Posted on 06/16/2007 12:44:14 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
Now that the president has tried to revive the comatose Senate amnesty bill, at least as big a question as whether he can bring it back to life is why on earth he would want to?
Sure, he wants a win because he hasn't had one lately. Sure, he wants a (gulp) legacy because it's that clock-ticking time in his second term. But why this particular attempted win, which his political base sees only as betrayal? Why this hoped-for legacy, which would eliminate him from any conservative pantheon? "It's a very emotional issue." That's what the president says by way of describing the acid turmoil his "comprehensive" immigration reform push has caused, particularly among conservatives.
He's right on one level, but I get the impression he makes the point to dismiss his opponents' objections as volcanic eruptions of feeling, rather than legitimate and reasonable arguments.
At the same time, immigration reform is a very emotional issue for Bush himself. Too emotional. When it comes to illegal aliens -- in particular, illegal aliens from Mexico -- the man seems to be governed by his gut. And that, of course, is no way to govern.
I say this having gone back over the immigration file that has piled up during this administration. A strong emotional thread connecting Bush to the issue comes through stories about his beloved Mexican-born housekeeper/nannies, and through stories about his political associates with Mexican roots, such as Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, or campaign aide Israel Hernandez, "whom," Newsweek noted last year, "Bush hired after hearing his family story."
Bush just loves those family stories. No one needs a shrink's couch to imagine the inspiring effect of immigrant success stories on an Establishment scion like Bush, who, while he may have had to struggle for his Texas twang, never had to struggle for much else -- at least anything essential. From the big chair on the hacienda porch, with that "sense of Southwestern noblesse" Newsweek's Howard Fineman fancifully attributes to Bush's possible notion of himself as a hacendado (landowner), the president's admiration seems to know few bounds.
"When you grow up in Texas like ... I did," Bush recently told McClatchy Newspapers, "you recognize the decency and hard work and humanity of Hispanics." A lovely testimonial, but hardly a criterion on which to offer amnesty to some 12 to 20 million illegal aliens, even if they are mainly Hispanic. Half the world's population are undoubtedly just as decent, hard-working and humane, but that doesn't qualify the non-Hispanic billions (who haven't broken innumerable U.S. laws) for citizenship -- at least not yet.
But the rosy -- better, hazy--view from the hacienda porch doesn't take this in. Instead, Bush not only imagines comprehensively reforming the illegal, mainly Hispanic millions into citizens, but also "assimilating" them into Americans. The president doesn't seem to have noticed that the multicultural states of America long ago junked the "assimilation" process as being "Eurocentric," "racist" and worse. Nope, he's still talking about "this system's capacity to assimilate newcomers" as though it's the Statue of Liberty's birthday -- her 50th birthday in 1936. This "capacity to assimilate," he says, "has been one of the great, powerful traditions of America. It works, and it will work this time."
It will? Question from McClatchy: "Do you think we assimilate immmigrants as well as in previous waves?"
Bush's answer: "Absolutely."
Obviously, Bush hasn't ridden a rush-hour bus where no English is spoken, or listened to a business office recording asking "oprima el numero dos." But not even the presidential bubble excuses him from failing to notice the cultural transformation this country has undergone over the past half century. From his inviolate state of oblivion, Bush views "a backlash against newcomers" as being the only conceivable threat to the assimilation process -- and more. "I am deeply concerned about America losing its soul," he said, bemoaning the country's opposition to illegal -- illegal -- immigration. "I am worried that a backlash to newcomers could cause our country to lose its great capacity to assimilate newcomers."
America's soul has been gasping for survival for ages. This has nothing to do with Bush's "backlash" bogeyman--which, frankly, sounds like another slap at Americans who want U.S. sovereignty upheld. Maybe Bush is just being emotional. But it's clear where his emotions lie, and it's not with conservatives. And I don't think they stop at the border, either.
Just say NO to Illegal Alien Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
I repeat. This issue divides people into two groups: those who believe in the concept of the United States of America as a nation, and those who don’t.
Interesting how Pres. Bush totally sidesteps the issue of legality by referring to these law-breakers as “newcomers.”
The use of such a neutral word is inappropriate here. The VAST MAJORITY of these so-called “newcomers” are, in fact, illegal invaders.
Dear JH2,
Thank you for finding and posting these articles. I truly appreciate your efforts to spread awareness. This is another one of those nightmares that just defies belief. How did this happen to/in our great country. We let it happen. You are a patriot.
For me, this article offers the best explanation for Bush’s efforts (obsession?). I have stuck by him through thick and thin but this is the second time, and more so than the Harriet Miers episode, where I seriously wonder WHAT IS HE THINKING (can you imagine the frustration within his administration)! This issue triggers severe disappointment and leads me to a little appreciation for those who mock him for his broken record explanations (only just a little as I wouldn’t want to yield ANY ground to a leftist for ANY reason).
"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 Palelologus
am·nes·ty –noun 1. a general pardon for offenses, esp. political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
2. Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, esp. to a class of persons as a whole.
3. a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense. –verb (used with object) 4. to grant amnesty to; pardon.
Makes you wonder where the real Jerry Rivers went to get back his good name after Geraldo was done with it.
Can't you just hear the condescension dripping from this man's voice? The rest of us who didn't grow up in Tejas are just ignorant, drooling knuckle-dragging racists because we don't want illegal invaders coming into our country in waves and changing the very soul of it overnight.
"I am deeply concerned about America losing its soul," he said, bemoaning the country's opposition to illegal -- illegal -- immigration. "I am worried that a backlash to newcomers could cause our country to lose its great capacity to assimilate newcomers."
America's soul has been gasping for survival for ages.
Amen to the (author's) last comment. America's not gasping for it's soul because we reject illegal immigrants. It's because a sizable portion of our culture (liberals) live in a feverish fairyland that ignores economic and physical reality while our politicans and media cater to their every delusional whim.
I think you can add to that a large group who are oblivious to the concept.
When breaking the law and acting as if you’re owed something... even though you never corrected the situation, is decency... we need to change the definition.
U.S. Constitution, Article 4 Section 4:
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,
1. The act of invading; the act of encroaching upon the rights or possessions of another; encroachment; trespass.
It's easy to recognize decency and hard work when it's not your job, lifestyle, or neighborhood being third worldified. And to think I voted for this POS.
You can't help wonder if frustration at seeing that pipe dream proved wrong (and the subsequent failings to adjust course to deal with the brutal reality of post-war Iraq, and the Muslim world in general) is further fueling this frenzied push to ram amnesty through.
A legacy of self-justification?
I was ambivalent before those marches.....they made me go AGAINST THEM.
Ditto.
Furthermore, I have concluded the WOT is a farce so long as this situation exists.
I live and work in downtown Seattle and simply didn't care until those clowns started clambering up and down the streets every May 1st, snarling traffic while laughably demanding "equality" and shouting in the faces of people who live and work under the Rule of Law.
That was the primary tactical error of the amnesty bill supporters: introducing the bill within a couple weeks of the most recent march....when it was fresh in the minds of everyone whose commute was turned into a 4 hour nightmare because a bunch of crybabies aren't willing to follow the rules.
The timing added insult to treason.
Personally, I was amazed at how immediately livid I became over it. If the bill supporters had waited a few months, I would have just been mad. As it was, I am furious.
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