Moonhowlings

Of course the Resolution was always about politics.

The Republicans did lose because of the Iraq war. And three years after the Resolution took effect, there are still undocumented aliens living in Prince William County.

The resolution can be described as an Epic Failure, on all fronts.

We should not be talking about this dated and uncentered video. We should be talking about FAIR’s report that addresses the financial cost to our nation caused by illegal immigration, and the way it creates deficit spending – http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/02/immigration-costs-fair-amnesty-educations-costs-reform/

The cost of harboring illegal immigrants in the United States is a staggering $113 billion a year — an average of $1,117 for every “native-headed” household in America — according to a study conducted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

FAIR’s report argues that there are two choices in the immigration debate: “One choice is pursuing a strategy that discourages future illegal migration and increasingly diminishes the current illegal alien population through denial of job opportunities and deportations. The other choice,” it says, “would repeat the unfortunate decision made in 1986 to adopt an amnesty that invited continued illegal migration.”

The report states that an amnesty program wouldn’t appreciably increase tax revenue and would cost massive amounts in Social Security and public assistance expenses. An amnesty “would therefore be an accentuation of the already enormous fiscal burden,” the report concludes.

The single largest cost to the government of illegal immigration, according to the report, is an estimated $52 billion spent on schooling the children of illegals. “Nearly all those costs are absorbed by state and local governments,’ the report states.

Moreover, the study’s breakdown of costs on a state-by-state basis shows that in states with the largest number of illegals, the costs of illegal immigration are often greater than current, crippling budget deficits. In Texas, for example, the additional cost of immigration, $16.4 billion, is equal to the state’s current budget deficit; in California the additional cost of illegal immigration, $21.8 billion, is $8 billion more than the state’s current budget deficit of $13.8 billion; and in New York, the $6.8 billion deficit is roughly two-thirds the $9.5 billion yearly cost of its illegal population, according to Jack Martin, the researcher who completed the study.

The report found that the federal government paid $28.6 billion in illegal related costs, and state and local governments paid $84.2 billion on an estimated 13 million undocumented residents. In his speech, Obama estimated that there are 11 million.

But none of these costs apply to Prince William County, which solved all its immigration problems back in 2007, thanks to the Rule of Law Resoultion, right Rick?

Starry, are you back on the pipe again?

When one cannot beat them with logic and facts, resort to personal insults and name-calling.

Look! A Squirrel.

When will we all understand that an organization with an agenda cannot produce an objective report?

Yes, take a look at the information that FAIR has gathered. But examine other sources as well. Then, look to objective sources. When we do this, it becomes clear the facts do not match what FAIR has to say.

In fact, there is so much discrepancy between everything being reported that we can safely assume no one knows the real numbers. We only know the system is broken and must be fixed.

@Starryflights

If the facts had any influence on you regarding this issue or even an appeal to patriotism, to national sovereignty, the rule of law or even concern for the adverse impact of illegal entry to wages, crime, schooling – it would have been resolved long ago. Your dismissal of Rick’s contribution is testimony to that. I do not believe that you allow people to butt in line on you Starry at the grocery store or at the bank, so why the affinity for allowing it at the border. My guess is that you work for a living and that you make substantial charitable donations to a wide range of charities, so why must I also endure these costs through taxation? Why can’t I make these decisions myself? What is the conflict-of- interest here?

The video does not get the history correct. Using illegal immigration as a political issue did not begin with Corey Stewart, but in late 2006 when Supervisor Wally Covington directed County staff to conduct a study on the costs of providing services to illegal aliens in Prince William County.

In January 2007, Covington presented to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) for approval a letter to then Vice-President Cheney and Speaker of the House Pelosi with an attached invoice requesting Congress to provide reimbursement for the assumed cost of services to illegal aliens in Prince William County. Even though Covington acknowledged that his measure was only symbolic, the BOCS approved it. We’re still waiting for the check.

Covington pushed this issue through most of 2007. He appeared on Lou Dobbs’ show on CNN talking about immigration long before Corey even knew who Lou Dobbs was.

Covington advocated this idiotic, embarrassing measure because he and then-BOCS Chair Sean Connaughton had tons of egg on their face after losing their campaign on behalf of Brookfield Homes to secure BOCS approval of a Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezoning for the Brentswood development in 2006. Brentswood would have been a massive residential development in Western Prince William County adding thousands of new residential units. It was defeated by strong public opposition.

Covington wanted to deflect attention from this failure and from the fact that he has always been and still is in the pockets of big developers by finding an emotional new issue. Immigration struck a chord. In the 2007 election, Covington won with no opposition in the primary or general election.

