Chat: 12/23/15 2:39pm
Chat: 12/23/15 2:39pm
Shouts
<p>Thanks for the primer, mates. One question: isn't there already a pathway to citizenship? Says here that it is via U.S. Form N-400. :: blinks innocently :: <a href="https://www.us-immigration.com/us-citizenship-and-naturalization-applica... target="_parent">https://www.us-immig...</a></p>
<p>I am guessing that, after the illegal immigration problem is actually and aggressively solved, the GOP have no trouble backing a pathway to legal status (amnesty by another name). I am reasonably certain that citizenship will not be on the table for the GOP base. Myself included. I don't believe granting citizenship to people who cut the line is fair to the people who worked very hard to get here legally. I am for making it easier to come here legally, for tracking everyone who crosses our borders accurately, including for guest-workers and seasonal workers (e-verify) and for being a nation that respects the rule of law.</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - MtGrizzly - 2/11/16 5:51pm<br><p>As long as the demand for their cheap labor exists, there is no realistic way to "solve" illegal immigration. The only real solution is to eliminate the demand for the illegal labor. But given that it's mostly the Chamber of Commerce Republican business people doing the employing, I don't see that happening. So we will get the typical DC response - throw money and people at the problem. And it'll have the same degree of success that the "war on drugs" has had.</p>
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<p>A significant (but how significant is a question) number of #Republicans will likely support a pathway to legalization should the border be secured first (wall, fencing, e verify, details that would be worked out). But #Republicans are very very suspicious of a pathway to citizenship.Two reasons: first and foremost because Latinos vote Democratic and we are suspicious they are attempting to gain an insurmountable voting advantage. The second reason (that is more palatable, but I feel completely legitimate) is that while these folks are integrated into the fabric of the country, they forfeited the privilege of citizenship by coming here illegally. But their children, of course, are natural born citizens - or at least most Constitutional scholars would probably say so. There may be discussion on the latter. - Rick</p>
<p>Unfortunately for Rubio, much of his work in the Senate isn't in the legislative stuff but in serving on committees like the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Foreign Policy Advisory Committee. He's been big on #International stuff his whole tenure...and it really shows when he answers questions on those issues...that is where he really shines.</p>
<p>I think he is getting guff because conservatives told him that they didn't want his solution and he tried to push it through anyway - but I agree that he should be able to learn from that and adjust the way he works for compromises like this one. You are also correct that he gets criticized for not accomplishing much in the Senate. He spent his first year learning the system (as all freshmen do)...then swung for the fences with immigration...then dropped back and co-authored some smaller bills and worked on joining committees. But it is undeniably true that he hasn't gotten any major legislation passed (in part because it is difficult for this to happen when conservatives on one side and Obama on the other refuse to make compromises.</p>
<p>Hmmm... sounds like he is getting gruff for trying to solve a thorny issue and failing... I thought the other big complaint about him was he has few actions as a Senator (trying isn't an action? Only success is?)... Seems like he should get praise for attempting to solve an issue that most politicians won't touch for fear of failure... Sure he failed... But now he can try again with that experience in his back pocket...</p>
<p>I will never understand why people zero in on one issue like that. The gang of eight bill was poorly constructed and did not have the guarantees in place that border security would be tightened and that new illegal immigrants would be sent home....but Rubio's basic thought process, even then, to me, appeared sound. He wants to secure the border, halt illegal immigration, increase legal immigration, and create a pathway to legal status (at that time, it was citizenship, but he seems to have decided against that in recent years) for those already here who are not guilty of any crimes since they got here. It sounds entirely reasonable to me.</p>
<p>As someone who doesn't follow #Politics very closely, and am just getting into the primary season... Can someone explain the "Gang of 8" issue? Sounds like an old western :) Did he hold up a bank at gun point with 7 other senators? I have seen several references to it, but no one ever explains what it was, the articles just expect you to know...</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - anonymous - 2/11/16 10:22am<br><p>OBF - the "gang of eight" immigration reform bill was crafted by 8 senators - three republicans and five democrats, I believe back in 2011. The bill would have provided for increased funding for border security and a pathway to citizenship for currently-in-place illegal immigrants. Conservatives like Jeff Sessions and Ted Cruz staunchly opposed the bill on the grounds that the government has promised to up border security four other times in recent years and failed to live up to that promise. Conservatives want to make it a real border FIRST and then to deal with the problem of the illegal immigrants who are already here. Some want them all deported, some want them to be legalized, but not turned into citizens, some want them to be citizens. But, to many, Rubio's support for the original bill is a poison for him even today among those conservatives whose lead issue is immigration.</p>
