Thoughts Without Words: Welfare for Illegals costing L.A. County $600 million

File this one under...no duh.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich released new statistics this week showing social spending for those families in his county rose to $53 million in November, putting the county government on track to spend more than $600 million on related costs for the year -- up from $570 million in 2009.
Antonovich arrived at the estimate by factoring in the cost of food stamps and welfare-style benefits through a state program known as CalWORKS. Combined with public safety costs and health care costs, the official claimed the "total cost for illegal immigrants to county taxpayers" was more than $1.6 billion in 2010.

"Not including the hundreds of millions of dollars for education," he said in a statement.

I don't know if this really surprises anyone or not. I have that little widget on the side of my blog which tracks the cost of illegal immigration. I think I am more surprised that someone from L.A. County actually came out and said something about it. People don't want to make cuts to services and programs to hurt families, but what about ones that don't belong here? Think about how much money would be saved by cutting all welfare services to illegals statewide.

Venting the Anger: Illegal Immigration

***Updated 8-15***
Ok so I find it funny that this story ran in a more "conservative" paper, but it looks like the Daily Bulletin is trying to make us forget about it. It has been removed from their website completely. It's not in the archives or anywhere. Here is a duplicate copy from their sister paper Redlands Facts, LINK.

I feel like our country doesn't exist anymore. When did everyone in the media start feeling sorry for the illegals? First, we stopped calling them illegal aliens and it became illegal immigrants. Then, it became undocumented immigrants. Like we aren't supposed to think they are breaking the law because they are just undocumented.

I hate the argument that says if you are against illegals you are anti-immigrant. And then of course the classic "America was buikt by immigrants". I don't have a problem with LEGAL immigrants or immigration at all. Get in line though. Don't sneak into our country and then say you deserve to be here while you wave your Mexican flag. My dad and his family came here as a boy and went through the whole green card process to become a citizen. So why can't these people? Why are they special?

So what brought this up you might say? Well in our local paper today a story was run about an illegal who is spending her summer "engaging in activism". This is a piece that would usually run in the L.A. Times, that's how one sided it is. The first thing is I read is;

It's been a busy summer for Gladys Castro, a Kaiser High School graduate who was accepted into UC Berkeley.

But she hasn't been filling out school registration forms or preparing to leave home for the fall semester.

Castro, who cannot apply for government loans because she's an undocumented student, has spent her days either protesting or planning protests in favor of immigration reform and federal legislation that would create a path to citizenship for high-achieving students who are in the country illegally.

"I'm just not scared anymore," Castro said. "I feel so much (more) empowered now that I'm out of the shadows."

that's right she's not scared. And she's empowered to come to our country and make demands of it. Even though she doesn't pay taxes or give anything to help us out. Talk about a free hand out. It gets better;

"It gets you really, really angry," she said. "All we're looking for is a chance, a chance at the American dream, and becoming Americans."

Yeah they have a process for that! If you have been here since 8 and are now in college you could have been a citizen by now if you would have gone through the legal process!!! This is arrogance at it's highest form. She's angry because she can't do it her way...like a little baby!

Here was the final straw for me though;

Castro hopes to have enough money from her family and through private scholarships and donations to pay for spring semester classes at Berkeley.

Beyond that, she doesn't have a plan.

"Cal State was an option, but it wasn't right for me," she said. "I wasn't going to settle for Cal State."

That's right Cal State isn't good enough for her. Like she is owed something better. I went to a Cal State, it was good enough for me and thousands of other legal students! What pisses me off is here we have someone who is breaking the law doesn't hide and nothing happens. Our administration, state and federal, are all guilty of not enforcing basic U.S. laws. Our government will sue a state for enforcing federal immigration laws, but won't go after sanctuary cities that refuse to enforce laws. This country is in trouble.

The Last Laugh: Arizona Tourism Thriving

So a few weeks ago I talked about how San Diego was afraid of losing some tourism because of their boycott of Arizona. Well apparently the boycott of Arizona really isn't doing much because the hotels are seeing an increase of business compared to last year at the same time. From the article;

The data from hotel industry research firm STR showed that for the state of Arizona, hotel occupancy was up 5.7 percent in May and up 8.3 percent in June compared with the same time a year ago.

In Phoenix, occupancy was up 10.6 percent in June; in Scottsdale, it was up 10.7 percent for the same period. Revenue also was up, with Arizona hotels raking in $148 million last month -- up more than 11 percent from a year ago.

This article and post really sums up The Last Laugh.

