White House compares illegal immigration to speeding

The Examiner ^ | May 26, 2006 | Bill Sammon

[VU4G10]

WASHINGTON - The White House on Friday said a Senate bill that would grant legal status to illegal immigrants is analogous to a traffic law that allows a speeder to pay a fine and continue driving.

"If you had a traffic ticket and you paid it, you're not forever a speeder, are you?" White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said in response to questions from The Examiner.

"So the fact is, you have paid your debt to society," he added. "And we have come up with a way to make sure that the debt to society gets paid. Then you move forward."

The "traffic ticket" analogy raised eyebrows on Capitol Hill, where many House Republicans regard illegal immigration as a grave crime.

"I don't know if Tony meant to trivialize it or not," said Will Adams, spokesman for Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. "But it's certainly misleading."

"The penalty for a speeding ticket is a fine," he added. "The penalty for being here illegally is being removed from this country. But the president doesn't want illegal aliens to go home."

Snow emphasized that illegals would have to pay fines, learn English and wait years for a chance at full citizenship. But Adams called that "a slap on the hand" compared to deportation.

"Here's a more apt analogy," he said. "You get stopped for speeding, and you say to the cop: "Hey listen, you're about to give me a $300 ticket. How about we make it 20 bucks and just call it even?"

Snow predicted that House Republicans would eventually drop their opposition to the Senate bill, which passed Thursday. The bill, which includes a guest worker program that would grant legal status to aliens, is headed to a conference committee for possible reconciliation with a House bill aimed at beefing up border security.

Snow suggested the guest worker program could be sold to even ardent opponents like Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

"Chairman Sensenbrenner, who's got some real problems with various aspects, has said publicly that the temporary worker program has merit," Snow said.

"There are areas in which members of the House are going to agree with the president," he added. "I certainly don't want to be speaking for Chairman Sensenbrenner, but the fact is, you know politics."

But Sensenbrenner appeared unmoved.

"What's going on now, in calling it a pathway to citizenship or earned legalization, is not honest because it is amnesty," he said at a news conference.

[Revererdrv]

The Senators are representing our interests anymore, especially when it comes to illegals. Specter from PA has caused more trouble on this Bill. Why did Bush help him get elected?

[AmeriBrit]

But in comparing illegal aliens to folks who have gotten a traffic ticket, the administration is equally as off the mark, only in the other direction.

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Could it be that Tony was using the simplest example he could come up with at that moment because he knows what a bunch of idiots the reporters who attend the Press briefings really are and anything above kindergarten grade would go right over their heads and result in more stupid questions?

[heights]

Oh my God! Iam a troll!!!!

[trubluolyguy]

If the House refuses to compromise, I hope Bush signs a Presidential pardon for every illegal alien.

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Of course you do. But you are not concerned with the future of the United States if you hope for a travesty of justice like that.

[heights]

[spectre]

Easy there.

What a pity The Bush family didn't heed your words about Clinton. They seem to enjoy his company, and vise versa. You can't deny that.

sw

[trubluolyguy]

I feel like I've been slapped.

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And told to like it.

[DoughtyOne]

You know what, I would suppose that we could come up with a myriad of reasons why this example was a good one. Is that really what we have been reduced to, defending the indefensible for those we like?

Don't take this as a slam, because to a certain degree I find your in your premise at least a thread of credibility. I just can't believe that the White House would think it a good idea to stoop to this level, rather than address the issue on the up and up.

To hell with the press corp. From this point Bush, Snow and company better be addressing their thoughts to those of us who vote. That's where the fissure is.

[JRochelle]

I doubt it.

His english is really good.

:-)

[trubluolyguy]

LOL

[trubluolyguy]

No no no, too new. Even though I do agree with the sentiment.

[supercat]

If this Act passes, Bush is impeached; simple as that.

While signing the Senate abomination should IMHO constitute an impeachable offense, the only way Bush would be able to sign it would be if a majority of House members vote for it. Since I can't see how any reasonable congresscritter could impeach a president for signing legislation that congresscritter voted for, I don't see how Bush could be impeached for that unless you're suggesting that Democrats would vote for this legislation but then vote to impeach Bush out of spite.

[Old_Mil]

WASHINGTON - The White House on Friday said a Senate bill that would grant legal status to illegal immigrants is analogous to a traffic law that allows a speeder to pay a fine and continue driving.

"If you had a traffic ticket and you paid it, you're not forever a speeder, are you?" White House Press Secretary Tony Snow

Tony Snow is even more out of touch than I thought when I listened to his show.

[Old_Mil]

I don't see how Bush could be impeached for that unless you're suggesting that Democrats would vote for this legislation but then vote to impeach Bush out of spite.

That's precisely how it would play out; and furious conservatives would turn their backs as General Arnold was led to the gallows.

[trubluolyguy]

I'm sorry, but I can't find any other answer than this...GWBush despises conservatives.

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I don't know that he despises us, but he certainly isn't one of us.

[joesbucks]

funny, but these laws you cite were from 1996. Although Clinton may have signed, seems they came from a Contract with America congress.

[Squat]

The "white house stuck on STUPID"

[uncitizen]

Tony Snow is even more out of touch than I thought when I listened to his show.

I expected so much more of Tony intellectually.

[trubluolyguy]

Clinton has won and made suckers out of you all.

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So six and a half years after leaving office, it's Clintons' fault that President Bush is pushing amnesty for the criminal invaders of the United States?

[goalinestan]

So now the White House has reduced breaking multiple immigration laws to speeding??? This analogy is stupid on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin. Geez, they've hit the bottom and started digging.

Of course they're using those poor, downtrodden, misunderstood immigrants do to that digging...