Posted on 01/13/2004 5:54:13 AM PST by JustPiper
Conservative talk-radio star, author says amnesty is betrayal of country
In the latest indication President Bush is having problems with his conservative core political constituency, Michael Savage, one of talk radio's biggest stars, tonight called for the impeachment of President Bush over his plans to legalize millions of illegal aliens.
"This is the worst betrayal of our country in my lifetime," said Savage, whose program is heard on more than 350 stations with an audience reaching some 6 million. His book, "The Savage Nation," last year was No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller's list for five weeks. His follow-up, "The Enemy Within," out just one week, is already No. 8 on the list. Both were published by WND Books.
President Bush
Tonight Savage called Bush a liberal and described him as part of the "enemy within" that is destroying the nation.
Savage created the phrase "compassionate conservative" in 1994, a term picked up by Bush during his presidential campaign – a campaign supported by Savage.
"This is much more serious than dropping your pants for an intern," said Savage. "This is a policy that represents a danger to national security."
Savage is hardly alone in his strong feelings of opposition to Bush's proposal to offer legal status to illegal immigrants. A new ABC News poll finds 52 percent of the nation opposes an amnesty program for illegal immigrants from Mexico, while 57 percent oppose one for illegal immigrants from other countries. Both results are roughly the same as when the administration floated the idea two-and-a-half years ago.
But today in Monterrey, Mexico, Bush reaffirmed his support of the proposal, despite its unpopularity at home. He said it could help illegal immigrants "leave the shadows and have an identity."
At a joint press conference with Mexican President Vicente Fox, Bush warned that his government will not allow the existence in the United States of an underclass of illegal immigrants, but claimed again his proposal is not an amnesty. Amnesty, he said, would only promote the violation of the law and perpetuate illegal immigration.
Bush said his immigration proposal would benefit both the United States and Mexico as it recognizes the contribution of thousands of honest Mexicans who work in the United States.
For his part, Fox embraced Bush's proposal.
"What else can we wish?" Fox said at the news conference with the president.
In the U.S., the latest poll on the controversy shows at least twice as many Americans "strongly" oppose the proposal as strongly support it.
Opposition peaks in Bush's own party: Fifty-eight percent of Republicans oppose his immigration proposal for Mexicans, compared with 50 percent of Democrats. For illegal immigrants other than Mexicans, 63 percent of Republicans are opposed.
Bush reportedly will disclose more details of the plan in his State of the Union address Jan. 20.
Meanwhile, the National Border Patrol Council, which represents all 9,000 of the Border Patrol's non-supervisory agents, has told its members to challenge President Bush´s proposed guest-worker program, calling it a "slap in the face to anyone who has ever tried to enforce the immigration laws of the United States," the Washington Times reported today.
The agents were told in a letter from Vice President John Frecker that the proposal offered last week during a White House press conference "implies that the country really wasn't serious about" immigration enforcement in the first place.
"Hey, you know all those illegal aliens you risked 'life and limb' to apprehend? FAH-GED-ABOWD-IT," said Frecker, a veteran Border Patrol agent. "President Bush has solved the problem. Don't be confused and call this an 'amnesty,' even though those who are here illegally will suddenly become legal and will be allowed to stay here. The president assures us that it's not an amnesty," he said.
Last week Bush proposed the sweeping immigration changes that would allow the 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens thought to be in the United States to remain in the country if they have a job and apply for a guest-worker card. The immigrants could stay for renewable three-year periods, after which they could apply for permanent legal residence.
Savage cited a new report published in the City Journal by the Manhattan Institute suggesting there is a major crime wave in the U.S. caused by illegal immigration.
"Some of the most violent criminals at large today are illegal aliens," the report charges. "Yet in cities where the crime these aliens commit is highest, the police cannot use the most obvious tool to apprehend them: their immigration status. In Los Angeles, for example, dozens of members of a ruthless Salvadoran prison gang have sneaked back into town after having been deported for such crimes as murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and drug trafficking. Police officers know who they are and know that their mere presence in the country is a felony. Yet should a cop arrest an illegal gang-banger for felonious reentry, it is he who will be treated as a criminal, for violating the LAPD’s rule against enforcing immigration law."
The situation is similar, the report says in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Austin and Houston. These "sanctuary policies" generally prohibit city employees, including the cops, from reporting immigration violations to federal authorities, says the report.
"These people are destroying America," said Savage. "That's all I have to say on the subject. But you can talk about it. Talk about it while you can – while America is still a free country, because it's not going to last."
I once calculated that all the convicts in California prisons could be housed in a single facility built one cell wide by 140 miles long, which is, coincidentally, the exact same length as California's border with Mexico!
With this system, the only way for an illegal to get past that barrier and into the U.S., is to first break into prison and then break out again! This concept can be scaled up to cover the entire border from California through Texas. No longer will you have a need for a fence nor need for a military to keep the illegals out.
Paying for this is the simple part. Much of the land where prisons are currently located is on valuable land. Sell the land, buildings and facilities and buy up the much cheaper land along the border. You want cheap jail cells? Look into tilt-up concrete prefabs.
--Boot Hill
1,000 posted on 01/13/2004 11:47:30 PM PST by B4Ranch (Wave your flag, don't waive your rights!)
It's too late for me to do the math...roughly 18 hrs.
Good Nite All
If the Mods and the Rocker had any cojones, they would make an unsubstantiated accusation of "racism" as ZOTable an offense as, say, use of a racial epithet. The two *COUGH!* men who've been tormenting you need to be moved off the forum if they can't back up their inflammatory charges.
Workable?
And therein lies the problem. The owners of businesses didn't used to think that way. They had some consideration for their employees...realizing that they were also, most likely, their customers. Sure, there have always been some greedy, ruthless people in the business world...and they were properly vilified (think Mr. Potter).
But, in consideration of the fact that we are dealing with some seriously immoral people, who would seize upon the benefits of this country (safety, standard of living, etc.) while kicking aside their fellow citizens, I think that we should seriously consider the last part of your sentence...legal restrictions. When individuals or businesses fail to live by some sort of moral code...laws must be written to punish offenders. Sweatshop and child labor laws were enacted when there was a public outcry. I say it's time for another round of slapping down the greedy opportunists who do not give a rip about this country...except for what they can gain personally. But wait, we already have these laws regarding hiring illegal labor....they just aren't enforced.
Most businesses are run by honest people, who are trying to make a living, while providing a good future for their children...as well as opportunities for their employees. Why are we allowing these companies to be pushed aside by their more unscrupulous (cheating) competitors? Nice that those who didn't play by the rules are being rewarded.
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