Posted on 09/03/2005 4:08:28 PM PDT by Constitution Restoration Act
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., dismissed the suggestion of prominent columnists to introduce a bill of impeachment against President Bush for lack of border enforcement, saying his immigration reform bill will do what is necessary to stem the flow of illegal aliens into the U.S.
This week, WND columnists Patrick Buchanan and Joseph Farah called for legislation to begin the impeachment process due to, as Buchanan wrote, Bush's "conscious refusal to uphold his oath and defend the states of the Union against 'invasion.'"
Wrote Farah: "President Bush has had nearly five years in office to honor his oath of office and enforce immigration laws in this country.
"He has not only failed, he has intentionally neglected this sworn duty, instead claiming he prefers to promote a vague immigration 'reform' plan that involved a 'guest worker' program that has served as an encouragement to the most massive influx of illegal immigration this country has ever seen. "
Despite Tancredo's consistent criticism of the president's record on border enforcement, he says a better solution is to pass legislation instituting more stringent regulations on employers of illegal aliens and thus reduce the demand for illegal workers.
"The best thing to do is to see what we can accomplish," Tancredo told WND in a telephone press conference. "There are great many factors playing on our side," stressing the pendulum is swinging toward those who seek definitive action to deal with the nation's porous borders.
Said the congressman: "Right now, I'm kind of hopeful. Things are moving our way, and I don't think anything like [an impeachment bill] is necessary to keep this momentum going."
Tancredo says if Congress passes stringent legislation, the pressure will be on the president to enforce it.
The Colorado lawmaker told reporters Republican leadership in the House has indicated an immigration bill will be considered this year. The question is what form it will take.
Long an outspoken leader on the issue of illegal immigration, Tancredo is offering his own bill, H.R. 3333, the REAL GUEST Act of 2005. Besides stepping up enforcement at the border, the congressman's bill includes a provision requiring employers to use a now-voluntary "insta-check" program to verify the legal status of potential employees. A bill by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., also makes the program mandatory, but, unlike Tancredo's measure, only for those newly hired.
Besides Tancredo's legislation, there are two prominent reform bills in the Senate – Kyl's and the McCain/Kennedy bill – and Bush has indicated he will have a detailed plan ready for consideration at the end of this month. The president has focused on a guest-worker program that critics say amounts to amnesty for illegals.
"My bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation that takes into consideration the needs of labor by creating a guest-worker program," Tancredo explained, "but that program can only go into effect once certain requirements are met in terms of securing our border and reducing the number of people in the country who are here illegally."
Tancredo says the key to solving the problem is cracking down on employers who hire illegal aliens.
Explained Tancredo: "If we can stop the employment of people who are here illegally, a huge part of this problem goes away."
The congressman says his approach will remove concern about the high cost of rounding up and deporting those illegals currently in the U.S.
"You will find people by the millions, frankly, will return to their countries of origin," Tancredo said. "If they do not have a job and do not have access to social-service benefits, there really aren't any option."
Tancredo noted the issue of illegal immigration "is reaching critical mass in this country. Something will happen … to force this nation to come to grips with this problem."
Referring to Bush as having an "open borders" approach, Tancredo decried the fact that current immigration laws regarding employment are not being enforced by the executive branch.
"The laws are on the books," he said. "Is there anyone out there that believes there are no aliens in this country working illegally?"
He says the laws not being enforced should either be repealed, or the government should "actually enforce them."
Related stories:
Tancredo backing off presidential candidacy
Tancredo visits with sympathetic Muslims
Tancredo talk too offensive? Too bad, says congressman
CAIR to GOP: Repudiate Tancredo
Tancredo clarifies 'ultimate response'
Tancredo talking White House bid
White House covered up immigration study?
Employers shun service to weed out illegal hires
Tancredo asks for border official's head
Rep. Tancredo considers White House bid
It's a naked bluff. The political benefit is "Republicans are defenders on national sovereignty and stand apart from Bush's lack of concern on the issue".
Such a measure obviously wouldn't have the votes to go through but it would put the issue of immigration front and center...where it belongs.
The other benefit is that when the media focus isn't on Iraq, gains can be made there. There are no suicide bombers performing while the American media is preoccupied with other things. The terrorists perform for the US/Western media so that the media can report their deeds for demoralizing propaganda purposes. They aren't going to waste themselves if they know the concerns of Americans are elsewhere. "Politics" is (are) messy sometimes.
Only about 100 agents were scheduled to be moved. Not a big deal. If Secretary Chertoff isn't worried about it, neither am I.
Ease up on those who made application to be a political rocket scientist and failed.Just appreciate the works of a VERY effective POTUS in our time of need.
Great post however ChadGore. ; )
"...then should Buchanan be arrested?"
You've got to be kidding! Is that your BEST serious???? analogy?
From your signature am I to assume that you are a BUSH backer blindly. And regardless of valid criticisms against him, on various issues, you'll choose to dismiss them as liberal motivations. I am in NO WAY a liberal! And...Why the heck would I want retaliation for the guy to whom I refer to as The Prodigal President (Clinton) all over my thread/response posts on this site? I despise him!
