(AZ Republican Senator) Kyl Hits Immigration Head Wind

Wall Street Journal ^ | May 23, 2007 | SARAH LUECK

[bd476]

Senator's Support of Compromise Divides Republican Base

WASHINGTON -- Last year, in the midst of a heated re-election campaign, Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl hurled at his opponent a damaging accusation in the border state: He ran TV ads saying the Democrat supported "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.

Now, as Mr. Kyl backs a bipartisan Senate immigration bill, he is hearing the same charge leveled at him by other Republicans in his state and on conservative blogs and radio shows.

The debate between the conservative Mr. Kyl and his base is one of the most important battles determining the fate of the landmark immigration overhaul. Mr. Kyl hopes his endorsement will help win over other immigration hard-liners, a constituency where he has credibility, particularly after opposing last year's Senate-passed bill as too weak. That's the main reason the Bush administration pinpointed Mr. Kyl early on as a focal point of its legislative strategy.

Mr. Kyl yesterday won a victory in the Senate's first day considering amendments, as fellow lawmakers overwhelmingly defeated an attempt by some Democrats to strip out a temporary "guest worker" program that he backs.

But so far at least, Mr. Kyl appears to be having a hard time drawing the support of his fellow conservatives. And if he ultimately flees -- as he says he still may -- the entire effort is more likely to unravel.

On Monday, protesters outside his Phoenix office waved signs reading "Recall Kyl," reported local radio station KTAR. The state Republican Party chairman, Randy Pullen, held a news conference criticizing the legislation and said the Republican base is upset by Mr. Kyl's support of it.

[James W. Fannin]

Use the word deport when you call your elected leaders in DC. That is what they fear most. They need to know that the American people want it.

[spectre]

Go over to the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) web site, and you will view an organized effort pleading for illegals to "call" and "email" their our Congress-critters.

We're not the only ones calling.

sw

[James W. Fannin]

We're not the only ones calling.

The Declaration of Independence set a good example. We must petition our leaders before we give up.

[angkor]

From the article:

On Saturday, Mr. Kyl got a "very warm" reception from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry... "From the business community's standpoint, particularly in Arizona, there's an almost desperate desire to see a comprehensive federal solution for immigration problems," Mr. Hamer said.

Yes, we know that business wants more low wage workers; that immigration lawyers are drooling over those millions of new clients; and "public advocacy groups" need to increase their grab of federal, state, and local grant money.

Thus we have this unholy alliance of amnesty advocates and their ad from last year's debate:

"Though no one wants to reward illegal behavior, we must find a way for these workers to come forward, make good on the past and participate in a program that leads to permanent residency and eventual citizenship."

http://www.meatami.com/1CQImmigrationAd030206.pdf

The Rogues Gallery Of Signatories To The Above Statement:

• Associated Builders and Contractors
• Associated General Contractors of America
• American Hotel and Lodging Association
• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• American Jewish Committee
• American Meat Institute
• American Nursery and Landscape Association
• Essential Worker Immigration Coalition
• Grover G. Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
• League of United Latin American Citizens
• Linda Chavez, Chairman, Center for Equal Opportunity
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund
• National Association of Home Builders
• National Immigration Forum
• National Restaurant Association
• National Council of Chain Restaurants
• National Roofing Contractors Association
• Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors - National Association
• Service Employees International Union
• Society of American Florists
• Tamar Jacoby, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute
• The Latino Coalition
• UNITE/HERE
• United Farm Workers of America
• United Food and Commercial Workers Union
• United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association
• US Chamber of Commerce

[James W. Fannin]

Grover G. Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform

The rabbit hole goes deeper and deeper.

[angkor]

Sessions is going to propose another amendment cutting the guest workers in half. I think it will do better.

It's not the numbers, its the principle.

I think anything including Z1 amnesty will fail.

[TADSLOS]

That’s not a headwind, Senator. It’s the outer band of a Level five hurricane. Name it Hurricane Patriot.

[Guenevere]

bttt

[jmaroneps37]

There is a local radio spot ( northern New Jersey) for a GOP primary, that ends with —— is another “conservative” we can’t trust. I think “How brilliant!” every time I hear it. It applies to sooooooooooo many of today’s “conservatives” doesn’t it?

[sergeantdave]

Thanks for the list. Now I know who to fire next time I need contractors.

[angkor]

all IRRELEVANT.

Anything that includes a "path toward citizenship" is DOA.

Anything that permits "family reunification" for the 15 to 20 million illegals now here is DOA (you want an additional 20 to 40 million "families" with unverifiable Mexican marriage licenses, birth certificates, and other false documentation?)

I'll accept "three years, three years, and go home." I'll accept "You made the decision to work in America, your family will have to wait for you to come home to Mexico."

[angkor]

labeling the conservative base as bigots

Yes, Lindsay Graham called us "bigots" while speaking to a meeting of La Raza ("The Race") in March.

It doesn't take much to see the irony or monumental stupidity of his comment.

[spectre]

"Senator Kyl is completely out of touch with reality / his constituents."

I'm starting to think Kyl and Graham are in touch with each other.

sw

[Jonathan]

Si.

I suport El Presidente Jorge Bush.

Hee is a macho man and we must do anything he say.

Hee is going to be the Father of Norte Mexico.

Viva La Raza!

Viva La Norte Mexico!

Viva Papa Bush!!!

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Is everyone pissed about this guy? Well here is the toll free number to call the senate switchboard.866-220-0044. Wear their asses out with calls.8:00 am EST let’em have it.

[patj]

Senator's Support of Compromise Divides Republican Base

This headline is in error. The base is not divided, it is the elected officials divided from their base.

[angkor]

Has Kyle convinced himself he is not voting for amnesty? Or is he just a Liar.

Sen. Specter on Monday took the podium to (once again) rant that "this is not amnesty, there's a monetary fine".

It was bizarre because I recall him doing and saying exactly the same thing at the Senate podium in 2006.

And someone with as refined a legal sensibility as "Scottish Law" Specter surely knows that this is an amnesty by any common-sense definition.

['am-nes-te]

pl: -ties
: an act of clemency by an authority (as a government) by which pardon is granted esp. to a group of individuals Example: illegal-alien farm workers seeking amnesty -- National Law Journal

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996.

[angkor]

an organized effort pleading for illegals to "call" and "email"

I guess they'll have to find someone who speaks Spanish to answer the phone and read those emails. Seventy percent of illegal aliens don't speak English.

[angkor]

The rabbit hole goes deeper and deeper.

Grover Norquist, the White House point man on illegal aliens AND sleeper-agent Islamists and Muslims (including his good buddy Abdurahman Alamoudi who's now serving a 23 year prison sentence).

[GailA]

I’d like to know how these ‘poor’ low paid workers are going to come up with $5,000 apiece???? Are we the taxSERFS going to be asked to pony it up or are they eventually going to give in to the whine of the ‘poor’ souls and waive it?