Illegal Immigration Hardliner Mitt Romney Hires Undocumented Workers To Tend His Lawn
Illegal Immigration Hardliner Mitt Romney Hires Undocumented Workers To Tend His Lawn
The Boston Globe reports today that for the past decade, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has employed a landscaping company that relies heavily on undocumented Guatemalan immigrants. The company, Community Lawn Service with a Heart, also tended to the lawn at Romney’s son’s house.
When asked by a reporter about his use of Community Lawn Service with a Heart, Romney said, “Aw, geez,” and walked away. But in the past, Romney has been a vocal hardline critic of illegal immigration:
“You have to have a wall or a fence or electronic surveillance. And you have to have a tamper-proof document to make sure that people who are here are aliens are identified and registered, and people can not hire them unless they’re here legally.” [Fox News, 9/19/06]
Governor Mitt Romney is seeking an agreement with federal authorities that would allow Massachusetts state troopers to arrest undocumented immigrants for being in the country illegally. … “It’s one more thing you can do to make this a less attractive place for illegal aliens to come to work,” said Romney. [Boston Globe, 6/21/06]
More on Romney’s immigration views here.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
did he know at the time he was employing them?
December 1st, 2006 at 11:44 amWhen is yew Demmycrats gonna realize that the “RULES” only apply to REGULAR folks??? If Mr. Mitt didn’t have them illegal Mexicans waterin’ the hydrangias, he’d haveta do it HISSELF! And then WHO’D be watchin’ out for FAMILY VALUES???
Dammit!
December 1st, 2006 at 11:45 amAww, Geez, Mitt. Welcome to the real world, where posturing to please the radicals in your party in order to get elected is the price you pay for your soul.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:45 amWould a good Morman do that?
December 1st, 2006 at 11:46 amExpose this jerk for what he is, so he can join the rest of the failed GOP Presidential “hopefuls”.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:46 amAnd so the story goes.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:46 amHere in San Diego County we have hypocrites like this all over the place.
Ooo.. a Republican being a hypocrit… what a… um… surprise.. yeah.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:46 am#1 – Did he care?
December 1st, 2006 at 11:50 amHicoprite, er hippocrate, er no, uh geez crypohit, uh, I can’t think straight, because my lyingbastardometer is bleeping so loud!
December 1st, 2006 at 11:50 amSo you all think he should have asked for the green card for every companies he hires employees? You call a lawn service and say “how much and can I see a copy of all your employees immigration documentation?â€
December 1st, 2006 at 11:52 amFTFA
December 1st, 2006 at 11:55 amRomney’s spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, provided the Globe with a statement saying that the governor knows nothing about the immigration status of the landscaping workers, and that his dealings were with Saenz, who is a legal immigrant from Colombia.
Kevin,
If you are going to run for President, and you speak your beliefs in policy, it would be wise to practice that policy as well. Just sayin’.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:55 amKevin: So you all think he should have asked for the green card for every companies he hires employees? You call a lawn service and say “how much and can I see a copy of all your employees immigration documentation?†– - If you have strong views on illegal immigration and plan on running for president? You bet your ass. DUH.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:56 amSo you all think he should have asked for the green card for every companies he hires employees? You call a lawn service and say “how much and can I see a copy of all your employees immigration documentation?â€
Comment by Kevin — December 1, 2006 @ 11:52 am
If he’s holding or wishes to hold public office, YES!
December 1st, 2006 at 11:56 amWould a good Morman do that?
Comment by Bingo!
Um, yes. In a heartbeat.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:57 amwhats that word again? ya know, not doing what you preach you do? darn it all, what’s that word?
On yeah
December 1st, 2006 at 11:57 amHYPOCRICY
I hope the Lawn company is fined and all the workers are deported. In accordance with the laws. I’m in favor of heavy fines for hiring undocumented workers. And we should build the fence. And before you all start calling me a raciest, I am all for people coming to this country legally and becoming a citizen. I’ll even go so far and say they process could be a little easier. But the open boarder is dangerous.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:57 amMitt must have gotten a reference about how them “little Guatamalen fellas” do a great job job by Conrad Burns in Montana.
-GSD
December 1st, 2006 at 11:58 amAnd now, ladies and gentlemen, the song stylings of Hizz Honor, the Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt “Velvet Throat” Romeny!!
