GOP to finesse immigration issue

The Washington Times ^ | 8/23/2004 | Ralph Z. Hallow

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

The Republican Party's platform will oppose amnesty for illegal aliens, predicts Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, the platform committee chairman.

"I believe it likely there will be a strong statement against amnesty," the Tennessee Republican said in an interview with The Washington Times.

President Bush's "guest-worker" proposal for dealing with illegal immigration, which he outlined in a White House speech in January, includes a limited, three-year amnesty for qualified illegal aliens holding jobs in the United States.

The plan has deeply angered many Republicans, who say it is meant to pander to the growing Hispanic vote, and they blame the idea on Bush advisers, including chief political strategist Karl Rove.

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

-ping-

[gubamyster]

ping

[dalereed]

Recieved this from "Conservative Petitions" today.

This might be a good place to register our opinion on illegal imigration.

ALERT: Well, the Republican Party is asking for input
from you and I to help set the party's agenda. That's
right, it's time once again to write the GOP Platform --
the foundational document that declares to the world,
"THIS is what Republicans stand for!"

This is also where the "trench warfare" takes place every
four years, between the conservative base of the party,
and the "big tent" of liberals, neocons, and good ol'
"RINOs" - Republicans In Name Only.

If you've never experienced the passion and determination
of our conservative warriors on the front line of this
ideological warfare, or the desperate attempts by party
bigwigs to "tone us down", here's a sample of what we're
up against this year:

At the GOP Convention website, they've set up a webpage
where ordinary folks like us can give input on what WE
think should be the most important issues for the Republican
Party this year. To do this, there is a drop-down menu which
lists 20 different issues (including "other"). You can click
on the issue which is "most important to you". With your
input, they say, the party "will be well on our way to
defining the GOP vision for America's tomorrows."

Sounds great. But if you look closer, you'll notice there
are a few issues missing from the list they provide you to
choose from... specifically, the issues that are most
important to the GOP's conservative base!

There's no selection for "abortion" or "pro-life". There's
no selection for "Second Amendment" or "guns". There's no
selection for "immigration". There's no selection for
"family" or "marriage". There's no selection for
"religious liberty".

WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING? Without its conservative base,
there would be NO Republican Party to begin with!

Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe some intern put the webpage
up, and forgot a few things. Let's give them the benefit of
the doubt.

But let's also make sure they know what really IS important
to the "silent majority" of Americans -- the ones who will
determine whether the GOP wins or loses this year.

TAKE ACTION: Go to the official Republican National
Convention website below, fill in the form, and pick the
"Other" issue from the drop-down menu. Then, fill in the rest
of the form with what that "other" issue is, why it's
important, and finally, what you think of the "party of
conservativism" completely leaving OUT the issues that are
most important to conservatives:

http://www.gopconvention.com/contents/goplive/platform/

NOTE: Be sure to forward this Alert to everyone you know
who wants to help make sure that the GOP doesn't abandon its
conservative grassroots in its party platform. Thank you!

[Happy2BMe]

But will they listen when I blister them for playing patty-cake with Vincente Fox instead of stopping the massive invasion from the South?

[dalereed]

"But will they listen when I blister them for playing patty-cake with Vincente Fox instead of stopping the massive invasion from the South?"

The worst they can do is ignore us!

[Happy2BMe]

The worst for who?

[engrpat]

And they do. I have written my two Texas senators. I got one kiss off letter from one and have yet to hear from Kay Baily....talk about tin ears. This is the one thing I get so upset about when it comes to Bush, he must do something about the borders. If there is an attack before the election and one statement is made that they came across the southern border Bush is toast.

[Conservative Firster]

Bill Clinton said it depends what IS IS.

The Republican Party says it depends what amnesty is.

[B4Ranch]

>>There's no selection for "abortion" or "pro-life". There's
no selection for "Second Amendment" or "guns". There's no
selection for "immigration". There's no selection for
"family" or "marriage". There's no selection for
"religious liberty".<<

There's no selection to be a Republican so why even stay with the Party?

[Ron H.]

The problem for Mr. Frist, he acknowledged, is that, in order to avoid a possible convention floor fight, the platform's immigration plank has to be written in such a way as to reconcile, or at least appear to reconcile, the irreconcilable. That is, it has to oppose amnesty, but not oppose the president's plan, which includes a temporary amnesty that also, as some critics claim, can lead to citizenship for those granted amnesty.

"The document," Mr. Frist acknowledged, "has to reflect the president's principles and at same time the party's principles and policies."

