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Politics : Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Compendium of Liberal Fiction -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (40409)	9/15/2005 3:56:19 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

Peter said this: "Another additive to our medical costs are the free loaders from other countries that fail to pay a fair share of the research and development costs for new drugs." I responded this: "What does that mean? I've been in Puerto Rico where your drug heroes hold huge conventions to celebrate the fact that they don't pay any taxes. You think your drug industry is adding to your medical costs? What a thought?" The context is not difficult to understand. The flippancy matches his flippancy about "freeloaders", etc. The statement is not "rash". You know damn well I was not suggesting that the convention was called for the express purpose of celebrating not paying any taxes. If my recollection serves, THAT particular party was for employees of Pfizer's and not to wine and dine doctors. It was not called to celebrate not paying taxes. You know damn well that THOSE parties would have been held when the tax haven status was first established (you can look up the year, if you want to know it). You KNOW my statement was a response to his suggestion that the drug companies (poor things) are hard done by (through the perfidy of "freeloaders" from other countries, don't you know). So don't even pretend that you do literally believe that I thought they called this huge party to celebrate that they pay no Federal Taxes? What? They hold such a party once a year? But the fact that they do NOT pay Federal Taxes has MUCH to do with the veneers on their perfect white teeth and the bottomless punch bowl. No, I AM NOT suggesting they have veneers on their perfect white f--king teeth. And I NOT suggesting there is such a thing as a bottomless f--king punch bowl. And I am NOT going to spend 30 seconds explaining what that means. As a matter of fact, I am going for a f--king walk.

To: Lazarus_Long who wrote (40409)	9/15/2005 5:50:12 PM
From: paret	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 90947

These MS-13 members aren't citizens, nor are they immigrants, nor are they mere illegal aliens. They are enemy combatants, and should be dealt with by the same forces who would respond if a large team of well-armed North Korean commandos parachuted onto US soil. Forbes targets immigrants in gangs By Gary Emerling THE WASHINGTON TIMES September 15, 2005 U.S. Rep. J. Randy Forbes said gang-related violence, such as the 2002 rapes of two deaf teenagers by MS-13 members, has spurred him to combat such activity with legislation that would crack down on immigrants involved in criminal gangs. "We heard of kids coming home from school and they can't even go outside; they have to stay hunkered down because of the gang activity out there," the Virginia Republican said. "As we saw that we realized we had to do something or it was going to be totally out of control." Mr. Forbes has introduced a bill that would allow the government to deport aliens and immigrants who are not permanent residents of the United States and belong to criminal gangs. He said hearing about the gang-rape of the two girls -- one of whom was wheelchair-bound and suffering from cerebral palsy -- in a Boston park by up to six youths three years ago pushed him to introduce the legislation. "The country's thrust up to this point in fighting gang activity is wait until they kill somebody, hurt somebody or rape somebody and then go after them," he said. "We just don't find that" working. Mr. Forbes' Alien Gang Removal Act comes on the heels of his Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act, which calls for defining gang crime in federal code and specifies punishments for gang-related crimes. The first bill passed the House in May and is before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Alien Gang Removal Act -- which is before the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, border security and claims -- would list gangs in a federal registry if they commit two violent crimes. If an alien is found to be a member of such a gang, he or she would be subject to deportation. The bill would require that aliens arrested on gang-activity charges to be held in detention before their immigration hearing to assure that they appear in court. Officials also would be required to ask foreigners upon entering the country whether they belong to a gang. Mr. Forbes said another key aim of the legislation is to allow authorities to go after gang members who fall under temporary protected status, which establishes a legislative basis for allowing a group of people temporary refuge in the United States. Removal proceedings are suspended against aliens while they are under temporary protected status. Michael M. Hethmon, a lawyer with the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said that if it passes, the act would give greater authority and jurisdiction to officials trying to crack down on gang violence. Immigration officials are "making a big deal out of focusing on using existing methods to try and identify and detain these individuals," Mr. Hethmon said. "There's a strong consensus across the board that this is a serious problem."