"But I believe the benefits will far outweigh the drawbacks," = this will help my political ambition more than I ever dreamed.  But he's wrong; Mr. Bolling intends to keep his day job and Corey backed himself in a corner. I went to the meeting on Tuesday and he looked like a wounded little puppy.  I'm being too kind.  He looked like the clown he is.  What a joke.  

It is too bad that much of PWC will suffer the aftershocks of CS's grandstanding.  

Other communities have found that these policies that seem targeted against "illegal immigrants" wind up destroying large segments of the Latino communities without regard to visa status.  And once they leave a city or county, there are no other communities just waiting to move in.  There will be a long term loss in the tax base among other unpleasant side effects.

just like this story which hit the evening news tonight.  And how about the other day, the PWC police nabbed an MS 13 member wanted for murder in the state of Maryland.  

With the decline in the housing market and all its related work attached to it, what was the immigrant workforce going to do if they were no longer working?  Let's don't give the county's new immigration policy that much credit - it appears to me the smarter half of the immigrant workforce was already ready to leave, regardless.  

For those with employment who are sticking it out, if they just obey the law, and that includes operating vehicles with valid tags, don't drive at night with no broken headlight , don't speed, don't drink alcohol in public or in a moving vehicle, etc., there will be no need for anyone to check their status.  There has to be probably cause.

Furthermore, housing is dead as we all know in PWC, and the word I am hearing is that there are many "legal" American laborers out there applying for jobs, that have quickly filled.    

What is worse in my view, is the absence of a national immigration policy forcing communities like PWC, to charge their taxpayers for the effort they are doing to find a solution to a problem, which shouldn't be there in the first place.    

Meanwhile, the rest of the Latino Community is left to live in fear of both MS 13 and the police.  Do you live in fear of the police?  If not, why should anyone else?

The extremes viewpoints always make the news.  From my perspective the reality is neither is true.  There does exist the law that has to be respected, the housing economy is gone, and yes some illegal immigrants are suffering.  Why say that I have condemned the Latino community or is that some sort of hostile reaction because I don't agree with your assessment?  What would immigrant workers be doing and where would they be living if there was no new immigration law passed?  Would the fact be, if there was no immigration policy enacted, the housing crisis would improve?  Last week ICE did perform raid a county which netted 15 illegals, and that was even after the feds told the county last year, they would not do this if the county enacted this policy.  Of course not all Latino's work in housing-related jobs, but for this county, the housing and construction industry and all the related jobs attached to it, has been the primary driver which brought them here.  When housing/construction returns, immigrants are more then welcome in my book, but under a more legal process for their own good, as well as the good of the nation.  PWC didn't need this resolution and didn't have to spend the millions for it, at the cost of payraises for cops and teachers.  The housing collapse and economic slump is resulting in an exodus of the illegal immigrant workforce all by itself.  Don't give Corey Stewart that much credit!

Too often a rational discussion about illegal immigration quickly devolves into shouts of racism!

The problem here is that illegal immingrants are not just victims of opportunistic politicians.  They are also the victims of businesses who hire illegals at below minimum wage and no benefits.  This cheap labor pool, in turn, depresses wages across the entire service sector.  I have heard the assertions that "they take jobs that no one else will do."  In fact, the first time that I heard that statement was in West Germany in the 1970s and it was directed towards Turkish gastearbitten.  The truth is that lots of American citizens, and others who are legally in our country, who would take "those jobs" if they paid a living wage and reasonable benefits.  How much more would it cost to build a house if the workers were paid union scale?  I used to be an Army contracting officer.  Under Davis-Bacon and the SCA, we required our contractors to pay union scale and our contract expenses were comparable to the civilian market.  So where does the difference in wages go to?  Pure profit.

Yes, we need sensible enforcement of our immigration laws least we continue to allow victimization of the most vulnerable people in our society, those who would benefit from the improvement in service sector incomes.

The absence of a national immigration policy is a disgrace.  My problem is that I honestly believe Mr. Stewart does not care about any of this.  He cares only for himself.  He found this issue--which was not even his--thanks to Mr. Stirrup, and tried to make it his ticket to the big time.  Nothing pleases him more than seeing his name in the Washington Post.  He is an egotistical opportunist who has given nothing to this community.  

I can't imagine how dismayed he must be to see Mr. Bolling's plans.  Now he has to stay in PWC for four years; something I'm sure he had not planned on.  I'm sure he figured four years from now he'd be managing his race for Governor.  Hopefully we'll be rid of him by then.  

