Posted on 01/12/2005 12:50:36 PM PST by GOPXtreme20
Republican to Lead Immigration Revolt Against Bush
By Alan Elsner
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican member of the House of Representatives vowed on Wednesday to lead a revolt against President Bush (news - web sites)'s immigration reform proposals and predicted that up to 180 party members would support him.
Bush in an interview with the Washington Times published on Wednesday said he plans to force a debate in Congress this year on his proposal that would allow some illegal immigrants to obtain legal work permits in the United States.
Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, who heads the House Immigration Reform Caucus, said he was determined to block the legislation. The caucus, which had 71 members in the last Congress, argues for stronger action to stop illegal immigration and a reduction of legal migration.
"Why is this so important to the president?" Tancredo said. "Is it just the corporate interests who benefit from cheap labor? Do they have such a strong grip on our president so that he is actually willing to put our nation at risk, because open borders do put our nation at risk?
"Is it petulance, because we were able to stop it in the last Congress? Why is it so important to give amnesty to people who have broken the law?" Tancredo said.
"I'm willing to lead a fight against this and I would say there are at least 180 members of our Republican caucus who are willing at least to stop amnesty for illegal immigrants," he told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Bush has repeatedly said he views immigration reform as an important issue for his second term. In the Washington Times interview, he said it was near the top of his agenda.
"Look, whether or not you agree with the solution or not, we have a problem in America when you've got 8 million undocumented workers here," he said.
BUSH CONFIDENCE
Bush expressed confidence he could win over opponents, as he did in passing tax reform during his first term. "Initially out of the box, some people said, over my dead body would they pass tax relief ... If I listened to all that, I'd just quit, you know. But that's not the way I think."
But analysts agree that immigration reform could be much more divisive for Republicans since growing numbers of rank-and-file voters are becoming concerned at the continued influx of illegal immigrants across the Mexican border.
"No issue, not one, threatens to do more damage to the Republican coalition than immigration," said David Frum, a former White House speech writer in Bush's first term.
"There's no issue where the beliefs and interests of the party rank-and-file diverge more radically from the beliefs and interests of the party's leaders," he wrote in the National Review last month.
Bush insists he is not offering amnesty to illegal immigrants but Tancredo said that was a "manipulation of language, the kind of thing (former President) Bill Clinton would have done. There is an issue of integrity here and an issue of honesty," he said.
ping
The President could not possibly be so stupid as to think that convincing politicians to give a tax break to their constituents is on par with giving amnesty to millions who are bleeding those same constituents!
I have not figured out Bush' motivation. He does not have the political capital to pull this off. If he is successful in cramming something down our throats it will de rail the Republican Party.
Not a bad idea, but it will give the RINOs in the Senate an excuse to vote against Bush - thereby ensuring that both Social Security AND immigration are not addressed.
Thanks for the link! I'll read it later tonight.
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Agree 100%.
"What special treatment? They aren't going to get citizenship, just the privilage to pick vegetables or clean toilets, that native born Americans on welfare refuse to do."
If American farmers paid a reasonable wage, then Americans will pick the vegetables. And if American hoteliers paid a reasonable wage, then Americans will clean the toilets. Even if the cost of vegetables and hotel rooms go up, its better than having MILLIONS of foreigners taking American jobs at every level, in every industry, which is what is happening now.
I knew a couple of very fine men who did. They were combat veterans of WW2 and needed a job in their home town. I went to church with one of them. It was a way to pay the bills, not a statement of his personal worth.
Nevermind, I think I just found out.
I honestly believe that most Americans would accept the idea of a guest worker program. But how to set up this type of program, and how to determine which foreigners are chosen to participate in a guest worker program are probably the issues that many Americans still have problems with.
I voted for Bush because I believe the closer one is to the "machinery", the easier it is to get a "wrench in the cogs".
Unfortunately, President Bush is freewheeling with stripped gears.
GO TOM!!!!
You should. It was hatched by the Communist party, and pushed by members of such, principally a guy named Bert Corona.
Interesting that now the President of the United States uses such agit-speak, isn't it?
Amen.
Anyone?
LOL! I didn't notice, anyway it doesn't bother me, just shows the desperation of the Tancredo crowd on FR, IMO.
They are morphing into hillary with their personal attack ad hominems.
He should turn the argument around. Not that corporations benefit from emloying cheap labor, but they pass on the cost to the tax-payers. It is the tax-payers that are hurting from illegal immigration. I haven't looked at the data, but it is at least a good theory.
Ok, so I guess that you would rather have our borders wide-open to uneducated illegal aliens slobs and serve themselves as semi-slaves to people living in upper-class illy-White communities. Have you ever been to Southern California or perhaps been to the mean streets of LA and see how unfettered illegal immigration has done for us?!?!
I am sick and tired of people trying to say that it's ok for an illegal alien to take over jobs that American working men and women can do. I live in Southern California and I can tell you first hand how this illegal alien issue has become a third-rail here. You have radio talk shows like the John and Ken show or the Terry Anderson show that always talk passionally about this issue.
I hate to say this to do you but I personally felt that you aren't affected by this illegal alien problem or perhaps you simply don't give a damn about it.
That's ridiculous. There is NO such thing as "jobs Americans refuse to do." It's just a matter of pay. Set the pay high enough and Americans will line up to do it.
Let's modify it as necessary. I'm not afraid to take baby steps on this issue, it's vital that it is openly debated and analyzed. But we have to do something, quickly, because the specter of 10 million illegally resident immigrants moving, living and working among us is unacceptable and we can never locate and deport all these people through police without giving up the civil liberties of all Americans. I don't want random roadblocks where I have to prove to Federal Agents that my papers are in order. We need to find a way to get these working folks to come forward themselves without fear of arrest and deportation. We need to address those who come here with no jobs, no prospects and are welfare parasites - they need to be returned to their native countries. That's a larger welfare issue. It's the only option in a lousy set of options.
Mexico needs a regime change. Iraq was a mistake and a distraction.
Or, perhaps BENEFITS by illegal aliens.
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