President gets tepid welcome on GOP turf -- Immigration policies vigorously opposed

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/25/6 | Carla Marinucci

[SmithL]

Irvine -- President Bush, aiming to shore up sagging support in a Republican bastion, came for a heart-to-heart talk on immigration Monday, acknowledging that some were puzzled by his choice of Orange County -- the heart of an area opposed to his immigration policies.

"That's what a leader does," Bush told a crowd of 450 business leaders at the Hyatt Regency Irvine as he roamed the room with a microphone during an hourlong town hall-style meeting.

The president, before a phalanx of signs decorated with flags and eagles proclaiming "Securing the American Dream," emphasized securing the borders, dealing with the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants and passing immigration reform in Congress.

Talking to a skeptical audience, Bush said the heated rhetoric surrounding immigration must be cooled. Conduct the debate, he said, "in a respectful way that recognizes we are a nation of immigrants, that we have had a grand tradition in this country of welcoming people into our society."

"It's an emotional debate, but one thing we cannot lose sight of is that we're talking about human beings, decent human beings," he said. "Massive deportation of the people here is unrealistic. It's just not going to work."

But even as he spoke, the breadth of the president's political problems on immigration was evident in Orange County -- a longtime GOP stronghold that is being transformed by a vast influx of immigrant laborers, mostly from Mexico. From Republican-dominated Newport Beach to Democratic-leaning Santa Ana, interviews found few supporters for Bush's positions.

The president's conservative base is angry with his support for a guest-worker program,

[Zrob]

Leaders also represent the people who elected them

at least bush represents limbaugh

BushBot = RushBot

[mtntop3]

The herd's sanctimonious howls of indignation and self-rightousness on this thread notably and uniformly lack one prime element: setting forth in specific detail and specific cost, into the billions and billions of dollars, the actual and unending process by which every - every - illegal in the U. S., no matter how long here, is supposedly to somehow be located, taken into custody, publicly fed and housed, given a hearing(s), and ultimately deported IF appeals have not been filed, etc. etc..

You are going to have to take into consideration such quaint considerations as people concealing illegals - are these people, of which millions will be Anglos operating "underground railroads" also to be arrested, and then imprisoned??

And, yes, you must take such quaint realities in mind as, for instance, that we are engaged, and will be engaged for scores of years, in a defining and deadly struggle of survival with radical Islam and emerging neo-Communism in South America that is going to require a major share of our resources, both manpower and financial.

It will do little good to engage in a feverish, all-consuming, inwardly-focusing, backwardly-looking search for every single illegal Hispanic man, woman and child in the U. S. while the outside world in such places as the Middle East and South America is taken over by terrorists and tyrants who are hell-bent on killing us. Nothing would please them more than our turning aside and inward to feverishly and single-mindedly devote all and every attention to nothing more than illegal immigrants, as great a problem as this truly is.

The President knows this. There has to be some means of getting the present illegals to come forth to gain rightful citizenship, thus removing the criminal element, while ensuring that border security is expanded exponentially.

[Zrob]

President Bush is a lost cause to the majority of Republicans

Even Laura Ingrahm (definitely non lib) is now laughing at bush - mocking his "Koyotay" pronounciation.

[Zrob]

The herd's

who elected you shepherd, mr. sanctimonious?

noone is talking about a "Hispanic Hunt" except self-righteous phonies like you.

[HitmanLV]

He seems to have no grasp that most people (dem and GOP) have lost confidence in his leadership ability. A majority are unhappy with immigration and his handling of Iraq.

I think he is slowly starting to 'get it' and adjusting, but man, he took his sweet time. It may be too late.

[varon]

"It's an emotional debate, but one thing we cannot lose sight of is that we're talking about human beings, decent human beings," ............

Hey Mr. President, we the citizens of the country whose laws you swore to uphold are decent human beings also. Mr. President, IMHO your first obligation is to your citizens not to those of other nations, especially if their presence here is a direct result of a crime (illegal entry).

What is wrong with the water in Washington??? When Iraq invaded Kuwait, the US and allies massed armies to drive the Iraqis out of Kuwait.
When Mexicans "invade" our country, instead of being pushed back, they're rewarded with citizenship! What are you people drinking there???

[Democratshavenobrains]

Anyonw who didn't know President Bush's feelings on immigration after the 2000 election wasn't paying attention.

[sasafras]

"he said, "in a respectful way that recognizes we are a nation of immigrants, that we have had a grand tradition in this country of welcoming people into our society."

We are a nation of laws and legal, NOT ILLEGAL, immigrants. Bush has gone too far and the consequences are going to hurt the republican party and unfortunately America.

[nathanbedford]

Jefferson had slaves, failed to manumet the majority of them, knowingly extended the "peculiar institution" through the southern half of the Louisiana Purchase (according to biographer Hitchens), and sexually abused his underage slave.

Do you "deeply admire" Thomas Jefferson? I do, but not all parts. Would criticize me if my posting name were "Thomas Jefferson?" I think not.

Would you grant me the space to admire parts of the legacy of General Nathan Bedford Forrest?

[ElPatriota]

Mr. President, respecfully... why don't you try to see the problem from the perspective of many Americans?... You might get it sir.

[savedbygrace]

"Massive deportation of the people here is unrealistic. It's just not going to work."

This administration, like the one before it, is doing almost NO deportation, massive or small. It isn't necessary to do mass deportation to accomplish acceptable results. But rounding up a thousand or so illegals, then turning them loose a few days later, isn't the answer, either.

