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Bush’s Push on Immigration Tests His Base (FR Mentioned)
NY Times ^ | June 3, 2007 | JIM RUTENBERG and CARL HULSE

Posted on 06/02/2007 10:22:51 AM PDT by nj26

President Bush’s advocacy of an immigration overhaul and his attacks on critics of the plan are provoking an unusually intense backlash from conservatives who form the bulwark of his remaining support, splintering his base and laying bare divisions within a party whose unity has been the envy of Democrats.

It has pitted some of Mr. Bush’s most stalwart Congressional and grass-roots backers against him, sparking a vitriol that has at times exceeded anything seen yet between Mr. Bush and his supporters, who have generally stood with him through the toughest patches of his presidency. Those supporters now view him as pursuing amnesty for foreign law breakers when he should be focusing on border security.

Postings on conservative Web sites this week have gone so far as to call for Mr. Bush’s impeachment, and usually friendly radio hosts, commentators and Congressional allies are warning that he stands to lose supporters — a potentially damaging development, they say, when he needs all the backing he can get on other vital matters like the war in Iraq.

“I think President Bush hurts himself every time he says it is not amnesty,” said Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, referring to the bill’s legalization process for immigrants. “We are not all that stupid.”

This week, in discussing Mr. Bush’s recent comments accusing conservative critics of the immigration legislation of fear-mongering, Rush Limbaugh told listeners: “I just wish he hadn’t done it because he’s not going to lose me on Iraq, and he’s not going to lose me on national security. But he might lose some of you.”

Such sentiments have reverberated through talk radio, conservative publications like National Review and Fox News. They have also appeared on Web sites including RedState.com and FreeRepublic.com...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Free Republic; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; benedictarnold; borders; deathofthegop; enemedia; freerepublic; illegalaliens; illegalimmigration; illegals; immigration; jimmycarter2; liberalmedia; mediabias; sellout; trysellingthetruth
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To: oldbill
"It's not his base any more." Or,

'He doesn't need that base anymore", or..

'You're on your own Jeb", or

"I promised this to Vince and Teddy and by God, I'm giving it to them." Or..

"Thanks to all you borderless Mexicans who helped elect me back in Texas."

You made a very good observation, but it could grow to be a long list.

221 posted on 06/03/2007 12:13:29 AM PDT by norton
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To: Merlinator
That is Bull! He mentioned a path to citizenship numerous times in his 2004 campaign stomps.

I've cited specific sources that state otherwise. You are free to do the same. If you can't find a statement from Bush pre-reelection in which he proposes to put illegals on the Path to Citizenship, then please concede you were wrong, that Bush did lie.

You might try using Google , and using the search terms "path to citizenship" + Bush + 2004. Good luck, and please get back to us.

222 posted on 06/03/2007 12:14:10 AM PDT by Plutarch
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To: stephenjohnbanker
"Contributions are down 40%, and Bush has been relegated to lashing out at his own Republicans.....Bush is getting desperate!!"

Hopefully, the RNC is also getting desperate...and a clue.

Also, to #80; "Carter only gave away a canal" would make a nifty bumper sticker. If there was time for bumper stickers.

223 posted on 06/03/2007 12:28:33 AM PDT by norton
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To: F15Eagle; Tex Pete
Yep, as I said earlier.. at least now they can't pretend they don't know what we're upset about, or pretend we haven't offered other solutions. It actually makes their disregard and disrespect even more offensive, IMHO.

I don't know who you're rooting for in the Presidential Primaries (no pun intended, LOL), but it was refreshing to hear Fred Thompson speak out about this. {See; "Thompson sees fence between Congress, Voters"} Thompson brought up another excellent point about the practicality of this bill -- how in the WORLD are they going to process the millions of applications they will supposedly receive if this passes? They can't even process the ones they have now, nor can they -- as Tex Pete points out on that thread -- process the new passport applications they have in the pipeline now that the travel rules have changed.

