"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."
I wonder how long it's going to take Conant to recognize that any plan which lets illegals continue to reside, work in, and reap the benefits of American society by definition isn't one which sends them to "the back of the line."
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RIGHT. The legal immigrant line is at the consulate in Mexico City or whereever, not here in the US.
The back-of-the-line really should mean 'go home and then apply'. This is Clintonesque semantics to avoid calling an amensty what it is, solely because in the past Bush said he was was against what he is for now.