Bush, senators agree on alien citizenship, shut out critics (Washington Times)

The Washington Times ^ | April 26, 2006 | Stephen Dinan

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

President Bush and a group of senators yesterday reached general agreement on an immigration bill that includes a pathway to citizenship for many illegal aliens.

But left out of the closed-door White House meeting were senators who oppose a path to citizenship. The meeting even snubbed two men who had been considered allies of Mr. Bush on immigration -- Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican and chairman of the immigration subcommittee, and Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona Republican.

Mr. Bush in brief remarks to the press said there was agreement to get "a bill that does not grant automatic amnesty to people, but a bill that says, somebody who is working here on a legal basis has the right to get in line to become a citizen." But senators, speaking afterward, said Mr. Bush was far more specific in the meeting.

"There was a pretty good consensus that what we have put into the Hagel-Martinez proposal here is the right way to go," said Sen. Mel Martinez, Florida Republican. "I think he was very clear [on] pathway to citizenship, so long as it goes to the back of the line, and he even opened the door here for something we've haggled back and forth on, that you can shrink the time for people to become citizens by simply enlarging the number of green cards."

And Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican, said Mr. Bush "endorsed the concept of an earned citizenship."

That would represent a substantial change on the part of the Bush administration, which just last year said it opposed a path to citizenship for those currently here illegally.

(snip)

Even as Mr. Bush is moving in that direction, the House majority leader yesterday rejected it.

[Puppage]

Bush, senators agree on alien citizenship, shut out critics

Shouldn't We The People be deciding this?

[TomGuy]

What are you bucking for, Bill Clinton to share a Lewinsky with you? Wake up to how Democrats brought us to the edge of this cliff.

Look again. It is a Republican President who will push us over the cliff, if he continues to push for amnesty for these illegals [regardless of the name he's parsing or nuancing or shellgaming it as].

[rrrod]

Correct, this wasnt the RATS doing. This disaster is the fault of the RINOs and spinelessrepublicans.

[napscoordinator]

It's as if Bush has a death wish on the Republican majority.


I still sometimes think it has to do with the Clintons....I know this is crazy, but it just makes you say maybe...

[engrpat]

One of the issues that is not being discussed in DC are the costs to the nation for welfare, education, health, etc for our new citizens. It was reported today in the LA Daily News that LA pays $276 million in welfare to 98,703 children of 57,458 illegal parents. I cannot fathom what the numbers would balloon to when the rest of the family members arrive. Are we so rich that we need to import more poor?

[doc30]

I starting to think your position is the right one. If Bush is such a rabid amnesty supporter, the House and Senate should fall to Democrats so he can be impeached. Bush is doing more to secure Iraq's borders than America's.

[sergeantdave]

I recall one of the primary points under both the NAFTA and WTO agreements was the harmonizing of laws in all signatory nations.

Under harmonization, countries were to be open for the movement of labor (people), without hindrance, across borders.

Looks to me like Bush and the senate are simply carrying out the mandates of United Nation's NGOs to destroy state sovereignty under the harmonization clause in these agreements. And no, NAFTA and WTO are not treaties.

[Rebelbase]

We are facing a momentous event in American history where the rule of law and constitutional principles can be upheld or they can be compromised.

On this issue Bush reminds me of Neville Chamberlain stepping off the plane and waving the appeasement treaty with Hitler's signature and saying "we have peace in our time".

The issue that is being completely ingnored is the corruption in Mexico that is causing Illegals to flee here by the millions each year. Our policy shouldn't be just to return the Illegals to Mexico, it should be to change the the Government of Mexico.

We go half way around the world to remove a "tyrant" and we can't even see that the next door neighbor is beating his wife. The only difference between the Mexican situation and the Middle East is guns and explosives. The Mexicans have figured out they can change us by silent invasion. The Jihadists can't do that so they have to kill and blow things up.

Either way the fabric of our existing society is being cut by each.

[demkicker]

How are they going to do this without approval from the house of representatives? Even if they got a squishy bill set in conference committee, the house has to approve that. Not going to happen.

Guess those arrogant, hard headed Senators didn't get enough egg on their faces the last time they tried this stunt and they're back for more!

[verity]

" realize I may be banned from FR now"

What an ego. lol

[Rebelbase]

" impeachment of George W. Bush for the crime of treason."

I've seen a chart that shows workplace arrets on immigration charges over the past 15 years or so. In 1999 there were over 17,000 arrests. In 2004 the number was 159.

That reduction in enforcement could have only happened on the indirect authority of the President. Allowing this Illegal invasion is treason.

[Rebelbase]

correction: 1999=1998

[ksen]

I will not be voting for Mel Martinez when he comes up for re-election and I will not be voting for another Bush.

This is getting FReaking ridiculous.

[azhenfud]

"Virginia first, whose next? Georgia?."

You can pretty much count on North Carolina to be last.

[T.Smith]

Send them one of these. I have...

[austinite]

You can pretty much count on North Carolina to be last

Explain please...

[azhenfud]

At miminum, censure.

Apparently they're wanting Republicans to lose majority control.

[azhenfud]

NC was the last state to secede and join the Confederacy, the last to surrender, the last to fire a shot.

[LadyNavyVet]

I received a fundraising email from the RNC yesterday. I'm sending it back today with a big note that says, "Enforce the borders, build a wall, no amnesty! Not one penny 'til you do!" I'm not stamping it so they can pay to read my views.

Instead, I'll send the money to the Minutemen. At least they're trying to protect this country from invasion.

I'm so frustrated with Bush I could scream.