Oklahoma Poll Results 8/1/10

[nathanm]

In other news: Oklahomans don't mind if the illegal immigrants get to stay.


More than three-quarters of the 755 Oklahomans surveyed by SoonerPoll.com July 16-21 said they favor allowing illegal immigrants to remain if they admit they broke the law, pay fines and back taxes, learn English and begin the process of obtaining legal residency.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20100808_16_A1_Inmate724589

[Gaspar]

In other news: Oklahomans don't mind if the illegal immigrants get to stay.


More than three-quarters of the 755 Oklahomans surveyed by SoonerPoll.com July 16-21 said they favor allowing illegal immigrants to remain if they admit they broke the law, pay fines and back taxes, learn English and begin the process of obtaining legal residency.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20100808_16_A1_Inmate724589

I think this would hold true of almost anyone.  If those conditions were met, and that was the road to citizenship, than there is no problem.  I doubt that will be the "road to citizenship" proposed. 

[Conan71]

Nathan, I think that's probably in line with national thinking as well and not surprising.  I think it also blows the lid off the stupid racist meme that gets thrown at those of us who see the need for better immigration law enforcement.  The problem people have is the connotation of "amnesty".  It would be a physical impossibility to deport 12mm to 25mm illegal aliens to their home countries, but citizenship should not be automatic and without stipulations either.

"More than three-quarters of the 755 Oklahomans surveyed by SoonerPoll.com July 16-21 said they favor allowing illegal immigrants to remain if they admit they broke the law, pay fines and back taxes, learn English and begin the process of obtaining legal residency.

"I think they should be given that opportunity and not just up and deport them unless they're part of some criminal element," said poll respondent Lee Oliver of Bixby. "I think they should at least be given a chance."

Ninety-three percent of those surveyed said they support stronger border security and immigration law enforcement throughout the country.

Eighty percent favor requiring Social Security cards with fingerprints or other biometric information to make it harder for illegal immigrants to get jobs.

"There are several reasons for controlling people who come into our country," said Michael Kendrick of Collinsville. "Everybody seems to think about Mexico, but there are a lot of (other) people coming in illegally."

Kendrick said he thinks most people coming to the U.S. illegally are just looking for work, but public health and security concerns make tighter controls necessary."

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20100808_16_A1_Inmate724589

[nathanm]

Nathan, I think that's probably in line with national thinking as well and not surprising.  I think it also blows the lid off the stupid racist meme that gets thrown at those of us who see the need for better immigration law enforcement.  The problem people have is the connotation of "amnesty".  It would be a physical impossibility to deport 12mm to 25mm illegal aliens to their home countries, but citizenship should not be automatic and without stipulations either.

Problem is, that's essentially what the Democrats' proposal would do. The Republicans refuse to support it, oddly enough.

[Gaspar]

Problem is, that's essentially what the Democrats' proposal would do. The Republicans refuse to support it, oddly enough.

No one has seen such a proposal.  Please post if it exists.

[Conan71]

Problem is, that's essentially what the Democrats' proposal would do. The Republicans refuse to support it, oddly enough.

Where did you smoke er dream that up er read that?

[Gaspar]

Where did you smoke er dream that up er read that?

Come on Conan, they have to pass it so we can see what's in it!

[Conan71]

Come on Conan, they have to pass it so we can see what's in it!

[nathanm]

Where did you smoke er dream that up er read that?

There was a draft bill released a few weeks ago. Read it. Know it. Help it get passed.

[Gaspar]

There was a draft bill released a few weeks ago. Read it. Know it. Help it get passed.

Uh, Nope.  Just went to library of congress and searched for the draft.  Nothing of the sort, just a bunch of resolutions from border state representatives trying to get some help or recognition of the problem.

It may not have been introduced yet.  Please help us by finding a copy.  It seem that the media is unaware of it's existence as well.  I would like to "Read it. Know it. Help it get passed."

[nathanm]

It may not have been introduced yet.  Please help us by finding a copy.  It seem that the media is unaware of it's existence as well.  I would like to "Read it. Know it. Help it get passed."

It hasn't. I'll see if I can dig a link out of my Firefox history, but my browser has been messed up lately.

A Google News search for "democratic draft immigration bill" returns quite a few news stories from late April/early May. There's some stuff around the edges that I don't like about it, but the general gist of the bill seems reasonable.

Edited to add: You are partly correct. What I read was a proposal regarding what should be in a reform bill based on Grassley and Durbin's work, not an actual bill. It just reads densely enough for me to misremember it.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/issues/images/graphics_2010/cd-100428-rsm-bill-outline-draft.pdf

[Gaspar]

That's what I figured.  It would be insane for them to pose such a bill.  The purchase of the Hispanic voting block is very important to Dems.  While such legislation might score them points with average Americans, it would destroy them in the polls.  Not that they aren't doing a fine job of that anyway.

[izmophonik]

It's funny how all of these issues have been around for years but Republicans are all the sudden so upset by the fact that Obama hasn't fixed it yet.  Stay classy repubs.  At least he's making an effort to do something.

[guido911]

It's funny how all of these issues have been around for years but Republicans are all the sudden so upset by the fact that Obama hasn't fixed it yet.  Stay classy repubs.  At least he's making an effort to do something.

Making an effort to do something?  Wow, now that's substantive.

[izmophonik]

Yes, and doing nothing is even more?  That's the best you can do?

In case you forgot.. here are a few things of note that he has done.

1. SCHIP Expansion
2. Hate Crime Bill
3. Fair Pay Act (which allows women to receive equal pay for the same job).
4. Stem Cell Research (sorry bible thumpers)
5. The Economic Recovery Act (Stimulus)
6. The Financial Reform Bill
7. The Health Care Bill
8. The Education Bill
9. The Energy Bill (will probably get passed in some form this year)

Not to mention appointing 2 People to the Supreme Court.