, take a look at his filings, a myriad of "consultants" in the Delta, it is such a slap in the face to the African American community that this still goe's on with the Dems on a regular basis. At least if a good number of the Hispanic community can get their citizenship and vote, the Democrats will have to pay out some more cash to buy votes.

Asa Hutchinson, Jim Holt and Gunner DeLay's continuing to take positions on schools and immigration at odds with the record and positions of the popular incumbent Republican governor is amusing to no end.

Huckabee and Rockefeller won multiple statewide races by taking moderate positions on issues, not by trying to imitate George Wallace on schools and immigration.

Hutchinson and Holt's resistance of state authority to consolidate underperforming small schools and asserting the rights of "local control" (thoroughly discredited by multiple state Supreme Court decisions) is eerily reminiscent of George Wallace "standing in the schoolhouse door" to protect a discredited status quo.

DeLay, Hutchinson and Holt's demagoguery on immigration and attempts to label supporters of Huckabee's scholarship bill as "soft on illegals" also would put a smile on George Wallace's face.

Every time Hutchinson, Holt and DeLay open their mouths on these issues, they are slapping their own party's governor in the face. Look for Huckabee to go through the motions of campaigning for the GOP ticket but spend most of his time out of state running for president this year. Why campaign for people who trash your policies? Huckabee and Hutchinson have never been close, and Republicans know better than anyone of the mutual disdain between Huckabee and Holt (over immigration) and Huckabee and DeLay (over Gunner's attempts to blame Huckabee for the GOP's financial problems in '03).

When the incumbent Republican governor intensely dislikes two of his own party's top three candidates for statewide office, it's not a good place to be.

All it takes to become a citizen is to be 18 and file for it. As soon as these children graduate from high school they can do just that and then apply for the shcolarships on equal footing.
What is disturbing abotu McDaniel voting for that bill is that he turned around within a week and voted against giving scholarship monies to veteran's children.
Doesn't make sense.

Walking around money is NOT still common with Democratic candidates. Only the pissant clones of plantation boss Marion Berry.

"All it takes to become a citizen is to be 18 and file for it."

Well if that were true then all our problems would be solved.

Unfortunately if you walk into an Immigration office and apply for citizenship, you could very well face being sent back, you are after all an "illegal immigrant". and there are a whole lot of others that have been in line long before you. Some for over a decade. And that could happen - sent "home", when you have always considered America your home.

But I think we are missing the big picture here. First, why in God's name are Holt and Delay beating the illegal immigration drum? Our states immigration problems are a symptom of our federal governments failures.

Our U.S. immigration policy is about as worthless as a screen door in a submarine. Is anything being done about it? Nope - we have the Republican controlled Congress and Senate bringing to us in all its glory;
Gay Marriage
Stem Cell
Flag Burning
Pledge Allegence....ad nausem

If Holt and Delay care so much about the cost of illegal immigrants, well they need to get their sorry asses on a plane, fly to Washington and appeal to their fellow brethern to get to work on an immigration policy that addresses their concerns. It is after all a Republican controlled Congress and if they had the political will, they could get it done.

But that won't feed the fear of "Bubba". Why make your fellow Republicans accountable for the mess we are in and the unwillingness to fix the mess because of the ever present "political capital" concerns?

If the Republicans in this state running for office want to run on illegal immigrants - they need to lay it on the feet of those who can make a difference. They won't, it's about all they got left to chum the waters.

I don't put Hutchinson in the Holt/Delay round em and move em out crowd...yet. We'll see - probably will depend on how much traction Holt/Delay get with this.

Here's Hutchinson's own words on his take on illegal immigration and the American people;

The nation's border czar yesterday said it is "not realistic" to think that law-enforcement authorities can arrest or deport the millions of illegal aliens now in the United States and does not think the American public has the "will ... to uproot" those aliens.
Homeland Security Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson also said taxpayers "might be afraid" to learn how much it would take in manpower and resources to control the nation's borders and described as "probably accurate" a statement that no law-enforcement officials are looking for the vast majority of the 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens thought to be in the country.

... But Mr. Hutchinson, a former Republican congressman from Arkansas, said although there is "strong support" nationwide for the enforcement of immigration laws and the public expects it to be accomplished, "they expect us to do it in a way consistent with our values."

So even in Hutchinson's own words...Holt and Delay are not "realistic" concerning their stances on illegal immigration.

Dustin didn't vote against providing free tuition to children of disabled veterans.

"What is disturbing abotu McDaniel voting for that bill is that he turned around within a week and voted against giving scholarship monies to veteran's children"

The Truth: That bill passed the House with only one "no" vote, and it was not Dustin McDaniel.

Did Gunner mention anything about why he would make a good AG, or did he just make false claims about Dustin?

