(IA R) King: Fence off Mexican border

[leQ]

The Des Moines Register has an article about our representative stooge suggesting that we fence off our country from mexico. what bothers me is that he thinks only the mexican border is porous.

U.S. Rep. Steve King said Monday he's not ready to propose building a wall between the United States and Mexico, but a 10-foot-tall chain-link fence topped with razor wire would be a good start.

"It could well find its way into legislation in the next month or two," King said during an immigration control forum in Des Moines.

The Iowa Republican said building a 2,000-mile-long fence would cost about $680 million and slow border crossings. But he and other supporters of dramatic reduction in illegal immigration have more immediate policy proposals - and a national political agenda - they hope will fundamentally slow the illegal flow out of Mexico.

"This is about presidential politics. I make no bones about it," King said. "I want Iowans to understand immigration policy, and I want them to challenge the presidential candidates when they get here and ask them the hard questions."

notice the 9/11 member as part of their group.

[Gman]

1. So easy for this idiot to say sitting up there in Iowa

I wonder if he's ever been to S Texas. I'd like to see how he proposes to get a fence built on the river along the King Ranch. The King Ranch told the Minutemen to stay off their land. The King Ranch is bigger than some states.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Wouldn't it be easier just to invade and annex Mexico?

--p!

[HereSince1628]

4. Been there, seen it, done it, 175 years ago, we took what we wanted

and left them the rest...

I am afraid that Latin American immigrants will get the brunt of the American backlash against off-shoring. Xenophobia ought not be the solution to crappy international trade treaties.

[Tace]

7. I Was Thinking The Same Thing...

But, then it occured to me they'd still want the fence.

[olddad56]

24. I live in Ca., I'd rather Mexico just annexed Ca. I'd get a better govt.

[murray hill farm]

3. I think it is a great idea....stupid, but great!

See what happens when those border communities and the rest of the USA has to go even one "day without a mexican"..a good movie if you want to rent it..ha! For this reason....no fence will be built.

[meganmonkey]

12. I just borrowed that from someone

I'll probably watch it tonite or tomorrow :)

[meganmonkey]

5. And is Mr. King going to walk up and down the fence every day

throught the desertto make sure no one is cutting holes in it?

Maybe a big concrete wall would work better :eyes:

[Tace]

9. Hell No!

We need a trillion-dollar Star Wars force field, of course.

[ugarte]

22. And how deep do you pour the concrete?

Tunnels??

[meganmonkey]

30. I'll go with Tace's idea for a fancy force-field

That sounds cool. And pobably much more expensive, too, so the military companies can make more money, because they never seem to have enough :P

[madmom]

6. Shit our Mexican brothers and sisters do a better job ...

of keeping religious zealots off our southern border than any blowhard r/w asshole.It's not about politics,it's about trying to support a family.

[Bridget Burke]

8. Yeah, build a fence in the middle of the Rio Grande....

Too bad that Iowa may lose its Lily White status...

[DU9598]

11. Strike

I think the best way to put this whole anti-immigrant BS to bed is to organize a strike of all undocumented workers. American business and consumers would be SOL as soon as the prices went up to pay for the wages of us "real" Americans.

I bet even this idiot congressman would want the undocumented workers back as soon as his hamburger went to $5.99/lb. and his strawberries tripled in price.

[madmom]

13. I'll bet this ...

elitist bastard doesn't know what hamburger is.Conversely these AMERICANS are looking for at least one square meal a day.Imho it's going to take a much bigger better organized strike than that.These folks are tired of doing it alone , thats why they are here.

[Bluzmann57]

20. Um...Iowa has a lot of minorities

And the Governor encourages Mexicans and others to come to our state. This state, at least the eastern part, welcomes diversity. A Mexican couple just bought the house next door, from a white child molestor who is now in prison, there is a large Vietnamese population here. Yep, we are lily white indeed. You must be a big city person who stereotypes all Iowans as hicks and rubes.

[Bridget Burke]

25. Iowa is 91% white....

www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/cgi-bin/healthfacts.cgi?action=profile&area=Iowa&category=Demographics+and+the+Economy

But we have racists here in Texas, too.

Yes, I come from Houston. Aren't you stereotyping all "big city" persons?

[IA_Seth]

34. In his defense...

I would guess that at least 85% of all of Iowa's minorities live in our bigger cities, which happen to be mostly in Eastern Iowa, were we are mainly Democrats. Western Iowa on the other hand is very white and very republican.

I will have to look for exact figures, but most of us Democrats that live in Eastern Iowa don't take to kindly to the whole "lilly white" routine. We have to deal with Western Iowa enough without it being rubbed in our faces!

Anyway, there is your quick lesson on Iowa culture!

[BulletproofLandshark]

10. A $680 Million Dollar Fence

That would be immediately be rendered ineffective by a $20 pair of wire cutters from a local hardware store.

[Massacure]

16. Not really. Concrete would cost about $565 million.

Assuming $80 per cubic yard and a fence that is 9 feet high and buried 9 feet deep. The fence would be 12 inches thick.

[ugarte]

23. Pretty much sums up America

Concrete walls, concrete brains. Life in the bunker.

[Massacure]

36. I'll agree with that.

[A Simple Game]

14. building a 2,000-mile-long fence would cost about $680 million

Could probably do it for $450 million using illegal labor.

[Dez]

15. *LoL*

that's a good one hehehe

[underpants]

18. Very funny_I could see this happening

at the very end all the glorified patriots are there to mark the wall being completed, the illegals ask if they want them to put in the last piece, the gringos say yes and look at each other with much self satisfaction, the last piece goes in, the gringos realize they are on the wrong side of the wall, the illegals walk off laughing.