December 1st, 2006 at 11:58 amKevin,
Well, if you’re going to preach as loudly as Mitt does about illegal immigration, yes, he should have. Failing to do so exposes him as the gigantic hypocrite he is.
December 1st, 2006 at 11:59 amis John Edwards a hypocrit”
Former Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart. Edwards campaigns against Wal-Mart, saying it pays its workers too little. The Barnes & Noble where Edwards will hawk his book pays $7 an hour to start. The Wal-Mart next door pays $7.50 an hour. Source: New Hampshire Union Leader
I think so.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:04 pmHe’s also been pro-choice and pro gay rights.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:07 pmAww geez. And after they tried to smear Pelosi with the accusation of employing undocumented workers and paying them less than minimum wage.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:08 pm23, but at Barnes & Noble you’re surrounded by books! ;]
December 1st, 2006 at 12:10 pmI ordered a pizza the other day and I think it got delivered by an illegal alien. Does that mean I support illegal aliens? Face it, we are all indirectly guilty of supporting illegal immigrants based on the standard you are applying to Romney. The only hypocrites are the people bad mouthing Romney on this site.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:11 pmis John Edwards a hypocritâ€
Former Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart. Edwards campaigns against Wal-Mart, saying it pays its workers too little. The Barnes & Noble where Edwards will hawk his book pays $7 an hour to start. The Wal-Mart next door pays $7.50 an hour. Source: New Hampshire Union Leader
I think so.
Comment by Kevin — December 1, 2006 @ 12:04 pm
Your link is busted.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:14 pmWe are all hypocrites and Jesus died because of it. He took care of it for us, its all good. Carry on…
December 1st, 2006 at 12:14 pmOrdering a pizza is the same as a long-term relationship with a landscaping company where the people physically work on your property for hours at a time? Nope, not going to buy that.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:22 pmOne would expect that, given the importance of the issue to Mr. Romney, he would ask his contact at the company regarding the status of the workers. Is that 30-second conversatoin too much work to put one’s beliefs into action?
http://www.gppf.org/article.asp?RT=&p=pub/FridayFacts/12-01-06.htm
December 1st, 2006 at 12:24 pmI ordered a pizza the other day and I think it got delivered by an illegal alien. Does that mean I support illegal aliens?
Comment by Fever
If you were truly against companies who hired illegal immigrants, and you suspected that the delivery person was working illegally, then yes, I’d expect you to make a stand.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:25 pmRefuse said delivery, call said pizza place and demand proof of documentation, and finally, order a pizza from their biggest competitor.
I know it’s tough, especially when that pizza place has the cheapest “pies” around, but hey, a non hypocrites gotta do what a non hypocrites gotta do!
Former Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart. Edwards campaigns against Wal-Mart, saying it pays its workers too little. The Barnes & Noble where Edwards will hawk his book pays $7 an hour to start. The Wal-Mart next door pays $7.50 an hour. Source: New Hampshire Union Leader
This is also why I’m not a Democrat. He probably didn’t even know what B&N pays their employees. The Republicans do things like this because they’re power-hungry morons. The Dems do it because they’re well-meaning morons, but they’re both morons.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:26 pmAnother Republican hypocrite? I tell you, I am shocked, shocked!
December 1st, 2006 at 12:27 pmI ordered a pizza the other day and I think it got delivered by an illegal alien. Does that mean I support illegal aliens?
Comment by Fever
That is the whole idea behind boycotts. You don’t buy from companies that do things that are against your philosophy, so yeah, if you buy a pizza from a place that employs illegal aliens, then you’re supporting hiring illegal aliens because you contribute money to a company that does it. For most of the population it doesn’t matter, and I don’t expect you to know the business practices of every company you come in contact with, but from someone who’s platform for a public office he’s campainging for includes being against illegal aliens, I expect him to check out the companies he does business with.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:36 pmThis story is a good illustration of a problem that’s at the heart of the illegal immigrant controversy.
People come here from Mexico for work. The solution to this problem is not just to build a big expensive wall. One big part of any solution will have to be to crack down on the folks who hire them. The people who gripe about illegal immigrants are often the ones who take advantage of being able to hire them at low wages. And saying you didn’t know the company you hired to do a job relies on illegal immigrants to do the work so it removes you from responsibility for the hypocrisy is a cop-out – as much as Bush blaming his bad decisions on faulty intelligence. (His intelligence is faulty all right – at least we can agree on something)
So Romney is either ignorant of this important aspect of the illegal immigration issue – which makes him unqualified for the job. Or Romney is knowingly participating in supplying jobs to illegal immigrants, which makes him part of the problem and a hypocrite.
