Texas Rep Asks Asians To Change Their Names

AUSTIN — A Republican North Texas legislator (Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell ) during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are “easier for Americans to deal with.”

“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said

Click here for the article.

um..Betty, you don't need to know how to speak Chinese to say someone's name.

We're all Human - How Even Nativists Have a Heart

Kirsten Gillibrand, Chris Simcox, Darrell Issa, & Duncan Hunter at the bottom

Too often this blog points out instances where people are at their worst. We're all human so let's show them when they're at their best.

1) NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, we were hard on her when she was first appointed but she's been working to prove us wrong. First, she surprised us by being able to converse in Mandarin, speaking a foreign language is a very un-nativist trait. Now she just signed on as a co-sponsor to the DREAM Act. You're doing alright Kirsten.

2) Chris Simcox the head of the self appointed border patrol agents called the minutemen has recently come out in tepid support of the Dream Act. Awwwwww....he doesn't want to imprison innocent children.

3)Immigrant hater and congressman Duncan Hunter. While Duncan is vilifying immigrants and stroking the flames of hate, his brother John is setting up water stations for desperate migrants trying to cross the desert. John has saved many lives with the water stations and surprisingly Duncan has not tried to stop him. Awwwwww....he didn't try to stop his brother from saving poor and desperate human beings from dying in the desert.

4) Self-described Immigrant hater and congressman Darrell Issa. According to John Duncan (the man who sets up life saving water stations for migrants crossing the desert) Darrell secretly donated $25,000 to his organization. Typically, politicians love to exploit their "good will" for politician gain but Issa might have been afraid what his rapid and hateful anti-immigrant following would have thought about him trying to save immigrant lives. Issa you bastard, grow a pair and do what you know is right. It's too late, we already know you have a heart, it turns out you're just lacking a spine.

Republicans Show Their Hatred of Legal Immigrant Children

The SCHIP battle continues and this time Republicans hate immigration so much they are brazenly going after innocent legal 4 year old immigrants. As outlandish as that sounds, it's the sad truth. Ugh. What happened to that party?

1) Many of these same people love to say they are only opposed to "illegal immigrants" when in reality they are opposed to all immigrants, including the majority of legal immigrants. Former President Bush had this say, "well, Republicans don't like immigrants." Now, that may be fair or unfair, but that's the image that came out". I think it's a pretty fair and accurate image.

2) They're children! What kind of society are we that we turn a sick child away at the emergency room? Keep in mind, immigrants do not qualify for most public services yet pay taxes just like everyone else. They aren't "leaches" as some Republican Law makers might lead you think. They pay their fair share. This isn't a act of charity, rather one of fairness and justice.

Anti-Immigration Democrat to Replace Hillary Clinton in Senate ?

PIX NEWS is being told that Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand is the reported choice of Governor David Paterson to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. Two Congressional sources say members of the New York delegation have been invited to join Governor Paterson for the announcement in Albany at noon tomorrow.

Kirsten Gillibrand is no friend of immigrants in a heavily immigrant state. She is no Hillary Clinton and is not worthy of being her replacement. It's easy to talk tough and vilify immigrants when you're upstate with few immigrants there to challenge the impression you give people with your inflammatory remarks. Let's see you try that downstate Kirsten where people actually have contact with immigrants everyday and can see through your B.S.

Update: Gillibrand now says she supports the DREAM Act and is open to Comprehensive Immigration Reform. She probably avoided a major primary challenge by changing her stance on the issue, she will most likley remain a Senator after the next election. I'm really hoping she's genuine in her support and this isn't just an act of survival in an immigrant heavy state. My advice to her: actions speak louder than words Kirsten, show us you care about the tired, the poor, the huddled masses if you want to win over the loyalty of New Yorkers. New Yorkers like someone with a big heart who isn't scared of ethnic sounding names.

Undocumented Workers At Homeland Security Secretary's Home

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the nation's top immigration official had undocumented immigrants cleaning his home.
Click here for the Washington Post Story

Click here for more immigration officials caught using undocumented labor.

Immigration Lawmakers and Enforcers Breaking the Law

The Chief Border Patrol Officer in New England was charged with hiring undocumented immigrants and will probably go to jail. Big deal, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Gordon Smith all hired undocumented immigrants. Are any of them going to jail? Nope. I smell hypocrites.

Makes sense that these employers are opposed to legalization, can't exploit them if they come out of the shadows.

Click here for more on the Border Patrol Officer in New England that hired the undocumented worker.

Click here for yet another Immigration Investigator who harbored an undocumented girlfriend.

