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Originally Posted by KSagal
You do know, of course, that she is not a citizen.
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No, I did not. But so what? My wife is not a citizen, either. But she has worked here for 16 years, paid taxes, raised kids, volunteered in the schools, organized a Young Makers club and a newspaper club for kids, obeyed the laws, been a victim of crimes.
You DO understand, that being a citizen gives you the right to vote, serve on a jury, and mostly immunity from deportation -- but that non-citizens otherwise have the same constitutional rights, including the equal protection clause of the 14th, and are subject to the same criminal and civil justice system, enjoying both its benefits and responsibilities?
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Originally Posted by KSagal
With regard to fraud, I did mention no effort is placed on asking her about the father, nor trying to hold him accountable.
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You did make that claim. I pointed out that we have an entire mechanism in place to track down deadbeat fathers and make them pay child support. You pretty much ignored everything I said on the topic. Now, you repeat the claim, with nothing new to back it up.
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Originally Posted by KSagal
Laws on the books and laws enforced are two different things. Once it becomes common practice to ignor a law, or not enforce it, the government chooses to make new laws.
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Agreed, see below.
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Originally Posted by KSagal
Illegal aliens are a good example. It is illegal to hire them, but no one or rarely does anyone get caught or punished for doing it.
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I don't know how rare it is -- certainly I read of a lot of companies getting caught, and I certainly have had to go to a lot of pain on getting hired to prove my citizenship.
Given that our enforcement of these laws has threatened my own employment, and my ancestors have been here far longer than there's been a USA, I'd say our enforcement isn't as lax as some rabble-rousing politicians and "news" outlets have been telling you.
Still, we're a nation of immigrants. So far as I know, ALL of my ancestors immigrated here, from Europe, or in one case, Canada. My wife is an immigrant. You offered, without even thinking about it, evidence that you're descended from immigrants, but it would have been a good bet anyway.
You'll probably come back and say you're talking about ILLEGAL immigration -- but that doesn't square with your citizenship remark above.
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Originally Posted by KSagal
Making cell phone use in cars is another good example. Most every state has laws against driving while distracted. Other laws about proper lane changes, and reckless driving. All these things are the things people do on cell phones, and the reason that state after state is now making use of cell phones in the car illegal.
If they just enforced the safe operation laws, they would not need new laws.
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But if they didn't make new laws, how would legislators earn your votes?
Seriously, the incentives are in place for making new laws, and not getting rid of old ones. I'm not sure of the solution -- Sunset provisions haven't been terribly effective.
Indeed, while you may want to talk about incentives for welfare recipient, we need to take a real serious look at incentives for politicians. I think a lot more of our problems stem from dysfunctional incentives in our political system.
But to play devils' advocate, I'll point out that by making a new law specifically mentioning cell phones, they call attention to the problem. But I'd like to see some real data as to whether that really works -- and how long the effect lasts, if it does.