DREAM Act Christmas Special -- Asking the Senate to Act

http://9500liberty.com/blog/dream-act/

Filmed on Dec. 12, 2010 days after the U.S. House voted to adopt the DREAM Act, and days before the U.S. Senate will attempt to vote on it.

The shifting debate over The DREAM Act illustrates one of the themes of 9500 Liberty and the Coffee Party — that a fact-based, solutions-oriented approach to collective decision making can supersede blind partisanship when we focus on the facts instead of the fight.

70% of Americans support the DREAM Act. If enacted, it would offer six years of residential status for young people who are in every way "American," but were brought to the U.S. as children without proper legal status. After ten years, they could apply for a green card if they have completed two years of college or two years of honorable service in the U.S. military. And, after acquiring a green card, they could apply for citizenship.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates this measure would reduce our deficit by $1.4 billion over the next 10 years due to increased tax revenue. A recent study by UCLA's North American Integration and Development Center estimated that $1.4 TRILLION over 40 years in income would be generated by DREAM Act beneficiaries. And, America's military leaders advocate for the DREAM Act because it would significantly increase the pool of recruits qualified to defend our nation.

Despite bipartisan support for the DREAM Act, the irrational ugliness we are seeing in opposition is a manifestation of widening division within the Republican party between pragmatists and extremists.

In a Washington Post op-ed, former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson urges his party to support the DREAM Act, writing: "The choice here is not between the presence of these young immigrants and their absence. No one is proposing the mass deportation of this particular group, which would be last on the target list of even the most enthusiastic immigration restrictionist. The actual choice is between allowing these young men and women to develop their talents and serve in the military, or not."

And Illinois' former governor, also a Republican, begins his outstanding editorial: "A rational approach to comprehensive immigration reform should begin with the young people who were brought here as babies, toddlers and adolescents."

Passing the DREAM Act would be a significant step for our Congress, proving that it is possible for elected leaders to vote in the nation's best interest, even if a small fragment of the nation is vociferously against it. (I compare it to young parents who learn to say no to their children if necessary, even when they make a fuss).

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[SapphireDiamond19]

SORRY I DONT SUPPORT THE DREAM ACT WHY REWARD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOR BREAKING THE LAWS? THEY BROKE THE LAW SO THEREFORE tHEY SHOULD BE DEPORTED BECAUSE THEIR ILLEGAL IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL BUT NOONES GONNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE cORPORATIONS RUN AMERCIA AND THEY LOBBY OUR POLITICANS TO KEEP THEM HERE SO THAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR CHEAPER LABOR ITS ALL A SET UP

[jenkins440]

@tonylee1973 are we just gonna give them back to their homecountry's so that they can benefit from those youth instead of us.i mean think for a sec we already payed taxes for all this why not just pass something that can help them become the citizens of a country they really call home..hell we might just have the future albert eistein somewhere here.but its hard for politicians to even think of this.but hey lets see who gets the future scientist and young minds who can potentially keep us #1.

[jenkins440]

@tonylee1973 that will benefit america in the long run remember this are students who went to american schools and pretty much learned the american history of our country and fell in love with it.they practically bleed for america if they could.and am sure they would sure as hell protect america agaist foreign invaders who only seek to harm america and its way of life.think this youth know our history,lenguage.

[jenkins440]

@tonylee1973 jk about taking the middle east lets not be another soviet union scenario.lol. and well am not saying get foreigners to fight for the empire. again this are young man and women who were brought at a very young age by thier parents at a young age so they did not have a say on the matter.two they grew up in america the rest of their lifes.three they love this country as their home and they can further influence our economy and even bring new technology or research to play.

[tonylee1973]

@jenkins440 i HEAR YOU JENKINS440, but if we need to get foriegners to fight then doesn't that say that we are overextended and need to give up parts our empire. Remember rome fell because romans refuses to keep fighting for the empire. It seems to me americans our not into our empire and we need to give up foriegn bases and build infrastructure in our own country. God bless you and you your family.

[jenkins440]

@tonylee1973 well for one our forces over in iraq can be easily replaced with this youth and we would give a long needed break to other branches that are strecth thin.....and to take over middle east...

[prek2phd]

@gtfoomfg Republicans are not anti-immigrant, they are anti-illegal immigrant. Republicans are pro business. There are many businesses that NEED immigrant workers. Removing every illegal immigrant would CRIPPLE BUSINESS and that is just stupid. The immigration system needs to be fixed immediately but sadly it will be politicians that can not work fixing it.