Round up and deport a few hundred thousand over the course of eight to 12 months, and you'll put many of the rest of the illegals on the run, possibly back to Mexico.

But first, SECURE THE BORDERS.

[Tammy8]

Yes his stand on the illegals was plain, however he has made and broken many promises of securing the border. If he would truly secure the border I think he would have more support for some sort of a work program for those already here.

[reagan_fanatic]

Anyonw who didn't know President Bush's feelings on immigration after the 2000 election wasn't paying attention.

Oh, I was paying attention alright. I also believed (naively it seems) that Bush would at least modify his position at some point during his term once he realized the scope of the problem.

I was wrong.

[KeyLargo]

"Of course what this idiot doesn't realize"

Ooops!

You will get flamed by the Bushie freepers over that one.

Us conservatives have to remember to avoid critizing G.W. at all costs.

The Bushie freepers prefer that we all go down with the RINO ship.

[mississippi red-neck]

Welcome to the New World Order. This is Globalization and Bush is one of the chief disciples. This is where the world and it's governments are are run by rich elite business men according to the needs of business.

There are no borders nor are there any laws, Constitutions,free independent Sovereign States,political party or people who will be allowed to stand in the way.

In this brave new world people are assets or liabilities and they are to be given lip service only. What is best for them will be decided for them.

It is governments run by businessmen that will set foreign and domestic policy, direct the spending of government money,and control every aspect of our daily lives.

Bush has given us our first of what it's going to be like where no matter what the majority of the people want or need their voices will be ignored and laws will be selectively enforced or ignored until they can be changed to suit the needs of Wall Street.

Everything will be considered according to it's dollar value and how it affects the bottom line.

[Politicalmom]

Some of us thought he was a man of duty and honor, who would enforce the law, even if he didn't like it. We had no idea that he would cut enforcement of immigration law to near zero.

[ElPatriota]

Anyonw who didn't know President Bush's feelings on immigration after the 2000 election wasn't paying attention.

Ah... I will say something here :), well, you see, at the time we "thought" we knew the president! and we assumed he would at least secured the border against those ugly terrorist who might use it to come here and hurt us...after all, he sent people to die in Iraq... for our SECURITY... The security to country that is, in Iraq as well as in our borders.

Naturally, I am sure, many though he would do this... and had he done this the crossing of illegals would have been stopped or slowed substantially...THEN... the president... having achieved CREDIBILITY on the security of our country, he could have come to the American people and say "ok, i did my part with the border... now I will fix the problem with Illegal Immigration.."

Get my point? that is what truly expected from him but...

[politeia]

"It's an emotional debate, but one thing we cannot lose sight of is that we're talking about human beings, decent human beings," he said. "Massive deportation of the people here is unrealistic. It's just not going to work."

We're also talking about human beings who have chosen to violate our democratically enacted laws every day that they are in this country. We are also talking about many illegal aliens who are currently filling up our prisons who are not "decent" human beings but are violent criminals who murder, rape and victimize American citizens as well as conduct terroristic rampages like the Washington DC sniper. But most of all, Mr. President, what we are talking about here is whether the 200 plus year old American project in self-government is respected or is distained and considered irrelevant by the highest elected official in the land.

Presenting mass deportation as the alternative demonstrates President Bush's refusal to deal honestly with the American people, and honest dealing is absolutely required of elected officials in a self-governing system in order for citizens to perform their role of holding their government accountable. We all know that strict border control plus enforcemnt of employer sanctions and withdrawal of welfare assistance will accomplish the voluntary return of most people who are here illegally.

Also, the canard that we are a nation of immigrants is a frivolous and meaningless comment and needs to be retired from this debate. From a historical perspective, every nation on earth is a "nation of immigrants" except perhaps portions of Africa. The real question is who gets to have their way on this issue right now, the lawful citizens of this country or the illegal aliens and the political, media and corporate elites who profit from thier presence.

Presidet Bush has demonstrated in every possible way in word and deed that he has absolutely no respect for our democratically enacted laws which reflect the legislative authority of the people through their elected representatives. He has also shown that he feels no obligation to us to observe the oath of office he took to enforce our laws. President Bush feels himself entitled to personally overturn our republican system of government and substitute a system of arbitrary rule based on his personal whim. Our founders called this the very definition of tyranny.

I have come to the conclusion that allegiance to our republican form of self-government and the desire to preserve and protect it for our posterity figures not one whit in President Bush's thinking. I am beginning to believe that he could not express even a rudimentary knowledge of the principles of our founding and what his obligations are to the American people. His repeated denigration of the work ethic of ordinary Americans shows he does not believe we deserve or are capable of self-government.

Benjamin Franklin warned us when the constitution was being debated that it would be up to the people to preserve a "republican" form of government. The founders understood that the right of the people to govern themselves would always be under attack from those who wanted to promote their own private and commercial interests over the common good. The question is whether "we the people" value our liberty and right to self-government enough to demand that our President act in ways consistent with our democratically enacted laws and "republican" principles.

[citizen]

The President just doesn't seem to get it, that he, too, is a public servant and holds office only with the consent of the governed.

While he quite correctly appointed SC judges that will [they say] strictly interpret the Constitution, Bush seems to feel he's free to ignore the electorate and treat us like truculent children rather than give even some small consideration to the consensus of this conservative nation.

I, for one, am long tired of such an attitude.

[investigateworld]

Have you noticed all immigrant group, except for Cubans, vote Democrat? Look at California, used to have Republican Senators on a regular basis. Now?

Time to quit singing Kumbaya, and start looking out for our own interests.