Bush Proposes Legal Status for Immigrant Labor ("Little Chance" Of Proposal Passing In Current Form)

Washington Post ^ | January 8, 2004 | Mike Allen

[Pubbie]

President Bush, saying the nation has failed millions of illegal immigrants who live in fear of deportation, yesterday proposed an ambitious plan that would allow undocumented workers to legally hold jobs in the United States for the first time.

[SNIP]

What Bush calls his "temporary worker" program was eagerly embraced by business groups but condemned as stingy and impractical by advocates for immigrants. The administration hopes the plan will appeal to Hispanic voters and expand the Republican political base, and strategists in both parties described it as politically shrewd. But many said it has little chance of passing Congress in the form Bush described.

[SNIP]

Some members of Congress said that would have the effect of rewarding people who had broken the law by using phony documents to obtain jobs. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) said he believes Congress can come up with "a strong and compassionate policy" on immigration but said he has "heartfelt reservations about allowing illegal immigrants into a U.S. guest-worker program that seems to reward illegal behavior."

House Republican officials described the guest-worker issue as a low priority for GOP lawmakers, many of whom have expressed concern that a new program would take jobs from constituents.

Opponents derided Bush's proposal as an "amnesty," a politically charged term that causes conservatives to recoil. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.), a member of the House subcommittee that would consider the bill, said it "amounts to the forgiveness of a criminal act, no different under the law than printing hundred-dollar bills in your garage."

[SNIP]

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said in Mexico that he is confident an immigration plan will make it through Congress "because it is a security issue."

But a House leadership aide said that at least 50 Republicans would be unlikely to vote for such a measure, and most Democrats would probably reject it to avoid giving Bush a victory during his reelection campaign.

[Pubbie]

This actually isn't so bad because there is almost no chance any immigrants who sign up will become citizens.

It's just a large Guest Worker program - which is not great, but won't mean the Democrats become the Majority party again either.

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[Pubbie]

*Ping*!

[COEXERJ145]

I still wouldn't be surprised if it dies in the House. DeLay can kill it, take the heat, and Bush can say "See, I tried".

[templar]

It's just a large Guest Worker program -...

In the spirit of H1B? That does seem to be working out pretty well.

[Zipporah]

"That does seem to be working out pretty well."..How so?

[FrontlinesofFreedom]

Are you familiar with Father Walter Ciszek S.J.?

[wildbill]

Those who don't learn history are doomed to repeat nonsense.

This is not the first time that immigrants have had a temporary work program. The Bracero program began in WWII to provide Mexicans jobs in the US during wartime labor shortages and it continued into the 60s.

[templar]

.How so?

It's accomplishing exactly what it was intended to accomplish with minimum problems.

[Zipporah]

What was the intent?

[Sabertooth]

This actually isn't so bad because there is almost no chance any immigrants who sign up will become citizens.

That's not likely. Allow the politicians to sell out on Illegals today, and they'll do it again tomorrow. This has to stop.

It's just a large Guest Worker program - which is not great, but won't mean the Democrats become the Majority party again either.

No, it's just Amnesty by stages.

The Dems may not become the majority party, but if this Bush Amnesty passes, the GOP won't win as large a majority as they could if President Bush had been willing to vigorously enforce our immigration laws from the beginning of his Presidency.

[Pubbie]

"This has to stop."

If the situation stays the same for the next 40 years, then we are in some very big trouble.

But Bush won't be President forever.

My hope is that Bush doesn't make the Immigration situation much worse than it already is between now and 2008, so that we can run a border control candidate like Bill Owens for President.

I remember my father (Who was a political refugee from the Soviet Union) thought that after Nixon left office, the Soviets would destroy the world because Ford was weak on National Defence.

But 7 years later Reagan became President and the rest is history.

I do understand your frustration however and would still encourage people to call their Washington Representatives - but sometimes you just have to be patient in politics like my father did...

[templar]

What was the intent?

Cheap labor for various corporations, lowering of hightech wages in general, money to India to pay off for favors, etc.

[Zipporah]

.. I'm in complete agreement..

[AZLiberty]

Everybody talks about the political aspects of this, whether it's going to harm Democrats or Republicans, or elevate the Libertarians. Personally, I wonder if this is another case where Bush has decided to do what he believes to be the right thing, and hang the politics.

Something had to change. We couldn't let things continue as they were going. But Democrats, compassion, and practicality meant we weren't going to send out a posse and round up the 10 million illegal immigrants. And Republicans and common sense meant we weren't going to let them all become citizens.

So now we have a compromise position that might actually "work", even if it means Bush loses the presidency. If Hillary misses her chance and a middle-of-the-road Democrat (say Gephardt or Lieberman) becomes president for eight years, we could almost call it even. If we lose Bush and we get Hillary, then I may have to move to France (at least Alec Baldwin won't be there).

[Jackson Brown]

What I find VERY interesting is that I've spent the day listening to the democrats attacking this plan (where the specifics are still nearly ALL undetermined) for NOT doing all the things (like) people here are saying this plan DOES do??

As I see it, there is FAR more confusion about what is really being proposed, but there are a WHOLE lot of people who think they know. I, for one, do not know what it will look like after it gets through Congress (if it does) and I don't think anyone else does either. I tend to go along with those that see this as a clever move.

As I see it, it may be a great political idea to:

1 -- take ANOTHER issue away from the Dems
2 -- make the left actually have to work against what LOOKS like something they SHOULD support, just to be contrary to Bush.
3 -- increase Bush's "compassionate conservative" image, which should push more of the moderates his way...besides any increase in his Hispanic support.

[PRND21]

No, it's just Amnesty by stages.

Phhhffffttt!!!!!

Four More Years

[MarkM]

This "guest worker" program needs to be stopped. Anything that makes it easier for Mexicans to come in to the US is just going to encourage more. More illegals, more semi-legals, more "guest workers". This will tend to lower American wages to to the level of Mexico. Is this what we want? More semi-legal documented Mexicans is just going to give illegals a bigger community in which to hide. Once they are here in America they will be able to get all the welfare that anyone else gets. You know its true. Liberal judges will see to that.

Also they call them "guest workers" today but the Dems see them as a rich source of votes. They'll have no problem getting a Liberal judge to give them full voting rights and full welfare.

Look, a low level of legal immigration is fine but we are way beyond that already.

[PRND21]

This will tend to lower American wages to to the level of Mexico.

Then the semi illegals will go home!
Bush out foxed em again.