This past Wednesday there was a skirmish over immigration in Escondido, a small city just a bit north of San Diego. Three of the five city council members voted to pass a law prohibiting landlords from renting to illegal aliens. Although it is a small and local victory we can only hope it’s effect will reverberate nationally much as Hazleton already has.
For those who don’t live along a major invasion artery this might give you some idea what the situation will shortly be like for you:
ESCONDIDO – The immigration debate raging here and across the nation seems to attract metaphors about rushing water – flood, deluge, awash, rising tide – to describe the numbers of people flowing illegally across the border.
City Councilman Sam Abed prefers precise figures to metaphorical references. Abed’s numbers are startling: One Escondido resident in four, he contends, is an illegal immigrant.
Emphasis mine. Chew on it a moment.
Would you believe there are some who quibble over the numbers? And at any rate they have a problem with local government getting involved.
(Escondido Mayor Lori Holt) Pfeiler doesn’t see it that way. Illegal immigration, she said, is a federal issue.
“If you want to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, you have to stop it at the border and on the job,” she said. “This whole debate about quality of life – how do you measure that? How do you define it?
“If the figures here really were 25 percent, what would happen if we removed 25 percent of our workers, 25 percent of our renters, 25 percent of our customers, in one fell swoop? It would be fascinating to do that and see what would happen.
Fascinating, yes. Is this a trick question? What would happen is there would be 25% less people. Less production and less consumption. Less load on the infrastructure. Less impact on the environment. Less crowded classrooms and hospitals and jails. Lower taxes. In fact, because the group that would be reduced tends to be more poor and less educated we can expect the positive effects of sending them away to exceed what would happen if we simply selected 25% at random.
What’s the illegal ratio where you live? There are 10-20 million illegal immigrants in the US, whose legal population is just topping 300 million. That would be about 3-6% on average. What numbers would impress you? Whatever they are they’ll be reached soon enough if the US maintains the status quo.
In defiance of such fatalism Marie Waldron, Sam Abed, and Ed Gallo voted to act:
Action begins when a resident, an official or business files a valid complaint with the city.
Landlord is then required to produce proof of a tenant’s legal status.
City verifies documents with the federal government.
Property owner would be notified of a violation.
Business license suspended if illegal tenants not removed within five days.
This hardly seems unreasonable to me, and in support I appeared outside city hall before the meeting Wednesday. Later I watched the preceedings on local cable.
If you want to see what real people really have to say in an area inundated by illegal immigrants, unsquelched and undistorted by the overwhelmingly pro-immigrant mainstream media, then go watch the meeting.
Allow me to summarize.
Those showing up in support of the new law were fewer, older, and frankly a bit more loner/oddball. Their speakers were generally respectful and thankful to the board. They see the flood of illegal immigrants bringing poverty, crime, and disease; and consuming the city budget. To stop this they want US immigration laws strictly enforced. They ask local government to act mainly because the Mexican, US federal, and state governments have not.
Those opposed to the new law were greater in number (outside at least), and generally younger. They included many children. Their speakers generally showed distain for the board. The most honest among them were obviously motivated by compassion. Their God knows no borders. No one is illegal. The immigrants are poor and we should help them.
This is understandable, though it seems hopelessly naive. There is no end to poverty. Once the other 9/10ths of Mexico have moved north who shall the US import next? Where will everyone go once the US has been turned into the same sort of 3rd world shithole Mexico already is?
Far worse than the compassionists are the slick and well-educated weasels who pursue instead one of several angles with a thuggish flavor.
First there is the ACLU lawyer who questions the constitutionality of the new law and threatens to sue. Does the A in ACLU stand for Alien now? Escondido taxpayers harmed by the ACLU’s actions might consider a class action lawsuit of their own.
The mayor agrees with the ACLU that immigration is entirely a federal responsibility. Law-abiding citizens are left to wonder why when a cop spots a bale of marijuana in a car driving through Escondido they don’t say, “whoa drugs, that’s a federal issue, and we can’t even call the DEA”! The notion that state and local government has no right to protect its citizens and carry out their democratically expressed will is nothing but the wishful thinking of criminals and their apologists.
Then there are the self-proclaimed activists who should know full well the generousity and tolerance Escondido has shown immigrants for decades. Even so they can’t keep themselves from throwing wild accusations of unfairness and rasism, obviously getting very wound up in their projected hatred. Their tone and demeanor at times becomes menacing.
Then there are the landlords and business owners. Does everyone realize this law will cost them money? Funny, they didn’t mention that it’s black market money. And they seem not at all concerned about the costs to their law-abiding neighbors.
