I do always wonder what in god’s name they are doing when they cry about how Obama/Liberals are not respecting the Constitution followed up the next day with a rant about how these Constitutional Amendments MUST BE CHANGED!

I mean, can people really be that oblivious to their hypocrisy and downright stupidity?

I’m very eager to volunteer for a focus group where they test this shit. For the life of me I can’t see how this is a winner for the GOP. But some consultant is telling them it is. I’d just like to see it firsthand.

Every story about Republicans wanting to change or eliminate the fourteenth amendment should be prefaced with “Republican Hypocrites…”

Polling isn’t great on immigration stuff right now, especially with the economy as bad as it is. But this is a short term winner/long term disaster strategy by the GOP.

I assume your final question is rhetorical, but the answer is: YES!! Because sadly the Republicans and rightwingers that I know quite simply ARE that oblivious, not only to their hypocrisy and stupidity, but also to their racism and bigotry.

So, suggesting this change to the 14th Amend will phase few of the rightwingers I know. They will simply not question it, esp if RushGlenn croon about how “good” this is and only real ‘Murkins “understand” why it’s betterer constitutionally & actually this is the way the founding fathers would want it. (no ****)

I guess that the more the Rethugs pander to the extreme right wing, the more they’re forced to keep doing it–since they’re alienating pretty much everyone else in the country.

Birtherism on steroids is what’s going on here. Period.

“when the United States Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment as one of its rationales for declaring school segregation unconstitutional.”

Fortunately, I’m pretty sure they will be leaving the due process stuff alone, and changing only the birthright citizenship section. Not that it’s a good change, but lets be honest about what they are proposing at least….

Maybe it should start with “To be redundant, Republican bigots….”

It’s not going to make them many allies in Texas, even among white conservatives.

The right’s stupidity is beyond anything ever witness on the planet earth.

the right considers Obama a socialist,liberal, progressive

the right can’t grasp the idea that the rich love the idea of little to no immigration laws, because helps them keep labor cost cheap. (the rich almost always vote republican)

the right wants to extend the tax cuts for the rich, and cut social security, because they want to cut the deficit.

historians will view the right as a product of corporate govt. they will write to have a corporate run govt. one needs very ignorant people.

“…short term winner/long term disaster strategy by the GOP.”

Yeah, that’s pretty much the only reason I could come up with also. Good for 2010, not so much for 2012.

Nosirreebob.

It’s one area where The Secessionist is to the left of the Palinese Liberation Army.

Truly but now he’s been tarred with the GOP anti immigration brush. His efforts to woo back Hispanic voters will be futile.

Republican battshittery is the only thing that can save Democrats from thier own mediocrity.

Gotta love the sign. Make English America’s “offical” language? What part of America and why make it “offical”?

Republicans Love the Constitution So Much They Want to Change It to Keep Out Brown People

Good irony, criticizing Republicans about changes to the Constitution, when the 14th Amendment itself is a change to the Constitution.

BTW, I don’t support the change.

I would be thrilled if the Dems were mediocre. It would be a step up.

The bill to change farm labor employment rules made to the governor’s desk on a party-line vote only to be veto by Arnold. If you think this doesn’t have anything to do with skin color think again.

Farmworkers, overtime and days off: A California shame

Uh, the 14th has been around since 1868.

Good point. :(

Can someone define

offical

for me? I couldn’t find it in the Urban dictionary or on the Google. Is it Constitutional jargon?

Edit: /s, BTW

Good irony, criticizing Republicans about changes to the Constitution, when the 14th Amendment itself is a change to the Constitution.

So is The Bill of Rights.

Did you check the Conservipedia? Sounds like something they would know about.

They only want to scrap the Fourteenth Amendment? But keep the rest of the Constitution? By contemporary standards, that makes them liberal Republicans.

It’s right up there with “moran” doncha know. :)

Now Kris… be kind to folks who couldn’t get past 5th grade.

Good irony, criticizing Republicans about changes to the Constitution, when the 14th Amendment itself is a change to the Constitution.

So what?

Is that who we’re dealing with here? Are Jon Kyl and Mitch McConnell really former losing contestant from “Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?”

Or are they Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy in disguise?