After the 2007 election, Covington dropped immigration as an issue and went back to his true calling; serving the interests of his paymasters in the development community.

I find it difficult to believe that John Stirrup thought of immigration as a campaign issue. He knew how difficult it would be, and is so well-liked in the Gainesville District that reelection in 2007 (or 2011) is not really a question.

Corey Stewart with his much broader political ambitions, however, saw the emotional power of immigration as an issue, took it as his own, and now, “you know the rest of the story.”

@PWC Taxpayer

Why don’t you read the title of the thread, doofus? We are talking about PWC and 2007 when all of this hoopla began, and which Need To Know did an excellent job of summarizing.

Bottom Line: The Resolution failed.

As a result of a fortuitous Bush appointment, Connaughton fled the county in ’06 for the Maritime Administration, shortly after his embarrassing loss on the Brentswood application. Corey “Anti-Development” Stewart then rode his stand on that issue to the Chairmanship, after which an unfortunate accident created the mutation we all know as Captain Soundbyte.

@Need to Know
You know, I don’t think sending that bill to Polosi was necessarily a bad thing. Actually, I think it communicated a good message that the feds are not doing their jobs and we all pay the price for illegal immigration, no matter what we think the solution is. I also think it was a clear message the it’s the feds’ responsibility, not ours.

As to his supporting the original resolution, I was pissed. I made an ugly painting in which the flag was bleeding over Stewart, Stirrup and Covington. I am glad he has since changed his mind and kept quiet about immigration.

Covington also did two things I approved of–he said the increase in school populations wasn’t necessarily attributable to illegal immigration but that, especially in our district, large families have moved in here. And he supported the police in asking for funding for cameras to ensure racial profiling which would protect all of us.

Covington was the one who supported my nomination to the tourism board (a volunteer position). He maintained that support even when Stewart and Stirrup changed theirs simply because they don’t like me and my big mouth. Covington said he didn’t take what I said personally, that someone in his position can’t do that. He earned my respect even when I admitted to calling him a windbag. He laughed and said sometimes he WAS a windbag. I like that in a person because sometimes I can be a bitch.

That said, Covington’s relationship with developers and his stance on development are unacceptable. That’s a different conversation, one that I am passionate about but not in the same way. I guess that topic is more objective and somehow easier to remedy. Plant some trees, Wally, and stop cutting more down. Oh and that Montesorri school. I don’t like how the woods are being chopped or that those two dudes asked me to support their cutting of the trees at an HOA meeting and and then told me we have no choice.

Don’t EVER tell me I have no choice unless you want to get an earful.

@Moon-howler

MH – I didn’t mean the information in the video was wrong as much as that it’s incomplete. The story in the video picks up where Corey began with immigration. Immigration as a campaign issue in PWC started in 2006 with Covington trying to distract peoples’ attention from the Brentswood debacle and defeat that he and Connaughton created.

Corey won a special election in 2006 to complete Connaughton’s term as BOCS Chair. At that time, Corey was one of the leaders in land use and conservation, and helped defeat Brentswood. I was a very strong supporter of him at that time. In 2006, Corey accused Brookfield Homes, the would-be developer of Brentswood, of having no integrity. This year, Brookfield Homes tried to get Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Rezonings through the BOCS to develop Avendale and Corey called them “one of the good guys.” When Wally and Corey saw that they did not have the votes, they deferred it.

On a more ominous note, Brentswood is still on the County’s Development Application Processing Schedule (http://www.pwcgov.org/docLibrary/PDF/001616.pdf). It was only deferred in 2006; not killed. Corey, Wally, Mike Lubeley and Brookfield Homes are now in the process of reactivating it, with Marty Nohe tagging along.

Corey wants to win reelection as BOCS Chair in 2011 on an immigration platform, and deliver Brentswood and Avendale as his parting gifts to Prince William County, and as services rendered for his developer campaign financing on his way to the Lt. Governor job in 2013. Many Republicans in the County have been saying that they don’t like his change on development, but that they will support him because of immigration.

All I can say to them is to be careful what you wish for. Reelecting the pro-developer supervisors, including Stewart, Covington and Nohe, will likely get us both Avendale and Brentswood. The revision of the Land Use Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan laid the groundwork for a massive expansion of residential development by creating the “Centers” of community and commerce.

Moreover, with Peacor, Griffin and Utz now in charge of evaluating development applications, citizens have little hope of support from County staff. True, the Planning Office recommended against Brentswood in 2006, but don’t expect that to happen again. Griffin has since described Lubeley as his “best friend” and fired staffers who did not roll out the red carpet for Lubeley. The Planning Office has been purged of anyone who would speak out against the endemic corruption that now plagues it. Corey has created an economic development task force composed mostly of developers to create cover, and Lubeley virtually has an office next to Griffin in the Development Services building.

