Suggested Answers - Short Quiz

[johnkarls]

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SHORT QUIZ FOR OUR 1/10/2008 MEETING AND SUGGESTED ANSWERS FROM 2008

Question 1:

What do polls show is the most important issue for 2008 after Iraq and the War on Terror?

Answer 1:

As of today (Dec. 30, 2007), a Google/Advance Search for (polls + 2008 + issues) produces only two relevant items from among the top 10 of approx. 1,130,000 items (Google automatically ranks items in order of number of recent "hits").

However, one was fairly worthless in answering our question and the second is out of date (for more elaboration, please see comments regarding the two items at the end of this quiz).

The out-of-date NY Times/CBS New Poll, the only poll to really address our question, showed that -

>>> for Republicans "terrorism and national security" was the most important issue, followed by immigration (Iraq was third).

>>> for Democrats, the most important issue was Iraq, followed by health care ("the economy and jobs" was third).

It would appear that little has changed on the Republican side since all of the Republican candidates are still busy hammering away on their top 2 issues - terrorism and national security, and immigration.

However, it would appear on the Democratic side that Iraq may have faded somewhat, though the top Democratic candidates are still hammering away on all three of their top issues.

If one wanted to attain an overall appreciation of how this works, one need only look at the national polls which pit any of the top 3 Democratic candidates head-to-head against any of the top Republican candidates and see that the results are fairly even.

If one were a cynic, one would conclude from all this that the immigration issue helps Republican candidates and doesn't matter in any significant way to Democratic voters.

Question 2:

What is the relationship, if any, between illegal immigration and out-sourcing American jobs?

Answer 2:

Hiring illegal immigrants constitutes the out-sourcing of American jobs that cannot be moved physically.

Question 3:

How does the 2006 illegal-immigration proposal of Pres. Bush (which was championed by the Democratic Party but defeated by Senate Republicans) compare to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986?

Answer 3:

The 1986 legislation provided amnesty for illegal immigrants and the 2006 proposal provided a "path to citizenship" that opponents claimed was the equivalent of amnesty.

The 1986 legislation prescribed criminal penalties for hiring illegal aliens (which Messrs. George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton and George W. Bush have refused to enforce), and the 2006 proposal provided for a "guest worker program" which would have legalized the hiring of non-Americans while attempting to regulate such hiring.

Question 4:

What criminal penalties are prescribed for American employers who hire illegal immigrants?

Answer 4:

Title 8 U.S. Code Sec. 1324a:

It is illegal to hire (or to continue to employ) anyone who does not have (1) a US passport, (2) a "green card" (which is an identity card issued by the Immigration Service to non-citizens who have official permission to work in the US); or (3) BOTH a social security card AND a state driver's license or similar ID that contains a picture and has been approved by the US Attorney General as issued pursuant to procedures that insure that the holder is either a US citizen or has a "green card."

Criminal penalties comprise fines ranging from $250 to $2,000 per illegal alien. Though repeated offenses can increase the fine to $10,000 per illegal alien and also result in imprisonment of six months.

Incidentally, employing an independent contractor that employs illegal aliens (Sec. 1324a(a)(1)(4)) is no defense - contrary to the arguments of Mitt Romney who has tried to defend himself that the illegal aliens doing his yard work were on the payroll of Romney's contractor.

Title 8 U.S. Code Sec. 1324:

In addition to employers, this provision also deals with anyone who assists illegal aliens such as "coyotes" who bring illegal aliens into the US - and any person who "knowingly or in reckless disregard" of illegal status "conceals, harbors, or shields from detection" one or more illegal aliens (including unsuccessful attempts to do so and including conspiring with others to do so, or attempt to do so).

In addition to stiff fines, imprisonment of five years can also be imposed.

This is increased to ten years for coyotes, employers or conspirators (such as church groups whose members agree to shelter illegal immigrants or police forces subject to "sanctuary city" ordinances).

Question 5:

Why have Messrs. George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton and George W. Bush refused to enforce these criminal penalties and why has Congress permitted them to shirk their duty?

Answer 5:

Please see under "Possible Topics - Feb 14" on our Bulletin Board (www.drinkingliberallyslc.org/reading) the topic entitled "The Best Gov Money Can Buy - Bribery & Extortion" describing campaign contributions.

Question 6:

In addition to violating their oath of office by refusing to enforce the law, are Messrs. George H.W. Bush, William J. Clinton and George W. Bush guilty of anything else as a result of their refusal?

Answer 6:

Yes - Title 8 US Code Sec. 1324 (please see Answer 4 above).

Question 7:

Is Salt Lake City a "Sanctuary City"?

Answer 7:

Yes.

Question 8:

What is the philosophy of "Sanctuary City" legislation?

Answer 8:

That illegal aliens should be protected from crimes perpetrated against them be feeling free to report the crimes without fear that their illegal status will be discovered and that they will be deported.

Question 9:

Is each member of the Salt Lake City police force an "accessory after the fact" as a member of a conspiracy to violate Federal Immigration Law?

Answer 9:

Yes. For a detailed explanation, please see "The Legal Duty to Rat and Sanctuary Cities, Etc." under "Participant Comments" on our Bulletin Board (www.drinkingliberallyslc.org/reading).

Question 10:

Do all Americans have a legal obligation "to rat" on anyone who violates any law, whether or not relating to illegal immigration?

Answer 10:

Yes. . For a detailed explanation, please see "The Legal Duty to Rat" under "Participant Comments" on our Bulletin Board (www.drinkingliberallyslc.org/reading).

Question 11:

What new Arizona law is taking effect on January 1, 2008?

Answer 11:

Arizona has enacted its own law making it illegal to hire illegal aliens. However, unlike the Federal government which also has laws prohibiting the hiring of illegal aliens, it would appear that Arizona intends to enforce its new law.

Question 12:

Are agricultural workers in the United States required to be paid at least the federal minimum wage?

Answer 12:

In theory, the answer is yes. However, there are two problems -

FIRST, illegal aliens are reluctant to file complaints with the authorities for fear their illegal status will be discovered and they will be deported - even when "sanctuary" ordinances of local governments apply.

SECOND, it is legal to deduct charges for food and shelter provided by the employer - eerily evoking the lyrics of Tennessee Ernie Ford's famous "Sixteen Tons" in which, after each verse, the refrain reverberates "Another day older and deeper in debt - St. Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store"!!!

Question 13:

Is the United States the only country in the world that bestows citizenship on children of non-citizens if the children are born in the United States?

Answer 13:

Yes. Though the posting on our Bulletin Board on this subject invites anyone who is aware of any other country that does so to reply.

As explained in our posting, this policy is embedded in the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (one of the "Civil War Amendments"). The purpose of the provision was to make African-American slaves into U.S. citizens. Since it is part of the Constitution, another amendment would now be required to reverse the policy going forward.

Question 14:

To avoid having 13 questions, what is a "mule"?

Answer 14:

The movie "Marie Full of Grace" (the 12th and last "Reference Material" for Jan 10th on our Bulletin Board is the 2004 NY Times review of MF/G) features the story of poor foreigners who are hired to smuggle drugs into the U.S. by swallowing packets of drugs contained in indigestible liners which often rupture, resulting in the death of the "mule." Maria is a "mule" who escaped incarceration upon arrival in the U.S. on a tourist visa because the Federal Narcotics Agents could not perform their prescribed tests on her because she was pregnant. Maria then decided to remain in the U.S. permanently after the expiration of her tourist visa so that her unborn child would be born a U.S. citizen.