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DEL.ICIO.USA lights-out, Georgia cage match: Immigration versus Iraq
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When they were kids, the debate was whether Superman could whup the Hulk in a fair fight.
Now that they’re grown, political strategists are obsessed with another fantasy match-up. They ponder over whether Iraq can trounce immigration. Or vice-versa.
Within the next seven weeks, Georgia could supply the answer.
The two issues that have whipped and split the nation will converge on conservative east Georgia, where 10 candidates are engaged in a special election to fill the vacancy created by the death of U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Augusta).
The immigration issue is already stirring the pot.
One of the six Republicans in the race, former state senator Jim Whitehead of Evans was riding comfortably at the head of the pack as the choice of Georgia’s Republican establishment.
He leads in fund-raising, and - at least initially - there was talk of Whitehead taking the June 19 contest without a run-off. Mathematically improbable to begin with, that goal was rendered politically impossible two weeks ago.
That’s when U.S. senators in Washington unveiled their bipartisan proposal for immigration reform. In Georgia, the Republican base reacted by booing Saxby Chambliss, one of its authors, at the state convention.
Whitehead, who has made illegal immigration his signature issue, quickly condemned the bill. But that’s not his problem.
Suddenly, running as the establishment Republican candidate, while still packed with financial benefits, doesn’t have all the shine that it had two months ago.
Republican rival Bill Greene of Braselton, trying to run to the right of Whitehead on immigration, has accused Whitehead of saying nice things about Chambliss’ work on immigration.
Another GOP candidate, Paul Brown of Athens, last week condemned Whitehead of belonging to the “politics-as-usual, good ol’ boys club.”
Our efforts to track Whitehead down on his cell phone last week were unsuccessful. But his chief campaign consultant, Joel McElhannon, said: “These guys are in some sick contest to see who could possibly be the most ineffective member of Congress. People see through their demagoguery and silliness.”
Even so, in a contest that’s likely to attract a minimum of voters, both Greene and Broun could peel off enough disaffected Republicans to push Whitehead into a July 17 run-off.
Which brings us to James Marlow of Lincolnton, one of three Democratic candidates in the race. Contrary to many expectations, Marlow has been able to consolidate most Democrats around his candidacy by focusing on one issue: Iraq.
Even key Republicans say they expect a significant anti-Iraq vote out of Athens to hand Marlow the second run-off spot. Despite the fact that the 10th District lists heavily Republican, Marlow hopes a strong showing could persuade Democrats in Washington make a four-week investment in a two-man contest.
This is, after all, the first federal election in the nation since the Democratic takeover of Congress in November 2006.
Comments
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By BobG
May 27, 2007 8:09 PM | Link to this
Politicians have no clue. The party that figures out that illegal immigration trumps all will be the party that prevails. And I am not just talking border security… what people are most concerned about are the local effects of the unchecked influx of illegal aliens.
Democrats lost the immigration issue, so they must focus on Iraq where it is easy to pin the body count on a Republican President (and ignore the “big picture”).
Republicans who are perceived to be (or are actually) weak on immigration have signed their own political death warrant.
By Marge
May 27, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
I agree with BobG. We want a candidate who knows what the voters want. If it were put on a national ballot, there would never be an amnesty bill. We want the current problem cleaned up..not validated through the giving of legalization of all aliens. The aliens are everywhere and we want them OUT. Making crime not a crime is a betrayal to our core values. It still is baffling why President Bush and the Republican Party is pushing this destructive measure. He was upset that he could not get this law passed before Memorial Day because he knew there would be backlash at home. Yes, it is called voter response. Why would a President totally ignore the will of the people? Hence, his sorry approval rating. When he comes to Georgia this week to promote his amnesty bill, it will again backfire. The more he shows his public temper tantrums on this issue and tries to ram his own agenda against the will of the people, the more his approval rating will drop. It is a shame that the Republican party can’t seem to control this cowboy. Instead, they get in deeper by electing Mel Martinez to RNC chairman. Mainstream America is sickened by this political pandering while our borders remain open. Our national security should not be related to any bribes or triggers. Shame on Isakson and Chambliss for thinking this was a compromise. The Republican Party would surge if they held to their core principles and that includes supporting the “rule of law”. Out with the aliens; in with the enforcement.
By Holly
May 27, 2007 9:33 PM | Link to this
The video is edited, obviously, to make Jim look bad. I think everyone’s aware that YouTube videos can cherry-pick for quotes from candidates that give a false impression.
