DUMPING CONSERVATIVES AT THE BORDER

Laura's Weekly E-Blast ^ | 1/8/2004 | LAURA INGRAHAM

[kellynla]

I am beginning to think John McCain actually won the presidency in 2000.

Conservatives were relieved when the Straight Talk Express petered out during the 2000 primary season. John McCain, although tough on national security and runaway spending, was hardly a conservative on major issues such as campaign finance, healthcare reform and immigration.

Yet this is exactly where we find President Bush today (except unlike McCain, Bush doesn’t seem to have much of a problem with runaway spending). Last year President George Bush signed the McCain-Feingold bill into law, which is one of the worst assaults on political speech this country has ever seen. When conservatives (and many liberals) howled, the President’s advisers whispered that they believed the Supreme Court would “clean up” the more onerous parts of the bill which dictates the types of political ads that can air before a general election or primary contest. Of course the Supreme Court rubber stamped the entire thing and so the result is less, not more political speech in the U.S.

And now President Bush charges across the landscape to rescue us from our “unfair” and “broken” immigration system by rewarding people who came here illegally with the promise of legal status. This proposal essentially mirrors the immigration legislation sponsored by—you got it—Sen. McCain. Under the Bush/McCain plan, anyone outside the U.S. who wants to come into the country would only need to show proof of a “job offer” in order to get an initial three-year work permit that would be renewable for an unspecified period. Such temporary workers could also bring family members here. What prevents these people from staying on beyond their time premitted for "temporary" work? As it stands now, there seems to be no limit on the immigration —temporary or permanent— allowed under this plan. And as for the claim that this would be a big boon to the American economy? Illegal immigration costs taxpayers $20 billion each year, in extra education, healthcare, welfare, and prison costs. Today thirty-four percent of Mexicans legally in the U.S., and 25 percent of Mexicans illegally here are welfare.

How are those costs diminished under the Bush plan?

Most bewildering is the Administration idea that this plan is necessary for homeland security reasons. On the contrary, it would not be surprising if some would-be terrorists are among the millions of illegals who will become “documented” under the Bush plan. As Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) charged, "Guest worker programs and gradual amnesty provide cover for terrorists."

It’s easy to understand why Vicente Fox, McCain, big business, and La Raza are happy this week—but what’s in this new proposal for working class American families? How about those immigrants who a lot of time and money to comply with our immigration laws?

The real answer is absolutely nothing. The only reasonable prediction is that wages for a wide range of jobs will be kept artificially depressed by outside workers—now with “legal status” will work for peanuts. “I have worked construction for 30 years as a truck driver (18-wheeler),” wrote one of my listeners, “And every year my pay has gone down because Mexicans are flooding the trucking industry…."

When Bill Clinton says we live in an “increasingly borderless world,” we’re not surprised. It’s the usual globaloney blather. But when a Republican president advocates a policy that will make our borders effectively meaningless, we should be outraged.

With his approval numbers high, President Bush has made a devil’s bargain with business and Hispanic groups. Elites from both parties are ignoring the view of a strong majority of Americans that we need to stop illegal immigration, not high-five it.

Another listener wonders: “What happened to the ‘party of principle’? More like the party of pandering. Considering the massive numbers involved, this amnesty being floated really is Pandora's Box, once opened cannot be closed.”

President Bush has now done the equivalent of posting a sign at the border: “Help Wanted for $5.15/hour.”

Conservatives are right to be disappointed in President Bush. We are right to ignore the Administration’s promise that this time, non-amnesty amnesty will be good for the American people. Our citizenship and legal residence should be reserved for people who love this country enough that breaking her laws—whether at the border or on the street—is out of the question. The next time I hear from his Administration that it is doing all it can to protect our homeland, secure our borders, and increase our standard of living, I will laugh.

Now I know the definition of “compassionate conservative:” a person who campaigns as a conservative, then sells out key conservative principles.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I would guess that if any group of people who would be angry at GWB is the legal immigrants who waited in line and followed the rules.