Landlords also say they don’t know who is illegal or how to check. In this they have a good point. A point that puts in perspective the modest progress that has been made in the fight against open borders and how long a road there is left to travel.
Why won’t the government provide a secure, reliable, and drop dead easy way to verify anyone’s citizenship or immigration status? Why won’t they make this seemingly definitive service of government available at little or no cost? Why won’t they apply this database to anyone who interacts with the government in any way? Voting, traffic stop, DMV, hospital visit, … How if the government lacks the wherewithal to this can they require small business owners to shoulder such a burden?
I recently stumbled across some very interesting comments on the vast gulf between the elites and ordinary folk on immigration. It goes a long way toward explaining why US borders are open and why they will stay that way unless we continue to fight against it. Thankfully the Escondido city council isn’t yet controlled by either the elites or their imported lackeys.
The shot heard from Mexico to Canada…google North American Union…plenty of views on the right and left.
And hey, look who attended the recent meeting in Canada: Donny Rumsfeld.
Comment from Connie Fogal, Leader, CanadianActionParty, Tuesday Sept 19, 2006, 4:45 P.M. :
“The secret information below was uncovered by Vive le Canada. On September 12- 14, 2006 in Banff Alberta, Canada a group of present and past elected federal Ministers and Deputy Ministers from Canada, USA and Mexico met with unelected corporate, military, academic, financial ,industrialists,and “think tank” members to strategize the unification of Canada, USA, and Mexico. They conspired to continue to commit the unconstitutional act of castrating three national entities by planning ways to remove the constitutional powers and protections granted to the citizens of Canada, USA, and Mexico.
The people identified below are functioning as a “government de facto” (Black’s Law Dictionary page 824). They are “a government of fact. A government actually exercising power and control in the state,as opposed to the true and lawful government.; a government not established according to the constitution of the state, or not lawfully entitled to recognition or supremacy, but which has nevertheless supplanted or displaced the government de jure. A government deemed unlawful or unjust, which nevertheless receives presently habitual obedience from the bulk of the community.” Since no sitting party in Canada’s Parliament is prepared or willing to challenge and terminate the practice and power of this de facto government, it is up to us, the citizens, to do it. We must and can defy them. It is our democratic duty to refuse obedience to them. Our power is still at the ballot box. Our power is still in our voices . We must and can take back our democracy by electing only representatives to our government who refuse to permit the continuation of this de facto government . Elect only those who promise to govern for the public good and in the public interest. Elect only those who will defend, protect and preserve the rights of citizens. Elect only those who commit to the integrity of an independent sovereign nation.
The definition of the criminal act of treason in Canada requires the use of “force or violence for the purpose of overthrowing the government of Canada or a province.” S. 46 (2) (a) Criminal Code of Canada. The individuals identified below are, hence, arguably, not guilty of treason as defined under Canada ‘s Criminal Code. On the other hand, Black’s Law Dictionary defines Traitor as “One who, being trusted, betrays; one guilty of treason.” It is clear that the individuals identified below were trusted and are betraying us. They are certainly guilty of conspiring to remove from us the rights and privileges that belong to the citizens of Canada and which flow from our Canadian Constitution. The same can be said for the impact on the citizens of the USA and Mexico.
The sitting and former representatives from the Liberal Party of Canada as well as the Conservative Party of Canada are clearly identifiable, including Conservative Party Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the Government of Canada, and of some provinces, as well as the former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, John Manley, and former Liberal Minister of Justice Anne McLellan . It is unclear if any representatives from the NDP or the Bloq Quebecois were present….
Contact Connie Fogal at 604 872 2128 or e mail conniefogal@telus.net http://www.canadianactionparty.ca
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Tuesday, September 19 2006 @ 01:25 PM MDT
Contributed by: sthompson Vive le Canada http://www.vivelecanada.ca
Here’s the scandal that should be outraging Canadians across the country. On September 12-14, elite proponents of deep integration from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico met at a secret conference at the Banff Springs Hotel. The Hotel doesn’t want to talk about it. No major media reported on the conference–not the Globe and Mail, not the National Post, not the Toronto Star, no one. Yet the topic of the conference, deep integration or the formation of a “North American Community” aka the North American Union, will profoundly affect everything in our lives from our health and security to the currency we use (soon to be the “Amero”) to our very national identity. In essence, we will no longer be Canadians, but North Americans only–and worse, North Americans hog-tied in lock-step with the U.S. even as they gain open access to our energy resources.
