Will we finally see a path to citizenship?

On Thursday, the United States Senate approved its so-called comprehensive immigration bill. It is the first significant attempt to fix out broken immigration system in over 25 years, and it includes a long-awaited path to citizenship. Senate Democrats passed the measure with the support of 14 Republicans, and the crowd in the Senate chamber erupted in chants of “Yes we can.”
While many are cheering the bill as a breakthrough in the immigration debate, which has been stalled for years, others are concerned about new border security measures in the proposal. Those provisions – dubbed the “border surge” - include 20,000 new border agents, 700 new miles of fencing, and electronic surveillance of our southern border. The price tag for these increased security measures is nearly $40 billion dollars. Lawmakers also included a 13-year path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, which will be implemented once border security measure are in place.
Some immigration advocates are calling the security provisions extreme and expensive, while others explain that the measures were necessary to gain Republican support. Now that the Senate has approved their version, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will start working on their own version of immigration reform, which could include even more extreme security measures, and remove any path to citizenship.
Immigration advocates are worried that the House Republicans will purposely include controversial measures, in an effort to doom the bill to failure. Millions of Americans and undocumented immigrants are watching this effort closely, and are remaining hopeful that Congress will finally fix our broken immigration system.
Comments


The Hastert Rule essentially divides the House of Representatives into 2 chambers, making Congress tricameral, slowing down the legislative process, thus enhancing the do-nothing-ness of the do-nothing Republicans.

The recent mention of the Borda count in the newsletter made me come up with something: http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/mathboy/blog/2013/06/reverse-instant-runoff-voting

In keeping with 'anything goes Friday' here are two thoughts:
The Supremes have set a new low by a seizure of an amazing, additional unconstitutional power by declaring the 'voting rights law' nul, not on the basis of unconstitutionality but simply because the court's conservatives didn't like it.
Assume that in 1959 the government secretly began to open and copy the U.S. mail with that newfangled photo copier machine and filed it all away so that it could be examined later pursuant to a legal warrant.

Instead of $40 billion on the border, spend $1 billion on e-verify and arrest a couple dozen employers. When the jobs stop, the undocumented traffic goes southward at almost no expense to the taxpayer. We will never seal the border no matter how much we spend. Get a fourteen foot ladder or a bulldozer to bend a few pylons. I would prefer an improved version of the Bracero program (1942 - '64) so the workers can go back and forth to keep up family relationships and they don't have to take up residence here to keep sending money back home.

Oh, isn't this just peachy? Complaining about $40 Billion on border security. What about the $70 -$326.7 Billion tax burden the illegals who are already here cause real American citizens? Some sources say that estimate is low:
http://one-simple-idea.com/BorderSecurity.htm#Burdens
Sure some of these burdens might be alleviated by a "path to citizenship;" but, lets be real! All this "path to citizenship" is really is a "pass to work and reside legally" for illegally invading foreign fugitives. Now "illegals" won't have to have children to receive welfare benefits. Expect the burden of welfare to double or triple:
http://www.gao.gov/archive/1998/he98030.pdf
One nice note for illegals is now they don't have to work under the table for scraps. Now they will get a SSN and official permission to work. That means they can work above the table for scraps. That's right! Are you pissed-off at your boss because he/she hasn't given you a "cost of living" wage raise in 3 years? I bet you would be more pissed-off if he/she offered you a 50% pay cut wouldn't you? Well, now you don't have to worry about any of that. Now, Raul, who just got his "path to citizenship papers" will be happy to do your job for 50% of your current wages. I sure hope you and your loved ones have a skilled job that requires fluency in English or you might get called into the office in the near future and handed your 30 day notice with a assignment of training Raul in your job in your last few days. You might even be offered a bonus in severance pay for teaching Raul some English. Isn't that a nice thought? Don't forget to contribute to your Representative and Senator to thank them for making all this possible when it happens. Oh, the American Dream--Wherefore art thou?

As Ronald Reagan said, "Tear down this wall".

Quote Thom Hartmann?: It is the first significant attempt to fix out broken immigration system in over 25 years, and it includes a long-awaited path to citizenship. - See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/06/will-we-finally-see-path-citizenship#comment-219176
Out/our? Another Thom Harmann typo? Opinion??

Quote bobcox:As Ronald Reagan said, "Tear down this wall".
Yeah! Yeah! Ronald Wilson Reagan (666=The Number of The Name of The Beast) also said, "Government is the problem!" Maybe he was right then, too? Even a broken clock is right two times a day.

WOW me and DAnne Marc agree on something. I said it here many times these illegals drive wages way down. Up here construction, labour, landscaping, etc pay very well. My son earns 60 to 70 thousand a year paving. He only works 6 months a year.

Where oh where has my Palindromedary gone? Oh, where, oh, where can he be? You too, Ken Ware. How about MMmmNACHOS, David Abott, Outback, Historywriter, Vegasman56, and 2450-10K? How about anyone else? Come on, I'm most interested as to how you all stand on this most controversial issue. Do you too agree or disagree with mua? ...and why?

So are the majority of you saying you agree to have all of the illegals automatically become citizens? Should there not be some penalty for living in the US illegally? Should there not be some test of worthiness before they are allowed to become citizens?

The amount that will be spent on border security is outrageous. Not necessary. The path to citizenship is way too long & the requirement that a person can't be out of work longer than 60 days in a 10 year period is unrealistic. The Dreamers will be o.k. but the deal is a bad one. Schumer offerred way too much at the beginning & left to room for a decent compromise.

Pleased to make your aquantence Mrs. Kend. Thanks for identifying yourself.
I might add, shouldn't the US Government act responsibly to protect the security, civil rights, well being, and general welfare of its own law abiding, tax paying, legal American citizens above all else; especially, from foreign threats? If not, why have a Department Of Defense?

Was it a bird? A Plane? Superman? Max Keiser knows....

Palindromedary ~ What Max Keiser really knows is that if you offer Aliens an easy path to citizenship they will flock to our country from everywhere! Where is Orson Welles when you need him?

Barb Njos ~ I agree! $40 Billion is a lot of money. However, our border is hemorrhaging, and any amount of money spent to stop the bleeding is money well spent. A "path to citizenship?" For law abiding illegals this may work out just fine. For law breaking irresponsible welfare cheats a "path to citizenship" is a crime and an insult to American citizens. Whatever the procedure is involved to seek a legal citizen status we should know by now that two wrongs do not make a right. We should also know the law of supply and demand. If we increase our legal labor market we will drive down wages, benefits, and tolerable working conditions; also, we will increase poverty, unemployment, and the burden on welfare.
It is intolerable that the American people should be intentionally subjected to further labor difficulties, competition, and unemployment when the real causes of these issues goes unaddressed. NAFTA and free trade are behind all our economic woes in this country; yet, our government only acts to worsen these conditions. This immigration bill's intent has nothing to do with any compassionate desire to help poor foreign illegal immigrants. It has everything to do with flooding an already unstable labor market with desperately poor immigrants who will happily work any job, without any benefits, at any wage, under any conditions, for the sole purpose of driving down the cost of labor, destroying the middle class, and intentionally plunging the average innocent citizen into a labor market of abject poverty where they have no labor union representation or ability to do anything other than what they are told. These Congressmen are merely tools of the elite who only want to keep We the People powerless, desperate, and under control. This is treason of the highest order and a national disgrace. I pity any citizen who does not have the cognitive ability to see this for what it is--including Thom Hartmann.

