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I feel the same way about this issue. I listened to the speech on Fox and then logged on to see Freeper responses. I thought they would calm down a little from earlier discussions on the subject, but for the most part folks are just as upset.

Bush could not come out and say what most folk here wanted him to say. "All illegals out of the pool," would have been political suicide, even if he had believed it and wanted to say it (which, by the way, is pretty much what I would have liked him to say). No politician in their right mind would have done that. Even if he had justified it by saying it was for purposes of national security, the Dems would have run ads showing Bush driving an old pickup truck whilst dragging an illegal (a gay, artist, environmentalist illegal) by the neck. I don't deny there is a political element to his proposals, but he is correct in stating that the current system is not working. Granted, it would work if our lawmakers had the courage to enforce it, but that just ain't gonna happen.

I think that President Bush's proposal is perhaps a sensible compromise with reality. In effect, this at least has the potential of doing with illegals what the libs have been trying to do with guns. Register them to make them easier to find. Also, there will be true tax collection from these workers. Not enough perhaps to compensate for what bleeds monthly from the system in welfare and health care, but at least it will be something. In addition to this, as you pointed out there is the possibility that now perhaps they will start enforcing the borders. This system will give the President and his administration the political cover to begin doing just that.

Note that I keep using the word, "possibility." While there does exist the possibility that there could be benefits from this new program, it will still be up to the politicians to have the courage to enforce the new laws. The expectancy most folk here have concerning government actions on politically difficult decisions is what is giving them heartburn. I cannot say that I completely disagree with them. We'll just have to wait and see.

I'm in pretty much the same place that you are. I would prefer to have a roundup and a lot of buses headed south, but it's not realistic.

This will also cut down on illegals voting because he stressed that breaking ANY law would mean being sent home. A new law will be WELL advertised, applying for your permit would probably list out things that would result in instant removal. I think this will give them a stake in obeying the laws. The fee is also good because it will be returned at the end of the three years when they go home.