[Sabertooth]

"I think some people in the White House had hoped that this 245(i) bamboozle might fool Mexicans into thinking it was an extraordinary gesture, but the Mexicans understand this one is a minute gesture," said Demetrios Papademetriou, co-director of the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute. A change in 245(i) change "is to pretend as if we were doing something."

So much for the President's down-payment on pandering to Latinos.

"We need more Amnesties."

[GeronL]

Actually he probably picked up some votes, the Democrats look like they killed the bill. I didn't like the idea- but its defeat seems likely to help Bush. weird.

[dennisw]

Immigration bill's failure disappoints president

________________________

I don't think this Frankenstein has been killed yet. But the peasants with torches and pitchforks are chasing it down.

[Tancredo Fan]

So much for the President's down-payment on pandering to Latinos.

This ridiculous tactic may well have backfired. Don't forget that quite a few Hispanics are opposed to amnesties and this shameless pandering. Add that group to the huge group of irate real Republicans and 2004 doesn't look like a sure bet.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thank you, innocentbystander! I just wanted to congratulate you on your intelligent and reasonable comment, which I read the other day on another thread. You comments were right on target:

To: JohnHuang2

Bush is a friggin genius.

He had his Mexico meeting and all the good will that went with it. Now it is left to the Dems to remove the one part of the bill that Mexico wanted.

Bush doesnt get blamed for the immigration clause, while the Democrats get blamed for its EXCLUSION!! Every one here is happy, but the immigrant population blames the Dems instead of Bush!

Masterful, Mr Rove!

8 posted on 3/18/02 10:53 PM Pacific by innocentbystander
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You were absolutely right! By reading this article it's clear that was GW's intentions. Nevertheless, the Bush haters even in the face of this article fail to realize that this was GW's ultimate political end-game plan.

The reality was this, as this article indicates:

Passage of the bill would, in fact, allow certain undocumented immigrants to file residency applications without having to leave the country. Current law, covered by Section 245(i) of the U.S. immigration statute, requires such immigrants to return home for as long as 10 years.

To qualify, immigrants would need a family member or employer as a sponsor and need to prove the relationship existed before Aug. 15, 2001. They also would have to pay a $1,000 fine and prove that they were in the country on or before Dec. 21, 2000.

But immigration experts said passage of 245(i) is a minor issue between the United States and Mexico, affecting a small number of immigrants.

SMALL NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS! It was never millions as most of "the sky is falling" types on these threads were screaming about. And the bill now has failed.