They were words we love to hear.
It was John Carlson (KVI m-f, 3-5p) talking about the Bush immigration plan. "My advice to Republican office holders," he said, "is don't endorse this policy."
Oh yeah.
Conservative Republicans were still all bunched up the day after Bush promised to militarize, bowdlerize, Sanforize, and anesthetize the scary problem of brown hordes pouring over the border to blow our leaves (and sometimes our womenfolk). Notice we said anesthetize, not amnesticize.
When the illegal immigration issue flared up dividing his meager base support, Bush pressed his presidential TV advantage in the hopes that him acting all presidential & shit would get him ahead of the issue (as we say in Washington parlance).
The geniuses who handle him figured a speech in prime time would have the added advantage of distracting everyone from the hundred other flaming bags of dog shit scattered around his corner of the reservation. (If you haven't noticed, it's been the deadliest 2 months in Vietraq in a year; everyone's anxiously awaiting to see if Bush's chief advisor will be indicted; and his ratings last week were in the high 20's).
Bush gave each side what they wanted to hear; but managed only to give each more ammunition to shoot at him.
We gotta be honest (as Sean Hannity would say) it's pretty hard to satisfy all sides in this- the business R's who love the sub-minimal wages they pay the wetbacks; the racist knuckle-draggers who want to shoot the Mexicans as they crawl over the broken glass-covered wall they wanna build; and, of course, the Latino voters the R's want to convince that they share the same family values.
It's a problem- especially for the most unpopular president since Jimmy Carter.
(The Democrats quietly agreed with Bush's surprisingly nuanced policy which included amnesty without mentioning the word).
Radio talk flared white hot all over the country as conservatives called bullshit on the bone Bush had tossed them.
We agree with Ron Reagan (KIRO m-f, 12-1p) who said, "The problem of illegal immigration, while it may be serious in some localities, is not a really a big national problem. It's a big political problem, a big issue, but not a big national problem."
The real problem is immense and complicated. We're rich and fat up here and they're skinny and hungry down there. We're not having babies, they're having plenty. We won't stoop when we work, yet strawberries for our margaritas is a need in real time.
Can Bush's posturing, Michael Savage's spouting, Laura Ingraham's scolding, Rush Limbaugh's blustering, and 6000 unarmed National Guard typists change the arithmetic on the southern border?
In a year, like Republican hegemony, this will have blown over- as always does the fear-mongering and subject-changing by the right.
Thank God !!!!! its Frank Friday on Kiro late night !!!!!!!! ANd Keep up the good work Scary Oh Hairy Gary !
Posted by: Brian in Lacey | May 17, 2006 at 03:45 AM
Brian, in a thread on immigration I really expected that you would have encouraged reinforcing the Canadian border to keep the hosers where they belong.
Posted by: Liz | May 17, 2006 at 04:40 AM
"We won't stoop when we work"
Anyone would stoop for the right money. Look at crab fishermen. It's the artificially lowered pay that is the problem. If the workers won't do the work for the pay offered you're done making buggy whips. Hiring illegals to do the work is not a solution. It is merely an underground economy.
Posted by: drool | May 17, 2006 at 07:33 AM
I'm not sure anyone would be willing to pay $25 a pound for strawberries like they are for crab. Raising the pay so that American workers can afford to gas up their SUV's will only raise the price of goods at the store. Raising the price of goods will increase inflation, meaning we have to pay workers more... Sounds like a vicious cycle to me...
Posted by: Jon | May 17, 2006 at 07:56 AM
Does it occur to any of you(Mike and Ron Reagan) that we have BEEN paying an artificially LOW price for our food and huge houses because of the two decades of indentured servants picking and building? A roofer/framer used to be able raise a family. Not no more.
This issue is tailor made for anyone who gives a shit about blue collar jobs in America. Ron's head is in the sand. Mike is minimizing (miniMiking).
If only the president had a Harvard MBA and some border state experience.......
Oh, wait.
p.s. Bad news "progressives": the Iraqi parliament is meeting this week! Dammit! No blood for democracy!!
Posted by: Scrilla | May 17, 2006 at 08:26 AM
having a national guard person stationed every mile and 1/3 along the border...hey nobody should be able to slip by THEM!
And who is going to pay for this suggested 30 foot wall, 2000 miles long? And who will they get to build this wall????
I thought so..
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 09:16 AM
Great command of the issue Sparky. The NG isn't doing enforcement. And as far as paying for a fence...I dunno, how about the health care and prison budget savings after the INVESTMENT of a fence. Oh, and re-draft the 14th Amendment to end anchor babying.