Gunner is a LOOSE CANNON!!!

Asa and Gunner are sucking wind on this one. Are these Republicans really that mean spirited and desperate. They are pandering to the "trailer trash"

Jim,
Never underestimate the breath and depth of Arkansas' redneck, "trailer trash" vote. Note the myths they keep alive in PawnsInTheGame post
which smacks of the darkness of Justice Jim Johnson's racism. Blacks know who passed the Voting Rights Act. It wasn't conservatives. They also know who supported and passed the The Civil Rights Act. When you actively seek the votes of blacks you consider them not as important but as pawns. The same can be said of the "trailer trash" voters to whom Holt and DeLay pander.

This entire problem with Messicuns is not just local, nor national. It is global. The problem is surplus population and Jim Holt and his ilk actually promote over-population which produces the very problem which they rally against. It was just fine for Irish and Europeans to come here, take land from the natives when their countries could not support them and attempt to create a better life. That same American Spirit is now demonized due to language and skin color of those seeking the dream.

Surplus population is the root of much global discord. Water, not fuel will be the next battle ground. We can figure out how to get more energy but water supplies will limit producing like rabbits.
The insanity of the Delusional found it's way into Wht House policy which forbids any mention of
birth control in our Foreign Aid packages. People from the whatever is left of the Reality section would insist upon it.
_

7:23- check your facts. McDaniel was by far the worst we could have offered up against the Reps. DeLay is probably going to walk away with this.

The fact is clear that McDaniel, like everyone before him in the AG's office, is selling out the people by taking contributions from regulated energy companies. He also was the lead sponsor of the TIF legislation, which expanded the power of using eminent domain, and takes money from schools. That one was easy for him, considering one of his biggest contributors is Jonesboro's biggest developer. Can anyone remember the last rate DECREASE that we had in Arkansas for any form of energy? simple fact; the oil, electric and natural gas guys will always invest in a candidate that will go along with them, to get the money. I for one think all corporate contributions should be banned, especially when it comes to a candidate like McDaniel who is just another kiss up politician to the big corporations and special interest. Paul Suskie would have been a much better candidate, perhaps as true Democrats, we need to stop playing insider politics that got the likes of McDaniel and Halter as our nominees.

Moose:

If you ignore all facts, polls, and truth, you're completely right.

Back in the real world, NOBODY in Arkansas knows who Gunner DeLay, except for all of those people in the 3rd district who voted against him a few years ago.

P.S. I don't know about everybody else, but I enjoy BlueTicker's posts.

It might be a good idea first to have a real border with mexico than the one that's in place now. LIKE WIDE OPEN BORDER!

Ahh, Max. You raise a great question about the supers kicking the kids out in kindergarten. On one hand, the Supers like A$A's! job security plan for them, on the other hand, those children are worth a valuable $5,400+ to the super. That money can be used for all sorts of educational fantasies.

sjp - you are absolutely right about the money. Here's some math that might be a little sobering to some high profile school districts around the state.

I'm going to use Springdale - because that's where Holt hails from. 14,385 students according to their 2004-05 report. 21% are hispanic -

3020 students = $16,380,00
16 million dollars a year lost to the Springdale School District if Holt gets his way.

Sprindale - now what schools are we going to close? What mortgages are we not going pay? What teachers will be fired? What sports program will be cut?

Holt needs to do a little research, get out a calculator and figure out just exactly what the costs of his "immigration" plan might be to the state's educational system. Denying that many, many school districts can attribute their growth and success to an influx of Hispanic studends is self-serving on Holt's part.

If the Springdale parents understood the financial and social consequences to THEIR schools and community, they might be less willing to listen to Holt's one trick pony. After all politics (schools) are local.

Holt needs to be careful here and Halter needs to pay attention - if Holt wants immigration reform - he better figure out a way to do it without destroying his own school district and community.

Before some Red jumps on and makes the point, that Arkansas taxpayers would save 16 million dollars...just in Springdale - well, black and white they'd be right. But what that loss would do the community of Springdale would be devastating economically. Despite the argument of "not paying" taxes - Springdale's tax base would dramtically decrease, homes and apartment houses vacant, jobs not done....on and on.

Whether we like it or not, many schools and communities economies are dependent, or for a more palatable word, built around the Hispanic population growth. If we blindly destroy that, we put these communities and our state in great peril.

We need a substantive immigration fix - and the feds must step up, but let's be real careful what we wish for here and be smart about the solutions and the consequences.