No one can even imagine the magnitude of the increased congestion on the roads and in the schools (with no money at the state or local level to build more), the skyrocketing property taxes to support all of the new residential development, and the huge influx of low-skilled, illegal labor to work these projects, if Avendale and Brentswood get approved.

We know what’s coming our way if citizens don’t act to stop it as they did in 2006. That means retiring Stewart, Covington and Nohe next year. I’d add John Jenkins to that list also, but he would be almost impossible to defeat. Frank Principi honored his pledge to support the Rural Crescent during the Avendale debate. John Stirrup, Maureen Caddigan and Mike May have reasonably good records on development. With Stewart, Covington and Nohe replaced by people who have not been bought off by developers, and who are strong on land use, economic development, and conservation, I expect Principi, Stirrup, Caddigan and May would all vote in the citizens best interests on those issues also. In this scenario, it makes no difference if Jenkins wins or loses.

Sorry for the long post. I started writing and couldn’t stop. MOM – what say you?

@Posting as Pinko

Pinko – I remember that and felt sorry for what happened to you. However, I think Covington was just using you as he and Corey do many other people. You certainly had the qualifications, experience and concern for our community to do a great job.

@Need to Know
Thank you, Need to Know. That means a lot to me.

Not sure if I was being used or not, and I guess it’s not something I really want to contemplate at this point. Too many other fish (politicians) to fry

“Immigration as a campaign issue in PWC started in 2006 with Covington trying to distract peoples’ attention …”

Not from the ENORMOUS PUBLIC OUTRAGE that existed? Or any legitimate concern over massive illegal immigration?

Moon – I would never have expected Covington to pursue immigration once it heated up or became difficult. He doesn’t care about that. His heart is in opening up the Rural Crescent and other parts of PWC to high-density residential development. However, if Covington had not put his toe in the immigration waters looking for something to distract attention from his Brentswood blunders, Corey Stewart would never have discovered it could be such a potent issue.

Rick – What did Corey actually accomplish? Even on Greg’s blog people are complaining that illegals are coming back to PWC. He exploited sincere people such as you on immigration and betrayed his original supporters on land use and conservation such as me for his own political purposes. He’s trying to sucker people like you and Greg now to get reelected. If he succeeds, he will stab you in the back also and push through these massive residential developments.

Yes, I agree. And also some generalized anger from some people at living in such a no-driver-at-the-controls PC society that so many illegal aliens can flood an area and everyone acts as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening.

“Rick – What did Corey actually accomplish? ”

He put a face to the way most of us in PWC feel about illegal immigration, and was subsequently reelected easily.

He put a face on the way many people feel, perhaps, but that’s only symbolic. In what specific, concrete ways is your life in PWC better because of Corey Stewart?

And Rick, are willing to reelect Corey on the basis of symbolism and non-accomplishment knowing that you will get these new residential developments and the massive influx of illegal alien labor that comes with them?

I’m not gonna take this. Wormer, he’s a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer… Dead! Stewart…Dead!

Mom’s right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part and we’re just the guys to do it.

Covington…Dead! Nohe…Dead!

(politically, not literally in case anyone is concerned about my or Mom’s sanity)

“And Rick, are willing to reelect Corey on the basis of symbolism and non-accomplishment knowing that you will get these new residential developments and the massive influx of illegal alien labor that comes with them?”

I don’t accept your premise.

Rick – what premise? Please explain. Do you have any doubt at all that Corey will pay the debts he has incurred to developers for their campaign financing if he is reelected? Do you have any doubt that his big-money contributors are vastly more important to him than you or me?

So the gist is FAIR came to PWC for an election? Wow, no lobby group has EVER come to a county or state for an election before… oh wait, someone just told me this happens during just about every election in every county and state for just about every public office.

Why is this any different than any other lobby group going to any other location for any other election?

Letiecq I thank. Stirrup I thank. Stewart I thank.

Nohe and Principi? Hardly. They fought to keep my block a slum. They’ll get a package in the mail with human feces in it before they get a thank you card from me.

“Please explain. Do you have any doubt at all that Corey will pay the debts he has incurred to developers …”

I don’t know much about that. I just know that PWC was turning into a Spanish ghetto and Stewart fought to keep it suburban.

“In many ways the people now who are suffering in neighborhoods are fortunate because it is possible to label the group as illegal. That help skirt around all sorts of things.”

Wow, I don’t even know how to respond to such an irresponsible statement like that. You obviously don’t live in the ‘trenches’ so to speak. Must be nice.

