That is a straw-man's argument - As GWB is not saying lets only do one of the above...he is saying lets do both.
The reality is a sizable portion of those who are currently here illegally did not come here illegally...they came here via temporary worker permits...and simply never returned back once they were here.
This part of the system needs to be fixed (as well as the 40 year in the making border security issue). GWB is simply saying lets systematically do both. Which is exactly the right way to go.
Those here on workers permits we need to know who they are, where they are and if they do not leave we need to know that sooner rather then later - GWB is offering a system (ID cards on non-U.S. citizens) along with a process which will help to solve this temporary workers problem.
He is also at the same time addressing the border. Suggesting he isn't addressing the border and only wants to deal with either the illegals here now or those within the temp workers program simply isn't being honest. He is saying lets deal with all these issues now. Lets not push them off.
I know there have been serious efforts to secure the border since 9/11. The border is still not secure, if it is now possible to just secure the border while at the same time implementing a major plan to deal with illegals (which will BTW involve many of the same bodies to implement and enforce) then why is the border not already secure??
I am not using straw man arguments, how funny of you to say that. I thought we were having a reasonable discussion on issues that we differ on- now you sound like those who throw out things like straw man to disrupt the discussion. I am disappointed, I thought you seemed like someone to have an intelligent discussion with.
I can discuss issues with anyone who is reasonable and truly wants to discuss the issue, regardless of whether I agree with them or not. I am beginning to think you did not intend to discuss this with anyone, you just want to state your beliefs as facts, throw in some hint of knowledge of secret activities and we are all supposed to just blindly follow you. The border issues are complicated and no one is going to have all the answers, but if we can't reasonably discuss the issues, solutions will not be found.