[Sabertooth]

Other than Terror and taxes, I lost my enthusiasm for President Bush quite a while ago. I remember what he did during the #187 Campaign in 1994. Despite some trepidations, I was broken glass in 2000, and even dragged my daughter to street protests on Bush's behalf during the Florida mess (here in L.A., not in Fla.). Bought her a Sore Loserman t-shirt a year before I became a Freeper.

I was was quite proud of the President following 9/11, and am pleased overall with his prosecution of the war. However, the President's domestic agenda leaves me cold, for the most part. I want nothing to do with most of it, I think it's bad for the country.

The problem is, any Democrat would be worse. Setting aside the rest of their foolishness for the moment, we need to understand that every one of the Democrat Presidential candidates supports worse Amnesties for Illegal Aliens than that proposed by President Bush.

So, for now, my vote remains Bush's to lose, and I'm getting a big clothes-pin ready for November. Could he lose it? Sure, but I'd have to think long and hard on it. Something rotten would have to happen, though, because I'd vote for him today.

On the other hand, I can't quite go along with those who say "the kool aid's fine, jump in!" I don't trust politicians, any of them. I believe power tends to corrupt, and that it deludes long before it corrupts. I expect and elect politicians to do the right things, so I focus on where they don't.

Such is the case with President Bush's "not an Amnesty" Amnesty proposal for Illegal Aliens. It's a reward for lawbreakers, and all of the hairsplitting over the Bush blue cards vs. the green cards of the Reagan Amnesty are most unpersuasive.

So, the trick now is to get President Bush reelected, while simultaneously defeating his Amnesty, for good.

Part of the trick depends on meeting the challenge of offering genuine solutions. Consider that challenge met.

[Sabertooth]

FYI

[ovrtaxt]

Nice essay. Like you, I'm a little more than annoyed with Bush's overall domestic agenda. I clearly remember in August of 2001, sadly scraping the Bush sticker off my car. He had just started his leftward domestic tilt, with the Education bill and so forth. Now, we have damaged the First Amendment, a trail of big government spending in between.

I never forgot what Buchanan said about him during the primary, and he was right.

Quite a testament to the impact of 911. It's still outweighs the alternatives. But if we lose the Constitution in the process, what are we defending?

[Nephi]

So, the trick now is to get President Bush reelected, while simultaneously defeating his Amnesty, for good.

That's not the trick, the trick is how did Bush turn so many conservatives into socialist lemmings?

[SCalGal]

I was was quite proud of the President following 9/11, and am pleased overall with his prosecution of the war. However, the President's domestic agenda leaves me cold, for the most part. I want nothing to do with most of it, I think it's bad for the country.

Repeat and Bump.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

---

If this is taxes with reprsentation
Give me taxes without representation
I much prefer a tax on tea!
Instead of everything else.

[HennepinPrisoner]

Bump

[dirtboy]

Nice work. Just as with the war on terror, it took us a long time to get here, and it will take some time to reverse the tide. But apparently to some, appeasement rightfully was never an option after 9/11 - but appeasement amnesty is the way to deal with illegal immigration - despite the fact that amnesty has been tried and doesn't work.

[Amerigomag]

Part of the trick depends on meeting the challenge of offering genuine solutions

Another part is working hard to elect a Congressman and a Senator who will oppose Bush when he strays off the reservation.

[Southack]

"by applying systematic pressure to all of the factors that encourage the Illegals to violate our laws and sovereignty, we can win early victories that generate and sustain a momentum whereby the problem starts to solve itself.

The key is to get the Illegals to leave our country on their own initiative."

Of course, this is precisely what Bush's new immigration plan *does*, except of course that it accomplishes this key goal in a non-obvious manner (hence, unnecessary and hostile reaction to said plan).

