Posted on 05/17/2007 10:16:31 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators reached agreement with the White House Thursday on an immigration overhaul to grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border against new ones.
One of the key negotiators, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said he expects President Bush to endorse it.
The deal came after weeks of painstaking closed-door negotiations that brought the most liberal Democrats and the most conservative Republicans together with Bush's Cabinet officers to produce a highly complex measure that carries heavy political consequences.
It set the stage for what promises to be a bruising battle next week in the Senate on one of Bush's top non-war priorities.
This is a breaking news update. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican and Democratic senators huddled Thursday trying to close in on an immigration compromise to grant quick legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants while fortifying U.S. borders against new ones.
A group of lawmakers that has been haggling over the terms of agreement for weeks were reviewing language negotiated Wednesday night in efforts to nail down a deal. Among the final sticking points was a stubborn dispute over how much family ties count toward green cards under a new "point system." The plan prioritizes advanced skills and education levels for future immigrants.
Two of the lead negotiators, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), R-S.C., booked time for Thursday afternoon in the Senate's radio-TV gallery for an announcement.
But Kennedy said some were hanging back as an agreement inched closer.
"There are just some people who don't want to close on this. There comes a time in every negotiation where people have to close," Kennedy said. "Today is it."
Kennedy said Thursday was likely the last chance for a compromise before senators scattered for a three-day weekend.
"The immigration reform legislation has come to a boiling point," Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., said just before going into Thursday's meeting. "We've tried to come to a consensus and I think we are very, very close, but every time we grasp it, it eludes a final resolution."
If no deal emerged, Senate Democrats were to vote Monday evening to bring up an immigration measure that passed last year over the objections of most Republicans, who have said they will block it. That would be a highly partisan start to the immigration debate, which divides the two parties and exposes fissures within their ranks.
Even with a bipartisan agreement, the immigration debate could easily devolve into a free-for-all in the unruly Senate.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., has said he wants to complete a bill before Memorial Day, and President Bush says he wants to sign one by summer's end.
I hope you don’t believe that because it’s naive. The base will stay home or vote 3rd party, handing another Clinton the white house.
You're not very perceptive, are you.
Here's how he framed his comment:
"You think these people are subhuman.... The Jews were looked upon the same way people are viewing Mexicans now."
What he's saying is that the concerns expressed here on FR about the rule of law, the use of taxpayer benefits, the denigration of American values, and the principles of equal protection are really not important, or perhaps even red herrings.
Red herrings for what? For racism. Because the Nazi movement - which he invokes when he says "Jews were looked upon the same way" - was at rock bottom a racist movement. The Nazis despised what they called "the Jewish race" and sought a "pure Aryan race". Goebbel's vile and insidious propaganda film "The Eternal Jew" is kept under lock and key (and has never had a public viewing") precisely because its strives to to define a "Jewish race" with specific physiological and cultural features as a "subhuman", rat-like entity.
So what he is saying is that FR posters are actually Nazi-like racists, whose concerns about immigration and the national welfare are false.
When someone is fixated on diverting a political discussion from one of fairness and legality and actual pragmatic public policy concerns, to the tawdry and uni-dimensional slur of racism, then I know where that person is coming from.
They elevate race above all other considerations, and presume (no, insist) that everyone else does the same thing, even if they are not aware of it.
Such people are by definition, racists.
Perhaps we can ask Jim Robinson to pull the Pro Bush crap off Free Republic. I know longer give a dam about the guy.
Pound sand! This is none of your business. Blackbird.
Whoa there Blackbird... jveritas is a valuable member of this site and well respected....this is his business.
And for insulting him you made it all our business...I would suggest you apologize.
A vote for a third party is a vote for integrity, while a vote for Republicans is proving to be a vote for timdity and betrayal.
You're wrong. The base, by definition, is the hard core group of supporters. They'll never stay home and never vote 3rd party. Rove knows that. That's why the base's vote doesn't matter. Just ask Dick Morris. His triangulation concept was built on this.
It would have been much simpler to allow working illegals to stay, work, be protected by minimum wage laws, pay taxes, and go back to Mexico when they feel like it.
Regarding your tagline, see this by the border patrol.
WHAT IS AN ARMY? (The invasion of the USA)
[snip]What makes up an army? An army is made of men between the age of 15 and 35.
What comes across our border by the millions each year? Men between the ages of 15 and 35.
