Did Hillary throw undocumented workers under the bus?

Apollo11

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:44 AM
Original message

Did Hillary throw undocumented workers under the bus?

Edited on Fri Feb-01-08 10:49 AM by Apollo11

Here's what Hillary Clinton said during last night's debate on CNN:

I believe that in many parts of our country, because of employers who exploit undocumented workers and drive down wages, there are job losses. And I think we should be honest about that.

There are people who have been pushed out of jobs and factories and meat processing plants, and all kinds of settings. And I meet them.

You know, I was in Atlanta last night, and an African-American man said to me, "I used to have a lot of construction jobs, and now it just seems like the only people who get them anymore are people who are here without documentation." So, I know that what we have to do is to bring our country together to have a comprehensive immigration reform solution.

www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/31/dem.debate.transcript/index.html

Some people like Rachel Maddow on MSNBC have interpreted this as saying it is OK to scapegoat latinos.

See: www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x89431

But from where I'm sitting, what Hillary said seems like common sense.

More undocumented workers means it is harder for low-skilled American workers to find jobs.

Or am I missing something here? :eyes:

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MonkeyFunk

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:45 AM
Response to Original message

1. She just lost

the undocumented worker vote!

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Frances

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:50 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. Thanks for the chuckle

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gaiilonfong

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:52 AM
Response to Reply #1

4. She lost more than that

but you wouldn't know it, you are just repeating Taylor Marsh and her boyfriend Craig Crawford DLC ttalking points

NO SALE

http://ruralvotes.com/thefield/?p=409

Click the link and weep Clintonista

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MonkeyFunk

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:55 AM
Response to Reply #4

7. I've never read Taylor Marsh at all

that's the second time you've thrown that at me. I don't know why.

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goldcanyonaz

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:51 AM
Response to Original message

3. Well, she just lost those votes.

Edited on Fri Feb-01-08 10:51 AM by goldcanyonaz

:rofl:

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Tarc

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:52 AM
Response to Original message

5. Hillary has it right

Contrary to some popularly-held beliefs, not all Hispanic-Americans are in favor of driver's licenses, amnesty, etc...for their brethren who are here illegally.

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Phillycat

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:53 AM
Response to Original message

6. No, I agree - her immigration plan was comprehensive and pratical.

What she said was, get 'em legal, get 'em English speaking, get 'em to pay a fine, and then integrate them into the work force. With a legal resident, employers can't pull the kinds of crap they do with undocumenteds, because it's illegal, the workers have recourse. That means a level playing field for everyone. I think you're right.

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Orsino

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:56 AM
Response to Original message

8. Clinton is simply trying to have it both ways.

You and Maddow are both right. Clinton is indirectly scapegoating Latinos and jobs are occupied by illegal aliens.

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flpoljunkie

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:56 AM
Response to Original message

9. ..."People who are here without documentation." Who do you think she means here?

We all know the answer to that, don't we?

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Apollo11

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Fri Feb-01-08 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #9

12. Hillary was addressing the question head-on

Here it is (from the CNN transcript):

This is from Kim Millman (ph) from Burnsville, Minnesota. And she says, "there's been no acknowledgement by any of the presidential candidates of the negative economic impact of immigration on the African-American community. How do you propose to address the high unemployment rates and the declining wages in the African-American community that are related to the flood of immigrant labor?"

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RoadRage

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Fri Feb-01-08 10:58 AM
Response to Original message

10. I'm for Obama.. but don't see anything wrong with that statement..

Honestly, the drivers licenses thing is probably the one issue I disagree with Obama on. How do you make a person who is here ILLEGALLY, legally able to drive? I don't see the political advantage to supporting this position. Most of the people who appreciate it aren't legally able to vote for you anyway.

Obama realized it last night.. he talked around the point - saying that it's probably not much of an issue because by making a legal path to citizenship, they wouldn't need this option anyway. Well then why create it?

It was the part of the debate where I agreed with Hillary.

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OKNancy

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Fri Feb-01-08 11:01 AM
Response to Original message

11. I think a lot of Democratic voters still regard the party as for the working

"man". Now around her working class slobs are looked down on, but a lot of worker bees and middle class folks are hoping they can get their jobs back. I speak especially of the construction trades.
It's not the undocumented workers who are at fault, but the scumbag bosses who like to pay cash under the table.
Hillary and Democrats have compassion for them, but they also have compassion for the legal worker as well.

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TexasObserver

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Fri Feb-01-08 11:04 AM
Response to Original message

13. Hillary was trying to reach Obama's base. He, hers.

I heard their exchanges on the topic and thought she was trying to appeal to his black and male base. He was trying to reach her stronger base in Hispanics. This is politics, and I don't consider it throwing anyone under the bus. They're both legitimate Democratic themes, depending on the audience being schmoozed.

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