Connecticut's governor, M. Jodi Rell, just issued a veto on a bill that would allow illegal aliens to qualify for in-state college tuition in the state's university system.
Local papers dutifully reported the news. Below are headlines from various papers across the state:
- Illegal immigrants tuition bill vetoed -- Connecticut Post
- Rell vetoes bill to give undocumented children in-state rates for college -- New Haven Register
- Rell deals blow to children of illegal immigrants -- Danbury News-Times
- Veto Dissolves College Dream -- Hartford Courant
The Courant article also starts off by telling the reader of the "shattered dreams" of Victoria (no last name), a graduate of New Haven's Wilbur Cross High School. She will not be able to afford to attend the University of Connecticut (UConn) to study criminal justice. Yes, criminal justice:
The future looked bright for the young woman, holding a white rose to symbolize hope, as she prepared to graduate under sunny skies Tuesday from Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven.
But a few minutes before she was handed her diploma, family members who were watching learned that the proud graduate's prospects had dimmed.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have allowed students such as the woman - an undocumented immigrant from Mexico but a longtime Connecticut resident - to pay in-state tuition at public universities and colleges. Instead, they pay higher, often prohibitive, out-of-state tuition.
You can almost hear the violins playing in the background.
The first headline is fairly cut-and-dried, but each one after that becomes a little more emotional. By bringing children into the mix (it's for the children!), the "blow" dealt them and the dissolved "college dreams," sympathy is more likely to be aroused in the reader, therefore increasing the chance that he might become outraged by the plight of those being affected by the veto.
In fact, based on its construction, the Courant piece seems more like a feature article than a hard news story. According to this online tutorial from Central Queensland University in Australia:
Hard news, for instance, has little use for adverbs and adjectives; however, feature writers use plenty of these. News reporters also avoid opinion and comment; however, feature stories are frequently full of both.
The human interest angle is a time-honored tradition in journalism, and is often successful in getting a particular point of view across in what might at first seem to be a straightforward news piece. This is something we all need to remember when reading, watching, or listening to news stories about hot-button topics such as the current illegal alien debate.
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Great info Pam...The Senate j
June 27, 2007 - 16:57 ET by bigtimerGreat info Pam...
The Senate just killed a bill simply stated as ...
No Green Card to any illegal alien......Kit Bond sponsered it.
It failed.
What part of ILLLEGAL do they think us real people out here do not understand in any form, newspaper headlines, television, radio any venue...we are outraged...simple as that.
Hi BT...as a Connecticut resi
June 27, 2007 - 18:33 ET by Pam MeisterHi BT...as a Connecticut resident, I had a keen interest in this bill, and so was watching for the outcome.
votes so far today
June 27, 2007 - 19:11 ET by bigtimerHi back at you Pam....
Well, for anyone that cares... here are the amendments that failed to pass today and who voted on each of them and how.
Four out of five failed.....so far. Dead in the water/ Just like this fiasco of a so-called Bill is as far as I am concerned.
Of course they are not letting any amendments from Vitter/DeMint/Sessions and such.....
Tells you all you need to know.
"Illegal immigrants tu
June 27, 2007 - 18:34 ET by Wiggy"Illegal immigrants tuition bill vetoed
-- Connecticut Post"
Beautiful! At least they put 'Illegal Immigrants' LOL
They'd better drop Geraldo in
June 27, 2007 - 19:14 ET by Chris NormanThey'd better drop Geraldo in by parachute to cover this breaking story. He's good at using sob sister techniques to expose the sheer meaness of those of us who simply want the borders secured and our laws enforced.
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
I'm sick to death of all th
June 27, 2007 - 19:50 ET by motherbeltThat's right, these are people who, through no fault of their own, just have things "happen" to them. They get "dealt a blow," their "dreams get dissolved", they are "made" to pay "prohibitive" rates.
How about the truth? They are not entitled to resident rates because they are not residents; they are here illegally. Which part of "illegal" do they not understand? If they are allowed all the perks of residency, then what is the difference between legal and illegal?
Though born in a neighborin
June 27, 2007 - 20:06 ET by CurtThough born in a neighboring state (a US State!), I had to pay out of state rates when I attended a college in Connecticut.
Of course the tuition was $50 per semester at the time.
Curt
This is left-wing BS. What ab
June 27, 2007 - 20:18 ET by rbosqueThis is left-wing BS. What about the children of people waiting to get here LEGALLY? I guess they have to wait for some brat whose parents didn't want to obey the law.
My father came here LEGALLY in the 50's. He even learned English at the British Consulate before coming here. His five boys became, 3 engineers, one Endodontist, and one private investigator. I'm sorry I just have no sympathy for those cry babies.
How come the media can find a
June 27, 2007 - 21:52 ET by Conservative in the ArtsHow come the media can find an illegal alien for any story on a whim and our INS agents can't?
I mean what, do reporters take out adds in papers : "Wanted, illeagl alien to do expose on" or how do they complile a call list?
Arts: INS should visit a H
June 27, 2007 - 22:12 ET by steamboatArts: INS should visit a Home Depot.