It’s not that this is the only change they want to make; it’s that they can only talk about one at a time because of the short attention span of the Tea Party base.

*Rimshot*

“Just Say Now” in big green headlines at Huff Post. Looks really good.

Larry the Cable Guy is waaaayyy smarter than Mitch McConnman. As for Kyl, I’m not sure he can read.

I meant no offense. It just seems that you’re snarking Republicans for fake loving the Constitution, and then criticizing them for wanting to scrap one of the changes and go back to the original.

But maybe I took it wrong and that first Constitution loving part wasn’t snark.

I could totally picture Kyl as the spokesman for the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Want to Learn to do Other Stuff Good, Too.

“What is this? A Center for ants?”

wanting to scrap one of the changes and go back to the original.

An amendment isn’t necessarily a change, but an addition. In this case, it defined language and added more. The 14th amendment didn’t take part of the Constitution that said “No darkies” and undo it.

It’s an addition, not a change. And it’s 142 years old. I’d call that established Constitutional law.

Because the establishment of corporate personhood is based on the 14th amendment, I’m in favor of abolishing it, too.

No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater…we just need to abolish the ridiculous principle of corporate personhood.

Boy, those silly Republicans and their love/hate relationship with babies. First they want to make sure there are lots of babies by ending all abortions.

Then once born they want to make sure no baby has access to affordable health care or food unless the free market deems that’s appropriate. And now they want to strip some of the babies they were so eager to see born of their citizenship.

I wonder if they fail to change the 14th amendment if they’ll as a backup support taxpayer funded abortions for brown people that would give birth to anchor babies?

It’s a tough question. One wonders whether their dislike of abortions trumps their dislike of brown people.

Gee, why would we want to change a law that gives a reward for illegal activity.

Oh, I know: because the law as it stands today increases the future Democratic voting base.

And because America has room and jobs for everyone in the world who can get here. Why, just look: we have no unemployment problem, no outsourcing/offphsoring of jobs problem, no overcrowded schools/underfunded education problems. Welcome all.

It’s too bad Mexico is made up of brown people. I wish its population was lily-white caucasian. That would make for an interesting, racism-free discussion of whether rewarding unlimited illegal immigration is a good idea.

Trying to change the Constitution could be considered a step in the right direction.
At least they are not simply ignoring it like during the Bush years.

What illegal activity did that fetus engage in that it is being rewarded for?

Geez ! It just never ends.

It’s an addition, not a change. And it’s 142 years old. I’d call that established Constitutional law.

Good point. That means that the 14th amendment has been around for 61 years years LONGER than the original document as it was prior to it being adopted. (Constitution adopted in 1787, 14th amendment adopted 81 years later in 1868 – 2010 – 1868 = 142 – 81 = a life of 61 years longer than the Constitution before ratification of the 14th)

Good point.

Always best to look at the bright side of things.

Trying to changes to the Constitution could be considered a step in the right direction.

By whom? And what changes?

At least they are not simply ignoring it like during the Bush years.

If all they can come up with is crap ideas like changing the 14th, I’d rather they ignored it.

If Mexicans were white we wouldn’t be having this debate and immigration would not even be discussed

It’s too bad Mexico is made up of brown people

Who said anything about Mexico or brown people? You’re the one who brought that up. The native born clause in the 14th amendment applies to everyone, British as well as Burmese, Russians as well as Rwandans….
Oh yeah….and what the hell does immigration have to do with offshoring of jobs? That might lead to emigration but not the other way around. I know those words sound very similar so use of a dictionary would be a good next step here.

Now our Panamanian Senator puts his 2 cents in:

Politico reports:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Tuesday he supports GOP calls for congressional hearings into altering the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to children of illegal immigrants who are born in the United States.

Of course. McPanderer will go whichever way the wind is blowing.

o/t

forgive me Blue Texan – Just Say Now is headlined over at HuffPo right now – 3 inch high letters. that Hamsher gal knows somethin’ ’bout roll outs :D

Yes but such a change would leave him in a difficult position. Something tells me that the whole native born issue would have never come up if the guy who was actually born in a different country had won the election.

Margaret, KrisAinCA – applause to you both.

And what makes me the maddest is that d___ McConnell quote:

I don’t think anybody thinks that’s something they’re comfortable with.