Either way, the guy shouldn’t be President of the United States.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:36 pmWhat kind of answer is “Aw geez”? That was a legitimate question and relevant considering his position.
And I think anyone who may reasonably suspect that their lawn care company may be hiring illegals would check. I did with mine and I’m not in public office.
I guess a good Mormon would be too busy reading the Book of Mormon and skip the part of the Bible that says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
December 1st, 2006 at 12:41 pmFormer Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart.
Comment by Kevin
Wal-Mart has a book section?
Go peddle it on the John Edwards thread, Kevin.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:45 pmKikiD and anyone else that thinks hiring illegal immigrants is wrong:
Is your intention to starve them out of the counrty?
December 1st, 2006 at 12:48 pmI also heard that Romney was for choice before he was against it.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:49 pmMaybe,just maybe,he’s acting the same about ‘illegal’s’.
Former Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart.
— Kevin
People usually promote their book at book stores, Duh!!!
December 1st, 2006 at 12:52 pmthat is such a non-story.
Is the US getting out of Iraq?
Watch SEEPROGRESS the new video channel of the Center for American Progress (the same folks who bring you Thinkprogress) featuring original video and clips from major TV appearances – watch CAP’s Joe Cirincione on GMA this morning or PJ Crowley on Paula Zahn last night weigh in on aker Hamilton, or check out Lee Hamilton talking 9/11 with CAP’s Sen Tom Daschle.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=seeprogress
Contribute to the collective genius
December 1st, 2006 at 12:56 pmhttp://www.americanprogress.org
Caption Contest:
“Do I look a little too much like Ted ‘Art’ Haggard, and other greasy evangelicals, for your comfort”?
December 1st, 2006 at 12:57 pmPeople usually promote their book at book stores, Duh!!!
that is such a non-story.
Comment by Wayne — December 1, 2006 @ 12:52 pm
What does THAT have to do with anything?
December 1st, 2006 at 12:57 pmKevin: “But the open boarder is dangerous.” – - I’ll say. I had one of those once and he kept walking to and from the bathroom down the hall stark naked.
December 1st, 2006 at 12:58 pmMormons were racist untill there was a lawsuit against them, then suddenly the current proffet had a “vision” to change 140 years of racism.
Why would any black want to be a mormon with this history of racism?
December 1st, 2006 at 1:00 pmYes they do.
I would love to. But TP does not report hypocrisy from Dems.
He preaches that Wal-Mart is evil because they don’t pay employees enough but pimps his book out at a Barns & Noble that pays less than Wal-Mart. At the least that’s the same thing that you are yelling at Mitt for. At the worst it’s the worst kind of hypocrisy. Mitt paid for a service from a company. Not really a ‘show up at our stores and we will pimp your book’ type deal.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:03 pmKikiD and anyone else that thinks hiring illegal immigrants is wrong:
Is your intention to starve them out of the counrty?
Comment by Fever — December 1, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
Of course not, but I think we need to define “illegal alien” By definition, if you do anything illegal, you should be punished. Wherever we find “illegal” aliens in this country, we should deport them.
The problem comes out of the grey area that many illegals reside in. We want to be caring compassionate people but we can’t just say, anyone who makes it across the border into the United States is automatically a citizen, so SOMEWHERE, you have to draw the line. The controversy is about where that line should be drawn. Once you draw that line, then you exclude anyone on the wrong side of that line, and no matter where you draw the line, someone is going to be upset.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:07 pmYes. Think it will work?
December 1st, 2006 at 1:09 pmJeez…another right-wing hypocrite exposing homself to the world as the fraud that he is.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:13 pmWhat about anyone’s homes, ever had a roof re-done? Ever had someone come to re-pave your driveway? Illegals immigrants are everywhere, and they don’t have signs on them that say “hey, I’m illegal.” Nor do businesses who employ illegal immigrants advertise “proud to employ illegal immigrants”. So how was he supposed to know? How are any of us supposed to know? If we’re really vigilant we can probably find out that just about every congressman, Governor, President and Senator has benefited from the services of an illegal immigrant. The fact that Mitt hired a company that happens to employ immigrants is a non-issue.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:15 pmThis is the same thing as the anti-gay spin from the homosexuals in the GOP. Just replace gay with illegal and homosexual with people that hire illegals.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:15 pmIt doesn’t matter how good he looks. The American electorate is a long way from electing a Mormon to be president. We just tried a modern evangelical, “born-again” christian and we see how that worked out. Religious fanatics must now go to the back of the line.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:15 pmto comment on Mormons being racist: do people realize that the majority of the members of the LDS Church reside outside the United States and are not white.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:19 pm#11–
It’s these sorts of employers that help drive illegal immigration in the first place.