Mr & Mrs Kend ~ You might want to keep a close eye on what is going on down here. Cancer has a way of spreading. If you are right about there being vast oil reserves in Canada and this assault on American citizens succeeds, it is only a matter of time before this scenario plays itself out again on your side of the border. Of course, you are probably already aware of that, aren't you?
This militirization of our southern border will be like Northern Ireland's and yes N. & S. Korea's. Now there will be many more deaths, people put in jails (more jails built), etc. Mexico won't stand for this and neither will the rest of the America's! We are starting another war and therefore more billionaires made through the "war machine" which we have become. Next will be drones in our skies watching people (the poor) through their windows, yards, acerage, you name it. The Republicans stand for the rich and their corpporations and that is what our country now stands for. Anyone who isn't rich will feel the weight of the Totalitarian change to our nation. The Democrats in Congress simply layed down and let The Republicans walk all over them and US. We are no longer a respected nation--we no longer respect our immigrants for all the hard work they do and have done to try to build a free society for the people. That is why they came here --for freedom, not tyranny.

thanks for thinking of us DAnne but it has already happened. Canada though offers short term work visa's to workers from all over the world when we these large projects come up. That way they come make there money and go home. The big difference is we have a shortage of workers here and the US has massive unemployment. kind of shows it works.
I don't like the fact that you have no punishment for the ones breaking the law. Reagon gave them a free pass now Obama. It's kind of like catching a bank robber five years after he did it and telling he can keep the money if he starts paying bank fees.

DAnneMarc: Rolling over in his grave, no doubt! Rosebud...or Crusader? (You have to slow the movie Citizen Kane down to Frame by Frame (or, maybe read the book) to see the word "Crusader" on his sled when he was a poor boy.) And one can further hypothesize just what that word means in considering what they believe the Crusaders did during the middle ages..especially, the Children's Crusades (but I digress)!
Instead of being invaded by extraterrestrial bug-eyed monsters from space we are being destroyed from within by even more destructive bug-eyed monsters of the sort called the Koch Bros and their bought-off politicians.
Many of these greedy termites have hogged out the infrastructure of our country by taking it all and giving back little in return. Sure some may have given the illusion that they give to various charities (although, many of these "charities" help support their Ayn Randian religion) but that is just cover for their rapacious greed and selfishness and total disdain for humanity..and provides tax shelter for their billions.
Maybe, if we had a real alien invasion and takeover, and all that wealth was confiscated from those who have been lucky enough to have largely inherited all their wealth (or those who have used sneaky and ruthless tactics, that they like to call good business practices, to amass their fortunes), we would all be better off.
Really, what difference would it make whether the Russians, the Chinese, the North Koreans, the Iranians, the Mexican drug cartels, or Extraterrestrial Aliens invaded us and took us over? Those 1 or 2 percent of Americans who own and control 98% of the wealth of our nation are really just as heartless and ruthless and ALIEN as any other potential invader. These tempestuous and insidious connivers have invaded us from within and are no better or worthy to lord over us than any "outsider". To whom do we owe our loyalty when our country has been undermined by greedy financial manipulators and gutless corrupt politicians.

On RT Breaking the Set, Abby Martin interviews an eyewitness to the Michael Hastings' car crash. The witness said that he saw sparks coming out from under the gas tank area and exploded into flames well before the car crashed into the tree. Sure looks like evidence is mounting that Michael Hastings was assassinated. Just what was it that Michael Hastings had that the FBI was "investigating" him for? I sure hope Michael Hastings left some kind of information, that will eventually be revealed by someone, somehow, on the very sensitive revelations that he was about to make.
And Richard Clarke said that the event was consistent with what is possible now with being able to remotely hack into a car's computer operating system and interfering with normal operation. I don't know how remotely hacking into a car's OS could cause a car to spark a gas tank into exploding. A lot of people will hear that and roll their eyes and tune out to the whole idea of just another conspiracy theory...like 911. The ruling elite have managed to psychologize us from everything from making us desire to spend our last dimes on things we don't need (then blame us for not having the will power to save our money) to making us believe that 19 box-cutter wielding Muslims caused 3 skyscrapers to collapse at near free-fall speed just by crashing airplanes into the upper floors. If they can do that...they can assassinate anyone they want...especially if their targets are driving late model cars with operating systems containing Stuxnet viruses.
The Breaking the Set episode 193 interview of the witness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EXupQvzzqg
And here is his being interviewed by Anna Kasperian of The Young Turks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fweyFCFKcp0
Police car cam approaching the "accident" scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fweyFCFKcp0
Note: Some reports have mentioned that Hastings, while speeding, hit some pot holes, lost control, hit a fire hydrant then hit the tree. On Google Earth, I have pinpointed the exact tree that Hastings hit on N. Highland Ave. (368 feet south of the center of the intersection of N. Highland Ave. and Melrose Ave.) The satellite photo was dated 3/7/11 and the street view photo of 2/11 shows that there weren't any pot holes on that street nor was there a fire hydrant (the photo shows plates or covers for access to something underground but no fire hydrant above ground). In addition, I have read testimony from people who live in the area and who have frequently traveled that path who have said that this is a very well maintained area and there are no pot holes.
I have also read that Hastings was working on a really big expose on the CIA...

Here's a funny piece written by John Stanton on God, Jesus, and the NSA...
Saint Obama of the Digital Inquisition:
God Contacts Rome, Christ Holds Press Conference
by John Stanton
http://cryptome.org/2013/06/god-nsa.doc
..

