November 29, 2007
It's Official: SF Required to Issue ID Cards to Immigrants
See what happens, conservative counties of California? Whenever you do something like this, we then have to do something like this. It's the way we balance things out. Tis the circle of life.
Yesterday, Mayor Newsom signed into action the Tommy Ammiano-introduced legislation that requires the city to handout ID cards to undocumented immigrants and other residents who either can't or just won't apply for driver's licenses. The good news is that these IDs will help (formerly) undocumented residents gain access to the wonderful world of banking, a sense of peace before calling the fuzz, as well as "health services at city-run clinics, public library privileges, and resident discounts at museums and other cultural institutions." (Entry fee discounts at the Exploratorium: the American dream realized.)
And the down side? These cards do not parallel Social Security numbers "for those seeking employment." What's more these cards could simply start signifying "alien" and the assumption that said card holder is here illegally.
Still, we want one. For kicks. And the program will go into effect in August of 2008. Also: good.
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120lbs? Shurlely there's shome mishtake.
Wait...so people getting paid under the table and not paying taxes get to benefit from the programs I pay for? I consider myself pretty liberal, but this just doesn't make sense. I'm now going to leave work and reward the severely mentally ill man who takes poops right outside of my office building.
thank you for bringing that error to my attention, fizzandpop. it's fixed.
megang, they all pay sales taxes on what they buy, and many of them pay payroll taxes. Denying undocumented immigrants essential services has already been tried with Prop. 187, but apart from being completely inhumane and cruel, it was found to be unconstitutional by a federal court.
megang, they all pay sales taxes on what they buy, and many of them pay payroll taxes. Denying undocumented immigrants essential services has already been tried with Prop. 187, but apart from being completely inhumane and cruel, it was found to be unconstitutional by a federal court.
Sure...sales taxes makes up for it. How could I be so stupid. Can I stop paying my federal income taxes and pay sales taxes instead?
Hmm...now there's a post on this site about a budget deficit. I wonder why?
Lou Dobbs should love this one.
I'd like to see him have coffee with Ammiano here someday.
megang, your "me me me" attitude will only fly in the amazon jungle where you are fending for yourself, and aren't responsible for other members of the civilized society that you're a part of. until you make that move, you're just going to have to suck it up and do what you do.
oh - Sweet Melissa has a really great breakdown of the municipal IDs on her blog: http://www.thesweetmelissa.com/
I just hope the library starts taking a deposit when lending out books ... I'd hate to think the Supervisors, not looking past their nose yet again, are enabling the pilfering of our public library.
Kay, actually, I think it takes a village. When the whole village is working together things work a lot more efficiently. I think you missed my point. How is it equal to ask some villagers to pay for public services while others do not? And I'm not talking about people who are mentally or physically unable, but people who are but who are not because they are going around the law.
Do you have to be an undocumented immigrant to get one?
I want one sooooo bad. I'd love to flash it, right next to my ACLU card, every time a cop pulls me over.
Because, megang, the villagers that aren't paying for public services are doing other things to move society along. Or do you think they're just sitting around, playing cards and looking at porn in their spare time? Because if that was the case, restaurants would have dirty dishware, office buildings would be littered with garbage, and replacing a roof on your house would be 3x as expensive. It's not glamorous but someone has to do it.
Excellent point, Kay.
Megang - "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"
Doesn't Canada do a VAT tax (meaning there's a higher percentage of tax on everything that is purchased)? I think as a result, there's no "April 15th" for them.
Wow...trying to have a constructive conversation with someone who doesn't listen is impossible. Kay, why don't you try rereading my posts. I'm not denying that people are working. They are, but are not paying taxes. Huge difference. Maybe I'm just too naive and believe people should not be able to decide which laws to follow and which to break.
I think the Rockridge Institute puts it best:
"Taxes are what we pay to live in a civilized society that is democratic, offers opportunity, and has a huge infrastructure available to all citizens."
megang, please don't become suckafree #2. i know exactly what you are saying, i think you're just walking through it with your eyes closed, or perhaps you're inexperienced in this area.
"Taxes are what we pay to live in a civilized society that is democratic, offers opportunity, and has a huge infrastructure available to all citizens."
this would be applicable to a situation where everyone had the opportunity to become a citizen. if some people do not have said opportunity, they are still entitled to receive benefits from a society that they contribute manual labor to (for the most part - though i dont want to generalize).
Kay, you're right on so many levels. You're the smartest person in the whole wide world. Will you marry me?