Posted on 07/16/2007 7:31:40 PM PDT by tobyhill
WASHINGTON — President Bush shocked Capitol Hill staffers and Republican leaders Monday when he crashed a meeting at the White House to deliver a blunt message that he wasn't backing down on Iraq and Republicans need to understand that.
"It was stunning," said one GOP aide who attended the meeting. "We couldn't believe he came in."
"We kept looking at each other, amazed he came in," said another Republican aide.
Bush was described as folksy, adamant and mildly profane as he interrupted the meeting between senior White House communications staffers Tony Snow and Ed Gillespie and GOP leaders. His message: the policy on Iraq isn't changing. He is not backing down and no one on Capitol Hill should be confused into thinking he is letting up.
The interruption precedes what is expected to be an all-nighter in the Senate on Tuesday, ordered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as a way to protest GOP blocking tactics on moves to compel U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Reid said Iraq is the most important issue facing the United States and attempts to block legislation calling for troops to be withdrawn from Iraq will be met with a hardball response.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Thank you. I don’t like how immigration was handled but we need to support victory on the Iraq front, whatever else is or isn’t going on.
It's high time you got some perception:
The f'n horse is immortal and will never die, so let's beat it down flat enough that it can't walk.
BUILD THE DAMN WALL!
I don’t recall President Reagan getting this much grief over immigration and his bill actually passed.
Amen, Toby.
It has become beyond tiresome.
If I’m not mistaken and can still read, this is a thread about The War and not The wall.
Take it elsewhere.
As a border denizen, I can tell you that the legislation that Reagan signed is responsible for the mess we have today.
Now build the wall before we have one to many OTMs.
I agree and this one got put in its place so as far as I’m concerned it’s over at least for this Presidents tenure.
Ditto
Sorry, but no. Bush has proved himself unworthy on this issue (immigration). I plan to dog him every day till he leaves office.
Bunkum! Instead of employing 20-20 hindsight to blame Reagan for the immigration mess we have today, look at the facts.
Besides the legalization provision, the IRCA of 1986 included serious employer sanctions that Pres Reagan fought hard to get included in the final bill that came out of the Senate. This included up to a one million dollar fine. If those employer sanctions had been enforced by the Feds, the amnesty provision would have turned out to be, what it was meant to be. A one time only grant of amnesty to 2.7 million illegals.
Instead, with the Dems taking control of the Senate in 1987, things changed. Sen Ted Kennedy gutted the employer sanctions that Reagan had demanded. This opened up the flood gates and led to more liberal immigration policies from Bush41, to Clinton, to Bush43.
What Reagan signed into law in 1986, didn't turn out the way he envisioned it. OTOH, there is no way Reagan would support the liberal immigration reform that Bush, McCain and Fat Ted Kennedy are trying to ram down the throats of the American people today.
I live here, I saw what happened. I saw so many of the ones they gave amnesty get on the dole. I saw the lies that people told to get people with money amnesty and we also just established bases for the rest of their families to come so that they'd be here for the next amnesty, not one of them believed that this would be a one-time thing.
I can't even remembere why Reagan went along with the bill but I know it was to get something that he thought was important and it was a political move. I really don't think any less of Reagan than I did, he did what he felt he had to do but in my opinion, he did the wrong thing.
That’s my man!!!
Nonsense. Congress would have been satisfied passing an amnesty bill and overriding any Reagan veto. To his credit, Reagan fought for the tough employer sanctions and improved border security to be included. Again. If Ted Kennedy hadn't gutted the funding for the employer sanctions, the subsequent liberal immigration policies carried out from 1990 until today, wouldn't have had a clear track for enactment into law. Come on, Reagan wasn't responsible for what Fat Ted Kennedy did, anymore then he was responsible for what Bush41, Clinton or Bush43 did on their watch when it came to their own liberal immigration policy.
>>>>>I can't even remembere why Reagan went along with the bill ...
I told you why he did it. Reagan compromised on the amnesty provision, to get tough employer sanctions and stronger border security. At the time many conservatives --- like myself --- didn't agree with the amnesty provision, but you can't hold Reagan responsible for todays immigration mess. Reagan didn't support open borders. Reagan said: "A nation without borders is not a nation."
Reagan in his own words:
"This bill, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, that I will sign in a few minutes is the most comprehensive reform of our immigration laws since 1952. It's the product of one of the longest and most difficult legislative undertakings in the last three Congresses. Further, it's an excellent example of a truly successful bipartisan effort. The administration and the allies of immigration reform on both sides of the Capitol and both sides of the aisle worked together to accomplish these critically important reforms to control illegal immigration.
"In 1981 this administration asked the Congress to pass a comprehensive legislative package, including employer sanctions, other measures to increase enforcement of the immigration laws, and legalization. The act provides these three essential components. Distance has not discouraged illegal immigration to the United States from all around the globe. The problem of illegal immigration should not, therefore, be seen as a problem between the United States and its neighbors. Our objective is only to establish a reasonable, fair, orderly, and secure system of immigration into this country and not to discriminate in any way against particular nations or people."
"Future generations of Americans will be thankful for our efforts to humanely regain control of our borders and thereby preserve the value of one of the most sacred possessions of our people: American citizenship. "
I won’t forget that Congress lied to Pres. Reagan about the immigration bill they all passed, but I also won’t forget that he should’ve known better than to trust Congress. Apparently, Pres. Bush, who is actually fighting those Pres. Reagan pulled back from, doesn’t deserve any support at all because of a wall that is being built, just not fast enough for our liking (yes, it’s not fast enough for me either).
Why weren’t we demanding a wall back then? Why did we not turn our backs on Pres. Reagan when nothing happened for the 241 Marine deaths in Beirut, as some are doing even here, even now when the troops need to know that we support them AND victory? All of us here want secure borders but what good does mentioning a wall over here have to do with preventing Congress from handing over our military in the Middle East and innocent Iraqis to the terrorists?
We are all frustrated and disappointed, but that doesn’t mean we have to turn into political sharks. Take the President to task when he deserves it and support him likewise.
I wondered what was said that could have been described as “mildly profane”.
Do you know for a fact that’s what was said?
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