GOP Drifting Toward Disaster

Human Events Online ^ | 5/12/06 | Robert Bluey

[wotan]

With Senate Republicans “drifting toward disaster” on immigration, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said it’s up to President Bush to reconnect with the majority of Americans who support a strong enforcement-first approach.

Bush will deliver a primetime speech to the nation Monday night on immigration—kicking off what is expected to be a tumultuous time in Washington as Senate and House Republicans clash on the best way to deal with immigration reform.

[wotan]

“The President has an opportunity to reach beyond the elites and identify with the American people and commit to these things,”

Fat chance.

[rrrod]

Right...aint gonna happen. Keep those emails and calls going to DC folks! We havent lost...yet.

[warsaw44]

Ping for later..

[A CA Guy]

Sometimes I get the impression the Democrats are more interested in their own power than in what is best for America.

[jan in Colorado]

Senate and House Republicans clash on the best way to deal with immigration reform.

Enforce the laws! Close the borders. No amnesty. Illegals are lawbreakers and need to return to their own Country.

Case closed!

[AntiGuv]

Gingrich said he believes the provision in the Senate bill allowing 11 million people to stay in the United States could actually balloon to three times that amount.

“If there is an honest debate about how many million people will be given a chance to come to America under the Senate bill, we’re told the number is between 30 million and 36 million people,” he said. “When the average American learns that, they are going to be furious if the Senate Republicans allow that kind of bill out of the Senate.

“The Senate bill expands substantially who can be brought in as a member of the family,” he added. “So you take 11 million and add the other people, and we believe the real number is between 30 million and 36 million.”

[CyberAnt]

Excuse me .. why is it ALL the responsibility of the President ..?? What's wrong with the rest of them ..??

[EternalVigilance]

There once was a President Bush
The Invader of the Hindu Kush
Who unlike Vietnam
Quickly conquered Saddam
But at home he's got his head up his tush

[Caipirabob]

Excuse me .. why is it ALL the responsibility of the President ..?? What's wrong with the rest of them ..??

***

Please report immediately to liberal media re-education goulag #23 or your will be "assisted"...

Repeat after me :"Bush's fault....all Bush's fault...."

[angkor]

"Excuse me .. why is it ALL the responsibility of the President ..?? What's wrong with the rest of them ..??"

It's actually not the President. In 2004 he outlined a plan which included 2, 3-year guest worker visas, then you go home and apply for permanent residency (green card) if you like. He's repeatedly spoken out against amnesty.

But there is a HUGE disconnect between what GWB has said, and his utter and negligent failure to reprimand the Senate leadership for pushing a "path to citizenship" which is neither called for nor desired by 70 percent of the American people. Nor was it ever called for by GWB. They - the Senate - are delivering a bill which no one wants.

GWB owns the bully pulpit, and if he cannot find the cajones to speak-out against this rogue Senate then he is either complicit in their actions, or he is not a leader. Right now because of his utter failure to address the issue in any coherent manner, he is actually thought to be both.

Personally I won't believe anything he says other than this: "I will veto any immigration or border bill which includes an amnesty."

[one more state]

Bush and the Senate are pulling the old bait and switch.

[ncountylee]

I read somewhere that the record for one anchor baby was a shocking 150 additional vermin.

[laconic]

Bush is very concerned about the borders of Anbar Province but he could care less about OUR border in Arizona. That's the essence (and the essential problem) of his presidency and why he does not connect with the RP base.

[Nova]

I'd love to vote for Newt in '08. But other than that, I can't get very excited.

[coconutt2000]

Isn't the problem that the President isn't reaching out to the elites?

They get all hot and bothered when the President champions individual rights, such as more control over one's social security accounts, private medical savings accounts, and other parts of his agenda.

[kb2614]

LOL!!

I look forward to serving my Pod People masters!!

[djf]

Well, now, wait a minute. Isn't Congress close to voting yet on another increase in the debt limit? Do the congresscritters have some sort of pension plan that they get no matter what? Are they basically voting to encumber you and your children and grandchildren in debt forever?

Shucks, I'da thought the dems were in power...

[Coldwater Creek]

How in the world did I get on DU? Someone has sabotaged my favorites list!!!!!!!

[Havoc]

Drifting?! ROFLMAO.. Kinda more looks to me like full boar and engines wide open - rooster tail and all. Damn the base and America, full speed ahead.

Republicans: Good on national Defense and rule of law...

.. unless money is involved.

paid for by the elect an independant for president group..

lol.