Republicans propose solutions like walls and fences, and jail time for the immigrants themselves, but refuse to address the fundamental cause of the problem–American employers choosing to hire illegal immigrants because it drives their costs down.
If romney were intellectually honest about his position on illegal immigrants, he would be proposing tighter constraints on employers to prevent their hiring of illegals in the first place. But guys like him don’t want to do that because the companies doing the hiring provide campaign contributions.
If you want to decrease/end illegal immigration, you need to 1) impose tighter restrictions and fines on American employers in their hiring practices, and 2) work with Mexico to improve their economy at home so their citizens don’t feel the need to come to the US to survive. This is not rocket science.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:20 pmWhat about anyone’s homes, ever had a roof re-done? Ever had someone come to re-pave your driveway? Illegals immigrants are everywhere, and they don’t have signs on them that say “hey, I’m illegal.†Nor do businesses who employ illegal immigrants advertise “proud to employ illegal immigrantsâ€. So how was he supposed to know? How are any of us supposed to know? If we’re really vigilant we can probably find out that just about every congressman, Governor, President and Senator has benefited from the services of an illegal immigrant. The fact that Mitt hired a company that happens to employ immigrants is a non-issue.
Comment by mcl — December 1, 2006 @ 1:15 pm
It deserved a better answer than “Aw Jeeze” Did he know? Did he even try to find out. He’s running for President. And he believes that hiring illegals is wrong. If he knew, or he made no attempt to find out, then We need to know that. If he didn’t know and tried to find out, then we can let him off the hook.
but “Aw Jeeze”? Come on. At least TRY to come up with a good answer. Even a “I didn’t know” sounds better.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:22 pmIt is mainly what they call dissident Mormons who are the racists, but they are major-league racists. mcl, have you heard the tapes of Warren Jeffs? If you haven’t, I suggest you check them out before you go arguing that Mormons aren’t racists.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:24 pmSowrdsbane:
So you’re drawing the line in the sand at the 12 million people that are here illegally. Do you really think a feasible solution is tracking them down and shipping them out? I’m not suggesting full-on citizenship but it’s time to the reality that illegal immigrants are here to stay and they need to feed their families.
For the Klan members that want to round them up, I have no re-tort.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:24 pmThis Boston Globe piece is yet another of their attempts to support illegal immigration. They spent months putting this together, and all during that time they could have been looking into much more important cases and following the money. This article is sub-National Enquirer.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:25 pmto comment on Mormons being racist: do people realize that the majority of the members of the LDS Church reside outside the United States and are not white. — mcl
History, read history. Enlighten thyself.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:26 pmI live in Mexico.
Mexican government cares 2 f*cks about immigrants who go to US in order to feed their families. We have 60 million people classified as poor. The good neo-liberal economic programs has provided Mexico with more poverty, less jobs and more Wal-Marts. After oil, the greatest income in this country are money sent by mexicans living in the US, so you will see that mexican government wont do anything about it. Far from it, the plan is to keep a tighter grip on the reducing middle class in order to increase the number of people trying to cross the northern border.
In the past mexican administration almost 500,000 people abandoned their homes and crossed the border EACH YEAR. I guess not even the exodus produced by Nazis did that. Entire communities are inhabited by women and children cuz men are in the US trying to feed their families from your country. At this pace, I think mexicans will take Texas back in few more years.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:26 pmComment by Mongo — December 1, 2006 @ 1:20 pm
did you read anything I wrote?
December 1st, 2006 at 1:27 pm#51–
It’s as much of a non-issue as Ted “bottom” Haggard preaching about the evils of homosexuality and providing policy input in this regard to POTUS.
It’s about the hypocrisy of our “leaders” preaching the loudest about how the rest of America needs to behave, but then turning around and doing whatever they want, since they don’t expect the rules they’re pushing on everyone else to apply to themselves.
