Bogus email I received and my answer

[sazemisery]

There is an email petition going around that purports that there is legislation in the U.S. House that would give Social Security to illegal aliens. It does not cite the bill number and most people that get it will just sign it and forward it to whoever. I looked up all bills pertaining to social security and aliens and I came up with HR 319, the "Legal Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act of 2009".
(This was sent to me by a republican that savors sending me anything anti-Obama)

Here is my response:

"Received your email about the US House bill concerning Social Security and "illegal aliens". Since there was no reference to the bill number I took the time to look up all legislation regarding Social Security and "aliens" on the Thomas website at the Library of Congress. I will assume you are referencing HR. 319, of which I have attached a copy.

It in no way gives "illegal aliens" rights to Social Security benefits. It gives the States the option of extending Medicaid and S.C.H.I.P. to "aliens who are lawfully residing in the United States". The title of the bill is "Legal Immigrant Children’s Health Improvement Act of 2009". If this is not the bill you are concerned with, please forward the bill number to me.

I receive a lot of emails that purport to be what they are not. I spend a lot of time checking out these things because I believe an informed citizen is an empowered citizen. Please let me know if there is another bill that would do what your email implies.

His response was:

Thanks. I will send your response to those that I have sent the original e-mail.

Any day you get to set a Repuglican straight is a good day.:evilgrin:

[tridim]

1. Wow, you changed a drive-by hate-spammer's mind?

That's a pretty impressive feat.

[T Wolf]

2. And you believed the pig when he said he would "send your response" to others?

Rethugs never tell the truth.

[sazemisery]

3. I didn't say I believed him

Just showed his response.

[Wetzelbill]

7. some people aren't really Republicans that send that stuff out

They might get it from somebody who is and then generally agree with an argument that is obviously flawed but they don't know much about so they pass it on. Not everybody spends hours a day informing themselves on these things. I have a cousin who forwards goofy emails all the time and he's not a wingnut or anything. For example, he sent me one about Joe Arpaio and his work with animals, which is great, but then later on deep in the message you start seeing some wingnutty things about Joe and his batshit ideas. All my cousin basically got out looking at the first few paragraphs was some prisoners taking care of kittens etc.

But look at this email, nobody thinks people who are illegal aliens should have access to our Social Security funds. Nobody at all, I know I don't. So start from that standpoint and think about your average person who doesn't look into this stuff all the time. They generally agree with a misleading premise to an email. That's how propaganda works, it's not out there to suck in the hardcore nuts, it's out there bring in those regular folks who have a casual, at best, interest in politics or policy. If you get one of those and send back a pissed off response to somebody who didn't know what you know, it runs the risk of further alienating them. At least half the time, that person isn't either hardcore Republican or Dem and is swayable to the truth, but if we let anger get the best of us then that person ends up going out and voting for a Bush or Palin. That's what the GOP does, they have to divide people at all costs, when it's likely that that person is interested in most of the same things you and I are interested in, but by dividing us they can keep us from finding at that out and sharing sensible information.

And I have changed a few people's minds too. Never ever assume that somebody who forwards those is a far right ideologue. They probably had it sent to them by a trusted source like a family member who is one or received it from somebody else who is one, but these things are designed to appeal to the average person who tacitly agrees with a phony premise that is dressed up with an "everyman" bullshit populist ring to it.

[radfringe]

4. Snopes.com also busts this as a myth....

I got the same e-mail this weekend...

my response and yes I hit REPLY ALL:

Check out SNOPE.com
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/petition.asp

and here's the info in the "senate vote" http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/socialsecurity.asp

petition is bogus


here's more: http://www.factcheck.org/article447.html
Republican Campaign Theme Debunked: Social Security for Illegal Immigrants
October 10, 2006
Updated: October 11, 2006
Twenty-nine ads and counting feature the claim with varying levels of truth and distortion.

Summary
Republicans are tagging Democratic opponents across the country for wanting to "give Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants." But nobody's proposing paying benefits to illegals, not until and unless they become US citizens or are granted legal status.

The charge is a mis-characterization of an amendment offered during debate of the immigration bill that passed the Senate last May with a healthy bi-partisan majority, 62-36. The amendment would change current law to prevent immigrants from getting credit toward future Social Security benefits from taxes paid before they have legal permission to work.
The measure has become a popular campaign issue for Republicans, particularly incumbent House members who raise it against their Democratic challengers. We have counted 29 GOP ads attacking Democrats with various versions of this misleading claim. Similar misconceptions about the measure were spread as part of a chain e-mail last spring and summer.

[sazemisery]

6. In the email he referenced that it was new legislation and

had come out of committee and was ready for a floor vote. This was not true either.

[radfringe]

10. meme in e-mail has been recycled...

also got the email regarding Swiffer mops and anti-freeze this weekend. latest version cites SNOPES.com as a confirming source - however when you go to SNOPES and check it out you find the opposite.

SSDD

[EstimatedProphet]

5. So few people understand Social Security

The Repub talking point is that it is an entitlement. No it isn't. Social Security is eligible only for people that pay into the system. Without a SSN, people aren't eligible. It takes proof of citizenship to get a SSN. that's simply the way the system works, and there is no attempt to change it to include illegal aliens going on.

[Wetzelbill]

8. yes

It's like voter fraud, so few people understand it beyond a talking point that they actually think it's possible for somebody to register to vote several times and go out and do it in many names or that Mickey Mouse might have a vote etc. The talking point is simple but absolutely obliterated by the basic rules of the system.

[DavidDvorkin]

9. I got that one yesterday and sent the Snopes link back

But the person who had sent it to me didn't say she'd send the correction to the same mailing list. I suspect she won't.

Strictly speaking, the e-mail wasn't bogus. It was a real e-mail, but the content was erroneous. :)

[sazemisery]

11. Any Repug email I get is bogus

}(

[sazemisery]

12. UPDATE: He actually sent out another email...

to his original list. Here is what he said:

"I have received information that the following Social Security issue is bogus."

Wow, I can't believe he did it. Sent it to the original peeps he sent it to.

[seemunkee]

13. I just got this from someone I worked the Inauguraion with.

I gave her the chance to retract it. If she doesn't I'll do a reply to all.