Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ultimate explanation for George Bush's immigration & amnesty push - by John Derbyshire
National Review ^ | July 2, 2007 2:20 PM | John Derbyshire

Posted on 07/04/2007 12:58:17 AM PDT by dennisw

What a Waste. Steve Sailer said it all.
[L]et's stop and think about what an enormous waste of six years it has been for the President, aided and abetted by the almost the entire American Establishment, to pursue his delusion of imposing his immigration obsession on the citizenry. Even leaving aside how much better the immigration situation would be if Bush had followed his oath and simply enforced the damn laws, imagine what he would have been able to accomplish legislatively in other areas without wasting time, energy, and political capital on a losing proposition like this.

Well, why did he? Why did the president push this appalling bill with such passion and such arrogance? A number of theories are current. On a realist-to-romantic, or prose-to-poetry, spectrum, they are:

Machiavelli. Bush has been persuaded, probably by Karl Rove, of the following theorem: Hispanics are now a large proportion of the electorate, and are destined, via differential birthrates, to become a larger one. It’s important for the Republican party to win over these voters by doing Hispanic-friendly things. As a rough first approximation, Immigrant=Hispanic, so that a kind’n’gentle policy on immigration should be pleasing to Hispanics.

Bicycle. Someone — perhaps a visitor from the Wall Street Journal editorial page — has persuaded Bush that the U.S. economy would come to a juddering halt and fall over if not fed by a steady stream of unskilled immigrants working for below-minimum wages.

Pauline Kael. Bush has never in his life mixed socially with any person whose job or neighborhood quality is threatened by mass unskilled immigration. To the people he does mix with socially, unskilled immigrants are a good source of servant labor, or a way to “socialize the costs, privatize the profits” of enterprises they own or invest in. This puts us in somewhat the same zone as Pauline Kael’s famous bafflement on hearing that Nixon had been elected president: “How is that possible? I don’t know anyone who voted for him.” Can elite Americans really be that out of touch with reality? Believe me, gentle reader, they can.

Noblesse oblige. Bush’s childhood experience of friendly, deferential Mexican servants and employees, and of his Dad’s elite Mexican friends in the oil business, disposed him so kindly towards Mexicans in general, he is keen to do anything to (a) please the Mexican authorities, and (b) avoid any appearance of unkindness or lack of generosity towards Mexicans in general (e.g. by apprehending illegal Mexican immigrants). The first approximation here is even rougher than the Rovian one: Immigrant=Mexican.

Evangelical. The president is known to cleave to a generous and universalist (if you like it), or naive and sappy (if you don’t) style of evangelical Christianity. He sees himself, in his own mind, holding out his arms, murmuring: “Suffer the little immigrants to come unto me.” While by no means despicable as a personal lifestyle choice, this may not be a good foundation for national policy.

My guess is that there is some combination of all these at work, but with the center of gravity down in the romantic zone. W is an intelligent man, but he’s a feeler more than a thinker, consulting his heart before his head, and sometimes forgetting to consult his head at all. This can be an endearing trait under some circumstances. The forming of national policy is not one of those circumstances.




TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; bbs; bds; blowbackfordubya; bush; collaborators; derbyshire; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; isolationists; noamnestyforillegals; protectionists; sellouts; vampirebill
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 241-253 next last
To: nicmarlo; All

“Yep...shipping out jobs and shipping in cheap labor, driving down wages, decreasing number of middle class, increasing number of lower class....reducing lifestyles for most all”

“Thrifty working class”

Mr. Potter

“It’s a Wonderful Life” 1946


181 posted on 07/05/2007 1:40:11 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 178 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker
Mr. Potter

Where's George Bailey and his angel????

182 posted on 07/05/2007 1:41:56 PM PDT by nicmarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 181 | View Replies]

To: nicmarlo

“Where’s George Bailey and his angel????”

Well, you just asked “The Big Question of 2007”


183 posted on 07/05/2007 1:43:21 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 182 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker

They must be strolling about somewhere, with amnesia still?


184 posted on 07/05/2007 1:45:59 PM PDT by nicmarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 183 | View Replies]

To: blam

“They’re still coming!! (Nothing Changed!!)”

Time to HAMMER the House!!


185 posted on 07/05/2007 1:46:21 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 179 | View Replies]

To: dennisw

The immigration bill was supposed to be Bush’s “legacy”. It was what he wanted to point to in the history books if Iraq didn’t work out. That’s one big reason why he clung so tightly to it, and why Fred Barnes, for example, gave it so much support.


186 posted on 07/05/2007 1:46:55 PM PDT by x
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nicmarlo

“They must be strolling about somewhere, with amnesia still?”

No doubt : )


187 posted on 07/05/2007 1:50:39 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 184 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker

What was it that woke George Bailey up....can we hit some of “ours” with the same? : )


188 posted on 07/05/2007 1:52:04 PM PDT by nicmarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 187 | View Replies]

To: x; All

“The immigration bill was supposed to be Bush’s “legacy”.”

Some legacy.............wholesaling the USA to the poorest, uneducated illegal immigrants.


189 posted on 07/05/2007 1:57:31 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 186 | View Replies]

To: WhiteGuy

Post #62 Bump!


190 posted on 07/05/2007 1:58:08 PM PDT by EverOnward
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: WhiteGuy

“It seems that the real core cause of bush’s obsession with flooding our society with illegals stems from his life as a privileged elitist. To many ties to those who benefit from the steady elimination of the middle class, many of those ties are secured by his bloodline.
The millions of Americans who were willing to elect this type of politician just to be on the winning side or because the other candidate would be worse have put US all in a very dangerous position.

