It was bad enough for President Obama when he had to admit that Rep. Joe Wilson (R-N.C.), was right when he shouted “You lie!” during the president’s speech on health care to a joint session of Congress. Now, the Washington Times reports his own party is contradicting him on the same issue: The Democrats want health insurance for illegal aliens.

After Obama gave his speech, he agreed with Rep. Wilson that illegal aliens must be prohibited from receiving health benefits, and two days later endorsed a provision to verify their status. But some of Obama’s leftist colleagues in the House do not agree. Thus, they have written two letters, according to Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.), to “key players in the health reform debate.” One of those key players is Sen. Max Baucus   (D-Mont.), whose health bill erects a verification provision for immigrants who want federal health benefits and bars illegals from procuring insurance through his bill’s private mechanism.

The Honda Democrats are fighting back not for American citizens, but for immigrants who either have not resided in America long enough to qualify for federal subsisdies, or aren’t supposed to be here at all. Honda and his pals say it’s too tough for legal immigrants to get health care. Thus would the Honda Democrats scrap the five-year waiting period for immigrants to get federal health subsidies. “This arbitrary 5-year waiting period leaves vulnerable, low-income legal immigrants uninsured, requiring them to delay medical care until their condition worsens,” the first letter says. “The unnecessary and burdensome waiting period has increased racial and ethnic health disparities, and thwarts the goal of health care reform. We believe it is essential to eliminate barriers and streamline access to affordable health care for more people and would support an amendment to achieve this goal.” As well, these “Immigrants are part of our families, our communities, our economy, and contribute to the fabric of America. It is simply wrong that their taxes would pay for public health insurance programs to which they are not allowed access.”

As for illegals, the second letter says, “it is not rational to exclude individuals who are willing and able to share in the responsibility of paying into the system.” That’s because illegals are young, the letter says, and spend 55 percent less money on health care than citizens because they are healthier. Of course, the signers oppose verification because it is “cumbersome, ineffective, expensive, and create administrative barriers that prevent citizens from getting the health care they need.” To sum up, the “Undocumented, if they can afford it,” Honda says, “should be able to buy their own private plans. It keeps them out of the emergency room.”

Mr. Honda, to his credit, does not think illegals should get free insurance from Uncle Sam. Not because that would reward their behavior, but because he believes the battle is lost. “That’s an argument that’s been done already,” he told the Times. One wonders what the Honda Democrats would have written if they thought illegals could get free care. In the second letter, after all, when describing how beneficial illegals are to the country health-wise, they don’t even call American citizens American citizens. They call us “U.S. born individuals.”

How far out of the mainstream are these proposals? On the one hand, the National Council of La Raza, the openly racialist immigrant group, backs it fully. La Raza, which means “The Race,” wants Baucus’ health bill to drop the verification provision for immigrants.

On the other hand, the Washington Times reported, “Twenty-nine Democrats signed on to the letter on legal immigrants, while 21 signed the letter on covering illegal immigrants. Although the leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus signed the legal-immigrant letter in their capacity as CBC officials, they signed the other letter as individual members of Congress.” So even members of the CBC would not put their organization’s name front and center on behalf of illegal immigrants.

The proposals from the Honda Democrats are prima facie preposterous. They deserve no debate. Legal aliens need to be left to their own devices; the five-year moratorium on benefits must stand, if not be increased to 20 years. Illegal aliens deserve no consideration in this debate, and any discussion about them at all should be confined to one topic: How fast can they be deported, and what is the most practical and humane way to do so.

R. Cort Kirkwood, managing editor of the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg, Va., has been writing about American politics and culture for more than 20 years, beginning his career as an editorial writer at The Washington Times. In addition, Kirkwood has written for Chronicles, The New American, National Review, The Remnant, The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal, The Baltimore Sun, The Orange County Register, Taki’s Top Drawer online magazine, and LewRockwell.com. Mr. Kirkwood is the author of the nonfiction title, Real Men: Ten Courageous Americans To Know And Admire, published by Cumberland House.