Who is he calling ‘anybody?” I’m part of “anybody,” and he couldn’t be more wrong about me. I’m absolutely comfortable with it; in fact, I can give you reasons it’s at the basis of the US’s success in the 20th century in assimilating immigrants and in therefore making spectacular scientific and technical advances.
It’s why we don’t have riots in “immigrant neighborhoods/slums” like some other countries – why the children and grandchildren of immigrants feel like Americans, not, say, like Turks in France or Germany, who still feel like Turks. They are citizens by birth, and they are American. For all the troubles they may have, they are nothing compared to those in countries where immigrants’ descendants remain foreigners.
I’ll save my rant – in fact, perhaps I should do some research for a diary; there are excellent reasons and evidence for not doing such a stupid thing.

And I resent being included in the stupidity, just like I do when a white person, seeing that I am also white, assumes that I won’t be offended when he tells a racist joke.
This is pernicious, and we need to start pushing back against it, NOW, before it gets too much momentum.

As Rachel Maddow said on her show last evening, it’s about FEAR of an invasion of brown people. She mentioned a false story about the Zeta drug cartel invading two ranches in the vicinity of Laredo, Texas. Totally false, but getting a lot of play in the right-wing blogosphere.
The 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection before the law, will also be the basis of an overturn of ALL laws which restrict the rights of gays. Maybe that’s a part of their strategy. Prolly they should just seek to repeal the 1st Amendment, it would be more effective for their aims, which, apparently are a fascist christian/theocracy. Oh wait! Wasn’t that what the German Third Reich was???
This is a good example of how fragile our rights are. It doesn’t take a poor young soldier, fighting in a downtrodden land to protect MY civil rights, but MY activism here at home, countering those who would deprive me of same.
If anyone is interested, get involved with the Bill of Rights Defense Committees, there’s one in every state.

“Me, I romp and stomping, thankful as I romp, without freedom of speech, I might be in the swamp.” Bob Dylan, “Motorpsycho Nightmare”

Gee, why would we want to change a law that gives a reward for illegal activity.

So to be clear: you favor punishing children for their parents’ crimes?

On that basis, shall we round up all the kids of the CEOs of Big Agriculture and hotel chains and meat packing companies since they all employee immigrants illegally?

Republics don’t really want to change the 14th Amendment any more than they want to change abortion laws. They are just using this as an election year prop because they see it has traction. When the election is over, they will do nothing, even if they have power.

They had total control durning most of Decider Bush’s reign. Yet, they made no attempts to change abortion laws. The 14th Amendment is the same thing. Trot it out during elections. Then put it back on the shelf for the next one.

Well, technically BT brought up brown people in the headline. But I agree with your point.

And another fine example of how Rethugs use fear and racism to stir up the working class who should be their most solid opponents.

Actually it’s based on a misinterpretation of the 14th amendment and the differences between “artificial” persons and “natural” persons which is based on British common law.

Thom Hartman wrote an excellent book about this(Unequal Protection). The amendment does not establish corporate personhood but a corporate friendly clerk wrote that into the head notes I believe–but it isn’t in the amendment.

Santa Clara vs. Southern Pacific was a corrupt ruling.

I guess I’m not a progressive or liberal anymore because I would so be willing to go for a compromise on this one.

Right wingers you can has your dreams of no more citizens as a result of illegal immigrant births if I can has my dreams of no more rights granted to corporations based on personhood and all prior rights granted to corporations based on peronhood are hereby revoked.

I know most/all won’t agree, but I’d go there. I think.

Yes, but now it’s “settled law,” so lots of cases would have to be overruled.

Congrats again.

Republican arrogance. That’s an old trick. Like when they said that everybody was fooled about Saddam Hussein and WMD when clearly not “everybody” was fooled. They use it to deflect attention and criticism away from themselves. “See? I can’t be racist! Nobody is very comfortable with it!” It’s just a rhetorical trick.

Gee, why would we want to change a law that gives a reward for illegal activity.

Because the idea of ripping a 2 year old child away from their home and their friends and family and putting them through a terrifying deportation process at the hands of law enforcement officials makes my stomach turn.

