President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program [Transcript]

The White House ^ | Jan 7, 2004 | President George W. Bush

[NittanyLion]

No, in past Amnesty programs you applied for it, got it, and got to stay forever. Here you do not. If you apply for a guest worker program from your home country and you optain a job you get issued the permit at no charge. If you are here and apply for the program you must have a job and you must pay a fee. AND at the end of the 3 year period you must return to your home country. BIG DIFFERENCE

If you prefer to ignore the meaning of amnesty (a governmental pardon to a group of people) in order to spin for this Administration, be my guest. I'm not surprised, given the fact that I've never seen you criticize any action of this administration.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

AMNESTY, n. The state's magnanimity to those offenders whom it would be too expensive to punish. - The Devil's Dictionary

AMNESTY, n. a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense

citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America

So who said awarding law breakers a prize like citizenship is the only meaning of amnesty? Granting a de facto warrant is amnesty. Entering the country ILLEGALLY is just one broken law. What about bogus documents, etc.

If the President had said that English is the language from now on, that when in America do as the Americans then I'd be happy. So, it's up to the Republicans. Protect our borders, language, and culture or see lots of us vote for None of the Above for president next November. I am serious about "when in America do as the Americans" - I would have accepted full citizenship in exchange for doing away with all that sickening multi-cultural crap.

[UB355]

mark for later

[NittanyLion]

If you lose your job, you must go home.

Why? Because they'd be breaking the law? These are the same people currently breaking the law, but I suppose they'll do as President Bush says out of the goodness of their heart.

The employers will be responsible for reporting if you have been dismissed.

Are these the same employers currently employing illegals? Last I checked that's illegal, but I suppose they'll instantly be reformed. You know, because President Bush says so.

Amazing...

[alnick]

I was asking you a question. Based on your comments I couldn't tell whether you supported this plan, or merely thought it isn't as bad as represented on FR.

I apologize. I misunderstood your intent. My complaint was about all of the knee-jerking going on all over FR about this topic.

To answer your question, I'll refer you to george wythe's #26 in this thread, since he said it so much better than I could.

[McGavin999]

This will be pretty easy to enforce. If you are standing in a parking lot awaiting a day labor job, the first truck that pulls up will probably have INS on the side. You won't have a thing to say about it if you don't have your citizenship. If you have a blue card, it means you are in violation and will be shipped home. If you have neither a blue card or citizenship, you will be shipped home.

What this law will do is make the rules clear and anyone violating it will be punished. There will be no "Everyone has been doing this for decades and never punished". There are new rules, everyone will understand them, and those who break them will be punished. The illegals by being shipped home with no hope of ever obtaining either a card or citizenship ever, and employers will pay hefty fines and probably prison sentences. Considering the security problem today, they will be luckey if that's all they get.

[madprof98]

Bush is a courageous leader who is willing to take risks to do what is right. I thought people here already knew that.

[hattend]

[NittanyLion]

Thanks. As I look back at my response I can see how you thought it was a mischaracterization. I should've asked your personal feelings on the subject, as opposed to assuming that you supported it.

[McGavin999]

We never knew who they were before. Now we will. Those who apply will have written record and their employer will be responsible for reporting if they become unemployed. Those who do not have blue cards within a certain timeframe will be deported automatically. All the lobbying and all the lawyers in the world will not be able to stop it.

That, my friend, is the difference. Our current laws have been ignored so long that lawyers and activist groups get these people off. With new rules in place, they can't say "this is the way it's always done".

[King Black Robe]

I will believe it when I see it on the enforcement part. Regardless, this is amnesty by another name. Next time around will be the last last chance. Then the last last LAST chance.

[jimt]

Folks, the problem isn't people coming here and working. It's people coming here who seek out every bennie the welfare state has to offer them, their wives, their children and any odd relative as well.

Increasing bureaucracy while further expanding the welfare state doesn't sound "conservative" or "centrist" to me.

[KantianBurke]

"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'lettinglawbreakersoffthehookforvotes'is."

[NittanyLion]

Those who apply will have written record and their employer will be responsible for reporting if they become unemployed.

These are the same employers who have to this point employed illegals (an illegal practice in itself), right? Just checking.

[McGavin999]

No, it's not amnisty at all. The difference is in the time frame. This is a temporary workers permit. It does not grant the right to apply for citizenship.

[gubamyster]

ping

[KantianBurke]

"If you lose your job, you must go home"

And if the illegal squirts out a couple anchor babies or smiles and says 'come get me' what are you going to do?? Deport'em huh. Really. You go ahead and think that.

[NittanyLion]

No, it's not amnisty at all. The difference is in the time frame. This is a temporary workers permit. It does not grant the right to apply for citizenship.

Go to Merriam-Webster Online and look up the definition of amnesty. You'll see that it has nothing to do with citizenship; rather it speaks about governmental pardon of a group of people.

How long are you going to continue promoting this falsehood?

[McGavin999]

Probably so. But this time they will be on record. When you apply for your blue card you must be employed. Your employer will be listed. The employer will be notified of his responsibilities. It's easy enough to check out because if they are not reported on their unemployment reports each quarter that's it. INS turns up, asks where the employee is, when the boss says he's not there he will be asked why he failed to report him on his quarterlies. The cuffs will come out because one way or the other the employer has broken the law. Easy.

[King Black Robe]

And the American taxpayer continues to get stuck with the services tab.

The only reason Americans won't take the jobs is because they pay slave wages, with the benefits being picked up by American taxpayers. Why can't companies just pay market value (American market value) for the labor? Why can't they at least pay the entire gov't services tab for these people, minus standard taxation (which at those wages will be zip). Why must we the taxpayer subsidize this project? WE go to jail if we don't pay our taxes. Why should we have to obey laws when others don't?