Perhaps We The People when considering their choices should consider just how close to the elitist party establishment their candidate is before putting on the blinders and following.”

Amen, brother!! No more Ivy league, skull & bones elitists!!


191 posted on 07/05/2007 2:03:45 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: nicmarlo

America has had a true wake up call!

We need to clean out all those who voted for amnesty!


192 posted on 07/05/2007 2:05:54 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 188 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker
BELOW ARE THE 46 SENATORS WHO VOTED TO PUSH THIS AMNESTY BILL FORWARD

REPUBLICANS
DEMOCRATS

Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)

Bob Bennett (R-UT)

Larry Craig (R-ID)

Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)

Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Trent Lott (R-MS)

Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Mel Martinez (R-FL)

John McCain (R-AZ)

Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)
Joseph R. Biden (D-DE)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Robert P. Casey (D-PA)
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT)
Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI)
Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
John F. Kerry (D-MA)
Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Joe Lieberman (ID-CT)
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Barack Obama (D-IL)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Charles E. Schumer (D-NY)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)


193 posted on 07/05/2007 2:08:59 PM PDT by nicmarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 192 | View Replies]

To: nicmarlo

“REPUBLICANS DEMOCRATS
Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)

Bob Bennett (R-UT)

Larry Craig (R-ID)

Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Chuck Hagel (R-NE)

Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

Trent Lott (R-MS)

Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Mel Martinez (R-FL)

John McCain (R-AZ)

The “Twelve Trolls”

And last year, I traded Feinstein & Boxer for McCain & Kyl

I’m a loser..................

LMBO!!


194 posted on 07/05/2007 2:18:07 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 193 | View Replies]

To: dennisw

ZERO of these are right.

They are all valid motivations, but NONE are correct.

Money obviously is pushing for free for all between mexico and the US in terms of mexicans coming over.... and yes Big business loves slave labor.. they aren’t over there in China for nothing.

The reality is there is a push for a E.U. situation in NA.. and its got some big backers.

However none of these motivations alone can eplain why the US has for nearly 3 decades turned its back on securing its own southern border.

The reality is not nearly as devious or complex as most have told.

The reality is simple:

Mexico is a corrupt and less than stable country. It is a country that NEEDS to collapse to force the end to this corruption.... However it will not be allowed to. Clinton bailed it out in the 90s, and Bush et al are doing everything to keep it functioning today.

The reality is simple, without the Billions of dollars that these illegals send back to Mexico every year, that nation would collapse. Period. Social and political upheaval would be created, as the people of mexico finally turned their ire properly on their corrupt government and demanded a new government and reform. This “failure” in mexico MUST occur if this nation is EVER going to reform, and join the modern world and actually be able to attract foreign investment and create jobs domestically.

The problem though is, mexico collapsing would not be in the short term best interest of the US. We have enough on our plate to deal with, than to risk a possible Communist/hard socialist nation pop up on our southern border as a result of the upheaval. Political instability along the southern border is not something the US is willing to deal with at this time. We have terrorists to deal with, a resurging Cold war with Russia, a growing cold war with China, though few would admit it... etc etc etc.

It is not uncommon for Communism to temporarily win the day when 3rd world nations faulter, their sale of the corrupt capitalists brought you here, look and see how they live/ed in oppulance while you could not feed your kids.. they brought this upon you. And in spite of what anyone tells you, Mexico is a 3rd world country, and socialism and communism are resurging in central and south america.

Keeping Mexico politically stable, and keeping that cashflow from the US to Mexico through these illegals is the #1 reason why so many people on both sides of the isle are sticking their neck out.. its also why the laws have never been enforced against mexicans.... If you are from anywhere but mexico you are deported immediately, ICE even has a term for everyone that isn’t mexican coming over hte southern border... OTM’s (other than mexicans) OTMs are shipped out ASAP... Mexicans are released and a blind eye turned. this has been ongoing policy for decades... it isn’t something new, and it isn’t something BUSH created.

Until the United States Government is willing to let Mexico rightly fail like the corrupt and failing system that it is, and continues to view keeping Mexico stable as more important than enforcing our border... NOTHING will be done, no matter what laws they pass on paper.


195 posted on 07/05/2007 2:20:07 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker
The “Twelve Trolls” And last year, I traded Feinstein & Boxer for McCain & Kyl I’m a loser..................

yep...u dun reel gut.

: )

196 posted on 07/05/2007 2:21:11 PM PDT by nicmarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 194 | View Replies]

To: nicmarlo

When I moved to Arizona, Kyl was anti amnesty, and I thought JD Hayworth would win. How things change : )


197 posted on 07/05/2007 2:23:18 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 196 | View Replies]

To: stephenjohnbanker

The Bush & Co. took care of Hayworth AND Randy Graf.


198 posted on 07/05/2007 2:24:24 PM PDT by nicmarlo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 197 | View Replies]

To: Robert A. Cook, PE

Yes, and in that sense, “White House Director of Communications” is somewhat of an oxymoron.


199 posted on 07/05/2007 2:26:30 PM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (Sad so many members of the World's Policeman--our fellow Americans--know little about their "beat")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 161 | View Replies]

To: AmericanInTokyo

LOL!!


200 posted on 07/05/2007 2:28:24 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 199 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220 ... 241-253 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson