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Obama's aunt granted asylum

Zyphlin said:
How absolutely low and ridiculous.

So for months upon months now Rush Limbaugh and others have lambasted and joked, to the roaring approving laughter of fans, how Obama says we should be our "brother's keeper" but that his brother lives in a shack and is in a bad part of the world and why doesn't old Obama be his brother's keeper and help his family member out and get HIM out of poverty.

So then we have someone related to Obama granted asylum here. We don't know the facts, yet people are already jumping the gun with suggestions, implications, and assumptions that this was all done based on Obama. However, even assuming that's the case, isn't that just doing what Rush and others have essentially been lambasting him for NOT doing with his brother?

So lets see here...

If he doesn't help his distant family that don't live here he's being a hypocrite for talking about people needing to be their "brother's keeper" and is worthy of ridicule for not using his resources to help his family out.

If someone in his distant family actually does make it into America though, we're to assume and imply immedietely that its because of Obama, and if it is the case that it was because of Obama we should lambast and attack him for using his resources to help his family out.

For the love of christ, this is why hyper partisans always look foolish, because they give up any attempt at individual integrity or insight in exchange for continual attempts at scoring political points. Its actions and attitudes like presented here that make real, legitimate, honest, adult political discourse so difficult in this country.
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So when are those facts coming out? And are you saying that it's entirely inappropriate to suggest that Obama's blood line had zero, nada to do with asylum being granted?

Partisanism aside... I'm not willing to voluntarily become naive for the sake of political correctness. :roll:
 
Why does anyone need to examine anything? Is this old lady going to effect your lives in any way?

I don't like Obama, and I don't think he's good for this country. But I couldn't care less about his aunt. Let her stay here. Who cares????
 
liblady said:
it's such an AWFUL thing to do something for your family when you can. nobody EVER does that.
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It's an abuse of power and the public trust and possibly a crime, it's illegal for a cop to get his friend off a parking ticket and it's illegal for a politician to use his office to do favors for friends and family, same thing here.
 
What's the point of being President if you can't call in some favors for your friends/family?

I have no idea if he DID call in a favor or not, but if he did I wouldn't be surprised or bothered. I'd be more bothered by him NOT helping her into the country if her life truly was in danger in Kenya. That, to me, would speak more ill of his character.

Even if he had absolutely nothing to do with it personally, there's still a good chance that it happened because of the relationship. I mean, would YOU want to be the person who denied asylum to the President's family? LOL

So anywho, I really don't care much about this.
 
Agent Ferris said:
It's an abuse of power and the public trust and possibly a crime, it's illegal for a cop to get his friend off a parking ticket and it's illegal for a politician to use his office to do favors for friends and family, same thing here.
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in this instance, i don't care.
 
Its not political correctness, I swear that term gets bandied about for everything and with seeming no real care for what it means.

Its having a bit of integrity. The news just broke. I'm sure people will dig into it some. I'm not even saying digging into it is wrong. I'm not even saying QUESTIONING it is wrong. Its the smug, snide, "nothing to see here" obvious implications and assumptions as if its a foregone conclussion that:

1) Obama definitely had somethin to do with it
2) That it is somehow illegal or unethical

I know I'm no expert on Asylum law, I doubt many others on the forum are. I doubt many on the forums are even rudimentally aware of them. I have no clue if Obama, or Bush, or anyone helping someone claim Asylum would be "wrong" if there's a legitimate reason for Asylum. Not to mention am I going to have a huge fit about it unless there's some huge law that its violating.

Almost everyone, at some point in their life, has gotten some advantage or a leg up because of a connection. Ask almost anyone in a professional work force and you'll hear often times its who you know that's as important as what you know when it comes to getting something. Ever have a great reference on an application?

I didn't care when liberals would scream that Bush got out of the war and into the Guard because of family connections, and I wouldn't really care about this. Its how the world works, and not just in the upper class or in the "aritstocracy"...and not just for republicans or just for democrats...but for just about everyone in some way shape or form at some point.

Yet I don't remember many, if any, conservatives on this forum making sarcastic assumptions and implications that the Bush's were lying about not asking their family friend to get W into the guard, or that they were never curious how he just magically got higher up on the waiting list. Yet they're just "curious" now.

Bull****, its partisan, plain and simple. Its an issue that the vast majority of the people already damning Obama through innuendo and implication in this thread wouldn't blink an eye at if it was a person with an (R) next to their name.

And that's not even touching on the hypocrisy of belittling and attacking Obama for NOT using his resources to help his family members abroad to then turn around and before its even certain or not attack him for supposedly using his resources to help his family members abroad.

Contrary to what you may be predisposed to in the 24/7, everything On-Demand, society we live in now...things do sometimes take longer than 24 hours for investigations to happen, more facts to come out, etc. Its not political correctness to suggest that people not make assumptions and present them as almost foregone facts, its common sense and decency regardless the situation...regardless the (R) or (D) next to their name...regardless of whether its accusing Tea Partiers of planting a bomb or an Obama Supporter of carving a B in someones forehead.
 
rivrrat said:
What's the point of being President if you can't call in some favors for your friends/family?

I have no idea if he DID call in a favor or not, but if he did I wouldn't be surprised or bothered. I'd be more bothered by him NOT helping her into the country if her life truly was in danger in Kenya. That, to me, would speak more ill of his character.

Even if he had absolutely nothing to do with it personally, there's still a good chance that it happened because of the relationship. I mean, would YOU want to be the person who denied asylum to the President's family? LOL

So anywho, I really don't care much about this.
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If he didn't specifically call in the favor, but it did happen because of her relations to Obama, would it be any different...at all...to George W. Bush bypassing numerous other individuals to become part of the Air National Guard thus managing to avoid going to war, all based off the workings of a family friend that they "didn't know" acted on George's behalf?

And would we see the same response from conservatives and republicans as we did to that news when it came out?

Yeah, bit rhetorical to both.
 
Zyphlin said:
his brother lives in a shack and is in a bad part of the world...
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are you sure we're allowed to bring up his brother?

i mean, we were talking about HIS AUNT, weren't we?

just kidding
 
ask george
 
Crunch said:
Can anyone here imagine the hue and cry if this was done with one of Bush's relatives while he was in the White House? Where is the outrage from the left?
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I seem to remember after the two party twins got into some trouble, there was a hands off order from the top. After that, I guess those girls never touched a drop...

My point, the relatives of every President will get special consideration. Just like if you marry the Governor's sister, you had better watch yourself.

I'm assuming your issue is with the re-opening of the asylum case after she was deported and didn't leave. Perhaps if you can show where this has never been done ever... then you might have a point.

Perhaps if you could show where undue pressure was put on the judge to reopen the case.

If you have a relative with immigration issues, you can call your senator or congressman's office, and they will have someone look into it and see if anything can be done.
 
jamesrage said:
I do not think there is anything suspicious. If she was close to him then you might have a point. However from what I understand Obama did not spend much time with his birth father's side of the family. So she might as well be some stranger off the side of the road to him. So I seriously doubt Obama called in any favors for her.
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This is what I like about you. Sometimes, we disagree on things, but I have no doubt that you are a critical thinker, who attacks Obama on legitimate issues, and not just because he is Obama. We need more Conservatives like you. :)
 
rivrrat said:
What's the point of being President if you can't call in some favors for your friends/family?
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Presidential Oath of Office said:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
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The point is to serve your county, it's citizens and lead that country - not garner favors. If Presidents took your attitude, they'd be having party's, celebrities and bands every week at the White House, play golf constantly and... oh wait.
 
Ockham said:
The point is to serve your county, it's citizens and lead that country - not garner favors. If Presidents took your attitude, they'd be having party's, celebrities and bands every week at the White House, play golf constantly and... oh wait.
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NO matter what he does, you're gonna lambast him, so I don't really know why I should care about your opinion.

If he had let her get deported your response probably would have been "Jeez, wouldn't even help his own family member, :roll:what an asshole" and even if he has... well we already know your feelings on that so.... :2wave:
 
Jetboogieman said:
NO matter what he does, you're gonna lambast him, so I don't really know why I should care about your opinion.
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I won't lambast him if he releases the information on his Aunt and provides some "transparency". If it's done by the book - what's the problem? Release it.