Palindromedary ~ Concerning immigration. I'm not trying to blame the immigrants. They are but pawns in this wicked power/money game. Like is said in the introductory of the first link I posted earlier on this blog:
One-Simple-Idea.com:Quote article:Many Politicians are Despicably Pitting American Citizens and Illegal Aliens Against Each Other for profits and votes !"
http://one-simple-idea.com/BorderSecurity.htm#Burdens
Concerning Michael Hastings two things bother me.
1) What was he doing driving at 4:20 am? Witnesses say he was driving at top speed when he lost control and hit the tree. How could he possibly be late somewhere driving at 4:20 am? Was someone chasing him? Where did he come from? Was he intoxicated? Accidents do happen you know. However, most don't have so many unanswered questions. You would also think that professional assassins could have done a better job as well. I reserve an opinion till the toxicology results are released.
2) What was he working on and who released that ridiculous conspiracy about hacking into his onboard computer. As you know you cannot make a gas tank explode from an onboard computer. Neither can you turn the steering wheel, disable the brakes, or cause it to accelerate uncontrollably. The best a remote hacker could hope to accomplish is to alter the GPS information, or possibly cause the engine to stall. To explode a gas tank you still have to do it the old fashion way with an explosive taped under the tank with a remote detonator. If you want to get fancy I suppose you could spray some of that nanothermite on the gas tank somewhere near the exhaust pipe and just let it detonate itself at a long stop light after the engine is hot. But his onboard computer? Come on! What was he driving--a 2013 Ford Pinto?
The mere fact that this hokey tech conspiracy theory was released along with a BS story about what he was working on are the only real reasons to suspect foul play. Don't you agree?
From the facts as known at this time if this was the result of foul play either he was slipped some super powerful narcotic that made him so paranoid that he thought he was being followed; or, his vehicle was tampered with through some "aftermarket" remote control equipment on his accelerator, brake, clutch, and shifter. All these controls could have been used to slow the vehicle if he wanted to unless they were remotely disabled. The evidence would still be in the wreckage. A lot of effort to eliminate a minor nuisance don't you think?
On the other hand, the guy was only 30 years old. It was a Tuesday night. If he was out all night till 4:20 in the morning he probably wasn't planning on going into work the next day. He could have simply been out partying and joy riding and got carried away. It happens. The biggest clue might be the time of the accident--420!
Overuse of many recreational drugs can cause similar delusions of paranoia that could have lead to the crash as well. Given the FBI investigation that he was experiencing such a scenario is very believable. The timing of this accident makes me seriously wonder if he was coming off a four day coke or meth bing. He could have simply gradually convinced himself that secret assassins were chasing him and lost control trying to get away from drug induced phantoms. So far, without anymore facts, that explanation fits the facts better than any other one I've read. Lets wait till more facts surface. If the toxicology results are positive with a popular substance it was an accident; if not, foul play. We will soon know the truth.

DAnneMarc: Yes, of course, you raise some valid points and it still could very well be merely a matter of drunk driving. I don't know how they will be able to determine, from lab tests conducted on a charred body, if Hastings had been drinking. Hastings did have a history of alcohol and drug use...and wreckless driving. But, he was known to be "on the wagon", so to speak, for something like 10 years.
And it has been proven that late model automobiles with on-board computers can have their operation interfered with, even overriding the operator's controls, but this has not yet been done remotely, you would have had to physically connect to the on-board computer through the connector that is there for monitoring and modifying the software. And this could have been done to trigger at some point in time when Hastings was driving. The speed and braking system could easily have been modified to ramp up the speed and disable the brakes. I don't know what would have caused the sparking near the gas tank and the explosion that occurred..except that there is a fuel level sensor in the gas tank that uses electrical current...could they have created an overload condition to the fuel sensor? Could they also have planted a bomb or source of ignition that would go off at the right moment after the speed and braking and even steering system were disabled? Just like the airplanes during 9/11 were electronically hijacked and guided (like guided missiles) to hit their targets either by a preprogrammed method, or remotely, it is quite possible to have our cars messed with to crash in firey balls of flame. Most of us, most likely, don't have to worry about it unless there is some way to remotely hack into a car's on-board system and some hackers feel like having some fun. But if you are making big waves against the corrupt establishment, like Hastings did (and a number of others as well), you might have to stay out of planes and automobiles...and continually scan the skies for drones (not that you would actually see it coming).
I suspect, if they don't have the ability to upload software changes to your automobile's OS remotely now, they most likely will in the future. But for now, all they have to do is gain access to your car, hook up a computer and upload the changes...you'd never know it.
Of course, we don't know what he was doing at those early morning hours...maybe he was just going into the office earlier than normal...or maybe that was his normal schedule...lots of people work those hours. And according to his email about the FBI investigating him and people he knew...and that he was going to have to (what I read as) go into hiding...he may have had a very good reason to believe someone was after him..a drone perhaps? I saw a youtube video of an Israeli hit on a vehicle driving through the streets and the car just blew up as it was driving on the urban street. After it got past some other traffic, in a clear spot, the vehicle just blew up..
It used to be that if they wanted to cause an accident, they would just nick the brake lines so that the brakes fail at critical times...like going around mountainous passes...or, they'd just plant dynamite in the car that would explode when the ignition is turned. Those things are too obvious. Manipulating the OS in a car can make it look just like someone is recklessly speeding and the explosion would be a natural assumption when the car crashes at such speeds. Mercedes Benz are noted for all their safety features and some people have survived 80 MPH crashes with only scratches. Not that I believe everyone would. Some people have survived hangings and the electric chair as well.

Palindromedary ~ Seriously! I will admit that it is conceivable to write firmware into an onboard computer that would jam the accelerator into the max position. However, this effect can be negated by stepping on the brake, using the parking brake, shifting the transmission into neutral, depressing the clutch (on a manual transmission), or turning off the ignition. In order to subvert these other mechanisms you need to install other hardware that will be detectible in the wreck. It is possible but I just don't think it was worth the time, effort, and risk for the amount of threat this man posed. Currently there is so much unconstitutional legislation on the books he could have easily been declared an enemy combatant or sympathizer and disappeared legally! I might be wrong; but, if I was a CIA or FBI agent assigned to ice this person I'm sure I could arrange a far less conspicuous means of doing so; and, I'm not even professionally schooled in that subject; but, even I know there are far cheaper and easier methods of disposal available. Until we know the results of the forensic tests and a reasonable explanation as to why he was driving around at 4:20 am on a Tuesday morning I'm afraid I have to take the skeptical side on this one and refrain from conspiratorial conjecture--at this time.
BTW Your example of the Israeli hit makes a good point. If the car blew up out in the open somewhere all by itself for no reason that is one thing. This car was seen driving at top speed, loosing control, hitting a tree, and then blowing up. Sparks flying out from under the car really mean nothing when it is being driven in this manner. The slightest dip or bump at top speed will cause any sedan to bottom out, hit the ground with the undercarriage and generate sparks that can be easily seen at night. Just trying to negotiate a turn at top speed can cause such a reaction--the torque on the tires alone can cause the hub caps to fly off or low profile tires to explode. Bare rims on asphalt can put on quite a fireworks show as well as cause a vehicle to skid out of control. I never liked low profile tires because they seem so dangerous to me as a student of physics. I wouldn't be surprised to learn they are a major contributing factor in this incident.
Moreover, the car exploded after hitting the tree not before. That is the key issue. The explosion of a bomb did not cause the car to go out of control and hit a tree. Blowing up the car after the crash would be ridiculous. 'Oh, we knew he was going to crash, we just wanted to make sure he died.'
I don't want to appear to be totally against this conspiracy theory. There is plenty of circumstantial evidence to provide motive for arguments on either side. But I can't commit without juicy solid concrete evidence. So far, it is not there. Let me know if you learn any more... I'll stay tuned. And thanks for bringing it to our attention!