[Havoc]

They get all hot and bothered when the President champions individual rights, such as more control over one's social security accounts, private medical savings accounts, and other parts of his agenda.

parts of his agenda.. like expanding opportunities in America by using trade policy to pack the opportunity up and ship it overseas (our jobs). ..or like helping American pocket books by fostering a rising wage.. by importing foreingers on visas to replace Americans at work in America.. or perhaps by using illegal labor to undermine wage and benefits by creating an artificial glut of labor for the elites so they have a 2 dollar an hour slave to clip their lawns and wipe their backsides for them.. Keep forgetting how good this guy is for the country - or is it that his policies seem to have the effect opposite of his image and rhetoric? I get so confused..

[stopem]

I second that.

What is so difficult to understand and why the "clash"? NO amnesty, No anchorbrats, no welfare for illegals or medicaid. The illegals have proven they don't want citizenship because they love America...NO way!They want amnesty because they want to keep taking and taking and taking till they suck this great Nation dry!!

[stopem]

That has to stop. That program is one of the biggest scam ever perpetrated on America and it's people.

These illegals are only in this country to suck it dry!

Hopefully the Troops can stop anymore from breaking and entering to steal!

Deport the ones here!

[DJ Taylor]

"Excuse me .. why is it ALL the responsibility of the President ..?? What's wrong with the rest of them ..??"

It is the President's responsibility to lead. Now, he must set the immigration policy in place that the American people demand, and then force the RINO Senate to follow his lead.

[MaineVoter2002]

Keep those emails and calls going to DC folks!

Complete Contact List Of Senators and Rep. here at this link... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602588/posts

[RetSignman]

[Shucks, I'da thought the dems were in power...]

It sure looks like they are in power here on FR.

[heat02]

This site also seems to work wonders

It's easy to use and I have recieved replies.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

[buck61]

Impression some Democrats think more of their own power than the United States.

I think you can now add to your list some Republicans with the same problem.

There are going to be some surprises in the upcoming elections
this fall.
I do think the GOP will keep control of the House , but the senate may fall to the lying stinking liberals.

Our service people are giving their lives to protect the USA, but the two powerful houses are selling us out to the highest bidder.

[Kimberly GG]

http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/?page_id=810

[spatso]

Do you not worry that a fragmented conservative base has allowed itself to become marginalized and isolated around polarized perspectives? For example, the voice of main street conservatives is clear. Obviously, main street wants tough immigration policies. Business (the money) and Republican elites want a guest worker program and amnesty. Generally, I think the President has done a reasonably good job of trying to occupy the middle ground on really difficult issues. He understands the need to keep business and money on side (Rupert Murdoch notwithstanding). Ironically President Bush runs hard to the right but has governed from the center. Clinton ran hard to the left but governed to the center under pressure from a Republican congress. Hilarity will run hard to the right and govern on the left.

[cgbg]

Add one--deputize state and local officials to enforce the laws and detain illegals.

[cgbg]

the President has done a reasonably good job of trying to occupy the middle ground on really difficult issues.

You do realize that he has casted zero, yes zero vetos since taking office.

That is not left, right, or center.

That is spineless, particularly when the Republican Congress is spending money like drunken sailors on left-wing social programs.

[jbp1]

Republican politicians need to remember that too many of us voters are not happy with a list of things that they keep supporting

[spatso]

Well, I think that is the point I am trying to make. He has stayed in the middle, period. And, although it may be causing main street conservative angst (eg. amnesty) his political calculations may be elegantly astute. If he stands in support of amnesty does he not engender the support of business (money), Republican elites and the ever growing Hispanic community? So, where do the single issue conservatives go? Do they vote democratic? Not likely.

[MaineVoter2002]

Great! Thanks!

We must secure the borders and deport illegals BEFORE the democrats take on this issue...

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics.republicans/browse_frm/thread/39df678791de4078/c71154f2712316af?hl=en#c71154f2712316af

[tcrlaf]

***Sometimes I get the impression the Democrats are more interested in their own power than in what is best for America.***

And you are just NOW coming to that realization??

[wardaddy]

Bush runs ICE and Border and claims he does not favor deportations ...over and over.

And calls those trying to stop it vigilantes.

His hands are dirty on this issue to be sure. he and the RINOS

We know what the Dems would do already.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Sadly, I agree that you are probably right. However, Bush has backed down before when it was obvious that his choices were ill-conceived. And he has done this with far less pressure from his base than he is receiving from the immigration issue.

We can only hope.

