SivaGanesha

No I'm not talking about the presidency. He is the 45th president. Turns out Trump is also a member of an even more exclusive club of guys. Back in 1990 he was only the fourth dude ever to grace the cover of Playboy magazine. Thankfully at least he didn't win the late Hef's vote for centerfold that month. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

A bigger wall that is. For the first time, more Americans are being blocked at the Canadian border than Canadians going in the other direction. Americans are increasingly blocked at Canada border - report "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

Just saying--for all those who may be inclined towards war during these dangerous times--happy St Patty's Day! "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

One thing that is a bit confusing about this poll is that it is not clear how to categorize exactly 4 years--a quite plausible outcome. Should that be in the 2-4 year or the 4-6 year category? "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

IIRC from other posts of yours this was quite awhile ago now. SSN's were issued more readily in such situations in the past. I believe if she were first coming to the USA today in the same immigration status she would be issued an ITIN not a SSN. This is indeed one of the situations--legally working spouse with a partner and maybe kids legally in the country but ineligible to work--where an ITIN is issued but everything is totally legal. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

For the purposes of my original question I consider this essentially the same as working for cash. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

That would definitely be reassuring if true. I haven't seen definitive numbers either way as yet. At least--it is reassuring from an immigration perspective. From another perspective it is a bit disappointing that in 2017 we still think in terms of stay at home moms and not stay at home dads. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

That would definitely be reassuring if true. I haven't seen definitive numbers either way as yet. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

The ITIN can never legally be used to work. If you can legally work you aren't eligible for an ITIN but you can get an SSN. There are people in the country who are here legally but can't work, so instead they get an ITIN. For example they might have investment income on which they pay taxes but they aren't authorized to work. They can't legally use the ITIN to work though. And in fact the moment they do so they cross the line from legal to illegal immigrant. There are certainly uses for the ITIN that don't involve violating any laws. Working isn't one of them. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

An ITIN begins with the digit '9'. No valid SSN begins with the digit '9'. Any legitimate HR department doing it's due diligence can easily tell the difference. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

Well an ITIN works just like a SSN except for the part where the employer is committing perjury when they sign the I-9 saying they believe in good faith that the employee is authorized to work. Now if the employer pays in good old fashioned under the table cash, it might not be legal but at least the additional crime of perjury isn't being committed. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

I was in fact referring to the ones who have actual social security numbers not ITIN's. There are various reasons why an undocumented immigrant might have a real SSN not just an ITIN. Sometimes they were here legally in the past and then either overstayed or left and returned illegally. Sometimes they were allowed to stay temporarily while fighting deportation and were granted a SSN during that period. Some have just been here quite a long time (I believe in the 1980's and earlier SSN's were given out more easily without regard to immigration status). For the ones who do in fact have ITIN's, I was assuming they are paid in cash and then file taxes using the ITIN at the end of the year--but maybe I'm mistaken in how ITIN's are used (?) Mainly I'm trying to get a sense as to how widespread a problem identity theft of American citizens by immigrants looking to work without permission is. Those who are solely using their own numbers--be it an ITIN or a SSN--aren't likely to create a big problem re identity theft. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

Does anyone know what percentage of illegal immigrants fall into each of the following categories: 1. Work under the stolen social security number of an American citizen without that person's knowledge or permission, potentially seriously messing up that person's life. 2. Work under the social security number of a friend or family member with permission--not technically legal but probably not seriously messing up that person's life as it was done with permission. 3. Work under their own social security number--some illegal immigrants do have social security numbers. 4. Work in jobs where the job itself isn't a crime but they work under the table for cash only--no social security number involved. 5. Work solely in criminal enterprises--drug dealing, human trafficking, terrorism, prostitution (outside of Nevada), etc. 6. Do not work. There is a lot of news about illegal immigration these days, but with a lot of emotion on both sides, it is hard to develop an informed opinion of this subject without a feel for who the illegal immigrants actually are. An illegal immigrant who isn't seriously messing with the lives of American citizens is, to me, far more sympathetic than one who is. But is there any reliable info out there about how exactly illegal immigrants get by and to what extent it causes or does not cause problems for US citizens? "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

I think Trump and Congress are pretty serious about acting on ACA by the end of 2017. That is effectively immediately given that people already have their policies locked in for 2017 making it hard for any changes to take effect until a new year begins. I could be wrong but for better or worse I don't see this particular can being kicked down the road past late 2017. The reason this one bothers me more is because there is more uncertainty involved for me personally. How much health care costs affects me personally much more than the other stuff. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

With regards to the ACA, which concerns me much more than the other three, he did in fact issue an executive order pretty much immediately. Of course on that one he can't act without Congress. And it will take time to get legislation through Congress, even a Republican Congress. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

