Ariz. Gov. Napolitano is pick for DHS

Thr rest of america would like to thank arizona for being our non-ending source of illegal aliens. get serious she is a democrat and lazy.

wiseman4sure1:  this must a nothing more than a clever name...the state of Arizona's immigration policy has little to do with the surge of undocumented immigration that has occurred over the past 10-15 years.  NAFTA is more the culprit here than any other policy.  specifically, it is the ever-increasing deterioration of Mexico's agricultural industry (mainly in regards to corn) because of the massive influx in American surplus in Mexican markets.  the small farmers of northern and central Mexico simply cannot compete with American agri-business and end up losing everything.  This forces them to go north to the border towns to find under-paid jobs in American owned factories. 

It doesn't take long for them to realize that they can't sustain themselves or their families under these conditions and what then is the alternative?  illegally entering the United States.  A wall will not stop it, anti-immigrant policy will not stop it, increased border patrol, citizen vigilante groups, and widespread anti-immigrant sentiment won't stop it.  These people are doing what is necessary to improve, if not simply sustain the lives of their families; this is a noble endeavor and if you are a family i would hope you would be willing to do the same...i know i would in a heartbeat. 

All these realities fail to point out though the willingness bordering on dependency that American business (mainly agriculture, the same industry that is helping to destroy the Mexican economy) has on cheap, undocumented-immigrant labor.  In order to address this problem we need to create trade relationships that increase the living standard of Mexico not encourage and exploit its deterioration; nothing less will do.

Icepick, don't be a tool and make an argument for not trying.  I'm sure a lot of other people across the ocean would walk across our border too for personal needs, but it doesn't happen because there is an effective barrier ( an ocean ).  If you think economics is the root of this problem, that can be addressed with a mandatory 6 month sit in a local prison BEFORE being deported.  Mexicans will do the math and industry will relocate to the workers in Mexico.  Better for us, better for them.

How is spending a mountain of cash housing inmates for 6 months a better plan?

Any real immigration reform is going to have to go after the people that employ hundreds of illegal immigrants. But that would drive up prices of farm products big time, so it ain't happening anytime soon.

A better plan is clean up the giant bureaucratic mess they call the Immigration and Naturalization Department (AKA La Migra).They make the DMV look like a well oiled machine, if it took a decade to get a DL, then there might be some comparison.

I'm thinking that Arizona's illeagal immigration issue has more to do with the border itself than who's living the governor's mansion.

MaryPonders, the entire US has a huge illegal immigration problem.  They come across the border in many places and spread from there.  It is just not Az.

verno, 

I agree!

They are everywhere, hiding in plain sight.

MaryPonders,  This was probably the most profound comment of the day!  I'll give you that.  The truth is, Obama or any other politician for that matter, is going to put anyone in their cabinet unless he benefits in some way......I off the top of my head I would say,mmm Hispanic voters would be a very good guess.

M

I lived for a short while close to the US / Mexico border in Arizona. There are places where you could literally drive a truck through the fence, in fact I saw many trucks driven through said holes.

I am sure that Obama* will keep his campaign promise to prohibit these people from doing the jobs that they are being appointed to for the first two years.

To wiseman4sure1:

You must really want Obama to fail.

You should be aware that for Obama to succeed would be in EVERYONE's best interests.

If Obama fails, then America fails.

To wiseman4sure1, please go to FOX.

Wise...not man, starts with the letter A.

Correction she is American!

Linda...Thank You

What a lot of people here are forgetting is this is only a suggestion..it is not Official yet

and Besides if she does get the job and does not work out she can go...just like

Rumsfield had to go...only Obama won't wait so long like GW did.

That may be on paper, but you can't argue peoples instinct character and historical relevance.  Like the many reporters that have published this suggestion also Italian its more about dominance at every level.  Just like the publishers that ran the Nancy Pelosi story about Berlesconi coming to this country and dubbing her a pri dona for being Italian and at the highest level of government in the United States.  Do you see the Queen of England coming here or any other symbolic representative from other countries coming here to honor their ethnic representation in this country.  Many people in office today came from somewhere else and they too are Americans..

To crutcharlotte:

What a racist comment.

To Linda-632448:

Thank you.

