This bill failed in the first go-round due to lack of support for anything similar to an amnesty. They go out of their way to say it’s not amnesty, but allowing those here illegally to stay under some circumstances sure looks like an amnesty.
And why is there such a need for this bill in the 1st place? Illegals are a big problem, but, considering that it’s already illegal to sneak into this country and work here, and already illegal for employers to hire illegal workers, that enforcement of existing laws would do more to solve the problem than just adding another layer of laws to our immigration problem.
The illegals largely vote democratic - look at the “blue” counties along the borders in EVERY border state with Mexico. Solid blue alone the missing “fence” from the Rio Grande through Los Angeles. The rest of the blue counties are the New England union counties, larger cities, and Indian reservations.
OK - So the democrats get the illegal votes. Both those voting illegally, and those who are getting fraudulent immigrant votes through schemes and absentee ballots and democratic (er, crooked) poll watchers.
Second thing is the 2010 census: House of Representatives are apportioned BY THE NUMBER OF BODIES (legal, illegal, green card, and no card. EVERYBODY counts - except those Mormon missionaries US citizens serving overseas for a year - THOSE citizens are NOT couted by the census, nor for House seats.)
But illegal aliens and “invisible” people -who the census claims are present but can’t be counted - according to the black caucus professionals who claim 5-6% of all blacks are not counted. They can’t tell why these are not counted, they just claim that blacks are not counted and so the black population should be increased by a factor of 105% to 110%.
Therefore, counting illegal aliens ADDS to the people in normally democratic bastions of the poor and overcrowded. Of course, every House seat that is in a safely democratic (minority/low income area) ELIMINATES a (probably republican) seat that might otherwise go to a more conservative (non-minority!) area in the west or south.
It is estimated that 1-2 Mass. House seats are democratic now because of illegals in Boston. 4-5 House seats in NY. 1 in PA. 1-2 in IL. 2-3 in FL. 2-3 in TX. 4-5 in CA.
THAT difference is Pelosi’s power.
Now - WHY is Bush pushing a democrat agenda?
“And why is there such a need for this bill in the 1st place?”
1) The cheap labor lobby wants their supply more secure and away from the danger of it getting interrupted by the yahoos who want to close the border.
2) La Raza wants their power enlarged and millions more to be here, and the Mexican govt want to confirm the economic structure of remittances, and the political power of mexifornia etc.
3) Democrat party elites want voters
The only thing in it for taxpaying Republicans is that maybe we get some cheaper yard work done. Or course we culd ask college kids instead. So it Hardly seems worth the $2.5 trillion it will cost us... must be Bush’s fuzzy math.
The issue of what to really do with illegal immigration is a matter of will:
1) Will we build the border fence?
2) Will we enforce the law in the workplace and at jails?
3) Will we end anchor babies etc.?