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Democrats Considering Health Care-Immigration Deal To Overcome Key Sticking Point

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Lawmakers who want to extend health coverage to illegal immigrants will not block the passage of the final health care reform bill so long as the White House offers a substantive promise to start pushing comprehensive immigration legislation this year.

Democrats who want a comprehensive bill that reforms immigration law but also offers a pathway to citizenship have threatened to vote against health care if illegal immigrants aren't included in the new system, making immigration one of the sticking points as Democratic leaders negotiate the final details.

Democratic leadership aides believe that a firm White House promise of a comprehensive immigration bill will be enough to quell any House dissent.

TPMDC sources have been telling us that members won't admit it publicly but they are ready to concede on immigration in the health care bill. Political aides in the White House have told key parties in Congress that President Obama wants to see a bill this year, and negotiations are under way for how it would be written.

A source familiar with the negotiations between Congress and the White House told TPMDC the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will demand an agreement from Obama that health care coverage for illegals who earn a path to citizenship will be addressed in an immigration bill.

The Senate's health care bill bars illegal immigrants from any sort of coverage, a provision embraced after Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) shouted "You lie!" during Obama's address to Congress when the president said that illegal immigrants would not be able to get health care under the legislation.

Those familiar with the talks say any immigration legislation will include various amnesty provisions to allow for health care coverage.

Lawmakers want to be careful they aren't viewed as giving up on a key goal, but have said they are confident the White House is being honest that Obama wants to see a comprehensive bill this year.

A source told us that members who have championed immigration reform "aren't actually conceding, just changing tactics" to secure coverage for illegal immigrants whatever way they came.

Ed. note: This posted has been edited.

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January 4, 2010 1:53 PM   

Sound a little crazy to me...

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January 4, 2010 2:04 PM   

forcing the conservative senate bill on the house. Precious.

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January 4, 2010 2:10 PM    in reply to Indie Pro

Indeed!

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January 4, 2010 2:14 PM   

Illegal aliens aren't "immigrants," but criminals and parasites, one and all. Their very presence here and practically everything they do on U. S. soil is illegal. They need to be ferreted out, rounded up like cattle, punished for their numerous crimes, then booted back to whence they snuck in from with such extreme prejudice that they will never, ever think of violating our sovereignty again. Enough is enough.

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January 4, 2010 2:21 PM    in reply to BajaRat

Have fun picking all that fruit yourself

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January 4, 2010 2:32 PM    in reply to holyhandgrenaid

Oh my, a Tan Klan/MEChA talking point. How clever of you.... [LOL!]

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January 4, 2010 2:44 PM    in reply to BajaRat

I don't even know what that slang and acronym mean...

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January 4, 2010 2:51 PM    in reply to holyhandgrenaid

He is simply projecting his own racism onto others.

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January 4, 2010 3:10 PM    in reply to holyhandgrenaid

1. "Tan Klan" is usually used about the National Council of La Raza. I don't call them that name, preferring instead to point out that, among many other things, they gave an award to someone who'd proposed genocide.

2. Your comment seems to imply that only Mexicans are genetically capable of doing farm work. Perhaps you should re-think your talking points.

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January 4, 2010 3:15 PM    in reply to LonewackoDotCom3

Not at all. I'm just pointing out that they're the ones doing it now, and if you kick them all out, who's going to do it, you, me. If there were American citizens who were going to do it, they would be now, and there wouldn't be nearly as much illegal immigration, as there wouldn't be as much demand for undocumented laborers.

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January 4, 2010 4:41 PM    in reply to holyhandgrenaid

How much does it pay?

I suspect you're willing to accept a slaves wage?

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January 4, 2010 7:05 PM    in reply to Resistance

Thank you for illustrating my larger point

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January 4, 2010 9:32 PM    in reply to holyhandgrenaid

What point would that be?
Whose going to pick our cotton?
Is that what you're advocating?
Slavery?

