OPEN-BORDERS BUSH: THE FINAL STRAW? (Michelle Malkin)

Michelle Malkin.com ^ | 04/27/06 | Michelle Malkin

[Pessimist]

WASHINGTON -- President Bush generally favors plans to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship without leaving the country, but does not want to be more publicly supportive because of opposition among conservative House Republicans, according to senators who attended a recent White House meeting. Several officials familiar with the meeting also said Democrats protested radio commercials that blamed them for Republican-written legislation that passed the House and would make illegal immigrants vulnerable to felony charges.

Bush said he was unfamiliar with the ads, which were financed by the Republican National Committee, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

At another point, Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada and other members of his party pressed the president about their concern that any Senate-passed bill would be made unpalatable in final talks with the House.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, said the lawmaker who would lead House negotiators, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, had been "intractable" in negotiations on other high-profile bills in the past. Bush did not directly respond to the remark, officials said.

The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity, saying they had not been authorized to disclose details.

Bush convened the session to give momentum to the drive for election-year immigration legislation, a contentious issue that has triggered large street demonstrations and produced divisions in both political parties. Senators of both parties emerged from the session praising the president's involvement and said the timetable was achievable.

"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.

Martinez said it was implicit in Bush's remarks that many of the immigrants illegally in the U.S. would be permitted to remain during a lengthy wait and application period.

[Pessimist]

Uh..... "No comment"

[Darkwolf377]

The Republican and Democratic officials who described the conversation did so Wednesday on condition of anonymity

LOL But FReepers who usually ignore anything said anonymously have been quoting this like it's Gospel.

Look at the record, not the rhetoric. Someone recently posted PEW research showing that under Bush immigration has dropped 24%. But once the MSM--our good trusted buddies--start this kind of blather, who cares about silly facts? LOL!

[Pukin Dog]

Oh save it.

Like the ports issue, the raving masses have taken over the debate and reason is no longer possible. You actually have FREEPERS advocating the impeachment of Bush.

Twice now, Conservatives have failed to control their crazy grandma in the attic.

[ziggy_dlo]

I'm tired of constatntly talking about Bush and his treasonous ways. They need to be deported. That is point blank. I agree with you almost:

Uh..... "No comment"

but if we sit here and do nothing, they will continue to run over us and that is what they WANT!

[ARCADIA]

LOL But FReepers who usually ignore anything said anonymously have been quoting this like it's Gospel.

Let me ask you something. This story has been all over the press since yesterday; when is Bush going to come out to deny it's premise and set us all straight? (how about when pigs fly)

[ziggy_dlo]

Let me ask you something. This story has been all over the press since yesterday; when is Bush going to come out to deny it's premise and set us all straight? (how about when pigs fly)

or when hell freezes over

[Dane]

Like the ports issue, the raving masses have taken over the debate and reason is no longer possible

Yep especially people like malkin who morally equate a person working hard in a meat plant to a crack dealer.

JMO, she is more like the crack dealer with her vitriol that is like an opiate that dulls common sense.

[Leatherneck_MT]

As long as the current batch of politicians are in the District of Criminals, there is no reason to be found.

[traderrob6]

Exactly. The visceral reponse from Malkin and others lately is getting tiresome.

You want to see inflation deport 11,000,000 million workers with a 4.6% prevailing unemployment rate. You'll see monumental inflation that will make the Carter years appear utopian.

[nicmarlo]

"Yes, he thinks people should be given a path to citizenship," said Sen. Mel Martinez., R-Fla., a leading supporter of immigration legislation in the Senate.

Martinez said it was implicit in Bush's remarks that many of the immigrants illegally in the U.S. would be permitted to remain during a lengthy wait and application period.

Rah. Rah.

[Dane]

You want to see inflation deport 11,000,000 million workers with a 4.6% prevailing unemployment rate. You'll see monumental inflation that will make the Carter years appear utopian

But the US workforce will be "pure", that outrumps economic realities to these people.

[Spiff]

Look at the record, not the rhetoric. Someone recently posted PEW research showing that under Bush immigration has dropped 24%. But once the MSM--our good trusted buddies--start this kind of blather, who cares about silly facts?

Damn those silly facts...

Worksite Arrests:
Clinton Presidency, first four years, :
1993 8,027
1994 7,630
1995 7,554
1996 10,014
--------------
Total 33,325

Best year was 1997 with 17,554 worksite arrests

Bush Presidency, first four years:
2001 735
2002 485
2003 445
2004 159
--------------
Total 1,824
Best year was 2001 with 735 worksite arrests

Heck, even in Clinton administration's worst year for it there were more worksite arrests than all of the Bush administration's worksite arrests combined throughout the entire Bush presidency so far.

[Fruitbat]

Someone recently posted PEW research showing that under Bush immigration has dropped 24%.

Is that illegal and legal immigration? What's happened to "legal" immigration through all of this?

Otherwise, what you're saying is that illegal immigration today is 24% less than what it was in 2001?

Sorry! But NO SALE!

[Pessimist]

"You want to see inflation deport 11,000,000 million workers with a 4.6% prevailing unemployment rate."

Are you seriously placing economics above national security?

[frogjerk]

Yep especially people like malkin who morally equate a person working hard in a meat plant to a crack dealer.

The companies that hire these illegal aliens for slave labor are morally culpable as well. They should be fined severly for breaking the law.

[Spiff]

Yep especially people like malkin who morally equate a person working hard in a meat plant to a crack dealer.

Kind of how you equate a foreign invader with the most noble of heroes.

[frogjerk]

If these people are illegal how do they contribute to the employment rate?

[ARCADIA]

Which people are you Dane; how long since you swam the Rio Grande?

[traderrob6]

Are you suggesting that illegal Hispanics are liekly terrorists?

[Junior_G]

But the US workforce will be "pure", that outrumps economic realities to these people.

Your insinuations of racism are completely out of place. You say that as if illegal immigrants don't drive wages down for non-illegals, or as if they don't mooch off of taxpayers while they're living here. You seem to pick and choose which economic realities you want to deal with on this issue.