Hastert May Block Version That Divides House GOP-Immigration Bill Expected To Pass Senate This Week

washington post ^ | May 23, 2006 | Charles Babington

[sure_fine]

"The entire House is up for reelection every two years"






everything inside the fence at DC needs totall overhaul and replacement parts

[spatso]

"Well, what do we have now? Do we really need any new laws? What would our current laws do, if they were actually enforced "

Exactly, regardless where you stand on what the right solution may be (I tend to favor the President's vision), if there is no enforcement it is only going to further alienate already upset supporters.

Although, the President's proposal may be softer than what some people would like to see I think it is enforcible and therefore credible.

[trubluolyguy]

Nope. Hatert is doing a fine job. A fine job indeed.

[DustyMoment]

How can advocates of the rule of law propose violating the law to get what they want?

Since there is NOTHING in the Senate bills on immigration that reflect the wishes of their constituency, and NO WILL in any part of the administration to enforce ANY of our existing laws, it appears that the only way to get their attention is through violence. I don't like the idea myself but, when those elected to represent us in Washington refuse to do so, we have limited means of getting their attention.

Previous campaigns to elect replacements to Congress have fizzled and died before they were implemented. Despite repeated polls showing that a majority of Americans want the borders controlled, oppose amnesty, and oppose giving these invaders citizenship, the current bills on the table ignore what Americans have said they want the government to do on this issue.

What's your solution?

[spatso]

"Despite repeated polls showing that a majority of Americans want the borders controlled, oppose amnesty, and oppose giving these invaders citizenship, the current bills on the table ignore what Americans have said they want the government to do on this issue."

I think the root of the problem has to be better understood. The loss of border control did not happen yesterday. Some consideration has to be given to the lax nature of border control and the question it poses. For example, it is well known how some members of Congress have intervened with government agencies to help constituents bring in cheap immigrant labor. So, it is easy for me to buy into the President's two stage process of first getting control of the border. Second, deal in a humane and charitable way with the people who are making a positive contribution.

[oceanview]

this is one thing he is doing correctly.

[oceanview]

what good is anything like that, if its not enforced.

[oceanview]

what do we do now?

no bill is better then the senate bill. so we go with no bill, and attempt to use the appropriations process to fund things like more border patrol, security fences, surveillance, etc.

that's the best we can do. we have two national elections coming up in the next 30 months - let candidates take this issue to the people, let them decide.

[DustyMoment]

The preseident has demanded NOTHING LESS than a COMPREHENSIVE immigration reform bill because he knows that will stymy any changes.

Let me ask you a question. If you're in a boat and the boat starts sinking, is your first priority a comprehensive plan to save the boat and all of the materials aboard, or do you start bailing it out and trying to plug the leak so that you can make it back to shore and figure out the rest later?

Right now, Bush claims that he wants a comprehensive plan to save the boat and all of the material onboard instead of worrying about bailing out the boat and plugging the leak.

[spatso]

No I don't think that is true. Or, perhaps I misunderstand. I thought control of the border, stopping the inflow of aliens was the first priority. Second, establish a humane policy that deals with a wide range of circumstances in terms who will be allowed to stay.

[CWOJackson]

Hastert? Hastert?

Isn't he that guy who got up and so strongly defended Tom DeLay from the railroad job? Or am I thinking of the Drew Carey look alike who hasn't done much of anything for six years but strongly defend Jefferson.

[TheLion]

Anything that Hastert can do to block the idiotic McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill is allright with me!

[sinkspur]

This is how the House presses the Senate to amend its bill to make it more acceptable and attempt to force it to more closely resemble its own version of similar legislation.

In case you hadn't noticed, Mike Pence and Dan Burton both introduced legislation that modifies HR4437 with a guest worker program.

The Senate has the upper hand, and they know it.

[sinkspur]

in my 59 years I've never seen a president in so much trouble. Nixon at least had the support of a lot of his party.

Nixon had little support from his party when it became apparent, in early 1974 with the firing of Archibald Cox, that he was going to drag the GOP down with him.

Bush is not going anywhere, he has two years left, and a situation in Iraq that improves daily.

And don't kid yourself. If Hastert stonewalls, the public will perceive that the GOP Congress refused to deal with immigration when everybody knows that Bush wanted to.

Seems like GOP House members have to decide if they want to get killed for supporting a bill that the more rabid right doesn't want, or get killed for doing nothing.

[ConservativeGreek]

Noticed.

[KoRn]

"We need a new GOP Speaker!!!!!!!"

Surely you don't support that load of BS coming out of the Senate?

[CWOJackson]

"Nixon had little support from his party when it became apparent, in early 1974 with the firing of Archibald Cox, that he was going to drag the GOP down with him."

pat buchanan remained loyal to the end. Oddly enough, Nixon, who normalized relations with China and created the EPA is the only President that buchanan actually served for successfully.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

And FReepers were calling Pence a RINO.

Pence's bill is the best possible immigration bill.

[sinkspur]

Pence's bill is the best possible immigration bill.

Pence is pragmatic. Tancredo is an ideologue, and will not be at the conference table for negotiations with the Senate.