According to the eyewitness, the car was on fire before it hit the tree...he said after it hit the tree, the flames were much bigger.
Quote article::Former U.S. National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-terrorism Richard Clarke told The Huffington Post on Monday that the fatal crash of journalist Michael Hastings’ Mercedes C250 coupe last week is “consistent with a car cyber attack.”“There is reason to believe that intelligence agencies for major powers” — including the United States — know how to remotely seize control of a car,” Clarke said.
----
In 2011, Car and Driver magazine published an article substantiating the Pentagon research. “Currently, there’s nothing to stop anyone with malicious intent and some computer-programming skills from taking command of your vehicle. After gaining access, a hacker could control everything from which song plays on the radio to whether the brakes work,” writes Keith Barry, citing research conducted by the Center for Automotive Embedded Systems Security, a partnership between the University of California San Diego and the University of Washington.“What has been revealed as a result of some research at universities is that it’s relatively easy to hack your way into the control system of a car, and to do such things as cause acceleration when the driver doesn’t want acceleration, to throw on the brakes when the driver doesn’t want the brakes on, to launch an air bag,” Clarke told The Huffington Post. “You can do some really highly destructive things now, through hacking a car, and it’s not that hard.”
Clarke was careful not to directly implicate the government in hacking Hastings’ car. “So if there were a cyber attack on the car — and I’m not saying there was,” he said, “I think whoever did it would probably get away with it.”
http://www.infowars.com/richard-clarke-hastings-accident-consistent-with...
And if the car's OS has been modified to do any of those things...why do you think you can nullify those actions by doing something else...like shifting gears...or honking the horn...or rolling down the window?
By the way, there are no speed bumps, or dips in the road, or pot holes at that intersection or for the 600 some feet past the intersection (to the tree he crashed into). And I can expect an old car with bad suspension and a low hanging exhaust pipe to possibly be likely to scape the pavement but even they would have to have some kind of unevenness in the road surface for that to happen. This was a Mercedes which most likely had very good suspension.
And yes, if the government wanted to do away with this guy they could have done it in so many other ways as well. Some people have been thrown out of tall buildings, others poisoned with plutonium, others injected with various poisons, fake suicides (you know...multiple shots to the back of the head). But when they have new toys...they have to try them out. In addition to which, it sends a chilling message to others not to think they can get away with outing the government's wrong doing.
And what better way to destroy evidence than a fiery explosion. There cannot be much left to analyze, both body or car parts...including (or especially) the contents of firmware after a nice big explosion and fire. And there can't be too many witnesses at 4:20 in the morning. What we don't know is why he was driving around at that time...did he get a hot tip? was he going to work? was he running from someone trying to assassinate him? a threat?

Palindromedary ~ Yes! That's what I'm talking about! Nice juicy facts! Wow! I didn't know you could interfere with the braking system from the onboard computer. I'm still a little skeptical about how that can be. Triggering the airbag though makes sense. I never thought of that one. That would be enough to cause an accident alone. Yet, you can't remotely control the emergency brake--that's a hard wired cable. You can't remotely negate the ignition shut-off, or jam the shift control either. And, there is no way you can remote steer the car either. Of course, I have to give you the benefit of the doubt concerning Mercedes Benz technology. As you may have guessed I'm schooled in basic, lower end, vehicle technology, not top end tech. Like Scotty said in one of the newer Star Trek movies, "The more bells and whistles you add the easier it is to gum up the works."
I still don't buy the idea that they remotely exploded the gas tank. That can only be done with a bomb; unless, you have another "bombshell" of high tech secrets to lay on me. If so please do! I'm quite enjoying this education--as always. Thank you!
It makes perfect sense what you said about the government wanting to practice a new technology of destruction. After hearing about this potential technological tool I almost want to practice on myself.
My next question is how do you deliver this malicious firmware into the box of a moving vehicle. Cars don't have wifi receivers--or do they. I know nothing about high end vehicles. I live a modest and frugal life. How would it be possible to remotely install malicious firmware into say a Ford Fiesta, or a Toyota Camry? Then, how do you control the car remotely? Is this technique only possible with certain high end onboard technologies or accessories? Inquiring minds want to know.

Palindromedary ~ Wait a minute! I just learned this guy was a speechwriter for Condoleezza Rice. Why didn't you say so! That really adds steroids to the concept of motive. Now I'm really curious; and, much less skeptical.

Palindromedary ~ Here's a shot of him running a red light in front of a cop right before the crash. I don't see any flames but he's clearly out of control and traveling at freeway speeds in the city.

Palindromedary ~ Oh my! I just saw an Alex Jones diatribe on the incident in question. He says there is a Car And Driver article about how that type of Mercedes is remote controllable. However, most disturbing he showed a photo of the vehicle the next day. The car is essentially intact resting against the tree. It didn't impact the tree at all, only came to rest against it. Oddly, the explosion doesn't even appear to have come from the gas tank; but, rather, from under the driver's seat. Check it out for yourself. Unbelievable! The claim that an explosion occurred prior to the tree impact is completely valid in my opinion. Congratulations Palindromedary! You've done it again. I've seen enough already to conclude that this was not an accident. Perhaps the biggest factor to support that contention is the fact that the car is intact and the front fender is resting against the tree--not the trunk where the gas tank is. The darkest, most charred area of the vehicle is in the middle where the driver's seat is. The roof above the driver's head is melted! Foul play is the only explanation as to how this car exploded. Once again I must admit I was wrong. Thank you!

Palindromedary ~ Another little tidbit I was unaware of. They found the engine still attached to the transmission thrown 60 yards away from the blast. That explains the melted roof. We truly have a very serious problem in this country! Yet I have no doubt that we will be victorious over this impediment to our destiny. If you doubt me, listen to this speech by JFK:

DAnneMarc: Yes, I saw that youtube vid of the car flashing by that intersection, caught on camera by the police, after which the police drove what seemed to be several blocks, and making turns, to get to the actual scene of the "accident". So, that scene of the car flashing by was probably not captured at the intersection of N. Highland Ave and Melrose Ave because the "accident" would have been right around the corner from the police. In fact, about 650 feet south of the intersection. We don't know if it was actually Hastings' car that flashed by. It could have been some other car. But I have no reason to believe that it was Hastings' Mercedes as viewed from some other intersection other than N. Highland and Melrose....further North perhaps. But, it seems to me that the police had made at least one turn, in addition to the right hand turn, in getting to the "accident" so how could Hastings be driving so fast, and the police car giving chase (if that is what you want to call it---he didn't seem to be moving very fast) and then when the police got to the scene..just a few seconds later...it appeared that the "accident" had happened well before the police got there. People were there with hoses trying to put the fire out already. The timing on that video of the car flashing by the intersection, the police "chase", the turns, all just did not seem to shout out that the timing was right on this video. Something fishy about it. If the police was following Hastings, making those turns, how could Hastings have made the speed that we have been led to believe he was going. The eyewitness said Hastings was going fast so he must have been...but could he have done that speed while making the same turns that the police made in that video? To go at the speed he was reported to be going, he must have been traveling straight in a southerly direction down N. Highland without having made any turns...like the police had to do.
And yes, I read about eyewitness reports, and saw photos of the engine and/or transmission having come to rest at at least 100 feet from the "accident".
I've heard of air bags exploding out with enough force to do some damage to people but I doubt they have enough force to blow the engine/transmission out 120 feet and roast the driver. Maybe Mercedes needs to do a recall to check out their air bag system? ;-}

