The Presidents Statement - (barf alert)

FNS ^

[Scythian]

PRESIDENT BUSH: I thank the members of the Senate and members of my administration who worked so hard on the border security and immigration reform bill. I'm sorry the Senate was unable to reach agreement on the bill this morning.

Legal immigration is one of the top concerns of the American people, and Congress's failure to act on it is a disappointment. The American people understand the status quo is unacceptable when it comes to our immigration laws. A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn't find common ground. It -- it didn't work. ...

[from occupied ga]

Twelve million unregistered aliens

he government has lied about everything else. My guess is that they're lying about the numbers too. I've seen estimates from the townhall crowd as high as 25,000,000

[Obadiah]

Well said. I concur. You would think people would be gracious in victory, but they seem unsatisfied until they spew leftist type venom. Very poor form. I am very disappointed.

[blaquebyrd]

"Many of you here saying all sorts of disrespectful (DEM attack type comments) have simply shown we have a segment of our base that is of the same ilk as the DEM left (your politics are just better 90% of the time)."

I think it shows that Americans place loyalty to their country above loyalty to any one man, including the president. I applaud Americans for that, our forefathers would too.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The only ones I ever saw him working hard for were the illegals. Might as well been president of Mexico.

[LadyNavyVet]

Your “man of class” told those of us who opposed this bill that we didn’t want to do what was right for America. That incensed me, and I’m still righteously p*ssed. How dare he! I will NEVER look on this man the same way. HE broke faith with ME, not the other way around.

It’s one thing to take on tough issues. It’s another to denigrate and namecall your opponents, especially opponents who had stood with you for years, financed your campaigns, advocated you positions, walked the precincts for you, etc. IMO Bush deserves everything he’s getting here today and more.

[backtothestreets]

"The American people understand the status quo is unacceptable when it comes to our immigration laws."

The immigration status quo the American people do not accept is a federal government negligent to enforcing laws that already exist. President Bush is number one on the list of those refusing to enforce existing law. What he really wants is new legislation that would grant him amnesty for not enforcing those laws.

[rockinqsranch]

“So, this afternoon he is going to start enforcing the current laws?”

The only chance that will happen is if we all perform as we did with the same fervor and begin again emailing, faxing, writing, telephoning the WH to get ‘er done. We have to keep up the pressure. It isn’t over until the borders are secure.

It’s a damned shame we have to micromanage “W” to make him do the job he swore to do, but apparently we haven’t any other choice until we get a real “America First” President into the office.

[Just another Joe]

mind if i steal that?

Be my guest.

[Sue Perkick]

He’s done that to all of us who voted for him (twice), supported him & trusted him.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

[RightWhale]

I think so, too. Twelve million is the game number for the purpose of budgeting this once-again-for-now dead Bill.

[truthkeeper]

UNBELIEVABLE. That's the whole statement?? I thought it was an excerpt!

Nothing about the American people's will being expressed or the increased border enforcement that has been promised, over and over and over?

[Sue Perkick]

LOL

[sheana]

Bear Stearns (I think) did a study years ago that said it was 30 million then.

[anymouse]

In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC, an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the Persians for three days in one of history's most famous last stands. A small force led by King Leonidas of Sparta blocked the only road through which the massive army of Xerxes I of Persia (Xerxes the Great) could pass. After three days of battle, a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines. Dismissing the rest of the army, King Leonidas stayed behind with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespian volunteers. The Persians succeeded in taking the pass but sustained heavy losses, extremely disproportionate to those of the Greeks. The fierce resistance of the Spartan-led army offered Athens the invaluable time to prepare for a decisive naval battle that would come to determine the outcome of the war. The subsequent Greek victory at the Battle of Salamis left much of the Persian Empire's navy destroyed and Xerxes was forced to retreat back to Asia, leaving his army in Greece under Mardonius, who was to meet the Greeks in battle one last time. The Spartans assembled at full strength and led a pan-Greek army that defeated the Persians decisively at the Battle of Plataea, ending the Greco-Persian War and with it the expansion of the Persian Empire into Europe.

The performance of the defenders at the battle of Thermopylae is often used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment, and good use of terrain to maximize an army's potential,[5] and has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. Even more, both ancient and modern writers used the Battle of Thermopylae as an example of the superior power of a well trained army defending native soil.

