You're probably right about this being targeted at the election, and the said thing is that it will probably work. Especially if Obama is dumb enough to listen to the lefties and "fight the Arizona law."

The basic problem here is that illegal immigration is running rampant, and anyone who is not an illegal immigrant or the employer of illegal immigrants is pissed off about it. I've always said that if we start giving employers of illegals substantial jail terms, and illegal immigration will stop pretty damn quick. To use your terms, throw the country club manager and board into jail for a year for each illegal hired, while at the same time deporting the illegals. That will reduce demand and reduce supply. And, oh, help increase wages, increase collection of taxes, decrease uninsured medical costs . . . etc.

As usual, many fine points missed again by supporters of the poor downtrodden immigrants who are just trying to make a living and escape a corrupt and filthy country, like Mexico, who has squandered it's rich cultural and natural treasures and will repeat that north of their own border. Palast and others miss the fact that the American taxpayer wallet is open, being drained by free education, birthing, health care, and societal institutions built by the toils of previous generations of legal immigrants and Americans. When the wallet is empty, then what?

And to add insult to injury...No one is addressing the reason people are migrating north from Mexico and Central America: They are escaping the ravages of NAFTA and the "war on drugs". The wealthy Mexican government has decided to deal with poverty by letting the poor die or look for jobs in the US. Meanwhile the same culprits rake in the profits.... the military, security, prison complex.
Google: Charles Browden on Sonali Kohatkar’s show, Uprising or on Democracy Now. His latest book is: Murder City: Ciudad Juárez and the Global Economy’s New Killing Fields”.

There are two points I'm compelled to make - number one, the beneficiaries of illegal immigrants, by and large are employers.
Second, the modern conservative is to 'traditional values' as Dick Cheney is to hunting. Believing in a type of social darwinism like a captive pheasant hunt, this fearful, passive-aggressive namby-pamby 'conservative' movement is so dependent upon paranoia, xenophobia and protectionism one might mistake them for cowards.

So, in an apotheosis of hypocrisy, they hire illegals while railing about them, cut budgets for education, infrastructure and better opportunities for the future, while joining the 'tea party' corporate militias. What a country!

Post A.

The governor would have vetoed this bill if she had her way, because just like John McCain, they're part of the same One and Only Republico-Democrat Party that's handed our national borders over to the corporations. The reason why she didn't is because she has a tough primary to run in. What the Republicans are most interested in, is defeating the immigration bill for the Democrats, just as the Democrats wanted it defeated during Bush's term. Neither wants the other to claim the victory and "get" the new votes from new citizens.

Meanwhile, 35 million Americans are out of work. Many of these individuals in the camp - could leave and apply legally in FREEDOM from their own countries, if they would just go.

I agree it would be a good thing to put a stop to illegal immigration. At the same time is the solution stopping everyone who 'looks like they might be an alien' in one State in America and asking them for their birth certificate really any kind of solution? And of course, the birth certificate in no way indicates what their current citizenship is, only where they were born. I understand about the funding needed to provide services for illegal immigrants, but that's not at all what this attempt to force Americans to have 'identity cards' is about. It's a nasty, unAmerican (from the perspective of an immigrant) law designed to make the lives of 'not 'American' looking people' miserable. By the way did you know that masses of illegal immigrants are from the Ukraine and Russia, etc? Not in Arizona, but try Chicago and New York. But they look 'right' I guess by some weird standard suddenly in effect.

I'm an Arizonan and I was at the Sunday demonstration. Voter registration was in progress.

You bet it's terrifying to the Republican infrastructure in AZ. Legal Hispanics, voting? You bet.

Brewer doesn't have a chance in hell of being elected Governor, incidentally. Not even with all the crookedness possible.

Our wallets are NOT empty. The US still pays FAR less in taxes than any other first world country. The wallet will be empty when Americans destroy our future by refusing to pay taxes to support the education of ALL our people.

Then we will be a nation of uneducated, narrow minded folks, losing our competitive edge in education and know-how to those countries willing to support strong, universal education, and health care that insures all kids, including the poor are born and stay healthier.

It is happening already. Canada not only provides cheaper post-secondary education and free health care. It emerged from the financial difficulties we created under Bush with a MUCH stronger economy than the US. Wake up America!

22:11, as far as I'm concerned the illegal Russians and Ukranians can go back too.

Hey Kite,

Why don't you fly on over to Canada, we might be able to find you a job. And if the clime is too chilly, you could just as easily ride your thermal draft on into Mexico. I hear its a westernized, industrialized place with health care, schools and everything! What you waitin' fer?