Cheap labor is destroying the American middle class

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January 4, 2010 10:34 PM    in reply to Resistance

Ah, no. This isn't work that will ever pay enough to qualify as 'middle class' nor is there the workforce to replace the migrant workers, at least not one willing to work for the wages that they are paid.

Or, perhaps you'd be willing to pay two or three times for your fruit and veggies?


And slavery? Really? If that's where you hope to take this argument, do us all a favor and just stop.

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January 4, 2010 10:59 PM    in reply to holyhandgrenaid

You're the one who wrote: "Or, perhaps you'd be willing to pay two or three times for your fruit and veggies?

So your concern is cheap fruits and vegetables?

You're the one making excuses and justifying sub standard working conditions, so we Americans don't have to live without fruits and vegetables.

"Americans won't work that cheap" therefore we need immigrants.

Is that your proposal?

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January 4, 2010 2:22 PM    in reply to BajaRat

Of which Native American nation are you a member? I must say I haven't encountered many of your brethren with this attitude, though I suppose it is understandable. Finders keepers, right?

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January 4, 2010 3:13 PM    in reply to Cool Blue Reason

The reader should think through what Cool Blue Reason is saying: that the U.S. is not the legitimate owner of its territory. Cool Blue Reason is in effect denying the sovereignty of the U.S. Oddly enough, Obama has come close to doing the same.

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January 4, 2010 3:28 PM    in reply to LonewackoDotCom3

Hate to break it to you, but "the U.S." isn't a synonym for "white people."

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January 4, 2010 5:20 PM    in reply to Stroszek

You see us Europeans know a thing or two about colonizing someone else’s land.

The Spanish did too with they're missions they shoved down the throats of California natives.
They had a much harder time of it in Arizona, because the Apache's kept them out.
After the Civil War the Yankees under the command of Gen Crook came to Arizona, we defeated Colorado Mingus and Geronimo.

Now just because the Apaches are no longer a threat, then the South of the border colonizing forces, need to realize. America has already been claimed and was conquered, and the Flag that lays claim is American.

It's not Mexico's to conquer. The French were beat in the War of 1812, the Spanish got whipped in the Spanish American War. America is wise to the foothold, beachhead attempts by foreign powers, and the use of colonization as a tool.

So when I speak of the recent migration of Hispanic groups from the South as being illegal colonists, well I think I can speak of such things, because my forefathers did the same thing. No new tricks here.

I suspect the best things the Indians at Plymouth Rock or Jamestown, could have done, was kicked our butts off of the shoreline.
In that way they could have preserved they're culture.

As it is America is no longer a Nation to be colonized. If you want to be accepted as guests fine, if you are acceptable and agreeable to being assimilated that's the way to do it.

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January 4, 2010 2:36 PM    in reply to BajaRat

I don't live the sort of invective used in online flame wars, but in your case I'll make an exception.

You are a useless bigot.

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January 4, 2010 3:16 PM    in reply to ericf

What, no screaming RACIST!! and XENOPHOBE!!?? How utterly surprising!

Tell me..... why shouldn't illegal aliens be nabbed and deported? Are you in favor of rewarding criminals? Enquiring minds want to know!

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January 4, 2010 3:37 PM    in reply to BajaRat

I'm all for deporting illegal aliens, as long as we also deport and seize the assets of those who knowingly hire them for cheap labor. Nothing would make me happier than seeing the CEOs of the major meat processing companies kicked off a bus in Mexico...

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January 4, 2010 4:06 PM    in reply to Matt Jones

No problem there. In fact it would be nice to see the corrupt politicians who caused this to happen locked up as well. Hear that Cap'n Kenya?

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January 4, 2010 3:41 PM    in reply to BajaRat

Then please don't use the term "illegal aliens" -- it's like using the term "colored." Use the term undocumented immigrants. It's a longstanding American principle that people be tried in court before they are found to be here illegally. The term "illegal alien" robs these people of their rights.

