Posted on 05/17/2006 5:02:57 PM PDT by notes2005
WASHINGTON - Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, who has pushed a tough border security bill through the House, accused President Bush on Wednesday of abandoning the legislation after asking for many of its provisions.
"He basically turned his back on provisions of the House-passed bill, a lot of which we were requested to put in the bill by the White House," Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., angrily told reporters in a conference call. "That was last fall when we were drafting the bill, and now the president appears not to be interested in it at all."
Sensenbrenner chairs the House Judiciary Committee and would be the House's chief negotiator on any final immigration package for Bush's signature. He said it was the White House that had requested two controversial felony provisions in the bill the House passed last winter.
"We worked very closely with White House in the fall in putting together the border security bill that the House passed," he said. "... What we heard in November and December, he seems to be going in the opposite direction in May. That is really at the crux of this irritation," he said of Bush.
White House spokesman Alex Conant said Bush has been consistent in seeking comprehensive immigration reform. "He applauded the House's action to strengthen our borders and is now urging the Senate to pass a bill," Conant said.
Sensenbrenner spoke with reporters as the Senate worked this week on a broader bill that generally follows the approach Bush laid out Monday night in his nationally televised speech. That includes offering most of the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants an opportunity to eventually become citizens — an act that Sensenbrenner and other conservatives label as amnesty.
"I was very disappointed in the president's speech," Sensenbrenner said. "I think he doesn't get it."
Asked if Bush mollified conservatives in the speech by calling for sending National Guard troops to states along the Mexican border, Sensenbrenner said, "He failed in that completely."
And despite Bush's insistence that he was not calling for amnesty, Sensenbrenner said, "Well it is an amnesty, because it allows people who have broken the law to stay in the country."
"The president has repeatedly and forcefully rejected amnesty," Conant said. "Under his plan, you're going to have to pay stiff fines, follow the law, stay employed, learn English and — after achieving all those things — go to the back of the line."
Sensenbrenner did not attend a closed-door meeting between Bush political adviser Karl Rove and House Republicans, but said that some members complained to him that Rove didn't stay around for many questions or hear what lawmakers had to say.
"The overwhelming majority of those that I talked to who were at the conference believe that he dissed the House Republicans," Sensenbrenner said.
I didn't say the Feds were blameless
I said they were not the only ones to blame for this mess
I'm not one of the conspiracy theorists who think that Vincent Fox is somehow blackmailing him, but it sure does look that way. In five years, Vincente Fox has done NOTHING for Bush. Bush panders to Fox, and Fox just kicks him in the teeth every time. Why the hell is Bush still trying to stroke this loser?
I totally agree. Bush has pandered, appeased, capitulated, backpedaled, cajoled El Presidente (corrupt despot) Fox at every turn. The Feds are scared to death of standing up to a bunch of bullying corrupt Mexicans, and Bush leads the pack of the appeasers. It's gotten that much worse since Nov 2004! Why? It is beyond belief & credibility that he would be so willing to abandon our borders and allow an unprecedented invasion of 18-20 million illegal aliens.
Yep, you're right, I have a handful of stones, and I'm prepared to use them. Sheesh, freepers are too anal.
Like when Slick cut a deal with Newt and then walked out to the cameras saying, "They want to cut your Medicare and I won't let them."
One percent ??
Sorry .. that is not accurate
Heck here in Philly city officials have been told not to report illegals to the feds
more insults, just can't help yourself?...try being nice it makes you sound more reasonable. .. a little.
I'm moderate on the issue but my fellow travelers on the right and the loons on the left are not so moderate. How do you sell this?
"Sir, since we won't secure the borders we are going to require that you give give us fingerprints, a voice scan and a copy of your eyeball in closeup if you care to work anymore."
What did you answer??????
OK, I'm easy, make it 2%. Turning in illegals the police run into at a crime scene, is rounding error. I am not sure frankly how the police identify illegals. I don't carry my passport around myself, or my birth certicate, with the wet certification stamp.
Someone was spamming FR threads this afternoon with that as a quote, but I need to hear it a little more direct than that myself.
Huh? What does MSNBC have to do with it? The quote was attributed to King, and reported by Associated Press (NOT MSNBC) and picked up across the country in news stories. It was one of many quotes from Representatives of the House.
The borders and illegal immigrants are the executives responsibility. Yes the rest have performed miserably as well but they take their lead from above. It's not just President Bush, it's been every President from President Reagan through President Bush.
Because it is necessary to have a hack proof ID card, or the flood will continue. Check box A or B. The Right will come to love the idea. In fact, I think they are falling in love as we speak. Romance is in the air.
YOu know, I'm really a nice person, as are most who post here. I guess I'm tired of the attacks, trying to give back, and failing les miserables.
Google is your friend. MSNBC will not be found in your conspiracy.
I'm thinking at those rallies when the illegals were yelling how they were here illegally and there were police officers standing right there might be a way to identify them
But hey .. what do I know
:-} Maybe they are. Not me though I won't even by one of those toll booth thingamajigs. I'd rather wait in line. It's the principle you know!
you are totally missing my point and giving the states a pass
Just stop with that nonsense. Nobody is going to really track if they do all that stuff. It's going to be a new giant useless bureaucracy set up to keep track of these "immigrants" and it's going to be a big expensive joke. This is just fodder stuck in the bill to get it passed. They must think we're idiots if they think anyone is really believing those "rules" will actually be enforced.
Just seal the borders tight first and then we'll sort this illegals mess out after that. The problem is they don't want to wait because they know the opposition is growing and they want to cram it down our throats while they can.
you sell it as a secure social security card.
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