“Nohe and Principi fought to keep your block a slum? Help me understand this and also what they would possibly have to gain. ”

Probably they feel charitable and good about themselves. Plus nohe gets to sell more hardware.

“When my neighborhood turned into a slum a few decades ago, there was no group that could be openly opposed …re illegal status.”

Did you have a gigantic influx of illegal immigrants come to your neighborhood? I doubt it. America was not so decadent a few decades ago that we would sacrifice wages and jobs for stupid arguements about the price of a head of lettuce.

@Posting as Pinko
“And he supported the police in asking for funding for cameras to ensure racial profiling which would protect all of us. ”

Er, that is, “to ensure racial profiling would NOT occur.” SHEESH! That was a doozy!

I hear you Moonhowler, maybe my luck was better than yours, but I don’t think illegal immigration is lucky for any of us.

The “dark screen” and HSM didn’t really influence my perspective on this much. I was mad as hell before there was an HSM. i consider our whole governmental system an abject joke if we’re seeing tens of millions of people come into our country, at a tax burden of $1000 or so for the average American family, and our elected officials are so sanguine that they accept not even being able to know who these people are or how many they are even while providing them with schools, medical care, etc. I strongly resent also our sex offender tracking and DUI education being made a joke of and nobody seems much to care.

Oh, and a focus on “Homeland Security” while the borders are wide open and millions of illegal immigrants work in food handling. High unemployment and wage disparity edcried while providing incentive for continued illegal immigration. No one’s driving this train. i was disheartened, disgusted with what America is becoming circa 2006, and I still am.

My tax dollars are mostly wasted and used to subsidize things that i don’t approve of.

And after having watched each of our “major parties” back an inexperienced buffoon to the hilt, I can barely stand American politics anymore.

But I do take pleasure in watching a Jan Brewer or a Russell Pearce stick it to the current group of crooks running our government, stick it in their eye on the illegal immigration issue. That I do.

Corey Stewart less so, but if he gets on a roll about illegal immigration I’ll love it.

Being an outsider, I don’t really have a dog in this fight; but it sure looks like Mom, for one, is gearing up for war. Maybe a “Battle of Third Manassas” down the line here?

I was thinking more like the “McCoart Chain Saw Massacre” or “Star Trek: The Wrath of Mom”.

But it’s not the same, Moon-howler! Not to me and I don’t think it is to most of America, either.

You’re erring on the side of tolerance.

Must be the heat.

Looks like Mr. Stewart is ALL IN on this one:

Posted at 3:00 PM ET, 07/ 7/2010
Virginia shouldn’t be deterred by federal immigration suit, Stewart says
The Justice Department’s lawsuit against Arizona and its controversial immigration law won’t stop Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart’s campaign to bring a similar law to Virginia.

If anything, Stewart said, he will push harder to get legislation passed at the state level that will enhance police officials’ power to capture, detain and deport illegal immigrants and create specific Virginia penalties for illegal immigrants.

“I think the Obama administration has made a strategic blunder,” Stewart said. “The Justice Department is going to have egg on its face when its case is dismissed. Arizona is on very firm legal footing and the administration is just trying to intimidate Arizona.”

In June, Stewart launched his Virginia Rule of Law Campaign to rally support for immigration reform legislation. Stewart said Virginia needs to follow in Arizona’s footsteps, even if it sends the Obama administration after the Commonwealth.

“I hope the Justice Department sues Virginia as well,” he said. “I hope they have so many targets that they are unable to focus on Arizona. …Every state that supports Arizona should implement a similar law to make it impossible for the [feds] to focus on any one state or jurisdiction.”

Acknowledging the Commonwealth is already strapped for cash, Stewart said a lawsuit and the money it could cost would be worth it. Stewart said he plans to release his proposed bill within the next few days. Many have supported Arizona’s actions, Stewart said, and he expects the same in Virginia. Currently, Stewart has more than 400 people following his Virginia Rule of Law Campaign Facebook page.

–Jennifer Buske

The Obama administration makes its decisions based on polling, not on what it really feels in the best interest of the nation. Although I don’t agree that this is the case with Stewart, why is it any worse for any other politician to do the same? Isn’t it all politics anyway? The only reason Obama met with Netanyahu yesterday was because Obama saw his poll numbers slipping, realized he could lose a lot of the Jewish vote along with hefty campaign donations in large part because he treated Netanyahu like a stray dog on his last visit, and he has expressed more concern about Muslim outreach than Israel’s security. Why is the Justice Dept. suing Arizona, an overwhelmed border state simply trying to enforce existing laws? Could it have to do with the Hispanic vote?