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Bush Immigration Plan Meets GOP Opposition: Lawmakers Resist Temporary-Worker Proposal
Washington Post ^ | 1/2/05 | Michael A. Fletcher

Posted on 01/01/2005 9:18:56 PM PST by nj26

President Bush's plan to liberalize the nation's immigration laws to allow millions of undocumented workers the opportunity for legal status appears to be on a collision course with newly aroused sentiment among House Republicans pushing for a crackdown on illegal immigration.

Bush describes his immigration proposal as one of the top goals of his second term, calling it a humane way to get a handle on the nation's mushrooming illegal immigration problem. Republican strategists, led by White House chief political adviser Karl Rove, also see the proposal as an important element in their plan to expand the party's base among the nation's fast-growing Hispanic population.

The key prong in Bush's plan is a temporary-worker program that would offer the nation's estimated 10 million illegal immigrants a chance to earn legal status that would allow them to stay in the country as long as six years. Once they register as temporary workers, they would be eligible to begin the long process of applying for citizenship or permanent residency.

"It's a compassionate way to treat people who come to our country. It recognizes the reality of the world in which we live," Bush said during a news conference last week. "There are some people -- there are some jobs in America that Americans won't do and others are willing to do."

But an increasingly vocal group of House Republicans is threatening to undercut Bush's vision, which the president has discussed with passion but has not formally advanced since taking office in 2001. Many House Republicans oppose any effort to grant legal status to undocumented workers, saying it would have the effect of rewarding law-breakers. Instead, they are seeking to ratchet up enforcement efforts against undocumented workers, an approach with proven voter appeal if unproven results when it comes to slowing illegal immigration.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; bush; congress; immigration
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1 posted on 01/01/2005 9:18:57 PM PST by nj26
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To: nj26

Jobs Americans won't do ... yada yada yada....

[This whole amnesty for illegals (by whatever name they want to call it) should end up in the same heap pile of rubbish legislation as Hillary's healthcare fiasco a decade ago.]

If GW keeps pushing for it, he will hand the keys to the White House to Hillary in '08.


2 posted on 01/01/2005 9:26:27 PM PST by TomGuy (America: Best friend or worst enemy. Choose wisely.)
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To: nj26
Guest worker program can come after we build a wall and give back Mexico its convicts.
3 posted on 01/01/2005 9:29:09 PM PST by bahblahbah
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To: nj26

Thank goodness someone's standing up to the deluge. This is my biggest beef with Bush (who is otherwise KICKING BUTT), the second being overspending.


4 posted on 01/01/2005 9:30:53 PM PST by VictoryGal (Never give up, never surrender!)
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To: nj26

Bush and Rove may both feel they have Political Capitol to spend here on this Border Control and Immigration Policy. We must make sure they know without a doubt They are FLAT BROKE when it comes to these two issues!

Control the Borders, Walls, Fences, Entances, Computer Databases, Application for Immigration. Control, Control, Control!!! Hunt down and Deport Illegal Aliens!! There is no other way! The southern border and the Northern Border.

If we can spend Billions on the Iraqis and protecting them, 350 million in Aid for Asia, we can control our borders, the way they should be controlled and hunt down illegal Aliens and deport them. Put a $500.00 dollar bounty on their A$$ES and Big Fines on companies or anyone who hides and Illegal alien.

It wont take long to track them down, put them on a bus and send them home. Make sure we charge their Home Country for their tickets home too along with any medical and food bills! If the Mother and/or father is illegal, the child is illegal. Regardless if they were born on US soil or not.
Change the law so that the children of illegal aliens are illegal. Parents must be naturalized Citizens of the US.


5 posted on 01/01/2005 9:32:57 PM PST by 26lemoncharlie (Sede Vacante')
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To: nj26
"It's a compassionate way to treat people who come to our country. It recognizes the reality of the world in which we live," Bush said during a news conference last week. "There are some people -- there are some jobs in America that Americans won't do and others are willing to do."

He has a point, but this approach does not promote innovation, which would be a better solution to this problem.

6 posted on 01/01/2005 9:33:34 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: VictoryGal

"Thank goodness someone's standing up to the deluge."

As long as we continue doing a good job of grass-roots activism, reminding our party leaders about Hillary's potential to manipulate this issue in 2008, and telling our Congresspersons that we'll remember amnesty when we vote in 2006, I think there is a good chance that Bush's amnesty plan can be stopped.


7 posted on 01/01/2005 9:34:17 PM PST by nj26
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To: 26lemoncharlie

"If we can spend Billions on the Iraqis and protecting them, 350 million in Aid for Asia, we can control our borders, the way they should be controlled and hunt down illegal Aliens and deport them."

An electrified fence would go a long way toward solving this problem. Doesn't need to be deadly force.

And, you're right: Deter, Detect, Detain, Deport. It's that simple.

We need to bring our party back to the CONSERVATIVE principles of border security, law and order, and national sovereignty.


8 posted on 01/01/2005 9:36:29 PM PST by nj26
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To: TomGuy

The only way this becomes an issue favorable for Hillary is if the Republican Congress does nothing. Let's have some legislation that 1) addresses the illegal immigrants here and 2) deals with the ongoing problem.

This isn't rubbish legislation since the legislators have done absolutely nothing but yap and beat their chests for years. Meanwhile the problem grows. I'm not sure that a guest worker program that forced illegal immigrants to come forward and identify themselves, combined with a stiff deportation program for the remainder wouldn't make sense. It at least seems to open an avenue of compromise that might lead to an actual solution.