I watched that youtube video, again and again, of the speeding car going down N Highlands Ave. What I noticed was that this was the intersection of N. Highland and Santa Monica Blvd. (That Walgreens Pharmacy has been newly built since the Google Earth street view in February of 2011 which appears to be a vacant lot.) What I don't understand is if that was Hastings' speeding Mercedes, then why did the police not give chase (ie: make the right turn onto N Highlands)? Instead, the video showed the police video pan to the left then he proceeded East (straight ahead) on Santa Monica Blvd. He eventually turned right going past a school then made a number of other turns. Why did it take the police over 4 minutes to get to the "crash" site and why did he take such a circuitous route? There were several time lapses in the video which helped to obfuscate just where the police car went. The police was evidently not concerned about the "speeding" car and was not really giving any kind of chase. Question is...was that car really speeding? I don't think he was traveling at a really high rate of speed..otherwise the policeman would not have been doing his job for not making the immediate right on N. Highland and giving chase.
Santa Monica Blvd is only 1/2 mile north of Melrose Ave..near where the crash happened. How long would it take a speeding vehicle to travel 1/2 mile and crash? If Hastings was traveling at 60 MPH it would have taken only 30 seconds. If he was traveling at a higher rate of speed then much sooner, of course. Did the police not hear the explosion?
I played that video back at a greatly reduced speed and then frame by frame and watched that car go past the intersection and one thing I could not see was a driver. There was one frame where the light on the other side (the driver's side) showed though and it looked like there was a clear opening where the driver should have been but I did not see a driver. Very strange! I wouldn't put a lot of importance on that though because even at slow motion or even stopping at a particular frame...the car is still a streak. I couldn't say whether it was even a Mercedes.
So after the police video captures the "speeding" car go across the Santa Monica Blvd intersection going South on N. Highland, the police doesn't turn right in chase of the car, he goes straight ahead, East, on Santa Monica Blvd. He goes 1/2 mile and turns right on Cole Ave., goes past a school for another 1/2 mile and makes a right onto Waring Ave (which has a DMV on the corner) then he travels north on Waring for another 1/2 mile and makes a left onto N. Highlands where he finally speeds up to the scene when he sees the fire just south of Melrose Ave.
I'd bet that someone with the right mathematical accumen could watch that video of that "speeding" car across that intersection and fairly accurately determine that cars speed at that moment.

Palindromedary ~ At this point I am not prepared to discount any of your hypothesis. I'm too tired and too discouraged; also, I'm not to proud of being so wrong. That being said I will throw out this little observation. Cameras are perfect, police officers are not. Just because a camera, mounted on the dashboard of one of LA's finest is able to capture .0003 secs of a speeding vehicle running a red light at 4:20 am doesn't mean that the officer was paying attention. If you look really closely, the officers light is green and the speeders light is red. That means the officer wasn't moving despite his light being green. Damn good thing too or that officer might have become part of the crash scene. My assessment? He was probably looking for that last donut in his bag on the passenger seat when that .0003 secs of action occurred. Possibly he was taking a cat nap and was awaken .006 seconds afterwards by a loud noise. He proceeded slowly because he wasn't sure it was a noise or a dream... Unless, of course, you are able to prove otherwise. Don't get me wrong my friend. At this point I would be shocked, but not really surprised. At that, I bid you goodnight. Sweet dreams. We can pick up where we left off tomorrow. There should be more light shed on the incident on the Sunday News. Thanks for the scoops. I look forward to learning more. Buenas Noches!

Hi Elinor, I'm simply trying to understand your position a bit more and respectfully ask a few questions. If you belive you are starting another war and therefore more billionaries will be made through the war machine, is there an opportunity (ethical) for you to possibly benefit from this? After all America is really the land of opportunity, why not take advantage of what is coming.
Next, when you say we no longer respect our immigrants for all the hard work they do, my opinion is that the far majority of illegals came to the US for a better life. We can respect that however it was done through illegal means, which I have difficulty respecting. If we let the thought of doing anything for a better life over rule the law, are we not moving toward a lawless society?

DAnneMarc: Yes, I believe you are correct that the possibility remains that the camera caught what the policeman may not have caught. It's funny that you mention "looking for that last donut" or taking a nap...I was going to joke about that myself but you beat me to it.
So, since the officer was just sitting there (what appeared to me to be in a parking space at the curb) and the light was green...he must have just been monitoring that intersection for people who run red lights. It was very late(early) hours so I can imagine that it would be hard to stay awake at those hours. Maybe the sound of the speeding car running the red light woke the policeman up and he decided to do some patrolling of the neighborhood.
Since it would have taken 20-30 seconds (perhaps) until the explosion/crash, the officer would have been about half way to Cole Ave (he wasn't going very fast). And according to the data displayed on the video dubbed in by LoudLabs News it was 2 minutes and 30 seconds just before the officer turned right (south) onto Cole Ave. (so the explosion/crash already happened 2 minutes before that). The next time a caption is displayed on the LoudLabs video, as the officer approached the "accident" scene going south on N. Highlands, it said it was 4 minutes since the car went by the intersection. That would mean that it took the officer 1 minute and 30 seconds to travel from the time he turned off of Santa Monica Blvd onto Cole Ave., traveling south on Coled, and then drove another 1/2 mile and turned west onto Waring Ave, then traveled another 1/2 mile to N Highlands, then turned left (south) to cross Melrose to find the "accident" scene on the other side. It took the officer 2.5 minutes to go the first 1/2 mile..then only 1.5 minutes to go the next 1+ miles. And what is confusing is that between the time the officer turned on to Cole and eventually turning off of Waring onto N. Highlands..the video was broken up several times with fade outs and fade ins during various turns..that didn't seem to fit turn off of Cole and going north on Waring. There were too many turns. So it could be that the officer did not take a straight path to N. Highlands along Cole and onto Waring. A zig-zag path..he sure didn't seem to be in a hurry. I couldn't make out the audio portion (the dispatcher calls) so I don't know if they announced the "accident" to the officer until he turned left onto N. Highlands from Waring where I thought I heard the dispatcher mention the fire.
One thing, I would imagine, that it would be just a little embarrassing for the officer who didn't seem to notice, or ignored, a speeding car that went through a red light. He might have pulled the guy over and saved his life...but that may be a stretch...especially if the car was rigged to blow up...and of course we can only speculate that that happened. It is just a very good thing that no one else got hurt..and no other substantial property damage was done.
An odd thing I noticed in the video as the officer arrived at the scene...there was a large stream of water gushing out of the ground very close to the fire (as if a fire hydrant was knocked over). Problem is that there was no above ground fire hydrant to hit or destroy. It was all underground that had a cover on top. Was someone able to get close enough to a very hot fire to remove the cover and turn on the water, managed to turn it on?

