April 23, 2010
Brewer to Hopey McChange: Eff Off
I'm sure you heard it elsewhere first, but Arizona's legislature passed a bill requiring law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone they suspect may be in the country illegally. the bill was in more or less direct response to the federal government refusing to do their job of defending the border.
Arizona governor Jan Brewer had three options today:
- veto the bill
- let the bill pass without signing it
- sign the bill
It was rumored that Brewer wasn't in favor of the bill and may have even wanted to veto it, and she was certainly getting a lot of pressure to do just that. At most, there was an expectation that she might allow the bill to become law without signing it.
And then Barack Obama had to open his mouth, calling the legislature and people of Arizona "misguided," and made the not at all subtle threat of directing his Justice Department to see what they could do to overturn it.
Obviously, that didn't sit well with Governor Brewer, who decided her citizens needed real hope and change, not empty rhetoric:
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday signed into law a controversial bill that seeks to crack down on illegal immigration.The sweeping measure will make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It will also require local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally.
It takes effect 90 days after the current legislative sessions end in the next several weeks.
Before signing the bill, Brewer called the measure "another step forward in protecting the state of Arizona."
She said the bill "represents another tool for our state to use as we work to solve a crisis that we did not create and the federal government has refused to fix -- the crisis caused by illegal immigration."
That Brewer signed the bill—and chose to follow up the signing with the rhetorical shot across Obama's box—seem to be in direct response to his attempt to bully the Governor into vetoing the bill.
One of these day he might learn to keep his mouth shut when all it can do is get him in trouble... but I doubt it will be any time soon.
He can't help himself. Being Teh Won and all.
Posted by: Maxx at April 23, 2010 10:49 PMPapers please.
Is this the way we really want to go?
Fire away!
What the hell! We don't need no steenkeen laws!
Just throw the gates open and let any and everyone in.
How about we just mirror Mexico's immigration laws?
What could be more fair than that?
I want to move to Arizona.
Posted by: Chevy at April 24, 2010 09:30 AMThe best part of all this is that Obama put Brewer in office. Good work, Baracky!
Posted by: Pablo at April 24, 2010 02:24 PMPapers please. Is this the way we really want to go? Fire away! Posted by Larry at April 24, 2010 05:41 AM
So checking health insurance papers for American citizens is ok, but checking to see if someone who doesn't speak English is in this country illegally is not?
Just what kind of crap are you trying to pull? As if we didn't know.
Posted by: iconoclast at April 25, 2010 02:17 AMIf I were Larry, I'd burn my driver's license and passport. It demeans and diminishes him each and every time someone asks for ID.
Posted by: Pablo at April 25, 2010 08:31 AMI really wouldn't want to be pulled over and be asked to prove that I'm here legally. As far as I know, you can get a driver's license while being an illegal alien, so that isn't going to cut it as proof. I'm not about to start carrying my birth certificate around in my wallet.
Although, if I have to choose between that and open borders with no way to deport the illegals... I guess I'd choose to carry around my birth certificate. If the government would just do a better job of securing the border, we wouldn't be in this awkward position.
Posted by: Rusty at April 25, 2010 12:46 PMFor the past ten years or so, I've been carrying my passport when I go to the polls, partly in silent protest against the fact that we do in Texas issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens, many of whom don't even speak English. Think for a minute how you would feel if a non-English speaking non-citizen struck your car with his and left the scene. Fat chance you'd have of getting him to pay damages. He'd be long gone while you were still dragging your bloody body out of the wreck.
I like having a passport. My ancestors were here before this country was officially the United States of America, and I was born 82 years ago into a country which still respected itself and its citizens. Now we give driver's licenses to any old invader who crosses our border illegally and sets up shop and signs up for food stamps.
I'm with Gov. Brewer on the bill she signed. I just wish/hope/pray that Texas passes one too, as well as New Mexico and any other border state that does not yet have the protection of a border fence to keep out the drug cartels and other violent aliens.
This isn't a pinochle game, folks. It's life and death. It also isn't rocket science. Every other civilized nation in the western world has armed guards along their borders to protect them from invaders. Maybe each state should use its National Guard forces to protect its borders.
Marianne Matthews
Posted by: Marianne Matthews at April 25, 2010 04:17 PMAs far as I know, you can get a driver's license while being an illegal alien, so that isn't going to cut it as proof.
According to the law, it certainly will. It is one of several documents that will rebut any reasonable suspicion an officer once have. Flash your license, ID card, passport or green card and you're good to go.
I know you're not really supposed to, but I have copies of my birth certificate and my social security card in my wallet along with my driver's license. I wouldn't mind at all if (assuming someone had reason to suspect I wasn't an American citizen) someone asked me for proof. Seems to me that it works the same way as guns or profiling on airplanes, legals shouldn't mind and should, in fact, be grateful.
Posted by: Kat at April 28, 2010 01:25 PM