Responding to"
"all americans do have to live by the rules of our country---if they do want to be here as americans they they should go through all the proper ways for it all to be legal---this is not about racial thingit is all about our frredom we all do have in the USA--and also all this election thing is BS--to many want it to sound that way just to get what they want--we americans want it to be just like it is for us !!!!!"

You are being ridiculous. The reason why this law is so terrible is because it targets American citizens of Hispanic descent. They are here legally and they do "live by the rules of our country," but they now can be victimized if they don't have papers, thanks to this new law. That' what's upsetting about the law. Also, how does the presence of illegal aliens in this country jeopardize your "frredom" (how about proofreading). I'm tired of people, whenever they don't like something, just saying it's a question of freedom. This whole controversy is not about YOUR freedom, it's aout THEIRS!!!

Brewer is running for the Governors seat plain and simple. Had she vetoed the law, she would have been castigated by the conservative right. Terry Goddard,the Arizona Attorney General opined that it WOULD NOT pass Constitutional muster, so she signed it anyway. It was a win-win for her, it gave the Republican controlled state legislature a "feel-ggod" moment, but it will have no effect EXCEPT to enrage the considerable Hispanic community in Arizona and the Democratic Base.

It will also give a much needed push for comprehensive Immigration reform, which the Republican Party DO NOT want to tackle as it is a very divisive issue and one they will not look good on.

The winners are actually the Az. Democratic party and the Dems in the US Congress that will now have a rallying cry.. that is until the law is thrown out.

The bigger point--none of us are safe. Any of us can be pulled over in a police state. You might want to remove all bumper sticker because an offended cop can pull you over. I guess Arizona needs to rearrange the letters to truly reflect the state's name ARONAZI.

Since when has Truthout become the posting site for racist anti-immigrant hate-mongers? Maybe it's time Truthout required people register before posting?

Anyway, Arizonans and other Sunbelt yahoos didn't mind when their states were 'stealing' good union paying jobs from northern - now rustbelt - states.

These scumbag 'right to work' states have always lived off the hard labor of minorities - whether in the fields or mines. Some of the worst anti-worker abuses in US history occurred in Arizona. This is the same Arizona we read about today.

Racist, hateful and full of ugly pitiful 'white' men and women with shriveled leather like hides - much like Jan Brewer.

22:37, This rallying cry of "racist" every time someone wants our immigration and labor laws to be enforced, and every time the corporations want their anarcho liberalism to keep the money flowing (to them -- and with their slave labor) is b.s. "missing details" RIGHT. What about the missing detail of 35 million unemployed Americans? Handing this to the police is the Democrat's call to ride the "racism cry" to more corporate hand-outs, like our bogus health care reform that still hasn't happened, along with jobs for Americans. Democrats and Republicans. A grand old party. A grand old team.

What other country could you get into without the correct papers? How about Mexico!!!! You need all your paperwork in Mexico and you better not got caught trying to sneak across their border.

I always have my drivers license and am ready to show it to any policeman if necessary. WTF why do I have to have ID and these illegals don't????

Does anyone think it's "racist," what the Mexican government is doing to its own people? Sending them across to the United States illegally, rather than their corrupt wealthy classes sharing some of their own, or actually doing something to employ people in Mexico?

"Little detail" missed. People can leave those camps and be free as the wind. Back in their own country.

Gee we have airplanes and cars and telephones nowadays.

Do you know what's just as bad as teabaggers? Ridiculous conspiracy driven liberal assholes. I am about as liberal as they get, but the fact that you spew this bullshit that the G.O.P. is trying to steal the election with this law? Get serious. Arizona may be full of racist people, but if you think this is some sort of facist ploy to arrest thousands of people on election day, you're just as far gone as the person who says dinosaurs roamed the earth 2000 years ago. Get real, and add something to social discourse.

Thanks, Greg Palast, and Bobby Kennedy for putting it all in multi-color perspective. An important framing at this very important moment.

Palast is good in telling us the Arizona law was designed to get the governor elected by telling Arizonans to scapegoat the poorest, most defenseless people. The Arizona law won't help anybody get decent jobs nor will it make anybody safer. Scapegoating does give a lot of angry Arizonans a place to put their anger--poor Latinos--so they don't direct their anger at the elites who really caused them to lose out.

During the 1930s many Mexicans were deported back to Mexico, so white Okies replaced them in the California fields, got beaten, got underpaid, got expelled and blacklisted for trying to get a union. How many unemployed whites want to repeat that experience?