Why would they be angry? It's not like Bush is doing away with the Customs and INS agencies. Those who are currently in line for citizenship have nothing to sweat over nor gripe about.

[Texasforever]

Look Joe, the measure of a person can generally be based on his enemies. Bush is hated by the far right AND the left. I would say far left but the democrats are almost completely off the chart now. The GOP owns the center right, center left and independents. That is pushing 60% of the vote. The 2002 House elections and California was the first test of that new base and with the electoral vote adjustments and redistricting the GOP and Bush are in the political "sweet spot". Yes Joe, I put party before "principle" at this point because I see the extremes of the political spectrum as irrational. I didn't leave the far right...it left me.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I think this policy has very little to do with solving the "illegal immigration" issue. What this is an H-1B replacement policy wrapped up in an illegal immigration solution package. Illegal immigrants have absolutely no incentive to sign up for these visa's. They already are working here and getting paid under the table and they do not have to pay taxes. Most likely they are getting paid better as illegal. What this is a work visa program that will enable any company to hire any worker from any country in America. This is his gift to corporate America, he added the aspect about illegal immigrants so that the real issue is not even on most peoples radar screen.

If you were living below the poverty line like those folks are, citizen or no, you wouldn't be paying taxes either.

[BigSkyFreeper]

And had Free Republic been around during Reagan's Presidency, freepers would have gone for his throat the same way they are doing to Dubya.

BINGO!

[SUSSA]

No she doesn’t say, “Dump him”. She leaves that to the reader. What she does say is pretty amazing considering she is a big Bush apologist.

She asks; “What happened to the ‘party of principle’? And answers; “More like the party of pandering.”

She says; “The next time I hear from his Administration that it is doing all it can to protect our homeland, secure our borders, and increase our standard of living, I will laugh.”

And
“Now I know the definition of “compassionate conservative:” a person who campaigns as a conservative, then sells out key conservative principles.”
###

Hey, if you want to support someone who sells out key conservative principles for the sake of his personal political career, go ahead. But that makes you the Republican version of a Clintonista.


I remember when Nixon resigned after Barry Goldwater told him conservatives in the Senate weren’t going to save him. I was working in New York at the time and my boss and I were having lunch with a couple of trainees, one of which had worked as an intern in LBJ’s White House. The kid shook his head and said that’s why Republicans would never be the majority party. They weren’t tough enough to stand up and fight for one of their own.

My boss said that was the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans value principles and honor. Democrats only value winning.

Bush changed that big time. I didn’t leave the party. It left me when Bush made it a carbon copy of the Democrat Party.

[SerpentDove]

Well said.

[Texasforever]

Bush changed that big time. I didn’t leave the party. It left me when Bush made it a carbon copy of the Democrat Party.

You ALMOST had me until you tipped over into hyperbole. Bush, for better or worse, is doing this because he has and always has had this attitude towards immigration. He knows it is pissing people off and here is what is infuriating to all of you, HE DOES NOT CARE!. He does not care if the UN gets their panties in a wad when he goes after Saddam, he does not care if the environmentalists scream when he kills Kyoto, he does not care if France doesn't like having their flights cancelled. He is his own man and he was hired to do a job and if all of those pissed off people want to send him back to Crawford he will not lose a minute of sleep over it. He pisses off all the right people and that is why he will win and win big this year so you may as well get used to it.

[BigSkyFreeper]

The FReeper poll is rather misleading. One can vote NO once a day, or if your nefarious enough and empty your cookies folder, you can vote as many times as you want per day.

[SUSSA]

I must apologize. I thought you were totally unprincipled. Now I see you are just naïve. Bush’s only core principle is what’s good for George. He will do anything to stay in power.

This is a calculated move to gain the votes of the illegal aliens and the criminals who employee them. Bush figures he will lose a few principled conservatives but gain more from the criminal vote than he loses.

He doesn’t care that he promised no amnesty. He just redefined the word. Just like Clinton redefined “alone” and “it”. He doesn’t care that this is terrible for the country. All that matters to him is it is going to keep him in power a little longer.

