Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Let 'Em All Vote

Immigration rights advocates, Democratic hacks, and amnesty now folks, along with their leftist, progressive legislators are working furiously to get illegal and legal immigrants into the voting booths. I'm waiting for PETA and the animal rights cuckoos to start demanding voting rights for disenfranchised beasties.

The City of Portland, Maine now has a ballot measure before the voters which would allow non-citizens to vote on city measures and school matters. San Francisco is preparing to allow non-citizens with children in the public schools to vote on school issues, while Chicago and six cities in Maryland already allow non-citizens to vote in municipal elections. New York City came to its senses in 2003 and took away the citizen's right to vote from non-citizens in school elections, and several Massachusetts cities have approved non-citizen voting but can't implement those votes until they receive approval from the state legislature.

In Portland, Claude Rwaganje says he pays taxes on his income and taxes on his cars. His children are in the Portland public schools. He is a refugee from the murderous political strife in Congo, and (take note) runs a nonprofit organization that offers financial and social advice to immigrants. Therefore, he contends, it is unfair for him not to be allowed to vote. Fair, schmair. The right to vote is the major index of the constitutional republic of the United States. Unlike the Old World, America's most unifying principle is the commonality of citizenship under a Constitution rather than ethnic or historic identity. If Rwaganje knows his homeland is a deadly cesspool, and he has gained a measure of freedom undreamed of in Africa, let him start the process for citizenship.

The traditional concept of coming to America, following the rules, becoming a responsible member of the community, and applying for citizenship to obtain that one last invaluable right is rapidly disappearing. The left has been trying to destroy anything that smacks of American exceptionalism for decades, and this is one way of accomplishing that. The dubious American President Barack Obama stood before the people of Germany and declared himself a citizen of the world. Aw, nuts! American citizenship is the most valuable thing any human in the world can have, and diluting it by allowing non-citizens to vote makes us nothing more than additional fodder on the road to serfdom.

Although Rwaganje is from Congo, Portland has somewhere between 5,000 and 7,500 immigrants, and half of them have never applied for citizenship and hail almost exclusively from Somalia and Latin America. Few of the immigrants have learned to speak English, and the Somali community has been stubbornly non-assimilative. But Somali immigrant and non-citizen Abdirizak Daud says: "I like the Democrats. I want to vote for Democrats, but I don't have citizenship."

Like we hadn't guessed which party he favors without him telling us. At least he didn't announce it on Christmas on a flight over Detroit. You don't have citizenship, Mr. Abdirizak? Whose fault is that? Learn English, assimilate, start the process, learn about the true greatness of America (which isn't about freebies and special favors), and get your citizenship. Then, even if you haven't learned how destructive Democrats are, you can vote for them. But not one damned minute before that. Oh, and while you're at it, swear allegiance to the United States and leave that dungheap of a country you came from behind.

To these whining immigrants who claim it isn't "fair" not to let them vote, I say the same things my parents said to me when I as a child whined about not getting what I wanted: "Life isn't fair." To my kids, I added "The souls in hell want ice water." And besides, what's unfair about requiring citizenship in order to vote? The founding patriots fought and died to gain that right. Those who survived earned the right to frame a Constitution that establishes the rule of law, not of men. Messrs. Daud and Rwaganje, your are not the issue, and fairness isn't the issue. The rule of law and the value of citizenship is the issue. If you don't value your adopted town, state and country enough to go through the process of obtaining citizenship, then to hell with you.

The ballot issues before the voters in Portland and mostly throughout the nation involve non-citizens who are here legally. This is just the camel's nose under the tent. If legal non-citizens who have children in school gain the right to vote, why not illegal immigrants? That wouldn't be "fair." This is nothing short of death of the meaning of American citizenship in small, incremental doses. And if it's done, we can deal with the Animal Farm issue later.

While this tragicomedy is going on, five Democrat-controlled states have yet to make even minimal efforts to comply with the Overseas Voting Act which provides ballots for our armed services men and women putting their lives on the line in far-flung and dangerous places. I'm afraid I can't feel any sympathy for non-citizens who want to vote when those who are risking death or maiming to protect our right to vote are denied their ballots. It's clear that the Democrats prefer non-citizens to those who have earned their citizenship in the most difficult manner possible.

32 comments:

Tennessee Jed said...

"suffer the victims to come unto me" - Nancy Pelosi.

Well I made that one up, but thegaul of these people. They are relentless and without scruples. I want to see immigration reform, myself. Kick out the illegals, and drastically reduce the influx of new "victims." Excellent post, Hawk.

Joel Farnham said...

This is an outrage LawHawk.

I want to hurt someone over this. I wont, but I want to.

Notawonk said...

i've said it before, what illegal needs amnesty if they can vote?! just another example of trying to backdoor the libbie agenda. ugh.

T_Rav said...

