Reagan on Immigration

The Wall Street Journal (Reg. Req.) ^ | May 16, 2006 | Editorial Staff

[LowCountryJoe]

[snip]During the same campaign, circa December 1979, the Gipper responded to criticism from conservative columnist Holmes Alexander with the following: "Please believe me when I tell you the idea of a North American accord has been mine for many, many years. I have seen presidents, both Democrat and Republican, approach our neighbors with pre-concocted plans in which their only input is to vote 'yes.'

"Some months before I declared, I asked for a meeting and crossed the border to meet with the president of Mexico. I did not go with a plan. I went, as I said in my announcement address, to ask him his ideas -- how we could make the border something other than a locale for a nine-foot fence." So much for those conservatives who think the Gipper would have endorsed a 2,000-mile Tom Tancredo-Pat Buchanan wall.

[snip]In his signing statement, Reagan declared that "We have consistently supported a legalization program which is both generous to the alien and fair to the countless thousands of people throughout the world who seek legally to come to America. The legalization provisions in this act will go far to improve the lives of a class of individuals who now must hide in the shadows, without access to many of the benefits of a free and open society. Very soon many of these men and women will be able to step into the sunlight and, ultimately, if they choose, they may become Americans."

[Mo1]

If there were a FR during President Reagan they would have been screaming for his head on a variety of issues

Even without FR .. Many were still screaming for Reagan's head

[Coldwater Creek]

You know if we all did more praying for the President and less carping, it might make a real difference in our world.

I am praying Psalms 3 for him.

[LowCountryJoe]

They have been flooding the boarders for over 60 years. As I have said before, this problem did not rear it's ugly head overnight.

And that's also a testament to how well America has done during these sixty years during this immigration "mess".

[jpsb]

"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) today unveiled an impact analysis that shows the Senate immigration bill – should it become law – would permit up to 217.1 million new legal immigrants into the United States over the next 20 years, a number equal to 66 percent of the total current population of the United States.

"

[DoctorMichael]

"..........Fool me once, shame on you; Fool me twice, shame on me.........."

We are a generous Nation that is being taken advantage of.

A 'Wall'. ASAP.

[Mr. Jeeves]

The difference is that Reagan wouldn't have greeted the new arrivals with a generous package of welfare benefits - including free emergency-room health-care - at the expense of US citizens. The idea was that anyone who wants to work should be free to come here, a policy that if enforced would drastically cut down on the illegal immigration-related problems we are seeing today.

[Always Right]

The man was a giant, with an optimism, character, adn conservative philosophy I deeply respect. However, he was shortshighted at times, and border control was one of those times.

Whereas controlling the border is more important today than back in Reagan's time, Reagan appreciated their struggle and their contribution to society. Reagan believed in growth and that people who work add to growth, not take away jobs from others. Reagan would have supported a policy that helped hard-working illegals continue working and start paying taxes, and deporting or incarcerating those who were gang members or drug dealers or those who are just trying to milk the system.

[Kozak]

If state taxpayers have borne the brunt of the societal costs – if any – from illegal immigrants while the federal government turned a blind eye to its (our) own laws, then perhaps the states should have found a way to tap into the some $3000 per head that the “would be” immigrants have been willing to shell out to human trafficking scum. Collecting just $2500 per person at an entry point while creating the necessary documentation could have gone a long way in alleviating this immigration “crisis”

Right. Sure.
Each kid costs California 9,000 per year in school costs. With the average immigrant family having 4 kids that alone is 36k/year. How many pay that in state taxes?
Each Prisoner costs California 35,000 per year.
One visit to the Er will average nearly 1200 dollars.

Build the fence, THEN we can decide who and how many WE need and want in out country.

[Mo1]

I don't have a problem with Session's comments

So what's your point?

[Coldwater Creek]

I live in the Memphis, Tenn. area and there a mosques all over the place here as well.

[Always Right]

He would have kicked out the illegals only after consulting with Nancy's physic.

That's a ignorant comment. You can go post that at DU, where idiots appreciate such ignorance.

[Coldwater Creek]

Yes he did! Do you think that the illegals were not getting welfare during those years?

[LowCountryJoe]

The difference is that Reagan wouldn't have greeted the new arrivals with a generous package of welfare benefits - including free emergency-room health-care - at the expense of US citizens.

Ah ha! maybe this then is what we FReepers should be spending more time and effort railing against. Sadly, though, the immigration issue is the only thing that gets the GOP animated. Why doesn't the "welfare state" get the GOP animated? Maybe it's because many in the GOP are big government loving statists that secretly like redistribution and enjoy affecting law that limits freedom.

[Coldwater Creek]

It is the truth!

[LowCountryJoe]

There is more that you could have added to that list, I'm sure. But you know what? There are benefits to this that you're not seeing either...benefits that more than make up for those costs.

[Reagan 76]

Reagan learned from his mistakes. Inform yourself about how he ignored Battaglia's advice and signed the abortion bill when he was governor.

[Always Right]

If there were a FR during President Reagan they would have been screaming for his head on a variety of issues. He was far less Conservative than President Bush on many.

Oh puh_leeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bush is not 1/10th the man Reagan was. Bush is a good social conservative, but can not articulate it worth a crap. Bush is not a strong leader and can't push any agenda. Bush's relative minor tax cut was OK, but he had a GOP Congress to get it passed and he still had trouble. Reagan had to push his massive tax reform program through a Democratic Congress. Reagan was a brilliant man and one of the greatest speakers ever. Reagan did more to promote and advance conservatism than any person in the last 100 years.

[Kozak]

Show me some numbers, or do I just have to take it on "faith'?

[Reagan 76]

Really? Which issues was he less conservative on?

[Lakeshark]

Thought I'd copy a good comment from Instapundit this morning:

JOHN PODHORETZ on the immigration debate: "The immigration debate is a very heated and passionate one, and the heat and passion on the part of those on the restrictionist side have been useful tools for pushing the conversation in your direction. But there's a difference between heated disagreement and the insistence on lock-step uniformity. . . . This inability to stomach disagreement on a hot-button issue should be troubling to anyone and everyone who has found an intellectual home on the Right — in part to avoid the kind of crippling self-censorship that has afflicted the P.C. Left." Yes. If you find yourself sounding like a Kos diarist, step away from the blog and take a break, lest you do for your cause what the Kossacks have done for theirs.