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Georgia companies plead with Isakson and Chambliss: ‘Stay the course’

Just got off a conference call with the Georgia Employers for Immigration Reform, the only big group in the state to come down on the side of the bill now being torn apart in Washington.

These are the people that put up the 60-second radio spot on WSB this week.

With the immigration bill coming up for a second round of debate, the ad’s intended to offer some encouragement to U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, who had been deeply involved in negotiations — though they’ve begun to pull away after harsh reaction at home.

“These two senators have rolled up their sleeves and been willing to, against a lot of pressure, to get out there and participate in the development of this bill over many months,” said GEIR chairman Wayne Lord. “But certainly the purpose of this campaign at this time is to encourage them to stay the course, continue to be engaged in this important process.”

The GEIR’s timing may be off. Local blogs are already discussing a report that both senators intend to vote against cutting off debate for the bill — in essence, to kill it. Here’s the CQ article at the center of the conversation.

Lord is a vice president with Pilgrim’s Pride, the largest poultry company in Georgia. We’re to get a complete list of companies involved in this effort sometime tomorrow.

But those on the line Wednesday said they’re desperate for a workforce that won’t disappear tomorrow — and decried the atmosphere that has put their employees under a “siege mentality.”

“Companies want stability. We like stability in interest rates, we like stability in predicting what tomorrow will bring. We like stability in markets. And right now, our most important resource of the company is up for grabs,” said Steve Newton, an executive vice president for the Southern Nurseries Association.

Listeners to the telephone conference call were carefully screened. Last month, a foe of the bill was quietly given the password to a conference call in which Isakson and Chambliss spoke with state lawmakers.

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By Will Jones

June 20, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this

Pilgrim’s Pride, and the other members of GEIR who, in obedience to the stratagem outlined in the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops’ “National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry,” wish, through avarice and appetite, to usurp Our Republic and the essential yeoman artisanry of the eighty percent Working Class, by promoting illegal immigration of Hispanic Roman Catholics, gaining for them amnesty and naturalization, and registering them to vote in order to “take back” that which they claim was stolen by the speakers of the language of a North Atlantic island, must be made known to all loyal Americans and, until legislators and courts are empowered by The People to rid us of Rome’s Fifth Column, all members of GEIR must be boycotted and terminated from the public commerce, that their economic and political treason not go unpunished.

By deegee

June 20, 2007 3:46 PM | Link to this

It’s just mind-boggling to me that you can have thousands and thousands of small, medium and large sized employers in the state that take risks, pay taxes, pay for their employees’ health care, work day and night and vote in every election and they are being demonized by a vocal group of so-called patriots that have nothing better to do all day but scream “AMNESTY!!!” Why are the business people that provide jobs, and actually contribute something to society other than hot air being stifled in this debate? If you would stop screaming long enough to listen you would know that it’s not about cheap labor it’s about labor, period.

By Will Jones

June 20, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this

“Mine elect shall long enjoy the fruit of their own hands labor.”

It isn’t about “labor,” it is about PROFIT. Profit that is not “prophetable.”

By mitch

June 20, 2007 4:09 PM | Link to this

Altough Whitehead would make a good choice, based on Georgia history I would not bet on him moving inside the beltway after the election.

By deegee

June 20, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this

Good for Isakson and Chambliss. They’re irrelevant anyway. They’re two of the most ineffective senators in Washington. I guess they figured that if they get booed at every pig roast and county fair they show up for life just isn’t worth living. Who needs them…

By Stephanie

June 20, 2007 4:57 PM | Link to this

The only employers who want to pass this bill are those that knowingly hire ILLEGAL ALIENS, not IMMIGRANTS. Those that hire legal workers have nothing to fear and nothing new to promote. These businesses should be shut down. If you can not hire legal workers, you should not be in business. Many of the so-called jobs that have been “growing the economy” are by employers like this who exploit people for their personal gain, not out of their compassion for their fellow man. These are the very businesses that have enabled this crisis to fester and grow by their lack of integrity or concern for Americans. I see that Pilgrams Pride has already been marketed as an employer that loves to hire illegal aliens on We Hire Aliens website

