Jeb Bush Calls Tone of Immigration Debate `Hurtful' (Official "Bush Picks At Toe Jam" th

LA Times ^ | 4/5/06 | Peter Wallsten

[zook]

WASHINGTON — Accusing politicians of "pounding their chests" on immigration for short-term political gain, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that the tone of the debate had been "hurtful" to him and his Mexican-born wife, Columba.

Bush, the younger brother of President Bush, reserved some of his sharpest criticism for conservatives in his own Republican Party, calling it "just plain wrong" to charge illegal immigrants with a felony, as a provision passed by the Republican-led House would do. He also opposed "penalizing the children of illegal immigrants" by denying them U.S. citizenship, an idea backed by some conservatives but not included in the legislation.

"My wife came here legally, but it hurts her just as it hurts me when people give the perception that all immigrants are bad," the Florida governor wrote in an e-mail exchange with The Times.

[floriduh voter]

your 536. The president also insinuated that the Minuteman were irrational. Who's irrational?

[floriduh voter]

your 538. I think that freeper's an attorney.

[floriduh voter]

I saved the newspaper the day the jackbooted thugs burst into Elian's room. It was a huge picture in the local paper. Elian G. and Terri S. didn't get to enjoy the liberty that the illegals are demanding. He was kidnapped and she was starved/dehydrated to death. If they can't protect even two people, what good are they?

[floriduh voter]

George P? That's un-American to go to a foreign country and bash Americans. That's what Bill Clinton did in USSR.

[floriduh voter]

And, if you wanted to protest the protest, they'd have you penned into a protest zone. Notice the illegals are not penned into protest zones, only Americans.

[floriduh voter]

There's also a Jeb, Jr. George P's much better looking than Jeb, Jr. (I don't think George P. would have to stalk anybody and married a debutante last year).

[floriduh voter]

I guess this thread's shelf life is about expired. You are posting alone to yourself. It happens. FV

[texasbluebell]

He did it, the brat. Guess he didn't think anyone would notice since he was in Mexico.

Funny how so many think their comments will never reach back home, when they make negative comments outside the country.

[floriduh voter]

This is just a funny side note. I haven't had an appetite for tacos since the immigration debate heated up. When I see a Taco Bell, I'm not stoppin'. I've lost my apppetite for Mexican food.

[texasbluebell]

I've just plain lost my appetite!

[Wampus SC]

Ping received. What a thread! -- It's about time for it. I hope Jeb has a flunkie noting every word of it. The message is: the Bros. Bush are out of touch with the conservative base that elected them, and grow more out of touch each day. That base is mad is hell and isn't gonna take it anymore. :) Feeling betrayed does that.

I'm tired of the race card being played. The idea that opposing illegal immigration makes you a "white racist" is more than just a cheap, low ploy. It's impossibly illogical. It's based on the false assumption that illegal immigrants are of a specific race, ethnicity, or nationality such as Hispanics from Mexico. In my area Hispanics, legal or illegal, are a rarity. Bosnian and Ukrainian illegal immigrants are not. The problems they bring are the same. I oppose them being here illegally as much as I would were their skins brown, black, or whatever.

I predict nothing will be done by either party. Look at the record of each. Someone here said, "It's the global economy, stupid!", and they're right. The boys in DC will continue to encourage illegal immigration purely for economic reasons. Profits. It's part of the trend to replace American-made products with less expensive imports. Now they're replacing American-made people with less expensive imports. And it's a true example of bipartisan cooperation.

Memo to DC: Americans aren't falling for your tired attempts to trick them into accepting amnesty as long as you call it something else. This might be the start of Americans realizing what else they've gone along with, simply because you called it something else. When they do, you'll be out of a job.

And that's my rant for today...

[La Enchiladita]

Well, I like a nice fresh rant in the wee hours of the morning! :)

Someone here said, "It's the global economy, stupid!"

I said that!

My intelligence has been insulted one time too many; Jebby's cozy correspondence with the LA Slimes put me over the top!

I let it rip on ol' Jebby yesterday, by phone and by e-mail, including some digs at the whole family and their betraying ways.

Most notably, Jeb is working to undermine Katherine Harris's bid for U.S. Senate. That is absolutely astounding. If Ms. Harris had not done her job as well and courageously as she did in November 2000, George W. Bush would NEVER have become president. He owes his presidency to that one woman. And what does his brother and the RINO machine do? Stab her in the back.

They forget how tough she is. She ain't bleedin'.

[clawrence3]

That's O.K., I went to Taco Bell yesterday for a bunch of the secretaries in the office - and yes, I am an attorney : )

[MineralMan]

"So you are a proponent of censorship? "

Censorship is wrong, if practiced by the government. In private business or on private property, censorship is merely the right of the private businessman or woman.

In my home, there are a number of expressions I do not allow. If you use them, I will ask you not to do so. If you use them again, I will ask you to leave.

Free Republic is a private business.

Thanks for asking.

[clawrence3]

I've never called ANYONE here a "racist" but plenty of people have hurled that calumny at me.

[MineralMan]

"I see from your profile page that you are an atheist. Florida has a big organization for atheists who have a working relationship with the ACLU. Florida's a real mess."

---

You needn't have gone to my profile page to get that information. To prevent confusion in some threads, I identify myself as an atheist right in my tagline.

As for organizations of atheists, I do not belong to any. I belong to several organizations, however, of conservatives.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Bye troll!!

[floriduh voter]

Jeb was bashing Katherine Harris on tv last night and in today's Tampa Tribune. I said a few days ago that he was working for Senator Bill Nelson and by gosh, I believe I was 100% accurate.

Jeb is so easy to read.

www.tbo.com to jump to the Tampa Tribune. Look for Jeb Bush/Katherine Harris.

[dagnabbit]

Garbage family. The lot of 'em.

[Dante3]

You are right about Jeb being a mamma's boy.