Free Speech for the Dumb: Rep. Linda Sanchez

Seriously how do people like this get elected. Seems that Rep. Linda Sanchez thinks that (shocker...) the Arizona law will lead to racial profiling. Because she knows it will because it hasn't started yet, but it will.

Not only does she go the typical route, she also one-ups everyone before her by saying this as well;

"They're not accidental or one person's crazy idea.". "There's a concerted effort behind promoting these kinds of laws on a state-by-state basis by people who have ties to white supremacy groups," Sanchez said.

"It's been documented. It's not mainstream politics. (Legislators) are being approached by folks, who are front organizations who are white supremacist hate groups. They propose the language of these bills and get people to carry these bills in the state legislatures," she said.

That's right, according to this ELECTED official, laws like this are hammered out behind closed doors by white supremacist hate groups. I say behind closed doors because even though it is "documented" no one has ever heard of it before. Hey Sanchez, why don't you realize people don't want illegals here...bottom line.

The Last Laugh: Baldwin Park pro-illegal immigration rally

Ahh illegal immigration. It pulls at the hearts of liberals everywhere. They want to open our country to everyone. They just want to make a living for themselves. It's not their fault Mexico is poor. Despite the fact that almost two-thirds (in some polls more) don't want amnesty for illegals and want them out, some cities are passing the "boycott Arizona" resolutions.

In Baldwin Park, they passed a similar resolution and wanted to have a pro-illegal immigration rally on Saturday. There was just one problem...no one showed up. In fact, within minutes of the 11 start time, they started to take down the stage and speakers.

The mayor said it was because their were other events going on in the city, but maybe it's that people don't think the Arizona law is that bad.

The Last Laugh: Phil Jackson agrees with Arizona law...and the people protest

Phil Jackson. Now if you don't live in L.A., Chicago, New York, or follow basketball you might not know who this guy is. Let's just say he has coached a team to 10 NBA titles...that's pretty good. He has won 4 in L.A., including last year. They are looking pretty strong right now.

The people love him here in L.A., that is until he talked about the Arizona law. Jackson was quoted as saying;

“Am I crazy, or am I the only one that heard [the legislature] say ‘we just took the United States immigration law and adapted it to our state,’” Jackson said.

I told him they usurped the federal law.

“It’s not usurping, it’s just copying it is what they said they did, and then they gave it some teeth to be able to enforce it,” Jackson said.

Then he mildly scolded the Suns.

“I don’t think teams should get involved in the political stuff. And I think this one’s still kind of coming out to balance as to how it’s going to be favorably looked upon by our public. If I heard it right the American people are really for stronger immigration laws, if I’m not mistaken. Where we stand as basketball teams, we should let that kind of play out and let the political end of that go where it’s going to go.”

Sounds pretty reasonable right? Just enforcing federal law at the state level and then telling sports teams they shouldn't get involved in politics.

Well here's where it gets funny. L.A. goes nuts over this. They protested outside Staples Center before a practice and a game. And their reason?

Several dozen people waving signs and American flags gathered outside Staples Center before the Lakers-Phoenix Suns game in a protest over Lakers coach Phil Jackson 's refusal to criticize Arizona's new anti-immigration law, Los Angeles police said Monday.

That's right they were protesting because he didn't come out and criticize the law. How dare he. How dare an American citizen have an opinion.

It shouldn't shock me, by the way, this is the way the left operates. If you disagree with their views...you are done for.

One more thing, Phil Jackson is a democrat.

Thoughts Without Words: We apologized to China?

Someone try to explain to me why we are apologizing to China for a law that hasn't even started yet? Why are we apologizing for a law that is almost identical to the federal law? Why are we apologizing to China for "possible discrimination" when the law clearly says you can't do that?

And why are we apologizing to China who has probably the longest list of human rights violations today?

Thoughts Without Words: United Nations = United Abomination

This past week some UN human rights "experts" came out and said the new law in Arizona might violate international laws. According to the "experts";

The law could result in potential discrimination against Mexicans, indigenous peoples and other minorities in Arizona, the U.N. officials said.

So according to the UN, then the US federal law is also in violation of international law. In fact, using this thought process illegal immigration doesn't exist anywhere. Better tell that to Mexico then.

This comes off the heels of the UN electing Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women. What is that you ask? Well according to the website, the commission is "dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women."

