Mood:
brightTopic: Yahoo Chat Stuff
Entire Squad Reenlists in Iraq
I found the story below but don't have a non-subscription link for it. I'll post one later if I find it. I thought it interesting - especially, amidst the doom and gloom being reported. While I've posted about huge re-enlistments in Iraq before (I think the Idaho National Guard has the record), this seemingly small act is very important because you win wars with small units like 3rd Squad/2nd Platoon of Bravo Company, 5th Engineers
!
(These guys are heroes and warriors of the highest order.) \/
Entire Squad From Co. B, 5th Eng. Bn.
Reenlists Together
and I'm very proud to be a participant in reenlisting this fine 'Beast' squad of the 'Fighting 5th' Engineer Battalion," said Brig. Gen. Robin Timmons, commander, 16th Eng. Bde., who conducted the reenlistment ceremony.
"This simultaneous reenlistment shows your unique cohesiveness, respect and confidence in each other and to the military," he told the squad.
1st Sgt. Douglas Gault, Co. B, 5th Eng. Bn., credited the squad's leader, Staff Sgt. Ramon Martinez on his leadership for the team's unique commitment.
"This squad reenlisting together shows the loyalty and confidence in their squad leader and the mission - that's what leadership is about, 100 percent loyalty," said Gault.
Staff Sgt. Martinez, a combat engineer from Yuma, Ariz., has 12 years of military service and has been assigned to the squad for the past year. He attributed his Soldiers' commitment, pride in their mission and a bit of luck as real factors in his squad's rare reenlistment opportunity.
"I was in a unique situation by having all my squad members' reenlistment windows open at the same time. They all came to me for advice, and I gave them what I could to help them make their own decisions about reenlisting," he explained.
The squad's reenlistment was made even more distinctive in that all the soldiers, except Martinez, were first time re-enlistees...
"Upon learning that they all wished to remain in the military, I asked them if I could be a part of their reenlistment as this was my last 're-up' in the Army, and I thought it would be an honor to reenlist with my squad, who are all first-timers," he said.
He commented that his Soldiers' commitment resembles many others who serve in the military and is a result of the success and fulfillment gained from their current assignment with the Iron Castle engineers.
"We are part of the Castle Iron Claw team, and removing improvised-explosive devices from the routes gives us an enormous sense of pride - pride in knowing that there's one less IED on the road and we can ensure our comrades are safe," he said.
Lt. Col. Michael McGuire, commander, 5th Eng. Bn., said Martinez' guidance played a great role in his squad's accomplishment.
"These Soldiers reenlisted because they believe in themselves and their mission, and have the utmost confidence in their leadership," he added.
Captain James Booth, commander, Co. B, 5th Eng. Bn., echoed McGuire's remarks and also emphasized the importance of small unit leadership to his Soldiers' mission success.
"Great small-unit leadership is why we are successful over here. Staff Sgt. Martinez has provided the kind of leadership that Soldiers thrive on. Soldiers want to stay in the Army when they follow men like him. That is why you see all of them standing up as a squad - together - committing to serve our nation for six more years," he said
.
Blackfive.net ~ Sgt. 1st Class Tracy L. Ballog, 16th Eng. Bde. PAO **Entire Squad Reenlists in Iraq
Posted by yaahoo_2006iest
at 8:00 AM EST
Updated: Sunday, 2 April 2006 8:49 AM EST
chatty
Hundreds line up to join Iraqi Army
CAMP AL QA'IM, Iraq -- They came from far and near and waited hours in long lines under a hot Iraqi sun in hopes of joining the Army.
Nearly 400 Iraqi males - some as young as 15 - showed up for an Iraqi Army recruiting drive held at the Marines' battle position in this region along the Euphrates River in western Al Anbar Province.
Of the 400 men who showed up to enlist, 179 were accepted - a substantial number, according to Coalition and Iraqi Army officials.
The drive, conducted by Iraqi soldiers and Coalition Forces, was an attempt to bolster numbers in one of several Brigades within the Iraqi Army's 10 divisions, according to Army Capt. Jack S. Rebolledo, one of the Military Transition Team training advisors for the Iraqi Army unit here.