Kick rocks, troll. Find a conscience. Maybe its back under that rock you crawled out from.

I wouldn’t want to make that trade for a couple of reasons, the most important of which being that even if the Democrats agree to that compromise, the corporate citizens bit will be stripped out of the final bill long before it reaches the states for ratification.

OFG, once you think about it some more, I doubt you would really go there.

The last bits of the dream of America and the last bits of the success of America and American ideas would be destroyed. I’m not exaggerating.

Think we have a large, hopeless, damaged and damaging underclass now? Wait till there’s a generation or so of immigrant children who can do nothing to earn a living or take care of their families, who are alienated from America and all it stands for. Those are conditions for revolution.

Now, immigrants children buy in to the dream. They buy that “only in America” dream, because in many ways it’s still true. And the base for that possibility is the fact that they are citizens the moment they are born. Change that, and all hell will truly break loose; it’s only a matter of how long it would take.

Margaret, you cynic, you! May I offer you the blue ribbon for today?

And yeah, rhetorical trick or not, it pisses me off.

But don’t you people want to do away with the Second Amendment?

I say a gun in every home…a gun in every car.

Amen. We’re not running a soup kitchen here in the US.

PS, most of the people here pay no income taxes so it’s easy for them to spend the tax dollars of those of us who do pay. It’s always been easy to spend other’s money.

But don’t you people want to do away with the Second Amendment?

No. I can only speak for myself but I don’t have a problem with the second amendment, just some of the more radical interpretations of it. People who like to wave guns have no business owning them. It’s the right wingers who love to ignore the “well regulated” part of the second.

And yeah, rhetorical trick or not, it pisses me off.

Me too sweetie. >:-[

Actually, we run hundreds of them. I think you should refresh yourself on what it says at the base of the Statue of Liberty

The easiest thing of all though is the I’ve got mine and fuck everybody else mentality. Yep no responsibility to the greater good at all. Mine mine mine mine mine.

No worries though. If there is a Hell, then there’s a special place reserved there for all the assholes with that mentatlity. And if there isn’t a hell, well those assholes are still gonna die just the same as everyone else, no matter how much money they hoard.

I’d gladly pay income taxes. If you can help me find a job, I’ll pay all the taxes I have to pay without complaint.

And as a gun owner, I have no problems with the 2nd amendment either. How do you feel about things like the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th amendments?

But but but but, that came from FRANCE!!!

most of the people here pay no income taxes

Do you have any evidence to support that? Or could you share the logical reasoning process that brought you to that personal belief?

I wish I didn’t pay taxes! Lord knows I don’t get to enjoy the same civil rights as you and though it would only be fair to pay less tax in exchange, that isn’t the case.

The easiest thing of all though is the I’ve got mine and fuck everybody else mentality. Yep no responsibility to the greater good at all. Mine mine mine mine mine.

Yep. That attitude, more than anything else has ruined us as a nation in my opinion. And since misery loves company, they are exporting it overseas.

Our Hidden History of Corporations in the United States For a short explanation of “Person hood”
And here
… And yes it was the case you sited. He was on the payroll of Southern Pacific and iirc he waited till the Judge was dead before publishing his notes!

Got to leave – telling myself – do.not.feed…..

Again, our trolls are setting up strawmen that have no basis in reality.
I’ve been paying income taxes for thirty-five years, and I doubt there’s anyone here who can’t match that. Whre would little troll get such an idea?
Ok, must leave. Margaret, OFG, Kris, oldnslow – over to you.

Hey this SCOTUS has NO problem overturning “Settled Law” see Citizens United..

later tejana! Stay pink! I’m out soon too. Afternoon workout time coming up.

Two more Gold STARS Margaret!!

You know what gets me is that these bozos who have done nothing to resolve the nation’s current problems, supposes are smarter than the founders in addressing citizenship. The republicans are race baiters afraid of their own shadows, but they will demonize “the other” and feed the bigotry of the fringes so that they will act. And then of course, the bozos take credit for the actions of followers, or discount them if they prove to be unpopular.

Hey they will be right at Home with St Ronnie!

Let’s not forget the 14th also gave citizenship to Goldman Sachs and Walmart.

WooHoo! Love me some gold stars!

We haven’t. It’s been brought up and discussed on this very thread of conversation.