That could be a problem for Iran. They really aren't know for their gender equality. According to a group of female activists in Iran;

"women lack the ability to choose their husbands, have no independent right to education after marriage, no right to divorce, no right to child custody, have no protection from violent treatment in public spaces, are restricted by quotas for women's admission at universities, and are arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for peacefully seeking change of such laws."

And to top it all off, they feel that the recent earthquakes were caused by the way women dress.

"Many women who do not dress modestly ... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which (consequently) increases earthquakes," Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted as saying by Iranian media. Sedighi is Tehran's acting Friday prayer leader.

Yeah that makes sense. I think Dave Mustaine had it right when he called the UN a joke in his song United Abominations. Just look at these lyrics...hard to disagree with facts.

Within striking distance from Ground Zero sits a smoldering international cauldron, the United "Abominations" as it were. Born to prevent wars, it froze in the face of disaster and stood silent while terrorization to hostage of the world
In a mire of hypocrisy, the U.N. ignores sex crimes by its "blue helmets", and enables terrorism; so in the end it's failed and the U.N. is where our
so-called friends get to stab us in the back and we pay 22% of their tab to host our
enemies here at home.

And

NATO invaded Yugoslavia to end ethnic cleansing, there was no U.N.
The U.S. invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, there was no U.N.
Saddam Hussein violated 17 U.N. resolutions; The U.N. was asked to join the
war in Iraq. The U.S. invaded, Ha! there was no U.N.
Libya bombed a discotheque in Berlin killing Americans, there was no U.N.
Iran funds Hamas, and attacked the U.S. in the
seventies, there was no stinking U.N.
Facing War without end, looking into the future, there was no more U.N.

Love him or hate him, Dave nailed it on this one.

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Now playing: Megadeth - United Abominations
via FoxyTunes

The Last Laugh: San Diego concerned about losing tourists

Classic liberal moment. San Diego decides to "make a statement" about Arizona's new law and boycott the state. So what do the people of Arizona do? Give them a taste of their own medicine and boycott San Diego.

San Diego's response?

That has tourism officials urging Arizonans to consider the resolutions as merely symbolic and local politics at work.

That's right...it was all for show. Please don't take the whole boycott thing seriously.

Then there is this classic hypocritical line from the president of San Diego Convention and Visitors, Joe Terzi;

"We're in a very tough environment already because of everything else going on, and we don't need another negative impact to our industry," ConVis President Joe Terzi told the Union-Tribune. "This affects all the hardworking men and women who count on tourism for their livelihoods, so we’re saying, don't do something that hurts their livelihoods."

So it's ok to boycott Arizona and affect all of those people's livelihoods, but not San Diego's.

Thoughts Without Words: Mexico's Illegal Immigration policies

So I am sure by now everyone has heard about Arizona's illegal immigration law by now, even the President has chimed in on it. In fact, I blogged about some quotes the other day. I have no problem with the bill, does that surprise anyone? I have always wondered what would happen to people if they tried to do what they do here in America in another country.

Well thank you Michelle Malkin. She did some research on Mexico's illegal immigration policies. The whole article is nicely done and here are some of the highlights for me;

– Illegal entry into the country is equivalent to a felony punishable by two years’ imprisonment. Document fraud is subject to fine and imprisonment; so is alien marriage fraud. Evading deportation is a serious crime; illegal re-entry after deportation is punishable by ten years’ imprisonment.

– Law enforcement officials at all levels — by national mandate — must cooperate to enforce immigration laws, including illegal alien arrests and deportations. The Mexican military is also required to assist in immigration enforcement operations. Native-born Mexicans are empowered to make citizens’ arrests of illegal aliens and turn them in to authorities.

– Ready to show your papers? Mexico’s National Catalog of Foreigners tracks all outside tourists and foreign nationals. A National Population Registry tracks and verifies the identity of every member of the population, who must carry a citizens’ identity card. Visitors who do not possess proper documents and identification are subject to arrest as illegal aliens.

What I can't roam a country without an sort of documentation? That's racist!

Want to become a citizen? How about this one;

– If outsiders do not enhance the country’s “economic or national interests” or are “not found to be physically or mentally healthy,” they are not welcome. Neither are those who show “contempt against national sovereignty or security.” They must not be economic burdens on society and must have clean criminal histories. Those seeking to obtain Mexican citizenship must show a birth certificate, provide a bank statement proving economic independence, pass an exam and prove they can provide their own health care.

Could you imagine if the U.S. said that new citizen's had to enhance the country's economic or national interests? Or show they can provide their own health care?

You can read the rest of the article here.

Where are the politicians blasting Mexico's policies?