Jim has already given his views on immigration in an editorial to the Athens Banner-Herald, and his views about the current bill have been publicized and quoted on this blog.
By TW
May 27, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this
There has been an explosion in illegal immigration with this admin in the White House because they got soft on the employers. Why did the GOP do this? Why do they continue to do this? Why does Chip Rogers take away their housing, but continue to give the employers of these people a free pass? From what I’ve seen these ‘illegals’ work a hell of alot harder than the redneck meth heads with the ‘W’ stickers on their cars.
By Bill
May 27, 2007 11:34 PM | Link to this
Holly, what YouTube video? Do you mean this one?
BG
By Michael H. Smith
May 28, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
Every day thousands of illegal aliens are pouring across our southern border. Whatever their motivation for coming here, they are breaking the law. Historically we have prided ourselves on being a nation based on the “rule of law.” But in this case our government is shirking its responsibility to enforce the law.
This colossal and willing failure to secure our borders is unconscionable.
Our national security, and that of your family, is threatened. In this day of international terrorism, we must know who is coming into the United States and why they are here. We must insist that they come legally. And we must deport those who break our laws!
Furthermore, it is outrageous to expect the taxpayers of the United States to shoulder the burden of paying for various services for illegal aliens. Simply put our policy should be: no government benefits for illegal aliens!
Finally, we must stop the practice of “birthright citizenship” whereby the babies born to illegal aliens in the United States are automatically American citizens. This is ridiculous. It has been estimated that for each of these “anchor babies” another eight illegal relatives come into the country.
http://www.paulbroun.com/105.html
This guy talks the talk, a lingering question remains, though, will he walk the walk? What is puzzling, perhaps foreboding is the vocal support the good Doctor has received from GALEO. Considering Broun’s statements on deportation and a willingness to in fact do just that, as opposed to the duplicity in statements Whitehead has made: From the surface of things, Dr. Broun is the better qualified candidate.
As much as the Democrats in this state would like to win something, anything, even a city dogcatcher post, especially outside of I-285, the Iraq issue so now trumpeted by the Dems simply fails the to pass the smell test. For the Democrats to have had any legitimacy on Iraq, they should have launched their attack shortly after the mission was accomplished and Saddam and Sons were captured. They had plenty of ammo but woefully, sadly, chose to simply keep their power dry. For it was at this turning point speaking personally, it became most apparent Bush was flip flopping on his 2000 campaign commitment against “nation building”, as the army of liberation turned into the army of occupation. The Democrats are more than a little late to be playing the Iraq card now. Sorry Dems, you know… it’s the credibility thing and Democrats just don’t have it. So now a day late and dollar short, the war in Iraq is your war as well.
Immigration does in fact trump Iraq, if only in staying power. Bush from the earliest days stirred and gave reason for its longevity, as much if not more so than his illegal immigration opponents, whose values on this issue he odiously betrayed. As the Republicans will say he has taken on the though issues, and that is true from their point of view, though, when you are standing on the wrong side of the border, friends become foes and alienated voters for many decades to come.
By Will Jones
May 28, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
It is no mystery why Bush supports illegal immigration. His Hitler-financing grandfather was a member of the Knights of Malta - the papal fraternity working to win the world for the papacy, which openly claims to :run the Vatican.” The Vatican’s Fifth Column leadership in the U.S. Conf of Roman Catholic Bishops’ Document 199-7, “The National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry,” lays out in 36-pages, its stratagem, being followed to the letter by 9-11-committing, draft-dodger Bush, how they intend to usurp the American Republic by promoting illegal immigration, amnesty, naturalization and voter registration. One of the few times Jeff Gannon’s consort has acted straight is when he told the Roman Catholic Al Smith dinner guests that as “haves and have mores” others might call them “elite,” but that they were “his base.” All Americans must educate themselves of Our Whig Founders’ wish to establish The Nation free of KIng and Pope. Novus Ordo Seclorem means the New Secular Order. The Old Sectarian Order of King and Pope is that which we rejected, yet embraced by supporters of those who killed Kennedy to keep us in Roman Catholic Vietnam: Bush and Nixon and the Knight of Malta-led Roman Catholic CIA, working for Vatican-banker Rockefeller and his “bi-partisan” CFR. Promotion of illegal immigrant amnesty is promotion of the Roman Catholic Church in America, is promotion of the “real Anti-Christ,” according to America’s Founder, Thomas Jefferson. Now we are dying for Roman Catholic BIG OIL in Iraq this Memorial Day. Who will continue to feign ignorance of Bush’s treason of 9-11 which has sent us there and to Afghanistan to bring their heroin to English Ave in Atlanta? Where but in Georgia should Americans recognize the Anti-Christ in the one-third Roman Catholic Congress unwilling to see the facts of historic generational anti-Constitutional treason being committed by the faction of homosexual draft-dodger Bush and his lesbian-molesting friend-shooting draft-dodging VP? Does Mammon trump righteousness for you? Our Elect must adhere to principle. The voters of Georgia must now enlighten those in Washington who are now in service to Rome. Are any members of the GaGOP not Roman Catholic? Draft-dodgers? Closet-queens? Rockefeller toadies?
