INVASION USA
Talk radio puts immigration reform in spotlight
20 hosts gather in Iowa to focus on candidates' border positions

The talk radio event follows an earlier "Hold Their Feet to the Fire" talk radio row FAIR organized in Washington, D.C., last April, just before the Bush administration launched its second unsuccessful effort to gain approval of its "comprehensive immigration reform" plan that eventually failed in the Senate.

"The venue this time is the Iowa caucus," Kirchner said. "We [know] the Iowa caucus presented a lot of pluses to advance the national discussion on immigration policy."

"Immigration has become one of the most important issues facing our country and one of the top issues among Iowa residents," Kirchner said. "With events like this radio row in Iowa today and tomorrow, FAIR wants to examine the proper role of immigration to the U.S. and its role in the 21st century."

"The Iowa 2007 Talk Radio Row will offer a forum for those who want to lead this nation to present their vision of immigration reform in depth, and allow Iowans and people all across America to join in the discussion," Bob Dane, event manager for the http://www.fairtaskforce.com/"> color="#0000ff">FAIR Congressional Task Force's Iowa program, said in a statement on the group's website.

"Beginning in Iowa, the public and talk radio will put the political and media elite on notice that they must be reckoned with again in 2008," Dane concluded.

Among the http://www.fairtaskforce.com/confirme... color="#0000ff">talk show hosts confirmed for the event are:

I don't know if any of you have been listening to this but it is great.

You can stream line it on your PC and listen while you work.

Really great commentary and stories of real life Iowan's who have been drastically effected by illegal aliens.

One women came on and told the story of how an illegal alien and her illegal alien husband hit her mini van loaded with family members a few weeks ago.

They killed her mother and injured her 92 year old father as well as her husband and her self.

Her father was having a hard time coping with out his wife and her husband was still not back at work due to injuries from the crash.

She said that the "illegals" did not pay for any of the damages or hosptial bills. 

She said that the police had written up a report for driving infractions by the illegal alien women driver (her husband was drunk and so was not driving) but that ICE came and took them away so that she "the victim" and her family never found out if they were deported or what happened to them.

All she knew is she and her family members are still recovering and paying the mental and physical as well as financial costs of the accident with no support from the illegal alien driver.

It was a very sad story and the women is going to the vote next Thursday Jan 3rd.  She said all the family members were going because of what had happened to them.

Lou Dobbs had this on his show today - Kitty Pilgram was the host.

They found time to cover it and the ONLY two candidates (all Presidential Candidates were invited to cover their position on illegal aliens) showed up:

Fred Thompson and Ron Paul.

They interviewed them and discussed the issues and expense of illegal aliens and how they effect our lives daily.

I was just glad they found time to cover it in all the other Pakistian news today.  I did not see it on any other shows and Glenn Beck was re-runs.

Watch tomorrow because I am sure Lou will have it on again. 

JUSTIN HAYWORTH/THE REGISTER

WHO radio talk show host Jan Mickelson conducts an interview while being filmed by a crew from CNN at the Marriott hotel in downtown Des Moines on Thursday morning.

Gary Sutton of WSBA-AM in York, Pa., hosts his talk show from the Downtown Marriott in Des Moines on Thursday

(JUSTIN HAYWORTH/THE REGISTER)

  

Immigration talk fills airwaves

By ERIN CRAWFORD • REGISTER STAFF WRITER • December 28, 2007 

The air was hot with immigration talk Thursday in Des Moines.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform Congressional Task Force, a controversial anti-illegal-immigration group, staged the first of a two-day event featuring more than 20 radio talk show hosts, several presidential candidates and politicians and drawing a denouncement from local civil rights, human rights and religious groups.

Many of the hosts were big names from big markets, including San Diego, Dallas, St. Louis and Minneapolis. The group held a similar event in Washington, D.C., in April. 

Even without a room full of talk radio commentators, FAIR has much to say on the issue, including a seven-point plan for immigration reform that starts with cutting immigrant numbers, denying amnesty programs, and protecting wages.

And other groups have a lot to say about FAIR - starting with challenging whether group's characterizations about immigration are fair and accurate.

Let the debate over immigration policy begin.

"If you look at why the comprehensive (immigration) bill failed, everyone's interests were in it but (the American public's)," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for FAIR. "All the American public was getting was another set of promises. We shouldn't have to make deals with the people who break our laws."

FAIR asserts the annual cost of illegal immigration to Iowans amounts to $241 million in education, health care and prison costs.

The Iowa Policy Project challenges that figure with a report saying immigrants in the country illegally pay $40 million in taxes and receive fewer services than families at similar income levels.

Connie Ryan Terrell, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, said she and some others who disagreed with FAIR's stance on immigration had been invited to speak on radio shows at the forum but decided not to attend.

"We know when we're on those shows, we will not be allowed to present a differing point of view in a way that is helpful," she said. "We'd call for a real conversation, to find solutions to this very, very complex issue."

That conversation, Terrell said, could not be hosted by FAIR. "(FAIR) has been named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is well-respected," she said. "It'd be the same thing if the radio talk show hosts had agreed to a radio event hosted by the KKK."

FAIR paid for the space at the Des Moines Marriott and the equipment for broadcasting, but didn't dictate the subject matter of the radio hosts in Des Moines to broadcast their usual shows in their usual time slots. Some talked immigration, but the caucuses and the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto were also hot topics on Wednesday.

WHO radio's Jan Mickelson seemed to benefit from the event's appeal to candidates who wanted to reach potential Iowa caucusgoers. As other hosts talked to callers, FAIR-provided speakers or their own call-in guests, Mickelson nabbed the only morning interview with Fred Thompson, then chatted up Alan Keyes, followed by Ron Paul. Network cameras surrounded the interviews.

"This is our only time we have an advantage," Mickelson said. "I can get access to candidates these big states can't and pretend to be important."

Mickelson said that judging by the calls from his listeners, immigration is one of the top three issues for voters. The others are education and the war. "We see the cost-shifting going on. Now, we have some objective numbers about the cost of illegal immigration in the state, and it's even more alarming."

"Open Line" host Randy Renshaw of Sioux City station KSCJ said the callers he spoke with Thursday identified immigration their top issue.

Others who attended the event in hopes of discussing immigration included Chris Burgard, director of an award-winning documentary on immigration called "Border"; Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King; Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a group of citizens who volunteer to watch the border for immigrants; and Joe Arpaio, sheriff in Maricopa County, Ariz., and a supporter of presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The men wandered from table to table, being interviewed by radio hosts from across the United States.

The talk continues at the Des Moines Marriott today.

CJBL said:

Lou Dobbs had this on his show today - Kitty Pilgram was the host.

They found time to cover it and the ONLY two candidates (all Presidential Candidates were invited to cover their position on illegal aliens) showed up:

Fred Thompson and Ron Paul.

They interviewed them and discussed the issues and expense of illegal aliens and how they effect our lives daily.

I was just glad they found time to cover it in all the other Pakistian news today.  I did not see it on any other shows and Glenn Beck was re-runs.

Watch tomorrow because I am sure Lou will have it on again. 

 

Alan Keyes was also there:

 http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59417

I would have thought Romney would leave NH to be there for this event but another shocker, Joe Arpaio showed up to speak for him.

This is also an interesting report of the event

 http://www.fairtaskforce.com/press_12122007.html

cjbl, You can stream line it on your PC and listen while you work.

I am not good enough on my computer to get any of this. The only thing I have on mine is xm and that doesn't work??? HELP