The recruitment drive was part of an Iraqi Army recruiting campaign aimed at incorporating more Sunnis into Iraqi Security Forces, according to Coalition officials.
The Iraqi Army unit partnered with Marines from 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment to provide security in this region of the Sunni triangle, spent the day screening potential future soldiers.
The Iraqi Government wants to have a better ethnic mix of Iraqis in its Army, and hopes to recruit 5,000 new soldiers by year's end.
"This is the first recruiting effort in the campaign aimed at engaging Sunnis and getting them into government positions," said Maj. Timothy G. Burton, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Iraq Security Force advisor.
Although hundreds of military age males showed up with the hope of becoming a "Jundi" - an Iraqi Army private - many were turned away, unable to meet certain criteria required to join the Army.
If they weren't too young or old to enlist, many of the applicants were turned away because they were illiterate or had "medical deficiencies," according to the Iraqi Army officials in charge of recruiting efforts.
Literacy is a new requirement for enlistment in the Iraqi Army.
"Illiteracy is a big killer," said Capt. Seldon B. Hale, recruiting advisor for the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq. "Most of the people showing up today can't read or write."
More than 50-percent of the soldiers in the current Iraqi Army are illiterate, said Rebolledo.
As the soldiers progress to learn more sophisticated military occupational specialties, there is a greater need for those soldiers to be able to read and write, added Rebolledo.
This new literacy requirement accounted for more than 50-percent of those who were turned down at this recent recruiting drive.
However, Coalition officials say that in order for Iraqi enlisted soldiers to fill more advanced leadership billets as noncommissioned officers, they must be able to read and write.
Though many were turned down, the hundreds of Iraqi men and teenagers were not deterred from waiting hours in long lines to see if they were qualified to become part of Iraq's new Army.
While Coalition Forces aided the Iraqi Army with perimeter security and transportation of recruits to the drive, it was ultimately the Iraq Ministry of Defense officials who decided who made the cut and who didn't.
The panel of Iraqi officials - who screened hundreds of applicants – consisted of several administrative clerks and an Iraqi doctor who performed basic physicals and literacy tests.
To be accepted into the Army, recruits had to pass the physical and had to be able to read and write.
Many were turned away for both of these reasons.
Still, recruiting efforts in Al Anbar have been steady for the Iraqi Government.
In the past six months, mobile recruiting teams have traveled the region to screen hundreds of potential new soldiers, many of whom have been accepted. Furthermore, there have been no insurgent attacks during the drives, unlike recent Iraqi Army and police recruiting drives throughout other parts of Iraq.
While Iraqi Government officials conduct the screening, Coalition Forces attempt to bolster the number of applicants by soliciting to local and tribal leadership in Euphrates River valley towns.
So far, it's working, and the Iraqi Government is putting men in uniforms.
"We are just here to help escort the Iraqis," said Hale, a 31-year-old from Amarillo, Texas. "They are the ones who make the decisions."
Although less than half of those who showed were accepted for enlistment, Coalition and Iraqi leadership are confident the recruiting drives will continue to produce qualified individuals.
"This is just the tip of the spear of that effort," said Burton, 35, from Belmont, Miss.
For those applicants who were accepted, their transition from civilian to soldier has just begun. After their acceptance, those who passed the initial screening were escorted to the local Iraqi Army camp for further administrative processing and background.
They will then undergo several weeks of basic training before being assigned to an Army unit, more than likely one of the two Iraqi Army brigades in Al Anbar Province.
During the recruiting drive, the prospective soldiers shuffled from one area to the next as they made their way through the screening. Many eagerly asked the Iraqi soldiers questions, absorbing as much knowledge as to what lies ahead for them.
Many recruits, who asked not to be identified, claimed they are joining the Army to protect their families from "bombs and insurgents who come to threaten their families."
Two recruits, a 20-year-old from Husaybah, the other a 19-year-old from neighboring Sadah, claimed that their families were terrified of sending them to the Army due to the potential threat of attacks against their families.
