Posted on 01/08/2004 3:34:13 PM PST by 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.
Yup, this was just a sign post for what lay ahead. Slow motion, incremental amnesty.
Of course, for those that are paying attention to Bush, this should be of no surprise. He'll pay heavily at the voting booth for even suggesting this.
That did it for me personally. No way am I going to become part this.
Laughable.
Bingo!
And that is *exactly* the response I expected. This is the whole problem. The two beltway parties in DC are laughing at and completely ignoring the will of the people.
People like Loretta Sanchez, and you support this. That is very revealing Luis.
Gray Davis did exactly this by pandering to criminals among other things, and he swung from the political rope.
In a way I'm glad President Bush did this, as it no doubt opened many eyes and violently shook those that have been sleeping.
The solutions are too many to count. The entire problem is President Bush and the government just aren't interested in solutions. That's not part of their plan.
Welcome to Amexica.
I humbly beg to differ.
There is a Grand Canyon's differences between can't and won't.
What can 1,500 Marines do that many more Border Patrol agents cannot? Be specific.
If you think that Marines have special magical powers, your ignorance is astounding.
Excellent point. I strongly suspect we're not really getting anything cheaper as a result of illegal aliens.
Times that by the 8 million that already here and the millions that will floor across the border in less than a year after this is made into law and you realize how throughly screwed over this country's taxpayers and future have been.
Granted. President Bush inherited a large portion of this mess from his predecessors who haven't bothered to even address it for over twenty years.
But instead of attacking the problem head on, it now appears he has surrendered to it.
Party split heading our way?
WHATEVER they are doing now, it is NOT working.
Common sense is not a player at the border. Political fortunes are at stake here, including George W. Bush's.
He had better wake up and smell the coffee yesterday morning or he is going to cause a party split like you have never seen.
Answer to your question:
Quit the political mamby-pamby bullshit over worrying about how many votes you are going to lose and get on with solving the border crisis!
Actually I think a major revolt might be a real possiblity in the near-future if this type of abuse on taxpayers continues.
Question: If President Bush had not announced his new illegal immigration initiative until NEXT WEEK, would the ill feelings now causing such slurs as those above be going on right now?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.