Fred Barnes: Losing Friends and Influence (President Bush misjudges immigration and the ports issue)

The Weekly Standard ^ | March 6, 2006 | Fred Barnes

[skeptical_con]

One thing W knows how to do right is spend money - he makes the 'Toon look like Uncle Scrooge by comparison.

[GarySpFc]

Bush invited members of Congress and his cabinet, plus leaders of Hispanic groups, to his speech at the White House in January 2004 calling for more immigration into the United States. "The citizenship line . . . is too long and our current limits on legal immigration are too low," he said. But he devoted most of his address to illegal immigrants.

Fred Barnes needs to learn the difference between a legal immigrant and an illegal alien.

[Txsleuth]

What also hasn't helped it Specter coming out with a very lax immigration proposal...with liberal "guest worker" provisions...

Which Bush might like, but since the "base" are not big fans of Specter or the guest worker program...it will hurt more than help..

I blame the Republicans in Congress for escalating the hoo-ha over the ports issue....THEY are ones that made the process what it is....but now are blaming Bush for playing by the rules they set up....cowards.

[GarySpFc]

How could this adversarial relationship on immigration have been avoided? "If we had to do it again, we probably would lead with enforcement," a White House official said. In other words, soften up the immigrant-bashers with dramatically increased border security and then, and only then, seek a temporary worker program in a year or two. That might have succeeded.

Notice, this White House offical did not say one word about helping the millions trying to immigrate legally. Only the illegal aliens appear to matter to W.

[Mears]

The immigration thing did it for me.

I was sure this would be on the agenda after he was re-elected.

What a disappointment.

[jwh_Denver]

Bush has a penchant for just "not getting it". Staggers the imagination.

[Joe Boucher]

Well i voted twice for him and support him but on immigration I just disagree.

[grey_whiskers]

As things now stand, the president's hopes rest with the Senate. His strategy is to get senators to include a modest guest worker program in their bill--a program that could be expanded later.

What also hasn't helped it Specter coming out with a very lax immigration proposal...with liberal "guest worker" provisions...

See also this article.

Specter is slime.

[Capt. Tom]

Fred Barnes needs to learn the difference between a legal immigrant and an illegal alien.

Do you mean substituting illegal alien bashers in place of immigrant bashers.

In other words, soften up the immigrant-bashers with dramatically increased border security and then, and only then, seek a temporary worker program in a year or two. That might have succeeded.

[SC33]

People like Fred Barnes are the reason why the GOP gets labeled as the party of greed.

[em2vn]

A waste of bold type isn't it? The operative word is illegal. Fred was correct in its usage.

[GarySpFc]

The correct terminology is illegal alien, NOT illegal immigrant.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

He is reaping the fruit of being driven by compromise rather than principle. In the end, everyone hates you. And what have you accomplished? Nothing, because every step forward had at least one step backwards, but usually more. Outcomes end up making no sense and pleasing nobody; they are not cohesive or productive when built on sellouts.

[guitarist]

I disagree with him on immigration (I'd allow lots of legal and ZERO illegal), ports, spending, profiling, Iraq, etc., but I still support him a lot and love him. It is unbelievable and astonishing that he got Alito and Roberts on the Court. I remember watching a mainstream news show in 2001 that was saying that with a 50-50 Senate (at that time) Bush would be unable to get a pro-life justice on the Court. And they were stating it as fact, not opinion. Those of us who worked to get Dr. Coburn (and Thune, Vitter, etc.) in the Senate in 2004 and 2002 sure got what we worked for!

[Rockitz]

Even if he assures us no amnesty, the very next liberal to take the presidency will buy future illegal votes for the Left by granting amnesty.

[chatham]

While I like the article by Fred Barnes I think he is about 3 years late with his opinion on immigration.

On the Dubai Ports deal he talks of 6 Ports while World Net Daily puts the number of Ports at 22.

Big difference.

---

Posted: February 24, 2006
3:00 p.m. Eastern


By Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D.
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com



Port of Miami Bridge

Dubai Ports World is scheduled to take over operations at 22 U.S. ports, not six as previously reported by most major media.

According to the website of P&O Ports, the port-operations subsidiary of the London-based Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O), DPW will pick up stevedore services at 12 East Coast ports including Portland, Maine; Boston; Davisville, R.I.; New York; Newark; Philadelphia; Camden, N.J.; Wilmington, Del.; Baltimore, Md.; and Virginia locations at Newport News, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.

[Coldwater Creek]

Maybe we have more to spend. It hasn't changed your life one iota.

[Rockitz]

If this guestworker bill goes through, I want the education and medical bills sent to the wealthy business owners who employ them. No more freeloading on my tax dollars.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>How could this adversarial relationship on immigration have been avoided? "If we had to do it again, we probably would lead with enforcement," a White House official said. In other words, soften up the immigrant-bashers with dramatically increased border security and then, and only then, seek a temporary worker program in a year or two. That might have succeeded.

Wow. Is the Bush-WH finally getting it? Doubtful. LOL