Posted on 01/07/2004 6:06:39 AM PST by shortstop
In politics, it’s good to be up for grabs. And it’s miserable to be a sure thing.
As President Bush will prove today. In an expected announcement of sweeping amnesty and Social Security benefits for illegal Mexican aliens, the president will kick conservatives in the teeth in order to woo Latino voters.
It’s clear proof that the adage “Dance with the one what brung ya” doesn’t apply in the GOP.
In the GOP, conservatives exist to donate money and vote a straight ticket, and then be ignored. At least in this Administration and by this Congress. Time after time, the principles of those who put George W. Bush in office have been compromised and rejected. And now, on an issue that could forever alter the nature of the United States, conservatives are being betrayed by their president.
And, you could argue, so is the country.
What are the details? We won’t learn until today. But it is expected that a new “adjusted work status” will be announced for most of the eight million Mexicans currently in this country illegally. Also, lifetime Social Security benefits will be guaranteed illegal Mexican aliens – even after they leave the United States – if they pay Social Security tax for as little as 18 months.
Lawbreakers will be rewarded, and the American taxpayer will become the primary funder of the Mexican retirement system.
And billions of dollars of wages earned by illegal aliens will continue to be sent back to Mexico – bleeding our prosperity and continuing as the second largest cash source for the Mexican economy.
Why is this happening?
Why is the Republican president selling out everything you would think his party stands for?
Because the Latino vote is in play.
Simply put, the large number of Latinos in America have not yet clearly identified with a political party. And the Republicans want them. The Democratic Party owns the black vote lock, stock and barrel and the Republican Party wants to do the same with the Latino vote.
Democrats hope to draw Latino voters by convincing them – as they have African-Americans – that they are an underprivileged minority which needs the Democratic Party to avenge it against the larger American culture.
Republicans hope to draw Latino voters by convincing them – as they have American moderates and conservatives – that they are part of the larger American culture.
Democrats want people identified as minorities; Republicans want people identified as the mainstream.
Apparently President Bush believes that the Republican Party can win the heart of Latinos by rewarding millions of illegal Mexican aliens and by creating a welfare entitlement for people who aren’t even Americans.
Specifically, by caving in to a demand by Mexican President Vicente Fox – the author of the policy President Bush will announce today.
Latinos are powerful because they are up for grabs. Conservatives are powerless because they are a sure thing.
Honestly, if conservatives get ticked off at George W. Bush, what are they going to do? Who are they going to vote for?
Howard Dean? Hillary Clinton?
No way.
After being walked on and ignored, conservatives will dutifully come out this fall to support not just President Bush but the Republican Congress. Why?
Because we want judges and cabinet secretaries and protections for guns and free enterprise and property rights – things we didn’t really get this go round but hope to get in the next.
Conservatives are patsies to the Republican Party, just like blacks are patsies to the Democratic Party. Both get stroked at election time, and both get some very pretty speeches, but when it comes time to make laws and keep promises, both groups are roundly ignored by their parties.
Critics of this policy – as comments from the White House spokesman already indicate – are going to be labeled xenophobes and bigots. There will be syrupy quotes about this being a nation of immigrants and how new people coming to America make it a better nation.
Well, it used to be that way. When our foreign forefathers came to America to be Americans.
But those days have passed. Overwhelmingly, Mexicans come to America to be Mexicans. The melting pot is broken. The language is not learned, the culture is not adopted, the customs and values are not acquired.
And in a couple of generations the Latin Quarter is going to refer to that part of America west of Louisiana and south of Oregon and Idaho. There is a broad-based Latinization of the United States underway, a cultural conquest that the Mexican army could not win but the American government is willing to surrender.
We are growing our own Quebec, and it speaks Spanish. Latino immigrants, and specifically Mexicans, are wonderful people. Yet their success in this country – and the continued integrity of this country – are dependant on obeying the law and acquiring the culture and values of the American Constitution and heritage.
And that is not done by rewarding those whose first act on American soil was an immigration crime.
Instead of granting amnesty and rewarding lawbreakers, we should make a guest-worker program that lets Mexican immigrants walk honorably through the front door instead of illegally through the back door. We have the jobs, they want the work, let us bring order to putting the two together.
And then secure the borders, with troops if need be, so that illegal immigration stops.
Reward those who do right, not those who do wrong. Quicker, more efficient legal immigration is right. Amnesty is wrong.
And this fool idea of opening the empty Social Security coffers to Mexican nationals in Mexico is insane.
But if insanity buys votes, in an election year it becomes law.
I've had all I can stands, and I can't stands no more. The argument that Mexicans occupy jobs that Americans don't want is a crock. Around here (Atlanta) all construction is done by Mexicans. Are you going to tell me that before the Mexicans were doing the work that no American would paint a house or hang sheet-rock? No, because that would be untrue. Back in high school I worked many, many hours grilling burgers and making fries. Now, when I go to McDonalds, I have to order una hambergesa, fritas y coca-cola grande just so that I don't have to endure the quizzical look of the non-eglish speaker behind the counter. The reason the Mexicans are hired to do these things is because they can be paid so little. Since they all live together crammed into little apartments they don't need a lot of money. Plus, these Mexicans will work sun up to sun down.
Now I might admire their work ethic, but they are still criminals. Plus, their quality of work ain't necessarily what some might consider "par". If the Mexicans weren't here then those jobs would still be getting done. Employers would have to pay more, but that's how it works in a free market.
My wife works in the emergency room of a local hospital. Don't even get me started on the burden these people place on health care. They go to the emergency room for the sniffles (literally) and then don't pay a dime. What's more the hospital has to hire Spanish speaking staff just to keep things moving.
Oh, geez, and I am sick to death of having to select English or Spanish at every ATM and on every customer service line. I hate answering the phone in my office and hearing "You Speak Spanish?". I could go on, but then I would probably start hemorrhaging.
No, first it was the Farm Bill.
There was a time when periods of immigration were followed by moratoriums on immigration, to give the new arrivals time to assimilate. The influx has been too great for the melting pot effect. There are sections of this country where English is no longer even spoken. The country is being Bulkanized.
And that was when we received immigrants from a myriad of different cultures. We are taking in one culture, one country. You bet it's going to lead to the Balkanization.
Hey, get some for me- I'm almost out!
I don't understand. A larger military does not a strong defense policy make, especially in this era of World War IV when conventional forces need intelligence and special ops much more than old fashioned "numbers and artillery". Besides, this is not an amnesty deal, if you look at the details of the plan. Stop being a xenophobe and embrace GWB's political solution that takes another matter for the left off the presidential election table.
Well I will disagree with you, your post #206, is anecdotal and purely your opinion.
This rate prices you out of the market, if you are indeed paying attention to free market forces. Are you a union agitator?
Perhaps. But in my city I see Hispanics doing things, running businesses, providing services that didn't exist a few months ago.
If what you say is true, that implies that businesses are purposefully breaking the law, which may be the case. In that instance, this GWB policy will rectify things somewhat at least, since workers may now register without fear of deprtation if they have a job (increasing the income tax base). Workers who have no job will still be subject to deportation.
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