This isn't exactly the same thing, but I currently reside near Memphis, and the city leaders are having a big push right now to consolidate with the county. The outlying communities in this county have a long history as independent towns and are very stable and prosperous on their own, while Memphis is--well, let's just say it's a place you'd want to think twice about consolidating with, and the people in the county are saying no. Anyway, the upcoming vote is set up so that it has to be approved by the people in the city and then by the people in the non-city part of the county, but now the city is crying foul and saying that's a civil rights abuse (don't ask me how), and there has to be one single vote without any distinction, which would give the edge to Memphis voters, who are pro-consolidation. I bring this up because it seems like the citizenship issue is being violated here too: individual communities are having their choices outvoted by another community, or at least that might happen. I'm not a law expert, but it strikes me as fundamentally unfair.

Unknown said...

Tennessee: Yeah, I love the logic. My kids go to school, so I should be able to vote in school elections. Well, they're here at the sufferance of the American people, taking advantage of our freedoms, and now they want to subvert our entire citizenship process.

BevfromNYC said...

T-Rav - You would think that at least they could play by the same rules as our Protectorate countries like Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico gets to decide if they want to be a state, not the US citizens. It seems only fitting that the minority population in the small towns should get to decide if they want to be part of Greater Memphis. Sounds like a Civil Rights issue to me. Get Eric Holder on the issue.

Unknown said...

Joel: I know exactly how you feel. At times I just want to put a fist through a wall at the complete lack of regard the left has for what American citizenship means. The Americans who support this travesty should be required to go to Mexico, or Congo, or Somalia and demand the right to vote there.

Unknown said...

Patti: Right on point. What's the point of citizenship if you can have all the goodies without any of the effort and responsibility? The next step, of course, would be to say "well, they're already paying taxes and voting, why shouldn't we just grant them automatic citizenship?" Followed by "Well, illegal immigrants are just legal immigrants without the proper papers, so it's only fair to give them citizenship too."

Unknown said...

T_Rav: The power grab you're talking about happened nearly a century ago in Los Angeles. They swept up the San Fernando Valley into the city and county limits at that time to gain the income from the farmlands. Today, there are no farms and few open spaces in the Valley, but a huge portion of the money being used to fund downtown liberal tax and spend schemes comes from there. They've been trying for decades to secede, and almost pulled it off a few years back. But the larger number of welfare recipients and income redistributors on the L.A. proper side always outvote the taxpaying Valley residents.

AndrewPrice said...

I agree with Patti, what's the point to citizenship if anyone can get the benefits of citizenship without being a citizen? And if we're going to let illegals vote, then why not cut to the chase and let everyone on the planet vote.

Tam said...

Speaking for my husband who was naturalized 9 months ago almost exclusively so he could participate in this election, I say...well, nevermind. I can't really say what I'm feeling. It isn't appropriate. Simply, if you want to vote, do what is required of you. If voting is so damn precious, then citizenship is infinitely more so. Buy it, pay for it, work for it, earn it. You have to do more than just exist to receive the privileges of our (free?) society.

StanH said...

Great read Lawhawk, our vigilance will be required for some time to correct this silliness.

I have an interesting aside to your story, more specifically Portland Maine. Many of those refugees from Congo and Somalia first came to Atlanta because of the MLK Center and The Carter Center. At first the city welcomed them with open arms, however it became apparent after a couple years these people had brought their shitty attitudes with them, and refused to work, and provide for themselves. And at all levels of government began cutting them off, an incredible thing in the liberal City of Atlanta. So as opposed to getting busy and begin living the American dream they did a search for the most liberal, and generous (welfare) city/state they made a mass exodus for Maine. I would bet this is part of the same group of freeloaders.

Unknown said...

Andrew: Don't give them any ideas!

Unknown said...

Bev: The big fish eating the small fish is one of those Darwinian power grabs. L.A. did it, Chicago did it, Tampa did it, and now apparently it's Memphis's turn. The weird thing is that when all those big cities (New York City as the best example) were consolidating their central power by grabbing up the suburbs at the turn of the last century, San Francisco (yes, that San Francisco) went the other direction and got rid of huge portions of its land and today that's San Mateo County.

Unknown said...

Tam: I often feel that new legal immigrants who followed all the rules, did their residence, applied and did everything required of them for citizenship (like your husband) have a far better sense of what it means to be an American than either the native-born or the amnesty citizens. I can just imagine what your husband must be thinking about this ridiculous defeating and demeaning the entire meaning of American citizenship.

Unknown said...

Stan: That's exactly the experience that drove Germany's Chancellor Merkel to call multiculturalism "a complete failure." If we were ever to decide that Somalia had to be removed from the world stage, we'd have to bomb them forward into the stone age. I particularly loved the irony of the Congolese whiner who has a "non-profit" to advise immigrants on how to get all the benefits without any of the burdens of citizenship. The left declared assimilation to be "nativist," and the immigrants said "we second that motion."

Tam said...

Lawhawk, my husband is French, so not only does he know the value of his citizeship and feel the sting of insult from those who clamor for amnesty, he knows exactly where we are headed if we keep this path. All we have to do is look at the dominoes falling in Europe to know where socialism leads.

Unknown said...

Tam: I'm sure he could instruct a whole lot of these fools who have no idea the havoc they're wreaking. We need to shout this from the rooftops.

chas7007 said...