[Iscool]

[Shucks, I'da thought the dems were in power...] It sure looks like they are in power here on FR.

The folks here want to protect our country and our way of life and you call them Democrats??? These people are patriotic Americans...These are the same group of people that went against the British a few hundred years ago...

And so what are you???

[kabar]

Excuse me .. why is it ALL the responsibility of the President ..?? What's wrong with the rest of them ..??

You're right. It started long ago. Reagan's signing of an amnesty bill in 1986 was an act of political expediency and encouraged more illegal immigration by rewarding the law breakers. The situation has grown progressively worse from Bush 41 onwards.

The reason why many of us are upset with Bush 43 is that border security has become a matter of national security after 9/11. Almost five years later we still have illegals pouring across our borders in huge numbers. Although six million have been caught during the Bush administration and sent back, an estimated 500,000 a year are getting through.

The number of those caught over the past five years, i.e., six million, works out to 1.2 million annually or 100,000 a month. I would call this an invasion.

[john drake]

Agreed, however the Republicans seem to be tilting more often in that direction as well. The power is intoxicating, alright. The saddest part is the Constitution and original design of the government was to limit the power and keep the elected officials from being afflicted. The results of those restraints being circumvented are now quite obvious...I suspect the Founding Fathers have been spinning in their graves for some time now and are now experiencing ever increasing RPM's as time marches on...a sad time for America in more ways than one.

[RetSignman]

A concerned Conservative.

[Jackknife]

Put this guy in charge of the border. Problem solved.

[roses of sharon]

Yes, the MSM/DNC power is unmatchable, they are enormous.

And we have lost another war, and another President to them, and still we sit and do nothing.

[JasonC]

If Bush says he is putting the guard on the border and will veto any bill that lets a single illegal stay here, he can point fingers at the squishy senators. If he continues to support amnesty himself, he is just the leading squish. It really isn't complicated. The country wants real enforcement. It doesn't want real enforcement plus amnesty. The president can pledge to veto any amnesty tomorrow and the idea will be dead as a doornail. So far, he is trying to do anything he can to get an amnesty through, instead.

[JasonC]

Haven't lost anything yet. If Bush couples dropping the whole amnesty idea with real border enforcement in his coming speeches on the subject, it will all be fine. Ball is in his court, winning move right there on the board. All he has to do is actually make it. It isn't complicated.

[johnpaul]

"Bush and the Senate are pulling the old bait and switch."


I fear that is the plan. It will backfire on the Repubs if they do.....they don't seem to understand the power of an ignored citizenry. Are they so ignorant as to simply rule out the exercise of that power?

The closest analogy to the current situation is the way King George III and his government ignored the American colonists and their pleas for self determination. Their arrogance forced a rebellion against the crown that resulted in the formation of the United States.

Temporarily placing NG troops on the border would be an insult to the intelligence of anyone desiring meaningful enforcement of our existing laws. We must build the fence, man the gates (permanently if necessary), and control the flow into this country. Then, and only then, should we consider what to do with the millions of illegals already here.

And one more thing: GW should publically apologize for referring to the Minutemen as vigilantes. Appearing with their leadership in a public display of cohesiveness will go far to legitimize any of his efforts to enforce the laws already on the books. (If he can embrace Vincente Fox, why not American patriots?)

[KoRn]

I can't say enough good things about that guy!

[roses of sharon]

LOL, he could give a speech on:

a fence
National Guard
cutting all benefits
ending illegal offspring citizenship
employers jailed
deportation

It would not matter one bit.

He does not have the votes in either chamber, he does not have the votes in the State Houses of the border states.

He does not have border state Governors on even his guard musings!

He does not have the Judges to back him up on all of the issues above.

Conservatives must realize that we have NOT laid the groundwork for the implementation of these policies, we don't have the constituencies to elect Conservatives, or the judges to rule in our favor, nor do we have ANY media apparatus to educate those constituencies.

You cannot wait until 6 mos before an election to make these massive changes, its a good time to get attention, but not the ideal results.

And voting out the Republican/Conservative majority will get us nowhere, we need to appoint judges ect.

The massive protests by the illegals is a hopeful development for getting Conservatives to run against RINOs in primaries, and the education of the public.

There must be a well thought-out strategic plan, its slow but thats how the liberals and their media took over this entire country for the last 40 years and counting.

[claudiustg]

---He does not have the votes in either chamber, he does not have the votes in the State Houses of the border states.---

The tough House bill is already passed and he doesn't need any state legislature votes.