Posted on 03/31/2006 1:20:41 PM PST by Graybeard58
Americans might be more willing to pick tomatoes if the jobs paid decent wages.
WASHINGTON - President Bush says that America does not have to choose between being a welcoming society and being a lawful society. But at stake in the contentious debate, which may consume the Senate for the next several days, is what mix of legitimizing and criminalizing immigrants will the country stand for?
The estimated 11 million illegal immigrants are no longer inert spectators as the land of the Golden Door decides their fate. The half-million demonstrators in Los Angeles, and many thousands in other cities, should serve as a wake-up call to legislators. Some may have thought that all they had to do was to build a wall at the border to satisfy the security conscious, and to admit enough low-wage guest workers to satisfy the business conscious. "To do the work that some Americans won't do," as Mr. Bush put it, although Americans might be more willing to clean offices and pick tomatoes if the jobs paid decent wages.
As the Senate debate gets under way, it appears that one decision may have already been made. The bill passed by the House would simply build a wall at the border and declare the 11 million immigrants to be felons. It would also require clergy to check the documents of those seeking assistance. Such a draconian bill would probably not survive a conference with the Senate in its present form, not when clergymen put on handcuffs to demonstrate their abhorrence, and not when California's Cardinal Mahoney says he would instruct priests in his diocese to disobey such a law, if necessary, to minister to the needy.
There is immigration reform and there is immigration enforcement. And it seems significant that President Bush, his own popularity needing reinforcement, swore in 30 new American citizens, saying, "No one should play on people's fears or try to pit neighbors against each other."
The Congressional debate divides up between the supporters of immigration reform and the supporters of immigration enforcement. The bill approved by the Senate judiciary committee leans more toward reform and would provide a way for illegal aliens to regularize their status.
The Senate and White House are generally agreed on an approach that would avoid criminalizing illegal aliens, but immigration reform is far from being a settled matter.
• Daniel Schorr is a senior news analyst at National Public Radio.
Reform vs. enforcement? Nah! Skip the hard choices. Just pander to the illegals like congress and the administration.
I have a hard time understanding Mr. Schorr's point. He just describes the situation, and then he fails to point out a clear solution.
Reform. That Washington weasel-word is dangerous. Just fix the freakin' problem and save the taxpayers $100 BILLION a year that should be in our pockets and not in Mexican pockets...
How much you want to bet that if illegals are given amnesty they will not turn themselves for fear of being deported or punished.
How come we dont hear the word "EXTRACTION"?
Cardinal Mahoney, so lately vilified (and rightly) by the press for his role in concealing pedophile priests is now a moral authority?
I'm not interested in the phony moral qualms of our lying, hypocritical Senators either. I want a border created NOW. There is nothing draconian about enforcing federal law and protecting middle class taxpayers from further drain on their dwindling resources. No more "cheap labor" subsidies for corporate hounds. Support ENFORCEMENT ONLY legislation---reject the disastrous Senate proposals and support HR 4437.
Yep, President Bush is apparently agreeing with Kennedy who was one of the clowns that screwed this up in 1965...yep that'll work...
Funny confiscating peoples money by threat of force so they can redistribute same to others is okay with these towers of moral virtue...
Simple cost effective solution to immigration. Declare illegals to not receive any government benefits. Including police protection, non-prepaid medical care, burial, autopsies, housing education, etc. Confiscate all property carried by illegals and add to general fund of arresting municipality.
I would bet they would leave in short order by themselves.
Yes, and what happened to the much-vaunted "separation of church and state"? It seems to break down at the most convenient times...
Silly goose "separation of church and state" is only for conservatives... leftist, socialists, communists, agitators etc. get a free pass.
I received an email about this from some Catholic group praising the Catholic out in LA who raised such a fuss about the bill. Since I am not Catholic, I have no idea how the group got my name. They probably did not like my response.
Good for you---funny how you get on those lists. I can't believe the audacity of the cardinal in politicking on this issue. It's nauseating to have to read references to him from our suddenly pious representatives.
That's why at election time black churches have liberal candidates campaigning from their pulpits.
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