So, Senator Frist is actually acknowledging that President Bush isn't the kind of Republican that the Republican party wants to be, the one that he purports to lead, is. It would seem that Senator Frist, Rep. Delay along with others are gravely concerned with Bush and where he is taking the party in view of how the base and even some of the rank and file seem so opposed to (and more so on a daily basis these days) his guest worker (amnesty) plan, in any form.

I guess the Republican Party isn't being as compassionately (aka liberally) conservative as Bush wants it to be, yet! Give Bush time and he will try his compassionate best to ram (this plan of his) down Americas throat no matter whether they want it or not. After all, he is our benevolent and compassionate leader and he knows what's best for the nation. I suspect that the RNC hierarchy is (seriously) second guessing (about now) their bargain they made in picking Bush for the ticket in 2000 right about now.

</rant>

[Happy2BMe]

I'm trying hard pushing through the smoke and mirrors to find that the hard core issues are still there.

I'll get back with ya!

[Ron H.]

And they do. I have written my two Texas senators. I got one kiss off letter from one and have yet to hear from Kay Baily....talk about tin ears.......

No surprise there. Senator Cornyn is the one who is carrying Bush's guest worker (aka amnesty) program in the U.S. Senate if memory serves me correctly. Both are cut from the same compassionate conservative cloth.

I've also written to him on this issue and he too blew me off. Wasn't interested in hearing what this constituent had to say on his and Bush's pet illegal alien project.

Kay Bailey is just coasting until she retires at the end of her current term. She is one of those Texas RINO's so don't expect any support from her either. But rumor has it she may want to be the next Governor of Texas. She may want to care then though. We'll have to wait and see how many hispanics turn out to vote in November.

[FITZ]

It might be more than that --- I think Bush might have sincerely believed that helping Vicente Fox in whatever was going to be beneficial somehow to Mexico --- but the elections in July showed a sharp left turn --- with Fox's PAN party taking some big losses and the PRD party which is considered leftist made some good gains.

Mexicans themselves are obviously not very pleased with Fox even though or maybe because his whole economic plan for them is to get as many into the USA or Canada as possible in hopes that some will send some dollars back for a while. It's been a terrible plan.

[janetgreen]

I got the same e-mail today, and answered it on the provided form. I gave them an earful about how most American citizens feel about illegal immigration and being forced to pay for it, and the fact that our borders aren't being adequately protected. They asked, I answered.

[janetgreen]

There's no selection to be a Republican so why even stay with the Party?

Same thing I told them.

[Ron H.]

I understand and acknowledge what you say here but Bush is (stubbornly) aiming to please the big business side (big buck contributors who benefit directly and handsomely from cheap Mexican labor) of the Republican party and Vicente Fox more than the base and rank-and-file party supporters. His priorities seem to be skewered in this regard.

IMHO, if Bush is trying to stave off bankruptcy and the collapse of the economy of our southern neighbor he should come and make his case before the American people and he should also make Fox step up to the plate and support us without hesitation in the war on terror and in the U.N. and in other ways that he has failed to do. Fox comes across as being arrogant, ungrateful and downright hostile to the American populace far too often. He seems to act as if America owes him somehow. And to me Bush is acting like he doesn't trust us, the American people.

Fox himself may be in deep political trouble with his people but that isn't (and shouldn't be) our concern as a nation. Mexico, as a soverign nation should be of concern but not Fox himself. Presidente's come and go and this should maybe consider going. We shouldn't be propping up a corrupt regime such as Foxs'.

[Sabertooth]

The problem for Mr. Frist, he acknowledged, is that, in order to avoid a possible convention floor fight, the platform's immigration plank has to be written in such a way as to reconcile, or at least appear to reconcile, the irreconcilable. That is, it has to oppose amnesty, but not oppose the president's plan, which includes a temporary amnesty that also, as some critics claim, can lead to citizenship for those granted amnesty.     

"The document," Mr. Frist acknowledged, "has to reflect the president's principles and at same time the party's principles and policies."

Then the document will be a lie.

The Bush Amnesty is an Amnesty, and the President and his apologists are dishonest to claim otherwise.

After re-election, President Bush will push again and again for his Amnesty, and it will be necessary to defeat him on that issue at every opportunity.

[B4Ranch]

I hope you realized that your answer had a 'forbidden' term and went straight to the trash bin.

border
sovereignty
protection
illegal
alien
costs
open
independent
security
and on and on. There's so many forbidden words that will restrict anyone from actually reading because they are now considered politically incorrect by the RNC.

[AnimalLover]

But will they listen when I blister them for playing patty-cake with Vincente Fox instead of stopping the massive invasion from the South?

Hey, I just sent something similar! Guess we all think alike.