I thought we were supposed to be AGAINST walls. Did I remember something wrong?

[A Simple Game]

27. I like your scenario. n/t

[Horse with no Name]

39. ooohhhh I saw this on Night Gallery with Rod Serling

when I was a kid.
The evil husband was building a wall while his wife sat smiling in a rocking chair...never realizing that he was walling himself in.

On reflection, maybe it was Tales from the Darkside...

Anyway...always thought it was poetic justice.

[KansDem]

17. Great! Then we could dub it "The Mesquite Curtain"

We need some kind of curtain after the Iron Curtain and the Bamboo Curtain have fallen... Something to keep the fear of Americans elevated for maximum profit.

Hey, maybe the fundies could post the "10 Commandments" on it every few yards, in both English and Spanish!

[underpants]

19. Mr. King... TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!!!!

[NewJeffCT]

21. A guy in Connecticut ran for Congress last year on this idea

He got trounced by John Larson, though. Still kind of shocking to hear it in Connecticut.

[H5N1]

26. Another 'monument to man's stupidity

[VegasWolf]

28. I guess they don't have those fence cutters down in Mexico!?! nt

[IA_Seth]

35. LOL

This yahoo is from my state and that was my first thought too.

What a jackass. This guy seems to say more for shock value than he does for actual legitimate discussion.

[screembloodymurder]

29. Hope they don't put one up on the Canadian border.

The Canadians that is.

[geniph]

31. If business wanted the flow of illegal immigrants stopped,

then it would be stopped. The dirty little not-so-secret about immigration is that business relies on it to keep wages low in this country and to help prevent unionization of jobs like slaughterhouses and agriculture.

The far right's reasons for opposing the flow of immigrants is primarily racist and xenophobic, but that doesn't mean they're always wrong about it being a problem. If there weren't illegal immigrants willing to take the shit jobs and the illegally low wages, then employers would be forced to pay a decent wage for the maids and nannies and strawberry pickers.

I've been seeing some of the xenophobic right-wing anti-immigration types starting to question Bu$h and his pro-corporatist failure to close the border.

[Kolesar]

32. Big business profits while the republican xenophobes have someone to hate

That sounds like a win-win for the gops. Don't expect this policy to change anytime soon.

[northzax]

33. I hear there are a lot of unemployed people in Germany

many of them with experience in the Stasi, I'm sure, they know a little something about building walls...



hey doofus! walls don't stop people who are willing to die to cross them. Never have, never will.

I know a way to stop illegal immigration immediately. Pass a simple law:

a:any person who exchanges any sort of good or service with an undocumented person to do anything shall be sentenced to a term of no less than six months and no longer than 12 months, for each infraction. The first offense shall be considered a class A misdemeanor, any additional offenses shall be considered a Felony.
b:Any corporation that exchanges any sort of a good or service with an undocumented worker shall be subject to a fine of $150,000 per occurence, and incarceration, following the above guidelines, for the person approving such an exchange, as well as the chief executive, director, managing partner or other such person.
c: verification of documentation shall be the sole responsiblity of the employer.
d:The Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration shall establish a toll free telephone number to facilitate verification of documentation.
d 1: Within seven (7) days of the commencement of such employment, and irregardless of the duration of employment, the employer shall submit to the Department of Homeland security a signed affadavit from the responsible party (as outlined in a and b) verifying the employment documentation of the worker. Failure to do so shall result in a penalty equal to that in sections a and b, whichever is relevant.
d 2:The Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Social Security Administration shall verify the documents submitted. Should these documents be false, the employer is subject to a penalty of one half that specified in a and b. The worker is subject to immediate expulsion from the United States of America.
d 3: employers shall be exempt from unlawful employment law if they are unable to verify employment eligibility to a reasonable standard.
e: The Department of Homeland Security shall establish a corps of inspectors, to be funded by congress and penalties levied on violators, to ensure compliance with this law.
f: Congress hereby establishes a reward fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of employers in violation of this law. Rewards shall not be less than $10,000 per incident, or exceed $100,000 for one employer convicted. This money shall be exempt from Federal, State and Local income taxes.


BOOM. no more illegal immigration. Once the Smiths do a jail term for hiring Manuel to do their gardening, it's all over. Note that the responsiblity for verification lies with the employer, false documents are THEIR fault, as well as the employees's. Also note that ignorance of someone's status is not an excuse under the law. It is your job to verify the information before you hire someone to do ANYTHING. And your neighbor stands to gain by turning you in.

whaddya think? sure it'll grind our economy to a halt, but hey, it'll get rid of the illegals.

[wli]

38. dissolving corporations convicted of such would be better than fines n/t

[northzax]

40. that's why I specifiy jail time for not just the hiring officer

but the Chief Executive as well. If Apple hires an undocumented worker, anywhere in the corporate hierarchy, Steve Jobs goes to jail. Dissolving corporations would injure the other workers, and you don't think the CEO will put strong restrictions in place, if he's the one going to the slammer for something his underlings did? plus, dissolving a corporation is simply a headache, what happens to all the assets, let alone the debts? do they get confiscated by the government and sold at auction? imagine trying to deliver the corporate death penalty to, say GE. better to target the responsible officers with jail time, the ultimate in equitable punishments.

Say that Disneyland hires an undocumented worker for it's custodial staff. or hell, the accounting staff, whatever. Rather than shutting down all operations, and eliminating billions in shareholder value (myself included, full disclosure) put the hiring officer, whoever that is, and Michael Eisner both in jail for six months. That way the senior people can't pressure subordinates to take the chances, while they reap the rewards. One or two, and it'll stop.

[AlCzervik]

37. I bet one of his donors is Cyclone Fence.