Debbie Peterson Adds Her Support To Commissioner Mielke

by lewwaters

Debbie Peterson, Republican Candidate against Democrat Jim Jacks in last years election for hte 49th Legislative District Position One, joins in with Nancy De Leo in support of Clark County Commissioner, Tom Mielke.

Ms. Peterson says:

My thoughts: The illegal alien issue is a concern for all Americans who believe that sovereign nations have a right to protect their borders. For those who do not subscribe to that philosophy, they must then, by default, believe that America does not have a right to its own sovereignty. These two diametrically opposing views reach to the core of how America defines itself. It very well may be that this is the lynch pin debate that serves as the platform and will drive the outcome of many of our state/national debates.* The United States Constitution vests sovereignty in the Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the President, the fifty States, and ultimately, in We the People (Ted Cruz). The illegal alien undermines our sovereignty at every level. All countries, including our own, make provisions for securing their borders. There is an unspoken rationality for it, but there is also, in our U.S. Constitution, an implied demand for it.

Unfortunately, our U.S. Congressmen/women have chosen to usurp their powers. They ignore their primary charge, which is, according to the U.S. Constitution, to defend the citizens of this country. Our elected officials cower under the fear of being called racists, cower under the fear of losing campaign contributions, cower under the fear of losing elections, and in the meantime we are losing America. U.S. Congressmen/women by their abdication of Art.4, Sect.4, have thrown this extremely serious policy issue onto the states. Look at California. One year ago, 33 hospitals had closed under the burgeoning weight of illegal alien medical care. California’s deficits are staggering. People are hemorrhaging to other states as they see services decline and school’s fail (in spite of high teacher salaries, low classroom size, and school funding increases of nearly 10 percent between the 2003-04 and 2006-07 school years, while student enrollment declined by more than 30,000.)(1) In part, California’s politicians’ open border policy has crippled its government, rendering it impotent in its ability to protect the very people for whom they pledged to serve. They lied.

Commissioner Mielke is accurate, when he acknowledges the illegal alien problem. To assume it does not exist in Clark County is naïve. To assume that it will not affect our services, schools, and law enforcement in this community is a costly assumption, as Californians can attest to. Commissioner Mielke is doing what most politicians will not do. He is applying the scientific process to social issues. It is empiricism and not racism that is motivating his statements. Mr. Mielke understands the problem, has looked at statewide data, and has arrived at a conclusion, driven by the data. His policy suggestion was inevitable, given the data. The fact that he actually has the nerve to voice it, and attempt policy, to correct it, is refreshing. Unfortunately, “policy as usual” is driven by the politics, not by the data and not by what is best for citizens. These politically correct policies are almost always detrimental to American culture and the community.

What a refreshing change to have policy driven by facts. What a refreshing change to have a public servant who is actually serving us, and has taken up the banner of the tax payers’ plight.

*November 2009 candidates’ policies on illegal aliens issues vis-à-vis identity theft, drugs, overcrowded jails, health care, crime, loss of citizen jobs, lowering of citizen wages, and homeland security need to be measured against this plumbline: that is, the U.S. Constitution’s, and Washington State’s constitutional (Art.1, Sect.2). support for sovereignty protection If candidate policies do not support that, they do not deserve our vote.

(1) Vicki E. Murray, Pacific Research Institute

In these times of severe economic recession and with the ever-increasing unemployment rate, rising taxes to pay for programs for those that enter our country ILLEGALLY, it is refreshing to see people speak out on this egregious usurpation of our law.

Is it really so much to ask that our laws be honored and immigrants desiring the American Dream follow our laws and enter the country LEGALLY?

Or, do we just declare the entire population of the planet Americans and bring the in excess of 5 Billion people populating the earth into America to take advantage of our safety net?

It is neither racist nor selfish to take care of our own people in need and expect others to obtain entrance LEGALLY, just as they expect of us when we travel to their countries.

20 Comments to “Debbie Peterson Adds Her Support To Commissioner Mielke”

  1. Good jobs ,very interesting article . Thanks Autor.

  2. Debbie Peterson claims Tom Mielke based his idea on solid county data. So, where is the data, please? I don’t see it from either Ms. Peterson or Mr. Mielke. Saying it is so does not make it true. In this day and age, we make policy changes based on evidence. What scientific process did Tom Mielke use in solving these social issues, as Peterson claims? I am very interested in where Debbie Peterson gets the idea that Tom Mielke actually consulted with an expert and reviewed county records before he made his proposal. Maybe Debbie Peterson knows. If so, please publish them.

  3. How odd that you say, “Saying it is so does not make it true,” Jane. The left is notorious for posting such claims with absolutely no documentation and they are left unchallenged.