[Edited by Moderator.] I made less than 15k and I HAD to Pay TAXES on all of it even though 1/2 was SS which ST Ronnie decided to tax… “Find Rock… lift up.. crawl under and find your soul that is if you have one… Thats right a tinny man has none just an empty vessel!

…at home in the Bush Wing of Hell.

Here ya go ☆ ✰…
Now go earn some more ☺☺

Truly. This is just an appeal to the teabaggers to please not primary them. The Republicans have a long history of enabling and empowering fringe groups who then get out of their control. Only their arrogance allows them to keep doing it over and over without learning the lessons they should.

That being said, the Democrats seem unable of unwilling to learn that you can’t just crap on liberals and progressives and expect them to show up to vote. Idiots, the whole lot of them, insulated by their media enabled DC bubble.

That being said, the Democrats seem unable of unwilling to learn that you can’t just crap on liberals and progressives and expect them to show up to vote.

To be fair to the Democrats, I don’t see why they would’ve learned that lesson since all evidence up to now is that liberals and progressives will show and vote for them no matter what.

I would so like to give them a different message and then see if they learn the lesson. If they don’t after the message is given, then it’s their bad. If we never send them the message, then it’s our bad. IMO.

Phoowie ta youie

Birthright Citizenship, is not all about bigotry and racism, although I would tend to admit some of this does exist here on this issue.

And yet the reality, here in Arizona, at least, is that Brewer, Pearce, and Kavanaugh,are the persons peddling this crap both nationally and locally, and thusly should be seen for what they really are and that’s “arch-conservatives” writ large and for the mindset of the john birchers.

And if you look and measure their behavior within this ‘frame’ of the arch-conservative, their behavior is easily understood and makes sense. And not to, will cause you some serious ‘confusion’ and take you places where you don’t want to go.

Thus, when Lindsey Graham publicly endorsed legislation to revoke citizenship relative to the 14th Amendment, I jokingly suggested that he should do what he is obviously been wanting to do and for quite some time, and that’s designating Hispanics and Native Americans as “enemy combatants”.

And lost in all this percieved ‘confusion’, these arch-conservatives will be attempting to ‘privatize’ all public lands west of the Mississippi River and that includes the proverbial Rez. And given the wealth of natural resources, above and below the surface, this wealth must be privatized for their benefit. Consequently, these arch-conservatives see in themselves as being the sole beneficiaries for “equal opportunity”. Furthermore, these arch-conservatives are telling us, perhaps, indirectly, “The hell with the next several generations since they can fend for themselves.”

Jaango

I loves me some blanket statements, like no liberal ever pays taxes ever. Say, I’m a liberal, so where do I sign up for not paying taxes?????? Where is that window, please?

Seriously, the stupidity and cupidity really burns, but methinks such dumb statements are made merely to irk people. I’d like to think even dumb people know better and just want to muckrake for sh**ts & grins. Whatever…

I actually make pretty good $$$ (one of the lucky ones). I’ve worked hard all my life and made it on my own. Came from a working class family; put myself thru college & several grad degrees; have worked 2 jobs most of my life, paying taxes on both jobs, plus the rest: Soc Sec, Medicare, etc. Bc I make decent wages, I’m in one of the higher tax brackets. My ONLY complaint with paying taxes is that I’m forced by the perfidy, greed and stupidity of (mainly) Republicans into having giant gobs of MY tax dollars being wasted on: 1) funding useless wars that we were lied to about, which were started solely and only to enrich the very wealthy of this nation, and have served neither to make any of us any safer from terrorists, in fact have served to make us less safe, while also killing our own military personnel and lots of foreigners, 2) funding things like the prison system in Cali (state taxes this time), which is a big bugaboo of mine, whereby CA Republics insist on harsh mandatory sentencing laws resulting in too many citizens being jailed for stupid stuff, which syphons off tax dollars to maintaining an exhorbitant prison system draining tax funds for more useful programs, such as schools, libraries and infrastructure, and 3) ignorantly wasteful idiocies such as “impeaching” Clinton (no huge Clinton fan but the impeachment for an idiotic blowjob is beyond absurd) – what. a. waste. of. tax. dollars. And now, ReThugs like Bachmann, are PROMISING more of the same waste of tax dollars should ReThugs gain control of the House and Senate.