Posted by: Scrilla | May 17, 2006 at 09:51 AM
Scriller-diller: I love paying artificial prices in the grocery store- sure beats those real world ones at the gas pump. The articificiality of the price structure has been propped up all these years by the tin-horn monopolists, the American fatass, out-sourcing, wetback-hiring, gas-guzzling automobile and rutabaga lobbies, protected by the Republican Party. And oh yeah, didn't the Iraqi "parliament" meet last week and the week before that and the week before that?
Posted by: Minimike | May 17, 2006 at 10:21 AM
Poor Scrilla, no sense of irony...or fun.
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 10:28 AM
I am a high power media executive at a national company in New York in the radio business and I know from fist hand experience how the radio business works. I think that things are going really good for us right now because what we are trying to do is make conservatvis look bad and sometime were making things up completely. We have seen for years that mainstream America is sick and tired of voting for liberals and there ready for a changes and so there voting for conservatives and conservative republicans and sending all of the democrats packing. Most of us are all democrats so of course we dont want to see republicans and conservatives in office so we asked ourselves what can we do? We all decided that the best way for us to effect the outcome of these elections and other things is for us to try to tarnish and sometimes for us to even destroy the records of rupublicans. Sometimes what we do is find little thigns that are pretty unsignificant and make them into really blown out of proportion things and then we just talk about them all of the time. In other cases we have just created problems that dont exist. Its not really working like were all hoping though and I think alot of the reason for that is because not many people like to listen to liberal radio. Not with such big names in conservative radio as Rush, Shaun Hannity, John Carlson, Savage and many many more. Its definantly an up hill battle and it is harder because air america has not gone so well except for a couple really liberal markets. But were going to keep trying because it seems like were the only ones who can make a change it because the liberal poiticians sure arent going to.
Posted by: Media Executive | May 17, 2006 at 11:54 AM
I smell a red rat...
Posted by: Mark | May 17, 2006 at 12:27 PM
when Bush loses Rush as his mouthpiece, well, the game appears to be winding up...
The sound you hear is all those heads exploding over in Freeperville...
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 12:31 PM
""And who is going to pay for this suggested 30 foot wall, 2000 miles long?""
Greedy rich people.
""And who will they get to build this wall????""
Women and minority owned contractors.
Posted by: Helmut Gutter | May 17, 2006 at 01:22 PM
I wish this "high power media executive at a national company in New York in the radio business" and others like him would quit pestering us with the truth behind the liberal media conspiracy. It really gets in the way of our endeavors to tell our liberal lies when these guys spill the beans so convincingly. They're compelling even with their bad spelling, drive-by punctuation and fractured syntax. That's the thing, I guess, about being a "high power media executive," you get to write true confessions to little local media blogs, blowing it for everybody who's liberal and hates America. Drat! busted again by one of our own...
Posted by: blathering michael | May 17, 2006 at 02:05 PM
Mike Webb called in breathlessly to wack job RayTaliaferro's graveyardshifter talkshow out of San Francisco last night. Taliaferro, who had been shouting hysterically about PNAC evildoers being the real conspirators behind 911, rubbed his hands with glee and welcomed fellow "Tinfoil Hatter" Webb's sympathetic remarks about the evil PNAC and cloven-hoofed George W. Bush.
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 17, 2006 at 02:07 PM
Well, they made you listen, didnt they!
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 02:31 PM
That was my thought too, sparky
Posted by: stodge charger | May 17, 2006 at 02:47 PM
From time to time I've been known to watch professional TV Wrestling as well.
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 17, 2006 at 03:02 PM
I feel like I'm at a brawl in a Mexican bar. Oh well, the margaritas are good; but, I prefer a daiquiri - a strawberry daiquiri to be sure.
When employers quit hiring illegal labor and those laws are enforced, and when the American people realize that a livable wage helps everybody, we may solve this problem. Until then, tax cuts for the rich and cheap shots bandied about among the rest of us will prevail. . .
Posted by: joanie | May 17, 2006 at 03:03 PM
oh well like THAT is ever going to happen!!
Have another daiquiri and I will drink that Margarita for you.
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 03:51 PM
"I think that things are going really good for us right now because what we are trying to do is make conservatvis look bad and sometime were making things up completely."
