Republican to Lead Immigration Revolt Against Bush

Reuters ^ | Jan 12, 2005 | Alan Elsner

[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.

[PokerGod]

Americans should have to compete for foreigners for jobs. It's better for our economy. pPeople who disagree with these statements are inherently anti-capitalist and un-Republican.

President Bush won re-election easily, and part of the reason was the 45% chunk of the Hispanic vote. He got that vote by appealing to their hopes and dreams.

A lot of immigration opponents appeal to bigotry and prejudice.

[Southack]

"Western Republicans (non-Mormons, that is) don't tend to be social issue conservatives if you hadn't noticed. They can switch to a Democrat who at least is willing to recognize a problem as opposed to a Republican who hands out "jobs Americans won't do" slop."

That's the fervent hope and dream of the mainstream news media, I assure you.

But such lines of thought miss the real issue. There are two Republican immigration plans. Tancredo has one, President Bush has the other.

All Republicans are behind either Tancredo or Bush. Thus, an immigration plan *will* be passed.

The question is *which* plan will win, or will it be a compromise between the two plans.

So examine the two plans. What are the differences between them? Forget all of the news media hype...what are the real differences in those two immigration plans?

And the answer is that there is only a very minor difference in the two plans. Tancredo's plan makes all illegals go home to apply, whereas Bush's plan makes them pay a fine if they don't go home to apply.

So do you really think that the Republican Party is going to fracture over a dispute as minor as whether illegals pay a fine or go home before applying for a government work permit?!

[EagleMamaMT]

How many blue-collar workers do you know?

[johnb838]

you're a bigot.

[PokerGod]

Yes, I'm the bigot. That makes a lot of sense. If you want to see bigotry, search for thread titles on here containing the word "immigration".

[johnb838]

It's a republic not a democracy dorkwad. Learn the diff.

[PokerGod]

How many immigrants do you know?

[PokerGod]

This battle is going to have to take free-market Republicans, Democrats, and President Bush. It will pit them against the Buchananite statist Republicans.

[johnb838]

Nobody cares what you think, newbie. You can be zotted.

[PokerGod]

No, because so many of your arguments are clouded by racism.

[PokerGod]

I won't be zotted.

My position has a lot of supporters on here.

You don't support President Bush. You should be ashamed.

[COEXERJ145]

He has a better PR machine than Judicial Watch every thought about having.

The beauty of being a Congressman. You can spam the news with anything you want. Just make it anti-Bush and the media will give it front page coverage. Make it anti-Bush and anti-immigration and you'll get praise from not the only the liberal media but those who have become overly obsessive about the issue.

[Southack]

"I wouldnt be so quick to put the Conservative base's backs against a wall. Thinking they have no place to go, other than the Republican Party, will not politically protect those responsible for this outrageous and egregious defiance of our laws, our constitution, and the will of the majority."

There isn't enough difference between Tancredo's immigration plan from President Bush's immigration plan to put anyone's back up against a wall.

It's minor. It will be compromised upon and worked out in committee. A few radicals will attempt to imply more to the difference in the immigration plans than exists, and the mainstream news media will play up such "controversy," but that's about the extent of this issue.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

This is why it is hard for my teenage sons to get what used to be reliable summer jobs (i.e. construction, landscaping, cleaning, moving, babysitting etc). Sure my kids could work if I let them stand on the side of the road every morning. Not an option.

They have saturated that part of the job market and I can guarantee there are some ready willing and able citizens who need those jobs.

Hell, I cleaned toilets for a while whenever I needed or wanted to supplement my income. It is how I bought the laptop I am typing on now. It is how I bought the two leather couches in my living room. The money was good and I was not the least bit humiliated by it. I gave an honest day's work for an honest day's dollar. No job is beneath anyone who needs a job. If someone refuses a job because it is "beneath" them, then I suggest they do not need that job.

The illegals work for cash, yet their kids get a free education and welfare entitlements. We all pay their way on this one.

The bottom line is that they are here ILLEGALLY.

BTW--

[PokerGod]

I agree with you 100%.

The Buchananites must be resisted.

[Sam the Sham]

Througout the developed world, your side has been losing for the past five years. From Holland to England to France to Italy to Australia to Germany taxpayers are demanding an end to rampant immigration. Taxpayers are refusing to pay the cost of Greenpeace or Amnesty International "compassion" to "refugees" or "assylum-seekers".

Now, it is America's turn to face the same issue. Only in your case the apologists for Bush's plan are motivated by their own selfish greed, not liberal sentimentalism (are you bayourod, by the way ?). You have been losing politically all over the developed world. Why should America be any different ?

[johnb838]

This is about more than just jobs. This is about an invasion by socialist peasants who have been indoctrinated to hate us much like the arabs. How DARE Vicente Fox dictate terms to us. This has gone way too far. I don't care if the bloody lettuce clots in the field. These illegals have got to go.