Bush Amnesty Plan Raises Immigration Concerns

FOX News ^ | Thursday, January 08, 2004 | Craig Nelsen

[putupon]

The massive new immigration initiative unveiled by the White House has Democrats and ethnic identity organizations accusing Republicans of election-year pandering, and has the Republican base wondering whether George W. Bush and the Republican Party has sold them out.

The initiative, which draws heavily on legislation already introduced in Congress by three Arizona Republicans, Sen. John McCain and Rep. Jeff Flake and Rep. Jim Kolbe, has two central components. It would provide a mechanism by which some U.S. businesses would be able to import an unlimited number of low-wage foreign workers, and it would allow most of the roughly 10 million illegal aliens already in the United States a means by which they (and their extended families) would be able to remain legally -- and permanently -- in the United States.

[Constitution Day]

BTTT

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[KantianBurke]

"U.S. businesses would be able to import an unlimited number of low-wage foreign workers"

For those of us not lucky to have a degree from Yale, this is very bad. Good bye middle class lifestyle. Hello New Dehli neighborhood.

[putupon]

For those of us not lucky to have a degree from Yale, this is very bad.

Yes, but the folks at places Hilton Head say good help is hard to find these days:

Case strong for amnesty

[KantianBurke]

With numberless hordes competing for the same jobs? Yeah one can be quite confident about the future (sarcasm off) Bottomless labor pool ='s this:

[fatso]

said the government faces a $47 trillion shortfall in its ability to pay for those and all other long-term obligations. Closing that gap would require "an immediate and permanent" federal tax increase of 60% or a 50% cut in Social Security and Medicare benefits

[Lady Eileen]

bttt

[pgkdan]

If Clinton were behind this plan...this same exact plan, everyone on Free Republic would be apoplectic. Bush is only doing this because Rove has him convinced that the base will shut up and take it and he'll pick up a few hispanic % points. I think Rove is wrong and this could be W's "Read My Lips" moment.

He screwed up...Big time. Dean can't beat him...but right now I'd bet Gephardt or Lieberman could. Hell, I'd trust Lieberman on the war more than I trust Bush on domestic policy. Lieberman is a big spending bleeding heart liberal...but at least he admits it.

I hope Congress puts it's foot down and refuses to sign on to this and pulls the President's butt out of the fire.

[KantianBurke]

what's most infuriating is the intellectual dishonesty. Its akin to the BS that Clinton's lawyers were hawking back in 98 - "its not REALLY sex as defined by the Paula Jones statute" - "its not REALLY an amnesty as defined as Bush."

[AreaMan]

Just in case we need a refresher on why Mr. Bush's plan is bad for this country...Let's review:

Egyptian brothers Mahmud Abouhalima and Mohammed Abouhalima, both here on expired visas, won amnesty under a farmworker program after cooking up bogus claims. They went on to participate in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Section 245(i) beneficiary Hashem Mohamed Hadayet entered with a tourist visa in 1992, "only" overstayed for five years, and then applied successfully for legal permanent residency under 245(i) when his wife hit the Diversity Visa lottery jackpot (another immigration abomination that benefits illegal aliens). He went on to gun down two people at the El Al Israel Airlines counter at Los Angeles International Airport on July 4.

The Wall Street Journal's immigration foul
Michelle Malkin
August 2, 2002
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michelle/malkin080202.asp

[Moleman]

I hope Congress puts it's foot down and refuses to sign on to this and pulls the President's butt out of the fire.
I concur, we need to keep Americans working in America especially as more of our jobs, including engineering, IT, accounting and other professions are moved to India and China.

[Brian Allen]

Great post. Thank you.

If you like the sound of the next two words, President Bush, repudiate your insane capitulation to the invading hordes of unassimilable criminal aliens; round them all up; deport them all and their spawn -- and get the Hell about securing our nation's borders language and culture!

[futureceo31]

You might want to read Liberman's plan on this. He proposes citiznership for all these hard work illegals. Bush is trying to take steps to solve a huge problem that exists. Mass deportation aint going to happen and there is not a magic wand solution in place either.
What is your solution if not mass deportation???

[Brian Allen]

<< What is your solution if not mass deportation??? >>

Why opt for second best?

[futureceo31]

What is intellectual dishonesty? Please point out the facts...

[KantianBurke]

hair splitting that Bush's plan is not Amnesty because it isn't called that. One of the great things about FR is the breath of fresh air you get when reading posts from those who call it as it is. Playing Clintonian word games for partisan purposes sucked when Bubba's enablers did it and it sucks now. Your view may be different, I'll disagree but respect it but don't camaflogue it.

[New Girl]

If this plan passes, I want to see a future moratorium on ALL immigration.

btw, this plan will probably help elect more Dems to office after redistricting takes place...

[Righty1]

A feckless "plan" that allows GW to avoid confronting China or Mexico.