Click here, here, and here for cases in which immigration authorities were found guilty of sexual assualt on immigrants.

Click here for a white supremacists ICE agent.

Click here for another chief border patrol officer found guilty of child rape.

All of these people strongly believe poor and desperate immigrants who risk their lives to come looking for work so they can to feed their families should follow the law even if it means watching their children starve. Wonder how they feel about their own less noble intentions.

Peter King - DREAM Act Supporter?

Whodathunkit????

But yep, Petey - "Lou Dobbs is my Hero and I never miss a chance to be on his show" King was a co-sponsor of a version of the DREAM Act called the Student Adjustment Act in 2001 that would have allowed children brought to the U.S. to have their own pathway to Legal Permanent Residence (click here to learn more about the DREAM Act).

This is so out of character.

After the Dust Settles - Politics and Immigration in 2008

77% of incumbent Republicans who lost were part of the anti-immigrant Immigration Reform Caucus.

90% House races where immigration became a hot button issue, the more pro-immigration candidate won.

In the Senate, 100% of races where immigration became a hot button issue went for the pro-immigration candidate.

Click here for more Analysis from America's Voice.

See Also: Why Nativists Can't Win Elections

Reason Magazine - The Oh-So Incredible Success of Anti-Immigration Politics

Not to beat a dead burro, but let's check: How has the Great Immigrant Backlash of 2006-2007 affected the GOP? The folk hero of the movement, Hazelton, PA Mayor Lou Barletta, has lost his challenge to mummified Democrat Paul Kanjorski. I don't recall a single public poll that showed Kanjorski winning. But he did.

The Democrats have gained two Senate seats in the Southwest, in Colorado and in New Mexico, as those states fell to Barack Obama (along with Nevada). At this hour they look to have picked up one House seat in Nevada, one in Colorado, one in Arizona, and two in New Mexico, all while losing nothing from their 2006 sweep in the area.

It's yet more evidence that immigration restrictionism is terrible politics. On this, Karl Rove was right. Click here for the full article.

Obama won big among Hispanics -- with GOP's help

First of many posts on the 2008 election results.

Frank Sharry, head of America's Voice, an immigration reform advocacy group, says the immigration issue hurt McCain badly among Hispanics at the national level.

''McCain's record on immigration makes him a hero for Latino immigrants, but the Republican Party is a threat to Latino immigrants,'' Sharry told me Tuesday night. 'And the `R' next to McCain's name was like an anchor that sunk his chances of winning the presidency.''Click here for the full article.

A New America

The nativists nightmare has come true. We have a president who is half white, half black, the son of an immigrant, brother of an Asian American, lived aboard as a child, and has an undocumented aunt. For the rest of us, we just have a new president who (cross your fingers) will bring on change. We've come a long way in accepting diversity (well not all of us...cough Tancredo).

% of vote Obama received broken down by ethnicity.

61% Asian
66% Latino
43% Caucasian
95% African American
65% Other (ex. Barrack Obama)

Someone pass the GOP a stiff drink.

New Mexico GOP Trying To Scare Latino Voters

Minority voters in New Mexico report to TPMmuckraker that a private investigator working with Republican party lawyer Pat Rogers has appeared in person at the homes of their family members, intimidating and confusing them about their right to vote in the general election.

Individuals who have questions or concerns about their voting rights should call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)

Thank you for Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition blog

Senator Stevens - Seven Time Convicted Felon Has No Sympathy for Law Breaking Toddlers

Senator Stevens is a law man. A year ago Stevens even voted to punish children for the actions of others by voting against the DREAM Act. According to Stevens, those toddlers should have known better when they were being carried across the border.

Anyways, Stevens was found guilty of not one but SEVEN felonies today. Yet, he expects everyone to ignore this and let him continue doing his job of making laws. He's asking for......what's the word I'm looking for? Am-something.......Amnesia? Amnesic?...wait AMNESTY.

It's safe to assume a toddler who is carried across the border or a 5 year old who overstays his visa is innocent. They most likely had no idea what was happening and even if they did, they have no say over the action. Yet Senator Stevens keeps referring to these kids as criminals. Unauthorized presence in the U.S. is not a crime, and crossing the border as a child is not a crime. Under no definition of the criminal justice system are these children guilty, yet they face the punishment and jail time in detention facilitates which are known to sexually and physically abuse minors.

Senator Stevens on the other hand is guilty of knowingly committing an actual crime, 7 felonies.Yet Stevens wants amnesty for his crimes. If he has the nerve to ask for amnesty for his seven felonies. I think he should find it in his heart to give it to innocent children who aren't guiltily of any crimes.

