Senators near compromise on immigration reform (HERE IT COMES)

REUTERS ^ | 16 March 2006 | Donna Smith

[Iscool]

When WAS the last time you trusted Republicans? Ever?

Sure...When they were conservatives...You may have heard that term...And if you don't know what it means, you can look it up in a Funk and Wagonall...

[OKIEDOC]

I don't believe my two senators will vote for this sell out.

What are your two senators going to do?

[Peach]

So who as conservative enough for you? Reagan? The man who himself had an amnesty program.

[Richard Axtell]

"Kennedy told the committee the proposal was not an amnesty. People seeking legal status would have to pay a $2,000 fine, apply for a six-year temporary status, have a job, pay taxes, learn English and show an understanding of U.S. government.

They would not get permanent status faster than the three million foreigners awaiting legal entry, he said.

"There is no moving to the front of the line, there is no free ticket," Kennedy said. "This is not amnesty."

This is not going to work, either. 12 million illegals are going to voluntarily do all this? Sure, sure. And why should they? Without complete control of the borders, and a credible threat to deport all of them, what stops them from doing just what they are doing and have always done, ignore the current law, much less this unworkable nonsense? Silly, to even discuss it.

[onyx]

It'll take a terrorist attack traceable to the porous border. President Bush missed the golden opportunity to seal the borderS on 9/12/01. Nobody, save for the ACLU, would have dared to complain.

[pollyannaish]

Is this not LEGAL IMMIGRATION?

[bill1952]

All the people talking about "viable" 3rd parties - as if there is such a thing - had best remember just how we got snookered into 8 years of having to say "President Clinton."

How would you like to say it for another 8 years?

[Reagan Man]

STOP painting with such a broad brush.

This is all about America's future, its not about Bush`s future. Bush will be gone in less then three years. We can't afford to have the Feds make the same mistakes with illegal immigration that have been made over the last 20 years. Now, if you want to talk about how conservative Bush has governed, all you need to do is look at the trillion dollar prescription drug program for seniors. Nothing conservative about the federal government subsidizing drugs for old folks.

[Peach]

Agreed.

[Peach]

Huh. You'll have to point out my post where I said this was about Bush's future.

[GarySpFc]

Compromise reached on guest-worker plan

WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee today reached agreement on proposals for a new guest-worker program and a plan to allow the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States to become permanent residents. Less than 24 hours after most experts and Capitol Hill watchers believed the committee would be unable to get a bill to the Senate floor by Majority Leader Bill Frist's March 27 deadline, committee Chairman Arlen Specter had brokered deals between some key senators on the complex issue. No formal votes were taken and committee staffs were preparing to spend the next 10 days drafting language that would put in place the compromises reached. It appeared that at least a dozen of the 18 members on the panel would be prepared to back this deal. The committee plans to meet first thing in the morning on March 27. It is not yet known whether Frist will allow the panel to finish and send its bill to the Senate floor or if he still plans to bring up a more limited, possibly enforcement-only measure. But even if nothing scuttles the compromise between now and when lawmakers get back from recess, and if the Senate passes a bill with these elements, there would remain a steep battle to get agreement from the House.

[itsahoot]

Kennedy told the committee the proposal was not an amnesty

We heard this loud and clear the last time, when Reagan signed the immigration reform you dreamed up last time. (Barf)

[JoeGar]

Any Kennedy-McCain plan, by definition, cannot be any good. I'm very, very skeptical.

[Dane]

I am standing where I have always been standing and the Republican Party hasn't been seen around these parts since Ronald Reagan left office.

Uh Ronald Reagan signed real amnesty back in 86.

You guys are so funny when you post to try to divide conservatives.

[pollyannaish]

We would certainly be in a better political position to do so than we are right now.

[Iscool]

So who as conservative enough for you? Reagan? The man who himself had an amnesty program.

That argument has been covered thousands of times here...The issue is not Reagan, or Clinton, or Kennedy...The issue is our National Sovereignty, NOW...And the people we put into office that control the direction of that sovereignty...NOW...

I don't care who's president...When he goes against the American people and America, I'm against him...

[X-FID]

If we make them Americans, will they still do the jobs Americans can't or won't do?

[Wasanother]

They'll probably vote for it but whatever they do I'll have to look at the other option on voting (which I always do) but will probably have to choose the lesser of two evils but I'll vote.

[savedbygrace]

That argument carries no weight with me. I've concluded that both parties are going to destroy this nation. The Dims might do it faster and by different means, but the destination is the same.

I, and those who have taken the same stand I have taken, are not the ones who will be bringing the Dims into the majority; it's the Republicans who are intent on voting wrong WRT key issues, like immigration, who are sealing their own fate.