By deegee

June 20, 2007 5:10 PM | Link to this

Sure, go ahead and bash some of the biggest employers and taxpayers of the state. You can sit on your butt and blog all day and never have to worry about meeting a deadline, fulfilling a contract obligation, staffing a workplace, hearing the same tired story about how so-and-so couldn’t show up for work because they had to meet with their parole officer, etc. etc. In between blogging you can turn on Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and get your fill of right wing rhetoric. They keep pumping it out because their sponsors know that they have the grumpy old man market carved out. They can sell you all the celebrex, viagra, adult diapers and supplemental health insurance you need and want - at a big profit. You folks are getting played and you don’t have a clue about what goes on outside of your small, self-absorbed world.

By Will Jones

June 20, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this

Super Roman Catholic Roger Ailes’ creation sex-tourist and obvious pederast Rush “The Roman Catholic Church is the rock-ribbed backbone of American moral value” Limbaugh and altarboy Sean Hannity are tools of Rome’s Fifth Column and any opposition they pose to Bush’s amnesty bill is only to hold on to whatever waning audience has yet to stop listening to them. Bush’s remaining support is only from “deadender” Roman Catholics who have yet to recognize that following Jefferson is better than serving, and being molested by, the Anti-Christ.

By Marge

June 20, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this

To deegee, who thinks this is right wing rhetoric: The overwhelming majority of Americans do not support the amnesty bill and it is not just “conservatives”. Today’s Democratic poll, reported by James Carville found that “Voters were far more likely to support proposals that would tighten the border and stop illegal immigrants from getting government benefits than efforts to legalize the estimated 12 million people living in the country illegally” Read Dem poll finds tepid support for immigration bill PS: Employers who hire legal workers are most welcome. Those promoting jobs for ILLEGAL aliens are not. Sounds like Pilgrams Pride may be a little concerned that their paperwork may be out of order. Also, besides boycotting these companies that are desperate for illegal aliens, let’s boycott those that support the racist, separatist group La Raza as Corporate Sponsors of La Raza whose mission is to promote “Hispanic interests” and “Latino power” at the expense of all Americans.

By deegee

June 20, 2007 5:45 PM | Link to this

Will, you are out there, man. Did a nun drop you on your head or something?

By deegee

June 20, 2007 6:01 PM | Link to this

Marge, part of what Carville was doing in the polling was testing demogogic language. There is no other poll that supports a 47%-47% split in Democratic voter support for Immigration reform. Every impartial poll taken to date has shown more support, not less support for immigration reform.

By d.a. king

June 20, 2007 6:11 PM | Link to this

I resent not being included in the illegal alien lobby’s conference call!

By Will Jones

June 20, 2007 6:26 PM | Link to this

deegee, Would that be your most thoughtful response to America’s Founding Prophet, Thomas Jefferson, upon learning he regarded Rome as “the real Anti-Christ?” Which “closet” are you in “deegee?” Your position is that of the Roman Catholic Church…Is that more than a “coincidence?” Chambliss and Isakson are just shills for fascist plutocracy licking up to the Draft-Dodger Closet-Queen-in-Chief (appointed by the Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court). What’s your excuse? Lazy and need Mexico’s surplus slaves to do your heavy lifting? Roman Catholic in obedience to your Bishops’ plan to take-over America? Show your true colors.

I subscribe to Our Founders’ original Whig interpretation of History: History is the unfolding of the conflict between Rome, and everybody else.

Makes sense to me…but perhaps you don’t share an original “American” perspective. Please, to what school of history do you subscribe?

This American doesn’t believe it wrong or inappropriate to identify stated, explicit threats to our sovereignty and point them out to my fellow patriots and Veterans sworn of the Oath.

P.S. Should you wish to respond, please dispense with the logical fallacy. If your Roman Catholic affiliation prevents intelligent response…please don’t bother with any response at all. American Free Speech should confine itself to Americans’ Free Speech. Those who wish ill to America are not Americans.