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<p>Rubio's Achilles heel is the gang of eight role. It gives him too little goodwill among the base to handle such things. He doesn't have the ability to say his supporters would still vote for him if he shot a man on 5th Avenue. There is a very strong distrust of him among the base, because he wants to work on the issue in a bipartisan basis. But this is not to say the GOP is mean and racist. It means we have a big tent and we need to work these things out. For some reason, immigration Hawks prefer Trump's checkered past to Rubio's. Go figure.</p>
<p>Yes, I voted. For Rubio.</p>
<p>And no...I don't think it will be a permanent end to his campaign (the debate slip). He handled his defeat better than any politician I've seen in 20 years of watching. There is another debate this Saturday and you will see him come out swinging (politely).</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - hawksinsider - 2/10/16 4:30pm<br><p>Christie did call him out pretty good, and now Christie slowing down his campaign.. Pretty odd</p>
</div><div class="indented">Reply - anonymous - 2/11/16 7:27am<br><p>Christie's criticism was both hypocritical, and off-base. Every candidate uses stump speech quotes that he can quickly call up in his mind in a debate setting with limited time for response. Pols, journalists, and the very committed wonks who follow this stuff constantly know exactly what every politician will say to any given question. Christie himself repeated this phrase (or slightly altered versions thereof) 8 times in the same debate:</p>
<p>"When you are a governor, you are accountable for your actions."</p>
<p>And this one 11 times:</p>
<p>"That is the difference between being a Senator making speeches and debating bills and being a leader."</p>
<p>By comparison, the phrase Rubio repeated was EXTREMELY important - if you, like me, believe that Obama is not incompetent, but HIGHLY skilled as a politician, and that everything he is doing, he is doing purposefully with the goal of significantly changing America...it is important to hear a candidate echo that sentiment forcefully in debate.</p>
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<p>Wow... Did Rubio's little Debate faux pas really totally annihilate his whole campaign??</p>
<p>Drive-by political comment: "Live free or die" my fat patootie. NH voters apparently want to live under a socialist mega-#Government that prevents individual liberty...or a mafia boss-turned authoritarian that wants to personally "fix" everything his way, not work within constitutional limited #Government principles. I regret moving here. - SABR Matt</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - hawksinsider - 2/10/16 4:31pm<br><p>The options are bleak</p>
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<p>LOL!!</p>
<p>Was noodling through MLBTR tonight and Scooter Gennett came up. Check out his career split differences: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?id=gennesc01&yea... target="_parent">http://www.baseball-...</a> Career vR = .796/vL = .297!!</p>
<p>Icebreaker X -- any chance you know where to find Lee's NPB platoon split stats? B-ref doesn't have, but is there a Japanese web site covering NPB that might?</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - anonymous - 2/12/16 7:18am<br><p>Unbelievably, I was finally able to find some...<br />
vs BA PA AB H 2B 3B HR K BB HBP SH SF<br />
vR .264 501 440 116 26 0 24 98 50 9 0 2<br />
vL .400 83 70 28 4 0 7 11 12 0 0 1</p>
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<p>So - add content -> post -> then go to meta, find the SSI plus sign and open to find the #Baseball sub domain and check it, then do the body, and then the header, check your work in preview, and only then hit "save" and it should save into the right place. And unlike the old way, each time you hit save it saves a new copy to publish, not just updates the one you're working on, so edit in preview until you're done. Got it. Hope this helps others.</p>
<p>OK, I think we're good ... :: jim harbaugh ::</p>
<p>Thanks amigos. Love the guest posts!</p>
<p>Got it Bat. Thanks! ... just ensure that you as a writer are within the #Baseball subdomain before you start a post. - Jeff</p>
<p>Ended up with multiple instances of the post. Can an Admin delete the first two? And move it to #Baseball?</p>
<div class="indented">Reply - hawksinsider - 2/10/16 4:32pm<br><p>I'm still trying to figure out how not to have to scroll to read these post on mobile</p>
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<p>I submitted a post. Can an admin check and make sure it's in the #Baseball context rather than All? I'm not quite sure how that works.</p>
<p>Sadly, Dae-ho Lee has lost about -45 lbs... would have been much more interesting if he'd gained +45. Especially in beanball wars. Anyway: <a href="http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/seattle-mariners" target="_parent">http://www.mlbtrader...</a></p>
<div class="indented">Reply - hawksinsider - 2/10/16 4:33pm<br><p>Yea... But hopefully it will help him in many other areas..probably part of the terms of that incentive lined contract</p>
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<p>I would try to get Gurriel's younger brother...hope his pricetag is cheaper and hope he's on the rise...and plan to move Seager back to 2B, Cano to 1B and install Gourriel at 3B in 2017 after Lind is gone.</p>
<p>Cuban ballplayers, now poised to become 1 percenters, rigging the game for the rest of us. - couldn't resist.</p>
<p>Yuliesky Gourriel and his younger brother have defected from #Cuba.</p>
<p>WE WANTS IT!! THE PRECIOUS!!!</p>
<p>... and a typically fun read over at Jeff Sullivan's fanchat. Several Mariners Q's too. <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/jeff-sullivan-fangraphs-chat-2516/" target="_parent">http://www.fangraphs...</a></p>
<p>Very cheerful M's prediction this week from Baseball Prospectus icon Jonah Keri. <a href="http://mynorthwest.com/374/2904964/Mariners-notebook-Jonah-Keri-believes... target="_parent">http://mynorthwest.c...</a></p>