Boehner: Immigration Bill Is "Piece Of [excrement]"

national journal ^ | May 23, 2007 | staff

[kellynla]

House Minority Leader John Boehner, speaking to a private gathering of Republican activists last night, called the Senate's immigration compromise bill a "piece of [excrement]" but said that he had promised President Bush earlier in the day that he would let his teeth be a barrier to such thoughts in public.

Boehner spoke last night at a small reception for the Republican Rapid Responders on Capitol Hill.

"I promised the President today that I wouldn't say anything bad about ... this piece of [excrement] bill," he said, according to two attendees.

Earlier in the day, Boehner released a statement saying that "The Senate agreement appears to recognize that additional border security measures and more effective immigration law enforcement must come before any other issues are addressed, but I have significant concerns about parts of the Senate proposal -- particularly provisions that would reward illegal immigrants who have consistently broken our laws."

A senior Republican official said yesterday that while the chances of the bill, which opens pathways to citizenship for most of the U.S.'s 12 million illegal immigrants, are "50/50" in the House and that the White House would spend its time lobbying Democrats, rather than Republicans, to achieve a majority.

Yesterday, the Senate beat back an amendment by Sen. Byron Dorgan that would have scrapped the bill's new guest worker program. The defeat of that effort was interpreted as a sign that a solid majority of Senators are prepared to support the bill's main tenets, for now.

What happens when they hear from constituents over Memorial Day is unknown and unknowable.

A Boehner spokesman was not able to comment.

Boehner's tendency towards candor occasionally irks his staff, a fact that Boehner brought up with last night's audience. In 2006, Boehner called an idea put forth by then. Sen. Maj. Leader Bill Frist to provide Americans with a $100 rebate on gasoline "stupid." [MARC AMBINDER]

[kellynla]

ping

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Know what you say, say what you know.

[Moose4]

and that the White House would spend its time lobbying Democrats, rather than Republicans, to achieve a majority.

Bipartisanship. *snort* More like surrender. When you've got to go to the opposition party (who considers you illegitimate, and has been insulting you on the basest and most personal level for six years) to get your majority? Maybe your proposal is WRONG.

}:-)4

[Psycho_Bunny]

lol....If he actually said this, it’s now one of my top 10 favorite quotes.

[crashthe24]

You want good illegal immigration policy?!
Adopt the same policy Mexico has and build the fence!!!

[Darnright]

>In 2006, Boehner called an idea put forth by then. Sen. Maj. Leader Bill Frist to provide Americans with a $100 rebate on gasoline “stupid.”<

And the writer’s point is?

[Cicero]

Why is it that the Republicans only seem to work together and twist arms on these pieces of *?

Couldn’t they have put the same muscle behind tax cuts, or opening ANWR, or refinery permits?

[Poison Pill]

“the White House would spend its time lobbying Democrats, rather than Republicans, to achieve a majority.”

Birds of a feather flock together.

[Cedric]

Why did Boehner promise not to voice his true feelings publicly?

[Theodore R.]

Knowing Republican “leaders” like we know, I bet deep down Boehner is FOR this immigration fiasco. He was telling an audience what I wanted to hear.

[kabar]

Yesterday, the Senate beat back an amendment by Sen. Byron Dorgan that would have scrapped the bill's new guest worker program. The defeat of that effort was interpreted as a sign that a solid majority of Senators are prepared to support the bill's main tenets, for now.

They interpreted wrong. Most of the Yea votes were Dems, which means that some of them will vote against the bill if these provisions are left in. Some of those who vote Nay on removing the guest worker program, will vote against the entire bill because of other provisions. If there are too many of these "poison pills" in the bill, then it won't pass.

[kellynla]

The chart above clearly shows, among other things, that in those industries that employ illegals the MAJORITY of the jobs are held by....GASP!...AMERICANS. That puts a HUGE HOLE in Bush's claim that illegals are doing jobs Americans won't do.

It also shows, as Bush has claimed, that more than a million illegals a year have been deported since Bush took office.

Well if they can deport 6 million, they can double their efforts and deport 12 million.

Lastly, after BOTH borders have been secured, all illegals should be deported including the incarcerated. Why should Americans pay to incarcerate other countries' criminals. It's not like we don't have enough American criminals to incarcerate. And by deporting the foreign incarcerated in American prisons we not only lower our prison costs but we open up slots for AMERICAN criminals who are now roaming about the country unabated.

The 2008 Conservative Revolution has started! Now all we need is a CONSERVATIVE to lead the revolution. Because we are in danger of not only losing our two party system but our sovereignty. It is time for CONSERVATIVES to take back the GOP and the time is NOW!

[spectre]

""I promised the President today that I wouldn't say anything bad about ... this piece of [excrement] bill," he said, according to two attendees."

Why? President Bush swore and promised to uphold the law and defend our Country against invaders. What does he care about keeping promises?

sw

[TommyDale]

"That puts a HUGE HOLE in Bush's claim that illegals are doing jobs Americans won't do."

If Bush really believed that, he would put the illegals in Congress. Those are truly jobs that Americans won't do!

[George W. Bush]

"I promised the President today that I wouldn't say anything bad about ... this piece of [excrement] bill," he said, according to two attendees.

Boehner might have more a more devious political talent than we had previously estimated.

[Perchant]

but said that he had promised President Bush earlier in the day that he would let his teeth be a barrier to such thoughts in public.

This means that he promised not to damage the bill's chances of passing. I don't know what else it could mean, it's a very odd thing for him to say.

[Rodney King]

"I promised the President today that I wouldn't say anything bad about ... this piece of [excrement] bill,"

Well then it is time to dump Bohener from the leadership. What use is someone who would sell out the entire country just for some sort of personal desire to please the president?

[satan]

Why did Boehner promise not to voice his true feelings publicly?

Because once again REPUBLICAN trumps AMERICAN. Time for a massive change in government.