Tag: alien and sedition acts

How Changing Demographics could change America’s Politics!

Could White People be the New Minority?

John Adams painting by Charles Wilson PealeOpposition to immigration has a history going back to our second president, John Adams. The Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President Adams. These laws included new powers to deport foreigners as well as making it harder for new immigrants to vote. Previously a new immigrant would have to reside in the United States for five years before becoming eligible to vote, but a new law raised this to 14 years. In essence, this Act prohibited public opposition to the government. Fines and imprisonment could be used against those who “write, print, utter, or publish . . . any false, scandalous and malicious writing” against the government. (source: http://www.ushistory.org/us/19e.asp)

At the end of 2014 California’s population exceeded 38 million people and was on its way to 40 million in 2015.

Latinos outnumber Whites in Calfornia

A new tally, released in late June, shows that as of July 1, 2014, about 14.99 million Latinos live in California, edging out the 14.92 million whites in the state.

Asians account for more than 14% of our population. That equals more than 5 million people. Almost 1.5 million are Filipino.

Walk through your neighborhood mall and you will appreciate the large number of Non-White Americans living here.

This is bad news for the Republican Party. According to a Gallup poll taken in 2012 “Republicans are overwhelmingly non-Hispanic white, at a level that is significantly higher than the self-identified white percentage of the national adult population. Just 2% of Republicans are black, and 6% are Hispanic.”

Failure of the GOP controlled Congress to pass revised immigration laws along with their new idea of limiting legal immigration to a greater extent almost guarantees that Non-White Americans will be voting Democratic in the next national election. The Democratic Party is depending on that outcome. They have every reason to expect the turnout will be in their favor when you listen to GOP candidate talking points.

Donald Trump Donald Trump stands for a shrinking White minority.  Google the views of the Republican candidates and you realize they do not have a solution for the 12 million illegal immigrants in this country. They oppose amnesty and none wants to grant any recognition to those people. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has even discussed limiting legal immigration.

Not one candidate, neither Democrat nor Republican, for president has voiced the idea of enforcing current law that would result in penalties for hiring illegal immigrants.

Hillary Clinton sees a path to the White House by emphasizing the Republican opposition to any legal solution.

Unless the Republican Party changes in a dramatic way it will become part of America’s history.

Security vs. Liberty

IN TIMES OF WAR, WASHINGTON HAS OFTEN RESTRICTED PERSONAL FREEDOMS IN THE NAME OF NATIONAL SECURITY

You probably thought that the U.S. government always honors and defends the constitution.

1798

The Alien and Sedition Acts are passed by Congress as war with France appears imminent. The acts allow deportation and detention of aliens and prohibit malicious writings against the government.  The act was signed into law by President John Adams.  No one was prosecuted under the law.

1861

After a series of riots in Maryland, President Lincoln suspends habeas corpus and arrests dissidents. This suspension is also used to detain influential citizens and lawmakers sympathetic to the South to prevent the state from seceding.

1863

The Habeas Corpus Act permits suspension of habeas corpus by order of the President for the duration of the Civil War, allowing Lincoln to free or detain prisoners without trial and with impunity.

1917-18

The Espionage and Sedition Acts impose severe penalties for any speech, statement or article written against or interfering with the government in wartime. As a result, union leader Eugene V. Debs is sentenced to 10 years in prison for giving an antiwar speech.

1942

In the wake of Pearl Harbor and amid growing anti-Japanese sentiment, FDR authorizes the relocation and internment of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent.

1947

Unnerved by the possibility of Soviet infiltration, President Truman establishes the Federal Employee Loyalty Program, requiring all government employees to sign loyalty oaths and submit to loyalty investigations.

2001

Congress passes the USA Patriot Act by a near unanimous vote in response to 9/11. Law­ enforcement officials gain sweeping powers to search without warrants, eavesdrop, and detain and deport terrorism suspects.

2011

President Obama gives federal agents new powers to data-mine terrorism suspect’s devices and communications and delay reading of Miranda rights to suspects under arrest as well as new surveillance powers and the right to interview witnesses without identifying themselves as FBI agents. But Obama also backs off closer surveillance of mosques in the U.S.