Jetboogieman said:
If he had let her get deported your response probably would have been "Jeez, wouldn't even help his own family member, :roll:what an asshole" and even if he has... well we already know your feelings on that so.... :2wave:
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You've provided a very good reason to not construct strawmen arguments.
 
Ockham said:
The point is to serve your county, it's citizens and lead that country - not garner favors. If Presidents took your attitude, they'd be having party's, celebrities and bands every week at the White House, play golf constantly and... oh wait.
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I disagree. I think being President allows for certain favors to be granted. If he even did, which is still up in the air.

If her life was in danger and he didn't help her, I'd think him a bigger ass than I already think he is. So, if she did need help, and he did help her, kudos to him.
 
rivrrat said:
I disagree. I think being President allows for certain favors to be granted. If he even did, which is still up in the air.
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Ah - so where's that covered in the Constitution then?

rivrrat said:
If her life was in danger and he didn't help her, I'd think him a bigger ass than I already think he is. So, if she did need help, and he did help her, kudos to him.
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When was her life in danger while she was in the U.S. illegally? And even if that were the case, her safety would be the same as everyone else's. She's not afforded the protections of the Secret Service. Him helping her outside of his office is fine - no problem with that at all.

So in your opinion, what other "favors" are afforded the President? Some laws perhaps that don't apply? Maybe parking tickets forgiven? :confused:
 
Ockham said:
Ah - so where's that covered in the Constitution then?
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Probably the same place that states it's okay for him to sit down and take a ****.

When was her life in danger while she was in the U.S. illegally? And even if that were the case, her safety would be the same as everyone else's.
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Do you understand what asylum means and why someone would be granted asylum to the US? I'm going to assume that you didn't realize she was seeking asylum from her home country of Kenya.

So in your opinion, what other "favors" are afforded the President? Some laws perhaps that don't apply? Maybe parking tickets forgiven? :confused:
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Sure, why not. He's the ****ing president, why should he be bothered with parking tickets? I mean, seriously.
 
Ockham said:
So in your opinion, what other "favors" are afforded the President? Some laws perhaps that don't apply? Maybe parking tickets forgiven? :confused:
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George Bush pardoned Harold and Kumar after they escaped from Gauntenamo :ssst:
 
rivrrat said:
Probably the same place that states it's okay for him to sit down and take a ****.
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So chalk that up to "favors are not covered under the Constitution".

Got it.

rivrrat said:
Do you understand what asylum means and why someone would be granted asylum to the US? I'm going to assume that you didn't realize she was seeking asylum from her home country of Kenya.
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Irrelevant - we're talking about favors and was this done by the book. The reasons she's here legally or illegally is a different discussion.

rivrrat said:
Sure, why not. He's the ****ing president, why should he be bothered with parking tickets? I mean, seriously.
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Thanks - so since some laws don't apply, you won't have a problem with prior or future Presidents and any run-in's with the law. According to you, **** it... they're KING and we're just all lowly serfs or slaves to do their bidding. So you're ignoring the foundation of this country or you're just ignoring it to gain points in a discussion by being obtuse?
 
Ockham said:
So chalk that up to "favors are not covered under the Constitution".

Got it.
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Yup, right there where it says he's allowed to play golf. "Not covered under the Constitution".

Irrelevant - we're talking about favors and was this done by the book. The reasons she's here legally or illegally is a different discussion.
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Extremely relevant considering what I posted that you responded to. If her life was in danger (as it is with asylum cases), then it would been totally assholish of him NOT to have helped her if he could have.


Thanks - so since some laws don't apply, you won't have a problem with prior or future Presidents and any run-in's with the law.
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Depends on the law. If it hurts no one, then no I really don't have an issue with it. There are some perks to being president, that's just a given.
 
Zyphlin said:
How absolutely low and ridiculous.

