Can someone please explain Bush's apparent lack of logic on border control?
We knew his policy on this issue well before the election. I can't really fathom anyone's surprise. It's not like he lied to the people. He said he wanted amnesty, and that is what he is pursuing.
What did everyone expect? If he's a man of his word, he's a man of his word, and he promised to pursue amnesty.
Neuen Weld Ordnung
Latin Vote, that's it and that's all.
NAFTA, the unpublished parts.
Border control is only one facet of the problem.
Let's say Bush were to actually decide that the US is a country of laws and that he was going to enforce them.
Let's say that Bush systematically ran the illegals out of the US. I personally think this could be done inside of a year, maybe two years.
There would be an immediate impact on the (profit) prices of many everyday things. Houses and agricultural products being two prominent areas that would be quickly affected.
This immediate increase in prices would not be offset by a reduction in cost to the citizens from State and local governments nor hospitals nor any other group burdened by illegals. When is the last time you ever actually saw government get smaller year over year?? Everyday citizens would see an everyday increase in the cost of many things.
Bush won't take the heat for that change. He thinks its better to leave the weight of these illegals on the backs of the citizens of this country than it is to enforce the laws he swore to uphold.
I personally think he is as out of touch as his father was, only in different ways. He is going to find his legacy to be quite different from what he thinks it will be. And in the process he is going to hand the presidency to the democrats. A third party that promises to do something about the problem could easily deflect enough votes from the Republicans to hand the election to the Dems.
I could be wrong, there could be some really imaginitive reason that escapes me. But this simple answer fits well.
>>Can someone please explain Bush's apparent lack of logic on border control?<<
Well, here is a theory, but I don't like it: He knows something we don't. And I mean something big. Put on your tinfoil and start speculating. Think of it as a brainstorming session. That is, in the first pass, no idea is too whacky.
Possibilities:
1. Some economists are correct and our economy is about to implode, so we need the cheap labor to stave off the invevitable.
2. Blackmail is involved.
3. ______________________________
When someone acts this far out of character, there is something going on behind the scenes.
Your question is a joke right? You haven't figured it out yet? It's the economy stupid - let illegals into the country, boomers buy 2nd homes, rent out their first home to illegals, and it keeps the economy moving.
I will try.
1. Bush had lots of good experiences with Mexicans coming into Texas. They stayed in the southern half of the state and took up a lot of farming and gardening jobs. they rarely formed gangs. So he does not have a negative impression. If they could be harnessed as a work force and source of low wage labor, without bankrupting welfare and education and medical care, Bush believes it would be a workable solution, hence his foreign worker plan. BTW most businesses south of Asn Antonio are bilingual as proof that the Texas situation is not harmful.
2. Bush is proping up social security with immigrants he believes will grow into good citizens. (see number 1). Since the US people are practicing a maintenance level of child bearing, we are open to more immigrants. By taking Mexicans, we are not opening ourselves up to Muslim immigrants as is happening in Europe. Of course Bush believes that in a few generations these Americans of Mexican descent will vote for Republicans even if they vote for Democrats first.
3.Bush (like the intellectuals on the left) sees a future where borders will become open. This could happen if Mexico voted to join the US as additional states, but likely in the far distant future the North and South American continents will become a new world open trade zone. Bush believes this would solve problems and since it is inevitable we can't stand in its way. By being open to it Bush hopes to avoid the rest of the left's future plan, that of world wide socialism. This is why he wants open trade as well.
4. Finally, if Bush comes down hard on illegal immigration his political opponents will twist this into a mean spirited Republican thing. (remember the left believes open borders are part of the world socialist movement and thus inevitable). He may be right about this, because when California passed prop 87 to deny school, welfare, and medical care to illegals, it resulted in a backlash that has left California a democratic stronghold to this day. The law was never put into effect as it was blocked by a democrat appointed judge. Perhaps Bush believes that the judiciary needs to be resolved before we take on the issue of illegal immigration.
Bush is bending in the direction of not seeing his immigration reform put into law. This because the US sentiment changed with 9-11 and we see that our institutions of medical and education are suffering because of the influx of immigrants as we speak.
It's called big Business!
I lived in Texas for many years. It appeared that the typical Texan was blind to this issue. The illegals did a lot of work that kept prices artificially low for the Texas consumer. For instance, at new housing projects, a construction crew would consist of one Spanish speaking Caucasian, and the remainder were illegals getting $5 an hour under the table. My wife worked at a hospital, and when an illegal construction worker came in, they'd ask, "Who do you work for?" They always replied, "I don't know." So, 5 bucks an hour, no benefits, no workers comp costs. You can see why the folks who use or benefit these people aren't speaking up. The illegals are making a lot of people rich, and keeping prices low.
"Can someone please explain Bush's apparent lack of logic on border control?"
It's very simple. If you want to engage in Wilsonian military crusades and buy votes with expanded entitlement programs, but you don't want to raise taxes, then you have to enlarge the tax base.
Are you just now finding this out?