� April 2007 | Main | June 2007 �

May 24, 2007

Response from Senator Brown to My Email on Immigration

I seriously doubt this is nothing more than a form letter. Lets wait and see what Voinovich has to say from the same email.

Dear Mr. Souder:

Thank you for contacting me about my views on the current immigration proposals being considered by Congress.

I have supported legislation to curb illegal immigration by increasing criminal penalties for alien smuggling and document fraud, eliminating the use of government documents that are easily forged, and doubling the number of border patrol guards. Better enforcement and tougher penalties for both undocumented immigrants and their lawbreaking employers are the way to fight unauthorized employment, and employment opportunities are what drive illegal immigration.

Unless we fix the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and enforce our own labor laws, we will continue to debate how high the fence should be and how many agents should guard our border – with no real solution in sight. In 1994, the U.S. signed NAFTA, which promised, among other things, to help create a thriving middle class in Mexico. At that time there were 3 million undocumented workers in the U.S.; today there are more than 11 million. In Mexico, 9 million more live in poverty than when NAFTA was enacted. NAFTA has failed the U.S. and Mexico. By creating an atmosphere where Mexican citizens feel they have no chance of a successful life in Mexico, these ill-conceived trade agreements increase the number of illegal immigrants coming into our country.

In addition to addressing the forces that are compelling illegal immigration, we must take action to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows. While I do not support amnesty and have serious concerns about guest worker programs, I do believe our nation should consider establishing a process by which illegal immigrants can eventually earn citizenship.

The solution to our immigration problem will not be a simple one, as many things in our country need to be fixed to stop illegal immigration. It is time to take a common sense approach to immigration reform. Thank you again for contacting me.

Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown

Posted by Ravennacht at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)

War Funding

My response to my Representative Jim Jordan on his question of the week.

Question of the Week

Which of the following best describes what you believe Congress should do about the Iraq war?

- Halt funding for the war effort and bring American troops home immediately.
- Set a timeline for phased America troop withdrawal over the course of the next several months.
- Give more time to allow the current “surge” of American troops to work.

Set a timeline for phased America troop withdrawal over the course of the next several months. My patience has worn out on allowing this insanity to continue any further. I can no longer stomach listening to the administration talk on and on about a war against a movement... not even a nation. Either the administration and the Iraqi government start meeting some standards or the troops should be phased out. No longer can I watch the number of daily dead rise. No longer can I bear seeing the wounded toll rise. No longer do I want to hear one more politician speak about a war on terror when it is our brothers, sons, daughters, sisters, fathers and mothers that are paying the price now. Stop sitting on the fence and represent EVERYONE in your district, including members of the armed forces and their families. End this charade, end the suffering, end it all.

Posted by Ravennacht at 06:21 PM | Comments (0)

May 23, 2007

Immigration Modifications ... I think not

I've had it. I have OFFICIALLY had it. The letter writing has begun. Next is phone calls.

Senator Brown and Senator Voinovich:

I am writing this email to express my extreme dissatisfaction with the current proposed bill to modify Immigration. I feel that on the face of the document it is filled with confusing and illogical proposals as well ideas that are counter to the interests of citizens of the country.

Giving amnesty to a group of people that have defied our nation's laws to gain entrance to our nation is beyond ludicrous. Our nation is built upon law, to say that one group of people is beyond it on this occassion undermines the foundation of our whole system. You can do it this time, but not next time. It applies to person A but not to person B. Yes it is inconvenient, fiscally depressing, and not wholly logical to deport everyone that may have entered illegally... however, excusing and rewarding illegal entrance into our country with this status detracts from our very essence as a nation of laws. How will you explain it to a citizen?

How is it okay to propose that people that qualify under the new immigration modifications will not have to pay back taxes for the whole time they have been in the country? Every citizen is supposed to pay taxes and is punished with penalties if they do not. What message does it send to say that illegal immigrants are excused from having to pay if they are granted legal status. They qualify for various State and local benefits, yet they aren't supposed to help pay for them like every other citizen of the country?

How can you get background checks and fingerprint analysis of applicants within a 24 hour period without falling into the automatic granting status? There isn't even a current system in place to force reporting and cross checking between Social Security/IRS to identify false records now. How can the system be expected to absorb and responsibly background check each applicant to the fullest when there is such a small amount of time to accomplish the task responsibly.

Being a graduate of college, I have encountered hurdle after hurdle in attempting to gain eligibility to grants and loans for higher education. I resent any inclusion in this bill of allowing illegal aliens under this act to have access to lowered/subsidized tuition rates at college. When you cannot even have a citizen from one state allowed to have access to the lower tuition in college in another state, I fail to understand how an illegal immigrant will immediately qualify. Until subsidized tuition is equal for everyone, then there is no logical reason to permit a noncitizen access to this privilege.