So for months upon months now Rush Limbaugh and others have lambasted and joked, to the roaring approving laughter of fans, how Obama says we should be our "brother's keeper" but that his brother lives in a shack and is in a bad part of the world and why doesn't old Obama be his brother's keeper and help his family member out and get HIM out of poverty.

So then we have someone related to Obama granted asylum here. We don't know the facts, yet people are already jumping the gun with suggestions, implications, and assumptions that this was all done based on Obama. However, even assuming that's the case, isn't that just doing what Rush and others have essentially been lambasting him for NOT doing with his brother?

So lets see here...

If he doesn't help his distant family that don't live here he's being a hypocrite for talking about people needing to be their "brother's keeper" and is worthy of ridicule for not using his resources to help his family out.

If someone in his distant family actually does make it into America though, we're to assume and imply immedietely that its because of Obama, and if it is the case that it was because of Obama we should lambast and attack him for using his resources to help his family out.

For the love of christ, this is why hyper partisans always look foolish, because they give up any attempt at individual integrity or insight in exchange for continual attempts at scoring political points. Its actions and attitudes like presented here that make real, legitimate, honest, adult political discourse so difficult in this country.

His aunt is here. We have no facts of how close he is to his aunt, we have no facts whether he helped her get over here, we don't even know whether it'd be unethical if he DID help her get there. Once we get more information, then maybe we can figure something out.
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Honestly, I'm much more interested in consistency. I'd be willing to bet if it was Bush or some other Republican involved in a similar situation, a lot on the left would be screeching cronyism, abuse of power, etc. etc. And you know what? They could be right. I think this thing smells just a tad, regardless of who did it.

If he influenced the decision of the immigration court in any way, then that's wrong, just like it would be if it was someone from the other side of the aisle.
 
rivrrat said:
Yup, right there where it says he's allowed to play golf. "Not covered under the Constitution".


Extremely relevant considering what I posted that you responded to. If her life was in danger (as it is with asylum cases), then it would been totally assholish of him NOT to have helped her if he could have.



Depends on the law. If it hurts no one, then no I really don't have an issue with it. There are some perks to being president, that's just a given.
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Hmm... here's the background on Ms. Onyango


NYTimes said:
Zeituni Onyango, 57, who lives in public housing in Boston, is the half-sister of Mr. Obama’s late father and is from Kenya. She moved to the United States in 2000 on a valid visa and has been seeking asylum since 2002.

Judge Leonard Shapiro, an immigration judge in Boston, reached his decision in the long-running case on Friday. Her lawyers announced the decision Monday at their offices in Cleveland.

Ms. Onyango applied for asylum in 2002 and was rejected in 2004 and ordered to leave the country. She continued to fight the case and in April 2009, Judge Leonard Shapiro in Boston stayed her case until February, when hearings were held in the case.

Ms. Onyango had lived in relative anonymity in Boston until just before the 2008 presidential election, when The Times of London found her in what it described as “rundown public housing.

At the time, Mr. Obama’s aides said that he did not know his aunt was in the United States illegally and that “any and all appropriate laws” covering her situation should be followed. The aides said he would not intervene in her case and that the two had had no contact.”
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So it seems as though Mr. Obama is the asshole you proport him NOT to be after all. Given she was rejected and Obama claims he didn't know she was even in the United States until 2008 --- sounds as if he didn't know, didn't care or both.

So I'll say again - let's release the hearing information and let the cards fall where they may. If it's all on the up and up and Obama didn't interfere - the system worked and all is well.

And the thought that "if it hurts no one" all's fair is a fairly ****ed up world view on your part. Laws are made to be followed and kept - undue influence by a politician including the President is troublesome and in some cases illegal. It's not okay - either laws apply to all or none. This isn't the mafia or some good old boy club where one scratches another's back and the other gives a reach around.
 
Crunch said:
Obama's aunt granted asylum - Washington Times

Nothing to see here folks. Move along..... move along.
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You know what? Whatever.

It's his aunt and it's a little old lady in a wheelchair who is seeking asylum from a country that is torn by violence. So what if she's the president's aunt? There's got to be some perks for having the single most stressful job in the world...if he pulls a couple diplomatic strings to get her through the process, by all means, I would, too.
 
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