Posted on 03/30/2006 6:00:20 PM PST by NormsRevenge
CANCUN, Mexico - With Mexican President Vicente Fox at his side, President Bush gave Congress a long-distance push Thursday to open the United States to immigrant workers who have been sneaking across the borders to fill low-paying jobs.
"We don't want people sneaking into our country that are going to do jobs that Americans won't do," Bush said at the end of a private meeting with Fox, where the issue was on top of the agenda. "We want them coming in in an orderly way, which will take pressure off both our borders."
The meeting between the Mexican and U.S. leaders came on the first day of a two-day North American summit that also includes Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Harper, meeting with Bush for the first time since taking office two months ago with the promise of building stronger ties with Washington, said the two countries are moving past their "tension" over Iraq.
Still, he took a combative stance on their long-standing dispute over U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber, saying Canada would "pursue all its legal options" if he and Bush can't work out an agreement.
But it was the immigration debate, which has dominated the U.S. Senate this week, that took center stage in talks conducted in a beachfront resort surrounded by bikini-clad spring breakers. A new immigration law could affect as many as 6 million Mexicans living illegally in the United States — about half of all those who are estimated to have sneaked in from other countries seeking new opportunities they can't find at home.
Bush is pushing for a guest worker program that would let foreigners in low-paying jobs stay temporarily, which Fox says is a good first step toward some form of legal status for all Mexican illegal immigrants.
The issue has united the two leaders, whose friendship dates back to Bush's time as Texas governor but was strained over Fox's objections to the war in Iraq. But immigration has divided Bush's Republican party, with business interests who want cheap labor battling conservatives who want a get-tough policy against illegal immigrants.
Fox suggested the issue is largely out of their hands now.
"The matter is in the Congress of the United States and that is where the decision will be made," Fox said. "It is no longer between President Bush and President Fox."
But both leaders were clearly trying to sway the debate.
"I told the president there is a legislative process that's going forward," Bush said. "And that it may look cumbersome to some, but that's how our democracy works."
Bush added, "I'm optimistic that we can get a bill done."
The summit included plenty of time to be neighborly. The three leaders dressed casually in open-collared shirts and strolled together among the ancient Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza before sitting down for more intense one-on-one meetings. Fox planned a lavish dinner for his guests.
After spending the morning sightseeing, Bush had a few hours off before the formal meetings began. He used part of the time to work up a sweat in his hotel's gym.
There was tight security despite the fun-loving atmosphere generated by college students who have flocked to Cancun for spring break. Gunboats patrolled the turquoise waters off Bush's spa resort, and fencing kept out all but hotel guests. "I'd like to make sure you work more than you play," Bush joked to reporters.
The trilateral meeting was expected to be Fox's last, since he is set to leave office this year because of term limits. Bush lauded Fox for stabilizing the Mexican economy and improving the net worth of his people.
"That's important for the American economy as well," Bush said. "The more net worth there is in Mexico, the more likely it is the Mexican may be wanting to buy a U.S. product. And vice versa, by the way."
In his meeting with Harper, Bush sought to make the newly elected leader look good at home, making it a point to stress how hard the Canadian leader had pressed him on the softwood lumber issue. Harper "made an emphatic case," Bush said.
"I appreciate his steely resolve to get something done," the president said. "I appreciate your pushing."
But Bush didn't give Harper much of substance, saying only that "my intent is to negotiate in good faith and a timely fashion to resolve this issue."
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I will go on record here...I tend to stay out of most of these fights but every once in a while I know more than others
Im a white guy in New Mexico...Unlike some of you I have seen the border. I have hired illegal aliens (a handfull) for day labor, (here it is dont ask dont tell). I have lived here for 35 years...and dont speak Spanish.
What gets me is most of this heated argument is wasted energy and people are arguing about abstractions that avoids reality. This has been going on a long long time and it will not change anytime soon Come look at the border.I dont care what you do you there is no easy fix.
Reality Check
The wall wont work period
More Border Patrol will help but not enough.
You cannot have enough people on the border to stop illegals from coming across. This is a bigger problem than can be solved by this President,this Congress or any President or Congress so you might as well calm down.
More later if anyone gives a dam
Right. It's not on some website other than FR.
Obviously you can't back up your insinuations. Just making sure. Carry on.
Other way around actually.
'08 Bumper Sticker
"ANYBODY except a RINO or hitlery!"
I'm telling you, it's a hoax.
Go listen to the 911 call on the N&O. The one where the first callers says they were called racial slurs.
http://www.newsobserver.com/1185/story/423471.html
It's the SECOND clip.
My take is that the President mistook the question, and the MSM spun the answer. If he were directly asked specifically about the Minutemen now I'd bet his answer would be different.
It's just an attempt to take the thread off on some wild tangent and make it deteriorate into a food fight.
No logical person really believes that Bush favors the House bill over the one in the Senate.
Tell ya what .. I'll send him and email and ask him to sign up as a freeper to clear this all up
Is that better?
Yes, but quite often Americans have to pay taxes on that wage.
Ding, ding, ding. The press TRIED to trap him.
Misunderestimated again.
lol.. I try and not bring some of that stuff on FR, we already have enough controversies. We sailed thru the canal some years back and didn't see one chinese restaurant anywhere.
altho I will gladly spit on the Peanut President's grave for signing away the canal.
You mean live Open Border Lovers?
Face it, it goes both ways.
Sure I can, but you're too lazy to use a search engine.
Are they still on this? Is this some weird form of obcessive-compulsive disorder?
How about an analogy: If someone asked me what I thought of Howlin and BigSkyFreeper, and I said I thought people without logical thought processes shouldn't post....the question and my answer would be assumed to be unrelated?
Don't give an inch or a goggle.
I'll meet you in Little Rock and we can do a "two-fer."
It's not the MSM that are spinning it - conservative websites picked up on it too.
If Bush mistook the question then why hasn't he set the record straight? Why did he use the exact word that President Fox had been using for weeks to describe the Minutemen? Why did Condeleza Rice use almost the exact same words a few days before when asked specifically about the Minutemen?
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