By Todd Walker
May 28, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this
I have to wonder why anyone running to fill Charlie Norwoods spot would tout endorsements from Senator Chambliss. Below are my thoughts on Saxby’s sales presentation this past Saturday:
Beware of snake oil salesmen. This would be comical if it didn’t mean losing our sovereignty.
Saturday, a fellow Minuteman and I drove to Evans, GA to see for ourselves one of the best snake oil peddlers in the business. No, I’m not talking about the guy in the white suit in the Clint Eastwood western flick, “The Outlaw Jose Wales”. This salesman was “one of us.” That’s right, our own Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss.
We could not have missed the location as we drove to the restaurant as there were men standing on the sidewalk holding “NO AMNESTY” signs. They obviously hadn’t been paying much attention to Snake Oil, Inc. CEO [Pres. Bush] and other elite “company” officials [Senators, La Raza, anti-American corporations, et. al.] that this “compromise” legislation was not amnesty. I mused that this kind of free thinking attitude could ruin our journey and quest for the “truth” on S. 1348, the “comprehensive immigration reform plan”. I was mistaken.
After the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer over our breakfast, the sales presentation began. Taking the stage, Sen. Chambliss was politely greeted. After a few opening comments, he got down to business. In light of past amnesty failures, he was well aware of the reluctance of Americans to buy the new and improved bottle even with its streamline, 21st century look. Upon close inspection, the formula in the bottle was not amnesty, but something much better for illegal aliens.
Lindsay Mabry, a spokeswoman for Chambliss, recently said, “It’s a very emotional and complex issue, so it’s understandable what the reaction would be. But when the senator gets out there explaining why we need immigration reform now, people are starting to understand.” What the people at this sales event were “starting to understand” was that changing the label on the bottle does nothing to change the same old amnesty formula inside. I want to think that Sen. Chambliss is simply spouting the “company” line, but I think he really believes that the American people will drink this flawed amnesty formula. From the response at this sales event, we the people aren’t buying. In a national survey of 1,000 likely voters conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC on May 15, 2007, Americans support enforcement to make illegals go home. When presented by itself, 79 percent of the public said they supported reducing the illegal immigrant population by increasing border enforcement, penalizing employers, and increasing cooperation with local law enforcement, while 15 percent were opposed. Our senator in on the record as saying, “I haven’t committed to supporting this bill, if it doesn’t meet my criteria in the end. Most significant is border security first.” He addressed this issue at our meeting. He assured us that they really, really will secure our borders this time – wink, wink. The roar of applause was silenced by the two crickets chirping outside.
Saxby basically encouraged us to stop pestering our government about enforcing our current immigration laws. They’re broke don’t you know. Just drink from this new bottle and we’ll get some of what we want our sovereignty be damned. After all, Uncle Teddy has to have a few concessions for him to endorse the formula. Sen. Trent Lott has echoed the same sales pitch, “This is our last best chance to make a significant improvement in our immigration laws.” With sales-speak like this, I want to know who or what stole to the “can do” spirit of our nation? We the people are offering a reward to anyone with the backbone to find it and bring it back. What’s the reward…an office to govern through the consent of the governed.
But wait – there’s more! When the info-commercial was complete, Sen. Chambliss took a few questions. Having met our senator before the sales event began, he seemed to avoid my question as my hand shot into the air first like a second grader who knew the answer to 2+2=4. The first person selected for questions voiced his concern that this new bottle of snake oil will be as bad for people as the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Amnesty Bill. The spokesman confirmed that the 1986 vintage bottle did indeed contain amnesty but this new bottle and formula was anything but amnesty. What a sigh of relief. He challenged us to go home and check our Webster dictionary and see what Mr. Webster has to say about the “A” word. Just because illegal aliens, including gang member, workers taking jobs us lazy Americans won’t do, terrorists, violent sexual predators, and more get to legally stay here indefinitely, doesn’t mean its amnesty. All the MS-13 gang members need to do is renounce their gang affiliation and their in. What a deal.
