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Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:36 pm
by Skjellyfetti
I stumbled across Reagan's views on immigration while reading about another topic... and it really surprised me. I never read his thoughts or heard his words on this topic and I was shocked to see that I agree with him wholeheartedly. So, I thought I'd post here and see what the conservatives think. It certainly seems like the "liberal" position isn't so radical... especially the DREAM Act that was recently shot down. Reagan would have voted for it. :nod:

2nd Presidential debate, 1984:
I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and have lived here even though sometime back they may have entered illegally.
describing his "shining city on a hill:
.I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it and see it still
supported free movement of people and commerce across Canadian and Mexican border:
Reagan himself was a dreamer, capable of imagining a world without trade barriers. In announcing his presidential candidacy in Nov. 1979, he had proposed a “North American accord” in which commerce & people would move freely across the borders of Canada & Mexico. This idea, largely overlooked or dismissed as a campaign gimmick in the US, rankled nationalist sensibilities in the neighboring nations. But Reagan was serious in his proposal. Though he traveled only once outside the North American continent during his first 57 years, he was neither insular nor isolationist. California has windows to the world in Asia, and Reagan thought of the US as a Pacific power as well as an Atlantic one. He also had a Californian’s consciousness of Mexico and an actor’s appreciation of Canadians, who are well-represented in the film community. The dream of a North American accord would drive the successful pursuit of a US-Canadian free trade agreement and a future-oriented “framework” trade agreement with Mexico
http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Ronald ... ration.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Reagan's words and deeds regarding immigration were equally expansive. At a ceremony at Ellis Island in 1982, he spoke movingly of immigrants who "possessed a determination that with hard work and freedom, they would live a better life and their children even more so." As with trade, Reagan's record on immigration was mixed. He signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which included stepped up border enforcement and sanctions against employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. But that legislation also legalized 2.8 million undocumented workers. More immigrants entered the United States legally under President Reagan's watch than under any previous U.S. president since Teddy Roosevelt.

Like President George W. Bush today, Reagan had the good sense and compassion to see illegal immigrants not as criminals but as human beings striving to build better lives through honest work. In a radio address in 1977, he noted that apples were rotting on trees in New England because no Americans were willing to pick them. "It makes one wonder about the illegal alien fuss. Are great numbers of our unemployed really victims of the illegal alien invasion or are those illegal tourists actually doing work our own people won't do?" Reagan asked. "One thing is certain in this hungry world; no regulation or law should be allowed if it results in crops rotting in the fields for lack of harvesters."
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=2705" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan agree with my radical liberal view of immigrants... what hope do conservatives have of finding an electable President who shares their view? Could it possibly be that my view on this issue (that I'm always berated for) isn't that radical? :coffee:

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:48 pm
by AZGrizFan
I thought you didn't believe in God.

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:52 pm
by Skjellyfetti
AZGrizFan wrote:I thought you didn't believe in God.
wtf.
:?

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:08 pm
by AZGrizFan
Skjellyfetti wrote:
AZGrizFan wrote:I thought you didn't believe in God.
wtf.
:?
Skjellyfetti wrote:I stumbled across Reagan's views on immigration while reading about another topic... and it really surprised me. I never read his thoughts or heard his words on this topic and I was shocked to see that I agree with him wholeheartedly. So, I thought I'd post here and see what the conservatives think. It certainly seems like the "liberal" position isn't so radical... especially the DREAM Act that was recently shot down. Reagan would have voted for it. :nod:

describing his "shining city on a hill:
.I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it and see it still
:lol: 8-)

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:53 am
by kalm
Wonder if the Cali farmers who helped him become governor liked his ideas on immigration?

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 7:49 am
by ∞∞∞
So this morning, I went to a 7-11 near my home to get some hot chocolate and as usual, there were like 30 illegal immigrants around the establishment. When I got back, the car logo at the front of my grill was gone. Sweet.

(didn't wanna start a new topic...just venting)

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:04 am
by dbackjon
So instead of a real response, we have two deflections...

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:14 am
by 89Hen
Skjellyfetti wrote:If George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan agree with my radical liberal view of immigrants... what hope do conservatives have of finding an electable President who shares their view? Could it possibly be that my view on this issue (that I'm always berated for) isn't that radical? :coffee:
When did conservatives around here become single issue voters? Your views aren't that "radical", they are just different than other views.

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:00 am
by blueballs
[youtube][/youtube]

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:16 am
by AshevilleApp
∞∞∞ wrote:So this morning, I went to a 7-11 near my home to get some hot chocolate and as usual, there were like 30 illegal immigrants around the establishment. When I got back, the car logo at the front of my grill was gone. Sweet.

(didn't wanna start a new topic...just venting)

How do you know they're illegal?

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:20 am
by 89Hen
AshevilleApp wrote:How do you know they're illegal?
How did the guy in the above video clip?

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:21 am
by JMU DJ
Hmmm, current Health Care and Immigration trends were all conservative ideas before they were liberal ideas.

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:49 am
by AshevilleApp
89Hen wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote:How do you know they're illegal?
How did the guy in the above video clip?

I didn't watch the clip. You going to let infinity answer?

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:50 am
by 89Hen
AshevilleApp wrote:
89Hen wrote: How did the guy in the above video clip?

I didn't watch the clip.
He picks up a bunch of day workers in his pickup and instead of driving to a job site, he drives to the INS office and all the workers scatter.

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:52 am
by AshevilleApp
89Hen wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote:

I didn't watch the clip.
He picks up a bunch of day workers in his pickup and instead of driving to a job site, he drives to the INS office and all the workers scatter.

:lol:

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 10:18 am
by Appaholic
89Hen wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote:

I didn't watch the clip.
He picks up a bunch of day workers in his pickup and instead of driving to a job site, he drives to the INS office and all the workers scatter.
:rofl:

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:35 am
by ∞∞∞
AshevilleApp wrote:
89Hen wrote: How did the guy in the above video clip?

I didn't watch the clip. You going to let infinity answer?
Can't technically prove it, but something about 30 or so Mexican dudes varying in age standing at a 7-11 parking lot at 8am in the morning gave me...oh I don't...a vibe. Also the fact that I live in an area of NoVA known for the high amount of illegal immigrants residing there.

I'll try to remind myself to take a pic before I head to work tomorrow. Gotta fill up on gas soon anyways and the 7-11 is right across of the station. That way, you can decide. :thumb:

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:39 am
by dbackjon
∞∞∞ wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote:

I didn't watch the clip. You going to let infinity answer?
Can't technically prove it, but something about 30 or so Mexican dudes varying in age standing at a 7-11 parking lot at 8am in the morning gave me...oh I don't...a vibe.

That scene would affect me differently :coffee: :coffee: :mrgreen:

Re: Reagan and immigration:

Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:01 pm
by AshevilleApp
∞∞∞ wrote:
AshevilleApp wrote:

I didn't watch the clip. You going to let infinity answer?
Can't technically prove it, but something about 30 or so Mexican dudes varying in age standing at a 7-11 parking lot at 8am in the morning gave me...oh I don't...a vibe. Also the fact that I live in an area of NoVA known for the high amount of illegal immigrants residing there.

I'll try to remind myself to take a pic before I head to work tomorrow. Gotta fill up on gas soon anyways and the 7-11 is right across of the station. That way, you can decide. :thumb:
No way I could decide, even with a pic. Now if you try the INS ploy, that would be convincing. :thumb: