Base to Bush: Stop illegals

The Washington Times ^ | June 19, 2006 | Stephen Dinan

[kellynla]

Top conservative leaders have written President Bush telling him to drop his insistence on a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens and instead support the 85 percent of congressional Republicans who want to tighten law enforcement first.

Signers include William J. Bennett, Robert H. Bork, Ward Connerly, David A. Keene, Phyllis Schlafly and a number of think-tank academics and pundits.

The immigration debate is the first major issue on which Mr. Bush finds himself opposing a majority of Republicans in Congress and depending on Democrats to deliver a victory. In their letter, the conservatives tell Mr. Bush to side with his fellow Republicans in Congress or risk repeating the 1986 immigration law that promised enforcement and amnesty but delivered only the amnesty.

"Border and interior enforcement must be funded, operational, implemented and proven successful and only then can we debate the status of current illegal immigrants or the need for new guest-worker programs," 39 conservative leaders write in the letter, to be released today. A copy was obtained yesterday by The Washington Times. The letter was addressed as well to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee.

Across the House and Senate, 85 percent of Republicans voted either for the House bill, which is an enforcement-only bill, or against the Senate bill, which dramatically increases immigration and offers a new right to citizenship for illegal aliens.

"That's pretty overwhelming among congressional Republicans. That shows a distance from [Senate bill sponsors Sens. John McCain and Edward M. Kennedy] and what the White House has been saying recently," John Fonte, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who is helping organize the letter, said in an interview.

[kellynla]

"Mr. Fonte said the 39 conservatives -- all regular commentators on radio and TV -- plan to push their case for enforcement-first over the nation's airwaves and the Internet."

[kellynla]

ping

[BenLurkin]

Bush to base: "No."

[MNJohnnie]

Base To Continual Bush Bashers, find a new topic to whine about. We are sick of this continual whining about a dead issue. In case you were all squealing too loud to hear it, the Republican House leadership all ready said this is DOA.

[BipolarBob]

This is a prime time for a third party to take over. There lots of issues in which American voters are not being heard. This is just one.

[Vaquero]

Its not going away bub....not till someone does something about it. You sound like the whiner.

I would vote for Bush again against Kerry/Gore..et al...I will never give up the fight against illegals till they GO!

and I am not alone by a long shot.

[sinkspur]

This is a prime time for a third party to take over.

One-issue third parties never get off the ground. Hell, third parties never get off the ground, period, unless they're bankrolled by a billionaire.

[brytlea]

Here's what I don't get. If they did enforcement first, showed an ability to shut down the border pretty tight, and shut up about amnesty, there is a good liklihood that people would get less strident about letting some of the illegals here now stay (I wouldn't like it, but I'm probably not the majority in that). So, why is the White House insisting on doing it the stupid way?
susie

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The President is being hard-headed on this issue.

[JHBowden]

The purpose of voting is to express your interest, not your ego. I have nothing but contempt for the hippie "let MY voice be heard" nonsense.

[ANGGAPO]

They just don't understand that a vote for amnesty in any form will coat the Republicans Party the election. What about NO is so difficult to understand?

[siznartuf]

BUSH TO BASE: I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

[brytlea]

What?
susie

[Little Ray]

Maybe, but the borders are not secure yet. We'll keep shoutin' 'til he does right.

[seasoned traditionalist]

"Base To Continual Bush Bashers, find a new topic to whine about

the Republican House leadership all ready said this is DOA

Oh, okay.

Guess that means that the Border(s) are NOW secure?

Guess we can all rest easier now that you have made us aware of something that somehow, escaped us--ignorant Bush-bashers, that we are.

Thanks. Henceforth, we will just all shut up and no longer criticize El (Open Borders-Pro Amnesty) Presidente.

NOT!!!!

[Renkluaf]

As much as I'd like that idea, you'd guarantee long-term occupation & control of the WH & Congress by the "dims". 3rd Pty only splits the right!

[xzins]

Returning to the illegal discussion is a loser for the president. He needs to keep the focus on the economy and the war.

Someone recently offered a compromise I thought was interesting.

A red card for those who've had a green card for X years provided they pass all background checks.

It enables them to stay and work, but it must be renewed regularly, and it prevents them from applying for US citizenship from within the US. The only way they can apply for citizenship is if they choose to return to their country of origin, give up their red card, and make normal immigration application.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Post #8 - great comments, totally nailed it.

I think it would also filter out the La Raza/MS-13 criminal illegals and the ones who truly want to come here and work.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Base to Bush-bots

Stuff it, it's not a dead issue and it never will be.

[JamesP81]

I wouldn't like it, but I'm probably not the majority in that

I wouldn't like it either. BUT, if they really did control the border, I think I could learn to live with it.