Now to give our senator credit, he did say that it would be expensive. How expensive you might wonder? According to Heritage Foundation’s Robert Rector, this legislation will cost American tax payers $2.5 Trillion (yes, that is a capital T) dollars for 7.9 million amnesty recipients. Just like any info-commercial, discerning consumers must read the fine print as to the real cost of the product and its side effects.
As a simple man, I wanted to ask a simple question during the Q&A session, but evidently, Sen. Chambliss didn’t see me jump up with hand held high near the end of the sales presentation. Therefore, I zipped around the crowd to catch up with the good senator before the crowd rushed in. Upon approaching Saxby and before I could say hello again, he said to me, “I know you didn’t agree with anything I said.” Evidently he’s actually read a few of the many faxes I’ve sent to him this past week. I replied that his assessment of his sales presentation was correct. I then proceeded to explain that Rep. Norwood, God rest this true American patriot, reported that we needed 40,000 troops on our borders to stop this invasion. Senator Chambliss informed me that we have troops on our border now. I stated that we don’t have enough troops and we need to give them real guns and ammo to protect our sovereign borders like our military does in foreign countries. Sen. Chambliss made the same statement to me, which D.A. King posted on his blog [http://www.thedustininmansociety.org/blog/] “WE AREN’T GOING TO CONTRACT WITH THE RUSSIANS” – I assume he meant to secure our borders.
At that point, I’d had enough snake oil for the morning. There are more details to this sales event that I don’t have time to convey. P.T. Barnum once said, “You can fool all the people some of the time, you can fool some of the people all the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” Patriots beware: DON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN! Our senators will sell this snake oil at all costs.
Always Vigilant, Todd Walker Georgia State Director Minuteman Civil Defense Corps www.MinutemanHQ.com/GA
By Will Jones
May 28, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
The “Walker” of John Walker Lindh and George Walker Bush is Roman Catholic of the Roman Catholic Walker clan. Like Buckleys, Keatings and Carrolls, the Walkers are some of the pope’s “finest” helping to win America for the papacy. Is that why the “Minutemen” don’t wish to comment on the Roman Church’s published plan - The National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry - to use illegal immigration to take over America; and the Bush family’s multi-generational treason on behalf of Roman Catholic interests? Isn’t the Republican Party…and much of the Democratic…just fronting for Rome’s Fifth Column fascist plutocracy in America?
By SweetPea
May 28, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
Good God. What is wrong with these people? This hate filled conspiracy theory spew is beyond belief. Someone save us from the likes of Will Jones and his fellow “minutemen”.
By Sam
May 28, 2007 1:36 PM | Link to this
Come on Will Jones….fess up….which Mexican medicine are you drinking today….Jose Ceurvo or Corona?
Lighten up mis amigo…..there’s plenty of room for tacos and fried chicken.
By Will Jones
May 28, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this
http://www.amazon.com/National-Publication-Publishing-Promotion-Conference/dp/1555861997/ref=sr12/104-0245392-8027142?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180375330&sr=1-2
Speak to the fact of Rome’s published stratagem for “taking back” the U.S. from those who follows Our Founders.
By Will Jones
May 28, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this
http://www.amazon.com/National-Publication-Publishing-Promotion-Conference/dp/1555861997/ref=sr12/104-0245392-8027142?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180375330&sr=1-2
Speak to the fact of Rome’s published stratagem for “taking back” the U.S. from those who follow Our Founders.
By RJ
May 29, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this
Illegal immigration and the Iraq war are key issues in this campaign but the deciding factor will be whether voters of the 10th want a Congressman who can bring home the bacon, i.e., jobs, grants, and so on. That cannot happen with a Republican in the seat. Furthermore, after feeling the pain of Republican policies of the last few years, the people of this district are realizing they do not have the commonality they thought they had.
By Will Jones
May 30, 2007 5:07 PM | Link to this
All Georgians must demand that those we elect stand righteously against the treason of 9-11 which has sent Our Armed Forces to shed innocent blood and give their lives for Roman Catholic/Rockefeller/CFR BIG OIL and for Afghan heroin shipped here through the Dubai pervert draft-dodger traitor Bush wanted to give U.S. ports.