The immigration angle
Can Republican Stubby Stumbaugh get something going against Rep. Marion Berry in the First District on immigration? He thinks so. His news release on the jump. Also Berry's response.
STUMBAUGH NEWS RELEASE
On July 20, Marion Berry introduced a House Resolution that asked Congress to appropriate funding to the nation’s border security initiative, in what was a desperate attempt to make the voters think he really cares about our illegal immigration problem. In reality, Marion has supported amnesty at least 6 different times, and has a career F rating with the nation’s top immigration reform groups.
“Marion Berry has said Immigration is ‘the biggest political issue to come across in my lifetime, including social security,’ yet he has a record to show that he thinks otherwise” said Mayor Stumbaugh. “My opponent has once again shown that he will tell the people what they want to hear, proving yet again that he does not have the truth in him.”
“While I applaud the effort to increase funding and provide more border patrol, I still wonder why it has taken ten years in Congress and nearly four years in the Clinton administration for him to figure out we had a problem with illegal immigrants.”
“Unlike anything Marion Berry will do, I have pledged, and I am committed, to working towards a bipartisan effort to securing our borders and ports, cleaning up our federal documents, and providing better interior enforcement.”
Berry’s Immigration Reform Group Ratings
- Americans for Better Immigration – 54% career rating; www.betterimmigration.com.
- Americans for Better Immigration Survey Results: http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/cand06_ar1.html
- On issues important to the U.S. Border Control in 2003-2004, he voted in their favor only 12% of the time. www.usbc.org
- In 2005, when immigration became a hot topic in Washington, and their were rumors that Mayor Stumbaugh would join the race, Marion had a 71% rating with Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)
- Every year prior to 2005, he had an F rating: www.fairus.org
o 2004 – 10%
o 2003 – 0%
o 2002 – 0%
o 2001 – 0%
Berry on Amnesty
- 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, 2006
o Berry voted against an amendment by Rep. Tom Tancredo that would have kept funds from being used to give extensions of the Temporary Protection Status
- Co-Sponsored H.R. 3142, 2003
o Would grant amnesty to illegal immigrants working in agriculture
o While it had support from both parties, it sill is not something the average Arkansan agrees with
- H.R. 365, 2002
o Rewarded illegal aliens by allowing them to pay a $1,000 fine to get their green cards with out fear of being deported
- Extension of Section 245(i), 2001
o A four month extension that allowed illegal immigrants to pay a fee and avoid a 1996 law that would bar them from coming to the U.S. for 10 years on a legal visa
- Signed a letter in support of amnesty to President Clinton, 200
o A letter by 151 House Democrats saying he would sustain a veto on an end of session appropriations bill if it did not include amnesty for 3.4 million aliens.
o Would have been the largest amnesty ever in the U.S.
- H.R. 2267, 1997
o Berry vote against a motion from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher that would have killed Section 245(i) that allowed illegal immigrants to pay a fee and avoid a 1996 law that would bar them from coming to the U.S. for 10 years on a legal visa.
MARION BERRY'S RESPONSE
“Congressman Berry’s position on immigration is clear. He has consistently stated that securing the border has to be the first step in any pursuit of immigration reform. He supports immigration legislation that secures our borders and protects American workers and is opposed to amnesty. Congressman Berry voted for the toughest border security and enforcement bill this session, H.R. 4437. H.R. 4437, which passed last December, included the following provisions:
o Makes illegal presence in the country a felony, punishable by a year and a day in jail.
o Raises fines for an employer who hires illegal immigrants from $5000 to $25,000.
o Hires 2000 more Border Patrol agents each year for the next 4 years
o Increases the use of technology for border surveillance
o Constructs a fence along the southern border
Congressman Berry has voted 15 times to improve border security funding. Had Republicans not defeated these amendments, our country would now have over 6,600 more border patrol agents, 14,000 more detention beds and 2,700 more immigration and customs agents. “
Comments
Oh yeah...Congressman Stubby Stumbaugh, R-Ark
sounds mighty good to us. It can and will happen. The only good vote Berry ever cast in congress was for full repeal of the horrible Death Tax.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 01:50 PM
I wonder what Berry (that no good crook) has to say for himself?
Times, are you going to get a response from Berry?
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 01:53 PM
Marion Berry does what is good for Marion Berry and to hell with the congressional district he is supposed to represent!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 01:56 PM
Marion Berry does what is good for Marion Berry and to hell with the congressional district he is supposed to represent!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 01:56 PM
Marion Berry does what is good for Marion Berry and to hell with the congressional district he is supposed to represent!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 02:02 PM
I think Stubby will have a whole lot more than just immigration working to his benefit!
Posted by: janice | July 21, 2006 02:07 PM
Berry is a fire storm and NE Ark loves him. Stubby will come up short (read as phallic joke).