LOL..Hey Joel, I'm with you brother! Sleezy Dems are fighting for survival. As LawHawk pointed out, what really irks me is the minimal effort the Dems have done to comply with the Overseas Voting Act. I've been watching this and it really pisses me off. Wonder why they aren't so enthused. Not hard to figure out. We have the "bowing president", the "I apoligize for America" president. I don't know what the #@!% I'm doing president, I have no experience at this president! Well, golf time....or lets take an expensive trip with the family at your expense.
P.S. Watch out for the double ballot deals. Larry pointed this out in his earlier article, and it's important to note.

Tehachapi Tom said...

Hawk you did it again.
What a great picture of Pelosi you know the one on the right. I'll bet that's the only time she has ever been on or in the right. Where did you get a picture of democrats them self voting? Is this one from up north by the bay? It has to be one of those exclusive democrat precincts from up there some where near where you used to exist. Isn't
it nice to live in an area where you are bombarded with their garbage.

Unknown said...

chas7007 (and Joel): The more I see and read about the purposeful and arrogant elections officials who are clearly denying the right of our service men and women to vote, the angrier I get. And then when I read about them enabling non-citizens to vote and using illegal immigrants for "get out the vote" I'm glad I'm not living in downtown San Francisco anymore. I can keep my temper under control where I live now.

Unknown said...

Tehachapi Tom: I knew the picture was a Democrat precinct when I saw a pig and a horse's ass sticking out of the booth. The picture probably was taken in SF, but I'm not sure whether that's Nancy's front or back side.

t said...

Hawk it's her front I would not have recognized her from behind.
Fact is I try not to see very much of her as I fear blindness by way of eye revolt.

Unknown said...

T: I guess the tail threw me. Must be a new hair-do. Either that or the botox is having an even worse effect than we thought.

Tehachapi Tom said...

Hawk I missed the pig last night and your observation of it. Yes upon closer scrutiny I do see Feinstein
right in there with her friends.

Tehachapi Tom said...

Well Hawk this state at least will let votes be committed at the polling place by someone who actually occupies the booth.
It seems that in our neighbor state Nevada they have taken steps to short circuit that. Seems the automated voting machines are arriving at the polls with Harry Reid already checked on the touch screen. Who could have done such a thing you ask? Well it looks like the workers who are setting up the machines are members of the SEIU.
Isn't that a surprise.

Tehachapi Tom said...

I've been downstairs for my second cup of coffee and started reading more comments.
Some of the Commentarama readers have voted already. Voting in person at my assigned polling place is one of my most satisfying things I can do.
I have done that every time there has been an election since my being of age. That by the way is two and a half more years than it took to get old enough to vote the first time.
Using absentee as a convenience is to me shirking the obligation failing to embrace the privilege.
Thats how I feel and it is better for folks to use any method and vote than to skip the opportunity all together.

Unknown said...

Tehachapi: That fits with why I said we have to win BIG. If we lose by a close margin, the Democrats will put their sleazy machinery into high gear, and we can say bye-bye to those elections.

Unknown said...

Tehachapi: You're wrong. San Fran Nan is the horse's patoot. The pig is her BFF, Barbara Boxer. The others are illegal farm animals.

Unknown said...

Tehachapi Tom: You may have missed one of my earlier posts where I explained how I started voting by mail. I almost got arrested in San Francisco for causing a near-donnybrook over the way the elections officials had hung the American flag, leaving it handing askew, and taped to a dirty stucco wall with masking tape. I went ballistic. I didn't feel like risking arrest just for voting in the future, so I applied for vote-by-mail. Here in Caliente, I'd have to drive thirty miles, 25 minutes, and a quarter of a tank of gas each way.

That said, I am in favor of putting the best system of all back in place: A ballot where you put a simple "X" next to your choice. Eliminate ALL early voting and vote-by-mail, and reinstate absentee ballots for those who can legitimately prove they are outside of their voting precinct on election day, AND extra time and automatic mail-in-ballots for our service men and women who are away from home protecting our right to vote!

Whatever legal problems I faced (San Francisco) or inconvenience and expense (Caliente), I would gladly face it all, with gusto, if we simply required everyone, EVERYONE, to show up at the polls, identify themselves, then vote in a private voting booth. They've not only made it too easy to cheat, they've made it too easy to vote. Patriots gave their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to get that right. The least we can do is drag our lazy behinds to the polls.

Tehachapi Tom said...

Hawk if insanity rules so be it.
Lets just let those dead Cocker Spaniels vote, after all dead dems vote regularly. Maybe if we let The dead Spaniels vote it will add credibility to the concept that dogs have human feelings and insight to life. the results couldn't be any more strange than it already is. What the Fxxx is the point?

There are real issues that deserve attention.
I'm just put off with nonsense so please forgive.

Unknown said...

Tehachapi Tom: That assumes all dogs (dead or otherwise) are Democrats. One of our regulars recently got a new pup, and it's a Republican. That may mean we're all going to have to get multiple dogs to outnumber the Democrat dogs.

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