Privately, Bush Says He Favors Citizenship (for Illegals)

AP ^ | April 26, 2006 | DAVID ESPO

[West Coast Conservative]

President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting.

Several officials familiar with the meeting also said Democrats protested radio commercials that blamed them for Republican-written legislation that passed the House and would make illegal immigrants vulnerable to felony charges.

Bush said he was unfamiliar with the ads, which were financed by the Republican National Committee, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

At another point, Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other members of his party pressed the president about their concern that any Senate-passed bill would be made unpalatable in final talks with the House.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, had been "intractable" in negotiations on other high-profile bills in the past. Bush did not directly respond to the remark, officials said.

The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity, saying they had not been authorized to disclose details.

Bush convened the session to give momentum to the drive for election-year immigration legislation, a contentious issue that has triggered large street demonstrations and produced divisions in both political parties. Senators of both parties emerged from the session praising the president's involvement and said the timetable was achievable.

"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.

[nopardons]

Your true party is now long gone...THE KNOW NOTHINGS. Too bad there is no such thing as a real time machine; for you.

[longtermmemmory]

mel martinez is a HUGE disappointment.

I know he pissed off the motorcycle biker vote in FL with his support of federal helmet legislation. Motocyclists in FL are pretty organized.

[Fintan]

I, for one, cannot begin to describe my elation for voting for him twice.

[CWOJackson]

But it is endearing when the same old people claim that realists are trying to drive away their votes...again, and again, and again. Just how many times are they going to be driven away.

[Dane]

You know Dane I remember you three or four years on threads saying the same thing. You're like a broken record. If you think the 12 to 20 million illegal aliens in this country are strictly janitors and vegetable pickers I've got a bridge to sell you. They're in practically every job imaginable these days and they are depressing wages and shutting Americans out of them that they otherwise would have gotten for a liveable wage.

Huh unemployment is at 4.7% which is considered full employment and Americans own more houses, cars, and electronic goods and are better fed than ever before.

Yeah I guess were in a real depression.

[FastCoyote]

"We have "gates"? Where are they? How many "gates" are there? Who "shut" them and who opened them? How many keys are there, and who holds them?"

Since obviously you don't understand "gates" refers to the decline and fall of the Roman empire, which faced a similar invasion by barbarian hordes, I suggest you have some work in front of you. Once you get past "Dick Jane and Sally" on your reading list, start with Liv's "The History of Rome" and after that we can talk like adults.

[muawiyah]

A solution to the dilemma is for the US military to force access to two adjacent Mexican states.

All the illegal aliens can then be sent back to Mexico, but with their own little country under American protection.

Corporatists and homeowners can then survey available applicants for employment directly without fear of trouble with the Mexican federales.

[FreeReign]

In other words, pay a penalty for being here illegally, commit him or herself to learn English, which is part of the American system, and get in the back of the line.

They have to go to the back of the line? How terrible, huh?

[nopardons]

Oh for crying out loud...look at the posts; many people claim that they HAVE left the GOP; all on their own. Nobody here pushed them.

And a lot of them aren't now, nor have they EVER been "conservatives"...even though they have claimed to be. Look at their other posts; many of them are pure Marxist.

[longtermmemmory]

Perhaps that is why was intentionally leaked.

It is old news HOWEVER by leaking it as exclusive new news they can impair approval ratings.

[KoRn]

Regardless of whether or not this article is true. The President and The Republican Senate continue to depress the conservative base. If it gets much worse and the DIMs regain control, Bush will need the conservatives more than ever to stand against any effort of impeachment. Right now he certainly isn't earning any love.

[Conservative Actuary]

They're in practically every job imaginable these days and they are depressing wages and shutting Americans out of them that they otherwise would have gotten for a liveable wage.

Your not kidding down here in central North Carolina their is a real building boom going on and all you see is illegals. These homes are selling for 350K plus. Unless Bush wants to say that construction is another job American's wont do.

[EternalVigilance]

Reagan gave a ONE TIME amnesty when the numbers were 3 million, Bush would be effectively putting into place a rolling amnesty, because if you can't stop 11 million from stealing citizenship, how are you going to stop the next thirty million? Whip them with spaghetti noodles?

In the interest of accuracy and clarity, the numbers touted to pass the '86 amnesty were ONE million, which turned into THREE million.

Many of us suspect that ELEVEN million now will very quickly turn into THIRTY-THREE million over the course of a couple years, IF we allow this to happen, God forbid.

[A CA Guy]

If they wait ten years, follow procedures legally, fine.

[Cacique]

What contry are you living in? The mythical land in flyover country wyhere everyone identifies themeselves as Americans like in a 1940's movie? You had better get out more. Ethnic politics has always played a role in American history, particularly in the 20th century. The U S long ago ceased being a melting pot ewhen the elites figured out they could divide and conquer by promoting diversity, ethnic and otherwise.

[ARCADIA]

For every whacko WE lose, we'll pick up a conservative Democrat who is as fed up with HIS kooks are we are with ours.

So now you are catering to the democratic base?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Yeah I guess were in a real depression.

Nice dodge. It wasn't claimed by me we were in a depression now was it, I said wages were getting depressed. I also stated illegals were not just janitors and vegetable pickers as you say over and over like a broken record but are finding their way into every occupation. Are these all jobs Americans "don't want to do"?

[Dane]

Your not kidding down here in central North Carolina their is a real building boom going on and all you see is illegals. These homes are selling for 350K plus. Unless Bush wants to say that construction is another job American's wont do

Well quit your job as an actuary and pick up a hammer, bet you will find plenty of work.

[Howlin]

I'm not catering to anybody.

I stated a fact.

[samadams2000]

I wouldnt trade our kooks for their kooks..theirs are like..real kooks. Our kooks are ahead of their time.