For instance, Bush's plan offers a carrot/reward to illegals. If they register with the federal government, then they get a blue card, can't be hassled by INS raids, can get a bank account, can transfer money back to their relatives without paying outrageous bribes, become eligible for tax refunds (some of their payroll taxes are refundable), can return to their home countries on vacations without fearing yet another illegal border crossing, and they become immune to the deportation blackmail scams of illegal employers as well as other illegals.

But Bush's carrot/reward to illegals comes with a catch or two. For one thing, they have to *register* with our government to get that reward. Registration changes everything, too. Our status quo *without* registering illegals is that our government doesn't know, institutionally, where all 8 million illegals live and work.

However, once they register for Bush's reward/carrot, poof, we suddenly know who they are, where they live, and who they work for. Now the INS can track them and the IRS can tax them. Like I said, *registration* changes everything.

And there's more...

Bush's plan requires them to voluntarily return to their home countries after three years in order to apply for additional time here in the U.S.

After investing 3 years of their lives into Bush's new plan, few illegals will be willing to risk losing it all. Rather than forfeit their legal right to live and work here, as well as lose their refundable taxes, most illegals will opt to return back to their home countries in order to be able to apply for more legal time here.

But by returning to their home countries voluntarily, they have just done what would take an army of law enforcement to otherwise do by force: they will have deported themselves.

Considering that the 8 million illegals are a larger problem in size/scope than the relocations by force of 6 million Jews in Europe during WW2, this accomplishment of convincing illegals to self-deport themselves voluntarily is not insignificant.

In fact, it is brilliant.

President Bush's plan, once it is finally understood by most radio talk show hosts, will one day be lauded for delivering on precisely your above demands for convincing illegals to go home on their own.

[Southack]

"However, the President's domestic agenda leaves me cold, for the most part. I want nothing to do with most of it, I think it's bad for the country."

Banning Partial Birth Abortion leaves you cold and you want nothing to do with it?!

Cutting income taxes and dividend taxes is the wrong direction domestically for you?!

Cutting red tape for building new logging roads, killing CO2 regulations for our electricity providers, and deep-sixing OSHA's proposed ban on American home businesses for "ergonomic" reasons is something to be upset with?!

Surely not. I know you better than that. Surely you were simply painting with too broad of a brush. Surely you simply meant that letting Congress spend too much money was wrong-headed and that signing CFR in the face of today's warped SCOTUS was a tactical mistake, NOT that the above-mentioned domestic policies go against your own beliefs...

[Marine Inspector]

Fiscal Year 2003 Apprehension Numbers

In fiscal year 2003 (October 2002 through September 2003) the Immigration & Naturalization Service / Department of Homeland Security apprehended 1,046,422 deportable aliens in the United States.

SEX AND AGE

• 862,646 (82.4%) of the aliens apprehended were adult males over the age of 14.
• 144,965 (13.9%) of the aliens apprehended were adult females over the age of 14.
• 38,811 (3.7%) of the aliens apprehended were minors, 14 years of age or younger.

STATUS AT ENTRY

• 22,832 (2.2%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on B1 or B2 Visitor visas.
• 392 (0.03%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on D1 or D2 Crew visas.
• 1,879 (0.2%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on F1 or F2 Student visas.
• 169 (0.02%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on H2 or H4 Temporary Agriculture Worker visas.
• 330 (0.03%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on H1, H2, H3 or H4 Temporary Worker visas.
• 6,320 (0.6%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on other Non-Immigrant visas.
• 9,688 (0.9%) of the aliens apprehended were legally admitted to the United States on Immigrant or Refugee visas or with other conditional entry.
• 123 (0.01%) of the aliens apprehended were Stowaways (alien on a vessel or airplane without the knowledge of the crew and without documentation to allow entry).
• 285 (0.03%) of the aliens apprehended were in a Transit Without Visa (TWOV) status.
• 984,244 (94%) of the aliens apprehended Entered Without Inspection (EWI) across the Mexican border.
• 2,506 (0.2%) of the aliens apprehended Entered Without Inspection (EWI) across the Canadian border.
• 17,654 (1.7%) of the aliens apprehended Entered Without Inspection (EWI) across borders other than Canada or Mexico (i.e. coastal area, Guam or Puerto Rico).