By Kitty

June 20, 2007 7:22 PM | Link to this

Isakson & Chambliss can go straight to hell. Businesses dont vote —-people do! WE SAY NO! HELL NO! Enforce the laws on the books now, they cant even do that….how could they possibly enforce more ??? Secure the border. It has nothing to do with the invaders here now. They will be dealt with later. BTW, businesses dont offer a decent living wage for this country, which is why they get 3rd wolrders who get paid a living wage for THEIR country. The businesses get richer—-fat pigs.

By Kitty

June 20, 2007 7:32 PM | Link to this

Isakson & Chambliss can go straight to hell. Businesses dont vote —-people do! WE SAY NO! HELL NO! Enforce the laws on the books now, they cant even do that….how could they possibly enforce more ??? Secure the border. It has nothing to do with the invaders here now. They will be dealt with later. BTW, businesses dont offer a decent living wage for this country, which is why they get 3rd wolrders who get paid a living wage for THEIR country. The businesses get richer—-fat pigs.

By Kitty

June 20, 2007 7:34 PM | Link to this

Saxby & Johnny! start packing—-we will VOTE YOU OUT!

By Rusty

June 20, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this

THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THE BILL.

CALM DOWN!!!

By Joe

June 20, 2007 9:07 PM | Link to this

deegee is the only smart voice I have heard on this blog. You guys that are listening to Hannity and Rush have swallowed the kool-aid when it comes to the immigration bill. If you believe that American industry can fill all the jobs that the bill is trying to fill by providing a “legal” way to do so, you are sadly mistaken. The unemployment rate has remained steady for decades, and where it is most economists will tell you there in no unemployment. It is interesting to note that those that criticize “illegal” aliens are not criticizing the entitlement class in this country that is the real problem. If you think those folks on welfare will do the jobs these hard working immigrants are performing, I have a bridge to sell you!!!

By Kinda scared....

June 20, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this

Enough talk about the immigration bill… who else gets a little freaked out by every Will Jones post?

By Will Jones

June 20, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this

“Rusty” AKA “Kinda scared…” AKA “Joe” AKA “deegee” : Anonymity your only polyonymous friend when entering public discourse here? Ashamed of your given name and family? Speak your truth and fly your colors proudly. Even though you are not an American, given your support of Rome’s stated plan to promote illegal immigration to destroy Our Country, humor the rest of us here and act like one just for laughs.

By Tom Jones

June 20, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this

“Good for Isakson and Chambliss. They’re irrelevant anyway. They’re two of the most ineffective senators in Washington. I guess they figured that if they get booed at every pig roast and county fair they show up for life just isn’t worth living. Who needs them…”

And yet when they were pushing for a solution, they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Seems to me they’re extremely effective. They single-handedly pushed the debate from a comprehensive bill, to the need for decoupling the two isues and moving border security first (per their letter to the president). It’s easy for morons like you to belittle them when you;ve never put your own name on a ballot.

And yes, I wholeheartedly support GEIR.

“Isakson & Chambliss can go straight to hell. Businesses dont vote —-people do! WE SAY NO! HELL NO! Enforce the laws on the books now, they cant even do that….how could they possibly enforce more ??? Secure the border. It has nothing to do with the invaders here now. They will be dealt with later. BTW, businesses dont offer a decent living wage for this country, which is why they get 3rd wolrders who get paid a living wage for THEIR country. The businesses get richer—-fat pigs.”

Kitty…you apparently have no cognitive skills (yes…this means you’re an idiot). They have come out in opposition to the bill.

But really, go vote against them for doing exactly what you want them to do.

By Will Jones

June 20, 2007 9:50 PM | Link to this

“Tom Jones” please use a different fake name (e.g. “deegee” “Joe” “Rusty” “Kinda scared…”)as your use of it defames an actually good name and you are obviously not a genuine “Jones.”