My parents lived in the same neighborhood with Mr. Stewart. Mr. Stewart was on the board of the Homeowners' Association. A cell phone company came through the neighborhood, which has a large vacant where the power lines go through. This cell phone company wanted to erect a cell phone tower, and was willing to give the HoA approx 1k a month to pay for the right of way. All of a sudden, Mr. "Free market" NIMBY Republican and his family decided that that should not happen in their neighborhood (the tower would have been almost exactly behind their house).

Modern Republicanism in a nutshell.

[To be fair, I believe the tower was eventually erected, b/c the rest of the community made it clear to Mr. Stewart that his political ambitions would suffer if he didn't do right by this deal. Still, not surprising that this guy is that kind of a narcissistic megalomaniac. It really sucks that Sharon Pandak couldn't depose this clown last year.]

or he would not have won. That's why Mrs. Pandak did not defeat him: a majority of those who voted preferred petulant little Corey to the efficient if prosaic Mrs. Pandak. Where were all those citizens complaining now about little Corey when the voting was being done---- not in the voting booth, apparently?

Same thing goes for the very similar Bushies on the national scene. People voted for the dumbo elephants, and not once but twice. Aside from questions about jiggering the voting machines in selected precincts (something I personally do think happened occasionally) the painful fact is Democrats either did not run good candidates or did not run effective campaigns, or we would not now be in the mess we are in---- maybe we'd be in a Democratic mess, but not in this mess.

Just a reminder that us grassroots folks who have had enough better get out and start working now to avoid another result we don't like, even if it seems like boring grunt work. That goes for Prince William, too:  please begin now laying the ground work for the next election, cultivate your neighbors, and get ready to rumble.

...and their comments against stories in "The Potomac news," as well as published LTEs just break my heart.  Even after 12 years living in San Diego, and 13 years living in Mississippi,  the level of racism and sheer hatefulness against one group of people routinely shocks me.  

I'm doing what I can in posting my comments, and writing LTEs, fighting back against this hatred, but it feels very lonely.

but it must feel that way sometimes, given that for at least 10 years the self-righteous little busybodies and bigots of the Republican right have pretty much had their way. They have been deluded into thinking they are "the silent, moral majority," enabled finally to give voice to their worldview thanks to to the election first of a Republican majority in Congress, then making one of their own President, plus the proliferation of tabloidism and hate mongering on ubiquitous radio talk shows, not to mention the rise of Fox television and "news."  That's quite a list of factors coddling the nasty little twits and shrews, enshrining the toxic religiosity of Republican leadership.

It has succeeded mainly because the rest of us were either too dumbfounded and confused by the whole incredible charade to respond at first, or because we simply had other things to do (like lead our own lives), rather than pay attention to all that political stuff. Now we know better; we cannot simply let the system run itself, we have to get involved (or re-involved), and hope that it is not too late.

You are to be commended that you have stepped up to the plate. Now we must recruit other sane and sensible folks to take time from private concerns to participate in "the public thing," res publica, or the Republic.  Thank you.  

to keep those who don't have a legal right to be here out.  

is not just affecting "illegal" immigrants but also "legal" ones.  It's also harming the budget, the economy and the reputation of Prince William County.  Great job!

here illegally. I have no problem with Stewart going after those who don't have a legal right to be here.  

if you do something "illegal?"  Like, let's say you shoplift a candy bar, then are fired from your job and thrown in a jail cell with a guy named "Spike" for the rest of your life, do you think you've been victimized?

If you read the Post article, you will find out that many of the victims of the PWC policies are children who were born in the United States.  Under the U.S. Constitution (that document that Bush and his friends often forget about), these children are U.S. CITIZENS and their presence here is totally legal.

If it were just about that, the recent headline would have read something like "Firm Knowingly Hired Undocumented Workers", instead of "Police Nab 34 Illegal Alliens".  It is not a question of whether or not there is an immigration problem; rather it is about how it is addressed.  
Sadly for many (including me, a country resident for more than 20 years) Mr. Stewart has turned what could have been a rational discussion into his personal crusade for higher office.  You can't honestly believe he cares about Prince William County.  After learning of Mr. Bollings plans last week, his own comment to the Washington Post was "I really want to be Lt. Governor".