What I won't do is to stand by and rubber-stamp a guy who I support when I know he's wrong!
I'll submit this little tidbit to this debate>>>
[Department of Homeland Security spokespersons received a memo titled "White House Approved Talking Points" that instructed them "not [to] talk about amnesty" or about the president's proposal.
"Do not talk about amnesty, increase in apprehensions, or give comparisons of past immigration reform proposals. … Do not provide statistics on apprehension spikes or past amnesty data," Border Patrol agents were told in the memo, according to Judicial Watch.]Source: http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45039
It goes on further to become the fuel for Tom Tancredo's (R/CO) fire and relates to Bush's "temporary worker proposal".
FACT> While the pros/cons over this program are debated the invasion across our borders continues. He knows that and apparerntly is more interested in the future Republican voter base he'll be creating RATHER THAN border integrity and security. I'm a registered Republican and I won't accept MY President's "WHORING" for votes of the future any more than I accepted that a__hole Clinton's same methodology.
You see W has a problem. He has never been able to admit to making a mistake. If he could, he'd gain a lot more respect from much of the citizenry and actually INCREASE his support, but it's just NOT in his nature apparently. Once he has staked out a position (on ANYTHING) he is absolutely intransigent. With all manner of legitimate concern and pressure from members of HIS OWN party (who I guess you'll cast aside as liberals) he fails to step back and view the results of WHAT HE IS NOT DOING! He just digs in and acts like it's some kind of mortal combat.
Do you recall his sorry performances in the debates with that jerk Kerry? How he couldn't come up with any decent responses and had to stand there and babble 'It's hard work...It's uh real hard work'. It was easy for Kerry to make him look bad, because he could anticipate how he'd respond and used that against him.
How about from another view...Bush has sold the farm...In the very near future, there will be NO southern border as well as No northern border...In fact, there will be NO United States of America...By 2010 I believe the date was...
So do you think Bush figures he can pull this off because only a self-destructive fool would consider impeaching a president in the middle of a war???
Apparently on a few ocassions, Buchanan has stated that there are a number of very rich Jewish people that are very influential in our gov't, the banking industry, hollywood, etc...Since that IS a fact of life, how does acknowledging that make one an anti-Semite???
One of the worst things about him is that he does not distinguish between legal and illegal immigration.
I'd say that statement is about 100% the opposite of the Truth...
That's mighty white of him.
Nixon did himself in. Period He didn't need help.
Back to the border issue: FACT> "The Bush administration's 2006 budget, however, only requests 210 additional Border Patrol agents and 143 new ICE special agents." Source> http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0305/032805c1.htm Give this source a GOOD READ. It's worth the little time invested. Does that give you a clue as to W's position? Has he made some kind of deal with the Mexican punk Vincente Fox? What's really goin' on? 'cause W fiddlin' while the border burns doesn't make any sense!
Chertoff wants shamnesty for the illegals...Apparently you do as well...
Well, it appears tht Rep. Tancredo isn't crazy.
"Ordinarily he was insane, but he had lucid moments when he was merely stupid."
Heinrich Heine
Not all. Just bayourod and dane the vain. Well, maybe a few others. hehehehehehehe
They come from Republicans, but the criticisms themselves don't come from the right of Bush. The MSM is not interested in criticisms that might push him to the right of where he is.
Thank you kindly, doctorhugo.
To quote from FR's mission statement:
"We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America."
There isn't much from Bush's presidency that has advanced us down that road. There are things that have taken us in the wrong direction. Now is the time for many things, but complacency with the people in charge is definitely not one of them.
Make no mistake about it: Criticism from the right keeps Bush from sliding left. The Kyl-Corrin bill (which still doesn't even go far enough) would not have been proposed at all had it not been for the relentless pressure being put on the GOP leadership by conservatives demanding that something be done about the illegal immigration mess.
Bush is an unmotivated, nonthinking drone, who depends upon criticism to maintain his directive IYO?
Ok....
I know that and you know that; the electorate in general does not. The only safe assumption there is for republicans is that they have six months starting from now to get gas prices under $2/gallon.
Is that the one where you skip over every other "e"?
HAAAAA! They take Buchannan and Farah far more seriously then any thinking American does.
The only people who take Farah and Buchanan seriously are their fellow moonbats. Farah for months has been praying for a nuclear attack on the United States and certain Farah/Buchanan/Tancredo supporters here on FR have been hoping it happens through Mexico so they can impeach Bush.
The people on FR who wanted the President impeached are simply the loud mouth remnant of the Buchanan brigades who have and always will hate any Republican that isn't in lockstep with Pat Buchanan.
There are people who hate any and all immigration, even the legal ones. They see them as an invading army out to destroy our culture. In their minds only Pat Buchanan and Tom Tancredo can save the United States by getting rid of the inferior peoples.
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