There is also a large political significance of the Battle of Thermopylae, in that it was the first defining moment in which the disunified Greek city states first came together to form a significant alliance. It also possibly signified the beginning of the end for the Persian empire - drawing strength from the Battle, the Greeks began forming assaults against the Persian Empire, as a national body rather than small city states.

Dilios: He did not wish tribute, nor song, or monuments or poems of war and valor. His wish was simple. "Remember us" he said to me. That was his hope, should any free soul come across that place, in all the countless centuries yet to be. "May all our voices whisper to you from the ageless stones, "Go tell the Spartans, passerby, that here by Spartan law, we lie." And so my king died, and my brothers died; barely a year ago. Long I pondered my king's cryptic talk of victory, but time has proven him wise, for from free Greek to free Greek, the word was spread that bold Leonidas and his 300, so far from home, laid down their lives... not just for Sparta, but for all Greece and the promise this country holds. Now here on this ragged patch of earth called Plateaea, let his hordes face obliteration! Just there, the barbarians gather, sheer terror gripping tight their hearts with icy fingers, knowing full well what merciless horrors they suffered at the swords and spears of 300. Yet they stare now across the plain at 10,000 Spartans commanding 30,000 free Greeks! Ho! The enemy outnumber us a paltry three to one! Good odds for any Greek. This day we rescue a world from mysticism and tyranny, and usher in a future brighter than anything we could imagine. Give thanks, men, to Leonidas and the brave 300! To victory!

Battle of Salamis

The next morning (possibly September 28, but the exact date is unknown; the Hellenic Navy celebrates September 12 as Battle of Salamis Day), the Persians were exhausted from searching for the Greeks all night, but they sailed in to the straits anyway to attack the Greek fleet. When it became obvious to the Greeks that the battle was inevitable morale rose, the fleet enthusiastically took to sea and started singing the "paean"

Forward, sons of the Greeks,
Your children, your women, the altars of the gods of your fathers
And the graves of your forebears:
Now is the fight for everything.

Conservatives, we did it. We held OUR Congress accountable, against seemingly a unsurmountable invasion backed by those who attempt to control with wealth and greed. Let them know forever more, this is OUR country, OUR government. The only power they have is what we lend them. And today we showed that WE are THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, where freedom exists because we are willing to fight for it.

[TeddyIke]

Hello, I am a long time lurker but always vote in nonmember. And I’ll say (i know not popular here) I am for Paul.

Anyway, I’m joyous we have won and joyous the people spoke up and won but I had a ominous feeling watching his statement.

Did it seem to anyone else he was on the verge of crying? And started crying as he walked off? Was it me? I hope so. I can’t imagine what it could be that we may not know that would make a President cry over a bill. Very strange and creepy. Was it my imagination? Should I adjust my meds?

[GiveEmDubya]

I agree 100% with your tagline.

[from occupied ga]

We the people are sorry that your reform plan was not passed.

Speak for yourself. Because you sure as hell don't speak for me, and from reading the other comments on this thread you don't speak for anyone else when you say you're sorry that this abomination didn't pass. Maybe you shoud go to the day in the life of GWB thread.

[tiger640]

“The American people understand the status quo is unacceptable when it comes to our immigration laws.”
- G W Bush

Yeah, we understand alot more than what you or any other politician understands. Let me refresh your memory:

WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS...NOT...a nation of “victims”!!! We REFUSE to assume guilt and/or responsibility for the millions who are making a mockery of our laws, which, by the way, apparently now includes Congress and the White House!

The “American People” (who have a very long memory) have spoken LOUD AND CLEAR and all you had to do was LISTEN. You didn’t! So when election day comes, there WILL be a price to be paid. Don’t doubt it for a minute, and I don’t care WHICH side of the “aisle” or end of Pennsylvania Avenue you sit on.

/rant off/

[iopscusa]

I don't agree that GWB is a leader. He appeared to lead after 9/11, had some success with Taxes and Supreme Court appointments...he has absolutely failed in leadership since sometime in 2005 and I tend to think without 9/11 he would have been a failed earlier. Now he has really done all of us a disfavor by his pigheaded idiotcy about immigration security, which if he had been serious about the WOT this would be taken care of long before we dispatched our forces overseas. Until recently this border security failure baffled me...but now I see clearly that GWB has played lose and fast with his oath and has never really been a leader, just another scraggly politician ....now he has gone over the cliff and the WOT has been compromised and I think he will continue to do more damage to our country to the point that he may be IMPEACHED...