I don’t doubt that Bush will be reelected. Clinton was reelected too. I didn’t vote for him either, and he didn’t spend as much as Bush or expand government as much as Bush.

[Texasforever]

must apologize. I thought you were totally unprincipled. Now I see you are just naïve. Bush’s only core principle is what’s good for George. He will do anything to stay in power.

No he will do what he feels is required to get elected. Hey bunky that is what politics is about. If he loses enough of you "principled conservatives/reincarnated founding fathers" he will lose the election. But bunky, he won the last time without you and he is in a hell of a lot better shape this time around. So take your "principles" and snipe from the bench. The 3rd string quarterback always thinks he would be the starter if not for "politics". Just ask, PJB, Browne, Gore, Nader, McCain, McClintock and all of the other paragons of “principle”.

[SerpentDove]

Well said again.

[Dane]

I've cleaned toilets up to my elbow (no gloves), and suicide messes to boot for ServiceMaster. Your problem, like the beltway gang that spews this elitist sh!t, is that you've never done it. And you simply can't imagine an anglo sinking so low

Oh yes I have. I also worked as a busser and dishwasher in a 150 seat restaurant and sometimes I would be the only busser/dishwasher there. It really sucked if it got busy, but the manager would help out if I got overwhelmed.

[Texasforever]

Dang I missed your post and I usually look for them. Here is my honest to God answer. Bush really thinks this is the right thing to do. It isn't anything more complicated than that. That this is portrayed as some big surprise and "betrayal" is either from people that never took the time to look at his record in Texas or it is manufactured outrage to spice up an election season with no real GOP primary.

[SUSSA]

You’re right, Bush, Clinton, Nixon, and LBJ are more principled than people like Pat Buchanan, Phil Gramm, Steve Forbes, Pete DuPont, and anyone else who didn’t get elected. Principle, values, and character don’t matter in either party any more. Winning is the only thing that’s important.

In my generation we weren’t brought up that way. So excuse me if I can’t fit into this new Republican Party you are enjoying so much. I’ll take my vote and go elsewhere.

[Texasforever]

So excuse me if I can’t fit into this new Republican Party

Buh Bye

[SUSSA]

Enjoy it while it lasts. When your kids go to work and have to pay for all the government you are voting for, plus paying to send Social Security money to Mexico, be sure to tell them they are paying for all this because you voted for the liberal who expanded government more than any Democrat in 70+ years. I'm sure they are going to be happy to pay the bill you are sticking them with just so you can sit around and say your party won the White House.

[BigSkyFreeper]

This is a calculated move to gain the votes of the illegal aliens and the criminals who employee them.

You were on a roll, but your argument went out the door, here's why: Illegal aliens can't vote to begin with. So what if a few principled Conservatives won't vote for him. The immigration reform threads clearly have demonstrated that a few principled Conservatives don't realize illegals can't vote, and Congress doesn't enforce the law.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Laughable.

Tell you what, I'll post up a "poll" where I can prove , beyond the shadow of a doubt, that 80%+ of the people support the idea of full amnesty for all illegal Mexican aliens living in the US.

Do you have the link to the Aztlan movement's homepage?

Really Joe, you should have enough sense to know better than to post a poll conducted by a radio show with an audience who is already slanted against immigration.

I thought you smarter than this.

I am looking for Gallup, CNN, any national poll that hasn't been "FReeped".

There are any yet.

[Poohbah]

Sorry, Pooh. There is no way that number is right. I'm an Ops officer and I that's not the way it's done.

Fine. Give me your CONOPS that reduces this figure.

[ought-six]

"This is the last chance they have for a lot of conservatives."

I agree, and I'm with you. It will, of course, guarantee that the Dims will came back to power, as the Dims put Party and power above all else: That is why the Dims steadfastly refused to be at all critical of Bill Clinton during his myriad scandals and obscenities; whereas Republicans will criticize and even rebel against their leadership if that leadership strays or commits serious errors, the Dims will ignore such failings -- and even praise them -- if it means getting or maintaining power. To the Dims, power is EVERYTHING.