Posted on 10/16/2005 11:43:28 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
WASHINGTON — President Bush's ambitious plan to give millions of undocumented immigrants a shot at legal temporary work in the United States is dead in Congress.
Two hurricanes, two Supreme Court nominees, Republican in-fighting and the president's own slump in the polls have put Bush's "guest worker" initiative on the shelf for this year.
Instead of rallying behind the Bush temporary worker proposal, conservative Republicans are about to head in the opposite direction with legislation to crack down on undocumented immigrants and companies that employ them.
"Political momentum has changed in our favor," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who leads a group of more than 80 House lawmakers who generally oppose expanding immigration.
Conservative Republicans have vowed to block any initiative that would give work visas to immigrants in the country illegally — even if the permits are good only temporarily.
In any case, lawmakers say they are just too busy to pay any attention to the Bush proposal.
"I think Katrina and Rita knocked it off the fall Senate calendar," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who is sponsoring a bill modeled after Bush's guest worker initiative. "Given the crunch caused by two Supreme Court nominations, and Katrina and Rita, it's looking like January" will be the earliest the Senate will consider comprehensive immigration bills, Cornyn said.
But in 2006 — an election year — many Republicans won't be eager to wade into a contentious fight over immigration while also confronting rising gas prices and growing concerns over the war in Iraq.
The administration's guest worker proposal is the latest item on Bush's second-term agenda to go on life-support, joining now-stalled plans to overhaul the tax code and the Social Security system.
For Bush, the immigration debate is personal. He confronted the issue head-on as governor of Texas, which contains much of the nation's roughly 2,000-mile-long border with Mexico.
As governor, he also developed a friendship with Mexican President Vicente Fox.
As president, Bush has made revamping the nation's immigration laws a priority as part of Republican efforts to court the nation's Hispanic voters.
Corporate America — particularly agricultural businesses and the service industry — also has pleaded for a way to legally hire more foreign workers.
When Bush outlined his broad vision for rewriting the nation's immigration laws in 2004, the president said he wanted qualified undocumented immigrants to get temporary work visas that would be good, initially, for three years and possibly renewable for a total of six.
Bush said his initiative was designed to "allow willing workers to enter our country and fill jobs that Americans are not filling."
But the vague proposal — Bush said he was leaving the details up to Congress — immediately provoked widespread criticism from the left and the right.
Conservative Republicans said the president's plan would reward lawbreakers who had crossed U.S. borders illegally.
Democrats complained the initiative would give more than 10 million undocumented immigrants false hope by encouraging them to come out of hiding and seek visas guaranteeing them a one-way ticket home after six years.
The debate was so polarizing that Bush largely stopped talking about the issue altogether. But now, conservative Republicans — driven by the complaints of angry constituents who say the nation's borders are under siege — are preparing to push legislation focusing on stepping up the enforcement of immigration laws.
They say the federal government isn't doing enough to stanch the flow of immigrants across the nation's borders, leading some state and local government officials to take matters into their own hands.
In recent months, Arizona and New Mexico have declared states of emergency, citing the high costs of a surge in immigrants illegally crossing.
Hundreds of people have signed up as "Minutemen," voluntarily patrolling the Arizona-Mexico border.
Similar groups in Texas and California have recruited members to scout for undocumented immigrants.
"We have lost control of our borders and endangered the lives of Americans by not enforcing immigration laws," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio.
In Congress, proposals to revamp immigration laws range from those that would make it easier for undocumented immigrants to become residents to plans to seal off the borders altogether. Among them:
Legislation by Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., dubbed the "enforcement first" proposal, which would impose stiffer sanctions on companies that employ undocumented immigrants.
Under his bill, companies could face up to five years in jail and fines of up to $50,000 for each undocumented worker. His legislation also would end the practice of granting citizenship to any child born in the United States, unless at least one parent is in the country legally.
A proposal being drafted by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., who heads the powerful House Judiciary Committee. His legislation also is expected to focus heavily on enforcement.