By Kitty

June 20, 2007 9:57 PM | Link to this

Tom Jones: They have flip flopped on this issue many many times. I wouldnt put it past them to vote for it at the last second. I dont trust any of them anymore, for anything at any time.

By popeye1250

June 21, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this

All these Senators need to refresh their memories that the C.E.O. has one vote just like everyone else! And these days it looks to be 50,000 to 1 against this “Bill.” It’s going to be awfully intersting to watch the next (two) elections.

By Ken the Contractor

June 21, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this

What most American’s fail to understand is that for every illegal person hired an American citizen is pushed a little further away from the American dream. Yes, it is true that most Americans would rather not work some of the jobs immigrants(legal and illegal) take, but that does not mean they would not do the work if required. We are producing an entire generation of young Americans who are required to work for sub-standard wages, under the table, without benefits due in part because of the greed of business’ that hire illegals or pay “off the books”. We are quickly loosing or should I say selling the American dream to business’ that are not being required to follow the law. I should know, I work it every day and it has taken most of my will to continue working in the construction industry. Corruption and immorallity go hand in hand. We can only hope that justice and a willingness to uphold our Nations laws will prevail.

By Rick R

June 21, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this

We see in our neighborhoods in Gwinnett the effects these fine, law-abiding, hard working ILLEGAL ALIENS have wrought. Barracks built in back yards to house workers. Entire front lawns being paved so the entire workforce will have a place to park, horns constantly honking every morning at 6:30 to 7:00 to pick up laborers (10-15 per household). Trash covering the front lawns where there aren’t vehicles parked. Chickens and various other farm animals roaming the neighborhood. Constant noise and disruptions from these homes since they are as busy as a Waffle House. Day laborers hanging out with stereos blaring as they wait for the Boss to come and distribute the daily pay. I pay good money for my home, and pay a great deal in taxes, I don’t understand why my neighborhood is becoming a slum because some builder or poulty outfit is saving money hiring illegals.

By Tony

June 21, 2007 5:27 PM | Link to this

And Rick, you can thank your good ol’ flag waving patriotic American neighbors for that. Realize the illegals don’t come here unless your fellow Americans hire them. So before you start lynching people, make sure you thank an American for creating this problem. Perhaps if the Americans doing this were punished for breaking the law, we’d have less to do with this. What about enforcing the law against them? Or do you just want to appear to be racist and bigoted by only claiming this is the Mexican who is breaking the law and should be punished? They come here at our invitation. Can you blame them?

By Rick R

June 21, 2007 5:44 PM | Link to this

Tony, Learn to understand what is written. #1 I didn’t mention where they were from or what nationality they were, you came to that conclusion so perhaps you are the racist. #2 I haven’t lynched anybody. #3 I put the blame squarely on employers in my last sentence. #4 I didn’t give anybody an invitation to break the law and steal my tax dollars.

By LollyGagr

June 21, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this

For all of you illegal alien and amnesty supporters, I gues syou want to give away our country. How about checking out: http://www.wehategringos.com/index2.shtml

Watch the flash video.

I like Mexico’s immigration laws, we should adopt them.

I am all for LEGAL immigrants, not for the illegals who are breaking our country’s laws, murdering people either by drunken driving or other means, crowding our ER’s for free medical (not ER) care, using EMS services for free rides to another area of town or to avoid the lengthy ER waiting time (no doubt the wait caused by illegal aliens), illegals in Dalton throwing stuff at police vehicles, raping women, crowding up or jails, violent gang activity all over, trashing where they illegally live, all while the immigrants who are trying to get here legally are pushed further back in the line for citizenship. My stepkids cannot get summer jobs at fast food places because illegals took those jobs.

Where’s the Fence??

By proudvet

June 21, 2007 6:22 PM | Link to this

“Deegee” should go back to Mexico, where he came from! Every poll shows that at least 70% of Legal Americans oppose any form of amnesty and believe in enforcement first. If we allow this bill to go forward in less than two generations we will become an impoverished third world country with a hispanic majority. The Catholic church needs to keep out of US politics or start paying the trillions in taxes they would owe.

