Williams gets it EXACTLY right!
“Well there you have it. If you tell people that it’s not amnesty, they like it! However, is this a realistic interpretation of true American sentiment on the subject of immigration reform? If so, why are so many Americans working so hard to shut the effort down in congress?
Is it true that the average American is just too stupid to know what amnesty is all about? Or, did talk radio simply wind up a bunch of racist malcontents and send them marching to Washington under the false impression that certain senators were attempting to ram amnesty for illegals through congress? Is Bush right, that average Americans just don’t understand such complex issues and the need for comprehensive solutions?
Bush wants you to know “the facts” that drive his quest for amnesty. So, the White House has issued their Immigration Fact Check: Responding to Key Myths for your consideration.(2)
However, after writing on this subject numerous times over the last few years, and more importantly, reading tons of related reader mail and blog comments, in numbers far greater than the 400 used in the Tarrance survey, my interpretation of voter sentiment on the matter is quite different.
Allow me to summarize what I am hearing from the American people…
* Americans want enforcement first, period!
* Americans want the borders closed and permanently secured.
* They want the problem stopped at the 12-20 million already here before discussing anything else.
It is just that simple. This is what most Americans are saying, in case anyone cares.”
(snip)
“They have only a few conditions for those here illegally who wish to remain.
* No voting rights, EVER!
* Come out of the shadows, assimilate into American culture, leave your Mexican flag in Mexico
* Pay your fines and back taxes
* No criminal or gang activities or you are headed back home immediately
* Get temporary legal status, while you wait in line with all legal immigrants for permanent status
* No tax-payer funded benefits or assistance of any kind
* No more illegals allowed under any circumstances”
You would see support for this bill dry up rather quickly if the first condition — no voting rights ever — was tacked on as an amendment. Where is the brave senator who will do that?
Now that seems perfectly sensible to me. I don’t know why more people don’t see that! They just don’t want to look at it, and see if there are things in that bill that have any merit. But you have some good points that I can agree with in that list.