Overall I am disgusted that the modifications to Immigration is occurring at the end result of the problem. Indeed, the whole issue is being approached from the symptom side rather than addressing the problem directly. Why is there no serious funding and revamping of securing the borders and the ports. Why would we permit amnesty when there has not been enough time to put more border patrol out to stop the next wave attempting to get in for the next amnesty. I would not oppose amnesty so staunchly, at least under some logical terms, if there was, at the very least, an attempt made to seriously stop the problem from occurring.

I also resent the racial undertones and inequity of how illegal immigrants are treated. If someone sneaks across the border from Mexico, they are largely ignored... however a Haitian or Dominical trying to get into the country by boat are returned with no questions asked. Until the inequity of immigration is addressed you cannot fully address the problem.

Striking again at the root of the problem, why does the government not use the laws currently at its disposal to punish the employers that violate the laws by employing illegal immigrants to begin with. To listen to the President spew illogical comments concerning Jobs that Americans don't want to do as an explaination for allowing illegal immigrants in as workers is infuriating. It is an absolute fact that since these employers can undercut minimum wage laws, employment protection laws, safety, work hours, and other policies by using illegal immigrant workers that do not permit a citizen to compete for the same job to begin with. Employers are required to take employee information and maintain them on record. I refuse to believe that some system could not be implemented to verify legal status of the worker through the government. I am tired of listening to corporations and businesses whine about the cost of such record keeping, especially when it is in their interest to maintain a lower skilled, lower educated work force under their thumb and also allow them to undercut competitors that do not use the same tactics. I do not blame illegal immigrants from coming here to find work. They are still acquiring better wages here then they would back home... however, the employers have no excuse for violating the law.

Lastly, how can you have a "temporary" work visa that is basically permenantly renewable?

Why is it so beyond logic to ask the government to apply the laws to everyone in the nation, and no piecemeal it as they see it convenient. Furthermore, the government expects us to trust that any changes that are made to the system will be carried out; directly flying in the face of the fact that the government fails to apply current law.

Posted by Ravennacht at 06:51 PM | Comments (0)

May 22, 2007

Poison Ivy!

I've been struck down by the great torturer again. Poison Ivy has struck and I didn't even have the displeasure of catching it directly from the source, the plant itself. Seems the housemate decided to roll about in a bush or what have you and came home and defiled the house with the oil from the wretched plant. So now.. my hyper allergic arse is covered by the flaming itch. Someone is going to suffer for this, oh yes.

Not only does the itching sensation drive you nuts... and to me its like ants crawling on you (shudder). But the treatment of the shit is equally as insanity inducing.

Get calamine and you end up looking like a big pink pepto bismal commercial. Top that off with the fact that calamine ends up drying and making your skin looking like you are molting like a snake. Yeah they have clear calamine now (caladryl) but you still get that nasty flaking with it.

The alternative is another product by Band Aid that is similar, but contains alcohol in a gel form. So you get this instant burn and freeze sensation every time you use that... on top of having a nasty sticky wet oozing gel sticking to your clothes.

Top all the skin treatment off with doses of benedryl to fight the hystamines and the itching sensation. Problem with benedryl being that it makes you feel half asleep all the time... plus it upsets my stomach... plus it never seems to last long enough.

This shit gets in my face again and I will have to break down and go to the doctor for a shot. Been through that 200 dollar process once already, had to fight with the doctor to get a shot (which he wouldn't give me) and convince the nimrod that it was poison ivy in the first place (which it took him 30 minutes to determine that it was... duh). Only to be sent on my way with scrips for a corticosteroid pack and a slightly higher dosage of benedryl. Considering I had the shit in my eyes by the time i got to the hospital, I wanted a shot for fast relief not oral wait and see. ASS!

ARGH, misery thy name is Poison Ivy. Im burning all the furniture and all the clothes, its all contaminated!

Posted by Ravennacht at 11:25 PM | Comments (0)

May 08, 2007

I have some distinct problems with the President's and democratic party's desire for Amnesty.

- Why reward negative behavior. You have groups of people that have come into the country through the backdoor, skirting the legal method. How is it okay to give them blanket protection, citizenship right off the hip when there are plenty of people that have gone the legal naturalization route and are waiting. It doesn't make sense to reward those that have skirted the system while punishing those that respected it (by making them continue to wait and jump the hurdles that come with the process.) Its not just nor fair.

- How can you grant amnesty when the issues that created the problem with undocumented people within the nation still exist. There is little control of the borders. There is little control of the employers that benefit from employing workers that will work for less than citizens. There is no link between SSN or IRS in reporting those that are not citizens to DHS... the money is more important. Grant amnesty now with the source problems in place and you will merely have a new rush for the border with more people demanding the same courtesy granted to those that already snuck in. It just makes no sense.