Really, well i'll keep a look out for your user name when a topic on latin americans comes up and see where your chips lye. You a symbolic to the type of american that only sees things from their own surrounding and beliefs.  My solution to your condition is to continue to expand your narrow mind to your own discriminations that are ALWAYS at your convienence...

I have driven those freeways in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area and the photo cameras are put there and are helping in order to cut down the fatal accidents caused by very excessive speeding.  If people have to pay huge fines in order to keep us a little safer, I'm all for using that money.  Remember how long AZ was the state with the highest DUIs and fatalities?

As to the illegals, due to the increased fencing and patrol by the Feds in Texas and California, AZ became the channel for the coyotes.  If she had not done as much as possible to patrol the borders, we would have many more illegals in the state. 

In all printed and spoken news I have never heard her referred to as a butch tough lesbian.  Yes, I have heard she has never married, and so in your opinion does that keep women from office?  Are you one of those who think women should be beaten, kept barefoot and pregnant under the control of some guy?  Your prejudice is showing.

I

Gee, I'm glad to see you changed some of your more explicit words.  Sounds a lot more reasonable now.

Thanks for your input Mary.  It's good to hear the point of view of someone who lives in the state.

To quote Hillary many years ago, "Why doesn't California stop whining about their illegal alien problem?"  Well, we had to fence our borders and so did Texas.  Why hasn't Arizona done the same thing?  Hmmmm?  She is a poor choice since she cannot even control Homeland Security in her own small, relatively lightly populated state.  Again, this is nothing but payoffs, folks.

Plus it would be funny to see McCain's reaction when the Governor of AZ made it when he didn't.

She's a wise choice because she got more to patrol the border and kept after the Feds requesting and even billing them for all of the enforcement costs.  She is highly regarded by governors of other states.  Unless you live in a border state with daily news photos of the illegals running in groups to cross the border, you don't realize the enormity of the problem.  As far as I know the states are not the ones responsible for building fences, etc to patrol the border of the US with another country.  That's a federal responsibility and we can't expect the citizens of one state to absorb all of the costs and labor to do that.  The current situation is a huge failure of homeland security and she has the experience and information to come up with some good ideas.

   How unthoughtful a question. Being as how our southern border is like a sieve would you not say a person that is extremely familiar with the problem would be a wise choice? After all the border may invite more sinister people to try and enter our country for other reasons. Other than people coming across for work there is also the drug trade and other enterprises that involve money and people who will do anything for it.

You can build your walls and fences.  You can station thousands more law enforcement and military personnel along the border.  Then stand at the border checkpoints and watch the number of people with some money and a car come across to go "shopping" in Tucson and Yuma or to "vacation."  They beat a path to Phoenix and file for assylum.  The Feds give them a receipt, a limited SS number and work pass, and a date about 6 months away for administrative decision.  They lose the decision and are automatically given a hearing date, again another 6 months to a year away.  They lose the hearing and can apply for appeal with the Bureau of Immigration Appeals, which takes about a year.  They lose at BIA and have the right to file for US Court of Appeals, which can take up to 2 years more.  Now they have been in the country about 4-5 years, have had the legal right to work, and are well established in their chosen community.  Their neighbors see them as good people who work hard for what they have, and turn a blind or unknowing eye toward their immigration status, hence hiding in plain sight. 

As for using photo radar to keep people safe, I think that is an accidental side benefit to the intended purpose of raising money and certainly makes it more palatable for those who think bigger government imposing more and more control over the general public is a bad thing. 

I may have many prejudices, but the one you pointed at is not one of them.  I am a cynic who cannot seem to find an honest politician.  "Change you can believe in" appears to me to be what you get back after you turn in your paper money to the government.  If Obama continues to appoint people who are no more qualified than his ardent supporter Janet Napolitano, then this country is in deep trouble.  I refuse to follow blindly with no cynicism.  Jumping to a fledgling is the beginning of a new life experience.  To a lemming it is death.  Know who you are and what you believe in first.

Amazed: The term "honest politician" is an oxymoron.

Longhair.  So it's her fault the illegals are coming across?  I thought that was more of a federal problem.  US border patrol.  Not AZ border patrol.

You would rather Obama select someone without past political experience? All of Bush's appointments have proven to be inept. Obama could appoint the Three Stooges and their friends to all positions and they would be an improvement over anybody Bush appointed.