Our national media stays silent and so Canadians remain unaware that their own CCCE and most powerful politicians are pushing for integration with the U.S. and Mexico completely outside of the usual democratic process. The only newspaper to report anything on this as yet is the Banff Crag & Canyon, which is publishing an article on the conference today thanks to information provided by Mel Hurtig.
And of course here at Vive we are ready to do our part. Below please find the secret list of participants in the forum AND the agenda for the forum, thanks to Mel Hurtig’s sources.
I hope every one of our readers and supporters will take it upon themselves to call their local and national media and demand coverage of the conference and of integration itself. It is a scandal that this process is being conducted in secret. And whether or not the media will listen, we must also all talk to other Canadians and to our politicians and demand that this become an open public debate. We must especially call and write to the usual suspects who were involved in this conference, especially the chairs and co-chairs, and spread the word so that our American and Mexican neighbours do the same. Otherwise, we will all remain in the dark–until it is too late.
NORTH AMERICAN FORUM
CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS
(Internal Document, Not for Public Release)
Report dated August 31, 2006
Forum Co-Chairs:
Dr. Pedro Aspe
Hon. Peter Lougheed
Hon. George Shultz
Canadian Participants
Col. Peter Atkinson Special Advisor to Chief of Defence Staff
Hon. Perrin Beatty Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
Mr. Peter M. Boehm Assistant Deputy Minister, North America
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Mr. Thomas d’Aquino Canadian Council of Chief Executives
Hon. Stockwell Day Minister of Public Safety, Government of Canada
Dr. Wendy Dobson The Institute for International Business
Mr. N. Murray Edwards Edco Financial Holdings Ltd.
Mr. Ward Elcock Deputy Minister of National Defence
Mr. Bill Elliott Associate Deputy Minister, Public Safety
Dr. John English The Cdn Centre for International Governance Innovation
Mr. Brian Felesky Felesky Flynn LLP
Mr. Richard L. George Suncor Energy Inc.
Dr. Roger Gibbins Canada West Foundation
Rear Adm Roger Girouard Commander Joint Task Force Pacific, Cdn Forces
Major Gen Daniel Gosselin Director General, International Security Policy
Mr. James K. Gray Canada West Foundation
Mr. Fred Green Canadian Pacific Railway
Mr. V. Peter Harder Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Paul J. Hill Harvard Developments Inc.
General Rick Hillier Chief of the Defence Staff
Mr. Pierre Marc Johnston Heenan Blaikie
Mr. James Kinnear Pengrowth Corporation
Mr. Harold N. Kvisle TransCanada Corporation
Hon. John P. Manley McCarthy Tetrault LLP
Mr. Ron Mannix Coril Holdings Ltd.
Mr. Ron Mathison Matco Investments
Hon. Anne McLellan Senior Counsel, Bennett Jones
Hon. Greg Melchin Minister of Energy, Government of Alberta
Ms.Sharon Murphy Chevron Canada
Ms. Sheila O’Brien President, Corporate Director, Belvedere Investments
Hon. Gordon O’Connor Minister of Defense, Government of Canada
Mr. Berel Rodal International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Mr. Gordon Smith Chairman, The International Development Research Centre
American Participants
Ms. Deborah Bolton Political Advisor to Commander, US Northcom
Mr. Ron T. Covais, President, The Americas, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Sec. Kenneth W. Dam Max Pam Professor Emeritus of American & Foreign Law and Senior Lecturer, University of Chicago Law School
Mr. Dan Fisk Senior Director, Western Hemisphere, National Security Council
Sec. Ryan Henry Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Ms. Carla A. Hills Chairman & CEO, Hills & Co.
Ms. Caryn Hollis DASD (Acting) Western Hemisphere Affairs
Mr. Bill Irwin Manager – International Government Affairs; Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Corporation
Mr. Robert G. James President, Enterprise Asset Management Inc.
Admiral Tim Keating Commander, US Northern Command
Mr. Floyd Kvamme Chair, President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology; Director, Centre for Global Security Res.
