President Bush Proposes New Temporary Worker Program [Transcript]

The White House ^ | Jan 7, 2004 | President George W. Bush

[Revel]

"Bush presented a well-thought out incentive program that will help us get a handle on uncontrolled immigration and potential terrorists within our borders. It recognizes reality, does not reward illegal behavior and has political side benefits."

What do you mean it does not reward illegal behavior ? What they get a little fine. Oh boy...so scared.

Reality is that this does nothing to get a handle on illegal immigration. That is talking points. There will still even be a huge number of people who won't even go through that process. Many of them don't want to work. You have to round them up and send them home.

[Age of Reason]

I guess you didn't see an earlier post of mine--post number 142 on this thread (especially the second part of my post):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1053502/posts?page=142#142

Perhaps there's more to Bush's idea than meets the eye: Might it be a very clever and good idea--all things considered?

[Tempest]

I'll agree with that. Accept for the country is too crowded part. I just think land is too expensive. But that's probably because I live in Los Angeles.

Take a cross country drive one of these days. There's lot's of open country and a lot of it is beautiful.

[tommix2]

Right now, no Americans can be found to fill the jobs because the jobs are offered under the table, with no taxes or benefits paid, which is why illegals can take home $10 an hour and still be hired over Americans taking home $7 Good point! Good thinking. I was hoping that someone would see this. In a free market, wages are determined by supply and demand. If an employer knows that he can get workers from abroad for say, $6.00/hr, he then advertises for workers at $6.00/hr. No US citizens apply. Then the employer says "See, American citizens can not be found to do this work; I am entitled to employ guest workers. The wage level will be the wage that guest workers are willing to take.

[Revel]

" Not really... If they go home, they get the reward of the FREE blue card. That's an incentive to "deport" themselves."

A lot of them don't have the kind of jobs they want a blue card for. That is why 29% of the prision poupulation is them.

And why should we give any job to non-Americans anyways? I supose you support H1 visa's too. I don't.

[CalKat]

Do you mean there is no difference between a fee and a fine? Would you pay a fine to renew your drivers license?

[Revel]

" Not really... If they go home, they get the reward of the FREE blue card. That's an incentive to "deport" themselves."

At what wage ?

[Kevin Curry]

. . . then they have to go home and apply for re-entry here.

And they'll do this, . . . why? Because our immigration laws say so?

If they were predisposed to obey our laws, they wouldn't be here illegally now.

[Revel]

"The blue card will never lead to US citizenship."

But is still amnesty.

And what do they care if they are citizens or not as long as they get to live the life and keep amercians from doing the same while paying for all of there bennifits. Just look at the new medicare spending bill. There is a huge amount in that to pay for there medical bennifits. While many Amercans don't have medical bennifits because the cost has been driven through the roof...In part by illegals.

[CalKat]

How is my mind made up? The only issues my mind is made up on, and that I've commented on here, are that this is an amnesty, a fee is different than a fine and that laws should be enforced. I've made no comment on Bush's actual policy, and never said I was against it, as you say I did. I would prefer to wait and think on it before I make up mind. I've never said it was good or bad, if you look at my posts. But, I still don't see how it would be easier to enforce a blue card than a green card.

[alnick]

I totally understand that up to 8 million souls are involved in this issue and dealing with them is no walk in the park, but at the same rate, it makes me uneasy that the proposal leans more on the "let them in" side, than it does the "we've got to protect our borders post 9/11" side.

I get the impression that it falls more on the protect-our-borders side because it's a first step in tracking who's here. This will give us information about millions of people who are here and lessen the burden quite a bit in separating the good guys from the bad guys. Also, it will hopefully give a good starting point to the INS to be able to start deporting lots of people -- those who are here for reasons other than finding work.

[Revel]

"They will start to enforce this new law because now there will be no excuse and the American people will not be able to have their heartstrings pulled with that old canard about "they're just trying to have a better life" and "they're paying taxes"."

But according to your words. We can't inforce it because we won't know who they are.

The truth is that the government does not want to know who they are. They let them go even after they catch them red handed. That is IMF policy...Not law...but policy. Now ask yourself why that is ?

[Revel]

"This is not correct. The fine they must pay transforms this into pleading guilty to the crime and paying their debt to society. At that point, only after that point, can they apply to remain legally."

OK...Let set the fine at $50,000.00

[Revel]

"Looks to me like most of the same people that were not supporting President Bush before this speech are the same ones saying they won't support him now."

Looks like the same people that always supported President Bush before without question are still doing it.

[RUSure]

Amnesty is bad. Will have the effect of lowering wages in the U.S. Dems despise this.
Education bill, while well intended... is un/under funded... My father is a teacher and tells me that it is somewhat of a sham.
400 billion dollar expansion of Medicare (While some might say, sounds inherently Democratic) has the effect of privatizing Medicare. Dems would like to see more government control (especially price advantages through aggregate nationalized drug price negotiations)... Free markets should work, but don't always produce the intended results (that damn profit greed rears its ugly head...)

[BenLurkin]

Our President is indeed a clever person, and I believe he has our nation's best interests at heart.

My reservations are manifold however and I fear that his cleverness comes at the expense of a long view of history and our nation's place in it.

[Revel]

FR POLL:

Question ...

After hearing President Bush's speech, do you approve of his immigration reform plan?

Yes
126 votes - 22%

No
365 votes - 65%

Undecided
64 votes - 11%

555 votes total; you voted "No"

[tommix2]

Reform must begin by confronting a basic fact of life and economics: some of the jobs being generated in America's growing economy are jobs American citizens are not fillingThis is the quote from the speech. Not filling, will not do, same difference.

[NittanyLion]

I mean no disrespect, but we've already established through previous conversations that you're going to defend this administration's policies no matter how likely they are to fail. I saw this with the Prescription Drug Bill as well; that's fine, we all need our niche. But it's difficult to take comments seriously when I know full well you adamantly refuse to offer any criticism whatsoever.

Like I said, no disrespect intended. Regards...

[NittanyLion]

And they'll do this, . . . why? Because our immigration laws say so? If they were predisposed to obey our laws, they wouldn't be here illegally now.

Exactly. What's the incentive to remain legal once their "blue card" is expired, or indeed to even apply for one in the first place?