Illegal immigration and meat packing plants

I've taken a few days to ponder what occured in Worthington, MN and in 5 other cities across the US this past week. Some 1300 illegal immigrants were arrested across the US, 400 detained here in MN with 230 arrested.

The concept of the American Dream is in fact a fallacy, at least for Americans. It's what keeps the corporate millionaires in business and raking money in hand over foot. They expolit people for their labor. Yeah, I am sounding a bit Marxist here, but it's reality.

Americans simply want more money to be expolited by big money capitalists. When companies, like Fingerhut and many auto makers, reach a certain profit margin, they look to dump labor, while not cutting costs in their rich exectuives. See Northwest Airlines as a great example. When pilots, mechanics, flight attendents and baggage handlers were getting salaries cut by 40%, how big of a hit did Steenland, Griffin and the other coprorate executives take? Not 40%, although even 40% of $5 million is staunchly different than 40% of $25,000!

Illegal immigration in MN is an issue, not of the same significance as other issues raised, or as high as the GOP would put it, but an issue nonetheless. Taking the high estimate of 85,000 illegal immigrants in MN, that's still less than 2% of the population.

The Fed's have cited identity theft as the issue at hand. Identity theft is a significant issue in our technology based society. But why would the Fed's only charge 65 of the 1300 they arrested with ID theft?

I am a moderate Democrat on this issue. I do believe in the laws of this nation. During my campaign, I spoke to many people who came from Scandanavian areas who came to this country legally. They paid thousands of dollars and went through a process to legally stay in this nation.

On the other hand, I do understand the desire to seek a better life for one's family.

GOPers will label us as weak on immigration. They will call us out on homeland security. We are the dominant party now. It's time to push real reforms, reforms that could have come forth when the GOP had a majority, but they failed.

I find it funny that AAA calls out DFLers for their use of unions in the GOTV efforts. It is true, unions play a large role in this. But AAA, your party uses MCCL and Focus on the Family and other GOP stalwarts in your GOTV efforts.

I've never seen a labor flyer in a mall or church parking lot. How many MCCL flyers adorned cars throughout the state the Sunday before election day? Thousands upon thousands.

GOPers will attempt to destroy Democrats who see the cununbrum before our very eyes. Compassionate conservativism is an oxymoron of the greatest degree.

It starts with real immigration reforms. Frankly, businesses, specifically Agriculture, need a strong immigrant work force. A comprehensive plan needs to be created. A tough yet broad standard for visa's need to be established. The penalties for those that violate the broad visa standards need to be swift and severe, a speedy deportation.

The visa documents need to be secure. A workplace should be able to verify the authenticity of a visa. Businesses found to be hiring illegal immigrants should be dealth with again, swiftly and severely. Swift & Co. was an example. I think the Strib LTE from 12/15 was dead on here. The raid was a show. They could have continued raids on many other facilities across the United States.

Real reform is needed...the GOP could not get it done and it's time for Democrats to step up and make it happen.