Arrest employers and deport illegal workers. It's simple and it would work if someone had the cajones to back it up.

J ALBERT>>>>>>>>>>"Maybe it's time Truthout required people register before posting?"

----
So what, you don't want people allowed on the website without proper checks and documentation?

What are you, some kind of racist?

Any Arizonan who says that this is not a racist law directed at Hispanics is talking through his or her hat. The only people who will have to worry about carrying proof of citizenship are Hispanic-looking folks. We white folk here know we can all relax. My Hispanic relatives are legal but they have been stopped for driving while Hispanic numerous times. When you hear that a huge majority supports this disgraceful law, pay attention to the hypocrisy--This is a state that went bananas against the Real ID --because that would have affected white folk too. The stories of a terrifying crime wave we are enduring in AZ is hype too --How about focusing our law enforcement on drug trafficking by whites & hispanics both instead of wasting resources stopping people for BEING Hispanic. Wow that might actually be risky.

The racism evidenced by all the commenters feigning astonishment that someone would take this to be racist, is astonishing.

The law is unconstitutional because (a) it is using the police to do what the federal government is supposed to do; and (b) we are protected under the 4th amendment from police stopping people without evidence of criminal behavior to ask questions. I agree that it's acceptable in many western countries today, and for legitimate reasons, and that there's a double-standard for Americans who are being royally screwed -- but I don't think it's legal under American law. It IS legal and appropriate IMO for the governor to establish a heavier national guard watch at the border .. why they haven't done for so many years .. everyone knows, it's the corporations who the Republicans and the Democrats in Washington D.C. work for. I am guessing the Federal government can legally go in, set up road blocks, stop cars and check them .. for a given number of reasons .. but there is not a lot of information on what they COULD be doing in that way and haven't been. But that is who should be handling it and isn't.

Re my comment about it being unconstitutional (because the police are doing what the federal government is supposed to do), another poster elsewhere gave a good example IMO .. it's like a cop stopping you on the street to inquire about whether you've filed your income tax returns.

A large band of the Kickapoo tribe, formerly of Michigan, now reside in Mexico. Indians were forced south and west, and many made it into what was then Mexico (now Texas, Nevada, California, New Mexico, and yes, Arizona, and survived by taking on a Spanish name, learning that language, and converting to Catholicism.
So, "lost" tribes like the Sac, Sauk, and Fox didn't die out, but became "Mexicans."

@14:37 -- and there are "racists" on both sides BTW. Some on the Mexican sides are unbelievably NASTY. Some quite "legally." Here in the U.S. now, thanks to *generosity* of our federal government run by BOTH Republicans and Democrats. Corrupt, sold out, without national allegience. Corporate allegiance is what they have.

By the 'reasoning' of some people here, anyone who isn't a full-blooded Cherokee should be deported back to Europe. Obviously the Arizona law targets people for whom Spanish is their first language. How many Cold warriors in the 50s-80s would be shocked to see how close we are to Soviet-style society? Revising history, 'disappearing' the inconvenient, the elimination of large chunks of the Bill of Rights, 'I must see your papers!'
The solution to the immigration issue is quite simple. Stiff penalties, up to and including jail, for those who hire undocumented workers. Work to improve conditions in places like Mexico instead of ruthlessly exploiting them. Look, xenophobes, if you were trying to feed your family on $4 a day south of the border, but you could make $4 an hour washing dishes in Tucson, you'd do it too. Yes, even if you had to sneak in.

Greg palast is ignoring one very important fact about the Arizona debacle: Nearly ONE-THIRD of Arizona's population is Mexican-American -- and they vote.

Just ask the Republicans in California who pushed through the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 in 1994. Since then, only one Republican -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, himself an immigrant from Austria -- has won statewide in California.

What happened? Hispanic voters -- who make up 40 percent of the Golden State's electorate -- turned out in record numbers to send dozens of California Republicans packing. The state's GOP has been wandering in the political wilderness ever since.

Think the same thing won't happen in Arizona? Think again.

Is there any value in "being an American" that should call for the simple requirement to become one openly and honestly; i.e. legally?

I can't think of any other country in the world where I could enter and simply roam around - let alone partake in that country's taxpayer-funded services without (for me) negative repercussions.

The writer shows the worst of political thought-twisting: to call into question the human-value thinking of those who simply want the see the published rules (laws) followed. Are you saying the Democrats are willing to put their own interests above the country's? The phrase "rule of law" is not outdated; it reflects our best intentions for fairness and justice for each of us. I am an American who understands and values the meaning behind the phrase and the fundamental freedom it upholds.