See I've been telling all of you for awhile that this is how it works! It has been obvious to me that thats what happens and it really makes sence because the fact of the matter is that they dont have didaly-squat on our guys. Even Michael Blather has admitted that that is what happens with the liberal media and if he is admitting to it I can guarantie that that is exactly what is going on (Im sure that he has the dark room concirpacy meetings with all of these bigshot types to prove it and that is exactly what is going on with the liberal media I can guarantie it!) So where do we go from here? I'll tell you where it is not going to go and that's with another communist nation because we love the red white and blue not just the red. Anyone who things that there going to touch us is going to get a big suprise: I bunch of CRAP IN THERE STARBUCKS LIBERAL BLEND COFFEE!!!! DONT MESS WITH THE MASTERS ROOKY!!!
Posted by: RedRachel | May 17, 2006 at 04:25 PM
Touche.
Posted by: toryrogan | May 17, 2006 at 05:04 PM
Against my better instincts, I've read and reread this thread three times and I still can't figure out what you are Touche-ing, Tory.
I'm not the brightest bulb in the room, granted, so please tell me. Thanks.
Posted by: joanie | May 17, 2006 at 06:08 PM
"I'm not sure anyone would be willing to pay $25 a pound for strawberries like they are for crab. Raising the pay so that American workers can afford to gas up their SUV's will only raise the price of goods at the store. Raising the price of goods will increase inflation, meaning we have to pay workers more... Sounds like a vicious cycle to me..."
Posted by: Jon | May 17, 2006 at 07:56 AM
Did you miss math class in school? You are suggesting that the price of strawberries will rise 500% or $20 because we pay someone a reasonable wage. Or do you really think a field worker can only pick a pound of strawberries an hour?
I have heard this lie from the right over and over.
I picked fruit when I was a kid.It is hard work. Paying a decent wage might increase the price of those strawberries 10c a lb at most.
No wonder we have a bloody deficit with these right wing math wizards in charge!
Posted by: ExPatBrit | May 17, 2006 at 06:15 PM
Thanks, ExPatBrit! I thought of that earlier and decided the wattage I was responding to wasn't worth the effort! Glad you made the point!
Honestly folks!
Posted by: joanie | May 17, 2006 at 07:13 PM
Throw a handful of employers in prison for 5 years, slap a few more with $50,000 fines for each illegal employee, and the problem is solved. No fence, no guns, no bullets, no deaths.
Oh, and throw Dori in the can too. I mistakenly turned my radio to 710 this afternoon at 3:45, and UGH! It was THAT asshole.
God, they still haven't fired that creten. He is the one who should be standing outside Home Depot looking for a day job.
Again, I have to thank the Almighty for iPod.
Posted by: ADC | May 17, 2006 at 07:18 PM
Bla'M, can't you put ReRa on hold? The spelling is perilously painful....
Posted by: Fremont | May 17, 2006 at 07:28 PM
I feel as though I owe you an apology, Joanie. I'm afraid I have wasted your time. The "touche" was one of sarcasm, aimed squarely at Little Red of all people (I must say, while I feel guilty every time I acknowledge her/its antics, there is a part of me that still believes she is real- I just can't fathom the idea of anyone/thing committing to something for such an incredibly lengthy period of time, especially as she is now largely ignored).
I am, however, flattered that you read through the thread so many times in an effort to understand what I was talking about. I respect your opinions and point of view very much and agree with many of the things you say. It's nice to know you're paying attention.
Posted by: toryrogan | May 17, 2006 at 07:45 PM
Not to mention that SOMEONE was told she was using too much bandwidth and yet SOMEONE ELSE seems to have carte blanche to post adnauseum......hmpfff
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 07:49 PM
It's too bad you're married, ReRa...I think I love you...
Anyone! And I do mean anyone - there are occasional unofficial work-type gatherings at The Duchess near the U on the odd Thursday evening...feel free to drop in, clink a glass (like-minded or not!), hang out...
Just thinkin' - the more, the merrier.
ReRa's hubby...yes, you can come, whether or not you make ReRa stay at home....
Posted by: TJ | May 17, 2006 at 08:47 PM
Thanks, Tory! I feel better now . . . :)
And Sparky, go girl! I much prefer your use of bandwidth to hers! Maybe she's sleeping with the boss . . . hmmmmm.
Posted by: joanie | May 17, 2006 at 09:10 PM
hmmpff
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 09:21 PM
I love your bandwidth, Sparky- it was cutting and pasting huge pieces out of the Atlantic I was all moist about. There's obviously no shutting Joanie up; and ReRa is not a real person...and Joanie, she's not sleeping w/me! (she won't let me sleep...the little pig.)