And yet trolls have the nerve to show up here chiding and scolding about how liberals “waste” tax dollars. Spare me. NO one has wasted more tax dollars than Rethugs, and spare me the “liberals don’t pay taxes” bull crap. I pay at almost the top end, and therefore, proportionate to what I make, I’m paying far more than Carly Fiorina, George W. Bush, Dickus Cheney, and that whole crowd.

All of my left-leaning friends pay their taxes, too. So stop the lies and crap that everyone Democratic or leftist never pays taxes. It’s a bald faced and crummy lie, and full of you know what.

Doubtful that sniveling trolls pay even half as much in taxes as I do. Get lost, losers. Come back when you have something insightful and truthful to say.

P.S. I contribute to and work in a couple of food pantries, fwiw. People are hungry out there. They deserve to eat. Despite working at 2 jobs – and paying my taxes – I tithe more than 10% of what I make to the causes I believe in, which is mostly helping people eat these days.

How much do trolls tithe to their church or whatever other causes? Doubt that it’s one thin dime.

Nice rant & I agree.. they are all “empty vessels”

Alright! I made the top 100 here at the Lake.

Riddle me this?

Question: Who will become Americ’as “newest” Undocumented Immigrants?

Answer: America’s traditionl “arch-conservatives”.

Of course, Canada may not be so welcoming, that’s if the arch-conservatives become Canadian citizens, they will attempt to do to Canada what they are currently attempting to do to our America. Thus, the irony.

Jaango

PS, most of the people here pay no income taxes so it’s easy for them to spend the tax dollars of those of us who do pay. It’s always been easy to spend other’s money.

Let me guess,
you don’t pay taxes so you assume no one else does.

BINGO!!! Projecting…

this article says what I would like to say prety much.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/8/3/889973/-McCain-waffles-on-the-14th-Amendment

Bingo and thank you for the comment Victortruex. Welcome to the group who refuses to go along with the free and open borders crowd. This group includes myself, Big Jess, Ironymeter, Seaglass and others – some of which have drifted away for the time being ever since the issue of immigration has taken center stage and so many of the commenters have endorsed and sanctioned the breaking of laws. I notice that nobody really addresses your points about unemployment and underfunding of schools. Their arguments are always weak.

And no 2 year old gets ripped from the arms of their family, nor would they under any proposed law including the repeal of the 14th amendment. Such overwrought baloney.

GDC707

There are numerous instances where the udocumented immigrant parents are separated from their children born here in the USA. Thus, they are ‘searching’ for adults who will take our “littlest citizens” into their/American homes.

Now, what about our “littlest citizens” and whom have been repatriated with their undocumented immigrant parents to their nations of origin? And since you are unable or unwilling to speak to our egregious national behavior for this abject neglect or cavalier dismissal, you don’t espouse anything, given that you have, in my eyes, any Moral Standing remaining, and thusly, your comments are to or should be ignored.

Jaango

Maybe the parents of our “littlest citizens” should have thought about that b4 giving birth in a country that they entered illegally?

Food for thought, eh?

Why the hell should someone come into a country illegally, give birth, expect that child to be a citizen of said country and be eligible for social benefits as a result? There’s absolutely nothing even remotely sensible about that.

I sure as shit wouldn’t go to Mexico, or Italy, or New Zealand and expect that sort of deal. And guess what….I almost certainly wouldn’t get it. We are one of the very few countries in the entire world that gives auto-citizenship just because you were born in the country.

1. What is sensible about giving citizenship to an infant who’s parents are breaking the law by being here illegally? Shouldn’t the infant be a Mexican citizen?

2. The intent of the 14th Amendment had to do with slavery, as such, isn’t it time to re-visit this Amendment and amend it to encapsulate and facilitate the issues we deal with currently?

3. Why am I a rich, white, rascist, fascist, ignorant, bitch who hates people of colore for thinking the above things?

4. Did you know that there is almost no other country on earth that gives automatic citizenship under those conditions?

The intent of the 14th Amendment had to do with slavery, as such, isn’t it time to re-visit this Amendment and amend it to encapsulate and facilitate the issues we deal with currently?