Dr. Ronald F. Lehman II Director, Center for Global Security Research, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Mr. William W. McIlhenny Policy Planning Council for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Dr. Peter McPherson President, National Association of State Universities & Land-Grant Colleges
Ms. Doris Meissner Senior Fellow, Migration Policy Institute
Dr. George Miller Director, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Mr. George Nethercutt Chairman, US Section of the Permanent Joint Board on
Defense, US – Canada (Security)
Mary Anastasia O’Grady Journalist for Wall Street Journal (Area Specialist)
Dr. Robert A. Pastor Director, Center for North American Studies, American
University, Washington, DC
Dr. William Perry Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project
Lt. Gen. Gene Renuart USAF Senior Military Assist. to Sec. Rumsfeld
Mr. Eric Ruff Department of Defense Press Secretary
Sec. Donald R. Rumsfeld Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense
Dr. James Schlesinger Former Sec. Of Energy & Defense
Mr. William Schneider President, International Planning Services
Sec. Clay Sell Deputy Secretary of Energy, US Dept. of Energy
Dr. Thomas A. Shannon Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere A
Dr. David G. Victor Director, Program on Energy & Sustainable Development, Center for Environmental Science & Policy
Maj. Gen. Mark A Volcheff Director, Plans, Policy & Strategy, NORAD-NORTHCOM
Ms. Jane Wales President & CEO, World Affairs Council of Northern California
Mr. R. James Woolsey Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton
Mexican Participants:
Emb Andrés Rozental (Mexican Coordinator) – Mexican Council on Foreign Relations
Silvia Hernández Former Senator and Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on North America
Mario Molina 1995 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry
Fernando Chico Pardo CEO, Promecap
Juan Gallardo CEO, Grupo GEUSA
Gerónimo Gutiérrez Deputy Foreign Minister for North America
Luis de la Calle Consultant. Former Deputy Minister of Economy
Agustín Barrios Gómez Solutions Abroad
Vinicio Suro PEMEX
Eduardo Medina Mora Secretary of Public Security
Carlos Heredia State Government of Michoacán
Jaime Zabludowsky Consultant. Former trade negotiator
Manuel Arango CEO, Grupo Concord
Jorge Santibañez President, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte
Luis Rubio CIDAC
Mónica Serrano El Colegio de México, Señor Fellow Oxford University
Arturo Sarukhan Coordinator of Int’l Affairs, Campaign of Felipe Calderon
Juan Camilo Mouriño General Coordinator of President Elect’s transition team
Ernesto Cordero Coordinator for Public Policy Issues
Ambassadors/Consul General:
Mr. Carlos de Icaza, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States
Mr. Gaëtan Lavertu Ambassador of Canada to Mexico
Ms. Maria Teresa Garcia Segovia de Madero, Ambassador of Mexico to Canada
Mr. Thomas Huffaker U.S. Consul General in Calgary (on DOD’s list)
Mr. John Dickson Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Ottawa
(representing Ambassador of US to Canada)
Mr. Colin Robertson Minister & Head, Washington Advocacy Secretariat,
(representing Ambassador of Canada to US)
————————————————
Draft Detailed September 1, 2006 Agenda
Internal Document
North American Forum
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Banff, Alberta
September 12-14, 2006
Under the Joint Chairmanship of:
The Hon. George Shultz, Former U.S. Secretary of State
The Hon. Pedro Aspe, Former Finance Minister of Mexico
The Hon. Peter Lougheed, Former Premier of Alberta
Continental Prosperity in the New Security Environment
Session I: Opening comments by Messrs. Aspe, Lougheed and Shultz
Session II: A Vision for North America: Issues and Options
Session III: Toward a North American Energy Strategy
Session IV: Opportunities for Security Cooperation in North America (Parts I and II)
Session V: Demographic and Social Dimensions of North American Integration
Session VI: Border Infrastructure and Continental Prosperity
Session VII: Roundtable Conversation with the Co-Chairs
Draft September 1, 2006 Agenda
North American Forum
The Fairmont Banff Springs
Banff, Alberta, Canada
September 12-14, 2006
Under the Joint Chairmanship of:
The Hon. George Shultz, Former U.S. Secretary of State
The Hon. Pedro Aspe, Former Finance Minister of Mexico
The Hon. Peter Lougheed, Former Premier of Alberta
Continental Prosperity in the New Security Environment
Tuesday, September 12th
3:00 to Advance Registration
4:30 pm Location: Heritage Hall
5:00 pm Registration
Location: Oval Room
5:45 pm Opening and Welcoming Reception
Location: Conservatory in the Cascade Ballroom
6:45 pm Dinner & Keynote Address
Location: Cascade Ballroom
8:00 pm Keynote Address – “Energy and Environment: a vision for North America”
Dr. Mario Molina, 1995 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry
Wednesday, September 13th
7:30 am Continental Breakfast & Registration
Location: Alhambra Room
8:15 am Keynote Address – Hon. Greg Melchin, Minister of Energy, Government of
Alberta
Q & A 8:45 – 9:00 a.m.
