“ – The act of an authority (as a government) by which PARDON is granted to a large  group of individuals.”

   “PARDON – The excusing of an offense WITHOUT EXACTING A PENALTY…A release from the legal responsibilities of an offense.”   

WEBSTER’S COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY

Let us dispense with the lie of amnesty for illegal aliens, all 12-million or so of them. Anyone who reads the dictionary definition of amnesty and the pardon that makes an amnesty, can dismiss the tiny minority of Americans who are ignorant of what amnesty is, even as one of them – Steve Poizner – is running for California Governor.

How do most Californians want to handle the problem of those here who have either crossed the border illegally or who came legally and over-stayed an expired visa? They propose to “legalize” illegals. That does not mean “amnesty.”

Only people deficient in the English language consider proposals to fine these immigration miscreants money and to possibly pay back taxes as “amnesty.” If one must pay a fine after admitting breaking a law, that is not “amnesty” and people who say it are liars or are 5th grade dropouts who do not know the definition, legal or otherwise of “amnesty.”

Several years ago Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform which was adjusted and amended to include legalization of those here by making them admit to breaking of various immigration laws and paying fines and taxes. The details were twisted and lied about by the country’s leading anti-immigrant, anti-Mexican talk show hosts and their nutcase and racist allies in Congress like Colorado’s Tom Tancredo and Alabama’s Jeff Sessions.

Their lie, the BIG LIE, was that the reform’s key element was “AMNESTY’ which would reward people who by their own admission violated American law.

That was a lie, a BIG LIE and it was promulgated by liars, BIG LIARS. They were not alone, nor were they the first BIG LIARS on illegal immigrants. The con men that wrote and pushed Proposition 187 in the 1994 California election were the first big liars on illegal immigrants. They were joined by radio talk show hosts throughout the country. In fact, only one radio talk show host in California opposed the Proposition, only one out of dozens.

The lies were so persuasive that the vast majorities of white and Black California voters filled ballot boxes with Yes on 187 votes intending to deny illegals any state funded benefits; 59 percent so voted. 14 different law suits were filed in state and federal courts. The cases were consolidated in Federal court. Most of Prop. 187 was ruled unconstitutional.

187’s “true believers” declare that California would repeat its 1994 vote if just given the chance. Well, twice Prop. 187’s sponsors have tried to get “Sons of 187” on the ballot and they couldn’t get enough signatures to make the ballot. Now, we know that even if they did, they would lose.

A March survey of 1515 registered California voters, reveals that California has obviously changed since 1994. The survey was sponsored by the LA Times and the University of Southern California. The poll was conducted by Washington D.C. companies of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (a Democratic firm) and a Republican firm, American Viewpoint. Because of its large size, the margin of error is a small 2.6 percent.

Evan Halper of the LA Times writes, “…among ALL REGISTERED VOTERS, 70% supported the guest-worker option. A slightly smaller 67% supported creating a path to citizenship for those who pay fines and back taxes and learn English.” This is the position of Meg Whitman – leading Republican candidate for California Governor and President Barack Obama.

Halper also wrote of the racial divide among Californians on immigration the survey revealed for all to see..  Halper, “There is also notable racial divide when it comes to opinions on (all) immigration. Blacks overwhelmingly say that (all) immigration has been a net negative. Whites are evenly split on immigration overall, while Latinos responded overwhelmingly that immigration both legal and illegal has been good for the state.”

Washington D.C. immigration reform congressional proposals lack any form of “amnesty.” Despite that absence, nut cases like Steven Poizner lie in their campaigns in an attempt to fool voters with the lies.

This survey shows that a super majority – two thirds — of Californians (67 percent) support Comprehensive Immigration Reform with strict border enforcement and legalization, while 70 percent support a work permit program allowing workers to come and go but not be allowed to join the 12 million illegals in a legalization program. Work permits eliminate illegal aliens coming for work, folks. The super majority supports legalization.

Poizner will be slaughtered in the June Primary. Many Californians were fooled in 1994, they won’t be in 2010. Survey says so!

Contreras’ books are available at amazon.com