Both said they've heard stories of Iraqi soldiers being targeted by insurgents, but the stories have not deterred them from enlisting. Moreover, their families are now encouraging them to enlist - a change of heart stemmed from an ever-growing presence of other Iraq soldiers working together with Coalition Forces.
Some who were turned down at the recruiting drive haven't given up hope of serving as part of the Iraqi Security Forces. Many said they will apply for positions with Iraqi police forces.
Those who made the cut had to say goodbye to friends who were rejected, but were happy none-the-less for their acceptance, which will bring them about $400 a month - a substantial increase in wages for most of the young men, especially in rural western Iraq where unemployment is high.
Most said they'll use the money to support their families back home.
"I am excited," said one 20-year-old Iraqi man, through an interpreter. "I am not worried about basic training, but I will miss my family. It took me two days to convince them to let me come here today."
"It's expensive to live and the pay in the Army is good," said another recruit through an interpreter. "I want to protect my family and keep the area safe."
special
RNC Hits Home Run With New Censure Ad
I hereby call for 
Two weeks ago, Russ Feingold (he doesn't deserve the title of senator) proposed that the Congress censure President Bush for protecting the country from terror attacks via the violation of terrorists' civil liberties. If anyone had any doubts as to the Democrats' real agenda if they win back the Congress in November, Feingold's off-the-wall rhetoric should clear that up.
A recent New York Times news story asserted that while Democrats initially ran like scared cats away from Feingold's measure, they have begun to realize that by doing so, they risk alienating their base, as if to say the far-left MoveOn.org camp has won a plethora of congressional and presidential elections for the Democrats. But wait. MoveOn.org is not the far-left wing of the Democratic Party; it represents the mainstream Democratic Party. The taxpayers are even paying the salaries of people who have come out in support of the impeachment movement, including Garrison Keillor, host of NPR's "A Prairie Home Moron- er, Companion." Just stick to ketchup jokes, Garrison, and leave politics to the politicians.
As evidenced in the 
.
In a time of war, the President's job is to protect the nation. Bush knows what he is doing; the wiretapping will continue. The job of the President is not, however, to placate Russ Feingold and the ACLU. If Feingold thinks Bush should be censured and impeached for wiretapping suspect terrorists, then Feingold won't mind if we try him for treason, impeach, and publicly humiliate him for aiding the enemy.
spacey
Skyline High School Principal Tom Stumpf said American flags were brazenly waved in the faces of Hispanic students and in one case a Mexican flag was thrown into the face of another student.
"When it involves the American flag and its abuse in vilifying other people, we simply will not tolerate it," Stumpf said. "They were using the symbol derisively as misguided patriotism."
Students were warned about the policy Friday and several were suspended, although Stumpf would not provide details. Then, about 100 students protested during lunch time.
Student Dustin Carlson told Denver station KCNC-TV that he was suspended for two days.
"I'm getting suspended for it and personally I think that's uncalled for," he said. "If this country means freedom, then why can't we fly our own flag? It's ridiculous."
Thousands of high school students Friday in California, Texas, Nevada and other states protested the tough immigration laws proposed in the House. Some waved Mexican flags and carried signs saying "We are not criminals.
"
On Monday, about 150 high school students, including some from Skyline, protested in Longmont.
"People are taking it to a whole other level," said Laura Avitia. "I don't think they know why we were protesting."
On The Net: 
News flash for the dipwad principal... The American flag is a symbol of freedom, not intimidation and racism.
Display of any flag is the rule he's made, but the rule is not being enforced equally according to some of the students interviewed. The kids with American flags are being penalized, but the others are not. Every time I see this bullshit, PC, can't offend crap, it only reinforces my absolute disdain for the left/liberal Bastages in this country. I equate all of them to the Islamofascists, and I think they deserve the same treatment.