Actually Anderson Cooper addressed this one last night, pointing out that the debate in the House and Senate also covered the Chinese and other immigrants at the time so the amendment was specifically NOT just for the former slaves

Did you know that there is almost no other country on earth that gives automatic citizenship under those conditions?

Well, the US has always been different from other countries and this is just another example where we have NOT followed their leads for good reason.

GDC707

Yet, a large number of these “littlest citizens” have fathers and whom are Americans. Consequently, the American father refuses to accept their responsiblity, and the Undocumented immigrant mother returns to her nation of origin in either embarrassment or Shame.

Today, when America has to “negotiate” with the Republic of Mexico, on our bilateral relations, the Mexican legislator and major decision-maker was a former “littlest citizen” of our United States.

Jaango

Senator L. graham stated in the Kagan hearing that the Republicans did not want to go back to Plessy v. Fergurson. Apparently they want to go back all the way to Dred Scott.

Both good answers!

I guess the feeling I and others have regarding the 14th Amendment, with admittedly, not enough information on the entire topic. But just off the top of our heads is that there should be dis-incentives for coming here illegally. That would be one.

Yes, the U.S. is unique. Doesn’t mean the law on birthright citizenship shouldn’t or couldn’t change.

Better yet, the U.S. Govt needs to do comprehensive immigration and implement it post haste. Covering quotas of who comes in and under what conditions, closing the border tightly, imprisoning employers for hiring illegals and lgalizing folks who are already here.

We need to push the Govt for immigration reform.

Their is a massive loophole that nobody has foreseen, in the growing controversial issue of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal aliens. This has become a giant out of proportion costly ” Anchor Baby” racket. So by law the child can get a recorded birth certificate, but that doesn’t mean you–CANNOT DEPORT THE ILLEGAL PARENTS OR PARENT. They are still illegal and can be sent on their way? No way are they are going to leave that child behind, so until that child is old enough or their is a guardian in America, that infant parents will not be draining the public welfare system. By law the illegal pregnant Mother cannot be turned away from hospitals because the law requires that they be treated. All uninsured people, regardless of citizenship, receive medical treatment in hospital emergency rooms under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1985 (EMTALA).

But afterwards the Mother can be sent on her way, which will save taxpayers billions in dollars that taxpayers can least afford. All the undisclosed costs such as low income housing (Section 8), Wic, Tanf, state medical care, food stamps, education and other programs. In 2006 this was a $6 billion dollar “legal flimflam” unfairly supported by US taxpayers. Every state now has been overwhelmed with illegal aliens and its a lie to say their are only 12 million people without documentation. By law the American people may be forced by the misinterpretation of the 14th amendment, but at least the the taxpayers may not have to subsidies the world in citizens and legal resident entitlements. In addition, with the illegal aliens deported and out-of-the country, Americans will not be paying for all the other babies these women have? UNLESS OF COURSE THE PREGNANT MOTHER MANAGES TO SLIP THROUGH THE UNDERMANNED BORDER FENCE AND THEN THE WHOLE CYCLE STARTS AGAIN. Discover the massive costs by looking up the statistics under “ANCHOR BABIES COSTS” on the web.

OMG!!! “Palinese Liberation Army”!! Love it! do I have to send you residuals if I use it? LOL

You are repeating a lie. It simply is not true. Britain, France, for two. Don’t have time to confirm how many others, but this is a lie you have no doubt heard from Rush or Beck or some other of the lying demagogues who are feeding you this misinformation.
Go away until you know what you are talking about.

I’ll answer two of your questions.

“1. What is sensible about giving citizenship to an infant who’s parents are breaking the law by being here illegally?”

Pretty much everything. After all, we get their kids as our fellow citizens. Think about it: these are the children of folks who are willing to take risks and cross great distances just for the chance to live and work in this country. They believe in the good ol’ USA. As far as travel readiness and adaptability go, their parents are the best that their countries have to offer. And they add a nice mix of colors and accents that can only make us cuter.

My ancestors were that kind of people, and we can never get enough of them.

I hit save accidently. Here is number 2:

“4. Did you know that there is almost no other country on earth that gives automatic citizenship under those conditions?”