Posted by: blathering michael | May 17, 2006 at 09:30 PM
Mean to me . . . why must you be mean to me?
You want me to shut up?
Posted by: joanie | May 17, 2006 at 09:54 PM
that was too much information
ok you are forgiven
Posted by: sparky | May 17, 2006 at 10:23 PM
tonight Webb the Fool had on the same prissy little punk of an S.U. Philosophy Professor that had been rightly laughed off Dori's show for his 911 government conspiracy theories. Let me join in the laughter- hahahahohohoh ho heeeehhaaah heheeeehhaaaah
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 17, 2006 at 10:32 PM
I was trying to be mean to RACHEL...
Posted by: blathering michael | May 17, 2006 at 10:57 PM
Well, I didn't know if you meant it like this:
WELL! THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO SHUTTING JOANIE UP!!! :( :( :(
or like this?
Well, (chuckle, chuckle), there's obviously no (chuckle, chuckle) shutting Joanie up! (final chuckle) :) :) :)
BTW, no response necessary, I'm going to bed.
Posted by: joanie | May 18, 2006 at 12:03 AM
"Most of us are all democrats so of course we don’t want to see republicans and conservatives in office so we asked ourselves what can we do? We all decided that the best way for us to effect the outcome of these elections and other things is for us to try to tarnish and sometimes for us to even destroy the records of rupublicans."
I question the legitimacy of this comment because it is written almost exactly the same as the comments written by Rachel (all the way down to the same spelling errors), but whether it is real or not, I think there is probably some truth to it.
A friend of mine has a friend who worked at KOMO 1000 during the late 90's, at the height of liberalism. I met this guy at a party and talked to him for a while about the perceived liberal bias in the media. He (and yes, he is a republican) told me that about 90% of the people who worked in the KOMO newsroom were left-leaning or all out liberal. He said that anything he tried to get on air that the staff felt could hurt Clinton never made the cut. He was very frustrated with that and I think he has quit since that time.
A lot of the things that are said on the far right are a little paranoid, but I think the liberal bias is fairly obvious. Just listen to anything that is said on just about any Seattle radio station and you will be able to tell that it is designed to harm the Bush Administration or republicans in general. I've seen many of you complain about things said by Rush Limbaugh, or Bill O’Reilly or anyone at Fox News, but it isn't any worse than the bias by the mainstream media. As I said, I seriously doubt that the comment left by the "Media Executive" is legit, but there is definitely a lot of truth in that comment.
Posted by: CurtisOnTheAir | May 18, 2006 at 08:33 AM
Which Seattle are you referring to?
THIS Seattle is full of Bush-kissing radio stations...
Posted by: sparky | May 18, 2006 at 08:49 AM
Do you think that might have been the biased perspective of that one particular republican who worked for KOMO? Some conservatives see bias everywhere and wouldn't know objectivity if it ran over them. Could he have been one of those? The Lewinski thing certainly wasn't on a par with all the Bush crap and yet you still hear people compare Clinton's pecadillos to six years of Bush' s incompetence! It is unbelievable!
"Migrant workers will remit more than $232 billion to their families this year."
Open Source on NPR tonight at 10pm. Another perspective on the immigrant problem from a global perspective . . .
Posted by: joanie | May 18, 2006 at 08:52 AM
True, I don't like how many conservative Republicans are so anti-immigrant and anti Latino. Well for this Latino I won't be voting Republican this time, I and many other will be switching our votes to D's to send a message.
Posted by: Jose | May 18, 2006 at 08:31 PM
Jose - I doubt if you ever voted Republican - sounds phony to me, not that it matters here - alot of Republicans don't deserve votes.
"The problem of illegal immigration, while it may be serious in some localities, is not a really a big national problem. It's a big political problem, a big issue, but not a big national problem."
I am surprised Ron Reagan said this, especially since he is from California. That is a naive statement - even though it may seem true in the bowels of Seattle. It is a political problem and national problem because the politicians of this country have been acting collectively like ostriches and all of a sudden there are 15+ million illegal aliens in the US. It has become a national problem in the last several years where illegal immigration rates have sharply increased, due in part to Bush talking about amnesty for illegal immigrants. They are sucking taxpayer money from the system in entitlements - that they should not even be receiving. Almost 30% of prisoners in Federal prisons are illegals. I was not impressed with Bush's speech the other night and if he wonders why his approval rating is ~30%, he should look at himself in the mirror and maybe he can figure it out - maybe...