Here is the 
Tom T Stumpf
Peacemaker rescue should be optional
The Christian Peacemaker Teams are up to their usual ungrateful tricks. Not only do some CPT activists still refuse to show any gratitude toward the coalition soldiers and spies who helped rescue three of their members in Iraq last week, one of the hostages -- Canadian Harmeet Sooden -- is now even insisting the entire rescue mission was "contrived," presumably to give the coalition a public relations boost amid continued bad news about the insurgency in that country.
Speaking in Auckland, New Zealand, yesterday, Mr. Sooden insisted it was "highly likely, highly probable" that a ransom had been paid for his release and that of two fellow CPT prisoners, Canadian Jim Loney and Briton Norman Kember. Both the Canadian and New Zealand governments seemed genuinely shocked by his contention and emphatically denied his claim.
Canadians Harmeet Sooden (left) [who looks like an unwashed hippy freak who has no balls and 'crap' for brains] and Jim Loney are all smiles Friday after their release from their fourth-month ordeal. >>>>>
When pressed by reporters, Mr. Sooden admitted he had no proof his captors had been paid off. Rather his "instincts" were telling him ransom must have been made. 
When British and other special forces raided the house in which he was being kept, Mr. Sooden explained, his captors were "nowhere to be seen," which was "highly unusual." He assumed his captors had been bribed by the coalition in hopes they would flee, and the British and American forces could "contrive" a rescue, presumably to generate a glowing propaganda victory.
What rubbish. The break in the hostage taking came the evening before the rescue mission, when a member of the kidnappers' organization had been captured by coalition forces and was convinced both to give up the location where the CPT members were held and to call his comrades and warn them to flee the scene before the commandos arrived.
Mr. Sooden's rescue, and that of his colleagues, was the result of a dangerous mission that was months in the planning. It was no publicity stunt. Several times intelligence operatives put their lives at risk to obtain scraps of information about where the victims were being held, not to mention the risk the soldiers took entering the building where the trio of "peacemakers" were. They could not be sure until they were inside that the kidnappers had fled.
Still, such is Mr. Sooden's conviction that the coalition's "illegal occupation" is all evil, he has no trouble pretending headline-hungry coalition forces staged the whole thing.
Only Jim Loney, the other freed Canadian, has admitted he is "forever and truly grateful" to his rescuers. The CPT at first, of course, could not bring itself to thank the military saviours and later added a grudging thank you only under public pressure. And the freed Briton, Mr. Kember, could barely muster a half-hearted and heavily qualified thanks. He said that while he still blamed coalition forces for the conditions that led to his capture, he could "pay tribute to their courage."
Here's a suggestion: The next time peaceniks are taken hostage in a war zone while attempting to thwart the efforts of Western coalition forces, when those same forces come to save them and before the helicopters lift off to safety with the hostages aboard, the soldiers should ask the former detainees how they feel about being saved. And if there is a moment's hesitation for philosophic reflection or any hint of ingratitude, the soldiers should be free to return their passengers to the desert with all good wishes for fair treatment by the first jihadis who pass by.
silly
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Folks, yesterday as you know we began the program by issuing a warning to terrorists, so look out, and be on the watch-out, because the Democrats have a security plan -- and we'll talk about that security plan here in mere moments. But before we get to that, this is funny. The Democrats -- 36 of them, 36 Democratic candidates -- are scheduled to gather in Washington Monday for workshops on national security and military issues, and the scheduled speakers include former defense secretary 
will include roundtable discussions and critiques of the candidates' speeches on homeland security, weapons proliferation, and the war in Iraq. They have to have a workshop! They have to have a workshop on national security; and furthermore, they're going to critique candidates' speeches. Other tips no doubt will be offered. I can just see the classes. "Who is the enemy of the US?" If you're going to have a workshop on national security with Democrats you've got to tell them who the enemy is, because most of them think it's Bush. The others think it's Cheney. Maybe a combination of them think it's Rumsfeld.