Democrats aren’t immune, but they should be called out on these issues themselves. Remember Zoe Baird?
December 1st, 2006 at 1:27 pmI love it. Another Republican exposed. Truthfully, I’m glad Romney’s aspirations have been dealt a blow. He looks too much like a Dracula character in a movie might look, the dark, piercing eyes and gray-tinged
December 1st, 2006 at 1:29 pmhair plus the tall, slender frame. All he needs is a cape to complete the picture. I know his appearance has nothing to do with his hypocrisy, but I always found him repulsive.
#62–
Yes. Which is why I responded.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:32 pmJuan: “the plan is to keep a tighter grip on the reducing middle class in order to increase the number of people trying to cross the northern border.”
Exactly. The Fox administration has been actively encouraging this migration for years.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:34 pmSo what is your suggestion??
December 1st, 2006 at 1:34 pmSo you’re drawing the line in the sand at the 12 million people that are here illegally. Do you really think a feasible solution is tracking them down and shipping them out? I’m not suggesting full-on citizenship but it’s time to the reality that illegal immigrants are here to stay and they need to feed their families.
For the Klan members that want to round them up, I have no re-tort.
Comment by Fever — December 1, 2006 @ 1:24 pm
Uh.. I believe I said that the PROBLEM was where to draw the line. I didn’t say where I would draw it, because I don’t know. I don’t know that much about all the problems associated with illegal immigration. I just said that wherever you draw that line, those on the ‘other’ side of it should be deported. You can be as nice as you can be about it, but they can’t stay here.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:37 pmExactly. The Fox administration has been actively encouraging this migration for years.
Comment by Bluedog49
And would say that this all started as back as when Salinas de Gortari signed NAFTA.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:38 pmas back as when Salinas de Gortari signed NAFTA.
Comment by Juan C
Jesus!! I was going to erase that part.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:41 pm#55 Mongo,
December 1st, 2006 at 1:42 pmI think you hit on a really good point. Also it is in times like now, when the middle class and poor are getting squeezed, that people start really noticing things like immigration, THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY! Focus on the real prooblem, electing officals that will do what is right for the majority of people in this country instead of corporate fat cats and people wouldn’t need to bitch about the illegal immigration scapecoat. It all centers around the fact that our elected officials are not taking care of Americans. They are taking care of special interests.
We were once a commpassionate, great society noted for our humanitarianism around the world. Now we nit pick at our neighbors who are trying to get by just like us. If our middle and lower classes were being takenn care of, this would be a non issue. Take a look at Maslow’s heirarchy of needs. Until survival needs are met, you cannot grow as a person to love and be commpassionate. Why is our once great nation reverting back to “survival” mode? We can be better than this.
Swordsbane & Kevin:
I don’t think there is any rationale/humane way to get rid of them and I believe immigrants provide a lot more positive influences to our economy versus negative inluences. It’s a win win problem. Pointing fingers at Romney is just another way Democrats avoid the issue.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:13 pmI gave you the way.
Stiff fines for employers hireling undocumented workers.
Deportation of undocumented aliens caught for small crime.
The Big Wall. Guarded.
So far, my plan does not suggest shooting anyone in the face.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:21 pmSwordsbane & Kevin:
I don’t think there is any rationale/humane way to get rid of them and I believe immigrants provide a lot more positive influences to our economy versus negative inluences. It’s a win win problem. Pointing fingers at Romney is just another way Democrats avoid the issue.
Comment by Fever — December 1, 2006 @ 2:13 pm
If that’s truly the case, then every illegal immigrant now in this country deserves citizenship. If they do more good than harm, then why treat them like non-citizens at all? Why not simply open the borders?
December 1st, 2006 at 2:22 pmThis is not about hypocrisy. This is about the Boston Globe trying to tear Mitt down. It’s interesting — the Globe ran an article on Kerry about the 5 houses he and Teresa own and I don’t remember them investigating whether their lawn service employed any illegals… wonder why not?
Actually I’m glad this came out now — will be gone as an issue before the real campaign comes aong
December 1st, 2006 at 2:28 pmKevin:
Your views are shared by the extreme right wing of the Republican party, labor unions and the KKK. Enjoy your next lynching.