Kend's wife: Sorry to interject, but I couldn't help over hearing your conversation here. Yeah, I know what you mean...I actually went to Saudi Arabia, once, for a better life. I really didn't do much of anything meaningful but raked in a lot more money than I would have made had I stayed in the US. The only reason I broke into a sweat over there was when I went outside of my air-conditioned office. I sure didn't go there for the purpose of wanting to be a Saudi or accept their "way of life"... I sure wasn't going to convert from Atheism to being a Muslim. I just wanted the money...and, perhaps, a bit of broadening of my worldly experience..getting to know and experience other cultures...but it was mostly the money. I met lots of Saudis and people from many other countries whom I befriended. It was a good experience overall. (when I wasn't worrying about being beheaded or hehanded for something or being put into prison for misspeaking).
Can we really condemn the Mexicans (or anyone else for that matter) who wants to come here mostly for the money? I sure can't! Except, unlike in Saudi Arabia, they are displacing American jobs and contributing to the reduction in wages of Americans (USians).
In going to Saudi Arabia, I had to be respectful of their culture...to do anything otherwise would have been very risky. (they sent children's yellow school buses into the compound to take willing spectators into Dammam for the periodic sporting events they had there...where people actually lost their heads under the sword.) I never wanted to see anything like that so I never went. Crime (as defined by the Saudi ruling elite)...was very low in Saudi Arabia! No one wanted to have their 5 minutes of infamy just before their heads rolled in the gutter.
There is one big difference between people coming to the US and "taking our jobs" and going to Saudi Arabia...where many of the jobs were made up jobs in a kick-back scheme orchestrated between the Saudis and the US oil corporations. There were something like 1 million Saudis to about 5 or 6 million expatriates from various countries working and living in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis had various "government" benefits...free loans that they never expected to pay back...subsidized food and everything else...made up jobs of their own...and a large merchant class that made fortunes on all the spending of all those expatriates. I don't think any of the Saudis had any complaints about expatriates stealing all their jobs. They mostly (at least some groups anyway) just didn't like all these decadent Westerners infusing their culture and threatening ways of life upon their 12th century lifestyle...although some groups were trying very hard to modernize all their material things like roads, hospitals, universities, buildings, etc...their beliefs and ideas were still 12th century...as it is in some competing groups here in America, as well...some go back even to 1st century mentality.
When America is a "land of opportunity" fueled by slaughtering innocent civilians that's when it deserves to fall..and fall hard. Landlords become homeless beggars in the streets. Business leaders become peons. Banksters put in chains. And politicians thrown into jail.

Palindromedary ~ I saw some strange things in that video too. First was the appearance that other emergency vehicles arrived before the police officer. Giving the timing of when the accident occurred, how long it takes for a witness to look for a phone, call 911, get a dispatcher, and have a vehicle dispatched--I can't see all that happening in the first 3 minutes. I didn't notice a fire hydrant but there clearly was a pool of water on the ground and a neighbor with a garden hose desperately trying to help. Someone once set off a car bomb next to our house when I was a kid. I remember trying to put out the flames with a garden hose. For some reason the flames just got worse. I desperately hosed down our house to keep it from catching fire. I remember the fireman I spoke to saying that the incendiary used only gets worse when fed the oxygen that is present in water. I remember what the car looked like after the fire and that is what Hastings car looked like too.
In addition to the fast presence of other emergency vehicles at the scene, the other thing that bothers me is that he must have been travelling 60-100 mph when he passed the police cam. His car exploded 30 seconds later. He did not hit anything which means the car either braked and locked its wheels or--more likely--the detonation of a bomb on the car slowed the vehicle. I believe that could only have been a detonation because--as reported--the engine and transmission intact were thrown 60 yards ahead of the vehicle. That would indicate that the bomb was placed somewhere behind the engine--probably just behind the lower dashboard, under the seat, or maybe in the glove box. The force of the detonation and propulsion of the engine and transmission forward slowed the car to a standstill like it hit a wall. Then it rolled to rest against the tree and burned.
Interesting that you said you thought you saw an empty vehicle blow by the police cam. Are you suggesting that Hastings comment about going under the radar may have been to fake his own death?

DAnneMarc: Very interesting observation about that other emergency vehicle...the one that pulled up on the curb so the police car could pass. By the way, there was a gusher coming out of the ground noticeable right after the emergency vehicle pulled up onto the center median. It looked like it was about 6" in diameter and gushing up about 4 or 5 feet. The gusher was just to the left of Hasting's vehicle. There was no fire hydrant, unless they added one since 2011 which is when the Google Earth street view showed only access plates only. But then, they also built that Walgreens Pharmacy on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and N. Highland as seen in the speeding vehicle video. Google Earth street view shows only a vacant lot at that spot.
Holy cow, DAnneMarc! You had a very interesting situation as a child...a car bomb in front of your house and you trying to put out the fire with a hose. Bravo!
The fact that the engine/transmission was thrown 100+ feet and that the car was not wrapped around that tree makes it hard to believe that crashing into that tree caused all that damage. Usually, when cars hit trees going at those high speeds they wrap around them...all mangled. Of course, Mercedes, I am assuming, are supposed to be built so that they help minimize damage to the car and the driver/passengers....not blow up into a firey furnace. They came a long way from Ford Pintos over the years.
In playing that police video, in slow motion and even frame by frame, of the car running the red light and speeding through the intersection, there was the one frame when the car was just passing the bright lights coming from the front door of Walgreens. I could see clear through the area in the car where the driver should have been. I saw no driver..just a clear light from the background of Walgreens. Of course, like I said before, I don't know how meaningful this was since even the details of the outside of the car, were streaked. It could be that any detail inside the car would have been blurred as well preventing me from seeing a driver.
I had thought of that possibility...that maybe the car was empty and being remotely controlled...and done for the purpose of making Hastings disappear...yet still be alive somewhere...but then there was the charred body. So I don't think that was the case. It is more likely that I didn't see someone in the driver's seat because of a lack of clarity in the video.
That whole video of the officer driving 1/2 to Cole, then another 1/2 mile to Waring, then another 1/2 mile to N. Highlands he was driving fairly slowly. He didn't actually speed up until he got to N Highlands from Waring. So I doubt that he even heard a dispatch until he actually got to the scene. And if that was the case...then why not? Did the other emergency vehicle, which beat the officer to the scene by just a couple of seconds, get a dispatch way before the officer did? Maybe the other vehicle was in the area already?
I followed the police car on it's route down Santa Monica, Cole, Waring, and N. Highlands using Google Earth street view. Again, the date on the street view was in 2011. I noticed a lot of uneven pavement...cracks..some little pot holes perhaps along the route but N. Highlands was very smooth without those anomalies. I also did not see uneven pavement on N. Highlands in that police video. The police car did not hit any bumps that were noticeable so the argument that Hastings hit pot holes causing sparks was just not very credible. The only way he could have caused sparks, maybe, was if he was rubbing his wheels against the curb. And there should be evidence of scratch marks on the curb if that was the case. Also, the fact that the street changes from one without a central divider to one with a central divider..and neighborhood cars parked on the street....and traveling at a high rate of speed may have been a destabilizing factor...especially if Hastings had been drinking or taking drugs. There is also a change in the pavement at the intersection of N Highlands and Melrose where they have a fancy brickwork crosswalk. It doesn't appear to be unlevel..like a speed bump. But, there was a slight indication of a bump in the police video when the officer drove past the intersection. There was a sleight up and down deviation in the video which was hard to detect because the police camera zoomed in right at the time he crossed the intersection crosswalk.

