Presidential Irresponsiblility

National Review Online ^ | 5/22/06 | Mark R. Levin

[Reagan Man]

>>>>For all the talk about Karl Rove's brilliance, it was a blunder of monumental proportions to force a confrontation on illegal immigration now—a relative few months before the midterm elections—in a way that enrages both the conservative base and a liberal constituency against Republicans. The president has endangered scores of Republicans, some of whom are excellent public servants. And depending on how this turns out legislatively, he may have done lasting damage to the Republican party.

Mark Levin speaking truth.

[SoFloFreeper]

Border security is going to have to go further than the Senate bill. I think if the conference produces something more than that, something closer to the House version, the package will be a good deal.

[Huck]

The president has endangered scores of Republicans, some of whom are excellent public servants.

I don't get this. If they are excellent public servants, does that not mean their constituents will be satisfied with them? GWB's position on immigration, which is the same position he's held since before being elected president, has no bearing at all on whether or not I like my congressman (I do.)

[rottndog]

I never understood all the hype about Karl Rove. All he did was help Bush beat Gore and Kerry, two very weak candidates.

[brownsfan]

"The president has endangered scores of Republicans, some of whom are excellent public servants."

The excellent ones seem to be in the minority. If my senator were against blanket amnesty, (which is effectively what's being given), I would vote for him. But he's DeWine... a political hack.

[Reagan Man]

HR4437 is ALL that is required. Bush needs to wake up and start listening to conservatives on immigration reform. Conservatives like Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh. Bush needs to turnaround the damage his domestic liberal policy agenda has done to America.

[oldm60grunt]

I wonder if there would still be such a clamor in support of the amnesty fiasco if the economy was really as bad as the Rats claim, and AMERICAN CITIZENS were actually unable to find jobs?

[brownsfan]

"I wonder if there would still be such a clamor in support of the amnesty fiasco if the economy was really as bad as the Rats claim, and AMERICAN CITIZENS were actually unable to find jobs? "

It's a point I've brought up, which no one seems to be considering. Take it one step further... eventually, as happens in all economies, there will be a downturn. And jobs will be scarce. What then? A lot of unemployed people + a lot of illegal immigrants seems to be the equivalent of gasoline + matches.

[snugs]

Well put as usual just MSM spin

[trubluolyguy]

What this boils down to is that our President and the Republican leadership in the Senate are NOT conservatives....just Republicans. Big spending, open-borders Republicans.

[McGavin999]

Yeah, it does. Everyone knows that Kyl is one of the best senators out there, yet he is only 7% ahead of his democrat opponent. Illegals will be voting in 2006 in AZ make no mistake about it.

[Huck]

Well, we can't say Mark Levin is an MSM spinner. But he is a talk show host who needs to reflect the views of his listeners if he wants to stay in business. I'll even give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's being honest. I just don't get how it's such a travesty to ask the Congress to vote on something prior to an election. What the hell is wrong with that??? The president is stupid for making Congress accountable on the issue?? They don't have to agree with the president. Vote it down if it's such a turkey. If that's what voters want, why would they suffer?

[el_texicano]

"if the conference produces something more than that, something closer to the House version, the package will be a good deal."

That is assuming of course that the current administration will ENFORCE the new law. I seriously have my doubts. I fear that even if the House version is passed without change with no taint of amnesty (hypothetically), this administration will not enforce it.

They haven't enforced it before, why would they start now. President Bush wants his guest worker program and he is determined to get it.

I would almost bet that if the House version gets passed (which it won't) that President Bush would exercise his first veto on that. What do you think?

[Huck]

Everyone knows that Kyl is one of the best senators out there, yet he is only 7% ahead of his democrat opponent.

You say only 7% in a business where 10% is considered a rout. Anyway, I still don't get it. If Kyl is taking the correct position on immigration, how is he going to suffer at the pols. Presumably the ppl who would be turned off by his stand on the issue wouldn't have voted for him in the first place.

[The South Texan]

"I never understood all the hype about Karl Rove. All he did was help Bush beat Gore and Kerry, two very weak candidates."

Better than average (not exceptional) at winning elections.

About the worse I've seen at PR. Since Jan 20, 2005 Rove allowed the Rats and the MSM to define the agenda. They allowed a very weak White House Press Secretary to stay on the job too long. The whole management of the CIA leak case, Katrina, Iraq, Immigration and the Dubai Ports deal PR strategy is/was a disaster. Rove should have declared victory and gone back to Austin right after Nov 2004. As much as I hate to say it the Clinton's right after they won in 1992 and started having problems in 1993 did the right thing by cutting lose the people who came over from the campaign to the White House or at the very least putting them in lower profile roles.. Campaign managers and big guns do not make good White House strategists in this age. Maybe going back to Reagan and before then, but not now.

[nonliberal]

I would almost bet that if the House version gets passed (which it won't) that President Bush would exercise his first veto on that. What do you think?

I think if Bush vetoes the House bill or signs an amnesty proposal then he shows that he is unwilling to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution." That is coming dangerously close to impeachable.

[Alberta's Child]

Levin is a smart guy, but I'm not sure just how clearly he's reading the political climate in the U.S. on this issue. I'm starting to wonder if all this controversy about illegal immigration is based on some mistaken notions about what exactly the electorate wants to see done in Washington.

[goldstategop]

Yep. Their contempt for the American people is going to be their undoing. All we wanted was enforcement first and if it turned out that didn't work, we might be receptive to other ideas. But the Open Borders crowd brushed that aside and insisted on going with what they know has failed before. They're not serious about respecting our sovereignty, our heritage, our language and our laws. That's the bottom line in the Senate's so-called comprehensive immigration reform bill. Its the Mother Of All Amnesties.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[Alberta's Child]

Ping.