A politician who will set aside basic fundamental social contracts (constitution et al) to apply their own definition of fairness is dumb. Democrats who wants to do this to fatten their voter rolls are anti-American.

This will always be a problem when people can look at one another and decide on differences to make them more superior. I am mexican and white and respect both sides equally. I despise the fear tactics and the idiots that buy into them. Immigration may be an issue to alot of people. None of them which I know but assuming their out there and they aren't just biggots this is besides the point. How did we get to me being stopped and questioned of my nationality without cause? This is the main route and the death of the freedom everyone brags about but is so willing to forfeit to keep some darn beaners out. If you cant do it without protecting actual citizens rights you dont just start stamping mexicans with barcodes. You dont think an immigrant wouldnt mind being taxed to legally work here and not be exploited? This is the way it is and yes it has to stop but please have some damned compassion for people outside of your bubble. I live in Arizona and I dont see too many taxes that are wasteful besides the ones that fund wars which most Bush fans didnt blink an eye for, But make it about something good like health care and you're gonna have a good ol country a$$ woopin yeee haw, Idiots

OBAMA: They see these elections as a chance to put their allies back in power and to undo all that we've accomplished. So this year I need your help once more. It will be up to each of you to make sure that the young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again.

RUSH: And the accompanying news story -- we got two of them here -- one of them from the Washington Post: "President Barack Obama will declare his stake in the November midterm elections for the first time today as his Democratic Party announces an ambitious strategy to appeal to independent voters in its quest to maintain control of Congress." And so Obama and Democrats appeal to new voters in midterm -- who are the new voters? Who are the new voters, folks? Didn't he get the youth vote? Didn't he get the black vote? Didn't he get the legal Latino vote? Didn't he get the female vote? Okay, so who are these, uh, new voters in the midterms? Who are they, and why all of a sudden announce an immigration plan that doesn't exist? There is no immigration bill that has been written. This is all about saving Harry Reid's bacon. Large Hispanic population in Nevada, it's all about saving the Democrats. That's the new voters. This is a targeted push at Latino voters, both legal and illegal. The Politico is handling this today: "Obama seeks to reconnect young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women for 2010."

If you find yourself blaming the person in your neighborhood with the least amount of political power (illegal immigrants - political power = 0) ask yourself who's actually getting away with the loot. Interesting that Brewer pulled the trigger on this controversy as Congress debated Wall Street reform.

Doesn't seem like immigrants working here illegally are taking our jobs - those moved to places like China, Vietnam, and Malaysia because of Reagan's tax cuts for the rich, union busting, destruction of our tariff system, and 30 years of anti-Labor policy of Republicans and Conservative Democrats that we've suffered since.

Even if our biggest problem really was illegal immigrants stealing our jobs, wouldn't it be simpler to use the existing lawsto bust illegal employers? Then we can have the crap jobs the Conservative Revolution left behind all to ourselves.

Unfortunately, until we undo the Reagan tax cuts and reinstitute some sort of protected domestic industry using tariffs jobs will continue to hemorrhage and our wages will continue fall - because it's not immigrants keeping them low - it's poor people overseas working at the butt of a US-made gun (my tax dollars again) for a US-based corporation - probably one that probably pays no US taxes.

If anyone is reading this, someone should file a class action suit against all officials involved in denying voter registration to legals, since clearly it is legals who are being denied. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, so the burden of proof that one is not an illegal properly being denied voter registration falls upon those who would take it away. If 200 out of 200 were denied illegally, that is a good basis for filing civil and criminal charges against the powers that be.

A correction: Matt Barreto is a professor at the University of Washington, not Washington State University.

It's funny to me how many people are crying "racism", and in the same breath calling the people of Arizona "white trash" or "ugly white people".

The law is abhorrent, but not because it seeks to enforce immigration laws, but because it authorizes the sharing of personal information with the DHS. It is a revival of real ID...

Immigration reform, as "big government" folks want, will include a national ID card. It will be all of us, who will be required to show our papers.

Oppose this law because it increases police power over American citizens...not because it hurts illegal immigrants.

AMNESTY NOW

Greg Palast can go pound sand, he's an ARSE HOLE!

he's a 9/11 TRUTH DENIER like Noam Chumpsky, and Amy Goodboner, and Rachel MadCow and Thom Fartmann, et-al.

another 'fear mongering' device this time by the LEFT WING turds with no brain. Palast has no more credibility than a dog's fart has, after his not knowing shit from shinola on 9/11 treason.