Palindromedary ~ Yeah this incident sure does bring back memories. That car wasn't in front of the house. The side of the house we lived in was against an alley way. The car was parked right under my bedroom window--about three feet from the house. I was about 16 -19 years old at the time. It was the Reagan era and here in Oakland that was a time of street warfare--especially in my neighborhood.
I was awoken in the middle of the night by what sounded like a barrel bomb, or a shotgun going off outside my bedroom window. Being summer time, near the 4th of July, and used to guns going off in the alley below I thought little of it and almost went back to sleep. However, a glow of dancing lights on my bedroom wall struck my curiosity and I went to the window to see what was going on. Outside my window a fire was raging; and, without a second thought I flew out the front door to see what was going on.
When I saw the car on fire I instinctively grabbed the garden hose, put the water on full blast, and doused the vehicle the best I could with the length of hose I had. I had to shoot the stream over hedges and around the corner of the house using my fingers because we didn't have a nozzle on that hose. I wanted to drop the hose and run inside to call the fire department but I feared the flames licking the house could set the house on fire; so, I stayed outside and committed myself to the water hose hoping someone--maybe a neighbor--would show up soon. They did and I yelled to them to call the police and the fire department. Fortunitely, there were several neighbors who appeared at once; and, some went to call for help; whereas, others manned their own hose to help out in the effort.
Unfortunately, like I said before, and like you can see in the video, water doesn't do much on a car bomb fire--it just makes it worse. So after I realized that fighting the flames was futile I concentrated the hose on the side of the house; hoping to saturate it enough to prevent it from igniting. Fortunately, I succeeded.
As it turned out this wasn't a murder attempt, just a very reckless act of vandalism and possibly insurance fraud. No one was in the car.
After watching other videos of the Hastings crash I noticed the water fountain that you mentioned. It wasn't shooting in the air high enough to be a broken fire hydrant; but it was definitely a source of water under pressure and out of control. Do you suppose that the bomb in the car may have ruptured a water pipe under the median when the car exploded? Perhaps the car hit a sprinkler pipe when it skidded out of control?
I've had a lot of chances to see all manor of accidents where I used to live too--including cars hitting poles. On different occasions I've seen cars spin out and hit telephone poles, a car hit a police call box phone head on, and even a truck hit a telephone pole breaking the pole off at the bottom. When a car hits a pole the engine is driven into the car; not outside the car. If you look at almost any angle of this accident the engine compartment is blown outward. I have never seen an accident blowing the engine outward. In this case the engine, internal wheel well, front frame, front axle, hub and wheel are all blown outward. The transmission, engine and part of the driveshaft are laying on the street 60 yards ahead of the crash, next to the curb. That is impossible with a head on collision with a tree; or, even a side impact with a tree. This was not an accident.
At this point the only real questions are: 1) Was Hastings really in the car? and 2) If so, who did it? General McChrystal, or some other pissed-off branch of the Government? As I understand it, McChrystal was head of Secret Ops before Hastings ruined his career. More than enough motive and means to have committed this murder.
As always, I'm curious as to your take.
Here is a video of a translated coversation with the spanish speaking eye witness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fweyFCFKcp0
Here's another video by Alex Jones on the "accident":

Quote Palindromedary:In playing that police video, in slow motion and even frame by frame, of the car running the red light and speeding through the intersection, there was the one frame when the car was just passing the bright lights coming from the front door of Walgreens. I could see clear through the area in the car where the driver should have been. I saw no driver..just a clear light from the background of Walgreens. Of course, like I said before, I don't know how meaningful this was since even the details of the outside of the car, were streaked. It could be that any detail inside the car would have been blurred as well preventing me from seeing a driver.
Another possibility that occurs to me is that Hastings may have been in the car; but already slumped over and dead. It has been mentioned by others that this type of scenario has been used by the mafia to destroy evidence--a la Vince Foster per se. Don't discredit your observation yet--it may be a critical factor in tying the pieces of the puzzle together when the other facts surface. That would also explain why he didn't turn the ignition off, activate the emergency brake, or shift the car into reverse to stop it. Killing him first and then putting him into the car would also explain how and when the bomb and remote control software was planted. As far as I am concerned the LAPD lost all credibility when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated. They declared this incident free of foul play way too soon in my book. I wouldn't put it past them to be involved in this whole affair as well. That might explain the discrepancies in the police dash cam too.
Just a final thought. With that, I bid you Goodnight!

DAnneMarc: Quite a story about your experiences! Yes, I saw those videos..and that is a very interesting idea about Hastings being possibly already dead...the car, perhaps, being remotely controlled. But here is something else I have discovered:
The engine/transmission in this photo* is located exactly 166 feet from the tree that Hastings' car hit. I located the exact spot on Google Earth..matching it with the photo. The light pole, the utility covers on the curb, the bent trees, the houses in the distance all match up. This is right on the corner of N. Highlands and Clinton (how about that, eh?..."Clinton" street) Street. In another picture I recognize the bush in the background as well.
engine/transmission at 34 deg 04' 55.16" N and 118 deg 20'18.16" W
tree Hastings car hit at 34deg 04' 56.81" N and 118 20 18.94 W
It sure doesn't make sense that the engine/transmission would be 166 feet further south and on the opposite side of the street if the cars front end was along the right side of the tree as is shown in some pictures. If the car spun around counter clockwise hitting the tree on the right side of the tree then how can an engine/transmission pop out of the car and be thrown further down southward down the street when the spinning force would have been in the opposite direction (northerly). Now if the car smacked the tree head on then I could see a possibility that the engine/transmission would continue to travel in a southerly direction. But why doesn't the photos show that the front end crashed head-on into the tree, in full head-on or partially so. The car's front end is beside the tree. And why did they cover the front end with a tarp in one photo? What were they trying to hide? But how can a big engine/transmission like that just pop out of the vehicle when the vehicle is fully upright? There was no sign that any gaping hole in the right side of the vehicle was there in the photos. If the car had rolled then I could see that the engine/transmision could have popped out. But there was no indication the car rolled...or maybe it did before it got to the tree? I believe that the C250 has a front end engine...the photo looks like a front end engine with the transmission attached.
I have read that Mercedes Benz has been very embarrassed by this because people are making jokes about the safety on the order of the Ford Pinto jokes of olde.
Another thought occurred to me...the eyewitness said he saw sparks coming from the vehicle even before it got to the intersection...I wonder what would happen if the cars speed was rigged to go full speed, the breaks disabled, and the driver trying with all his might to use the emergency brake to stop the car...would not a lot of sparks result? Of course, we did not see any sparks when the car crossed the intersection where the officer was.
By the way, I know what you mean about those LAPD cops...just think of their recent rampage in trying to get Christopher Dorner..and even the Reagan era guns for drugs... importing drugs into East LA. And shooting a woman about a hundred times as she laid hiding in her car in fear of being assaulted....just a whole sordid history...
*http://www.theblaze.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Screen-Shot-2013-06-20-at-11.10.47-AM-e1371741324328.png
Yes, I'm going to turn in as well.