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January 4, 2010 4:18 PM    in reply to jimbomoron

'A rose by any other name is still a rose'?

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January 4, 2010 4:23 PM    in reply to jimbomoron

You are aware that, whether or not a dude in a funky robe in a building says so, the second they cross over that border any way but through the legal guidelines, they are ILLEGAL? What gave you this misguided notion that as long as they don't get caught, they've done nothing wrong? You should seriously consider developing some critical thinking.

If they came here any way but legally, they are illegal aliens the second they step foot over the border. You pulled that principal out of your ass.

Also, since they aren't citizens, they don't have rights. There are certain rules that must be followed...They can't be denied emergency care, they have to be treated humanely, ETC, but they have no rights.

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January 4, 2010 4:40 PM    in reply to jimbomoron

They aren't "immigrants." They are criminals, hence the term 'illegal aliens.' 'Undocumented' is some PC BS term Jimmy Carter's knuckle draggers dreamed up so as not to offend border-hopping interlopers and their loathsome enablers. Undocumented? LOL!

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January 4, 2010 4:52 PM    in reply to BajaRat

The moment you ask for proof or documenation.

They'll scream Racism.

The best way then is to give a window of opportunity, come forward, before the window closes. After that the penalties increase.

Not some mealy mouthed weak response " You shouldn't do that, shame on you"

Do all of us a favor, turn yourself in and get in line.
If the law can get passed for more legal immigrants, GREAT

But this idea that our borders are open to everyone, is foolish and leaves America unprotected

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January 4, 2010 3:22 PM    in reply to BajaRat

Moron.
Please learn how to use the word "sovereignty" properly before you try to use it.
For instance:
"During the course of the late 20th Century, the United States violated numerous Latin American nations' sovereignty by subverting legitimate democratic processes within many of them and funding terrorist groups in those they could not. Consequently, millions of Latin American people of different ethnic backgrounds and nationalities fled US-instigated civil wars and right-wing death squads hoping to escape to the USA, often entering illegally after being turned away by restrictive asylum and visa policies. Once there, many worked menial jobs to support themselves and the remnants of their families in their homelands, often contributing to tax programs they would never be able to benefit from, and committing fewer crimes than native-born US citizens."

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January 4, 2010 4:32 PM    in reply to kenga

It was reported that some of these groups in Latin America, were Marxist in nature.

Now what would you propose to do, if Chavez decides to allow Korean missiles with Nuclear warheads pointed directly at your house?

I suppose you'll sing Que Sera, Sera?

Its always safer to sit 1000’s of miles away, deploring the actions of our Country; until that flash of blinding light, and you say how could we have allowed them mad men, to get the bomb?

Citizens from war ravaged countries, can seek asylum in our country.
You better be a citizen who can prove he didn't work against the United States, and not coming to America for revenge or are here to look for soft targets?

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January 8, 2010 6:09 PM    in reply to Resistance

Now what would you propose to do, if Chavez decides to allow Korean missiles with Nuclear warheads pointed directly at your house?.
Silly fool.
I've had Soviet and Russian warheads pointed at my house for my entire life, up to and including today. (I grew up between Raytheon and Norton Co. HQs.) I've managed to keep control of my bladder so far - and singing Que Sera Sera is a pretty rational reaction; you may want to take notes. And in point of fact, if nuclear-armed missiles appear in Venezuela, they would most likely come from Russia.
(Nukes that fit on the pylons of supersonic bombers are much more likely - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420522,00.html)

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January 4, 2010 4:18 PM    in reply to BajaRat

Don't you love how those of us that happen to be against illegals get called racist? I've never met a single illegal defender that has actually had to deal with the people, however.

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January 8, 2010 7:09 PM    in reply to Kuyleh

I think it is largely because there is almost never any discussion of Europeans in the US illegally.
When everybody you are railing against and advocating violence toward is melanin-endowed, it's hard to not get the impression that your issues center around race.
You may not be - but many of your fellow travelers would gleefully detain and deport people, whose families have been US citizens for generations, because of their skin color and dialect.