So that would be the first thing they would have to do: Who is the enemy of the US? Then they'd have to do a workshop on what "national interests" means and what "national security" means. Then let's say Harry Reid shows up. They'll critique his speech, "Hey, Harry, great speech, pal, but you might want to work victory into that speech." I wonder if they'll talk about victory. This is just amazing, and they're all excited about it. They're all excited. They're feeling their oats. They're going to "take back" security now, ladies and gentlemen. It's something they have to "take back," and by admitting they have to take it back it means they don't have it. It means they're not anywhere on the issue -- despite the ports deal.
And there's news about the ports deal today. I'm not making up port deal news. They think I'm making up news about the port deal just to be able to say "the port deal." (Laughing.) Anyway, I think it's fascinating. These guys have to take back the security issue -- and, of course, at the top of the list: if they win Congress, the Democrats say they are going to catch Osama bin Laden, the same Osama bin Laden that Bill Clinton let slip through our fingers two or three times. They're going to increase the number of spies. They're going to double the number of troops and Special Forces,
and they're going to be "tough and smart," says their Senate leader, Dingy Harry.
Nancy Pelosi over in the House said we're going to be "strong and smart." She left out tough. So they say they're going to get Osama. Well, how they going to do this? It might serve us well to examine their track record, because they don't want to do any spying on terrorists who are phoning into America or phoning out of America. They have no desire to find out what terrorists are up to. They want to impeach and censure the president. Oh, by the way, the big censure hearing today. They had more witnesses than they had senators, and at the end of it, it was just Specter and Feingold. Feingold finally got fed up and walked out of his own hearing.
They actually brought 
END TRANSCRIPT
Remember the Democrat Party's Real Record on Fighting Terrorism...
party time!
State Tax Receipts Climb As Economy Grows 
WASHINGTON - State tax receipts jumped nearly 10 percent last year as a strong national economy increased individual earnings and corporate profits.
Most states showed increases without raising tax rates, meaning the gains were caused primarily by an expanding economy, said Corina Eckl, fiscal program director for the National Conference of State Legislatures.
"It's absolutely attributable to an improving national economy," Eckl said. "Very few, very modest tax changes happened last year."
Nationally, states collected a total of $649 billion in taxes in the 2005 budget year, which ended in June for most states, according to a report Thursday by the 
The numbers include only taxes collected by states. They do not include federal or local taxes, which can greatly increase a person's taxes.
California collected the most money, more than $98 billion.
Vermont collected the most per person, $3,600. 
South Dakota collected the least overall, at a little more than $1 billion, and the least per person, $1,430.
States get nearly half their tax revenue from sales taxes, which went up 6 percent from 2004 to 2005. Individual income taxes increased by nearly 13 percent, and corporate income taxes shot up 28 percent. However, corporate taxes account for little state revenue, about 6 percent, nationally.
"Individual income taxes are the big driver," said Chris Edwards, director of tax policy at the Cato Institute, a Washington think tank. "The stock market is up and people are earning more money."
Eckl said states also were helped by a two-year, $20 billion package of federal aid to states approved in 2003. The money helped states overcome budget shortfalls stemming from the economic downturn earlier in the decade, she said.
Eckl said most state budgets have recovered after several years of budget shortfalls. States across the country had to cut programs, increase tax rates and scramble for quick budget fixes after the national economy slumped earlier in the decade.
Every state but Vermont has a constitutional requirement to balance its budget, which leads many states to save money as insurance against future downturns.
All states collected more taxes in 2005 than they did in 2004. And every state but one collected more per person. The remaining state, New Hampshire, collected the same both years, $1,544.
On the Net: 
To be fair, for the right money, he'd shake hands with anyone...
Clinton: I would be prepared to shake hands with Hamas
Former US president Bill Clinton said in a television interview that he would shake hands with Hamas if they provided the same assurances on rejecting terror as the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Clinton spoke with BBC television as the US State Department announced that the United States had suspended all contact with the Palestinian government led by Hamas, who won an overwhelming victory in the Palestinian general election in January.
Clinton, whose eight-year presidency ended in 2001, said he would be prepared to support dealing with the Islamist group if they agreed to negotiate and turn their backs on terrorism.
The United States, European Union and Israel all regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation, given its track record of suicide bombings and its refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist.
