Posted on 12/10/2003 1:09:18 PM PST by Maceman
For what good it will do, I just called the White House switchboard (202-456-1111) and conveyed my extreme outrage at Bush for not vetoing CFR when he had the chance.
I hope you all will do the same.
BTW, the operator told me "you are not alone."
Let's shut down the WH switchboard with howls of protest.
If I wasn't still even more terrified of the Democrats than I am of the Republicans (albeit barely at this point), I would never support Bush in '04 after this.
"The bottom line is, as a country we have to come to grips with the presence of 8 to 12 million illegals, afford them some kind of legal status some way, but also as a country decide what our immigration policy is and then enforce it," Ridge said at a town hall meeting at Miami-Dade Community College.
I'm not saying the CFR decision, Ridge's pro-amnesty statement, or the administration's hopefully meaningless reaction to Taiwan's plans for a referendum are changing my vote, since the Democrat candidates are worse and would probably appoint awful judges, but the news combination today is disappointing. :(
I'm not going over to the other side. I've just given up on thinking this side is going to uphold the Constitution.
Thusly I see no point in working for them.
Hmmmmmmmm?
You think I like this ruling? I do not. But bashing Bush is hardly the solution, but you're not interested in solutions, are you? A 62 seat GOP majority in the US Senate will solve a whole lot of problems. I say 62, because I can think of two we cannot now count on.
Oh well. We had a good run as a nation. It's running down now, but it was good while it lasted.
Dubya has not been faithful to the party IMHO.
Or is it that the party has not been faithful to itself?
WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's expression of support for giving legal status to immigrants drew congressional criticism Wednesday but heartened advocates.
At a town hall meeting in Miami, Ridge said the country needs to "come to grips" with an estimated 8 million to 12 million illegal immigrants and "determine how you can legalize their presence." He also said during a visit to Florida on Tuesday that the immigrants should not be rewarded citizenship.
Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for border and transportation security, said Wednesday in Miami that Ridge's comments simply reflected the debate in Congress on immigration.
"Secretary Ridge addressed it very honestly yesterday, engaged in that debate, but clearly this administration has not taken a firm policy position on that and the debate continues," Hutchinson said.
But Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., said it was "inconceivable to me that Secretary Ridge is speaking for the Bush administration when he unilaterally and offhandedly suggests such a radical policy reversal that is guaranteed to encounter strong opposition in Congress."
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, slowed talks about whether to legalize millions of illegal immigrants in the country.
Ridge's words excited immigration advocates and one of Hayworth's House colleague, Rep. Jeff Flake, who is sponsoring legislation that would give legal residency to illegal immigrants through work.
"Those who are working here illegally need to be here under a legal framework. Secretary Ridge also understands that this needs to be coupled with serious workplace enforcement," said Flake, R-Ariz.
Judy Golub, senior policy and outreach director for American Immigration Lawyers Association, said she thought it was the first time that a top administration official had made "such a clear articulation of the fact that these folks are not threats and deserve some form of legal status."
Cecilia Munoz, vice president of policy for National Council of La Raza, said Ridge's comments broke two years of silence by the administration on the legalization issue.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray tell, what Bush has said or done that leads you to that faulty conclusion?
To the contrary, POTUS has stated many times that he aims to appoint "Constitutionalist's" --- naming Justice Scalia as his ideal justice. Geeeez, Laz.
I appreciate your honesty, that you agree this ruling is horrifying. I also understand what you are trying to do vis-a-vis find solutions.
See, it is difficult for a person to embrace ennui. We yearn to hope. We reject hopelessness even when our senses show us it is the only possible conclusion.
The bar has been set and moved so many times. "If only we get a Republican House", and the 1994 Revolution happened. "If only we get the White House" and Dubya was elected. "If only we get the White House, the Senate, and the House", and we did.
The Constitution was still steadily whittled away.
Now, I am told "if only we get a 62 seat GOP majority in the senate".... I'm sorry, I just cannot buy it any more.
All this handwringing and the standard (Bush has lost my vote) reply by those who never voted for Bush to begin with is so predictable it's almost sad. How many times has Bush lost your vote?
You have a head largely composed of bone. Where did I ever say I was going to vote for Rats?
You keep extending that right arm in salute to your Maximum Leader, and the hell with the Bill of Rights. Remember, "Work Makes You Free!"
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