I am the veteran that had the bill introduced to fund education for children of 100% disabled veterans and children of veterans KIA and MIA in action. I was there when the votes were taken, I counted them myself, it wasn't hard. All AYES in the house and senate except for one no in the house. That no was State Representative Leroy Dangeau from Wynne. Write him a letter if you like dangeaul@arkleg.state.ar.us The biggest opposition to the bill comes directly from the department of higher education. They don't like piss ant senators and representatives telling them what to do. If anyone needs attacked on this it is Leroy Dangeau and Dr Linda Beene llbeene@adhe.arknet.edu the director of Higher Education for the State. These two, especially the director of Higher education, are the ones that should be blamed for stepping on veterans. E-mail them and shame them. I want to thank State Senator Shane Broadway (D) for sponsoring this bill. and for those wondering, I am a proud republican.

I want it known that I am a firm Gunner DeLay supporter. I have known Gunner since I was a kid and have always found him to be honest, caring, compassionate, passionate about his beliefs and morally sound. I believe that he has the best interests of the state at heart and speaks for us "trailer trash" as one put it people. We, the small guy, are against illegal imigration. I don't care if they are here and have started to make a life. My forfathers did it legally, waited at Ellis Island for permission, and became citizens using the proper channels. I don't fault the illegals, I would probably do the same, but that is no excuse for breaking the law. Put a system in (there already is one!) to do it legally and come on up and make a life. America is governed by law, if we start ignoring the law because we feel sorry for someone then it is a slippery slope that ends in catastrophe. Illegals, get with it, there is plenty of room, just do it right. I can't afford the increase in medical costs that is brought to me by illegals as well as many other fiscal impacts. JMHO. And yes, I am the veteran that set the record straight about the Veterans education stuff. God Bless.

Well fine sir...with all due respect, tell Gunner to shut up, catch a plane to Washington and insist your fellow brethern who control this goverment - all 3 branches - to get our immigration policies fixed.

Your fine young upstanding friend is screaming from the roof tops about something that as AG he (a.) can do jack do do about and (b.) is using the issue to get traction on a stuck in the mud campaign, I find that reprehensible.

So, compel your good friend to shut up or put. By the way - good job on the educational funding for disabled Veterans.

Curious, what's your views on the Bush administrations abysmal treatment and denial of Veternan's services and benefits?

Well fine sir...with all due respect, tell Gunner to shut up, catch a plane to Washington and insist your fellow brethern who control this goverment - all 3 branches - to get our immigration policies fixed.

Your fine young upstanding friend is screaming from the roof tops about something that as AG he (a.) can do jack do do about and (b.) is using the issue to get traction on a stuck in the mud campaign, I find that reprehensible.

So, compel your good friend to shut up or put. By the way - good job on the educational funding for disabled Veterans.

Curious, what's your views on the Bush administrations abysmal treatment and denial of Veternan's services and benefits?

Couple of other things - my ancestors came through Ellis Island as well - they were lucky - no quotas - but if you'd know my great grandfather - quotas or not - he was coming to make a better home for his family, legal or illegal, he was coming.

Last year - 140 billion dollars alone - poured into the black whole of the SS Department - with unmatched SS numbers - that's going directly to your retirement - not those who earned it and this doesn't even account for the monies the IRS has, states, cities...etc. So, although you hear the constant drum beat of those costly illegal immigrants, there's more to this debate than the Red talking points.

1st, The AG in Arkansas can do plenty IMHO to stem the tide of illegal immigration in Arkansas. Just because the federal level pols choose to do little or nothing is no reason not to try where you are. I see it as like this: If my parents choose to ignore a termite infestation in their home, that is no reason that I should ignore one in mine.
2nd- As to the Bush administrations "absymal treatment of vets I can only speak to what I experience. I am 100% DAV and have no complaints about any of the treatment I receive. I have used the VA hospital in LR for major surgeries related to my disability this year alone and found the care to be compassionate, professional and on par with any other hospital. I know from where I speak, I am a former health care professional, researcher and have had research and articles published in many major peer reviewed journals including JAMA, Journal of american radiology and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicines journal. I know good care when I see it.
3rd- I am glad your great grandfather didn't have to resort to crime.
4th- You are gleeful that you are receiving benefits illegally gained? 140 billion into Social Security is a drop in the bucket compared to SS's real problems. That would like being happy about someone robbing a bank and you being able to have the loot.

"Those who would trade our freedom for the soup kitchen of the welfare state have told us that they have a utopian solution of peace without victory. They call their policy 'accommodation.' And they say if we only avoid any direct confrontation with the enemy, he will forget his evil ways and learn to love us. All who oppose them are indicted as warmongers. They say we offer simple answers to complex problems. Well, perhaps there is a simple answer-not an easy one, but a simple one-if you and I have the courage to tell our elected officials that we want our national policy based upon what we know in our hearts is morally right... Every lesson in history tells us that the greater risk lies in appeasement, and this is the specter our well-meaning liberal friends refuse to face." -Ronald Reagan