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DDW said:

	A message to illegal aliens get out of my country; go back where you came from, where you belong. If you want to come to my country, do it legally just exactly like I have to do if I come to yours.
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September 29, 2009
Votes: +7

Deport Deport said:

Honda Does Not Represent America Honda should know first hand how much illegals cost this country, as California has allowed the illegal problem to grow to immense proportions. And he thinks illegals deserve ANOTHER entitlement when they are not even supposed to be in this country? Here we have another politician who cares more for illegals than legal citizens. Its people like him, Pelosi, Reid, Durbin, Luis Gutierrez, etc that we need to vote out of office. These people do not represent America, so they must go. And the illegals should go to, they are worthless to this country.

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September 29, 2009
Votes: +6

Give me a break!, Lowly rated comment [Show]

DDW said:

	If they're here illegally Then they don't belong here and they need to go back where they came from . . . willingly or by force. Period. And what's it got to do with "color"? Someone always trots out that old tired, worn out, meaningless nag.
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September 29, 2009
Votes: +5

Larry Brown said:

	... Ben Read: Health care is an economic good--not a right.
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September 29, 2009 | url
Votes: +2

Delaware bob said:

Illegal Aliens Deserve NOTHING! Illegal aliens have no right to be in this Country! Why don't some people understand that? Why can't they see how illegal aliens are destroying this Country? Illegal aliens have made America the dumping ground for all their illegal alien children, then we have to school them and give them free medical care. I for one, am sick and tired of these ILLEGAL ALIENS snubbing their nose at our immigration laws and the many other laws of this Country. If our Federal Government can not ENFORCE our immigration laws, and get these ILLEGAL ALIENS out of this Country, then let the States do it! One way or another, an end has to come to this illegal immigration, and not with AMNESTY! Amnesty will only encourage more ILLEGAL ALIENS to invade our Country and reward those who broke our laws and raped the American taxpayer in many ways...depressing our wages, taking our jobs, overwhelming our schools with their ILLEGAL ALIEN children, driving without a license or car insurance, all the crime from stolen identities to rape, drugs and everything else. It's time for ZERO TOLERENCE with these ILLEGAL ALIENS. It's time for them get out of this Country and back in their own Country where they belong. When we get rid of the ILLEGAL ALIENS, we will get rid of all the problems that go with them. THAT IS A FACT!

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September 29, 2009
Votes: +6

Still Free said:

Hint: Illegal = "Not authorized by law..." Seems like some Americans cannot comprehend the word "illegal" either. However, most words do have meanings. And Mr. Reed, shame on you for dragging out the race card. And further, Mr. Reed, since when is free health care a "basic human right?" There is no "free" lunch, Mr. Reed. If you can't afford it, don't buy it. And definitely do not expect others to buy it for you, whether you are "legal" or not! Why don't the "immigrants-fond-of-the-back-door" go back home and improve their own system(s), instead of coming here to siphon off ours. Who is encouraging them to come here? Who is paying for their gas to get here? Hello out there, in case you haven't noticed, they don't exactly drive hybrids. Even when gas was $4.00 a gallon, still they arrived in droves. I know many Americans who had trouble buying gasoline to get to work. Who is footing the bill? South America isn't a stone's throw away. Chavez? Bush? LaRaza? The Insiders?

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September 29, 2009
Votes: +4

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DDW said:

Now here's another tired, worn out old nag No, we are NOT all immigrants. I am NOT an immigrant nor am I a hyphenated American. I am an American, period. This is MY country and shame on you confused and ignorant people who are afraid to claim it as your country also. I repeat, I am NOT an imigrant nor are my parents, my grand parents, my great grand parents nor my great great grand parents. I'm really sick and tired of the deliberate misuse of that word.

