Is "Amnesty" a bad word around here?

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

I held Richardson's position on immigration against him and labeled it "amnesty." I was then quickly accused of using right-wing talking points.

What's the deal? I thought "amnesty" was a right-wing corporate agenda.

Is there another term I should use?

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

1. well?

[Dhalgren]

2. I am not apposed to amnesty for foreign workers who are here illegally.

I am for mandatory minimum wages and full benefits for all workers of any type. and I think that businesses should be regulated and prosecuted if they treat any worker in an illegal manner.

But, amnesty? Sure, why not?

[Maat]

4. I tend to agree with you.

See, the problem is that I'm nearly 50 years old (48 right now), and, I've lived for nearly half of a century in Southern California. Basically, nothing has changed, in a sense. I grew up with Mexican-Americans as my friends and neighbors. I never asked about their immigrant/citizen statuses, nor those of their parents and family members. I have many, many union workers as my friends also. The trouble for me is that I see all sides of the story, and I'm not sure what the global answer is.

I tend to agree with Thom Hartmann, though: "We don't have an illegal immigrant problem; we have an illegal employer problem." Now that jives with my experience growing up in Rethuglican Orange County, Ca.!

On edit:
I would like to see a decent mandatory minimum wage for every worker, and universal health care for all!

[EFerrari]

6. We have a winner.

:thumbsup:

[johncoby2]

3. I personally dont care.

If they become citizens, great! We will have more tax revenues.

If they dont, then the companies will be able to exploit them some more.

Big business wants them to remain illegal so they can have cheap labor. If they become citizens, they cant pay them like illegals.

For me, I think it is cool they want to live in America.

[johnaries]

5. Most of the proposals the RW call "amnesty" are not.

They include fines, etc. But the RW Spin Machine calls it Amnesty.

So, yes, it is a RW Talking Point and a Lie - which are frowned upon here, even though some DU'ers may actually support true amnesty.