9 posted on 01/01/2005 9:43:41 PM PST by Dolphy
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To: nj26
Yawn. Just another " Bush is a traitor because he won't kick out all the Mexicans so I can be given a job " thread.

In the 1960's the racists cloaked themselves in "states rights", now the anti-Hispanic racists cloak themselves in "illegal."

10 posted on 01/01/2005 9:47:10 PM PST by bayourod (The states and cities with large immigrant labor pools are the prosperous ones.)
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To: Dolphy

"I'm not sure that a guest worker program that forced illegal immigrants to come forward and identify themselves, combined with a stiff deportation program for the remainder wouldn't make sense."

Do you really believe that Bush has any intention of deporting anyone? After he went on tv and called them "good hearted people" just looking for work?

He'll legalize some of the illegals, the remaining illegals will stay, and the prospect of amnesty will just increase future illegal immigration.

Enforcement has to be the FIRST step in this process. Not a vague promise of enforcement after legalization.

Bush has a soft spot on illegal immigration. He just doesn't have the backbone to defend our borders.


11 posted on 01/01/2005 9:47:32 PM PST by nj26
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To: bayourod

"The states and cities with large immigrant labor pools are the prosperous ones"

I didn't notice Los Angeles or Miami as being at the top of the list in terms of "prosperity" or job creation. Try cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, or Dallas/Fort Worth.

Major employers have been leaving Los Angeles County and Miami/Dade County as quickly as they can. How many corporate headquarters are left in Los Angeles? Not many.


12 posted on 01/01/2005 10:03:51 PM PST by nj26
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To: nj26

"Republican strategists, led by White House chief political adviser Karl Rove, also see the proposal as an important element in their plan to expand the party's base among the nation's fast-growing Hispanic population."

Three words...SCREW KARL ROVE


13 posted on 01/01/2005 10:05:20 PM PST by politicalwit (Import poverty...hire an illegal today)
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To: nj26
Enforcement has to be the FIRST step in this process.

I don't believe I've ever heard more than a few words out of Dubya on enforcement. Weasel words at that. Catch & release is the border mantra and actions against employers are even lower than when Billy Jeff Clinton was befouling the Oral Office.

Okay, so we got the great Arizona Border Control Initiative with its $10 million funding. We also got a program to fly illegals back home in comfort that cost $13 million -- paid to a Mexican airline.

Sound like a lot? It ain't. That $23 million is still less than 10% of the cost of a single F-22 Raptor (currently $258 mil per copy).

14 posted on 01/01/2005 10:08:53 PM PST by JackelopeBreeder (Proud to be a mean-spirited & divisive loco gringo armed terrorist vigilante cucaracha!)
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To: nj26

Right on. Vigilance people! Make dang sure Bush knows where his bread is buttered!


15 posted on 01/01/2005 10:24:44 PM PST by VictoryGal (Never give up, never surrender!)
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To: VictoryGal

"...Bush knows where his bread is buttered."

Don't you mean tortilla?


16 posted on 01/01/2005 10:26:50 PM PST by politicalwit (Import poverty...hire an illegal today)
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To: bayourod
Yawn. Just another " Bush is a traitor because he won't kick out all the Mexicans so I can be given a job " thread.

Yawn. Just another anti-American La Raza talking point from bayourod.

In the 1960's the racists cloaked themselves in "states rights", now the anti-Hispanic racists cloak themselves in "illegal."

More La Raza propaganda and Race Card waving from bayourod.

17 posted on 01/01/2005 10:49:16 PM PST by usadave
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To: nj26

Regardless of how somebody comes here, once here they squeeze out babies at taxpayer expense.

The child is a citizen, and on that basis the immigrants can get permanent residence status, to be in the US with their citizen child.

At this point, the coffers of government open, with Section 8 HUD housing, welfare, breakfasts and lunches at school, indigent healthcare, etc.

Hispanics have the highest high school drop out rates, moving on to fill the prisons. That is the scenario in California.

So all Bush's little scheme does, is to legitimize what is already taking place. His scheme does NOTHING to adress the underlying problems of open borders, and automatic citizenship.

But be comforted, al Qaida are studying the Spanish language.


18 posted on 01/01/2005 11:45:58 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: nj26; gubamyster; HiJinx; 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 4.1O dana super trac pak; ...
"It's a compassionate way to treat people who come to our country. It recognizes the reality of the world in which we live," Bush said.

Oh no he di-n't! Seriously, we have a guy in charge who's trying to run roughshod over the rule of law and the achievements of our predecessors for political convenience. Today he called for flags at half-staff for the tsunami disaster - the first for a non-American problem. Now I'm convinced our leader is a globalist trying to finalize his father's New World Order agenda. I'm just about ready to start calling for impeachment proceedings on a man who shows no interest in serving the people who reelected him.

Don't get me wrong - this disaster is probably the worst case of human loss in recorded history and we should help out where we can. I see Bush's gesture as a move toward legitimizing the idea that we're but a state in a world government at the expense of those who were wiped out. It's just flat-out wrong on several levels and wreaks of Democrat-style socialist tactics at their worst.

19 posted on 01/01/2005 11:51:29 PM PST by NewRomeTacitus (Puking up the KoolAid.)
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To: NewRomeTacitus
"this disaster is probably the worst case of human loss in recorded history "

Uh, no. I do get the point though and hear ya CLERARLY about the agenda.

20 posted on 01/02/2005 12:01:27 AM PST by endthematrix (Declare 2005 as the year the battle for freedom from tax slavery!)
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