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September 30, 2009
Votes: +3

DDW said:

	We are A nation of CITIZENS!! A nation, by its very definition, is made up of CITIZENS, not immigrants. This "we are all immigrants" and "we are a nation of immigrants" is a lot of stupid, idiotic hogwash dredged up by the "liberal" left to stir up trouble and confusion. These United States of America is a separate and sovereign nation made up of, as are all nations, CITIZENS!!!
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September 30, 2009
Votes: +3

Ben Reed said:

	... An American is anyone who dwells on the North or South American continents. You might be a U.S. Citizen, but anyone who lives from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego is an AMERICAN! As Simon Bolivar said, "Our country is called AMERICA!" Get it! Anything else is tired imperialism.
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September 30, 2009
Votes: -4

DDW said:

	By the way, Ben Reed They are ILLEGAL ALIENS, not undocumented workers. Pretty it up all you like, they are still ILLEGAL and they are still ALIENS. Period.
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September 30, 2009
Votes: +3

Ben Reed said:

... "ALIEN- A word used by the U.S. government to describe a foreign-born person who is not a citizen by naturalization or parentage. People who enter the United States legally are called resident aliens and they carry alien registration cards also known as "green cards," because they used to be green. While Webster's first definition of the term "alien" is in accordance with the government's interpretation, the dictionary also includes other, darker, meanings for the word, such as “a non-terrestrial being," "strange," "not belonging to one," "adverse," "hostile." And the Encyclopedia Britannica points out that "in early times, the tendency was to look upon the alien as an enemy and to treat him as a criminal or an outlaw." It is not surprising then that in 1798, in anticipation of a possible war with France, the U.S. Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, which restricted "aliens" and curtailed press freedoms. By 1800 the laws had been repealed or had expired but they still cast a negative shadow over the word. In modern times, with science-fiction growing in popularity, "alien" has come to mean a creature from outer space, and is considered pejorative by most immigrants. " Last time I checked they were all human beings, same as you and I. Not some creature from outer space.

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September 30, 2009
Votes: -2

DDW said:

	Oh please Ben Reed, you are apparently one of the confused "liberals". I am not taken in nor confused nor deceived by your emotional tripe, so don't waste you time. They are ILLEGAL ALIENS, and, like it or not, these United States of America is a separate and a sovereign nation, period.
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September 30, 2009
Votes: +3

Ben Reed said:

	... You are apparently one of those confused "Birchers!" I used to be years ago, until I heard enough of the organization's racist diatribes and opened my eyes. The last intellectually honest person the JBS had was Will Grigg. Now that he's gone, so has gone my respect.
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September 30, 2009
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DDW said:

	Nope Not confused at all.
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September 30, 2009
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DDW said:

	Forgot to ask Ben Reed Are you a communist? Imperialism is a favorite word of the communists as is the spreading of confusion. Just wondering, that's all.
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September 30, 2009
Votes: +1

Ben Reed said:

	... Communist? ROFL The Mc Carthyism continues! If you disagree with anyone, SHOUT "COMMUNIST!" That's a hell of a way to debate.
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September 30, 2009
Votes: -1

Still Free said:

A few more comments, Mr. Reed How do you get "bashing immigrants" out of a discussion about giving healthcare to ILLEGAL immigrants? As I appreciate the debate, we are not discussing immigrants per se, but affording healthcare to ILLEGAL immigrants. This is not a debate about human rights, or about immigration, but about healthcare for ILLEGALS. Do you not understand the distinction? Many of us fought "tooth and nail" against NAFTA ... where were you, Mr. Reed, during that battle? Did you do all you personally could to stop its passage? Why aren't the "undocumented workers" working in the fields in Mexico, or South America? Why are they here if our produce is being grown there? Healthcare? 1847? Is that really germane to the health care debate? Please stay on point, Mr. Reed. And I am sorry Mr. Reed that your favorite JBS writer, Mr. Grigg, is not around. But what does the fact that you miss Mr. Grigg have to do with the discussion on healthcare for ILLEGAL immigrants? Then accuse Birchers of making "immigrants the constant target of your harassment" ... "is simply wrong, nativist and not Christian. Reasons that make the JBS a bona-fide hate group." Once again, I think you may have forgotten the word ILLEGAL. Mr. Reed, if you do not like "confused Birchers," if you have "heard enough of the organization's racist diatribes," if you have "opened [your] eyes," and if, since Mr. Grigg is gone, you have lost your "respect," why, pray tell, are you reading the JBS website and posting comments on the JBS forum? Nothing better to do? Perhaps the lyrics of an old song fit your dilemma -- "hurts so good?" ... Or perhaps you just can't stay away from the truth? I do like your mention of intellectual honesty, Mr. Reed, because throughtout this "discussion" you have not once referred to the immigrants we are discussing in this debate, the ILLEGAL immigrants. You conveniently ignored the word throughout each and every one of your posts. Freedom has an address! wwww.jbs.org

