Posted on 08/27/2005 10:55:25 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
By RON FOURNIER
Associated Press
PHOENIX - Struggling to pacify his party's warring wings, President Bush is moving toward allowing illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. before February 2004 to qualify for guest-worker visas. People smuggled in after then would be deported.
State leaders in Arizona and New Mexico have stepped up pressure on the Bush administration and the Republican-led Congress to better police U.S. borders and deal with an estimated 10 million people who are living in the country illegally.
"They're trying to split the baby," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in reference to the White House plan, "and I don't think they can do that."
Bush and his advisers are caught between their supporters in the business sector, who think the economy needs the workers, and conservatives whose priority is to clamp down on illegal immigration. The White House hopes to send a detailed proposal to Congress in late September or early October.
McCain, who ran against Bush for the 2000 GOP nomination and may seek the White House in 2008, is sponsoring a bill with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., that would create 400,000 three-year visas for guest workers.
The legislation has the flexibility to add more in the future and would let undocumented workers stay in the U.S. while they apply.
A competing plan by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., would create two-year visas and require people to leave the U.S. before they can apply for the chance to work legally in the country.
Conservative House Republicans tend to favor Kyl's tougher approach. McCain mocks it.
"Turn yourself in so we can send you back to Mexico," said McCain, throwing his head back in laughter during an interview at his Arizona office last week. "It's not going to happen."
The White House seems to agree with McCain.
According to administration and congressional officials who took part in a series of White House meetings this summer, Bush does not favor requiring illegal immigrants to be sent home to apply for the visas.
In a nod to his conservative base, however, the president has rejected a part of the McCain-Kennedy bill that the White House thinks would put illegal immigrants on an automatic track to citizenship, the officials said.
Re: " I love President Bush, however, when it comes to "illegal immigration" policies, as with most Americans, I part with him."
I am of the same opinion as you - and I think there are many others of us that feel the same way. I love the President - but this illegal "answer" is not the one we conservatives are looking for in regard to the illegals.
The insistance of President Bush in this policy about the illegals is due to the influence of his mom and dad - who still have very many liberal views. (Having been from the east coast - the parents still have the east coast secular philosophies and not the conservative Texan ways!)
And at times when President Bush throws out policy ideas like this - you'd better believe it is under the guidance of his parents!
Why the phuk won't the President listen to us?
It's his mom and dad - I tell you!
They believe in such a philosophy!
"Clearly, we have to make some tough decisions as a country, and one of them ought to be coming up with a much better entry-and-exit system so that if we're going to let people in for the work that otherwise would not be done, let's have a system that keeps track of them." -- Hillary Rodham Clinton
mike pence is also an honorable conservative who appears to be a viable candidate.
I make no bones about and will argue with anyone on this issue. I've supported President Bush, and VP Cheney 110%, except for illegal immigration. Clearly, I disagree with with him 110% on that one issue. Loose borders are no good for any country, let alone ours. Since 9-11, I'm surprised more hasn't been done. I can understand the need for people to do work that you and I don't want to do. However, it must be controlled. When Pres. Bush speaks about a guest worker program, the question must revert back to, why aren't we controlling our borders better. No answer. what are the details of a guest worker program...still no answer. So yes, given the facts of our borders in disarray, and the invasion of illegals from South of the border, these are vexing questions, that deserve direct answers. If the Pubs don't solve it, the DemOrats are eying it to get sympathy votes. anyway they can to get back control of the White House, and congress.
LOL
Thanks for your comments. See my post at #26.
"And at times when President Bush throws out policy ideas like this - you'd better believe it is under the guidance of his parents!"
LOL - He's 59 years old and the President of the U.S. - do you seriously think that the "guidance" of his parents is more then simply advice from those who had gone before ?
(I guess Bush 41 is still getting his orders from Nancy )
George Bush may have fooled me during campaigning for a second term, but if the 'Rats' opponent in 2008 does not give me an ironclad, bulletproof pledge to export all illegals, no matter how long it takes or how much it costs, he's lost before the primaries...
I've watched them for years - the parents are liberals in many ways.
And yes "they have gone before him" and that is the advice they give GW.
But - that is why Bush - the elder - didn't get re-elected by the conservatives!
Why won't it happen if they dont turn themselves in we can bar them for life, never to return once caught, those who do turn themselves in get a shot at a visa unless they are violent criminals.
I believe it will.
The only thing I can't divine is when and how. It's not something consciously decided; circumstances will decide for us.
I just hope it won't be too bloody, and that legal immigrants do not also pay the price for this enormous, monumental, almost criminal blunder in leadership.
We fight for the GOP, we win for the GOP and in the end
we lose.
McCain and Bush both want to reward illegals.
I might have a solution to the illegals coming from Mexico -
Just send - to Mexico and President Fox our criminals that are being daily released. Release the criminals over in Mexico -
Then maybe President Fox will do something to prevent illegals from coming over here!
What you say may be true -
But President Bush deserves to be analysed on his own actions and statements - many here insult him by assuming he just asks " may I daddy ? " before he does anything.
I expect that from the Dims, not from Freepers.
Sounds good
Anita1, I don't know if President Bush is getting guidance from his folks on Illegal immigration or from his cabinet. I'm sure his father can give him insight that others can't. But, for some reason, he's totally disconnected from reality on our Southern borders. Illegal immigration has been going on for the past eight decades. It increased greatly under the Nixon administration and hasn't stopped, so there's enough blame to pass around to both parties for doing nada. However, now because of security and the social financial strain it has placed on all four border states, it must be addressed.
Your laughing to quick...See my post at #26.
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