Senators near compromise on immigration reform (HERE IT COMES)

REUTERS ^ | 16 March 2006 | Donna Smith

[AmeriBrit]

"Kennedy told the committee the proposal was not an amnesty"

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Kennedy's brain is so pickled he doesn't know what he's saying. I doubt he even recognizes his own name anymore without a prompt from someone when he's addressed.

If what he proposes isn't amnesty.....would someone clue me in what is.

Kennedy needs to be given a sobriety test before he's ever allowed to open his mouth.

[yellowdoghunter]

Don't you know that Reagan and Bush are perfect??? Never criticize anything they ever did in their 8 years in office. They both made and are making excellent decisions, as you see, they are more than human and never make a mistake..../sarcasm off/...:)

[RadioCirca1970]

The only way to stop this is to engage in massive pushback, I am talking about worse than the ports, I am talking Euro Cartoon Riot Freak Out type marches!

[chris1]

That's the point right?

This plan does not do anything to stop the flood of illegals.

[freedumb2003]

Any guest worker program that doesn't require applicants to return to their country of origin to apply is AN AMNESTY.

These politicos KNOW that. They are being obtuse on purpose.

[AmeriBrit]

"Gee, didn't President Reagan grant amnesty to illegals? Why, yes. Yes he did."

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And it was supposed to be the last one. President Reagan made that very clear when he sign it.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

We fought a revolutionary war for less than this.

We don't need a 3rd party, we need to start over.

BigMack

[Junior_G]

...even the "perfect" conservative according to some freepers didn't do such a hot job on this matter.

I'm not all that familiar with the details of the Reagan amnesty; but it's just another reminder that even our favorite presidents were not infallible. Damn that amnesty!

[sheana]

Well I can't see much of a difference between the 2 parties anymore. I am with you, a pox on both their houses. I will not vote for anyone again that just changes the laws to suit them instead of enforce them when it comes to illegals.
Illegals effect my entire life anymore. They have taken over the small city I live in. You can't get near a hospital here, schools are overcrowded. Crime has gone up, their little gang banger kids are everywhere! It even affects where I shop, there are parts of town you cannot even go to anymore.
And these idiots say it's okay, hunky dory! Yeah for them, they live behind gates or in neighborhoods not accessible to these people. I will not say they have no clue, I will say they just don't give a dam about the American people. Well guess what, unless they fight this fight instead of surrender, I no longer care about them. I hope anyone that votes for this AMNESTY rots in hades.

RANT OFF! ;)

[vrwc0915]

The North American continent is being transformed from three sovereign nations (Canada, USA, Mexico) into one regional corporate power base, the North American Union.

Unlike the creation of the European Union, there is no public political/ academic discourse on the merits, or pros and cons of a North American Union building up to a vote within each nation as to the wish of the people to join such a union. Instead the union is being created by stealth, is already well on its way to fruition, and is being imposed on us by our own "elected" representatives and government with no opposition.

The ultimate enforcement mechanism for the North American Union is a police state. The tools for the police state are "anti-terrorist" laws. Anti Terrorist laws are a ruse to strip the people of their liberties in order to prevent dissent. The Orwellian justification is "security", "safety".

The plan of this Canada-U.S.-Mexico task force is to establish a continent-wide customs union with a common approach to trade, energy, immigration, law enforcement and security that would virtually eliminate existing national borders. The task force released its recommendations for a common North American in May 17/18, 2005.There was minor reference to it in mainstream media - no headline presentation.

The recommendations include:

• a common security perimeter by 2010
• a North American Border Pass with biometric identifiers.
• a unified border and expanded customs facilities
• a single economic space
• a common external tariff.
• seamless movement of goods within North America.
• A North American energy strategy -as a regional alternative to Kyoto.
• Review those sectors of NAFTA that were excluded.
• A North American regulatory plan that would include "open skies and open roads" and a unified approach on food, health, and the environment.
• Expand temporary worker programs and create a "North American preference" for immigration for citizens of North America.
• A North American Investment Fund to build infrastructure to connect Mexico's poorer regions in the south to the market to the north.
• Restructure and reform Mexico's public finances.
• Fully develop Mexican energy resources (Mexico wisely kept their energy out of NAFTA)
• A permanent tribunal for trade and investment disputes.( Here is where any vestige of democratic government disappears)
• An annual North American summit meeting.
• A Tri-national Competition Commission with a common approach to trade remedies.
• Scholarships for a network of Centers for North American Studies. (To serve the corporations)

[plain talk]

Well there are two separate but related problems - how do we keep them from getting in and what do we do about the ones that are already here?

My understanding is this deals with the latter and I think its a reasonable approach for dealing with it although one could quibble about details and the need to stiffen it up, etc. I think they need to deal with both issues. I also think the public is even more upset about how easily they are waltzing in. We need troops and a wall to address that one.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Cornyn/Kyl, as bad as it is, could probably barely squeeze through the house, but McCain-Kennedy has a zero percent chance of passing the house of representatives, period.

I pray you are right.

[yellowdoghunter]

I'm not all that familiar with the details of the Reagan amnesty...

Me neither, since I was about 10 when he was President. There is usually more to the story though.

[Peach]

but it's just another reminder that even our favorite presidents were not infallible.

Exactly.

[TomGuy]

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.

And at the end of six years, Senator? What then? Congress and the President won't get rid of the ones that are here illegally already. So, how do you propose to send them back in in six year?

Senator, we know they aren't going back in six years, so, yes, Senator, it IS amnesty. You are just not calling it amnesty.

[kitchen]

[Reagan Man]

Reagan didn't support open borders. Reagan said: "A nation without borders is not a nation." Reagan did sign into law the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. It effected 2.5 million illegal aliens. It specified prosecution and punishment for employers who violated the law by hiring illegals. If the provisions of that law were enforced, the IRCA of 1986 would have turned out to be what it was meant to be, a one time amnesty deal. Instead, the Feds lack of enforcement led to an ongoing series of liberal immigration policies under Bush41, Clinton and Bush43, that has led to the 10-15 million illegals we have living in the US today. 4-5 million of those illegals came here under Bush`s time in office. Lets not make the same mistake again.

[Serenissima Venezia]

You must live in my neighborhood! It is exactly the same. I carefully pick the time of day I can go shopping or where to go so I might be able to hear somebody speak English! And I've been in search of a legal gardener for 2 years now - and can't find one that can prove to me that they and their employees are legal. And God help us if we have to go to the emergency room! We'll actually have to pay our bill, after waiting for hours for the illegals to be treated for nothing.

This is just sickening.

[yellowdoghunter]

Thanks for the facts. Much appreciated.

[Peach]

Of the nearly 4 million illegal immigrants eligible to apply for legal residency under the 1986 law, 55 percent were from Mexico, according to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. The law gave immigrants who came to America before 1982 one year, between May 1987 and May 1988, to apply for temporary resident status and permits for employment.

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/07/16/bush.mexico/