[Plutarch]

Back when President Bush was seeking our support for re-election, there was such a thing as Amnesty to him, which was Senator Kerry's "Earned Legalization". Senator Kerry denied that it was Amnesty. If the Senate Bill today was Kerry's program, who doubts that Bush would support it, sign it, and deny it was Amnesty?

I do not know what specifically President Bush was referring to that Kerry proposed in September 2003. This is what Kerry had to say in the Democrat Debate in October 2003:

_______________________________________________

Senator Kerry, would you support legalizing undocumented immigrants in this country?

JOHN KERRY: Absolutely. I supported--let me say I'm not afraid to say it, I supported and was prepared to vote for amnesty from 1986. And unfortunately, the events of 9/11 obviously changed the capacity to do that.

I believe we have to change it. It's a matter of human rights, a matter of civil rights, a matter of fairness to Americans. And it is essential to have immigration reform.

I want to say immediately that anyone who has been in this country for five or six years, who's paid their taxes, who has stayed out of trouble ought to be able to translate into an American citizen immediately, not waiting. In addition to that, we have about 37,000 people served in the armed forces of the United States who are legal residents. They should automatically become American citizens for having served their country in that way.

And thirdly, I believe we need to be sensible about the use of the matricula cards. We need to be able to negotiate with President Fox. We have to change the guest worker program.

We have to recognize that there are enormous challenges to fairness in this country. It still costs Latinos too much just to cash a check, to buy a home. There is rank discrimination and we need to apply the laws. And I am going to do that from everything including remittances so people aren't charged exorbitantly when they send money to their families abroad.

[goldstategop]

George Bush has always been honest about amnesty. That's what he has wanted since he was Governor Of Texas.

Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[Perchant]

BUSH: I see it as a serious problem. I see it as a security issue, I see it as an economic issue, and I see it as a human-rights issue.

By "human rights issue" I'm guessing he doesn't mean the right of citizen humans to be free from invasion.

[Perchant]

BUSH: I see it as a serious problem. I see it as a security issue, I see it as an economic issue, and I see it as a human-rights issue.

By "human rights issue" I'm guessing he doesn't mean the right of citizen humans to be free from invasion.

[FremontLives]

So Bush was against amnesty before he was for it? Obviously spending time with Kerry rubbed off on him.

[Kevmo]

Good catch. GWB won by such a small margin each time, and the immigration issue was a big blip on the radar. It’s clear that he is turning his back on the base — he doesn’t need their support any more. But this action is damaging to the republican party and it’s hard to see why he’s going down this path.

[chasio649]

BUSH: Well, to say that the borders are not as protected as they were prior to September the 11th shows he doesn’t know the borders. They’re much better protected today than they were when I was the governor of Texas.

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oh ok...nevermind..