Comments on: The Savings You Can’t Measure

By: Bayberry resident

Bayberry resident — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:03:14 +0000

Monticup and MP Resident, you are correct in your examples, as if you didn’t all ready know, but that wasn’t the discussion. The discussion centered on the miswritten post that people who entered this country were criminals. That is not necessarily correct. I didn’t mean anything by it, it just doesn’t help the cause if when you speak in public at council or supervisor meetings you can’t speak intelligently and with fact.

By: MP Resident

MP Resident — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:11:59 +0000

“I know driving without a license or insurance must be criminal.”

I’m pretty sure using someone else’s SSN is criminal, too. (Isn’t that otherwise known as “identity theft”?)

By: Dave in PWC

Dave in PWC — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 10:35:08 +0000

Bayberry,

Thanks for the clarification on civil vs criminal violations. Is working under the table and not paying taxes criminal or civil? If people run up a large hospital bill and don’t pay it, that’s a civil offense? I know driving without a license or insurance must be criminal.

By: Bayberry resident

Bayberry resident — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:00:07 +0000

monticup, that is a play on words. If I really meant that all should be allowed to return then why would they be screened. Again, this is why honest people who generally believe in the same principles as most people on this blog get turned off. You know what I meant. Dave in PWC, no they are not the same, when convicted of a criminal offense, you are just that, a convicted criminal, if you violate a civil matter you are not a criminal. If you sue your neighbor because he hit your car and he is found to be at fault, he is not a criminal.

By: monticup

monticup — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:33:37 +0000

Bayberry: you said “all illegals should be sent back home and allowed to come back after screened.” No. WE decide who gets to legally immigrate here. Just because they came here illegally once does not mean they get to come back–legally or not.

By: Dave in PWC

Dave in PWC — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:53:13 +0000

Bayberrry,

Not being a lawyer and not really understanding the difference between a civil offense and a criminal offense, other than I guess if you are convicted of a civil offense you don’t go to jail? Like OJ? But they are still breaking the law by being here even if it’s a civil offense in my opinion, therefore they should not be allowed to go back and touch home and come back, and should not be allowed to immigrate here either because they broke the law. Am I correct in my assumptions of civil vs criminal?

By: Bayberry resident

Bayberry resident — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:59:30 +0000

Dave in PWC, you are incorrect. Not all people who came here illegally committed a criminal offense. Coming here illegally is defined as a CIVIL offense unless you have been deported before. Loudoun, I couldn’t agree with you more, however, it sounded as if other persons didn’t want anyone here even if they came legally. All I said was all illegals should be sent back home and allowed to come back after screened. I never said they should be put in front of the line or get a free pass. I just said they should have to be screened liek everyone else and if they committed a crime here before or where they came from they should be sent packing back to the god forsaken place they came. It was everyone else who started on me for agreeing with you, please!

By: Loudoun

Loudoun — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:17:52 +0000

Bayberry, you are on a tangent again! How many times does it need to be explained to you? It isn’t about race - it is about the willful disregard for our laws and the inability to immigrate into the US in the legal manner. What is with you?

By: MP Resident

MP Resident — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:14:18 +0000

“and quit hiding by saying you are against illegal immigration because of the dangers and admit you really don’t want anyone with brown skin to be allowed in the country”

It seems to me perhaps you think that people with brown skin are incapable of obeying immigration rules.

Is that what you think, Bayberry Resident, or am I putting words into your mouth?

By: Freedom

Freedom — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:03:43 +0000

wine please said: “there isn’t merit pay due to the teacher’s union.”

Bingo, of course that’s it exactly!!! Just think, if we gave zero salary increase to the substandard teacher, we could give significant increases to, and thereby retain the excellent teachers.

Effective implementation of merit pay is not easy, but with the academic qualifications and salaries of our Superintendant and his Administrators, wouldn’t you think they could come a long way toward figuring it out? It can be done.

However, the teacher’s union doesn’t want it, of course. Kinda makes one wonder why we even have a school board, huh?

By: Dave in PWC

Dave in PWC — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:26:47 +0000

CJC,

You made some very good points on who deserves merit pay. It’s a tough situation for sure.

Bayberry,

You forget that the illegals here are already breaking the law by being here illegally in the first place. They don’t get to come back in my opinion.

