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."
The damage is done. People now know where Bush stands. He has already lost millions of votes over this. Savage, of all people, calls for his impeachment. Do you think Bush can withstand such attacks from his own base? Think again.
Bush has violated his oath to the U.S. Consitution. What say you about that? Huh? does it mean anything to you at all? Or are you like Bush and other Republicans who consider the Constitution (Law of the Land) a mere relic? Do tell.
HA! Is this a joke? Is there a website loonier than WorldNetDaily? What a bunch of losers.
I disagree with this. I don't think he's lost any more than a few foam-at-the-mouthers who likely, like you, would have found another reason to vote against him.
Savage, of all people, calls for his impeachment
Michael Savage is a mental case. If you take your cues from him, so are you.
Besides, presidents don't get impeached for making proposals.
Some folks just can't handle the truth.
That's putting it way too nicely.
Not necessarily. Thousands of illegal Pakistanis fled the country after the FBI began interrogating Arabs after 9/11. A family member lives in a Brooklyn neighborhood where half the Pakistani population literally disappeared overnight. Of course, the Wall Street Journal, which favors open borders, attributed this phenomenom to persecution, which is laughable, considering the neighborhood is heavy on liberal soccer moms whose first thought after 9/11 was to create outreach programs for Muslims.
A small, well-publicized and, above all, serious effort to start rooting out and actually deporting illegals, combined with hefty fines for employers, would go a long way in sending the message we are serious -- something neither political party has had the backbone to do in decades, considering how the media would characterize it as a witch hunt. The irony is that the administration has stood up to the widespread media criticism of the patriot act, but it is not willing to spend any political capital on enforcing immigration laws in general. In fact, contrary to the prevailing hysteria about deportation of Arabs, only a small percentage of those deserving of deportation have actually been sent packing.
Is there a more tired cliche than this?
I have read about many who have abandoned Bush over this. Don't kid yourself. This is big. 58% of Republcians are against it! only 50% of dems.
Savage is only the beginning. Just wait till Christian leaders start sounding the alarm! That is Bush's hard core. Without Christians, kiss Bush good-bye. I am doing everything I can as a Christian to expose Bush for the liberal that he is, and I will continue to do so. America is still a free country - for now. And while it is, I will work against this man who violates his constitutional oath.
What say you about that? Is is okay to violate your oath to the Constitution? Is it just a relic as the GOP treats it? huh? Answer the question!
Should Ronald Reagan have been impeached in 1986? He actually granted amnesty.
"Betrayal" is a judgement, not a "high crime."
Bush's action reminds me of an example; it goes like this: A gang of car thieves go around steeling cars and ripping them apart and selling the parts. When the police finally found them, the consumers complained that they will lose a good source of cheap auto parts. The police decided instead to allow the gangs to continue on stealing cars on the condition that they would have to report the number of car parts, and charge sales tax. This story blows my mind. There is no way in hell any self respecting conservative should ever support such a scheme. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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