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 LAPDs 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."
Just because Bush is better than Clinton is not a good enough reason to keep him. Liberal is liberal. Bush is liberal. I don't vote for liberals. I'm a conservative. I have already listed some of his liberal policies and statements - I see you had no response. Some people will blindly follow the Republican party right into the abyss, because they are voting for the wrong reaons. Nothing is more important than moral principle.
Many FReepers (not me) would say, round them up at gunpoint and seize all their property.
One of the reasons I decided to finally file for citizenship a year ago is the fear that, someday, Americans might decide to kick all non-citizens, legal or illegal, out at gunpoint.
I've never met a true conservative that make the claims and statements that the anti-Bush crowd on FR make. People disagree with popular Presidents all the time, but out of thousands of conservatives I know, I have not heard even one say that they are not voting for GWB in November. No one who has even hinted at it actually. So until I do, it's hard to take these anti-Bush FReepers seriously.
Fraud? Strong word since the poll seems to be staying up.
It is insane isn't it? I can't believe some of the stuff I see being written. I'd swear it was coming straight from the mouth of a liberal somewhere. I don't even think many of them realize just how brainwashed they have become.
They have been told balck is white so many times they are starting to look at it and say "Well, it may not be white but it is a really, really light shade of grey"
Some of these people, I am convinced, are disruptors of a sort. Trying to move the party further to the left. But some of them, yeesh, I don't even think they realize what they are doing.
Not for me, Pal.
It's just the final issue...behind others such as big-spending in general, leading to vote buying programs, pandering to minority groups, NAFTA for half the world, sucking up to China, Mexico & Europe, ineffective border control, nominating judges and then won't fight for them, stiffling technology creation (too much cheap labor retards innovation to replace that cheap labor), no vetos of any spending programs, taxpayers paying for seniors drugs whether or not they need the help (most don't), did I mention big spending?, preaches about "the rule of law" but doesn't enforce our laws...
No, it's not just one issue for me.
Except votes . .
You don't know me, but I've been a loyal Republican for a long, long, time. That time has now ended. I will not vote Republican again, unless Republicans miraculously discover constitutional government.
I thought you were arguing this would hurt him in the polls. So which is it?
That's a little disengenuous. That number is almost the same number that EVERY administration has deported, not just Ike.
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