I'm very curious as to how much taxpayer money this bill will take to implement in regards to hiring more government employees to process these people, etc... Not only are they granting amnesty, but they're going to use even more of our money to do it -- like we haven't paid for this problem enough already.
224 posted on 06/03/2007 12:30:04 AM PDT by LibertyRocks (Liberty Rocks Blog: http://libertyrocks.wordpress.com)
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To: Merlinator
What a joke! It's only amnesty if they're given citizenship? What a pantload. I call bullsh*t on you. Any reward for illegal behavior is amnesty. And this bill is amnesty.
225 posted on 06/03/2007 12:36:20 AM PDT by GATOR NAVY
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Comment #226 Removed by Moderator

To: JasonC
Whereas the reality is the sort of people you find here have read deeply in all the sources of conservative thought, judged wisely in a thousand twists and turns of public life to wind up where they are politically, have enourmous depths of real life experience and common sense, and know what does and does not work in the long run. Far better than the pols do, since the pols are constantly mistaking short term political possibility for actual expediency.

This ought to be on the masthead for Free Republic!

Along with this:

Fundamentally, they do not understand that they are our servants and employees and we are their intellectual betters.

Well Said.

227 posted on 06/03/2007 12:44:33 AM PDT by happygrl (Dunderhead for HONOR)
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To: norton

BUMP!


228 posted on 06/03/2007 12:46:36 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
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Comment #229 Removed by Moderator

To: slow5poh
So you are insulting fellow posters because I said the truth about Savage? You keep calling me a Bush bot but i don't recall defending Bush. I just said Savage is a liberal. Savage helped Democrats win the election partly by repeatedly bashing Bush, bashing republicans, and by calling for Hastert's resignation.

Just one of my points showing Savage is a liberal was that I said Savage was for more gun legislation/more gun control . and you said that was a lie without you showing any proof that it was a lie. I heard him say that. and so did the guys at this gun web site: You keep saying things i say are lies without you putting up proof. this is some guy posting on that site talking about Savage.

"His statements were that if teachers and students had been armed they would have only been able to shoot themselves in their own feet and would not have stopped the murderer. Additionally he started up on the fact the murderer was able to legally purchase a firearm and that there need to be "more laws". He sounds like a CNN anchor"

Here is a link where someone else has heard Savage is for the minimum wage

I am really for building a fence and stopping illegal immigration. I don't care about Bush. I just care about stopping Democrats/liberalism/socialism and stopping illegal immigration. Amnesty must be stopped. Democrats are trying to bring to the U.S.A 200 million poor 3rd world democrat voters so that they can turn the U.S.A into socialist Venezuela or Cuba. I didn't donate to liberal Democrat Jerry brown like Savage did . Jerry brown is for increasing illegal immigration. Savage is a Berkley, liberal hack: Savage Backs pro-immigrant liberal Jerry Brown

As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, Savage is a top contributor to Brown’s campaign against conservative state senator Chuck Poochigian. His gift of $5,600, the maximum allowable under state law, was merited, Savage told the Chronicle after being outed. Why? Because “You have to make choices in an imperfect world.

Why would a conservative back a liberal over a conservative? Because Savage is a liberal putting on an act to make money. Savage Backs Democrat Brown link 2

This latest Amnesty bill was written by Democrat Ted Kennedy. Practically every democrat congressman is for this Amnesty bill because they will get 20 million new democrat voters. Democrats control congress . but Savage blames the GOP.

This latest horrible Amnesty bill was written by Democrat Ted Kennedy. DEMOCRAT Ted Kennedy has been behind every Amnesty bill and every bill that has increased immigration from the 3rd world based on family ties since 1965. Before 1965 almost all immigrants to the U.S were from Europe. And they became Americanized. Now after Ted Kennedy and his bills since 1965 we have had an invasion of 3rd world poor,socialist, uneducated democrat voters. That Savage don't REPEATEDLY make this point shows that Savage is just trying to blame the GOP.

Savage called for the resignation of Dennis Hastert during the height of election and the liberal media Foley fiasco. This showed me Savage's true liberal colors . Savage was trying to throw the election to the Democrats. and looks like he succeeded. He still has conservatives mad at Republicans and not Democrats even though Democrats are in control of Congress and it was Republicans who stopped this Amnesty last year. A conservative knowing that he has the 3rd most influential radio show would not call for the resignation of the Republican Speaker of the House at the height of the election. If Hastert would have resigned then the Democrats would have won even bigger. Plus Hastert didn't do anything wrong but savage still called for his resignation. it was on obvious attempt by a liberal hack to help Democrats win the election. and I heard him say that. Also other FreeRepublic posters like Checkers who I linked to also heard Savage say that.