Swordsbane:
Just like Romney said: “have a tamper-proof document to make sure that people who are here are aliens are identified and registered” You’re the one talking about citizenship.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:41 pmActually I’m glad this came out now — will be gone as an issue before the real campaign comes aong
Comment by Cynicon Implant — December 1, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
The Democrats are sure to bring it up when the time comes, but chances are Mitt will do something even more bone-headed later that will make this look trivial.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:42 pm#53 bluedog
My sentiments exactly.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:48 pmWe’ve seen what a born again evangelical can do – I don’t want to try a mormon.
Again. I’m accused of being a raciest because I don’t agree with you. I could point out that progressives sound like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but I don’t.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:54 pmKevin:
“Stiff fines for employers hireling undocumented workers.”
In other words you want to starve them and ruin our economy in the process. But yes, you won’t go as low as lynching them.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:24 pmJohn Edwards is campaigning on evil Wal-Mart pay scale but pimps his book at Barns & Noble that pays less. ROTFL!!
— Kevin
Have you read the book Kevin?
Or are you saying you are psychic?
The book covers much much more than wages. Your argument falls flat, like so many of your posts.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:30 pmIn other words you want to starve them and ruin our economy in the process. But yes, you won’t go as low as lynching them.
— Fever
Companies should be fined for hiring undocumented workers, its the law. Bushco has not been enforcing the laws.
Bad argument there.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:34 pmI don’t want them to starve. I want them to go home. And if companies need to raise prices to accommodate the wages of there employees then that’s what needs to happen. Simple.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:34 pmKevin:
My bad, because money grows on trees, I’ll just plant more trees and now I can afford to pay more for all those things I buy.
And I’m sure all the immigrants will quietly go back to places like El Salvador, Russia and Cuba. You’re going to have to shoot them in the face.
By the way, adultery is against the law in Massachusetts should we prosecute all the adulterers as well.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:57 pmBet you support a minimum wage hike. That would do the same thing.
Has anyone ever been shot while deporting?
has anyone been locked up for that lately?
December 1st, 2006 at 4:03 pmWhen asked by a reporter about his use of Community Lawn Service with a Heart, Romney said, “Aw, geez,†and walked away.
Well, at least he said something before walking away.
December 1st, 2006 at 4:12 pm1) A minimum wage hike assists in making illegal immigrants cheaper than hiring citizens. But for whatever it’s worth I oppose even having a minimum wage.
2) I was just pointing out that immigrants are here to stay even if you try to starve them out.
3) Of the 12,000,000 illegal immigrants a small fraction actually gets prosecuted. I was just pointing out that illegal immigration laws are just as effective as adultery laws.
December 1st, 2006 at 4:18 pmI think his reaction is one of surprise. He was obviously blindsided by the question. He must not have know the people he hired in good faith to have honest employees didn’t. He had a moment of embarrassment and he knew you folks would be all over it.
December 1st, 2006 at 4:32 pmMe too. What a small world.
I’m no expert but I’m sure starving them out would work.
Of the 12,000,000 illegal immigrants a small fraction actually gets prosecuted. I was just pointing out that illegal immigration laws are just as effective as adultery laws.
Comment by Fever — December 1, 2006 @ 4:18 pm
December 1st, 2006 at 4:37 pm
“Aw Geez” That the best answer that a Gov. Mitt Romney, welcome to the real world that we are living in today. I’snt ironic that a Governer that is so out spoken about undocumented workers ends hiring a company, that relies on undocumented workers, to do take care of his lawn. In other words he is giving paying for a service a job that is not being filled by American Citizens, thanks to this great country work is abundant and our economy is growing, simple economics explains to us that with a growing economy we need more and more workers to give us a greater output as a nation, a greater GDP. So l say “lets be realistic about our nation, and come to a common ground where these law abying good people, to come out of the shadows, and be a become part of this great nation, we all know this is the LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.”
December 1st, 2006 at 5:35 pmHigh school must be out. B(un)truthfull is on.
ROTFL!!!
Former Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart. Edwards campaigns against Wal-Mart, saying it pays its workers too little. The Barnes & Noble where Edwards will hawk his book pays $7 an hour to start. The Wal-Mart next door pays $7.50 an hour. Source: New Hampshire Union Leader
And you need to read all the post. You missed out on all the good stuff.
December 1st, 2006 at 6:19 pm
“Mitt.”
That is all.