William:  And where do we come up with these new faces?  They just don't grow on trees.  If he picked someone else, a year down the road you would be saying  "Why didn't he pick someone with experience?"

I don't think so; are you saying that these reruns are the only QUALIFIED people in the country.  Heck no there were millions before them, as there are millions more qualified now.  They too began somewhere in the political spectrum with no experience.  And the sad truth in life is that their is no originality, everything is cut and paste. How hard of a job can that be for anyone with or with out government experience.  And further more state employees are a good representation of what government experience means to our day to day.  I think I would rather then ran a national ad for help wanted and interviewed all that applied. 

Due to the recession and lack of work, illegals have been heading back across the border. Napolitano's requirement to force employers to verify SS#s will only increase this trend. they won't come across if they can't work. she's right in that if you build a 50 ft wall, they'll find a 51 ft ladder...a 1500 mile long impenetrable border fence patrolled by armed guards is simply not going to happen. when your drugs wear off, try thinking of realistic solutions.

Really!  Well I'll be that if it were Italy sitting next door to us would those same fences and wall be built.  For that matter any other country; if it were sitting next door would we have the same resentments we tend to harbor for Mexico. Ask yourself this; why is it we have no problems with Canada? Is it because they have the same origination as anglo America? This bully in school yard needs to stop, and realize we have the same goals and destiny regardless of individual pride and prejudice. 

maricopa county sherriff joe arpaio

Blame cheap labor and small town mentality.

Lieberman is an advocate of closing the borders, and having people immigrant legally. napolitano's appointment is merely a payback for her signing on to the Annoited Messiah early, and represents a win for open border advocates (people who would do away with ICE, criminal checks on immigrants, and oppose any formal immigration agency).

All of which is untrue.  Lieberman's border policy is more liberal than Janet's. 

Lieberman chairs a Senate Committee.   They meet occasionally - talk and investigate and gather information (if they do anything at all).

This position proposed for Napolitano is a presidential Cabinet position.   She would advise the president and act on the president's behalf regarding policies, deploying resources, encouraging new laws on the hill if appropriate.    BIG difference.  

 "Last year, her state passed a law that requires all Arizona businesses to use the federal online database, E-Verify, to confirm that new hires have valid Social Security numbers and are eligible for employment. .."   These are concrete steps taken to discourage illegal aliens from coming in to AZ because it will be hard for them to prove legal ID.   At the state level - that is all you can do.  The federal government can do more, and she will then be closer to policy-makers to make things better. 

No.  She is a governor.  He is a Senator.  Even the great Obama cannot replace a Senator from Connecticut.  Her appointment would be at the Secretary level. 

I see.  So they would be working together then.....Thank you, Go USA.  I appreciate it.

Liberman is not in charge of Home Land Security, he is on a committee.  He does not run Homeland Security.

"close the border" = build a 1500 mile long impenetrable barrier patrolled with armed guards.

"deport those who are here illegally" = having ICE agents kicking doors in every barrio between LA and Boston and checking for valid papers...then sending all 12 million people they catch through deportation proceedings.

get a grip. your suggestions are ridiculous red meat talking points. we need a comprehensive, balanced, humane, and feasible solution to illegal immigration.

Perhaps starting with the 30+ million dollars the Bush Administration is spending yearly to fly the illegals back home would be a better place to start.   This the only airline not in financial trouble.  

umm, did she lose her re-election bid? 

She didn't, but neither did Bush.  Doesn't mean their ideas are right.  She should have passed every law up there.

Do you really believe she acted on this ruling on her own?? We don't have single minded, self acting politicians anymore.  They take their orders from above, she only vetoed it due to the fact that if all illegals, and according to most discriminative bastards on the blog that would also deport all LEGAL latins back to South America would be devistating to the contruction sector of our economy, basically kicking us where we live.  Americas average age is nearly or could even have surpassed 50; I hope they all do go home, and leave a @!$%# load of work that must be done behind to an age group that is already licking it chops to the day when they can quit working and start receiving their government checks.

Love when I read comments by writers like you, I'll bet you met her once maybe twice at a state or local function and now your a groupy.  Measure your leaders by their actions for the work we pay them to do, and not some Hollywood, poster on the wall mentality.