Posted on 03/30/2006 8:05:12 PM PST by mdittmar
CANCUN, Mexico - Putting aside the strains in their dos amigos friendship, President Bush praised Mexican President Vicente Fox during a summit meeting Thursday in which the two are trying to rally support for immigration reforms in the United States.
At a time when questions are being asked about Mexico's commitment to securing the two nations' 2,000-mile border, Bush thanked Fox for his country's efforts on both its northern and southern borders and for keeping Mexico's economy stable during his more than five years in office.
During the first day of a two-day summit with Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the U.S. president's remarks portrayed Mexico as a trustworthy partner as the Senate debates various proposals to control illegal immigration and reinforce the border.
Bush, seated with Fox in a hotel ballroom after a private meeting, said he was optimistic that Congress would pass a temporary worker program that both men want. Yet he said he told Fox that it would not be easy for illegal immigrants to attain citizenship, something opponents of the idea have called an amnesty for lawbreakers.
"I think a program that will work is somebody working on a temporary basis with a tamper-proof ID card," Bush said. "And if they want to become a citizen, they can get in line, but not the head of the line.
"We don't want people sneaking into our country that are going to do jobs Americans won't do. We want them coming in in an orderly way - which will take pressure off of both our borders."
Fox responded that Mexico understood "very clearly" that it shares responsibility for protecting the border. He also said his country was taking seriously its obligation to generate jobs and opportunities to keep its people at home.
"The important thing is that Mexico accepts its responsibilities to keep working with diligence, with passion and with commitment to develop our economy, to develop opportunities for our people," Fox said. "We want a secure border . . . for the good of our citizens and also for our relationship with the U.S."
Fox said Mexico had stepped up its efforts to prevent border crime, such as arresting 120 illegal-immigrant traffickers and better patrolling its southern border with Guatemala.
There was scant mention of previous tensions over Mexico's opposition to the Iraq invasion and the U.S. death penalty. Bush and Fox appeared smiling and relaxed in their shirt sleeves, and Bush opened his remarks waxing nostalgic about his visit to Fox's "fantastic" ranch in 2000 and seeing Mexican navy sailors helping out in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
"It reflects the spirit of friendship that defines the relationship between our two countries and defines our personal relationship," Bush said. "I think it's important for the people of our countries to know that while we haven't agreed on every single issue, that nevertheless we work in the spirit of friendship and cooperation."
The summit began Thursday morning on an even more relaxed note, with a visit by the three leaders to the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, where they strolled on the lawns in the shadow of the 1,000-year-old Kukulcan pyramid.
Later, Bush also met privately with Harper. He said the United States and Canada were getting over the two countries' "tension" over the Iraq war, but they did not appear to have made progress in resolving Canada's objection to U.S. tariffs on softwood lumber exports.
Bush said Harper showed "steely resolve" and "made an emphatic case" against the tariffs, but the president offered only to "negotiate in good faith" on the issue. Harper responded that Canada would "pursue all its legal options" if the two leaders do not resolve it.
Vote to stop illegal immigration by turning on your car headlights all day on April 19th.
Crap. Too true. Wish it wasn't, but it is.
Where did you find that "History of America"? I've never heard that before, but I'm enjoying listening to it.
I agree.
"Bush thanked Fox for his country's efforts on both its northern and southern borders..."
Right...
If the government can ignore the law, so can we.
Next idiot OSHA bureaucrat I see on a job site is getting thrown off.
gag, hurl, barf alert
I'm sick of this stupid bull$hit phrase!
Americans will do any job that needs to be done!
We always have,we always will.
Bush: "We don't want people sneaking into our country that are going to do JOBS AMERICANS WON'T DO."
ARRRGGGGHHH! If I hear this crap again I'll explode! At the very best, this talking point is a half-truth. Perhaps there are indeed some jobs Americans won't take (don't ask me how the dear president knows this), but the issue isn't jobs--it's money. Most Americans probably wouldn't take less than minimum wage jobs, but I'd bet they'd consider many jobs if the wages weren't distorted by the supply of illegals.
mdittmar wrote: "I'm sick of this stupid bull$hit phrase!"
I'm so happy to find out "jobs Americans won't do" drives someone else up a wall as much as myself. Hmmm. As a Christian, you'd think President Bush would be a bit concerned by...
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).
This sentence doesn't even make any sense.
So what does he want? People sneaking into our country that are going to do JOBS AMERICANS WILL DO?
Do we have a policy change here?
Obviously that dam doesn't really exist. I think it was built on a Hollywood back lot, then spiffed up with special effects.
After being told on a daily basis for over five years the we Americans are worthless, lazy slugs, I'm surprised I have the energy to even finish typing this.
We have no less than minimum wage jobs,that's the law.
P.S. Where does all the money go that is being paid into Social Security by these fake SS numbers?
11 million illegal SS numbers,hmmm,must be in a lockbox somewhere.
In a sane world, an American president negotiating away our sovereignty and nationhood, while openly refusing to protect our borders, would be impeached.
Exactly. Maybe I should hire a hard-working Mehicano to type for me.
He may be after the electoral wipeout he's setting up for 2006. Of course, the 'rats won't impeach him over this, but other issues.
You can't spit in the face of your base for years and years, and expect the base to turn out and vote for RINO Quislings. The RINOs are going to learn a hard lesson.
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,
1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.
Yup, this is where it all leads. Why should anyone have any respect for the law any longer? Government had become a tool of the wealthy elites, it institutes policices those sole purpuse is to enhance the wealth and power of the elites. We second class citizens (former middle class America) are merely a source of revenue.
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