GOP (Leadership) forms strategy to OK guest workers (Sneak In Amnesty???)

Denver Post ^ | 12/06/2005 | Anne C. Mulkern

[GOPGuide]

In a bid to bypass critics, the Senate will pass the plan and then merge it with a House bill, observers say.

Washington - Republican leaders will try to pass President Bush's controversial guest-worker proposal without putting it to a direct vote in the House.

Observers say the new GOP strategy that begins today is for the House to deal only with the more politically palatable issue of increasing border security and clamping down on employers. Republican leaders then will let the Senate pass some form of a guest-worker plan.

After that vote, senators and House members will merge the House's border security bill with the Senate's legislation in closed-door meetings.

The House will then vote on the final package, which will include some guest-worker provision, according to a GOP aide familiar with the plan, a Colorado lawmaker and other observers.

The strategy is designed to avoid a divisive debate and contentious vote in the House.

"There is a widespread expectation that that is how it's going to play out," said Tamar Jacoby, immigration expert with The Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank. "I think it would be hard to pass in the House without the Senate going first."

The legislation that is likely to be the core of the House's immigration bill is expected to be introduced today. Sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., it tightens border security and forces employers to verify workers' citizenship. It does not address guest-worker issues.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., the biggest opponent of the president's guest-worker

proposal, said the strategy limits his ability to challenge the measure. "They're doing it this way because they know in the House they'll run into a buzz saw and maybe my name's on it," said Tancredo, who heads the 92-member Immigration Reform Caucus in the House.

Sensenbrenner's bill is expected to be voted on within the next two weeks. That allows House members to visit their districts for the Christmas break and say that they passed immigration reform, Tancredo and Jacoby said.

But the House members will be aware of the plan to build in a guest-worker program through the conference committee, said Grover Norquist, a Republican strategist who often serves as an informal liaison between Congress and the White House.

"The president's made it clear he wants both (border security and a guest-worker program)," Norquist said.

[Uncle Vlad]

I hope the Republicans enjoy their minority status in 2007.

[Ace Backwords]

My apologies to WatchingInAmazement. I had him confused with somebody else in my previous post.

[Ace Backwords]

My apologies to WatchingInAmazement. I had him confused with somebody else. I mistook the italics quotes in his post for his own sentiments. My bad. Deport me now.

[planekT]

hahaha

BTTT ;-)

[Baraonda]

"If they try this, I hope every last one of them get voted out of the offices they currently abuse."

Only to be replaced by the more of two evils? Won't work.

What may work is if people followed my tag line and take effective action.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Thank you...people do get too worked up here and I strive for balance. Here's inappropriate wisdom from my Jedi Master:

"Q: What do you get when you cross an insomniac, an agnostic, and a dyslexic? A: Someone who stays up all night wondering if there is a Dog."

"If women dressed for men, the stores wouldn't sell much -- just an occasional sun visor."

"My mother treated us all equally ... with contempt."

"The only game I like to play is Old Maid - provided she's not too old."

"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others."

"Send two dozen roses to Room 424 and put 'Emily, I love you' on the back of the bill."

"We took pictures of the native girls, but they weren't developed. . . But we're going back next week."

Check out the picture...that actress had it "going on".

[WatchingInAmazement]

Deport you? No way. You are a gentleman and a scholar! Thanks.

[Stellar Dendrite]

"Stop spamming threads with pictures of your dreamgirl. "

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!

[Stellar Dendrite]

remember after thanksgiving when bush came out on the "offensive" regarding the border? a lot of the talk radio hosts were like "GOLLY GEE HUH HUH HES REALLY GONNA CHANGE THINGS, HE GETS IT NOW, HE CARES ABOUT THE BORDER!!"

what a joke.

bohica

[Stellar Dendrite]

LOL!!!!

[surely_you_jest]

After 9/11 GWB and our misleaders have no excuse for not throwing out these illegals.

Well, I'll say this much for them. When they're bought, they stay bought. /sarcasm

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

He knows I am but what is he?

[chris1]

All I can say is that you are either an illegal yourself, harbor one, employ one, benefit from one, or maybe hope to be one.

There is now way one such as yourself could make such silly arguments. They take out far more than they put in. They are a drain as it is, let alone if they were able to fully welfarize themselves.

[Ace Backwords]

The Minutemen poll will be running for two more days. Go to "News and Features" on the left side of the screen, and you'll see "Polls." http://www.sfgate.com