The Fast Cure for Illegals in the Country
A very large reason that illegals come here is for jobs. They are the capitalists wet dreams, the perfect disposable employee! They work for pennies on the dollar and can't complain because they're illegally here - they don't dare. They can't strike for higher wages, and they don't cost their employer benefits - money that is redirected for profits. By the way, this Cheap Labor philosophy is the same reason the jobs of the White Republican "Middleclass" (now teabaggers) was outsourced first to women, then blacks, then Mexico, then to China).

The Cure? It is likely against the law in AZ to hire illegals - so...when an illegal is found working for a big businessman, throw that CEO into jail, without bail till their trial comes up.

In a week, no more jobs for illegals, no more illegals!

Gee, then the employers might have to hire Americans at the Minimum Wage! How awful!

I too am thinking along the same lines as the author. I do hope there is massive organization of Hispanics before election. The cynical side of me says everyone is gonna die of thirst anyway due to the extreme, but under reported, water issues in that region.

I call it the 'Turd Bucket Theory'.
Human nature as a 'Pack' mentality, is to assert from Alpha to the bottom of the pile(Inside the Turd Bucket) a pecking order or control order to lift the Alpha out of responsibility for mistakes in his/her leadership and placing the bottom member as the 'Turd Bucket'.
George Bush ordered the questionable attack of Iraq under the premises of WMD. No WMD--find a 'Turd Bucket' now! Karl Rove, sneaky fella, said why don't we assert a universal 'Turd Bucket'? WMD should no longer be the 'Reason', let's sleight-of-hand misdirect toward 'Illegal Immigration' to be the new 'Turd Bucket'. After all we need to disseminate away from no WMD and besides, the new "Illegal Aliens (Mexicans)" don't vote Repub anyway. Many Birds with one stone. We can blame all of our misdeeds from WMD to ad infinitem to the new 'Turd Bucket'.

The problem of "Illegal Immigration" was lifted up and dusted of and light on fire from then on. After all if we think that is our biggest problem, then all the other screw ups won't receive the attention they are due.

Arizona has the toughest Employer Sanctions Law in the country. Yet, in the 28 months it has been in effect, only TWO employers have been sanctioned. TWO!!! The sanction, by the way is a 10 day suspension of the business license for the first offense, loss of the business license for a second offense within a year. Note that Maricopa County, Arizona's largest, has referred over 4,000 people to ICE for deportation.

...this is the issue here, business runs this country. People, get involved in internet activism, there are more organizations focused on these problems (albeit mostly individually) then ever before. I'm talking about reform - we must get rid of collusion (its on a massive scale) "All acts affected by collusion are considered void" Find common ground...

Right-on! See what we're up against? Why do We the People allow anti-American, anti-Constitution, anti-liberty "Rovians", or Karl-Rove-like traitors to this country, and anti-liberty, anti-Constitution, anti-American traitors to this country like Obama to carry out and get away with tactics like this? What is this country coming to (if I didn't already know---a corporate-fascist police state)? Bring on the revolution if it isn't already too late! Because a revolution and a rebellion of the majority of Americans, and taking this Constitutional republic "back" (and/or restoring it to a Constitutional republic if it ever really was), is our only earthly hope! Otherwise, everything that is happening points out that we are done for as a Truly Sovereign, Free, Independent Nation and People.

There are a lot of venomous statements being tossed around here. As well as some huge assumptions. Not only caucasians support that Arizona’s new immigration law, I am a minority and am all for it, wish other states would hitch up to the wagon. The answer to all the ills of this country do not lye solely on our inability to control our boarders nor do they lye on the immigrants who exploit that in ability. It is in our inability to make decisions which make us look mean spirited or feel uncomfortable. The number of people who cross our boarders both legal and illegally do so for a better life, it does not matter from which country the come. So to give the appearance that we don't care about their struggles and desire for a better life not only for themselves, but their families would paint us as cold maybe even callous. The number always being thrown around is 12 million. When I see this it always makes me wonder, 12 million what? 12 million illegals from all cultural make ups(would tend to believe number would be higher)? The real truth is to say that all persons here illegally are a burden on our country is a lie. It it also a lie to say that there is no burden at all. As a country we cannot ensure that all legal citizens born or sworn have their basic needs food, shelter, clothing, education met, yet we are always the first to offer/render aide to other counties in time of crisis, as a people we adopt children from abroad while many US children matriculate from foster homes. To continue to try and aide those who are not legal citizens at the expense of those who are is a travesty. We need to get our house in order, and once, if ever, that is done, then we can render assistance to the extent that we do not compromise legal citizen of this great country.