9:00 am SESSION I: OPENING COMMENTS BY MESSRS. SHULTZ, ASPE AND LOUGHEED
Location: Alhambra Room
SESSION II: A VISION FOR NORTH AMERICA: ISSUES & OPTIONS
Location: Alhambra Room
9:30 am PANEL:
Moderator: Dr. Thomas A. Shannon, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Panelists:
Robert Pastor, Director, Center for North American Studies, American University
Roger Gibbins, President & CEO, Canada West Foundation
Andrés Rozental, Mexican Council on Foreign Relations
10:05 am ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
10:45 am Break
SESSION III: TOWARD A NORTH AMERICAN ENERGY STRATEGY
Location: Alhambra Room
11:05 am REMARKS:
Secretary Clay Sell, Deputy Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
11:25 am PANEL:
Moderator: N. Murray Edwards, Vice Chairman, Canadian Natural Resources Limited
Panelists:
Richard George, President & CEO, Suncor Energy Inc.
David Victor, Director, Program on Energy & Sustainable Development,
Center for Environmental Science & Policy
Vinicio Suro, Planning & Evaluation Subdirector, PEMEX
12 noon ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
12:45 pm Break
1:00 pm Lunch
Location: Cascade Ballroom
1:30 pm Keynote Address: Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense
SESSION IV: OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN NORTH AMERICA – Military-to-military cooperation
Location: Alhambra Room
2:30 pm PANEL:
Moderator: William J. Perry, former US Secretary of Defense
Panelists:
Admiral Tim Keating, Commander NORAD/USNORTHCOM
Major General Daniel Gosselin, Director General, International Security Policy
Gerónimo Gutiérrez, Undersecretary for North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
3:05 pm ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
4:00 pm Break
SESSION IV: OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN NORTH AMERICA CONTINUED
Location: Alhambra Room
4:15 pm PANEL:
Moderator: William Schneider, President, International Planning Services
Panelists:
Ward Elcock, Deputy Minister of National Defence
Eduardo Medina-Mora, Secretary of Public Safety
Ryan Henry, Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
4:50 pm ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
5:45 pm Wrap-up of daytime sessions
6:30 pm Reception
Location: Conservatory in the Cascade Ballroom
7:00 pm Dinner & Keynote Address
Location: Cascade Ballroom
8:10 pm Keynote Address – The Hon. Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, Government of Canada
Thursday, September 14th
7:00 am Breakfast
Location: Alhambra Room
7:15 am Keynote Address – Floyd Kvamme, Chairman, President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology
Q & A – 7:40 to 8:00 a.m.
SESSION V: DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF NORTH AMERICAN
INTEGRATION
Location: Alhambra Room
8:00 am PANEL:
Moderator: Andrés Rozental, Mexican Council on Foreign Relations
Panelists :
Dr. Wendy Dobson, the Institute for International Business
Carlos Heredia, Chief International Affairs Advisor to the Governor of the State of Michoacán in Mexico
Doris Meissner, Senior Fellow, Migration Policy Institute
8:35 am ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
9:30 am Break
SESSION VI: BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONTINENTAL PROSPERITY
Location: Alhambra Room
9:45 am PANEL:
Moderator: Hon. John P. Manley, McCarthy Tetrault LLP
Panelists:
Thomas d’Aquino, Canadian Council of Chief Executives
Carla Hills, Chairman & CEO, Hills & Co.
Luis de la Calle, Consultor
10:20 am ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
11:00 am SESSION VII: ROUNDTABLE CONVERSATION WITH THE CO-CHAIRS
Location: Alhambra Room
Moderator: Jane Wales, President and CEO, World Affairs Council of
Northern California
Presenters: George Shultz, Co-Chair, North American Forum
Peter Lougheed, Co-Chair, North American Forum
Pedro Aspe, Co-Chair, North American Forum
12:00 pm Adjourn
12:30 pm Informal lunch
Location: Alhambra Room
http://www.vivelecanada.ca/article.php/20060919132553106/print“
Stop the bipartisan insanity of the elites. Thanks for the link.
P.S. I still like Rummy.
Still like Rummy? These guys will sell their mother for a bump in their portfolio…they are past ideology, it’s all about power now. They are leaving you in the dust, as you still chant their incantations.
And by the way, what is a patriot, and what is a traitor? Is it a traitor who would suspend Habeas Corpus for American citizens (in any event)?
I would hope this is not a partisan issue.
Rummy is doing a fine job teaching an old dog new tricks. Are liberals not happy about the reassertion of civilian control?
I don’t believe he’s motivated by money. It must suck the life out of him to face the dilemmas and critics of the country’s defense all day long. He’s driven by purer motives.
Likewise Bush and the key members of any administration that take their duties seriously.