Illegal Immigration ordeal in a nutshell
June 27, 2007 - 22:51 ET by bigtimerOkay here is the latest in a nutshell what has happened in the Senate today with the Illegal Immigration bill.
You gotta' love it...it is a quick read.
BT Thanks you continually hav
June 27, 2007 - 23:00 ET by botgBT
Thanks you continually have many great links.
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
Evening bot...and thank you k
June 27, 2007 - 23:03 ET by bigtimerEvening bot...and thank you kind sir.
This may be a marbowlus jus m
June 27, 2007 - 23:08 ET by botgThis may be a marbowlus jus marbowlus evening, it seems there are eight possible senators who are getting cold feet. I just wish one was from CA so I as a direct voter could send more e-mails
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
I know what you mean bot...Bt
June 27, 2007 - 23:12 ET by bigtimerI know what you mean bot...
Btw...tomorrow is going to be verrrrry interesting in the Senate....interesting indeed.
Like I said elsewhere ....
Let this Travesty Bill die...for good.
I am sick of Friday the 13th type of revival.
Why is she here to pay tuition at all?
June 28, 2007 - 00:37 ET by nkviking75"Instead, they [illegal immigrants] pay higher, often prohibitive, out-of-state tuition."
If our immigration laws were enforced, they wouldn't be in Connecticut to pay tuition of any kind.
I wonder what tuition runs at Mexican universities.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Ladies and gentlemen, you h
June 28, 2007 - 07:18 ET by BobAnthonyLadies and gentlemen, you have just seen one of the many reasons why I, a lifelong nutmegger call Connecticut The People's Republic of Connecticut-stan. Rell, who has helped me deal with my disability and finding employment, gets on my good side again with this IMPORTANT veto. Of course, the commies who run the press including the Hartford KORAN'T see otherwise. I am disgusted with the media in this welfare state that I once worked in and have had to deal with politics to get back into said media. But like I said, I have a disability am on SSDI (and honestly hate it, but have no choice).
But the media will not hire me because I believe in Truth, Justice and The American Way. Then again, this state elected Ned "Big Dummy" Lamont to represent the commies against Lieberman--WHO VOTED ALONGSIDE DODD FOR AMNESTY IN THE CLOTURE VOTE! To make matters worse, not to get personal, my mom, a devout liberal, but of the old school, has a very hurt knee and back thanks to stenosis of the spine and I have to help her as best I can. It's a struggle I know--then again I don't like my current job of working for an Au Pair agency which has a bunch of liberals working there!
I know, stop whining some of you say--WELL I WON'T unless my goal is achieved. I've wanted to be in broadcasting on the radio since childhood and these politicians who support communism, socialism and their boyz Chavez, Castro, Kim-Jung-Il and this ILL-COINCEIVED FAIRNESS DOCTRINE, want to ruin it for me!
Frankly I am sick and tired of all this media crap--the commies have their places why do they want to ruin talk radio? And even if their own network Hot Air America survives with this (UN)Fairness Doctrine, they would have to have a conservative voice on the air. Don't they see it both ways? OF COURSE NOT--THEY'RE BLINDED BY THEIR HATRED FOR AMERICA!
Rant off--I'm sorry guys, but I have a lot on my plate, and it doesn't taste good to me at all.
Well well well...the Sergeant
June 28, 2007 - 10:42 ET by bigtimerWell well well...the Sergeant of Arms has been instructed to shut down the phone systems coming into the Senate offices according to DeMint I think it was...the lines are jammed, the people are outraged...adn after hearing Little Lindsay Graham and others having hysterics on the floor at the moment threatening the American people with Nothing being done now with the border or the illegal aliens if we do not vote their way.....the laws they say we have now are unenforceable....sweet eh?
I cannot believe what I am hearing with these threats by these men.....how dare they...I also hope they will not be forgotten and be replaced in '08.
The vote for cloture is going to be taken in about ten minutes or so....I hope this travesty fails with all my heart.
bt...I have emailed NB asking
June 28, 2007 - 10:44 ET by Clear thinkerbt...
I have emailed NB asking them to post an Open Thread so we can talk more about those in the Senate that are about to toss the will of the American people out like yesterdays garbage.
Prove you can secure our borders first. The only legislation that counts!
Great idea Ct....I will be in
June 28, 2007 - 10:48 ET by bigtimerGreat idea Ct....
I will be in and out until after the vote.
I work from home so I am multi-tasking...as usual...lol!
I will be keeping track of who votes how as usual....
These speeches have been something to behold...I have never heard anything like it...ever...they are threatening US out here by not agreeing with THEM....the Master of the Universe as Sessions so aptly calls them....
I will catch ya here and there...lol!
This is one of those events t
June 28, 2007 - 12:26 ET by GalvanicThis is one of those events that makes me proud to be an American. While the turn-outs for elections are often disappointing, it's hot-button issues like this that really stir up the citizenry against a Congress (and President) that seems determined to make us swallow manure and thank them for it.
The very visible signs of outrage from us and our fellow Americans is proof that while the public is often complacent, it isn't asleep.