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mcc

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January 4, 2010 2:22 PM   

"The Senate's health care bill bars illegals from any sort of coverage"

Oh come on do you have to do that

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January 4, 2010 2:51 PM   

Sigh, Christina you inadvertently are pushing a false right-wing meme by saying prohibiting "illegals" from access to health care reform law benefits was in response to Wilson's outburst.

That's not true, not even close.

Wilson was flat-out wrong, the bill ALWAYS prohibited undocumented aliens from benefits. The only issue was the statutory enforcement mechanisms. And that's a completely separate issue from eligibility.

You know we're losing the spin war when even a liberal blog fails to transcribe reality.

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January 4, 2010 3:07 PM    in reply to DCCyclone

What do you expect from someone who worked at the Washington Times

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January 4, 2010 3:17 PM   

Illegal is not a sick bird.

Legal immigration YES

Illegal COLONIZATION, NO

Evidenlty some don't think we need immigration laws?

Load up the boats from China, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan everyone that can get here, welcome.
Bin Laden, our borders are open?

Bring your sick too.
Malaria, Tuberculosis, whatever ails you. America welcomes you all.

Open border advocates, don't care. Come all.

I wonder if these open border advocates have a preference?

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January 4, 2010 3:33 PM    in reply to Resistance

Yep, and encouraging people with malaria, tuberculosis, etc. who are already here illegally to avoid treatment out of fear is a great idea. Hope you enjoy the epidemic.

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January 4, 2010 4:08 PM    in reply to Matt Jones

Now you present yourself in the service of your Country?

You admit what many Americans have feared all along? It’s why WE the people had our representatives write laws to protect us.

Laws violated by advocates of illegal Colonization, ignoring, flaunting our laws.

You now have the audacity to blame me, because our laws were not enforced to prevent disease and foreign enemies from entering our country illegally.

What part of illegal do you not understand?

You admit that America now faces an epidemic. Telling me I should enjoy it now because you let it happen in the first place?

In 1986 we passed laws on immigration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Reform_and_Control_Act_of_1986

The laws were clearly violated.

Now why do you suppose that is?

Now what? You propose to give, another amnesty? Only this next time, the laws will be enforced? Are you for real?

I suppose you think the next immigration law will be adhered too?

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Randall Terry

You may have fooled yourself, but not me

Now you'd have all of us believe these illegal Colonists’s are law-abiding citizens?
Law abiding citizens don’t violate laws. Ever heard of the term cognitive disconnect?

According to your reasoning, the government needs to actively pursue those who may present the US with an epidemic. All because some chose to disobey our laws and our law agencies turned a blind eye to enforcing the laws.

Thanks a lot.
I hope we’re not too late?

NOW GET OUT OF THE WAY, OBSTRUCTIONIST

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January 4, 2010 3:39 PM   

The flip side of "Sternly Worded Letters" -- White House promises.

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January 4, 2010 3:46 PM   

If something is worth being sanctioned under color of law, then it shouldn't be rewarded with benefits, like health insurance.

Illegal immigrants should. however, be offered free inoculations because that serves the greater good.

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January 4, 2010 4:15 PM   

Ha ha ha! Because we all know a promise from Obama is good as gold. What. A. Joke.

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January 4, 2010 6:35 PM    in reply to dijamo

Mmmm, PUMA bitterness.

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January 4, 2010 6:38 PM    in reply to Stroszek

And I will remember this post for when Obama passes immigration reform.

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January 4, 2010 7:17 PM    in reply to Stroszek

Yeah, just like he filibustered telecom immunity.

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January 4, 2010 8:37 PM   

They should have it.

