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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On the Net:
U.S. Trade Representative: http://www.ustr.gov
White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov
Dang me. You oughtta take a rope and hang me.
I sure don;t want to piss on their parade.
You missed your calling.
No, you third party types do that to yourselves by joining third parties.
Which third party did you join? The one with the unemployed computer programmer who lives with his mother as the standard-bearer, or the Constimatooshinalists, whose 2004 nominee turned in his own two year old kid to foster care.
Of course, but not a spit shine. I don;t trust your aim.
I was seriously, seriously in shock!! She kept repeating it, about our "moral obligation" and "moral responsibility."
She chided me for having missed McCain on C-SPAN because she thought he would have persuaded me to agree with him. I asked her how we are supposed to support everyone when we can't even support our Arizona hospitals and people have to wait four hours behind illegal aliens not paying their bills.
She told me that is a hospital management issue and that she doubts "anyone having a heart attack" would really have to wait. [Wrong! My husband was having chest pains and had to wait four hours anyway behind a bunch of people sniffling, etc.] She might be right about the mgmt part but that doesn't mean we haven't lost all but one trauma center in Southern Arizona - and those losses were attributed to illegal aliens.
Senator Kyl's office was much nicer :)
Better not let the owner of this web site hear you say that!
I agree with your pointing out of the nonsense of just voting for party over ideology but Senators like Snowe aren't the problem.
Snowe and others in very blue states are the most conservative we can hope in such liberal areas. If we ran a true hardcore conservative, they would get destroyed by a full blown communist in the general election.
The problem is that we continue to elect big government, democrat-lite republicans from very red states.
LOL.............. he has some fascinating things about giants who supposedly lived long ago.
Go get em! I'm tired.
Got a link for that
No, no es Los Estado Unidos, es La Gentes Republica de Norte Americano
Oh, look who's baaaaaaaaaack. I thought EV departed when you reminded him of that bogus photo he posted yesterday.
Bush, we have a Fox in the Henhouse. Get the hounds. Now.
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