Lawmakers should find a real issue

To the editor:

It is not surprising that the legislators with the two least productive records of the 2007 session would trot out the immigration bogeyman (Review-Journal, July 11). Assemblyman Bob Beers claims that immigration is the No. 1 concern of his constituents. If that were true Mr. Beers should have run against the ineffective incumbent in his congressional district who has done nothing to address immigration concerns. That would be Rep. Jon Porter.

Mr. Beers and Assemblyman Ty Cobb instead choose to waste taxpayers money on legislation that is admittedly federal in scope and outside of the jurisdiction of the Legislature. If Mr. Beers and Mr. Cobb were testing to take the civics portion of the naturalization exam they would be given a failing grade. As legislators their grade is pretty near ground level now.

Legislators such as Mr. Beers and Mr. Cobb wrap themselves in anti-immigrant rhetoric to avoid the hard questions that Nevada voters are really concerned about. Why are there such a high level of foreclosures and houses for sale in the districts represented by Mr. Cobb and Mr. Beers? Why are citizens facing massive cutbacks in services? Why are Republicans such as Mr. Beers and Mr. Cobb slavishly following the failed "no new taxes" mantra of Gov. Jim Gibbons? Instead why are they not proposing legislation that relieves the burden of the taxpayers by demanding that corporations pay their fair taxes?

Mr. Beers and Mr. Cobb choose to divert attention from the real issues.

Neither Mr. Cobb nor Mr. Beers offers a scintilla of evidence that undocumented people are voting or are receiving benefits that are prohibited to them. It is much easier for Mr. Beers and Mr. Cobb to use McCarthy/Rove tactics to try to distract voters from what really matters.

Are the voters in those districts going to be bamboozled by the divisive rhetoric or are they going to throw the bums out?

Vicenta Montoya

LAS VEGAS

THE WRITER IS CHAIR OF SÍ SE PUEDE DEMOCRATIC CLUB OF SOUTHERN NEVADA.

To the editor:

Bravo to the Two Nevada assemblymen (Bob Beers and Ty Cobb) for taking the initiative to file bills targeting illegal immigrants. The states have been forced to take some action since the federal government (primarily at the direction of our do-nothing Congress and administration) refuses to enforce current immigration laws.

Unfortunately these are mostly symbolic gestures, as it appears that our country's leaders sanction lawbreakers. We all know why the federal government won't do anything; it's called pressure from the businesses/employers that greatly benefit from the "cheap" undocumented labor as even President Bush has said on occasion.

It really boils down to this: Who are the real lawbreakers, the illegal immigrants or the businesses and groups that hire and protect them?

Federal law is very clear on aiding and abetting person(s) who are illegally in this country. Yet it appears that from top down we have politicians, businesses, employers, states (drivers licenses), banks (credit cards), churches, unions, etc. that gain from the illegal immigrants working here and are thus willing to break federal laws.

These individuals and groups should be prosecuted in accordance with the current laws pure and simple. Where does it end? If the immigration laws can be ignored, what is next? I wonder what the reaction from the politicians would be if 20 million taxpayers "decided to break the law" and quit paying all forms of taxes?

If we truly need these unskilled workers to fill these so-called jobs that Americans won't do then set up the much discussed guest worker program. The employers should pay the full costs of taxes, social welfare requirements and guarantees to provide even some type of health care coverage. However, I am sure those businesses and employers will squeal at this proposal since they won't be able to pay under the table and make their fortunes with undocumented workers.

No amnesty. It did not work when Ronald Reagan did it, so let's don't make that mistake again.

Congress, are you listening??

Stephen G. Kilp

MESQUITE