Yeah, I'm sure he does.  But it's not going to happen.  Poor little Corey.  I'm sure he really believed he could briefly hold this office and hop to the big time.  Now he is stuck, and although he has loudly proclaimed himself to be the 'pre-eminent Republican in Northern Virginia--he has no place to go.

Meanwhile, he continues to embarass all of us.

Put the Kleenex away and try to think for once.

Bush is as strong a supporter of illegal activity as most Democratic leaders. Why do you think IllegalImmigration has been allowed to continue? Bush is on your side.

And, if you actually read the WaPo report and do your best to think about it, you'll see that it's simply an emotional appeal designed to snare useful idiots into supporting IllegalImmigration.

and I thought about it.  I do not support illegal immigration, but I also don't support the terrorization of people who come to our country to make a better life for their families.  My grandparents did it and thank God they did.

The truth is this country's immigration policy does not work.  But should the failure of that policy be borne solely by the most powerless among us?

If you refer to enforcement of our laws as "terrorizing", then you aren't supporting enforcement of those laws. That means you're supporting illegal immigration.

And, instead of acting as a useful idiot for them, you might want to follow the money on the WaPo. I guarantee you that they're aren't supporting illegal immigration just because they're misguided: there's money or power involved.

And, the idea that illegal aliens are powerless is false. Considering that this post is about a WaPo sob story designed to support illegal immigration, that should have been obvious.

that's the second time you've called me an "idiot."  If you can't keep your posts civil, go somewhere else.

As for your convoluted logic, let me try to explain some basics.  You said

And, the idea that illegal aliens are powerless is false. Considering that this post is about a WaPo sob story designed to support illegal immigration, that should have been obvious.

What you don't understand is that the business interests that profit from the cheap labor supplied by the "illegal immigrants" have the power, not the immigrants.  The business interests consider the workers interchangable,and have no more regard for the individuals than they do for parts in their machinery.  If a part breaks, replace it.  If one of their workers is deported, another one will be along to replace him or her.  It is the business interests that have the power, not the immigrants.  Even an idiot like me can understand that.

As for the "terrorizing," I again re-read the article.  The Latino community is afraid of the Police.  Not just those who are undocumented, but the community as a whole.  They are the focus of virtual automatic suspicion.  That atmosphere is not consistant with "The Home of The Free."

"LonewackoDotCom," please make your points without the personal attacks on other users, or kindly go elsewhere.  Thank you.

unfortunately it was the republicans who actually got something done about it. also too bad that the general assembly doesn't seem willing to make any substantive progress on this issue. i must give newly elected democrat paul nichols some credit for trying.

That's what comes to mind.  A county government so filled with rage and hate that they'd rather trash their county than to love thy neighbors. You know the newspaper down in Prince Edward wrote and editorial apologizing for their racists past and the state of VA has now provided scholarships for those students denied an education back in the "massive resistance" years.

People have the right to be upset with low wages and abusive employers who cheat the system but the root of what's happening in Prince William county is the same as what happened in Prince Edward county years ago.  The hate mongers want to divide up the working men and women to better exploit them!

Trust me Jiacinto -- they will target you the Hispanic US citizen if you go there but they won't care about light haired blue eyed illegal from Poland or Ireland.

This silly little racist stun, one meant for the advancement of Republican politicians there, is already taking a much higher price tag than they ever thought.

The county has already raised taxes to pay for immigration enforcement! Who would have thought that Republicans would be willing to raise taxes ever? Well, they are as long as it is in their exercise of ethnic hatred.

In any case, it serves the county well that they are digging themselves into an economic hole. Normally it takes a long time for the costs of racism to surface, but thanks to the awful Bush economy the bill is going to be served a lot faster.

In the mean time, I am not going to PWC. Every so often we used to go to the IKEA in Woodbridge. We also often ate at some local place there. No more. I don't want to give the county one cent of sales tax.

i doubt prince william will suffer that much from your not frequenting ikea there. i had a teacher in high school that half jokingly would say that he and his wife hated to have to bear going into prince william to get to ikea. and this was before this whole "contraversy". i can't imagine what he would say now. im sure you and people like this will not be missed too much there.

btw- there was recently an article in the washington post about how much money the county was saving in the public school system by not having to provide hilt classes for the children of many of the illegal immigrants leaving the county. i believe that savings alone was about half of the cost of this entire initiative for the county.

Bye bye to those "savings" :)