I don't agree either with the ban or with the chaotic way it was introduced--without being properly thought through as executive orders (pre Trump) usually were. Banning green card holders, long term visa holders, or refugees who have already been vetted just seems wrong to me--and probably unconstitutional / illegal. Note that I might support a moratorium on NEW visas being issued to people from certain countries, provided there was evidence that the right countries were in play. There is no evidence, however, that the particular seven countries chosen represent an especially high risk. Banning NEW visas for a limited time would be very different from what has actually happened, which is to bar people with established lives in the US from returning to their families. A president does have a duty to keep America secure--in fact it could be argued that is the primary duty of a president. However there is no evidence that this particular order does anything to help make America more secure, and the duty to keep America secure has to be balanced against our responsibility not to discriminate on the basis of national origin. I think the 9th circuit and the district court got it right that the facts don't justify backing the president's decision. It is certainly going to be an "interesting" four years. Trump seems determined to do what he said he would do. But there are a LOT of people on a lot of levels (women, tech leaders, state governments, "sanctuary" cities, other countries including some traditional US allies, etc) who are equally committed and organized to resist him. Both the executive order and the court action against it are unprecedented especially when one considers the speed with which things are happening. Hard to know what the outcome will be. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

Are you arguing for American immigration regulations to be enforced evenly against all nations? I wonder how Canadians would react if the US decided to be less selective and demanded that all visitors go through the full rigours of a consular visa interview before being considered for a US visa--including Canadian visitors. Now if we are merely talking about supporting the Muslim community then it is fairly simple. Focus on Quebec City where your support is desperately needed. Not on Washington DC where your support is unwelcome. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

One of the odd things about this election was that all the noise surrounding the election especially Trump seemed to deflect attention from the most obvious facet of the election: the advanced age of the three main candidates--Trump (70), Clinton (69), and Sanders (75). Very odd poll in that America has just elected the oldest dude ever to sit in the Oval Office and yet there is no option for him failing to serve his term by dying in office, except by assassination. My vote would indeed be for Trump dying of natural causes. For all that he focused on Clinton's supposed health issues, I didn't think Trump looked all that well himself during the debates, especially the second debate. Trump also seems significantly overweight and that will catch up to him as he ages. Reagan seemed much more physically fit at the same age. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

How do people feel about what is going on there? "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

Since I'm a white male, straight, and a US citizen (albeit naturalized) I'm not expecting to be one of his first targets. However I'm definitely concerned for those people especially friends who are in groups he's attacked eg women and certain religious and national groups. (Though if Trump pursues aggressive policies re deporting violent criminal aliens without profiling those who are law abiding, I won't shed too many tears for those who are deported. It should be limited though to those already convicted of violent crimes.) As I age, though, and as Trump apparently makes plans to gut both Obamacare and Medicare, I'm concerned about being able to afford health insurance. I'm also concerned about what I see as a generally irresponsible attitude among the current crop of Republicans--so my fears are not just about Trump but also about the Republicans who now also control Congress. It used to be that the Republicans were definitely the more responsible party in Congress. They might be tough and hard nosed but they could also be counted on to be the adults in the room. That changed IMHO starting with the crop of new Republicans who were elected to Congress in the 2010 midterms--and Trump is an extreme example of that kind of Republican. Maybe they will rise to the occasion when they have unified control of the government and follow responsible policies in a responsible manner. But their behavior prior to now doesn't give reason for optimism. Threats to default on our national debt; a refusal to fulfill constitutional duties to at least consider (not necessarily confirm) a duly nominated Supreme Court justice; an ongoing state of denial that, yes, Obamacare is the law of the land--this is not the behavior of the responsible Republicans of old. Although it has moved to the back burner lately with other news being dominant, my biggest initial fear of a Trump presidency is the debt ceiling which will again come to a head early in Trump's term. We will have a Republican Congress that has repeatedly threatened a national default now supported by a president whose only prior claim to fame seems to have been running his business like a deadbeat. What could possibly go wrong? "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

The most stable government on the planet. The US has had a stable government since 1789 when the Constitution was ratified. Very few other countries can make that claim. The UK comes close. However the UK king still had real power in 1789. Plus the UK suspended free elections in WW2. And the UK permanently lost territory (Ireland). "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

inquiring minds want to know! "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

Well I almost feel like I should step out of the room as Putin (dom) and Trump (sub) consummate their bromance. But I was involved in Republican politics as the Precinct Committee Officer for my precinct until earlier this year when they nominated a guy I didn't agree with. I think I'm right in saying Obamacare was a huge deal this election. I love Libertarians. But the Republicans I saw as best embodying Libertarian ideals--Rand Paul in particular--were forced out early this cycle. I took this as a signal to withdraw my own support of the Republican party. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

I absolutely get it. You are a Canadian who fled back to Canada and free health care and you now want to deny Americans the same privilege from your position of safety in Canada. I myself have my roots in Canada but have taken before God the oath of American citizenship and am committed for life to the American experiment. This election may not have been solely about Obamacare but it was a big part of the context. Republicans have been fighting Obamacare since 2010 with an indescribable passion. "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

It doesn't make sense to me. The demographic breakdown of Trump voters on racial and gender lines makes perfect sense to me. But not so with age. I'm 51 years old--in other words, at an age where I'm more likely statistically to start having more serious health issues--but still a long way away from Medicare. Obamacare is a good deal for my generation. It isn't such a good deal for the younger generation who effectively end up having to subsidize the health care of my generation. And yet it is the older voters who voted to get rid of Obamacare (via Trump) and the younger ones who wanted to keep it. That makes zero sense to me. I would expect the core Trump supporter to be a young white guy--not so much older white guys like me. What am I missing in my understanding here? "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014