Obama discusses immigration policy with actresses and TV personalities

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   OLYHOOCHposted 13 years ago

   What the HECK kind of a game is Obama playing now. Could one of you tell me what part of this picture, I don't get.
   
   I see that, WE, still do not have a voice in the issues that are ruining our country.
   
   OLY
   
   
   The White House sent out a press release this morning promoting President Obama's meeting with “influential Hispanics from across the country to discuss the importance of fixing the broken immigration system...”
   
   Among the attendees highlighted by the White House as it works to address this serious national problem: actresses Eva Longoria, America Ferrera and Rosario Dawson; musician Emilio Estefan; model and television personality Lily Estefan; Univision hosts Maria Elena Salinas and Don Francisco; Telemundo anchors Vanessa Hauc and Jose Diaz-Balart; television host Barbara Bermudo and radio host Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo.
   
   All this really tells us is that Obama is in full campaign mode. Having failed to do anything for Hispanics when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, Obama is now going to put on a masquerade that he intends to do something about immigration. And should he release a proposal, he'll use any opposition from House Republicans to fire up Hispanics for his reelection bid.
   
   
   Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/bel … z1KvKOpw00

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      DTR0005posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed Oly.. probably not a good idea. I like him, for the most part, but liking and respecting does not automatically get his a "day pass..." Good article.

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         HattieMattieMaeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         They trying to boycott you Oly, Lord! Some people! If they don't want to read your forum than don't read it, but boycott someone just because they don't agree with you. We must all be boycotted than! lol

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            DTR0005posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            The man's a little different and he doesn't play on my "team," but you can tell he's a good guy - I hate bullying.

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               HattieMattieMaeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Yeah seems to be a good guy!  I don't think we have to agree with eachother that is what makes us all different! Unique and wonderful! If we were all the same, we would be pretty boring!

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            OLYHOOCHposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Well, after all, it is our country and WE are the only ones that seem to have something to say.
            
            I do see his next move, OH,by the way. Monday, The Obama's will be on Opra.
            
            We here in Montana are getting ready for our run off. It will be a dandy.
            
            OLY

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      Brenda Durhamposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree that Obama's asking the wrong people.  Or at least he's not taking the average citizen's opinions into account.  The immigration issue affects everyone, not just Hispanics, and certainly not just a sprinkling of citizens with actors and tv personalities mixed in there.

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         DTR0005posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Brenda you are quite correct - it affects everyone of us. Americans have some of the lowest food costs in the world. This is due, in large part, to the fact that our agricultural system runs on Hispanic labor. And little of it is "legal" labor. The reason you don't pay $10.00 a pound for tomatos is because there is an Hispanic behind the scenes working for next-to-nothing. The same holds true in the building trades industry though we, as conumers, don't benefit from the reduced costs of production.
         Take a close look the next time you drive by a home or business under construction. You will likely note that the faces aren't lilly white. Coincidence? not hardly... If you are a general contractor in the US, you enjoy about an additional 15-20% profit per job by using "illegals." So the question is: who creates this market for illegals? Hint - it's not other illegals. It's you neighbor down the street who is the small business man, it's the farmer on the outskirts of town - it's us. You appear to be a firm believer in free enterprise as am I, but free enterprise has also brought some of these problems.

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            Mighty Momposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Very true! And let's not forget our housekeepers/cleaning ladies and building janitors and lawn care providers.
            There are jobs that Mexicans will gladly take that Americans turn their noses up at.
            So if the illegals went away we'd be in a world of hurt. That labor force would not be immediately replaced with willing white folks.
            
            Let's face it. We have one huge-ass labor problem in the US. Both skilled and manual jobs are being outsourced/insourced to non-Americans. Some offshore to other countries, some to immigrants right here.
            But its so entrenched in the system now. Who wants to be the first employer in their industry to stop using the cheap labor and give the work to Americans (for muchhigher pay)? Don't all jump up at once, now!

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   Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

   Immigration reform is still an important issue to Obama and the Dems. He's smart to appeal to Latino celebrities. That is how outreach is done these days.
   Obama is putting immigration reform back on the front burner. yes it is a campaign move. Yes he needs and wants this voter base. Is there anything wrong with that?
   
   
   See below, especially the LAST PARAGRAPH. If we're gonna raise this topic, let's look at both sides, shall we?
   
   
   "Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress had talked consistently over the past two years about their intention to push forward with immigration reform, as they'd promised to do on the campaign trail in 2008. But the protracted healthcare battle and stagnant economy deprived Congress of the time and political capital to tackle comprehensive reform."
   
   "Instead, in the lame-duck Congress, the House passed the DREAM Act, a more limited bill providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. But even this measure failed in the Senate, when most Republicans and some Democrats joined together to sustain a filibuster of the legislation."
   
   Democrats have vowed to return again to the DREAM Act and immigration reform, but it's tough to see how such legislation would advance through the now-Republican House.
   
   "Right now you see a contradiction on the part of the Republicans because securing our borders had always been part of comprehensive reform; securing our borders, unifying our families, path to legalization. Right now, just last week what they did was slashed the funding for security at the border,"

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      KFlippinposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yep, it is still an important issue, and yep he no doubt knows and/or is advised to appeal to Latin celebrities, does not make his empty and meaningless stance any more palatable...or meaningful -- it is strictly about votes, I doubt he gives a rat's ass about immigration policy beyond that.  Why would he?  We are a nasty mean country...who the heck would want to come here???????
      
      And the 'Dream Act' is crap, politically motivated Harry Reid crap.

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         Mighty Momposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Apparently on the nasty mean country scale we rate better than Mexico. Mexicans risk their lives all the time to get into the US.
         And we object in the abstract, but when it comes right down to it, we still hire them.

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            DTR0005posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Great point Mighty Mom. I was debating this issue, in person, with a conservative friend of mine last week. If you buy into the idea of supply and demand, then you must apply it to the demand for cheap labor that American business owners "creat" that in turn drives the supply of cheap labor coming over the border - legal or otherwise.
            I proposed to my friend the following: make the penalties for hiring illegals so stiff and onorous that it would seriously make American business think twice about illegal hiring.
            His response was this: "Well, won't that drive the price of goods and services up in the building trades, argricultural sector up?"
            And the "eureka moment" struck him like a bolt from the blue -
            So we bitch and bitch about illegal immigrant labor all the while reaping the benefit - both as the consumer in lower prices and as the producer in greater profit.

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         uncorrectedvisionposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         There are too many Republicans backing the "Dream Act."

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            Doug Hughesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            No, there are not enough republicans supporting the Dream Act. But as teabaggers influence wanes, sane legislation will gain bipartisan support.

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   ahorsebackposted 13 years ago

   President Obamas special attachment at the hip to hollywood has always been evident,  Yes , lets let hollywood decide foriegn policy ! They are really good at  war profiteering aren't they? And they blame Halitburton for war!  Susan Sharendon, Tim Robbins , Sean Penn , Johnny Depp , I vote for Bullwinkle. At least he had horns.

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