By: wine please

wine please — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:01:02 +0000

there isn’t merit pay due to the teacher’s union.

which is why there isn’t any merit pay in many fields in this country…giving someone who gives 125% more money than the schmo that barely makes it to work would be considered “unfair and dispair treatment” by the local.

unfortunately, even those teachers who are aware that VA is a Right to Work state and don’t participate in paying union dues are still held to the salary scale created by the union (although they get to keep that much more of their paycheck each pay-period).

By: Freedom

Freedom — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:17:24 +0000

CJC said: “Who deserves the merit pay?”

I really don’t believe it’s the technical challenge of implementation and management that keeps merit pay out of the classroom.

By: monticup

monticup — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:04:02 +0000

Bayberry, hysteria and wild accusations will get you nowhere.

By: AWCheney

AWCheney — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:50:10 +0000

You’re the one being ridiculous, Bayberry. It happens that I am myself a naturalized citizen of this country. Obviously you did not read all that I wrote. Allow me to repeat my salient point: “In no way should these illegal aliens get a pass. DOING OTHERWISE IS ONLY REWARDING THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAW WHILE PENALIZING THOSE WHO RESPECT IT.” I don’t know how much more clearly I might say that. There is absolutely nothing racial suggested by that comment. You’re the one who is bringing the racial element into it, as usual!

By: Bayberry resident

Bayberry resident — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:10:35 +0000

Monticup and awcheney, this is where you guys lose a lot of your followers. Why shouldn’t someone who has left the country be allowed to come back legally. Is it because silently you don’t want anyone with brown skin here. Now I have been accused of being an illegal alien apologist, of which I am not, but I am all for legal immigration. I never said they should get a free pass or go ahead of the line, just be allowed to re-enter legally. Jesus Christ, you people are unbelieveable some of the time. Just come out and say what you mean and quit hiding by saying you are against illegal immigration because of the dangers and admit you really don’t want anyone with brown skin to be allowed in the country. At least then I would respect you for being honest. I believe the statistics speak for themselves when we have illegal aliens committing so many horrible crimes, but not all illegal aliens are criminals and many should be allowed back if they can prove they have not committed any crimes and can be a productive contributor to our society, no more or no less.

By: AWCheney

AWCheney — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:34:55 +0000

“You’re talking about the notorious “touchback” provision in the McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill.”

I agree with monticup, Bayberry…that would be another slap in the face to those who immigrate to our country legally. I would, however, agree with fast-tracking those who have patiently entered the legal immigration process, without having entered our country illegally, and stuck with it. That would make much more sense to me.

I would go so far as to say that ANY illegal alien should not only go to the bottom of any immigration list, but be required to PROVE before an arbiter justification for coming here illegally…much as someone requesting political sanctuary would be required. In no way should these illegal aliens get a pass. Doing otherwise is only rewarding those who break the law while penalizing those who respect it.

By: CJC

CJC — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:20:25 +0000

Freedom,
Merit pay sounds great. But, how about making it fair. Shall we count results on the SOL tests? Should we give bonus points for a teacher that mainstreams an autistic child and the other children still manage to pass the test? How about bonus points for getting a student to pass the test and the child’s parents are illiterate? How about bonus points for just putting up with the kid that terrorizes the neighborhood? (Hey he has to be in somebody’s room, right?) No two classroom situations are ever the same. It is one thing to work in a school with students who come to school with the advantages of bookshelves full of books, trips to museums, and educated parents. The teachers in a school where students have some disadvantages may be working much harder, but with less obvious results. Who deserves the merit pay?

By: monticup

monticup — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:58:23 +0000

Bayberry: Uh, no. They need to be sent home BUT it doesn’t follow that they should necessarily be allowed to return. After all, they had no problem breaking our laws previously. You’re talking about the notorious “touchback” provision in the McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill.

By: Bayberry resident

Bayberry resident — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:37:39 +0000

Greg, I agree and I was not trying to start any problems just wanted to make sure that everyone knew it wasn’t an address in the City. But that just makes it even worse that the address doesn’t even exist. However, I wouldn’t be too quick to put the blame all on the MPPD. I believe they probably followed protocol. This is a clear example of why all ilegials must be sent home and allowed to return legally after being screened.