Bipartisan Effort to Draft Immigration Bill

NY Times ^ | 12/26/2006 | By RACHEL L. SWARNS

[Chesner]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25 — Counting on the support of the new Democratic majority in Congress, Democratic lawmakers and their Republican allies are working on measures that could place millions of illegal immigrants on a more direct path to citizenship than would a bill that the Senate passed in the spring.

The lawmakers are considering abandoning a requirement in the Senate bill that would compel several million illegal immigrants to leave the United States before becoming eligible to apply for citizenship.

The lawmakers are also considering denying financing for 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico, a law championed by Republicans that passed with significant Democratic support.

[traditional1]

"Learn your history before you start to talk about it"You have nailed the issue perfectly, as the forked-tongue parrots of the politico's who talk about "we're a nation of immigrants" try to equate immigrants with illegals in the same breath.

I, too, had parents who appear on the log at Ellis Island, and were proud to have learned English, proud to have become U.S. Citizens, and passed through the gauntlet that was the pathway to the free country that promised a better life.

No reliance on handouts, self-reliant, and self-determinate, abiding the laws and wanting to be part of the traditions that were American.

In NO way is the illegal invasion of today ANYTHING near the immigration that was always the pathway to America.

Whenever you hear a politician say "comprehensive", it's code for "sellout" and amnesty in regards to giving the criminals a free pass for the benefit only to the corporate donors.

[mewzilla]

Bipartisan?

'Rats. RINOs. No diff.

[wodinoneeye]

The majorities are not enough to get these passed.


The next President will be a Republican whose prominent promise will be to close the borders and deny benefits to all the millions of illegal aliens in the country.

[Small-L]

I am referring to conservative republican Americans who wouldn't return republicans to power because they were teaching them a lesson.

I disagree with your premise, but regardless, it's apparent that the GOP didn't learn the lesson.

The GOP-bots here seem to believe that the GOP is entitled to the votes of the conservatives, because the GOP claims to be conservative. After the last six years, it's obvious that the GOP and Bush were lying and that "compassionate conservative" is nothing but a cute campaign slogan for big-government, big-spending, pork-feeding cabal that only cares about taking care of their big campaign contributors. Do you honestly believe that the GOP deserves the conservative vote after they have openly betrayed the trust of those conservatives and their votes?

The fact that Bush and company are supporting this bill is a clear indication that they don't give a tinker's dam about the voters or the future of the country. If the Republicans want the votes of the conservatives, then support, vote for, and implement the things that conservative voters care about.

I predict that it will be a long time before the conservatives will ever again trust what Republican candidates say that they're going to do when elected. Trust is a funny thing--it takes a lot to create it in the voters, but it is very easy to lose it. Our GOP leaders in Congress have destroyed that trust. And you honestly believe that they deserve our vote?

[photodawg]

So what is the distinction? Exactly how does party really matter -- on this issue?

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The republican house was able to pass a border fence bill that now will go unfunded and never be built.Why would the returning republicans carry the water for a group of citizens who with their votes, showed that border security and the war on islam didn't matter?
In the senate the answer was to elect more republicans not less. Giving the dems control will just make the amnesty that much easier to accomplish. Also you don't elect a party on one issue. You must realize that as diverse a country as America will not achieve consensus on all issues all the time. The work should occur within the party to make it more responsive to the conservative agenda. The answer is not electing more democrats to spite republicans. You only hurt yourself and your country.

[photodawg]

The RINOs that run the Senate (or used to) and the President were told by the rank-and-file voters (Republican and Reagan Democrats) "don't go there" on this immigration nonsense. They (Bush, Rove, Mehlman, McCain, Flake, etc.) told those voters to go to hell.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

So to get back at some republicans who pissed you off you elected communists, pacifists, and open boarders lovers ready to destroy America. The cure is worse than the illness.

[photodawg]

I don't know how you voted on November 7th, but I was smart enough not to vote for anything that started with a D, I, C, etc... they were all R's.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Thank you. My point exactly. Now we must watch the carnage. The worst is yet to come.

[photodawg]

Nice post



'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

thanks. I have been vilified fot it however. They still don't understand what they have done. They continue to blame the republicans for forcing them to vote for democrats. Its crazy.

[photodawg]

Bush has been doing everything possible to alienate the Reagan Democrats for the past two years. Many of the Reagan Democrats either voted Democratic or stayed home in 2006.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Bush has been doing everything possible to fight a war defend his policies and help elect republicans. And for this you pitch a hissy fit and get offended.

[antisocial]

"Bush has been doing everything possible to fight a war defend his policies and help elect republicans. And for this you pitch a hissy fit and get offended."

Bush has already said he will be happy to work with the democrats to get his amnesty passed, just how is that going to help get republicans elected?

[italianquaker]

I dont think so

[TomGuy]

You ignore the fact that it was a Republican controlled Senate that passed the 2006 Amnesty bill.

You ignore the fact that, if an amnesty (whatever you want to call it in Rio Linda) bill is passed before January 2009, a Republican president will be the signatory.

You ignore the fact that that Republican president is the one who is pushing the amnesty (whatever you want to call it in Rio Linda) for illegals.

You ignore the fact that a DEMOCRAT stopped the last major attempt at amnesty [Byrd shortly after the 9-11 attacks].

You are of the mindset Pubbies good; Dems bad. The trouble is, the facts don't always support that. Certainly not with regard to dealing with illegals.

And one more fact: Who signed one of the last major amnesty for illegals bills? Republican Ronald Reagan. Hmmmm.

Republican seems to keep popping up on the side of giving amnesty to illegals.

[outdriving]

"Illegal immigration is nothing new. We needed cheap labor 100 years ago, and we let illegal immigrants in.

Back then it was the Democratic candidates such as William Jennings Bryan who supported closing the borders to illegal immigrants. Bryan ran for president 3 times. He was defeated 3 times."

You are forgetting the rest of the story. "We" didn't need cheap labor, the factory owners wanted it. There were huge problems associated the last mass immigration that are now largely forgotten.

The outcry from the public and resultant trade unions finally became enough by the 1920's that ALL immigration, not just illegal was virtually stopped. Meanwhile, the immigrants assimilated into the melting pot.

This is what we need now, a forty year breather to repair the damage to our society done by the 1965 "family reunification" insanity. Only then can we revisit this issue from the viewpoint of what is good for America, not the immigrants.

[Small-L]

luxury boat manufacturers here locally using illegals instead of the educated workforce they used to hire who actually paid taxes and contributed to the community...

Which manufacturer, by name? I'm in the market and will intentionally avoid them.

[Chesner]

Sickening, but this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder why I even give a cr#p about politics. Being blissfully unaware would be much better for my blood pressure and heartburn.

I would've loved to stick around for comments last night, but it was strongly suggested that it would be in my best interest to help the kids get their X-Mas gifts upstairs and get them in bed. 'Twas an offer I couldn't refuse....

[Altura Ct.]

We have pro amnesty politicians from both sides of the aisle and the NYT's calls it "bipartisan".

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Do you know which countries retired folks tend to go to?

A good question. Since the cold weather doesn't affect me much maybe I'll just head north when the time comes.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Not in this case, this is something he wants, and badly, though I cannot figure out why.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I'm afraid you are correct. This bill will find itself on the fasttrack.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I bet in two years both will be views as visionaries. Our country is going down and way too fast, yet many continue to stick their heads in the sand over this.