Posted by: Tax Payer | July 21, 2006 02:10 PM
Dear Tax Payer
Don't you know that Berry stills your tax money to fill his own pockets with money that should go to real farm subsidies?
The only people that love Marion are the ones that haven't met Stubby yet!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 02:16 PM
I approve of Berry because of the pay raises he gives state employees! O.k.Just one pay raise to that women...but still...a pay raise.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 02:18 PM
As a rule, illegal aliens contribute much more to America and have higher morals than politicians.
Personally, I believe it is an unalienable right of man to go wherever he needs to in order to find a better life for his family.
We used genocide and slavery to take this land. Do you think that Karma is going to let us off scot free?
People move, societies change, deal with it or be left behind.
Posted by: Roland | July 21, 2006 02:18 PM
Golly, another damn Republican single issue candidate. Stubby, you forgot gays and guns.
This issue is who best represents the district and not himself and that will be Berry.
Posted by: Fed Up to Here | July 21, 2006 02:21 PM
Wow. The mayor didnt even touch on Berry taking 800k on farm subsidies. To a farm he no longer owns.
Or his Girl Friends.
Or his drinking problems.
Mr. Mayor needs to step it up a little bit more and Berry will be on his way back to Gilette.
Posted by: Me. | July 21, 2006 02:22 PM
Has this blog been overtaken by Nazis?
Posted by: jude law | July 21, 2006 02:30 PM
WHEN will we see some polling numbers for the 1st district... i have a feeling marion is VERY vulnerable to stubby
STubs is a great campaigner, if he could just raise some more moolah.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 02:38 PM
I heard the Dems did a poll that show Stubby ahead. Is this true?
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 02:41 PM
Not to mention Berry has gotten very little highway $$ in the last 2 highway bills compared to the rest of the state. Maybe with Stubby we will have a congressman who gives a rip about us.
Posted by: get a road | July 21, 2006 02:42 PM
Stubby a single issue candidate! Ha! Have u not heard about berrys subsidy problem, or he flip flop on gas prices, or his lack of money for highways, or his healthcare votes! Marion is the most partisan person in washington, and its time for him to stop being an embarassment to our state. Stubby can win this race, so I encorage everyone to get behind him!
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 03:14 PM
Wonder how many of those above posts came from the same IP address in Cabot?
Posted by: Working Trolls | July 21, 2006 03:22 PM
what is stubby thinking!? he's not basing his campaign on an old TV show? who is running this campaign! 'the facts of life' isn't taken yet. what about 'the cosby show'?
Posted by: heathcliff huxtable | July 21, 2006 03:35 PM
The only congressional election in 1st District history in which a Republican candidate has topped 45 percent of the vote was in 1994 (the year the Republicans took control of Congress after 40 years in the minority).
Since then, the Republican performance has only gotten worse. In 1996, Warren Dupwe got 44%. In 1998, the Republicans couldn't even find anyone to run against a freshman Democrat. In 2000, Susan Myshka got 40%; in 2002, Tommy Robinson got 33%; in 2004, Vernon Humphrey got 33%.
Stubby has no money and no credibility. Whatever you think of Marion Berry, he isn't going anywhere.
The Republicans' only shot at winning this seat is when it comes open again (likely in '08) and if the Democrats nominated a total idiot who was caught in bed with a dead person of the opposite sex or a live person of the same sex.
Posted by: reality check | July 21, 2006 03:48 PM
The posts touting Stubby would look more realistic if you took the time to space them out a little.
Browse more between posts. Don't be so impatient looking for responses.
Of course, Stubs never was one prone to finesse.
Anyway, trolling is a fine art....seems you haven't yet mastered it.
Posted by: Cabotian | July 21, 2006 03:49 PM
Why is Cabot in the 1st district? Take Stubby to Forrest City, Earle, Hughes, Helena and Marianna. That is the 1st district in a nutshell. Gays, guns and immigration dont play to the hungry, poor and under-educated
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 04:40 PM
The reason you haven't seen any polling is because there is no need for it. Stubby has no money, no name recognition, and no chance. If Marion et. al thought this guy could get over 30% they would spend the money for a poll. With the situation deteriorating in Washington every day, it will be hard for any republican to even hang onto his seat much less pick one up.
Posted by: Robbie Bullock | July 21, 2006 04:49 PM
These blogs were so well-intentioned. Too bad they have become useless, juvenile and downright mean.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 04:56 PM
The Times had such good intentions when it provided readers with the opportunity to post on these blogs. Readers could interact and discuss issues, political or otherwise, in a constructive manner.
Too bad they have become useless, juvenile and downright mean.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 04:58 PM
Say what you want Pritt gets everything he deserves in my oponion
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 05:59 PM
The Cook Report from Washington D. C. seems to think Berry is finished. If he ever did anything to benefit his constituents he would be safe. As it is . . .
Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2006 08:35 PM