Published on April 6, 2006 By averjoe In Politics
I will be going down to city hall or the county building tomorrow or next week to switch my Party affiliation to independent. I think I have finally found a single issue that will affect my vote.

The immigration reform debate that is going on in Washington DC has crystallized an issue that can make me not vote for a candidate for political office. I thought there was no such issue, but I was wrong. You learn something about yourself everyday.

I have always been an independent at heart anyway. The only reason I joined a political party in the state I live in was to be able to vote in the Primaries.

I have always believed strongly in voting and I just could not see myself not voting in a process that would pick the person who would run for President for instance.

So, at the time I said to myself, “what party do I tend to agree with on most issues most of the time” and I then joined that Party.

Believe me if I disagreed with the candidate from the Party I was affiliated with I would vote against that person.

For a few years there I was a registered independent and I did vote for the candidate I agreed with the most, which came from both of the main Parties in the US.

I am unequivocally, completely, without pause, firmly, unreservedly, immutably, opposed in almost every case to allowing illegal aliens the right to become guest workers or US citizens.

Any Democrat, Republican, other political party or independent who supports any form of amnesty for illegal aliens cannot and will not ever receive a vote from me.

If all candidates support giving illegal aliens guest worker or citizen status, I would not vote at all (or vote for a fill-in choice).

No American should be supporting giving guest worker status or citizenship to an illegal alien.

I am not anti immigrant. I believe US immigration policy is very generous with a million or so people being allowed to apply for a green card (road to citizenship) every year.

There are also many visa programs for unskilled, skilled and professional workers to temporarily work in the US. I support these programs and would not be opposed to allowing even more temporary or guest workers to come to the US in certain fields if there is a proven need.

I am just against rewarding illegal aliens for breaking the law by giving them guest worker status and/or citizenship and in the process hurting the American worker. It is not fair to those who legally try to immigrate or work in the US and it is not fair to the American worker.

I’ll be a registered independent again in a week or so.

Comments
on Apr 07, 2006
I personally support a guest worker program...but NOT from the illegals currently residing in our borders. They need to go back and wait in line, in my opinion. They broke a law, and we shouldn't nullify the law just because it became politically correct to do so.

In the coming years we will need immigrant labor more and more as the number of elderly and retired individuals exceeds those in the workforce. But we shouldn't ignore the border, or offer amnesty, to get that workforce.

What I would propose is allowing businesses to register at the US consulates in Mexican border towns for needed employees. Applicants for guest worker status would be allowed to register to work in the US, and, if they pass a background check, the employer becomes their sponsor. The employer is responsible for reporting immediately if the worker ceases to be employed with their business, or does not show up for work, at which time the worker has one week to return to Mexico or face deportation and be declared ineligible for reentry for 1 year for the first offense, five years for the second, and life for the third. The work visa also allows the worker to bring all dependents, provided those dependents are registered with the state department.

That's just my opinion on the matter, though.