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Immigrant Realities: President Bush's proposal helps America's security and economy
Opinion Journal ^ | 01/06/04 | editorial board

Posted on 01/08/2004 9:03:19 PM PST by Pokey78

Edited on 04/23/2004 12:06:19 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

The debate over President Bush's new immigration reform has so far been mainly about election-year politics. But what we believe most commends it is that it recognizes the world as it exists.

Like it or not, the U.S. is part of an integrating regional and world economy in which the movement of people across borders is inevitable. Despite nearly 20 years of efforts to "crack down on the borders," the immigrants keep coming--an estimated eight million without legal U.S. documents today. As long as the per capita income differential between the U.S. (nearly $32,000) and Mexico ($3,679) continues to be so wide, we can't stop immigrants short of means that will violate our traditions, our conscience, and our national interest.


(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; bushequaldems; bushishillary; bushisliberal; bushwhacked; greatargument; illegalimmigrants; immigration; pseudoamnesty; righton
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1 posted on 01/08/2004 9:03:20 PM PST by Pokey78
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To: Pokey78
Do we really want to deputize all of American business to report and arrest illegals?

Uh, no, we just don't want American business to hire them.

2 posted on 01/08/2004 9:05:15 PM PST by dirtboy (Howard Dean - all bike and no path)
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To: All
Got a nose for the news?

Then come join us anytime!
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Donate the money you save on your wardrobe to Free Republic!

3 posted on 01/08/2004 9:05:45 PM PST by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
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To: Pokey78
Family values don't stop at the Rio Grande but our border does. Where shall we draw the new line?
4 posted on 01/08/2004 9:06:37 PM PST by secret garden
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To: dirtboy
The article sets up the usual false choice between surrendering to the illegal tide, and machine-gunning Mexican children.
5 posted on 01/08/2004 9:07:54 PM PST by dagnabbit (Tell Bush what to do with his Mexico Merger - Write in Tancredo in your State's primary)
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To: Pokey78
Good article. Got your flame-proof suit on? there's a lot here who won't like it.
6 posted on 01/08/2004 9:08:49 PM PST by Richard Kimball
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To: dirtboy
Anybody waiting for the Wall Street Journal to say a word in defense of citizenship and sovereignty, will have to keep waiting -- until hell freezes over. WSJ is the drum major of the Open Borders marching band.

TRAITORS!

7 posted on 01/08/2004 9:13:31 PM PST by Madstrider
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To: Madstrider
The WSJ just wants cheap labor so the Wall Street boys can keep themselves in cocaine and hookers
8 posted on 01/08/2004 9:15:53 PM PST by WackyKat
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To: Pokey78
Bush to Americans: "Read my lips. No new illegals."

No troops on the border? Then, no solution to the problem. The US goverment is NOT going to militarize the borders, EVER! The illegals will just keep on coming.

9 posted on 01/08/2004 9:16:13 PM PST by Visalia
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To: Pokey78
Participation in the guest worker program won't necessarily put someone on track for a green card (for permanent residency), which is the goal of many immigrants.

This promise comes with Brooklyn Bridge included.

10 posted on 01/08/2004 9:17:15 PM PST by dagnabbit (Tell Bush what to do with his Mexico Merger - Write in Tancredo in your State's primary)
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To: dagnabbit
Yes --- that's one of the phoniest arguments.
11 posted on 01/08/2004 9:17:41 PM PST by FITZ
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To: Pokey78
I almost always agree with the opinions that come from the WSJ. The exception is when it comes to illegal immigration.
12 posted on 01/08/2004 9:19:34 PM PST by spodefly (This is my tagline. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
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To: dagnabbit
You rang?


13 posted on 01/08/2004 9:21:35 PM PST by sarcasm (Tancredo 2004)
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To: Pokey78
. . . excellent article -- rational, reasonable, and realistic (for these reasons alone, the usual suspects will HATE it)!
14 posted on 01/08/2004 9:21:58 PM PST by DrDeb
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To: Pokey78
"Foreign-born workers represent 14% of the U.S. labor force, meaning that huge parts of the retail, restaurant and farm economies would shut down without them."

No. Actually they wouldn't - they'd just be forced to raise their wages to the point that they could attract the necessary workers.

*THAT* is how the free market works Mr. Bush, not by artifically depressing wages by letting illegal aliens compete with your citizens.

Down with Bush.
15 posted on 01/08/2004 9:23:10 PM PST by applemac_g4
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To: Visalia
"No troops on the border? Then, no solution to the problem. The US goverment is NOT going to militarize the borders, EVER! The illegals will just keep on coming."


. . . by the way, militarizing our borders is ILLEGAL -- oops!!
16 posted on 01/08/2004 9:23:45 PM PST by DrDeb
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To: Pokey78
One objection, especially from the political right, is that the Bush proposal rewards people who broke the law.

Ummm...yep.

Essentially, the Chief Enforcement Officer of the United States refuses to uphold the Constitution -- something he swore to at his Inaugural.

17 posted on 01/08/2004 9:25:07 PM PST by F16Fighter
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To: Pokey78
The argument:

"...beefed up the border guard, but all that did was move illegal crossings deeper into the shadows of organized crime..."

can be made for every crime from tax evasion, drugs on through, environmental laws through child pornography!

I guess as a conservative its time to recognize that attempting to instill morality is a waste of time as well.

How does taking away limited INS resources from the war on terror make the US any safer?

"They said only 2,000 agents are available to review the millions of applicants that might be submitted.
"When U.S. immigration officials were tasked with the responsibility of checking immigrants coming into the United States from the Middle East after September 11, it tied up all of INS' resources and caused significant delays," Mr. Cutler said.

"When this country had problems trying to properly identify a few thousand people, how is it going to do the same with a few million?"


Source:
The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com
http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20040107-103029-5660r

Border authorities fear influx from Bush plan
By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published January 8, 2004
18 posted on 01/08/2004 9:27:16 PM PST by Kay Soze (How will refocusing INS resources from the war on terror to millions of Mexicans make US safer?)
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To: Pokey78
Immigrant workers would enjoy the protection of our labor laws

If our labor laws are enforced, i.e., minimum wage laws, this could be a major deterrent for businesses to hire "work visa" immigrants. If forced to pay a minimum wage, they may as well hire Americans and save themselves the extra paperwork.

I have mixed feelings about this issue. Having read numerous threads on this site, I believe both sides have valid points.

Nonetheless, taking advantage of several of the grassroots networks, I emailed my legislators and the White House that I am opposed to this new plan.

I did so because I think some form of this plan will pass, and we need to hold our politicians feet to the fire to encourage them to make this as restrictive as possible. Plus, they need to be encouraged to follow through with the necessary enforcement of labor laws, punishing businesses who violate our laws, and be prepared to deport any illegals who do not sign on.

19 posted on 01/08/2004 9:31:04 PM PST by bjcintennessee (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff)
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To: Pokey78
"Do we really want to deputize all of American business to report and arrest illegals? "

The IRS make them deputies!

Funny how when its in their financial interests the require ALL business to be deputies on matters relating to income.

How does this policy make my nation safer?
20 posted on 01/08/2004 9:31:48 PM PST by Kay Soze (How will refocusing INS resources from the war on terror to millions of Mexicans make US safer?)
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