Asked if he would shake hands with Hamas in the name of negotiation as he did with Arafat in 1993, Clinton said: "If they made the same assurances that Arafat did.
"He had made private assurances, and he made public assurances, that he did not support terror any more and would try to restrain it.
"So if Hamas would say, suppose they say, OK, look, we can't change our theory, we can't change our document, we can't change our history, but we're in government now and the policy of the Palestinian government is no to terror and yes to negotiations. As long as we're in government, we'll honor that policy.
don't ask
Terror training
The more documents that emerge from Saddam Hussein's reign of terror, the more evidence stacks up that his regime was in lockstep with international terrorists.
Newly released papers seized after the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion reveal contacts made between Saddam's top aides and Osama bin Laden, particularly during the al Qaeda leader's stay in Sudan.
The huge collection also gave a history of the regime put out last week by U.S. Forces Command.
The command told of meticulously kept files by the Gestapolike Fedayeen Saddam, which the dictator put in place to prevent military coups and to enforce his rule through threats and killings.
The documents show the fanatical Fedayeen operated bustling terror training camps for recruits from all over the Middle East.
The book, titled, "The Iraqi Perspective Project," states:
"Beginning in 1994, the Fedayeen Saddam opened its own paramilitary training camps for volunteers, graduating more than 7,200 'good men racing full with courage and enthusiasm' in the first year. Beginning in 1998, these camps began hosting 'Arab volunteers from Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, the Gulf and Syria.' It is not clear from available evidence where all of these non-Iraqi volunteers who were 'sacrificing for the cause' went to ply their newfound skills.
"Before the summer of 2002, most volunteers went home upon the completion of training. But these training camps were humming with frenzied activity in the months immediately prior to the war. As late as January 2003, the volunteers participated in a special event called the 'Heroes Attack.'
"This training event was designed in part to prepare regional Fedayeen Saddam commands to 'obstruct the enemy from achieving his goal and to support keeping peace and stability in the province.'"
Overseen by Saddam's son, Uday, the Fedayeen trained foreign "heroes" and Iraqis in commando tactics, surveillance and explosives. The Iraqi Intelligence Service supplied the Fedayeen with silencers, training in explosives and booby-trapping cars, and timers.
"The only apparent use for all of this ... equipment was to conduct commando or terrorist operations," the Joint Forces history said.
Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough are Pentagon reporters. Mr. Gertz can be reached at 202/636-3274 or e-mail at
bgertz@washingtontimes.com. Mr. Scarborough can be reached at 202/636-3208 or e-mail at rscarborough@washingtontimes.com.
loud
Senator Kennedy says he's going to reform a problem he first promised would be "reformed" by his Immigration Act of 1965...
Ted Kennedy "Reformed" Immigration in 1965
It will not restructure the shape of our daily lives." Well, that's about 41 years ago. We've got a lot of hindsight that we can use. We have learned that this high sounding liberal dream Hart-Seller, 1965, worked out about as well as the war on poverty. In other words, it was a disaster.
Well, LBJ is no longer available to face accountability, but I do know that the man who marshaled the bill through the Senate is still around. The man who marshaled Hart-Seller immigration bill 1965, not only is he still around, he is leading the reform on the reform that he helped reform. We're into our third or fourth incarnation of reform here, and the guy who's working on the third or fourth version was the first guy who got this whole thing started in 1965. Now, before I reveal his name, let me pass on to you some of his quotes in 1965 as he then led the reform we are about to reform. Who do you think it is? Here's what he said. (interruption) Snerdley thinks he knows who it is, and I'm sure many of you think you know who it is.
First, "Our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually. Under the proposed bill, the present level of immigration remains substantially the same. Secondly, the ethnic mix of this country will not be upset. Contrary to the charges in some quarters, the bill will not inundate America with immigrants from any one country or area, or the most populated and deprived nations of Africa and Asia -- and in the final analysis, the ethnic pattern of immigration under the proposed measure is not expected to change as sharply as the critics seem to think."
