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.

[MineralMan]

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

Why does this surprise anyone? It's been clear for a long time that the Bush administration has been planning to give illegals amnesty, and now they get SS benefits, too.

Anyone watching the administration's record with regard to immigration should not be surprised at all.

Is it right? I don't think so. Is it what the GOP Congress will pass on? I think so.

The GOP has some conservatives in it; They're just not in power.

[chicagolady]

I have 2 words for this!!!

Hail Hitler!!

[King Black Robe]

Didn't you get the memo? It's not about principle. It's about winning AT ALL COSTS. Go team!

[firebrand]

I think some people will be surprised this year at CPAC to see that it has become much more anti-Bush-administration than last year. If I'm not mistaken. And Bush's stand on amnesty and amnesty-type issues is a big part of the problem. We need legal immigration, lots of legal immigration perhaps, with new safeguards in place, but we don't need to reward illegals.

[Spiff]

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.

You don't understand. No one pays into any system!! You work long enough to qualify for benefits. Those benefits do not come out of some account somewhere. No. Instead, they are collected from the current workers' paychecks and redistributed to the leeches on the system.

And now, as if we don't enough leeches sucking our paychecks dry and stealing money from our families, Bush is going to propose to add MORE leeches to the system - leeches who were here ILLEGALLY, worked ILLEGALLY, and trashed by backyard and raised crime rates around my corner of Arizona in the process. They attempted to kill my friend and stole his car. They frighten my children as they stream down my street. They swarmed an Emergency Room to get free medical care while another friend's father died, ignored, on a gurney. The swarmed another trauma center and caused it to shut down because it was losing money and will likely have the other nearby trauma center shut down forcing me, my family, and neighbors to have to go all the way to Phoenix and likely die in route. They cut my friend's fences and crap on his property. They vandalize another friend's water tanks and threaten his cattle - and cut his fences. They make our deserts unsafe, trash our hiking trails, break into our houses, hold us hostage, steal our cars, provide cover for terrorists entering this country, depress our wages, suck our government provided benefits dry, etc. And we want to reward this by giving them legal status and even giving them a cut of my paycheck!!!? Screw that!!!

[DLfromthedesert]

I saw Laura Ingraham on "Hardball" last night. She made a good point. The Dems that rabidly hate Bush and are still not over the vote count in Florida are energized.

Will conservatives be energized if Bush keeps pulling this nonsense? Whoever works harder to GOTV will win the election.

[chicagolady]

It reminds me of when I heard Alan Keyes..He said

The Lesser of two Evils is EVIL STILL!

Truer words were never spoken!!

[King Black Robe]

I guess in the long run it will just speed up the tanking of SS. I'll miss the money I invested in the system, but once its over, at least I won't be forced to throw more money after bad.

[AmericanInTokyo]

He is smoking this:

MONTERREY, México (AP)1/6/2004 _ El presidente mexicano Vicente Fox y su colega estadounidense George W. Bush asumieron hace tres años en sus cargos como amigos cercanos, pero esos lazos se deterioraron después de los ataques terroristas del 11 de septiembre que desviaron la atención de Washington desde un acuerdo de inmigración hacia mayores medidas de seguridad. Las relaciones se tensaron aun más cuando Fox se negó a apoyar la guerra en Irak, y Bush se rehusó a impedir que un mexicano fuera ejecutado en Estados Unidos. Pero ahora esos momentos difíciles parecen haber pasado. El miércoles, Bush propondrá cambios a las leyes de inmigración para permitir que trabajadores mexicanos ingresen a Estados Unidos si tienen trabajo. El anuncio tiene lugar cinco días antes de que Bush se reúna con Fox durante la Cumbre de las Américas que se realizará entre el 12 y el 13 de enero en esta ciudad del norte de México. Y aunque los dos líderes muestran ahora su amistad, grupos que aconsejan a los inmigrantes se mantienen cautelosos. Critican el plan de inmigración de Bush como un intento de conseguir el voto latino. "Si Bush fuera serio con la reforma de las leyes de inmigración de Estados Unidos, podría considerar la legalización de más de ocho millones de inmigrantes ilegales que viven en Estados Unidos", manifestó Angélica Salas, directora ejecutiva de la Coalición de los Derechos Humanos de los Inmigrantes en Los Angeles

[Ribeye]

Not me pal... This is insane.

A few million new payee's into the SS system who won't be eligable to draw for a while. What a way to prop up Social Security for a while and get more $$ into DC to plug the deficit (or to spend on MORE social programs).
Bush is so confident in a November win that he pulls this crap. This is a nightmare. And it's going to backfire.
It isn't for latino votes. If for businesses and and Fox.

And when this is all said and done, the Fed Guv STILL won't do ANYTHING to stop the continued flow of illegals. We'll have the SAME worsening problem of illegals AND a 8 million new citizens.

[MineralMan]

"I think some people will be surprised this year at CPAC to see that it has become much more anti-Bush-administration than last year. If I'm not mistaken. And Bush's stand on amnesty and amnesty-type issues is a big part of the problem. We need legal immigration, lots of legal immigration perhaps, with new safeguards in place, but we don't need to reward illegals."

I don't think it will be a surprise. The question is: Will it do any good? My considered answer is that it will not. Bush is trying to pacify one group, knowing that the conservatives will vote for him no matter what. For many conservatives, including those here on FR, voting for Bush in '04 is a foregone conclusion. The alternative is that the Dem gets elected.

My question: How will you tell the difference?

[TheDon]

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.

LOL! Whose working the Ouija board at the WTs these days?

[chicagolady]

BOY, I sure hope you are Right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StoneColdGOP]

There is no end to the sell-out of America on this. Pander and accomodate the illegals at the expense of the American citizen, the American economy, and America's integrity and security.

Bush/Cheney in '04? Hell no.

[Tacis]

I have to assume that Presidente Fox actually has pictures of Bush at his last coke party. That is the only thing that makes Bush's action here, rational. This headline, alone. will start a half million new criminal aliens moving north (OK, they are not "criminals" until the break into the US illegally).

Bush will reward these criminals for their years of lies and deceipt. But, the worst thing is, what do we get for it? NOTHING!! Fox will still send drugs north and say its our problem. But, he will not send the water he owes us north because Mexicans need it and he won't extradite criminals because we might be mean to them.

The major effect will be the Mexican criminals who allege they worked several jobs at the same time but under different names and, therefore, way overpaid social security. Pay them, in cash, right now what they say they overpaid. Every Mexican here has two or more sets of ID. Ask any illegal (as I do, here in Texas) a question and, no matter how simple and basic the question, you'll get a story, a fabrication. And now, it appears that we will reward them for past mendacity. This doesn't make sense!! We ghet NOTHING back!!

[Think free or die]

This makes me ill. My parents busted their shoes to come here legally and to gain their citizenship. My husband's family served in the Revolutionary, Civil and World Wars. This is demeaning of their collective sacrifices and a slap in the face to all current taxpayers.

[international american]

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

Let us hope that this is untrue.......I own a home in KL, Malaysia.

[TheDon]

Pander and accomodate the illegals at the expense of the American citizen

Of course, it all makes perfect sense. Pander to non-voters at the expense of voters!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I already planning my retirement as if Socialist Security doesn't even exist.

[richrussell]

Well, to be fair, none of the specific proposals have been passed yet or even unveiled.

This is clearly not a blanket amnesty (something which Ronald Reagan signed, FWIW)- but rather something... else.

The problem is this folks: we need to win this election. At all costs. Frankly, I think that the records and such might be useful later.