- If you are going to entertain thoughts on amnesty for one group, it should encompass all groups. Why is there a disparity in policy when it comes to Haitians or Dominicans trying to come into the country by boat... they get sent back. Doesn't seem to match the tone that is considered when you are talking about someone who walked across the desert from Mexico when it comes to Amnesty discussions.

- Stop listening to the churches that are screaming for Amnesty like its God's will. There is a reason for the separation of Church and State. Start threatening their tax status and they will clamp up. They have been given way too much free reign on this issue, and the restrictions on their lobbying are clear... start issuing punishment on their tax exempt asses already.

Posted by Ravennacht at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)

Oooh Paris Hilton has to go to jail for 45 days. Poor pitiful her. NOT. Hello the biznatch did the crime, she does the time. She goes to a hearing and her mother shows so much contempt for the process as if her name alone will get this spoiled brat off. Thank god it didn't and shame the shit out of her for even expecting her foolish daughter to get off for a crime she committed.

NOW we have a petition to Schwarzenegger to pardon her before she even steps foot in the jail. How frightened she is and how she didn't know that her license had been suspended. "Oooh I don't know what I'm doing. Oooh I didn't know my license was suspended. Oooh I never suspected I was punished the last few times I was drunk driving. Oooh I'm a celebrity, I deserve special treatment, I'm fragile. Oooh I can't live in a 4x4 cell, my skin will chafe."

Why the 20 days wait, throw her ass in there now. And if Arnold gives this biznatch a pardon he needs held down and pummelled. Sorry, Paris, that thing that you call fear should have served you better when you were even thinking about driving without your license, or driving under intoxication or whatever else there is. Hopefully your cash won't get you out of this because you definitely need to learn the lesson that you aren't the end all, be all of the world just because your family is rich. Suck it up and do your time.

And your parents need to consider paying for better nannies if they are going to be so distant from actually raising you with proper morals and a respect for authority and society. Maybe if they cast themselves on your sword to do your time I would consider a switcheroo... after all, they bear an obvious responsibility in your deficiencies. Heck... let them have the top bunk in there with you.

Posted by Ravennacht at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)

May 07, 2007

Courtesy Call...

I have had it with these Creditor Companies for grandfather's estate. Let's prephase with this:

F U C K O F F!!!!

ENOUGH! You aren't going to fucking bully some dumbshit answer out of me over promise of payment for a debt that I don't even owe... NOR that you have any priority in payment for when there are limited funds in the estate to pay them to begin with. You already filed a fucking claim with the Court, you have had countless telephone conversations, NOW you want me to call and hand-hold your ass with promises so you can get a settlement check early.

Well, considering the fact that your stupid ass credit card company is low priority on the schedule of debts... WAY below medical bills, funeral fees, and federal and tax bills... not even counting the costs of administrating the estate (court costs and attorney fees and fiduciary fees) do you really believe for one FUCKING flat second that you have the ability to strong arm me into giving you a payment NOW before those things are paid first WHICH the estate is required to pay first anyway. What kind of dumb ass do you take me for.

Furthermore... I do not appreciate your bullying tactics. I can just see how the bullshit you say will pressure some geriatric grieving widow into paying for shit that she may not fully have to. Take your strategic discussions and stick them up your ass. Better yet... why don't you fucking call me directly so I can tell you how far you can stick these letters since you don't even bother to have a 800 number to respond to your vile asses with.

How about you start considering the affect this shit has BEFORE you grant credit to people that can't and don't pay for their credit to begin with. What, that thought didn't occur to you? That the fact that this old man wasn't paying this credit card for over a year... not a single payment... and you did nothing. You have no responsibility in that? How about if I throw into the mix the fact that we had cancelled ALL of these fucking accounts not more than two years prior when he went into the hospital the first time and had paid them all off. TELLING YOU THEN not to reopen them and what state he was in... but NO you did it anyway, reactivating and happily shipping off another credit card to a person that can't pay for it and didn't.

But now you want to be all high and indignant. Get over your dumbass self.

Posted by Ravennacht at 07:18 PM | Comments (0)

May 03, 2007

Addiction Strikes Again

Got a phone call from Uncle John today relaying news that Uncle Chris had called him, inebriated, and had to get something off his chest. He admitted, that in his illness, he had sold the gold watch that grandfather left to him to support his habit. John was upset about it and has tried to track down the watch, in hopes of buying it back.

Now, I don't really give a crap about the watch. I mean it is Chris' to do with as he wishes. As far as I heard, I believe he sold his drum set as well (the man is a SUPERB drummer and has worked with many bands) so for him to sell the watch is not that suprising to me. I'm more concerned that he did this to support his addiction and is in the depths of remorse about why he did it... while he's drunk and continuing to get drunk.

It's just too sad. I just wish he would get help.

Posted by Ravennacht at 10:41 PM | Comments (0)