Afghan drug lords are now teamed with Mexican drug cartels to flood our cities with heroin. In Mexico, this Muslim Connnection to the drug cartels has brought beheadings to the streets of border towns. Many Mexican cities are now surrounded by Mexican Army troops and tanks — all to quel the violence. The city of Tijuana had its entire 3,000 man police force disarmed and replaced with Mexican Federal Troops.
What we have below are two images. One is of an enemy we fought tooth and claw for seventy years nearly bankrupting our country. The other we today invite across our border with welfare, free medical care, and more. The centers of many American cities are now controlled by MS-13 and others of the most violent gangs in America’s entire history. These gangs want to kill police and federal agents to rise in reputation among their own kind. Our prisons are now filled with a violent criminal class never seen before anywhere on earth.
In all of the 70 years of the Soviet Union — including the years of the proxy war of Vietnam.— they killed fewer Americans in total than Mexican Illegal Aliens do inside this country in a single year.
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-is-army-invasion-of-usa.html
Sadly it appears that way. That is why I support ideas like instant runoff voting. That is the only way a third party can get power.
Uneducated, unskilled, government dependent, poor people who are used to socialism and who have little regard for the civilities we take for granted are a natural constituency for Democrats, not Republicans.
Good post.
And, 3-4000 American babies continue to die every day at the hands of the abortionists.
The internal threats we now face outweigh the serious external threats.
You may be correct.
I was in a little restaurant the other day, when in walked a bunch of people who just smelled like politicians (plus one contractor / possible lobbyist).
Overhearing their conversation, I discovered my assessment was correct.
One of the most ridiculous things that I overheard a member of this group of local pols say was, “sheep beget sheep, not shepherds.”
I could imagine some credible contexts for such a statement, this did not seem to be one of them.
Add: debauched, corrupt Senate and totlitarian Caesars and you are 100% spot on.
You are correct on all counts. It boils down to votes. Each party thinks that if they pander enough to the illegal aliens, they will score that voting block and ensure their political power will continue.
What is going to happen is that the socialists will gain more socialist voters and we, the conservatives who are the backbone of this country, will lose out and have no voice at all.
BUT we will be expected to continue to work and pay taxes to fund the social programs that keep them here.
This crap has been debunked and discredited, here and elsewhere, numerous times. Unless you have some proof of this stupid statement, drop it already. It does not add to your credibility.
I didn't stay home, but if the Republican Party continues to offer candidates who are Democrat-lite, I will find other candidates to vote for or leave spots on the ballot empty. The reason is that it doesn't make a difference whether you vote for a Democrat or someone who looks to compromise with the Democrats.
Here’s my effort tonight......
May 17, 2007
Senator Richard Shelby
Senator Jeff Sessions
Congressman Robert “Bud” Cramer
Sirs,
The Immigration Bill that is under consideration (as of 5/17) is an insult to me and every other hard working American. We bust our butts to earn a living and raise our family. Along the way, we obey the law, pay our taxes (which are excessive) and pay for our own medical insurance and treatment.
The US Congress is about to approve letting MILLIONS of lawbreakers into this country. The VAST majority of these people are poorly educated, know little to no English and have no means of providing medical care for themselves. They have no higher-level job skills. By and large, they are only good for doing menial labor.
These people have already shown that they are willing to break the law to get what they want. Please read that sentence again. Now, we are about to invite tens of millions of these lawbreakers to stay in this country with no consequences for their lawbreaking. Pay a fine? Yeah, right. These people are living below the poverty line. Where are they going to get, legally, $5,000? We are on the verge creating an entirely new “lower” class in this country.
Pardon my bluntness but this bill is the living, breathing definition of stupidity.
Please, PLEASE, listen to the people you have been elected to represent. Defeat this horrible bill and press Congress and the President to START ENFORCING OUR CURRENT LAWS!
1. SECURE THE BORDER FIRST!
2. START PUNISHING EMPLOYERS WHO HIRE ILLEGALS.
3. STOP GIVING OUR HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS TO ILLEGALS.
Senators Shelby and Sessions, you have worked very hard to thwart the previous attempts to pass extremely poor immigration legislation. We thank you VERY much for your efforts.
Congressman Cramer, please, PLEASE listen to your constituents and work to defeat this travesty in the House of Representatives.
Yours truly,
Bryan and Timmi Alexander (Two of many VERY angry Americans who are demanding to be heard)
Harvest, Alabama
“I hope the BOrder Patrol is out today”
To do what? Welcome the new visa applicants?
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