By Jason Baker

June 21, 2007 6:48 PM | Link to this

This well organized effort of businesses pushing for amnesty for illegal aliens should be investigated more closely by the proper

authorities. They are more than likely in violation of the Federal Immigration and Nationality Act Section 8 USC 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv)(b)(iii) They are blatantly admitting to hiring illegal aliens in violation of federal law. The ICE office in Atlanta should take action on this matter ASAP. To sit idly by wouold be a deriliction of duty. The companies involved need to be boycotted for their greed, avarice, and disrespect for the laws of this land. I would also like to add; “Where’s the Fence?”

By Kris

June 21, 2007 7:18 PM | Link to this

Where are all these employers deegee talks about who pay for their illegal immigrant employees’ health care. Why are hospitals all over the country going out of business because of the cost of caring for illegals. If you haven’t been in Rick R’s and my shoes and had your neighborhood completely ruined and your property values destroyed by illegal aliens then shut the hell up.

By Tammy Williams

June 21, 2007 8:15 PM | Link to this

I think it is a travesty that I cannot open my newspaper without seeing some kind of support for Amnesty. I work within blocks of Pilgrim’s Pride and every morning on the way to work I see them coming out of the woodwork like cockroaches climbing over and under the trains to get to work. On Fridays the check cashing van is out front to perform their weekly ritual. Pilgrim’s Pride KNOWINGLY hires illegals and won’t even give the white man an application while CLAIMING to use the Basic Pilot program. Cheap labor, folks, that’s all it amounts to, otherwise they would have no interest in pushing their cause. AMNESTY = LEGALIZED SLAVERY PERIOD. WHERE’S THE FENCE!

By Jose

June 21, 2007 9:21 PM | Link to this

Senora Tammy Williams - “like cockroaches climbing over and under the trains…..”

Where is this coming from….your last Klan Meeting!

I hope you weren’t choking on your cheap chicken dinner as you wrote this!

Also….”the weekly ritual” so many of us perform is sending hard earned cash back to our families….do you have a problem with sons, husbands and fathers acting responsibly to support their families?

By Mark Earhart

June 22, 2007 5:13 AM | Link to this

This GA resident will not knowingly purchase any product from any company who knowingly hires illegal aliens or encourages our Senators to ignore the will of the people.

Mark Earhart Ringgold GA

By Ken the Contractor

June 22, 2007 9:14 AM | Link to this

The last comment by Mark Earhart makes the most sense. Our elected officials have refused to listen to the will of the people, so we must do the American thing; boycott all business’ that’s hires or supports the hiring of illegal workers. Everyone from your insurance agent to your banker, the local service company, poultry or pig house. The only thing these CEO’s understand is the bottom line, so let’s educate them.

By Rick R

June 22, 2007 9:42 AM | Link to this

Ken is correct, if Pilgrim’s pride has no customers, it needs no workers. The point Jose is missing is this, illegals break the law to come here, break the law falsifying documents for school, break the law getting medical care and other social services knowing they won’t be paying for it, etc. etc. The American citizen and legal immigrants pay their taxes, spend their money in America, pay for insurance, and get their homes taken when they can’t pay their hospital bill. I don’t want to support drug dealers families either, we don’t call them undocumented Pharmacists. Perhaps the illegals anger should be pointed to their own corrupt governments that are causing them to leave their families and country to put food on the table. Perhaps if they had the gumption to protest in their own countries they could correct their own problems and not bring them to America.

By Kitty

June 22, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

RICK…PLEASE RUN FOR OFFICE …..WE will vote for you.

By Jason Baker

June 22, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this

Hey Jose, I don't see violating the laws of a sovereign nation to be a great example of acting responsably. If you are not doing it right you are doing it wrong. Those in the food service and food preparation industry are placing us all at risk not being properly screened for contagious diseases. Pilgrim's pride needs to be held accountable and criminally liable.
 

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