I guess those who are apathetic and don't have much pride for this country would not regard this more than a big issue and it would never become a National problem even when there are over 55 million illegal immigrants in this country. I think that this attitude is more about politics than anything else. Many Democrats think that open borders will help get them elected more readily, so they like that idea for now. The unintended consequences of this would be for this country to lose prestige, power and take on characteristics of a third world country (like Mexico) and become more corrupt and lawless. Seattle liberals - be careful about what you wish for. Check out and see how Ron Wyden - D, Oregon has voted for the immigration reform bill in the Senate. Of course, Oregon has felt the effects of illegal immigration on their economy and it doesn't seem like people in WA see this as a blossoming National problem yet.
Posted by: KS | May 18, 2006 at 09:21 PM
What's the message you want to send? I'm curious because I understand that many Latinos are on different sides of the issue depending on their status and other considerations. So, what's your message?
Not arguing but truly wish to understand. Thanks.
Posted by: joanie | May 18, 2006 at 09:45 PM
The message is that we need to enforce existing immigration laws, otherwise we run the risk of diminishing this country into one of lesser greatness. The US should continue to welcome immigrants that go through the legal channels to become citizens. However, illegal behavior should not be rewarded by the Government, which would be a slap in the face to all legal immigrants and citizens.
Posted by: KS | May 18, 2006 at 11:00 PM
I am not anti-immigrant or anti-Latino, but I am anti-illegal immigrant. I don't care for immigrants (legal or otherwise) who refuse to assimilate and speak our language, but this is more because the Government does not enforce this law the way it used to be done.
Posted by: KS | May 18, 2006 at 11:09 PM
I'm asking Jose you idiot. Unless, of course, you are an Hispanic . . . in which case, I might give you some minor attention.
Generally, I don't find much value in people who consider themselves to be experts on everything, esp. when they never seem to know the facts of which they speak . . .
Posted by: joanie | May 18, 2006 at 11:14 PM
Yea, I think it will be great to build a huge wall, send all latinos back to their countries so they can make those countries prosper and begin to grow all the food they get paid minimal wages to pick here. The growing economies will collapse here, then latino america will sell it to us for 4-5 times what we pay today. I think that latino america shall make the turism industry be worth 20 times what is worth today. It shall cost a bunch crossing that wall going south. I think that latinos will and shall unite to become a force in the american continent since the U.S. continues to treat those countries like they dont count. china, japan, russia, Middle East countries are all investing heavily south of the border. And we are so short sided and arrogant that I believe it will be too late by the time we wake up and realize that our country is in deep trouble.
The problem is not with the people coming to this country to work. They are the healthiest and the ones chosen to make the trek for the sake of the ones left behind. Those left behind are the real problem. And it is, by forces of nature and poverty, becoming our problem. I know what it is like to leave those you love behind. Leaving loved ones behind is life changing, most would not do it if given the choice. Building a wall will not stop the exsodous of latinos into our country. WE ARE HERE!, And, we dont just pick fruit.
Posted by: juan | May 18, 2006 at 11:23 PM
"The problem is" "that latino"s "are" "not" "people". "I think that" "what" "we" "should" "do is" "send all latinos" "to" "Middle East countries". "I don't" "care" "if they" "live" "in" "poverty", "just" "as" "long" "as they" "are" "not" "here". "I don't" "care" "for" "Latinos" "at all". "I don't" "care" "where" "they go" "as" "long" "as" "they" "go" "right" "now". "They" "are" "not" "people" "and" "they dont count".
Posted by: juan | May 18, 2006 at 11:23 PM
See even Juan who is mexican said that. Hes got a point.
Posted by: RedRachel | May 18, 2006 at 11:56 PM
Here are some facts to ponder:
1. Venezuela 5th oil producer, we buy 80% of their oil. China wants that oil
2. Bolivia, poorest country in SA, just nationalized their gas industry. Multinationals from Brazil Spain, France, US, are being forced to renegotiate all contracts.
3. Venezuela is backing Bolivia on this.
4. Venezuela and Bolivia are 1 and 2 on gas reserves in the american continent.
5. China will be digging for oil with the cubans
6. China or Japan (forgot which one) are basically running the Panama Canal. Which it is going through a huge expansion
7. 100 Million people in Mexico. Elections coming up. Leaning to the left.
8. The Amazons! its being destroyed at an alarming rate
Posted by: juan | May 18, 2006 at 11:56 PM