Baghdad Bob: You want fries with that?
Posted on 03/16/2006 1:51:16 PM PST by VU4G10
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Under pressure to produce broad immigration reform legislation by the end of the month, a U.S. Senate panel on Thursday neared agreement on a proposal that would give some of the 12 million illegal aliens living in the country an opportunity to earn citizenship.
Although no vote will be held until after a weeklong congressional recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday appeared ready to back a proposal by panel member Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, who has worked on the issue with his Republican colleague John McCain of Arizona.
The panel, which is working on comprehensive immigration and border security legislation, will also consider a related proposal that would allow foreigners to enter the United States as legal guest workers and then have a chance to earn permanent status.
Republicans are divided over immigration policy, and the Judiciary Committee plan is likely to spark a firestorm from conservatives who oppose regularizing the status of illegal immigrants, saying they would be rewarded after breaking U.S. immigration law.
But backers cite both economic and security reasons. They say that providing a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship will avoid creating a permanent underclass of workers and help bring illegals aliens out of the shadows.
Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican who opposes giving permanent status to illegals, said after the meeting that the panel would probably vote for the Kennedy plan.
"The votes are there," Grassley said.
NO AMNESTY
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."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, quipped that the requirements "probably exclude half of my family."
The panel also reached tentative agreement on a guest worker program sought by President George W. Bush has said he wants. A compromise struck between Kennedy and Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, would give future temporary workers an opportunity to seek permanent status after four years.
U.S. business groups favor creating a temporary worker program to help fill jobs that Americans either cannot or will not do. Both business and labor groups also favor giving current undocumented workers a way to legalize their status.
Committee members said details would be worked out during the recess.
The panel is working against a deadline set by Majority Leader Bill Frist. The Tennessee Republican, and possible contender in the 2008 presidential race, wants the Senate to take up a bill addressing only enforcement and border security. He threatened to do that on March 27 if the Judiciary Committee failed to reach agreement on comprehensive legislation.
Whether Congress will finalize immigration legislation before the November congressional elections is unclear. Both Democrats and Republicans are likely to use the issue to gain advantage.
The House of Representatives has voted for tough border security and enforcement legislation with no guest worker program. The two sides would have to work out their differences before a bill could be sent to Bush for his signature.
You think the Globalists, Socialists, Illegals, and Progressivists would be willing to support we poor oppressed American citizens in our fight for freedom and democracy?
Kennedy and McCain? I don't have to read any more--I'm against it.
Reminded me of a favorite tune............... :O)
By Harry Ruby (music) and Bert Kalmar (lyrics)
Performed by Groucho Marx in "Horse Feathers" (1932)
I don't know what they have to say,
It makes no difference anyway --
Whatever it is, I'm against it!
No matter what it is or who commenced it,
I'm against it.
Your proposition may be good
But let's have one thing understood --
Whatever it is, I'm against it!
And even when you've changed it or condensed it,
I'm against it.
I'm opposed to it --
On general principles I'm opposed to it!
Chorus: He's opposed to it!
In fact, in word, in deed,
He's opposed to it!
For months before my son was born,
I used to yell from night till morn,
Whatever it is, I'm against it!
And I've kept yelling since I commenced it,
I'm against it!
Lesser of two evils. dont'cha know.
Reagan was far from an ideal Conservative, but he was handicapped by a Democratic legislature.
He failed to kill the Department of Education, he did manage to raise the speed limit from the asinine 55mph implemented by the peanut.
He originally fought the Kemp/Roth tax cut as too high(Most here don't remember that) but finally succumbed to a so called 30% tax cut which was really a 10/10/10 over three years, not nearly the same as a straight 30%.
LOL. Sounds like a good arrangement. We used to have the most wonderful Americans (of Japanese heritage) as professional gardeners in southern California. They got undercut and knocked out by the cheap labor from Mexico, who for the most part don't do any "real" gardening anyway.
Some people, for whatever reason, refuse to admit that people are fed up with illegal immigration.
I'd forgotten about the Japanese gardeners of my youth. Most gardeners were Asian back then. And did an outstanding job, as well.
All the time. When the subject of a military draft comes up in class, these same folks are always crowing about how they'll run back to Haiti....and I always tell them not to let the door hit 'em in the butt on the way out...and why wait? Go now!
They always give me this shocked look like that's not the way a TEACHER is supposed to talk! Tough. I'm an American patriot trying to right the wrongs in a very screwed up system...thanks to the liberal infestation. What kids don't understand is that there are two types of teachers in the system. B$ Liberal Touchy Feely Globalists which happen to comprise about 80% of the teachers in the nation. The rest are like me: Which means read my about page 'cause I don't want to waste the space here. Suffice it to say I'm a sheepdog in the midst of the flock. The wolves continue to circle.
These are not the people we want for citizens. In fact, many people I know not only are buetral about this country, but hate it and are only here to make a buck and send the cash home.
Baghdad Bob: You want fries with that?
I know what it's like to live "in the belly of the best." Thank you for fighting on.
Just to clarify, the cloture motion and cloture vote is NOT on the bill itself, but rather is on a motion to pick up the bill for consideration.
Invoking cloture on a motion to proceed to consideration is not common, but is not unusual. See the February 2006 Senate Thread for a short list of examples.
A motion was entered to close further debate on the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 2454 and, in accordance with the provisions of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, a vote on cloture will occur on Tuesday, March 28, 2006.
we need to ring these idiots phone off the desk's.....it works for the DUmmies every time
Some of them may not even want citizenship in the first place.
If this goes through a Republican controlled House and Senate and is signed by the President, I will never vote for a Republican again.
You mean you don't count mowing and then blowing all of the cut grass and leaves onto someone else's property as real gardening? I'm shocked!!
Valid points especially the military but I might add a few more.
1) Tunnel a 30ft concrete moat from coast to coast, fill it with water to eliminate underground tunnels that lead to hidden small businesses and homes. The moat should have at least a 6ft height over the water on our end.
2) Back that moat up with military barricades wrapped with barbed wire on the moat's edge, then have a 30 foot wall with sensors.
3) Use the military to scan for underground tunnels in our side of the border as well as the entry points on theirs.
4) Use more military drones to track foot activity for apprehension.
5) Dogs Dogs and more Dogs.
Preee-cisely!
Same prediction different deadline.
It didn't happen in 04.
It didn't happen in 02.
New political parties come and go. The constipation Party is very young. TheAmerican Patriot Party was formed in 2003. The US Marijuana Party was formed in 2002. Yeah, some new parties will be formed. The question is will anybody care?
In 1992 Ross Perot spearheaded a anti-immigrant, protectionist Reform Party. It was successful in electing a rat President. I don't think many conservatives have forgotten that.
And if they don't, we deport them? What difference is this going to make? Why would illegals go to the trouble, when all they have to do is what they're doing now?
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