The reformer who wants to reform that which he reformed is Senator Ted Kennedy. These are the words of Senator Ted Kennedy, 1965, and he today is working on reforming what he reformed, what has been a total disaster. How in the world can we fix it if the same people are involved in fixing it who broke it in the first place? We're not even being honest with ourselves about the failures of our past attempts at reform. I know some of you are surprised that he's been around 40 years, but please, he's been around, and around, and around our necks for 44 years. Ted Kennedy is also the man, as an ancillary little bit of information here, who gave us the health maintenance organization.
It was Ted Kennedy's impetus that created the HMO, and it is now Ted Kennedy who's bashing the hell out of them and saying they're stealing people blind and mistreating customers and patients and so forth. He is the architect of at least two modern disasters, and that's probably barely scratching the surface. All you have to do is listen to his statements from his past records and do the opposite of what he wants to do. Ted Kennedy is a disaster. Ted Kennedy probably doesn't remember everything he said back in 1965 about the Hart-Seller bill, but it promised us then exactly what we're being promised now, and it was an utter disaster, and we tried it again, 20 years later, we had to go back and fix it. Hello, 1986, and it was Simpson-Mazzoli.
This immigration business seems to run in 20-year cycles. Now, here's the reality check. You heard the quotes from Senator Kennedy. Nothing bad's going to happen. We're not going to be flooded. We're not going to have these people become public charges, meaning welfare recipients. It's not going to happen. "Political refugees--" and this is the Center for Immigration Studies, their website. This was back in September 1995. This is ten-year-old stuff. You know it's even more profound now. "Political refugees qualify for public assistance upon setting foot on US soil.
"The exploding Somali refugee population of Lewiston, Maine, (pop. 36,000) is largely welfare-dependent. Likewise, 2,900 of Wausau, Wisconsin's 4,200 Hmong refugees receive public assistance. In all, 21 percent of immigrants receive public assistance, whereas 14 percent of natives do so. Immigrants are 50 percent more likely than natives to live in poverty." This was exactly what Senator Kennedy 40 years ago assured us would not happen. So Senator Kennedy and the Democrats want to pander. Well, then it's time to get both feet in the water on this immigration vote scam and be honest.
To demonstrate their compassion and their sympathy for the millions of potential new voteritos, Democrats ought to propose legislation granting illegal aliens the benefits of affirmative action. If they're gonna call this the modern civil rights movement, then let's take it right where we know it's going to go right off the bat. Affirmative action. Contractors employing more than 50% illegal aliens will get preferential treatment for minority contracts. Illegals applying to colleges get equal status with African-Americans. In fact, no, they get bumped ahead of everybody, and to really sew up the vote, new union job openings will go to illegal aliens.
If these underappreciated and undervalued, well-meaning criminals really are the backbone of our country, if they really do represent like Ted Kennedy thinks and some of the other people on this, what is great about this country, then it's high time the Democrats, the wisest and kindest people in our planet, took the bull by the horns and did the right thing. Ted Kennedy says the immigrants today are part of a great and noble movement, like the civil rights movement of the sixties.
Well, if that's true, and if Kennedy is not just pandering, and he isn't just treating his new amigos like idiots and let's give these ne'er-do-wells a helping hand, we've got to boost them up. They can't get ahead on their own. It's too much discrimination. You can hear it out there all over the country, racism and sexism and bigotry and xenophobia, all is being directed at the backbone of America. And we in America have learned how Democrats deal with this. It's affirmative action. It's time to give them a liberal helping hand. Let's help them achieve what they can't achieve on their own.
Let's take care of them like helpless children and get them first in line. Affirmative action or give me death. Then give them something else to protest, too. We'll have an argument about it 'til they start demanding affirmative action as they fly the Mexican flag up there. I'm going to wait for Senator Kennedy here to be consistent, and the rest of the liberals to be consistent. If this is the modern civil rights movement, and we know what that means, then it's time for affirmative action for illegals and especially, not just affirmative action, it's time for comparable worth. The fact that they're being paid peanuts is insulting.
END TRANSCRIPT
Read the Background Material...