Lawmakers oppose 'Social Security for illegals'
Some in Congress rip 'immoral proposal' that could give U.S. benefits to Mexicans
Posted: March 17, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

While President Bush continues his push to "save Social Security," immigration-reform advocates in Congress are battling an administration proposal they believe could result in Social Security benefits being paid to Mexicans living and working illegally in the U.S.

Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., has introduced a resolution expressing congressional disapproval of the U.S.-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement.


Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.

And in a new letter to supporters of his Team America PAC, leading reform advocate Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., commented: "At a time when the administration is telling us that the Social Security system designed to protect the retirement years of American citizens is in 'crisis,' it is incredible that such an immoral proposal should be put forward."

Tancredo added, "[b]ut you know as well as I that the political establishment in this city will do anything to keep the flow of cheap illegal labor coming over the border! "

The Colorado congressman said he is one of 30 co-sponsors of Goode's resolution, "which is a very significant warning shot across the administration's bows."

The U.S. has similar totalization agreements with 20 other nations, as they're designed to ensure retirement benefits for those who legally work and contribute to another country's retirement fund. The difference in the Mexico proposal is that it would apply to illegal workers in the U.S. who would be eligible for benefits after working only six quarters.

Tancredo noted that for the U.S.-Mexico agreement to become law, President Bush will have to submit it to Congress first.

"The fact that 30 House members –29 Republicans and 1 Democrat – are willing to take a stand against it in advance bodes ill for its success," he said.

Tancredo noted other immigration proposals in Congress, including Rep. Chris Cannon's "AgJOBS" amnesty bill, which would extend amnesty to illegal immigrants, and their families, working in U.S. agricultural jobs.

Tancredo calls Cannon, R-Utah, "one of the most aggresive 'open borders' advocates in the House."

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

Tancredo said President Bush's own amnesty plan has even less support in the new Congress than in the previous one, but he expects the administration to press forward.

Tancredo's Team America PAC is a political action committee aimed at generating grassroots pressure on Congress to block "open borders" legislation.

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Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

OK, I heard this on the news this morning. Basically the way they explained it was that Bush was getting ready to sign a bill that would give illegals the right to draw from social security after having put into social security for 18 months. The US has a deal with Mexico where our social security payments can go to us no matter where we live. So, if I were to move to Mexico and retire I would still get to recieve my social security to spend in Mexico. But they said that in the case of illegals, Mexico would not have to pay any of the social security to the person, and we would cover the bill. WTF?

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Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

When are we going to get people in office to start cracking down on these people and start securing our border? It is almost like they are seeing how far they can push us before we say look ass hole, your supposed to be looking out for Americans, not fucking Mexicans.

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Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

Agreed 100%, FRY.

It's bullshit, I know. The people are going to reach a critical mass on this issue and it's going to be ten times worse than it would have been to just deal with the problem the first time. Passing it off with guest worker BS is not going to fix the problem of our lawmakers having no backbone.

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"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom."
Isaac Asimov

Naw, we should just go ahead and invite or even offer free transport for all the worlds poor folk. We shouldn't be half assed about it. It's one way or the other. We want them ALL to come here or we don't. Isn't it kind of wrong of us to keep inviting just mexicans to enter illegally ?

Which way is it ?

OOOh, a resolution! That'll show that old president.
Damn, these lawmakers have balls!

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Not a day goes by that I don't see something that reinforces my belief that people are idiots.

So should we stop taking the billions in FICA taxes from the checks of illegal immigrant workers?

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It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.

Voltaire

Yes. If that will somehow add justification, even though we are justified already, to getting a handle on our border and hopefully getting some of these folks back to Mexico.

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Neither am I the means to any end others may wish to accomplish. I am not a tool for their use. I am not a servant of their needs. I am not a bandage for their wounds. I am not a sacrifice on their altars. ... I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them. I ask no one to live for me, nor do I live for others. I covet no mans soul, nor is my soul theirs to covet.

Ayn Rand, Anthem.

They are breaking the law, regardless of motivation. Consider those deductions a fine.

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Not a day goes by that I don't see something that reinforces my belief that people are idiots.

That's just the tax revenue without economic flow-through. About 25% of our local strawberry crop was plowed under this year for lack of pickers due to increased employer penalties for using illegal workers, legal and illegal immigrants being the only people who will perform that job. Local economic flow-through from those wages is 3-4 times wages, so we effectively lost the initial economic benefit of our entire strawberry crop. Those farmers will sell to developers and we'll be importing that crop from guess where?

I feel this is more of an emotional issue than anything else, with legalities overcoming economic reality. A perceived problem exists, those 'foreigners' taking American jobs and social benefits, a perceived solution to the problem is defined by existing law and we're prepared to spend more money enforcing isolationist legislation than the economic contribution.

The US passed a milestone in 2005, we became a net importer of food. Let's plow all those fields under for lack of American stoop labor and import even more food seems to be the dumb as a rock public emotion. The loss of US industrial power and manufacturing jobs doesn't seem to be enough, let's squeeze it tighter and import more food. Duh.

For the numbers people, $60B is the official annual estimated social cost at all levels for illegal immigrants. On the other side of the balance sheet; 10M illegals, $6/hr, 2040 hrs, send half by mail order to Mexico. Multiply remainder by four for flow-through multiplier, use three if you want, for an interesting number.

For the circular argument, they're illegal.

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These are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. ~Groucho Marx~