Posted on 11/27/2005 6:17:30 AM PST by Borax Queen
Guest-worker plan to top Monday agenda
Hoping to straddle a fracture in the Republican Party, President Bush is due in Tucson on Monday to promote his border and immigration policies.
The 2:40 p.m. speech at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is the president's only scheduled stop here.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff are expected to appear with the president at D-M.
With the backing of businesses who need foreign employees, Bush is pushing a guest-worker program that would let undocumented workers obtain three-year work visas. Workers could extend that for another three years, but would then have to return to their home countries for a year to apply for a new work permit.
"Our Border Patrol and immigration agents are doing a fine job, but we still have a problem," Bush said in his Oct. 22 radio address.
"If an employer has a job that no American is willing to take, we need to find a way to fill that demand by matching willing employers with willing workers from foreign countries on a temporary and legal basis."
The proposal has alienated many conservative Republicans who feel it gives amnesty to people who have entered the country illegally.
There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.
Competing guest-worker proposals have been introduced in Congress, which is expected to take up the contentious issue early next year:
- Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., support legislation that would allow illegal border crossers to work in the United States for up to six years.
- Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, are backing a plan that would force undocumented workers to first return to their home country to apply for a guest worker permit.
- Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., wants to grant legal status to undocumented workers who have paid taxes and lived in the United States for five years if they pass security checks, pay a $2,000 fine and demonstrate English proficiency.
Rank-and-file Republicans may be less divided on the immigration issue than GOP politicians in Washington, D.C.
An October poll of 807 likely Republican voters found 72 percent supported a plan with increased border security, tougher penalties on employers who hire illegal workers and a temporary worker program in which applicants could gain citizenship if they live crime-free, learn English and pay taxes. GOP pollster Ed Goeas conducted the national survey.
Bush signed a spending bill for Homeland Security last month that includes funding for 1,000 new Border Patrol agents and a 10 percent increase in the holding capacity of detention facilities for border crossers.
Earlier this month, Chertoff unveiled Homeland Security's Secure Border Initiative, which will add 100 deportation officers, 250 criminal investigators and 400 immigration enforcement agents to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The initiative also seeks to eliminate the department's policy of releasing border crossers with a promise to appear in court. Most of these entrants never show up for hearings under the so-called "catch and release" policy.
Tune in to see Bush on TV
-Tucsonans who want to see President Bush during his visit to town Monday will have to turn on their televisions.
Bush's speech at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base will not be open to the public.
"He's not leaving the base, so nothing will be affected as far as road closures," said Officer Lisa Peasley, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.
KVOA-TV Channel 4 and KGUN-TV Channel 9 plan to carry Bush's 2:40 p.m. speech live.
Go Bears. 13-10
Most people think prop 209 (which I thought was a good idea), flipped CA from red to blue.
They built a gymnasium. The engineering for a gymnasium is simple enough that I doubt the problem is there. Further, new equipment should not be failing in the first 2 months. I think workmanship is the problem here.
I know you want to blame the illegals for this, but the gym is about 400 yards from the main library, about 100 yards from the south end of Ohio Stadium, about 200 yards from Lincoln Tower. It is a high profile project in the middle of public employee union heaven. There is no way illegals could work there without a stink being raised.
Tucker Carlson is the ideal card carrying member of the GOP.
That would be interesting, considering that Prop 209 was a ban on racial preferences and didn't concern itself with illegal immigration. Which must mean you are yet one more "expert" on California politics who lives outside of the State.
What a strange way for them to put this.
Why not just say, "With the backing of businesses who desire dirt cheap labor".....
Wow instead of hating business so much, why don't you put your animus at the true culprit, govt. which puts roadblocks in front of people and getting rid of the costly social programs, that actually raise the prices for all, but no you constantly demonize business, and not one word of reforming regulations, cutting taxes, reforming social security, corrupt labor unions, etc.etc.
You like to dress up criminal behavior by whining about "regulations" and whatnot.
Huh I guess to you, people who grow food or build buildings, are displaying criminal behavior.(rolling eyes)
Sovereign nations control their borders and enforce their laws. There is nothing "artificial" about that. I see you are one of those "we are a market, not a nation" open borders WSJ types.
My point is..its as much our fault as it is anyones fault.
We all want cheaper stuff..so we buy cheaper stuff. I.E. Wal Mart. Same goes here. They hire illegals to undercut the price of construction. The people go "OH GOODY GOODY! WE CAN GET OUR DREAM HOUSE BUILT FOR 50 GRAND LESS!"
Think it doesnt happen? Go to KC, and places like that, and take a look at all the new home construction crews. And dont think the contractors hire them directly..they dont. They hire them as sub contractors.
Yet guess who buys those homes? Now tell me who's at fault? Huh?
No I will build my own house. Thank you. That is if I figure out who hands I grease to get the permits. Seems as if that goes on these days since the contractors have to have these places inspected for code and the inspectors actuallt talk and see these illegals working on the site.
Don't lie (but then again, criminals are liars. Criminals are full of excuses to rationalize and defend their conduct. Criminals love to blame others. Criminals love to see themselves as Robin Hoods defying the system. You are no different from any "My father abused me...my mommy never loved me...I never had a chance" whiner career criminal.).
You are delusional, but it ain't against the law to think that people who build buildings and grow food are "criminal".
You know perfectly well that businesses who routinely use illegals are, in effect, criminal exercises. So stop lying like a career criminal.
Precisely.
A president who can't show his face in public is like LBJ in 1967.
And this isn't New York or California. This is Arizona.
No what I say there is when you come to my area you act respectful-hasnt got one GD thing to do with the issue here. So whats your problem? Got a problem with my post so lets go attack the messenger. Typical for a liberal.
Seems as if you are like one of those union boys who come up here and do exactly like I stated in my profile, are you?
And I do have a problem with illegals. But also think anyone should be able to come here LEGALLY to work in this country. Why? Because it is obvious that some Americans wont stoop so low to do some jobs..."sarc"
But it is a felony to knowingly employ an illegal.
I wonder how many of these geeks on here have actually had to have made out a payroll, pay the workmens comp insurance, pay General contractor liability insurance, fill out and deposit the fica's, fed tax, futa tax, state and local tax. UC insurance.
My WC insurance is at 54.70 per hundred. I wonder how many of these assholes got enough brains to figure out what that relates to when you add in the 7 for Social Security, the 10 for UC insurance...lets see..thats over 71 bucks for evvery one hundred bucks in payroll! So I hire sub contractors...dont have to put up with all that shit with them!
Not one of them has a clue..
Exactly, amazing the ignorance shown by some on this thread of the excessive regulation and taxation on business.
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