Stevens, you are not above the law. You were not a child when you violated U.S. laws and you knew perfectly well what was happening. You have a pretty strict interpretation of the law when it comes to poor immigrant children, I guess you're more forviging when it comes to corrupt U.S. Senators.


Related Scum: David Vitter, Pete Domenici

Sen. McConnell Insults New Yorkers, Immigrants, and Most of All Kentuckians

Comments have been (smartly) disabled. Go to The Wonkette to leave your comment because they discovered this gem. Is this what McConnell thinks people in Kentucky imagine New Yorkers or even Jewish people sound like?

By the way, Both Comprehensive Immigration Reforms of 2006 and 2007 as well as the DREAM Act strictly forbid felons from becoming legal residents. Way to exploit the most desperate population in the country Mitch. Classy.

New Attack Ad Against Obama

A new attack ad against Obama put out by a Republican leaning group and the gist of the ad is summed by perfectly by the Wonkette
"Angry black guy trying to give a 9/11 terrorist as many drivers licenses as he and his illegal Mexican Muslim friends."
Click here for the Wonkette article

Obama Making His Own Rendition of a New American Flag?

If you want a good laugh, click here.

What you will see is real and people send hundreds of thousands of dollars to this idiot.

John Kennedy Ran Spanish Ads in 1960

That's our former first lady making a Spanish ad for her husband. So to all you xenophobes attacking McCain and Obama for running Spanish ads this year, get over it. It's an American tradition. That's gotta hurt to learn there's more to this country than your narrow perspective.

If you're like me and don't speak spanish here's a translation.

“Dear friends, I am the wife of Senator John F. Kennedy candidate for the presidency of the United States. In these times of great danger when world peace is threatened by Communism we need a firm hand in the White House, a leader capable of guiding our destinies. My husband will watch out for the interests of all the sectors of society that need the protection of a humanitarian government. For the future of our children and in order to achieve world peace, please vote for the Democratic Party on November 8th.

“Long Live Kennedy!”

Thanks to the television series Mad Men for bringing this to my attention.

George Allen Sent to Encourage Minority GOP Participation?

What was the KKK busy?

It's as though they are intentionally trying to sabotage the party.

Finally -- real minority outreach from the GOP. The Virginia Republicans have a big rally coming up this Saturday that's designed to reach out to minority voters in Fairfax County.

Guess who is one of the featured speakers?
George Allen. Yes, that George Allen.

We checked in with the state GOP to ask if Allen is really an effective front-man for the party's efforts to win over minorities, given the "macaca" scandal.

First the party goes after immigrants and Republican voters reject that approach by nominating John McCain. Then the dimwits create a party platform that will make the most conservative immigrant register as a Democrat. Now George Allen who doesn't think you can possibly be a real American if you don't have white skin is sent out for minority outreach. I'm taking bets on how long this party can survive.




FYI: Think back to 2006, George Allen is the confederate flag loving former Senator from Virgina who "welcomed" an American citizen of Indian ancestry to Virgina and America and called him a derogatory name. The person in question unlike Allen was a native Virginian who was born in the U.S.. It was later found that Allen used more racially offensive terms in college and was ashamed of his mother's Jewish background. A winner on so many levels. Kudos to Virgina for kicking him out.

Politics of Immigration

We miss the old John McCain, the John McCain we helped get the nomination. We got you this far John, don't turn your back on the pro-immigrant crowd AKA the American people now.

Republicans and Immigration - Take Note John McCain

Stop ignoring pro-immigrant Republicans! We got you this far, if you put fringe xenophobes ahead of the American people, you will have done more damage to your party than Tom Tancredo could have ever done on his own. Take a look at this Washington Post / ABC News Survey

16. (ASKED OF LEANED REPUBLICANS) Regardless of who you may support, who do you trust
most to handle (ITEM)?
Immigration issues
McCain    27
Giuliani  17       
Huckabee  15

Romney    11
Thompson   9   
If I were to rank the candidates on their views on immigraiton in terms of
rationality & unwillingness to succumb to immigrant bashing it would go as follows:

McCain
Giuliani
Huckabee
Romney
Thompson

See a trend?
If you were to listen to the media or some of the republican candidates  you would
come away thinking republicans are xenophobic bigots who hate all "foreigners".
This assumption is derogatory and the fact that some republican candidates think they
need to pander to a very small xenophobic segment of their electorate is disturbing
and insulting to the Republican party as a whole.