No, I didn’t. If it were true, I’d have to say that it was yet another demonstration of the sheer genius that is our 14th Amendment. This is America. We do things differently than they do elsewhere. Occasionally, we do something better. In this case, our citizenship laws allow us to loot the world’s gene pool and capture the offspring of other countries’ best and brightest (is anything as entrepreneurial as leaving home with nothing and going 1000 miles or more in the certainty that Opportunity Calls?).

You ask, why do I favor immigration so much? Well, yes, part of it is that I am in large measure the 3rd-generation of an immigrant family, the last member of which arrived only in the 1880s as a despised, dumb “squarehead”. But more than that, I believe in competition and competence. If some guy with a third-world education, no money, and the disadvantage of not learning English as his mother tongue can show up in this country and–all else being equal–take my job, then good for him! He deserves it. We Americans have no reason to get lazy and complacent just because of where we were born.

Now, of course, all things aren’t usually equal. Immigrants–especially “illegal” ones–are easy to cheat and exploit. Employers can pay them substandard wages and force them to work in illegal conditions. So they are cheaper. In fact, even legal immigrants can be exploited. H1B visas let companies import contract workers at substandard wages while legally denying them the right to seek better paid employment with another company. THAT threatens my technical/professional job, because it insues that I have to compete while my employers do not.

Notice that none of the threat to my job (or yours) is the fault of the immigrant. N-O-N-E. The threat comes from the employers that exploit immigrants.

The same employers are doubtless behind this anti-immigrant hysteria. Think about it: who makes money from the current immigration policy? who uses it to ratchet down wages and drive Americans–and immigrants–into poverty? Immigrants? No. Even you are not that dumb. Tell your Tea-bagger friends that they are being palyed for suckers. Border protection and nativism and all the ugly rest is just a divide-and-conquer strategy that makes workers–blue- and white-collar alike, native and foreign–fight each other for the ever less generous scraps that employers are prepared to offer. Meanwhile, the employers never have to compete for workers and pile up the profits.

So if yoy want tought immigration policies, how about this? How about a tough Emigration policy for labor cheats? We tell every illegal in America that, if he or she can prove that an employer is paying them below minimum wage, failing to pay Social Security/unemployment/workman’s compensation or any of the other legally required costs of hiring that our pampered Right so often dodges, or if he or she can prove that said employer is breaking any other labor law in this country, then said immigrant has the right to put that employer in the trunk of his or her car and dump said employer on the other side of the nearest US border. Once said immigrant has performed this great service to the nation, he or she will then can assume the former employer’s citizenship and property outright, with the thanks of a gratful America.

Does that satisfy you? It works for me. After the first couple of business owners leave home in Scottsdale and wake up penniless in Tiajuana or Juarez, I bet that unfair labor competition from illegals will all but vanish. Instead, all comers will compete for jobs on the basis of native talent and competence, and America will have the best workforce in the world.

The prospect of competing against smart, young, cute, brown/yellow/whatever people undoubtedly threatens a mental and moral smurf like Mitch McConnell. It threatens Paris Hilton. It may threaten you. But it does not threaten me. I know how to do real work and make real stuff. So anything that dilutes this nation’s vast reservoirs of native complaisance, incompetence, moneyed entitlement, and simple stupidity has to be better for me and for all of us that do not count ourselves as morons or parasites. If you are among the latter, however, then WE–those of us that consider ourselves capable and deserving of the corresponding compensation–are the threat to your job. The threat has nothing to do with being brown or foreign or illegal. It just has to do with the American way.

Another:

“2. The intent of the 14th Amendment had to do with slavery, as such, isn’t it time to re-visit this Amendment and amend it to encapsulate and facilitate the issues we deal with currently?”

What do you think the issues ARE “currently”? In the 1860s, corrupt property owners exploited helpless foreigners under a system of chattel slavery and used slave labor to keep wages low. This kept the poor poor and powerless. Today, the same kind of corrupt property owners exploit helpless foreigners for the same purposes. Unjust laws helped with the oppression then and do so still. So today the illegal immigrant and the average working person share a common cause, just as the slave and the poor free man did 150 years ago.

How long will it take before we stop letting ourselves get conned by creeps and turned against each other? Wise up!