-------------------------------------------------------
Bullsh*t! But I have to admit, exceptional propaganda! The rich are getting richer (you?) the poor are getting poorer. We're not taking that bull anymore but hey, you gave it a real good shot. I'm impressed.
Thanks for the comments in your post #71. I have no problem at all with legal immigration. But we of course can't let in every foreigner who wants to come to the United States because we would within a very short period of time be overwhelmed with immigrants, perhaps hundreds of millions of them. As long as we let in a reasonable maximum number of legal immigrants per year, it shouldn't put too much of a strain on our schools, hospitals, social services, and infrastructure. On the other hand, unlimited immigration would be a disaster for our country.
ping
Probably, my view of the union: Used to be essential to stop rich a$$holes from abusing people. Their time was in the 30's and 40's, a needed organization. Then they got POWER (think power as in like the government) and used their increasing power to abuse the companies who could no longer make money and use union dues to maim working individuals (they were taking money from both sides). They then outlived their usefulness, they got TOO powerful and outlandish. And you know why? It's all the fault of men, there should be the union side to help workers and the company side to make sure they are able to stay in business. Sorry to all men, but you all like power too much and have no capacity for comprimise.
Do you mean they are not going to reward CRIMINAL INVADERS?
I'd also be in favor of letting guest workers who desired it earn citizenship by showing a demonstrated desire to assimilate by learning English, respecting our culture and raising children who did likewise. Such a demonstration should include staying off the government dole, paying taxes and all things that past immigrants were required to do to earn citizenship.
I'd even let those here illegally have a chance at it if they were willing to come forward, pay a fine and apply legally under the same provisions of the law.
Applicants would get points based upon their demonstrated ability and willingness to become good citizens, not on the basis of their ethnic group.
The governments Constitutional duty is to protect and defend the borders.
Seesh.
...legislation to crack down on undocumented immigrants and companies that employ them.
**
Thank goodness!
BTW, since about a year ago, every time I receive a donation request letter from the Republican Party, I answer with a note telling them that I will send no more money until the borders are secure and until the Congressional Republicans stand up to the Rats. Then I mail my note to them in their pre-paid envelope.
Love it! That's so much more clever than my strategy.
Write on the donation slip...
^^^
Look at #3. You'll love it!
Mr President, maybe just maybe if entitlements specifically welfare was eliminated or reduced to the bare minimum Americans would fill those jobs.
I like. You should print those out, cut them up into dollar sized notes to send in.
There have been many here and I hope elsewhere who will not send funds until we see some change. We are the taxpayers and voters, we WILL make a change.
LOVE those pesos!
I'm printing a few to SEND to RNC and NCGOP.
It's "undocumented currency", don't you know.
Maybe he could trade a firmer border enforcement position for a Miers acceptance?
....perfect for my next mailing!
The guest worker program was slavery lite. Awful. I'm proud conservative Republicans are going to crack down on illegal aliens and the companies that hire them. It's about time.
ozarkgirl said:
"The rich are getting richer (you?) the poor are getting poorer."
eh? Maybe John Edwards was right then huh? Maybe we should steal from the rich to give to the poor... /s
judgeandjury said:
"As long as we let in a reasonable maximum number of legal immigrants per year, it shouldn't put too much of a strain on our schools, hospitals, social services, and infrastructure."
This is a problem of socialism, not of immigration (see my tag line) :)
Balding_Eagle said:
"The governments Constitutional duty is to protect and defend the borders."
We are not being invaded. Foreign governments are not attacking us. No one's property is being stolen or destoryed. To the contrary, employers here are trying to engage in voluntary contractual agreements whereby they bring employees into this country to work on their private farms/factories and, in some cases, house them on their private farms/factories. Government is invading the people when it uses force to enforce these laws.
As always, when government has the power to do something it corrupts and twists that power for political gain and the immigration laws and standards are being constantly revised and changed by politicians of all stripes in response to donations/favors by various domestic and foreign interests and according to whatever popular whim happens to be fashionable among the people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.