No No No!!! DANNIEMARC..."any amount of money to stop the bleeding [Illegal imagrants] is money well spent." Absolutly not! We don't need walls, fences, whatever, and an increase of paramilitary patrol power. That $40 billion should go towards increasing government grants for education, green industries, etc.
It painfully cracks me up when smart people - like yourself - continue to buy into more "security" propaganda.
You wanna "secure"/improve American jobs???Increase wages to be in tune with the basic cost of living, plus a little more??? CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING! STOP being played a fool! Spending more money to build fences only creates a false resolve. Just like banning Assault Rifles and large capacity Magazine/clips ain't gonna stop gun violence, neither will a 40' patroled fence stop a person from trying to cross into the U.S.
Don't get me wrong I do understand that we have a serious problem with illegals in the U.S. that are nothing more than tics on a dog...We need to start immediatley deporting them back to where they came from (period), No collect 200.00...Straight from jail to home. And if they get caught a second time 25 to life incarceration.

I propose that we spend $3 bazzillion to dig a 3 mile wide and 1300 mile long trench populated by hungry alligators and piranhas between Mexico and the US...then we spend another zillion or two to install powerful laser beam weapons on the bridges to zap any illegal that tries to come across. Jesse Ventura will just either have to stay in Baja or stay in AmeriKa. Sorry Jesse! I propose that we spend another quadrillion dollars to ramp up HAARP to create hurricanes on both ends of the AmeriKan Maginot line to prevent the aliens from doing a sneak attack on the ocean. This is war! Our very "way of life" is being threatened here! We must defend our liberty and security or the peons will steal it all away from us...Be Vigillant, Vainglorious, and proud. The Fatherland is proud of you! Seig Heil, Comrads!
Oh, yes, by the way...let's double the effort on the Canadian border. We wouldn't want any pussyfied, squeamish AmeriKans to escape to the north now would we. After all, they do pay a lot more (yeah, in Canadian dollars...currently .95/1.00...yikes! it used to be a lot less). Let's build an "Iron Curtain" around all of Amerika! Erect anti-aircraft guns all around the rim of Amerika and shoot down any aliens (or Amerikans trying to sneak out) trying to sneak across by airplane.
------------
Seriously though...
How about nipping-it-in-the-bud by cracking down on US employers who hire these illegal workers. Deport the employers straight to prison. Slap-on-the-wrist fines only pass the costs on to the consumer while the top execs and investors get insane compensation for their wrong-doing. Imprison the employers..the CEOs and other execs who reap the benefits of cheap labor from illegal workers. That would sure be a lot cheaper than building a big fence and manning it with lots of Xe (formerly Blackwater) psychos who shoot first and never ask question later. I bet that paramilitary-force-from Hell (who think they are doing God's work) is salivating over prospects of contracts to Nazify our southern border. What do you want to bet that they will end up murdering a lot of people like they did in Iraq.

If we had a national program to teach people how to can their food that they either grew in their own gardens or went to "pick your own" places...and had a national program that made incentives for growers to let people pick-their-own and pass the savings on to the consumer...the picker...then the grower wouldn't feel the need to hire illegals. The supermarkets wouldn't like it very much.
A lot of fresh fruits and vegetables are often a lot cheaper at farmer's markets and at flea markets. If people bought these and either canned their food or dried the food they would be able to save a lot of money.
The prices at the supermarkets are getting so outrageous, I hate to even go anymore. About the only thing I can repeatedly say when going through the isles is "You gotta be kidding me!"
I dried some peaches, about a week ago and they are sooooo good. It only takes about 6-8 hours using an electric fruit and vegetable dryer. Or, you could do it the old fashioned way...out in the sun. And they last a long time. By the way, if you buy the commercial dried fruits they are very expensive...and they use a preservative that some people..especially with asthma..might have a bad reaction to...read the label! Dried tomatoes are fantastic as well. The tomatoes I grew last year and canned lasted almost through the year. I canned the year before that and before that.

Palindromedary ~ I'm not so sure I like the idea about a huge trench on the border filled with alligators and piranhas. Mexicans are used to living around rattlesnakes, and scorpions. I think they could easily find a way around alligators and piranhas. Now sharks with laser beams attached to their heads is another story.
But seriously. MMmmNACHOS and you make good points. Closing the borders isn't going to resolve the problems created by this new law. If the law passes forget about prosecuting the employers. I think that is really what this law is about--legalizing slavery. The other problem about sealing the borders that even the esteemed Mr. NACHOS didn't mention is what about chinese immigrants. Hello! Free up a path to citizenship and I bet you you'll be seeing boatloads of cheap imported workers streaming in from China. Sure, that's probably what is happening anyway; but, now it can happen in the open. Surprise! Surprise! The master deceivers have tricked us again! If you ask me it is the Chinese labor that they are really after. Just as hard working and cheap as Mexican labor; but, hightly intelligent and well educated as well. Tap into the shear numbers of disposable laborers in China and you and I have had it. "It's over, Johnny!"
I bet even Ken Ware never saw an invasion from China taking the form of guest worker visas. Thats what happens when you focus on the military and what our government says. Sleight of hand. I wonder if even David Copperfield saw this one coming? Spanish and Chinese. Soon we will all be trilingual.
This subject is so depressing it burns me out. I'm so glad I'm close to retirement and don't have kids.

Palindromedary ~ Growing and canning your own food. Now you're talking! I couldn't agree more. Getting back to nature is something the people of this nation sorely need. It's good for the Earth, good for the body, and good for the soul. Not only is it excellent exercise and a way around GMO's, preservatives, and foreign labor; but, it is a way to flex our economic muscle in the commercial marketplace and have our will be heard loud and clear as well. Kudos, Palindromedary! Kudos!

DAnneMarc: You are probably correct...they would find a way around nearly anything we build to stop them. They would probably just tunnel under the trench.
As it is now, I think most illegals just come across the border at the border crossings or just fly in with falsified passports. I managed to fly out of the US into Mexico and back again even with no passport. I was on a business trip and forgot my passport when I got to the airport. The ticket agent called a man, who I guess was some kind of lawyer (he was a Mexican in a suit and carried a briefcase) who came to the airport and had me fill out some kind of papers...I paid him $50..and I was able to use these papers leaving the US...entering Mexico..leaving Mexico and back to the US. When I reentered the US, the Customs agent gave me a bit of a hard time but said ..."next time bring your passport!". And that was after 9/11.

DAnneMarc: Thank you! But I don't know if there is any way around GMOs...they have now invaded just about every kind of crops...thanks Monsanto! Even if you grow them at home...they could still be GMO. Even the many different indigenous kinds of corn grown down in southern Mexico have been infiltrated with GMO. And the Zapatistas are really pissed as they should be. By the way, I have been reading some articles about the Zapatistas down in Chiapas and they seem to use the numbers 111 or 1111 a lot. I don't know what the significance is but it is very familiar because it happens to me a lot...I glance at a clock and it is 1:11 or 11:11 or 2:22 or 3:33, etc. And I know it can be argued that if you glance at the clock a lot you will see these numbers...taking special note of these numbers and not the others...but I have been keeping tabs on even the ones that don't pop up as repeated numbers and it looks like the odds are well in favor of seeing repeated numbers. It's really spooky how often this occurs. I'll wake up in the middle of the night and glance at the clock 4:44 or 5:55 etc. It is not just the clock...other things as well. A friend of a friend kept seeing 2:22 and she died. If you don't hear from me occasionally, you might know the reason why! ;-}
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We finally have common ground with North Korea. We are both going to have a militarized Southern border with long walls to keep out those we fear!