Immigration reality eludes GOP

Arizona Republic ^ | 7 March 2004 | Randy Pullen

[Spiff]

Unfortunately for Rep. Jeff Flake, he apparently has lost contact with his conservative roots in Arizona. In reading his column "Bush offers migrant plan conservatives can support," I noted several inaccuracies and misstatements that cannot go unchallenged.

Conservatives and most liberals do value national security and controlling our borders. Recently conducted polls overwhelming support the enforcement of our immigration laws, including KAET-TV/ASU, GOPUSA, ProjectUSA, News/Insight Magazine and FrontPage Magazine.

[Spiff]

Rep. Flake is a conservative Republican on just about every other issue except for illegal immigration and amnesty. He needs to get a clue and change his mind on this. He's looking at a primary challenger who is coming after him on this one, specific issue. He's gaining many enemies within the party for his stance.

[Fun Bob]

We need a security wall like the Israeli's are building. That is step one in securing our border with Mexico.

miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure miserable failure war criminal

[TLI]

Our immigration laws are not convoluted, as Flake would have us believe. State, local police and sheriff's offices purposely avoid involvement in immigration law enforcement, citing federal jurisdiction as their excuse.

From what I have seen, the LEO's have been ORDERED by the feds to avoid contact with the illegal aliens. Makes you wonder who is pulling the feds strings.

[B4Ranch]

Tom Ridge?

[HiramAbiff]

Where the hell is GWB on this? I can't believe he eliminated the fingerprinting and photographing at the Mexican border. How are these people protecting America from Terrorists? They are just asking for another 9/11. Someone is going to sneak a dirty bomb over and detonate it Houston.

We need to build a wall. Anything less puts America at risk.

[navyblue]

Tom Ridge?

Higher!

[Veracious Poet]

I wasn't too happy with Dubya before his give-away to Ol' Foxy, but now he has totally lost my support along with every other former Dubya supporter I personally know of...

[lainde]

Sanity BTTT

[Consort]

The president's proposal [and all the Democrats, etc.], as well as Flake's bill, reward illegal aliens with legal status.

You can call it a "reward" or you can call it a "price" we have to pay for generations of uncontrolled borders. Right now, it looks like we will "reward" or pay that "price". It also looks like the Democrats will fight against any GOP legalizations or amnesties......the Dems want to be the ones who do that for political gain and millions of potential long-term votes.

[A. Pole]

Flake makes the sweeping statement in his Jan. 18 column that America has a need for labor that Americans are unable or unwilling to do. There is little evidence to support this statement. One of the primary purposes of our immigration laws is to prevent employers from undermining wages and working conditions of American workers.

A so-called electronic job registry proposed by the president would not even have a prevailing wage requirement, meaning that employers will be able to offer wages far below what most Americans would be willing to accept, thereby creating an artificial need for guest workers. In effect, the law would grant legal sanction to employers who want to hire workers at low wages and benefits.

Free market bump.

[A. Pole]

We need to build a wall. Anything less puts America at risk.

No need for the wall. Just punish the employer with a very high fine and pay 50% of it as a reward to the whistleblower. Easy does it!

[A. Pole]

Just punish the employer with a very high fine and pay 50% of it as a reward to the whistleblower.

Or better yet, reward the illegal employee if he reports himself and give him a visa :)

[janetgreen]

he has totally lost my support along with every other former Dubya supporter I personally know of...

That's what everyone seems to be saying, people are absolutely fed up with his constant pandering to Mexico and his big spender ways.

[phil_will1]

"he has totally lost my support along with every other former Dubya supporter I personally know of..."

"That's what everyone seems to be saying, people are absolutely fed up with his constant pandering to Mexico and his big spender ways."

I thought that I was alone in feeling this way. Most of the people I know will vote for him anyway, since the alternative (Kerry) wouldn't be any better (in fact, would be worse) on these issues. I'm sure that is all part of Karl Rove's master plan.

Spending and illegal immigration are certainly big negatives for me. In addition to those two issues, he has been AWOL on Fundamental Tax Reform, which is the only thing he really could have done to stem the loss of jobs. Instead of that his economic advisors are in denial. This reminds me so much of 1992 when the country was sliding into recession and the President's economic advisors were the only ones who didn't recognize it.

Interestingly, Susan Estridge is the only political analyst I have seen who has commented on the problems that Bush has with his base. The Republican leaners, like Hannity, etc. focus on the positive, which is understandable. Bush's handling of terrorism, in spite of the failure to find WMDs (so far) is a big positive IMHO.

We each have to decide if that positive outweighs all the negatives on the aforementioned issues.

[lewislynn]

Doing "labor that Americans are unable or unwilling to do".

[HiramAbiff]

"Just punish the employer with a very high fine and pay 50% of it as a reward to the whistleblower."

That's a brilliant, creative, easy and cheap idea. The fact that it hasn't been implemented makes me wonder if GWB is really interested in stemming the flow of illegals or protecting our borders.

[Henchman]

The reality is the Dems and Reps are kissing Axx for VOTES, now or in the future. It isa and has been that the politicians represent their pocket, not ours. Vote em all out. If Kerry has Hitlary for VP, I'll vote for Bush, other wise he gets what he gave America on illegal immigration.

[RussianConservative]

From what I understand of US politicals...if Kerry in power, would not Republican control of Congress make republicans ban all Kerry wishes?

[janetgreen]

This reminds me so much of 1992 when the country was sliding into recession and the President's economic advisors were the only ones who didn't recognize it.

People are realizing that their own President is turning his back on them. The cheerleaders are trying to convince America what a great job he's doing, and yet we know better. The borders are open, millions of illegal aliens have crossed the borders since 9/11, jobs are leaving the country at an alarming rate, and he proposes the biggest spending spree in history. None of it adds up to a man who wants a third term.

[janetgreen]

Typo - I meant second term!