Posted on 07/10/2006 1:31:21 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Speaking at Saturday's opening session of the National Council of La Raza convention, former U.S. President Bill Clinton accused the Republican Party of using the immigration issue to divide Congress and the nation.
"It is a way of creating a divided community and distracting people from the real challenges facing the country, whether it is in Iraq and Afghanistan, or homeland security, or how to build a clean energy future, or how to solve the healthcare crisis, or how to create new jobs for America," Clinton told one of the nation's largest Latino civil rights groups in Los Angeles Saturday night.
Calling the immigration debate a divisive distraction, Clinton said hard-liners are "basically saying these undocumented broke the law, send them home - never mind that they are five percent of the workforce and a far bigger percentage in certain critical areas."
"It's crazy to think about sending 11 million people home" to their native countries, Clinton said in remarks published by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday.
"America is and always will be a nation of immigrants," he said."We have to create one America based on our diversity, not trying to deny it."
Clinton's speech was some of his most extensive since the issue of illegal immigration heated up in Washington this year. It came as competing congressional proposals for immigration reform are being debated this summer in committee hearings around the country.
Clinton voiced support for the Senate's approach to changing immigration laws although he disliked some elements of the bill.
The Senate legislation advocates opening a path for illegal immigrants to citizenship while enhancing border security.
"At least it says we ought to provide a path to citizenship for these hard-working, law-abiding people," Clinton said. "We ought to do it in a way that does not put them ahead of those who patiently waited in the legal process."
Bill Clinton said he appreciated President Bush for siding with moderates in his own party regarding immigration.
He suggested that Bush had a different understanding of the immigration issue because of his ties to Texas, where Latinos have been part of the history and culture for many generations.
(Bill) Clinton accuses Republicans of attempting to divide Congress
That's a tricky way of dividing Congress Bill.
This comment from Clinton is final proof, as if any more were needed, that exploiting the immigration issue and "dividing Americans" is EXACTLY what the Republican party should do. It means that the smartest Rats are afraid of this, as they should be.
Can't see why the GOP is Kissing the @$$ of the illegals, Clinton's got his lips locked on 'em.
Clinton is still an idiot. The people who want to uphold and enforce the law are not the ones doing the dividing. Its the ones who want to give away the store who are the dividers. Of course, since he is one of them, he does not see it that way.
As opposed to La Raza that wants to divide the Southwestern US.
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! What's law-abiding about being in the U.S. ILLEGALLY?
And who the hell told The President we wanted a 'Comprehensive' plan?
Just secure the damn border and then I'll listen to your immigration reform ideas.
"Republicans are dirty partisans."
--Bill clinton, Bipartisan
Thus speaks the most divisive president in American history.
"It is a way of creating a divided community and distracting people from the real challenges facing the country..."
To me, immigration seems like a way for the Democrats to stuff the ballot box.
Is he talking about us? Are we what they call hardliners? (snicker)
GOP hardliners stab Clinton in the back ping.
So speaking at a convention for: THE RACE, Klinton says the republocrats are being devisive?
Eisenhower did 3 million in the 50's BJ!
Wow! There's a lot in that one sentence.
Afterall, who can forget that ketchup is a veggie?
or how to avoid dealing with terrorist since 1993, or how to get a hold of a stained blue dress,or how to hide 800 FBI files,or how to convince anyone with a brain that oral sex is not sex,or how to give 5 Billion dollars to the North Koreans for nothing and having your country believe it was a good deal
Couldn't get past the first line. Clinton, speaking to a group of racist Mexicans, about Republicans being devicive. LOL!
You are exactly right. If the GOP made this the issue in November after coming out for enforcement of current law, they'd win big.
But they won't becasue the MSM will call them racist.
Bill Clinton...like a case of genital herpes...never goes away.
A sex-mad young gay boy named Willie
Whose antics are frequently silly,
..Has had, just for fun,
..A vasectomy done--
An instance of `gelding the lily'.
Naturally, bubba would think upholding the law is a hardline issue. Let's be hardliners and make everyone obey the law, no exceptions, even for bubba. Billy still sees himself as a victim of "hardliners" forcing him to obey the law.
Why this guy just shut the hell up?
sheesh......
I was about to say something profound then the phone rang. I hit the POST command .... and off to typo land.
[take two]
Why can't Bill Clinton just go back to Arkansas, New York, West Virginia ...or some equally innocuous location and write a book?
Shut up already, Bubba.
"Billy's Tune" , To be sung to the tune "My Favorite Things" from the "The Sound of Music":
Blow jobs and land deals in backwater places,
Big Macs and French fries and girls with big faces,
Lots of nice cleavage that makes Willie spring,
These are a few of my favorite things
Susan McDougal and Gennifer Flowers,
Horny young interns who while 'way the hours,
Profits from futures that Hillary brings,
These are a few of my favorite things
When that Jones bites,
When Ken Starr stings,When I'm feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad
Beating the draft board and getting elected,
Naming to judgeships some hacks I've selected,
Conspiracy theories that blame the right wing,
These are a few of my favorite things
Golfing with Vernon and suborning perjury,
Falling down drunk that required knee surgery
Stars in the White House who come here to sing,
These are a few of my favorite things
Meeting with Boris and Helmut and Tony,
States of the Union with lots of baloney,
Winning debates and the joy of my flings,
These are a few of my favorite things
You're right about the national party as a whole. It's scared of its own shadow. But individual incumbents and challengers can and often will use the issue, because when it comes down to individual self-interest, most people will do what they have to.
As Ron White would say, "He has the right to remain silent, but he doesn't have the ability."
It seems that the country is being divided more and more every day -- divided, not between democrat and republican, but between left and right, liberal and conservative, Stalinist and Patriot. This is an increasingly dangerous divide.
"At least it says we ought to provide a path to citizenship for these hard-working, law-abiding people,"
Um bill, just which laws are they abiding by if they are
here illegally.
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