December 1st, 2006 at 8:50 pmMost conversations re immigration concern the rights or lackof rights for illegal and legal immigrants. But what if the brown person is an American? I am of Mexican descent, born and raised in Texas. My children are brown-skinned like me. How will immigration officials approach the possibility of discriminating against Americans of Mexican descent? Two of my three children have served in the Marine Corps, one of them being a veteran of the Iraq war. The third is married to a Navy man. All have attended or are attending college. How much more American can a person be? Still, would it be right for some cop or other self-appointed citizen to demand that my kids show proof of legality just because they are brown-skinned? Where do we draw the line?
December 1st, 2006 at 9:30 pmif companies need to raise prices to accommodate the wages of there employees then that’s what needs to happen. Simple.
Comment by Kevin
Sure…in la la land. You must think CEO´s and owners of corporations work as hard as the guy who cleans the toilets. Corporations raise prices when they are a monopoly or agree with other related corporations. They couldnt care less about their workers. I would encourage you to know what the meaning of surplus is.
The lie that several companies competing for the same market produces a drop in prices has been debunked a long time ago. What brings down the prices is another, more efficient, way of production. Ask James Watt or Henry Ford.
December 2nd, 2006 at 12:47 amComment by william stuckey — December 2, 2006 @ 3:39 am
Meet me, and we’ll settle this, coward.
December 2nd, 2006 at 5:01 amIt’s not illegal to hire these guys, is it? But everyone’s doing it! Unethical? Ah, I see.
December 2nd, 2006 at 6:45 amFormer Sen. John Edwards recently promoted his new book at the Manchester, N.H., Barnes & Noble, in front of the local Wal-Mart. Edwards campaigns against Wal-Mart, saying it pays its workers too little. The Barnes & Noble where Edwards will hawk his book pays $7 an hour to start. The Wal-Mart next door pays $7.50 an hour. Source: New Hampshire Union Leader
B&N pays $7.00/hr to START….Wal-Mart next door pays $7.50/hr – is that a starting wage as well?
I do know this: the B&N employee will get pay increases, the Wal-Mart employee will not.
There’s no discussion regarding other benefits: employee discounts, health insurance benefits, etc.
If you’re going to smack someone down, there has to be proportion – and truth.
December 2nd, 2006 at 8:48 amInvest in a good spelling & English grammar book while you’re at it. It’s “their employees” [there is a place; they're = a contraction of they are; and, their = possessive]. It bolsters your argument when you use grammar & all correctly. Otherwise you look like a dumb ass.
December 2nd, 2006 at 8:51 amDo you really believe any business owner would say, “Gee, Mr. Romney, we do hire illegal workers?” That would make him even dimmer than you.
December 2nd, 2006 at 12:40 pmStaunch Dem – you’re a staunch dem and you’d exchange your values because someone dropkicked “A good old fashioned wholesome American icon” because he’s not.
No, I’m thinking you’re a liar. You’re neither staunch nor a democrat. (And Mittsie is a Rethug.)
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:20 pmThe issue is not whether the Boston Globe is trying to tear Romney down. The issue is the Globe pointing out his hypocrisy, pure and simple. While Romney is vocallly opposed to illegal immigrants, he patronizes businesses that employ them. To my knowledge, John Kerry has not adopted a similarly stringent policy against illegal immigrants. So, whether he has had them do any work at any of his and Teresa’s houses would not be as important a story.
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:40 pm#38 He was looking for that new Left Behind book.
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:13 pm#56 And the woman they interviewed said good ole Mitt always had a “buenos dias” for them. Yeah, he couldn’t have put 2 and 2 together. Actually, it is probably true, the typical Republican is not too bright and Mitt is all too typical.
December 2nd, 2006 at 7:16 pmAre you saying that we should suspect everyone who speaks Spanish of being illegal? That’s stereotyping and profiling, isn’t it?
December 3rd, 2006 at 2:29 amYeah, if Romney HAD asked, we would be having the same conversation, except about how Romney’s a racist and a bigot for having the audacity to ask his brown-skinned gardener’s brown-skinned employees if they are legal or not.
December 4th, 2006 at 12:20 pmWhat a bunch of dorks! You think Romney had a responsibility to check up on all of his landscaper’s employees? I can see it now… Romney might say “Excuse me Mr. Landscape Company Owner, may I see the citizenship records of each of your employees?” and the landscape company owner says, “Woohoo, I just won the lottery, because I’m going to sue you for asking such a thing!” What a buch of dorks…
December 6th, 2006 at 7:44 pm