Bush to Give Illegals Social Security Benefits

United Press International via Cox.Net ^ | 6 January 2004 | United Press International

[Spiff]

Bush to Give Illegals SS Benefits January 06 2004 03:29:00 PM EST

President Bush is set to present his immigration proposal Wednesday. WASHINGTON, Jan 06, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- President Bush wants to let some of the eight million illegal aliens in the United States move toward legal status without penalty -- but with benefits. His proposals, part of a sweeping change in U.S. immigration policy, will be revealed Wednesday, the Washington Times reported.

Bush will propose that illegal aliens from Mexico, and possibly other countries, who pay U.S. Social Security taxes, but provide false identification numbers, be allowed to collect benefits.

"The president has long talked about the importance of having an immigration policy that matches willing workers with willing employers," said White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan Monday.

The plan is expected to be opposed by Republicans on Capitol Hill, but it will be embraced by Mexican President Vicente Fox when he meets Bush during a Jan. 12-14 meeting in Monterrey, Mexico.

The changes have long been advocated by Fox, whose close relationship with Bush has been strained since border security efforts were beefed up after the Sept. 11 attacks and since Mexico refused to support the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

Fox said the plan would allow Mexicans "to go and come each year as many times as they want, without problems, so that they can work with documents in the United States."

Copyright 2004 by United Press International.

[Spiff]

If this was a sting operation, it would be excellent. You get millions of illegal aliens to register to receive their benefits and they have to provide a current street address, who they worked for and how long, etc. Then, they can be located, arrested, and deported and their law-breaking employers can be severely fined or shut down.

But, this is no sting. Instead this is Bush losing his freaking mind. If amnesty for the invaders was not bad enough, now he wants to give them a cut of my paycheck!!!? This is intolerable!!

If Bush's proposal tomorrow resembles in any way the reports I'm hearing, I don't know what I'm going to do. I supported Bush in the last election, fought for him during the attempted coup, and have defended him against those who oppose our military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. But this!!? I don't know if I can stomach this. I really don't.

But, I guess he figures that we're his b***h and he can slap us around all he wants because we have nowhere else to go and no one else to vote for. Battered conservative syndrome...I need some Tylenol. Should we put some ice on it??

[Spiff]

ping

[tomahawk]

This does little to instill my faith in the future of this country, quite the opposite actually.

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[Spiff]

This does little to instill my faith in the future of this country, quite the opposite actually.

If a Democrat proposed this, Jim would have to upgrade the servers and bandwidth on FR just to contain the amount of activism and commentary on the issue. Bush proposes it and we'll hear virtual crickets around here. Un-freaking-believable!!!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Matching willing liars to willing scumbags. Our country goes down the toilet in the meantime. Thanks President Bush.

[linear]

This is the exact opposite of the type of immigration reform we really need.

[Stopislamnow]

Past time for a million gun march on DC.

[gubamyster]

ping

[OldFriend]

I for one, would much prefer to have a nice sweet data base on all these people.

[Little Ray]

I don't think even criminals lose their SS benefits; even if they are criminals (and they are) it can be argued that they paid into the system and are entitled to the benefits.

Personally, Bush really chaps me on immigration issues. But what am I gonna do, vote Losertarian?

[Gorzaloon]

This is interesting, because my wife began having health problems about nine years ago, and ultimately gave up a good career and had to leave the workforce. Because she has not had earnings to pay in on for the last xx Quarters, of course, she in ineligble for SS or Medicare, etc, which means I of course cannot retire because we need the HMO.

If however, since she does speak Spanish, I can smuggle her into Mexico so that she can sneak across the River- our problems are solved!!!!

[busybody]

Bush is stabbing his conservative base in the back. What is he smoking?

[SAMWolf]

Bush will propose that illegal aliens from Mexico, and possibly other countries, who pay U.S. Social Security taxes, but provide false identification numbers, be allowed to collect benefits.

There's a policy that will solve ILLEGAL immigration. Bet my parents feel like real suckers busting their butts to do everything leaglly and get spit on.

[ImpBill]

You are not alone. That is about all I can muster at the present.

[Arizona]

What a slap in the face to the immigrants who come into this country legally!

If Bush loses the next election, this will be the reason.

az

[Lady Eileen]

I guess the message is: Shut up and pay your taxes.

[cajun-jack]

wonder how many "guest workers" are residing on the crawford ranch doing menial tasks cause the white and black guys in crawford just don't want to work on a ranch??

The illegals don't just do menial tasks that no one else will do, I personally worked for a company in Plano, Tx that built a big school in Frisco tx, in 1999-2000 and almost all (98%) of the men in the drywall crew were mexican..don't know if illegal or not, but most could not speak english and a couple of "known legals" had to give them their work instructions each day. Granted they worked like tasmanian devils on LSD but they were making minimum $12.00 per hour and I personally know this to be true fact.

[Brilliant]

This has got to be the stupidest thing. Is he just posturing to get the immigrant vote, hoping that Congress will nix it? If not, then what on earth is he thinking?