Posted on 05/24/2006 7:00:13 AM PDT by blitzgig
IN the debate over immigration, "amnesty" has become something of a dirty word. Some opponents of the immigration bill being debated in the Senate assert that it would grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. Supporters claim it would do no such thing. Instead, they say, it lays out a road map by which illegal aliens can earn citizenship.
Perhaps I can shed some light. Two decades ago, while serving as attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, I was in the thick of things as Congress debated the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The situation today bears uncanny similarities to what we went through then.
In the mid-80's, many members of Congress — pushed by the Democratic majority in the House and the Select Commission on Immigration and Refugee Policy — advocated amnesty for long-settled illegal immigrants. President Reagan considered it reasonable to adjust the status of what was then a relatively small population, and I supported his decision.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Correct the original penalty for illegally entering the US is deportation. If you do not deport them you are granting them amnesty. Changing the rules to paying for citizenship and proving you've broken the country's laws the longest doesn't change the original penalty. What it does is show us how republicans leaders treat their faithful like democrats when it comes to selling them BS and asking them to look the other way. We're not democrats and I resent being treated like one. What happened to the party that called Bill Clinton on PC speech every chance we got? Are we the same party that now accepts "undocumented workers", "guest worker programs" and "paths to citizenship". If we are, we are no better than democrats.
Its the currently apathetic Americans that'll be in for a shock - cause under the senate plan there'll always be an unlimited supply of freshly arrived illegals to replace the ones who get 'uppity' and assume their place on the lowest rung of the Great Society.
Not enough of Americans have connected the dots between the '86 amnesty and the current demographic shift throughout the country.
And that amnesty was offered to a mere 2.9 million.
The legislation being contemplated now will make what has happened since 86 look like the trailer to a three hour film epic.
Don't depend on that. There will always be demagogues who fasten on discontent. Wouldn't surprise me if a Chavez type pol shows himself in districts that run 90% Mexican. So far La Raza has not made a dent, but that could change.
We've seen this film before yet some refuse to believe it will only get worse. Just think back 20 years ago, did we have as many bilingual signs, ATMs, telephone services? They won't assimilate like the Koreans. When was the last time you saw a choice for Korean at an ATM? Also when it comes time to enforce the new set of laws the bleeding hearts will just dust off the same arguments they are using now. We can't send back, (by then), 80 million Mexicans. We can't separate them from their anchor babies. These are not straw man argument. It's happening now and unless we learn the lesson of '86 and stop this now I don't think we ever will.
Well, duh. I mean, what's the point in making such a comment? It's like saying the sun rises in the east and gets more intense in the summer.
You don't see consumer goods companies debating these issues - they just make sunscreen products.
Likewise, the only point of interest are the business/political opportunities in which to become engaged. Everything else is just observing from the grandstands.
He's still supporting an amnesty. But now he wants to introduce some dishonest talking points and weasel words into the issue to make "amnesty", "not-an-amnesty."
Asserting that "learning English, keep your nose clean, have a job, and pay taxes" are "penalties" for illegal aliens is ridiculous, since that's precisely what one must due to retain permanent residency and certainly for naturalized citizenship. So they are not "penalties" at all.
The $2,000 fine is completely offset by the illegal alien's exemption from normal immigration costs such as visa applications, medical tests, police background checks, etc. Since they are already here, they won't need those.
I suspect that "11 year" waiting period will have enough loopholes to become completely null within the next three years.
The point is I didn't expect a republican president in the middle of a war to hold our border security hostage until he gets his amnesty plan. I thought a republican house/senate/president wouldn't put business/political opportunities ahead of border security. Does that answer your question?
La Raza types have positions of power in the California legislature and one is mayor of Los Angeles.
I agree completely, but because the reason for these folks being here in the first place (employer/politician greed)isn't being addresses I see both happening simultaneously - a huge radicalized latino voting block continually fed by an endless flow of cheap labor.
Ok, so now you know. What are going to do about it? Answer: nothing.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
Might help if you read the article.
Nope. The House will cave because the spineless politicians want this issue to "go away".
Already Rep. Spence is "compromising" along Senate lines and watering down the House bills because, as he has said on talk radio, "the Senate is moving towards a comprehensive bill so we need a compromise".
No, we need NOTHING! Typical cowardly Republican. Instead of standing up and fighting for what is right and principled and maybe losing, Spence and others in the House now want to soften their bill to look more like the crap that will come out of the Senate.
The white flags are waving. And they think they won't pay a price this November because, as we have seen in this and other forums, they are counting on the "but it would be worse if the Dems are in charge" voters that always tuck tail playing the lesser of two evils game.
But thanks for being helpful.
If it was a summer blockbuster it would be called "Amnesty II: Bigger" or "Amnesty Returns".
Yeah, the price of admission for such movie, (if the back door to the theater wasn't wide open) would be at the expense of a cut-rate cheapened American Citizenship.
And those that snuck in would get free popcorn!
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