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September 30, 2009
Votes: +2

Ben Reed said:

Americans? Let me just quote this line from Eduardo Galeano from his book, "Las Venas Abiertas de las Americas": "Along the way we have even lost the right to call ourselves Americans, although the Haitians and the Cubans appeared in history as new people a century before the Mayflower pilgrims settled on the Plymouth coast. For the world today, America is just the United States; the region we inhabit is a sub-America, a second-class America of nebulous identity." (Page 2) When I hear the word "American," I think of everyone from Alaska to Chile. Let's keep the term accurate.

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October 02, 2009
Votes: +0

David K said:

Is Ben a Communitst? Maybe not, but he's certainly a cultural Marxist Ben, Ben, Ben... how often must we hear the old tired "we stole their land" bull? California belonged to Mexico for exactly 21 years, and in that time they totally abandoned it. And, if you know anything about California history - which I doubt - you'd know that the Californios supported the American annexation of the state. Clearly you're "compassion for immigrants" is just a cover for your deep-seated anti-white, anti-American racism. You may not be a TOTAL Communist, but your ideas are certainly cultural Marxism... a lashing out at dominant cultural paradigm (in this case, white, anglo, capitalist, Judeo-Christian, heterosexual, family-oriented... you know, all of the things you find abhorrent). Hate group? Ha! You are the hater here - your hatred of everything the United States is and ever was is pretty obvious. The mission of people like you is to destroy - the family, civility, normalcy. My guess is you probably think of yourself as a "compassionate" person. But America did not become what it is by accident - it became what it is because of the people who are here. The very people you want to destroy.

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October 05, 2009 | url
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David K said:

	Anybody got a list of the letter signers? Oh... one other thing... I've been trying in vain to find a list of the 21 Democrats who signed onto this letter, but I can't find it anywhere. Clearly the signers aren't that enthusiastic about it if they don't have the guts to make public their support of it.
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October 05, 2009 | url
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Ben Reed said:

... @David K You can believe what you want, but until YOU become an immigrant, you have no idea what the difficulties are. I AM AN IMMIGRANT, living as an ex-pat, and have much more empathy. The enemy is the oligarchy who wants to continue to impose hegemony on all others, with little regard for other cultures, traditions and ideas. That is what I fight against. And yes, years ago I was on your side, until I had my eyes opened.

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October 05, 2009
Votes: +0

Edward Parise said:

Illegal entry persons People who enter any country illegally have no business in said country. They violate the subject country's immigration law; no matter the reason for the illegal entry. It's that simple. The illegal people in the USA violate the very country where they claim to have certain "rights". Pray tell, how can one have "rights" if they have no "right" to even appear in the violated country. In other times, they would have been executed for daring to attempt so gross a violation against the sovereignty of a country. I sometimes wonder what kind of a reception I would receive if I illegally crossed a border, waved the American flag, demanded a job, education, housing, health care and bellowed these demands in English!! Just a musing because I don't want to find myself barely alive in a medieval dungeon suffering from multiple broken bones, blows to the head and great loss of blood due to loss of testes and eyeballs gouged out of the sockets.

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October 05, 2009
Votes: -1

sovereigndust said:

	"Undocumented workers" just like "undocumented drivers" Calling illegal aliens "undocumented" workers is the same as calling car thieves "undocumented" drivers!
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October 06, 2009
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Ben Reed said:

	... @Edward I lived in such a place. There were a lot of undocumented Americans who got free health care, ran businesses, and guess what? The natives cared less!
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October 06, 2009
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Ben Reed said:

	So "Criminal?" Interesting that you clowns keep harping on the "criminality" factor here. Entering the U.S. without documentation or overstaying one's visa is a CIVIL issue, not criminal. Learn the friggin' law before you shoot of your mouths.
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October 09, 2009
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