Republican Lawmakers Won’t Back Bush on Immigration

CNSNews.com ^ | 1/26/2004 | Susan Jones

[Sabertooth]

You: Deportation will not happen. Neither party will support it!

Me: Politicians don't, yet. Voters will.

You: Wanna bet? The vast majority of Americans care about illegal immigration, but not that much.

Politicians don't need to lose a vast majority of their votes to lose most elections. The votes that swing on Illegals are mostly not going to swing against a politician who supports deportation, and will swing against a politician who supports Amnesty. Exit polling will bear this out in November.

Hot button issues have their moment. President Bush has miscalculated and made Illegals a hot-button issue this year with his unpopular Amnesty proposal. While it's true that the Democrats aren't poised to capitalize, as they also favor Amnesty, and Bush will likely be elected, this move will cost GOP votes and seats down-ticket, unless it is thoroughly rebuffed by the GOP candidates in accordance with the wishes of the party rank and file.

You don't think politicians will notice?

You don't think that Al Gore noticed that gun control cost him Tennessee and the Presidency in 2000?

After enough two-by-fours, politicians notice.

[tessalu]

I am a Republican who will not back Bush on immigration, and I will not back Bush on some simple job trainging program, while real jobs are fleeing the country. I think that the rise in the stock market is just manipulated for an election. Papa Bush should have taken out Saddam way back when, and not left this for Jr to do. The jobs were fleeing the country back in Clintons time as well, going to mainland China. I had a friend in China who was securing contracts for manufacturers on the mainland, and I do know what was going on there. Some Americans have never in their lives had a decent job.

[Marine Inspector]

America has no stomach to deport 10 million illegals

Politicians don’t, but Americans do, and the polls prove it. Anyhow, you don’t need to go after all 10 million (BTW, there are way more then 10 million). Just stop giving them welfare and jobs, and they will leave on their own.

Marine Inspector

[motzman]

I said from the beginning that this was politics. Bush can say he tried and those who said NO WAY can tell their constituants that they listened to their letters

Either way, it's a win. At the very least, tax credits and scrict enforcement of legal worker status (lax enforcement over a generation has caused this) should be enacted.

[Marine Inspector]

The INS is a disaster.

The INS does not exist and the State Department handles visa applications.

Marine Inspector

[MJY1288]

The question is.... Where do we go from here, do we adopt Tancredo's plan and spend a bunch more money we don't have, or do like the past 3 administrations and do nothing?

[Sabertooth]

I said from the beginning that this was politics.

Actually, you said from the beginning that President Bush would never propose an Amnesty.

[savedbygrace]

Look like all our calls, letters and emails have turned the corner on this short-sighted immigration plan.

[Finalapproach29er]

What convinces you?

I think its just the opposite. GWB seems to be getting more liberal as the months pass.

My question is not just rhetorical,I really am looking for a reason to believe W will get serious about illegals.

[angkor]

They'd be eligible...

"The program should not connect participation to a green card or citizenship... and they will need to be placed in line for citizenship behind those who are already in line."

It's not clear whether 6 years on a "guest worker visa" will satisfy the physical presence test for citizenship.

[sarasmom]

You rang?
Yes, Florida is very much against illegal aliens and amnesty for criminals.Lets not even talk about further depressing wages for citizens.
Florida is very much in play (political players terminology)and this time President Bush overplayed his hand.
I am shocked he did so, but nobody is perfect!

[MJY1288]

The problem with that is that the States don't pay Federal Tax,

[Marine Inspector]

No more so than an H1B visa makes one eligible for citizenship. It doesn't.

No visa makes anyone eligible for Citizenship. An H1B, who has worked for 3 years, is eligible to adjust status to a Resident Alien, whom is eligible for Citizenship after 5 years.

The current proposal that Mr. Hagle and Mr Daschle have presented the President makes all H1’s, H2’s and H3’s eligible for adjustment of status.

Marine Inspector

[NYC Republican]

GREAT NEWS bump!

[nuffsenuff]

Negotiation 101...

Set the parameters of the deal high and negotiate down.

Bush accomplishes two goals. He gets Democrats to decry immigration policies that they would have thought of themselves and makes the Republican party look stronger on National Security.

Brilliant.

[Sabertooth]

I Guessed wrong, I thought they would at least debate it before killing it. Looks like the letters everyone sent in must have made a difference

Fair enough. I didn't see this before my earlier post to you.

If the letters are making a difference, then what is the problem with the ongoing conversation about the Bush Amnesty in this forum?

I sure do see a lot of complaints from a minority of posters on that, but many letters have been generated here.

[MJY1288]

Now Now Tooth, there you go again, I said blanket amnesty, I know your itching to condemn me for something, but don't put words in my mouth, I was not in favor of this plan, and I said it would never make it out of Congress. I also said it was just a vague proposal, NOT A BILL introduced to Congress

[k2blader]

Either way, Bush has fulfilled his promise to those he made promises to and now it's on the shoulders of those wascally wepubwicans.

Are you saying President Bush promised amnesty for illegals to some folks prior to the proposal?

And GWB *is* a "wepubwican". If he's trying to paint the conservatives in his party--the anti-illegal-immigration folks--as the "bad cops" that'd make it even worse than I thought.

[sarasmom]

Yup, all us lonely conservatives who expect laws to be enforced and criminals charged with crimes.
All us stupid people who have not yet succumbed to corruption.