Once the border is more secure, THEN we can hash out a compromise as to what needs to be done with the illegals already here - and guess what? At that point, the compromise will have a chance of working. As things stand now, nothing, from complete amnesty to forced deportation, will work at all with our open borders.
First off I called it foolishness that a segment on here (FR) are not intellectually honest enough to admit that good people can come to differing conclusions on this 40 year in the making problem.
The notion that GWB is a sell out or doesn't care about security, blah, blah, blah...is all foolishness! Plain and simple.
Secondly I complete disagree that we should ignore the 12 million illegals that are currently here - No, we should address them at the same time as we are addressing the border. Those that have criminal records (outside of simply being illegal) should be acted on and removed. Those who are illegal and have no additional criminal record should start the process of either becoming a supporting citizen of this nation, with policies that to a degree demand or influence assimilation, or they should leave!
Furthermore the need for an updated temporary workers permit system is sorely needed and must be addressed now. Not down the road.
These issues go hand in hand with border security. Lastly many seem under the false impression that the vast majority of illegals simply "sneak" across the border in the dead of night.....this is a portion of them without question...but a large portion also come here legally! through workers permits and then never leave!
Securing the border does nothing regarding this large segment of illegals.
GWB laid out a common sense plan to this 40 year in the making problem last night. It should be looked at on the whole not simply through a narrow view of only the border first.
That is like Democrats demanding the deficit being removed before talking about tax cuts!. No, they go hand in hand, reducing taxes will expand the economy (rising tide lifts all boats) and thus the expansion plays a large role in reducing / removing deficits.
And yes, it is also complete foolishness for some to be questioning this CIC "motives". If they trust this man to send women and children off to war...they should at the very least trust the man's motives when it comes to domestic issues (other wise they fall right in line behind the Dem's when it is convenient...that GWB can't be trusted....Just as DEM's say he can't be trusted regarding WMDs, Iraq, etc, etc).
So you would fail to learn from Reagan's mistakes with amnesty?
Securing the border does nothing regarding this large segment of illegals.
It does, however, keep it from getting much larger - which is exactly what will happen if we have any guest worker or amnesty legislation before border security is drastically improved. And that is the entire point.