Also Savage has generalized the GOP. And he has labeled them as big spenders when 84% of spending is mandatory if you include military spending. why doesn't savage mention that? Savage donated money to liberal democrat Jerry Brown who is for illegals. Instead of you savage supporters spinning for a liberal cult leader like Savage, why don't you spin for America, for freedom, for conservatism, and against Democrats/socialism and against Amnesty?

You keep spinning or saying that all the evidence i put up is a lie and calling me names. It doesn't matter what I am.Savage is the one who has power to affect elections and he did . He helped Democrats gain power and now Democrats are trying to pass Amnesty for 20 million illegals something that the Republicans Savage tears apart didn't pass in 12 years they were in control. You keep saying that what i say is lies and calling me names. I did put up several links from different web sites backing up my allegations against Savage. And in my previous posts i have links to the rest of the points (mostly links to other freepers who have can back up what I said). Still I don't know if i have time to put up links to every little point I make to fight against your tactics of calling me a liar and a bush bot and just insinuating that every thing i say is wrong and silly. I don't know if i want to put up with that either as i like to engage in fair debate not that it hurts my feelings or anything. what's it to you anyway? do you care that Savage helped Democrats get into power? that is an undeniable fact. Savage bashed the GOP so relentlessly during the election year that Savage helped Democrats get into power.

230 posted on 06/03/2007 12:54:07 AM PDT by rurgan ("Government is not the solution to our problems.Government is the Problem" - President Reagan)
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68

Sometime between November 7, 2008 and January 19, 2009, President Bush will sign the Social Security Totalization Agreement vis a vis Mexico.


231 posted on 06/03/2007 12:59:11 AM PDT by happygrl (Dunderhead for HONOR)
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To: calcowgirl
>>"White House officials said it had led them to engage the blogosphere in a concerted way for the first time, posting defenses on liberal and conservative sites."

Doesn't surprise me a bit. One observation: I doubt it was really the first time.<<

Some of them are posting on Free Republic. (Only joking...I think...)

232 posted on 06/03/2007 1:30:04 AM PDT by SerpentDove (Club liberals, not seals.)
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To: Iscool

“We are the most charitable country on the face of the earth...We support millions of third world citizens...That will be history when we become them...”

Ain’t that the truth!?


233 posted on 06/03/2007 1:44:40 AM PDT by Rick_Michael (Fred Thompson)
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To: my_pointy_head_is_sharp

Yeah, why have doors either.....no one will ever steal, because we’re confident,.!?


234 posted on 06/03/2007 1:46:16 AM PDT by Rick_Michael (Fred Thompson)
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To: nj26

NO anchor babies.

NO automatic citizenship for alien children born in USA.


235 posted on 06/03/2007 2:42:13 AM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: nj26
Mr. Rove said he did not think that anger over immigration within the party would affect support for the president on the war and other national security issues.

Rove, you not-so-magnificent bastard. You can't see this coming? hello?

236 posted on 06/03/2007 2:57:24 AM PDT by ovrtaxt (I would rather vote for Lindsay Lohan than Lindsey Graham.)
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To: nj26

Every day that I log onto FR, I see more and shriller headlines referring to “the base”. Reminds me of a typical, early Chaves speech in which he says “democracy” twice a sentence. Makes us sound like al Qaeda.


237 posted on 06/03/2007 3:22:38 AM PDT by cake_crumb (May I never live to see the day America has a 'popular war'. God bless our troops.)
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To: nj26; Lijahsbubbe
White House officials said it had led them to engage the blogosphere in a concerted way for the first time, posting defenses on liberal and conservative sites.
That is an amazing admission! Posting on the public dime?
Any lawyers in the house who can tell us if this is legal?
238 posted on 06/03/2007 3:24:50 AM PDT by philman_36
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To: philman_36

This is an effort on the administration’s part to be nice for a while prior to dropping the hammer. It is their technique.

I’ve always said that the first illegal alien bill must be:

1. Total closure of all borders and coasts.

In my mind, the 2nd should be:

2. Full criminalization of any illegal voting in any precinct in America, and penalties for precinct workers who do not fully check all voters’ identification to prevent illegal voting.


239 posted on 06/03/2007 3:30:04 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain And Proud of It! Those who support the troops will pray for them to WIN!)
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To: LadyNavyVet
I thought I smelled a whiff o’ the Potomac on a few posters here lately.
Do tell! (as in could you expand on that observation with some threads and/or names)
240 posted on 06/03/2007 3:31:40 AM PDT by philman_36
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