[yoe]

I honestly believe our President was badly misled by his advisors on this issue. Tom Ridge and Condi Rice should have known just how bad the illegal alien problem is on our borders...they obviously didn't take the time to really find out. President Bush must ask the Congress to table his proposals until this mess can be sorted out.

Meanwhile continue the round up of aliens and visa abusers and deport them. Some one should tell President Bush that V. Fox is not his friend, nor is being politically correct about any of this; it is the wrong thing to do. The right thing to do would be to consult with Tom Tancredo (sp), regardless of Karl Rove's disapproval.

[glock rocks]

According to the letter, President Bush's immigration proposal has left many conservatives "dismayed, angry and confused."

Bonk!

[Action-America]

YES!

 

[sinkspur]

So, adopt Tancredo's plan. (It's not that much different from Bush's.)

It'll shut him and his rabid followers up, and save massive amounts of bandwidth on Free Republic.

[AGreatPer]

I am convinced this is all part of a "magic mirrors" plan to convince border line Rats that Bush is their man too. All a plan to get reelected.

Watch what happens during his 2nd term. Complete reverse. But to do that, you must get elected the 2nd time.

[Pubbie]

"Tom Ridge and Condi Rice should have known just how bad the illegal alien problem is on our borders...they obviously didn't take the time to really find out. President Bush must ask the Congress to table his proposals until this mess can be sorted out."

Be careful there - The Condi Rice in 2008 RINOs on FR are going to have you boiled in oil for goring their sacred cow.

And the 3 people who back Tom "Harder Vincente Harder" Ridge will also not be pleased...

[cripplecreek]

dont count him out yet. the president has developed a pattern of putting himself in a position where democrats say "gotcha", then dropping a bomb on them at the last second. he's suprised me too many times for me to get very upset with the illegal alien situation.

im obviously no fan of illegal immigration but im taking the wait and see attitude on this one.

[Sabertooth]

In a letter addressed to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and several other members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus said they won't go along with the president's plan because it "does not address the problem appropriately."

"In fact, in our view, it will further exacerbate the problem and create discontent amongst the Republican Party," the letter said.

Jones, in a press release, said he and other lawmakers would consider alternative guest-worker legislation, as long as it does not reward lawbreakers with amnesty.

Although President Bush insists his proposal does not include amnesty, Jones said he thinks it does - because it would make illegal aliens who work in the U.S. for a number of years eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty, Jones and the other lawmakers said in their letter.

"Since the President's speech, our offices have been inundated with calls from dismayed constituents expressing vehement opposition to the Administration's proposal," the "Dear Mr. Speaker" letter said.

"If we do not listen to our constituents on this matter, our influence and effectiveness in Congress could be jeopardized. Simply put, we cannot continue to allow our immigration laws to be violated and ignored -- and illegal aliens are by definition criminals."

According to the letter, President Bush's immigration proposal has left many conservatives "dismayed, angry and confused."

"Mr. Speaker, it is our hope that you will recognize the problems the Administration's proposal has created for our constituents," the letter says.

It notes that "respect for the rule of law is a core conservative value," and it urges the Republican leadership in the House to find a solution to America's immigration problem "that is more in line with the principles of our Party and our national traditions."

"Although President Bush insists his proposal does not include amnesty, Jones said he thinks it does - because it would make illegal aliens who work in the U.S. for a number of years eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty,"

President Bush has kissed his credibility goodbye, where Illegal Aliens are concerned.

[ilgipper]

maybe, just maybe this was his plan. Make the proposal, knowing full well it would never happen.

I don't like it, but it may make sense to people more politically savvy than me. It is so far before the election that it won't impact the vote...kind of like airing your dirty laundry long before election day to lessen the effect.

This way, the Dems can't call him on it to shore up their hispanic votes, though.

[Moonman62]

I honestly believe our President was badly misled by his advisors on this issue. Tom Ridge and Condi Rice should have known just how bad the illegal alien problem is on our borders...they obviously didn't take the time to really find out. President Bush must ask the Congress to table his proposals until this mess can be sorted out.

I doubt they had any say in the matter. This proposal has Karl Rove's fingerprints all over it. His and GWB's, and probably Vincente Fox's.

[moehoward]

bumperoonie

[TheDon]

The discussion in progress. Thank goodness President Bush got it started. Now we shall see what the Congress will come up with. Hopefully, they will agree to give the President the money needed to secure the border!

[k2blader]

The way I figure it, regardless of whether or not the title of this piece is correct, there are three not-so-reassuring possibilities as to why President Bush recently proposed amnesty for illegals:

1) President Bush to some degree believes in amnesty for illegal aliens.

2) President Bush does not believe in amnesty for illegal aliens but is attempting to use the proposal to attract the “Hispanic vote”.

3) President Bush believes in amnesty for illegal aliens *and* is attempting to use the proposal to attract the “Hispanic vote”.

Any others?

[Zipporah]

"If we do not listen to our constituents on this matter, our influence and effectiveness in Congress could be jeopardized."... They had best listen to the people or THEIR jobs will be on the block.

[P.O.E.]

"...it will...create discontent amongst the Republican Party," the letter said

It will? I guess that's why they pay these guys the big bucks.

[SunStar]

Republican Lawmakers Won’t Back Bush on Immigration

Woohoo!

[Mercat]

I think he's triangulating... he pleases Fox and the Latinos in California and he lets the conservatives in Congress beat up on him to appeal to the swing voters. I'm enough of a soccer mom to like the idea of amnesty and to feel sorry for the illegals. The difference is, I don't vote my "feelings."... but I am from that PTO, suburban atmosphere... I breathe it. I think it's part of the Rove/Bush genius. I guess when you boil it down, I like George Bush as much as any politician I've ever encountered and I trust him.

[Paulus Invictus]

Unfortunately, our whole Congressional delegation is all for the amnesty idea (sorry, Bush says it is not amnesty, but if it walks like a duck...etc.). I have sent my usual complaints to our idiot Reps, but no answer means they didn see or read my letters. Oh, the humanity!

[John Jorsett]

Meanwhile continue the round up of aliens and visa abusers and deport them.

That's way too difficult. It would be better to crack down hard on the employers and cause the jobs to dry up. Without a job, they'll go home, and other won't be encouraged to come here in the first place.

I was talking to a Border Patrol agent a couple of days ago and he told me that with the Bush announcement, the flood gates are open. They're apprehending children, women, and old people, which they seldom saw earlier, and many of them are asking for amnesty as soon as they're caught. Many of the people in Mexico think amnesty is already here or just about to be granted. The smugglers, who make lots of money bringing these people across, aren't discouraging that thinking either.

[chouli]

That's an interesting thought since Bush was governor of Texas. One would think he would know something of what is going on. Are you saying his eyes are closed to what goes on around him?

[John Beresford Tipton]

"I honestly believe our President was badly misled by his advisors on this issue."

Oh, give it a rest, he's from Texas, think he never saw an illegal before?

For the last 3 years every f* up on Bush's watch was blamed on Clinton and Clinton holdovers,

Now we move on to Bush knows what he is doing, it's just "he was misled by his advisors."

It is about time to recognize the fact that "Bush" and "screw up" are terms that, sadly, too often go together, as do cause and effect.