    I cannot speak for Debbie and perhaps she will drop in and state for herself, but you can see her comments to the Commission from June 2, 2009 at http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=7&folderID=2227. Debbie begins at about 37:00 in. Just click on ‘Public Comment’ to view.

    In my own view, I don’t necessarily need scientific data as a shopping trip to Ross Stores, Winco and several other establishments will show just how many are here purchasing groceries with US Food Stamps and not even knowing how to adequately use the cards, leaving cashiers struggling to communicate with them.

    You seem to be against people having to show a valid Social Security Number to receive medical care in Clark County. Who do you propose I report the Veterans Healthcare system to as I cannot receive medical care through them until I show my SSAN.

    Why is it okay for citizens to show their SSAN to receive medical care, but ILLEGALS shouldn’t?

    A bit off topic, but your other claim of “we make policy changes based on evidence” is most laughable. Today, it appears more knee jerk or emotional reasoning used to make policy changes throughout the government who seems to bend to whoever has the loudest voice and worry about consequences later.

  4. Jane is correct. Tom needs to share his data with us.

  5. Pat, while I have no objections to Tom, or Debbie, sharing any data they have compiled, can you honestly state we don’t have an ILLEGAL immigrant problem?

    Just how many lawbreakers does the Vancouver City Council feel is an appropriate number to sustain at taxpayer expense?

    What other laws may citizens break and be rewarded for it?

    I forwarded “Jane’s” comment to Debbie and will see if she comments.

    But, since he advocates showing a valid SSAN to receive non-emergency medical care, do you share or oppose ensuring people are legally entitled to receive such benefits?

    If you oppose Tom’s suggestion, why is it we Veterans and other citizens must show or have our SSAN’s on file in order to receive benefits and no politicisn seems to object to that?

  6. The days of making policy changes based on anecdotal observation are over. Tom does not appear to have even run his social security number idea by his two colleagues or even Sheriff Lucas before dragging them into the notion publicly.

    And please do not assume I am a liberal because I have introduced a concern that has escaped your radar thus far. If Republicans are going to survive, they need to reach beyond their narrow base. Just look at what happened in the national elections. And locally, Debbie Peterson lost and Tom Mielke won by a small margin (under 300 votes). So obviously their ideas do not ring true with all conservatives, either.

    It is easy to get the idea, on these blogs, that more folks agree with you because those that don’t tend not to comment. So back to my concern: Tom Mielke did not do his homework before making that comment, and, if he continues, as he is doing, he will alienate other Republicans who may have supported him in the past. Shooting from the hip may please his base, but a better informed population wants the facts behind the proposals. So, I will continue to ask him, Debbie Peterson, and others: what Clark county data led you to think your proposal is a sound one?

  7. Jane, Debbie told me she will be more happy than to supply you with her data, but due to a tight schedule, it will take a day or two.

    As far as the Sheriff Lucas comment from Tom, I did not take it as he was speaking for Lucas, but making a general comment that raises my concern with the Sheriff’s Department reply. That being, why does the Sheriff’s Department openly condone known lawbreakers roaming about freely?

    I disagree about Republicans “narrow base.” Conservatives have fled the GOP the last couple elections over the GOP’s move to be more like Democrats and Liberals.

    Bruce Walker at American Thinker has been tracking a respected poll for several years, particularly a certain question on identity between how people view themselves, liberal or conservative. Nearly 60% consistently identify themselves as either conservative or somewhat conservative.

    That is the base the GOP is losing by shifting more to the left and running maverick moderates like McCain.

    As for who lost and who won, yes, Tom narrowly won and Debbie lost to Jim Jacks. One factor might be the slanted coverage of the candidates in the Columbian as every effort I made of publicing Jim Jacks admitting “I Don’t Know How To Solve It” in regards to our tax problem was blocked and ignored, leading me to question your claim of, “a better informed population wants the facts behind the proposals.

    You cannot discount such bias in elections. Of course, the Columbian endorsed Jacks early on and regardless of what he said, never backed down.

    You also have to take into account that the 49th Legislative District is heavily Democrat, making a run for a Republican more uphill, but we are working on that ;-)

    As far as the number of votes Tom Mielkle won by, don’t forget the extremely small margin Chirstine Gregoire “won” the state by in 2004 and after some very questionable recounts. Your words could easily apply to her “victory” as well, especially considering that King County recently lost a lawsuit with an upstate conservative blogger over failure to produce documents concerning voter fraud in those recounts.

    If you clicked the link to CVTV taping of the recent Commissioner’s Meeting, you would have seen that the public comments made were in favor of Tom’s position, not against. None asked for any “facts or data,” as they see there is a problem with ILLEGAL immigration in Clark County that is being ignored.

    Even the comments left on the Columbian’s hit piece on Tom’s proposal were heavily in favor of his stance, disproving your claim of “he will alienate other Republicans who may have supported him in the past.”

    As I asked Pat Campbell, I’ll ask you, “Just how many lawbreakers does the Vancouver City Council feel is an appropriate number to sustain at taxpayer expense?

    I will leave you with another question as I have no real idea exactly what you are, liberal or conservative. Do you hold Democrats to the same standard of backing up claims they make? If so, where may I see you questioning any of their public claims?

  8. Thanks for the link to the public comments during the last Clark County Commission meeting, Lew. You are right. All of the folks who took the time to comment were pro-Mielke’s proposal. However, I also noticed that none were likely under the age of 50. And some, bless them, struggled with proper English grammar themselves. That does not diminish their right to speak. I do not believe, however, that they represent a wide cross section of Republicans in Clark County. There are some very talented young Republicans gaining a voice in our midst and they embrace more centrist views in terms of environmental protection, and immigration, healthcare, and education reform. Some of them are actually Latino, our largest growing minority population. The face of the Republican party is changing, regardless of what you say in this blog, and, to continue to deny it is like whistling in the graveyard.

    Remember how arrogant and entitled the Afrikaners were in South Africa? What happened there?

    The demographics of this country are changing and we are more diverse. The US does not exclusively belong to “older white folks.”
    Megan McCain helped bring this issue to light in her own blog and I am grateful for her honesty and courage in doing so.

    And yes, I hold the Democrats to the same expectations I do my Republican representatives: when you propose legislation or policy change, help me get on board with some hard data so that I can understand the rationale behind it.

    While I appreciate Debbie Peterson’s willingness to fight Tom Mielke’s battles for him, he is the one who should supply the data to support his proposal. Regardless, it is a moot point. It is not going to happen.

  9. One more point: Dino Rossi, as you recall, distanced himself from the far-right Republican base and this helped him immensely in his run for Governor. He used GOP as his party on the ballot, in an attempt, I suspect, to confuse those who do not know what the Grand Old Party is. And he aligned himself heavily with the Obama campaign’s “Change” paradigm shift. He actively pursued Obama supporters in a billboard I saw along the I 5 corridor in Seattle. That was smart politics on his part. He gets it and it almost gave him a win.

  10. Nice try, Jane, but no cigar.

    I am a bit closer to the Clark County Republican Party than you might realize as well as the National Party where conservatives are concerned. Meghan McCain is not being well received by conservatives, young or older.

    In fact, she represents the problems facing the GOP and openly advocates what drives conservatives away from the party, embracing leftist attitudes and middle of the road moderates, like her father.

    We “older white folks” do not claim exclusive ownership of the country, as you insinuate, just the opposite. We wish to pass on to the younger folks, white or other, a free nation as we inherited, not a watered down version of the Soviet Union, which is being built around us by Democrats.

    You claim “very talented young Republicans gaining a voice in our midst and they embrace more centrist views in terms of environmental protection, and immigration, healthcare, and education reform” while ignoring several who realize what freedoms and liberty they must give up to gain such.

    Your stance is exactly why conservatives have left the party and seek a third party today. And, that goes for young and older.

    You also state, “Remember how arrogant and entitled the Afrikaners were in South Africa? What happened there?

    Care to explain to the world what is happening there today? Don’t forget that South Africa came under intense international pressure by leftists, most notably American Democrats, for the change that happened.

    Is South Africa better off today?

    Fifteen years after apartheid, South Africa is at a crossroad

    While you claim “yes, I hold the Democrats to the same expectations I do my Republican representatives,” I can’t help but notice you leave no indication of how or where you do so, as asked.

    I find it highly curious for you say, “While I appreciate Debbie Peterson’s willingness to fight Tom Mielke’s battles for him, he is the one who should supply the data to support his proposal,” as you specifically first said data from either was acceptable.

    Also very revealing is “Regardless, it is a moot point. It is not going to happen.”

    How very liberal of you to state such.

  11. As to your second point, Jane, again, you confuse issues.

    While I can admit that Rossi did do as you say in 2008, he lost by an even larger margin, nearly 200,000 votes, than after the questionable recounts in 2004, did he not?

    So much for Republicans aligning themselves with Democrat and centrist ideals.

    You disprove your own claims in every comment.

  12. As long as the taxpayer is being fleeced, all is well.

    This is neither a problem of Debbie’s or Tom’s. It is OUR problem. It is neither a Republican nor a Democrat problem. It is a blue collar workers problem. Try asking a bricklayer or construction worker if he would like to be replaced with someone that is willing to be exploited by accepting a slaves wage under the table. Workers that are trained in a trade to follow blue prints, to bring homes to code, being replaced with those that don’t understand, and need a lead man that can interpret for them.

    The Columbian has made the mistake of trying to demonize our Commissioner. Perhaps that is the reason the paper is in dire trouble. ALWAYS giving the liberal perspective.

    We finally have one person that is trying to stop the bleeding of monies, only to be questioned as someone that is breaking the law.

    I will continue to wait for Craig Williams reply on how requiring a Social Security card for non emergency health care is illegal.

    The Republican base is not in trouble at all. As a matter of fact the Democratic party is helping to create a stronger Republican base and even some Democrats are waking up to what is currently happening to our country.

    It only stands to reason we are picking up the tab for illegals. Free health care through the free clinics, and emergency care. Free schooling for the children of illegals. More benefits in the form of food stamps and WIC.

    Clark County WIC Program

  13. Tom needs to provide the data he claims to have.

    Its fairly easy to point out Hispanic folks, but most of those are citizens. Same with white or Asian folks. Most of those are citizens as well. This is America and Clark County is not the white bastion it once was when I first came here in the 1970′s from the McChord AFB / Fort Lewis vicinity. That area was a mixture of races as those who bleed, die, and serve us are a mixture of races as well. Xenophobia is an insidious disease.

    Sheriff Lucas does his job by running suspected illegal immigant prisoners through the databases and alerting ICE if appropriate. This goes on each and every day as part of the booking process. Its part of a national policy decision implemented on the local level without rhetoric.

  14. The main fallacy in your statement, Pat, is that we look upon Clark County as a “white bastion.” No one that I know of is against LEGAL immigration.

    While you point out it is easy to spot Hispanics, the same can be said of many Asians, Russians and others, Canadians may be being the most difficult.

    Regardless of nationality, ILLEGALS are in violation of our laws.

    You say, “Sheriff Lucas does his job by running suspected illegal immigant prisoners through the databases and alerting ICE if appropriate.”

    What standard is applied to deem whether reporting a lawbreaker is “appropriate” or not? Perhaps just a poor word choice? I should think any found to be here ILLEGALLY should be reported.

    Then again, how do we justify double digit unemployment and bringing or retaining a secondary slave class to work for less wage? Doesn’t that exacerbate our economic troubles?

    Your statement of Xenophobia is well beneath you, Pat. In case you have forgotten, I am currently sponsoring an immigrant desiring to become a citizen, but by LEGAL methods.

    Advocating our laws be followed is not Xenophobia.

    But, can you really say that the amount of our money sent back just to Latin America countries, (the only ones I found data on) doesn’t also contribute to our economic woes? Although expected to decrease this year, some $70 Billion sent overseas and not circulating in our economy surely can’t be helpful in these troubled times.

    As for Tom, I am not aware of him being one to peruse blog sites or comment on them, although he is more than welcome to at any time.

  15. Illegal immigration was ignored for years by the Bush administration because business men and women needed their presence to work in their companies for substantially reduced wages, thereby increasing profits. Look at Senator Gordon Smith’s food processing company in Eastern Oregon. The problem of illegal immigration will not be solved as easily as requiring SS# in exchange for social, health and education services. It is a complicated issue that will not be solved by emotional rants on this blog.

    There are very good faith-based charities full of Republican volunteers, young and old, who understand the concept of reaching out to all humans in need. These folks vote, too.

    Lew, your blog is very well-moderated and respectful, even when you disagree with others’ opinions. That makes it easy to read what you have to say and contemplate your perspective with an open mind. I wish there were more places like this to engage in such dialogues because I feel they are important to our great democracy.

    I worry, however, about your marginalization and demonization of moderate Republicans and others who lean toward the right of center. Do what you feel you need to do in this area, but I don’t think it’s going to work out well for you.

    Many thanks for the stimulating Sunday discussion!

  16. Jane, just because Bush, and Clinton before him and even Bush Sr. before that largely ignored ILLEGAL immigration, doesn’t make it acceptable. Many of us have been highly critical of them as well and in spite of eeforts made in the 1980′s of amnesty to ILLEGALs, the situation has gotten worse, not better, as anticipated.

    Bush wasn’t all that conservative on many issues, either and that has cost the GOP.

    Of course there are good faith organizations manned by both liberal and conservative and everything in between. We do reach out to folks in need. NO one advocates denying emergency care to ILLEGALs, it is the non-emergency care and the fact of them openly violating our laws we object to.