LENGTH OF TIME IN THE UNITED STATES

• 836,970 (80%) of the aliens apprehended were apprehended at entry into the United States.
• 32,545 (3.1%) of the aliens apprehended were apprehended within 72 hours of entry into the United States.
• 21,334 (2%) of the aliens apprehended were apprehended after 72 hours and within 30 days of entry into the United States.
• 44,907 (4.3%) of the aliens apprehended were apprehended after 30 days and within 1 year of entry into the United States.
• 110,741 (10.6%) of the aliens apprehended were apprehended after 1 year of entry into the United States.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

• 726 (0.07%) of the apprehended aliens were employed in heavy industry. Heavy industry is the production of raw or bulk manufacturing materials and durable goods. Examples: mining, oil and gas extraction, textile mills, vehicle and heavy equipment assembly, fabrication of metal, glass, lumber, building materials or plastics.
• 4,194 (0.4%) of the apprehended aliens were employed in light industry. Light industry is the production of consumer goods. Examples: electronic and electrical components, clothing, replacement parts, food products and sport equipment.
• 2,955 (0.28%) of the apprehended aliens were employed in Agriculture. Agriculture is production of raw food and plant products. Examples: harvesting fruit, vegetables, flowers or grains, fishing, forestry, bee keeping, husbandry of dairy or beef cattle, sheep, pigs, or fowl.
• 4,341 (0.41%) of the apprehended aliens were employed in Construction. Construction is the trades and professions involved in building, renovating or destroying commercial, residential or other structures.
• 13,362 (1.28%) of the apprehended aliens were employed in the service trades. Service trades are those trades or businesses that are not involved with manufacturing. Examples: wholesale and retail sales, banking, restaurants, entertainment, transportation, communication, public utilities, health care, travel and lodging, education, personal services, administration of government and courts.
• 368 (0.04%) of the apprehended aliens were receiving public assistance, food stamps, unemployment compensation, housing subsidies, student loans or other entitlement benefits.
• 868,453 (83%) of the apprehended aliens stated they were seeking employment.

SMUGGLING

• 5,122 (0.49%) of the apprehended aliens were responsible for the direction of aliens to illegally enter the United States or who transport or harbor aliens within the United States. This includes illegal aliens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR's) but does not include United States citizens.
• 159,185 (15.2%) of the apprehended aliens were smuggled or claim to have been smuggled into the United States or who have been transported or harbored within the United States.

FALSE CLAIMS

• 1,628 (0.2%) of the apprehended aliens orally claimed during an interview to be a citizen of the United States or who by presentation or possession of birth, travel or identification documents make false claims to United States citizenship.
• 1,486 (0.14%) of the apprehended aliens orally claimed during an interview to be a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States or who by the presentation or possession of Forms I-151, I-551, Reentry Permit, Refugee Travel Document, or other alien registration make false claims to legal permanent residency.

OTHER

• 85,957 (8.2%) of the apprehended aliens were apprehended while institutionalized in jails, prisons, mental institutions, hospitals, ect.
• 896,910 (85.7%) of the apprehended aliens were found in travel. This means the alien found was going from one point to another except in daily travel within his own community or to go to and from work.

[Marine Inspector]

Hopefully by the end of the week, I'll have the rest of 2003 put together and on my website.

[Ben Ficklin]

The False Solution:

They say that if the Bush, Cornyn, McCain et al plan is shot down in a large enough fire, there will arise from the flames a groundswell of public opinion to deport them all.

The reality is found in Bush's statement that the American public does not have the political willpower to deport them. One should realise that this is not an opinion that Bush pulled out of his hat, it a product of polling data and focus groups.