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January 4, 2010 11:01 PM   

HELP STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. YOU can make a difference! Sign up with: http://www.numbersusa.com/content/about-us.html

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January 5, 2010 6:55 AM   

Hot Air -- White House promises left: Illegals will be eligible for ObamaCare after we give them amnesty

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January 5, 2010 12:20 PM   

We could solve our immagration problems with Mexico becoming part of the United States. Divide it up into several States, which would make all mexicans U.S. Citizens, and under all the laws and regulations of the United States. Send in our Military to destroy the drug cartel. Develop Farms, drill for oil, anything to help get the economy going again in the increased size of America.

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January 5, 2010 12:55 PM    in reply to Tuffanuff

You can't do that, They want to preserve they're heritage, they're culture.

No instead, they want Americans to give up they're heritage and culture. To become a part of the growing and expanding Mexico.
All without a shot being fired.

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Farewell_Address#31
34

As avenues to foreign influence in innumerable ways, such attachments are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent Patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions, to practise the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the Public Councils

35 Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence

24 It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.


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January 5, 2010 7:04 PM   

I like the picture they've included with the article. If I lived in that area that road sign would encourage me to immediately 'put the pedal to the metal' along that particular stretch of highway. LOL!

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January 5, 2010 10:01 PM   

Many won't like this:
First, DC is full of traitors who have worked to destroy and subvert our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Let's root them out and put THEM in a cage in CUBA- no guards, just a stong cage.
Secondly, bring our troops home. Their lives and skills are too precious to sacrifice to the sandbox of the Mideast. Those tribes have been slaughtering each other for centuries without our help. Let them continue. We don't need their stinking oil.
Third, load the terrorist prisoners in Quantanamo on a boat, bound up below decks. Half-way here, airlift the crew off the boat and scuttle it. ("The crew and prisoners went down with the ship. There were no survivors found.") Problem solved.
Fourth, erect a 50' concertina wire-topped, electrified fence, with 10' additional burried with sensors. Hire the unemployed and pay them with the money we save when we weed out the self-serving weasles in DC. Give the workers healthcare benefits; they will have earned it. Land mine the area 100 yrds into our territory, setting them to go off with >= 125lbs. Guards to shoot to kill anyone trying to sneak over the border, including drug/gun-runners.
Fifth, change the law to allow our armed force to root out and exterminate those in terrorist training camps on US soil (we currently know of 35 such camps @ 25-250acres ea.); they are our enemies. Include those who give aid and comfort to the enemy. This includes CAIR and others NGO's associated with the Islamic Brotherhood and its various offshoots and clones.
Sixth, tell the UN to kiss our collective USA behind! They do not, and never will, govern us. Our Constitution says so! We will continue to help those in need, but not those who are enemies of ours or our allies.
Like it or not, folks, we are at war. It's time to get tough or die. Those are the choices we did not request, but which our enemies have given us. War IS hell...and dirty. Those who don't want to get their hands dirty should have thought about that before we allowed a progressive, socialist, statist regime to gain control of our country and futures. It is time to reclaim the Republic for which so many have fought and died.
Lastly, please spare me bleeding heart rhetoric, that all I have stated is patently un-American. When you are at war, you do things in self-preservation that you would much rather not do.

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June 12, 2010 5:07 PM   

You are aware that, whether or not a dude in a funky robe in a building says so, the second they cross over that border any way but through the legal guidelines, they are ILLEGAL? What gave you this misguided notion that as long as they don't get caught, they've done nothing wrong? You should seriously consider developing some critical thinking.

If they came here any way but legally, they are illegal aliens the second they step foot over the border. You pulled that principal out of your ass.

Also, since they aren't citizens, they don't have rights. There are certain rules that must be followed...They can't be denied emergency care, they have to be treated humanely, ETC, but they have no rights.

m65 kamagra

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August 23, 2010 11:27 AM   

I have been following you blog for quite some time now…..I just wanted to say how excited and happy I am for you. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. custom packaging bags

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