    When I was stationed overseas in the Army, I was also subject to the host countries laws, which I was required to obey, both in Germany and Viet Nam. When we visit or immigrate to another country, we must abide by their laws on immigration. I hear no objections to such a policy, except when it come to America enforcing our laws.

    While I agree that the situation will not be resolved by simply asking for SSAN’s, it is a beginning. Doing a little is better than doing nothing at all. Every journey must begin with a single step, as they say.

    We are not cold-hearted or Xenophobic by wanting our laws obeyed. Quite the opposite, disobeying laws openly and continually getting away with it leads to more laws being ignored and getting away with it util we reach a point where law doesn’t matter.

    Just to look at Mexico, since the ILLEGAL immigration argument seems to always revert back to them, they have a very corrupt government and much strife. Instead of rising up and setting that country on an even keel, it is easier to just sneak in here and take advantage of our resources, even though Mexico is a country rich in natural resources.

    I would support their turning their country around, if they chose to.

    I don’t see where to get that I demonize those who lean right of center. It is those who lean left of center in the party I oppose.

    The party began the leftward lean not too long after the 1994 election and how has that worked out? Not too well, has it?

    I witnessed the same thing happen to the Democrats long ago, who were also once more conservative. Today, they are more socialist than anything.

    Yet, to win elections, candidates move to right towards the center and once elected, go right back to the left. Funny how campaigning on conservative stances wins election and the GOP should move more liberal?

    Just doesn’t make sense to me.

    As far as my blog goes, I see little need for moderation as most commenters are respectful, even in opposition. I have rarely had to delete comments or edit out inappropriate words.

    I welcome even handed debates with respect and yes, that is how issues can and will be settled.

  17. It is good for all to make note where Campbell and Craig Williams stand on this issue of free health care with no regard to any sort of policy on the part of the health profession.

    The Democrat party condones the free health on the back of the taxpayer. This same party holds no business liable for hiring undocumented workers. Creating inferior products, in construction, roofing, mechanics, childcare, you name it. Exploitation of a race of people is not condoned by the Republican party, and we want it stopped. It is abhorrent, and unconscionable. This is creating a slave class of people today, as did the Democrat party favored slavery back in the 1860′s.

    The left has no concern for the illegal alien. There is one common denominator. MONEY and GREED

    IF they did, they would require the same from them as they do for us. It is for the protection of all.

  18. Tom needs to provide the data.

    If the data shows that this should be a county priority then the commissioners need to make it one. Then they’ll have to make the hard decisions of what needs to go- roads, parks, employees, or whatever – to take care of the illegal immigrant issue.

    This is where rhetoric eventually needs to meet the road.

    One of the last people in politics to make this a big issue was Republican Richard Curtis. Maybe one of you folks can do an encore?

  19. Pat, if I were a liberal I’d interpret your Richard Curtis quip as a real low blow and accuse you of homophobia. Really Pat, I had more respect for you than to think you’d make such a comment.

    As I see your other words, you feel it is no problem that people inside the country ILLEGALLY freely roam about, taking jobs at below scale wages, while unemployment of citizens reaches double digits and much needed resources for citizens in instead sent to people who have no respect for our country or our laws.

    With attitudes as that on the City Council, little wonder the city is in such dire financial distress.

    As far as the County Commission making it a priority goes, isn’t that what Tom did, bring it up to get the ball rolling? From comments at the last Commission Meeting and left on the Columbian’s comments on their hit piece on Tom, he has support around the County, but only from LEGAL citizens, who don’t seem to count for much any longer.

    I’m also very disappointed that you didn’t care to answer any questions I asked you. But then, I don’t vote in the city, so who cares about a citizen, right?

    Could it be that there are other reasons these people are allowed to come here and work for lower wage scale and help businesses reap extra profits while not lowering their prices to consumers? As Lea said above, Democrats have a long history of embracing slavery and ILLEGALs do comprise a secondary slave class.

    If you go back and read your history, Pat, it was Republicans who fought against slavery and the oppression of the Blacks from the time of Lincoln, through the Civil Rights era and down to today as they kept hemmed away on Uncle Sam’s Plantation.

    So you may be right. Maybe “we folks” can do an encore and end another chapter in slavery in America.

    Your search for and posting of the Cato Institutes article on E-Verify is amusing to say the least, given that under Democrat Leadership nationwide, plans are under way to implement cyber-security measures that pose a strong potential to invade the privacy of citizens. Seems I recall some outrage expressed by you folks over such a program a couple years ago.

    We don’t view E-Verify as a cure-all or the ends of means in getting our laws enforced, Pat, just another tool available.

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