The second reality is that the left has their ideas about how the the illegals should be handled; Amnesty, as in citizenship. Whatever comes out of Congress will be a compromise and that compromise will be determined by the political power of each group.

Will you be marching down the street holding hands with PFAW?

[4Freedom]

"The problem is, any Democrat would be worse."

A Democrat's amnesty plan would be worse, but it would have less of a chance of getting past a Republican Congress.

Government would be safely gridlocked.

The Republicans would have fought a Democrat President tooth and nail, if he'd proposed only half the budget-busting, Socialist programs that Bush has.

Many Republicans are going along with Bush's Socialist, open borders agenda simply because he's a Republican.

IMO, that's the greatest danger of a second Bush presidency.

[Print]

Let's look at "willing employer" aspect of the proposal. Willing employers will be required to submit a proof that no American wanted the job. This creates huge potential for abuse. Greedy "willing" employers will find any excuse for not hiring an American worker. And just like offshoring ships american jobs overseas, this will take jobs away from Americans on American soil.

[pawdoggie]

Let's see: you propose creating a massive new Federal bureaucracy to deal with rounding up and processing criminals (and you're a conservative who faults Bush's domestic agenda?); creating a new class of criminals - American employers (not just "big business", but middle class families and individuals); prosecuting and deporting and/or jailing millions of people whose crime is that they wanted to feed their families (as if you wouldn't try to sneak into Canada if you woke up tomorrow and found yourself in the same situation that millions of Mexicans are in), is that about it? Well, I have a few questions.

Do you really think that the American people are going to stand for the adverse economic impact of all this ("short term", i.e. 2-5 years though it might be)? Where, in any known party or walk of American life are you going to find the politician/leader who can "sell" your proposal, and where will you find the legislators to implement it? Not in this country, and probably not on this planet. You correctly identified the three current proposed solutions to the problem. Unfortunately your proposed "fourth way" is less practical and politically acceptable than any of the others. Guess we're stuck with "solution number 1" for now.

[ClintonBeGone]

The problem is, any Democrat would be worse. Setting aside the rest of their foolishness for the moment, we need to understand that every one of the Democrat Presidential candidates supports worse Amnesties for Illegal Aliens than that proposed by President Bush. L

So, for now, my vote remains Bush's to lose, and I'm getting a big clothes-pin ready for November. Could he lose it? Sure, but I'd have to think long and hard on it. Something rotten would have to happen, though, because I'd vote for him today.

Saber, glad to still have you on board. Like you said, the anti-immigrants really have no where else to go.

[MattAMiller]

I don't think anybody expects that simply giving current legal residents legal status will solve anything. But as long as you're going to have a guest worker program I don't see what you'd hope to accompish by forcing everybody here now to simply go back home and apply.

[janetgreen]

The illegals have too many reasons to stay here, i.e., free medical care, free schooling, welfare, food stamps, assisted housing, free breakfasts and lunches for the kids, etc. etc. etc. They won't go home. This plan will only encourage millions more to come, all for the freebies paid for by us. Bringing a pregnant woman in means taxpayer assistance for the life of that child.

All these freebies SHOULD NOT be available to illegal aliens, and an anchor baby SHOULD NOT be an American citizen. America simply cannot afford it, something George Bush has not addressed.

[jimkress]

So, for now, my vote remains Bush's to lose, and I'm getting a big clothes-pin ready for November. Could he lose it? Sure, but I'd have to think long and hard on it. Something rotten would have to happen, though, because I'd vote for him today.

The lesser of two evils is still evil. As long as people refuse to follow (and vote) their principles, evil prospers.

The only difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is that the Democrats want the US ruled by a combination of national and international despots while the Republicans will settle for tyranny by just national despots. The end result is the same - the destruction of our freedom.

Given the objectives of both parties are the same, how can anyone justify supporting either party?

Save America from the tyranny of Republican/Democrat hegemony. Support the Constitution Party.