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Bush woos Republican senators over immigration bill
International Herald Trribune ^ | May 26, 2007 | Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Posted on 05/26/2007 5:02:52 AM PDT by Hadean

WASHINGTON: Having won his fight with congressional Democrats on an Iraq war spending bill, President George W. Bush is now waging an equally aggressive battle with Republican senators as he tries to persuade them to support an immigration bill that he hopes will be a signature domestic achievement.

As the Senate debated the immigration measure, Bush spent the past week lobbying behind the scenes to build support for it. A dozen Republican senators, including some of the staunchest opponents of the bill, were summoned to Oval Office meetings to hear the president deliver an impassioned appeal for the legislation.

In return, participants said, they gave Bush an earful about complaints from their constituents.

"He may have this legacy thing in mind - he may think that it's Nixon going to China, that only he can get this done," said Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama. Describing the meeting as positive, Sessions said Bush "took it well" when he told the president pointedly that he did not intend to vote for the measure.

"I think he's made a big mistake," Sessions added. "I think he put himself in a position of weakness by making this something that he desperately wants."

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; cluelessrino; deafrino; georgewbush; immigrantlist; immigration
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To: Big Horn

Get help.


61 posted on 05/26/2007 6:35:45 AM PDT by Plains Drifter (I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy it!!!)
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To: Big Horn

“I do. I think he is one of the greatest presidents we have had. With me freedom is top priority I judge everything on how it will affect my freedom.”

Obviously the Mexican invasion hasn’t reached Wyoming yet.
Bush is worse than Carter, just treasonus in a different way.


62 posted on 05/26/2007 6:38:51 AM PDT by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: WorkerbeeCitizen
Treaty of the sea? I wish I knew what they are up to.

Council on Foreign Relations has a report that spells it out on their website.

NAU, TransHighway, SPP, sphere of security around Canada/US/Mexico, common currency, etc.

The intent is to merge the nations, with the US (taxpayers) taking the brunt of the costs and provisions.
63 posted on 05/26/2007 6:40:00 AM PDT by TomGuy
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To: Alberta's Child
...the employer doesn't have to incur additional costs...
But the employer's lower costs is what is allowing him to pay the higher wage the illegal worker is "commanding", isn't it?
64 posted on 05/26/2007 6:40:15 AM PDT by philman_36
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To: antisocial

Bush is worse than Carter, just treasonus in a different way.

Lets not get carried away here!!!


65 posted on 05/26/2007 6:40:27 AM PDT by ontap
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To: kittymyrib
Hopefully, not many GOP senators are crazy enough to drink the amnesty Kool-Aid that will result in political suicide.

All it takes is about 10 or so R's to reach the 60 total needed to cut off debate and vote for this monstrosity.

Over half that number are from McCain's Gang of 14.


Pelosi supposedly has informed the White House not to bother sending that bill to the House, unless the WH can guarantee 70 R votes. You can bet the WH will be arm-twisting if/when this monstrosity reaches the House of Representatives.
66 posted on 05/26/2007 6:46:26 AM PDT by TomGuy
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To: ontap
The health care industry only benefits from illegal aliens because it can easily pass its costs along to other "customers."

As an industry that relies almost entirely on third-party payment (whether that be government or insurance plans), health care is doomed to collapse in any case, so this isn't a good example to use.

67 posted on 05/26/2007 6:47:56 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: horse_doc

I think Bush is terrible on immigration for a number of reasons, and I think family connections probably is one of them. It is not an attack on Jeb’s wife and children to say so, but merely a reflection on human nature. And it would go a long way in explaining Bush on this issue. I mean, Bush isn’t just bad on this issue, he is atrocious. From his refusal to listen to the conservative position on immigration, to the leftwing rhetoric he uses, to the new leftwing policies he pursues, and to his refusal to enforce existing laws, the man has made other bad-on-immigration Presidents (like Clinton, Bush the Elder, Reagan, Carter, Ford, and Nixon) look stellar by comparison. So maybe it is love for family that helps explain such baffling behavior from an alleged conservative.

And it does raise an interesting ‘what-if’ about Jeb Bush. I happen to agree with most of the talk of how he would have made a better President than W, and that he would have been the nominee (and clear winner) in 2000 had he not lost the 1994 gubernatorial race. But had all of this happened, then its probably safe to say that Jeb would have been at least as bad on immigration as W has been.


68 posted on 05/26/2007 6:49:40 AM PDT by Aetius
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To: TomGuy
Yes, I am aware of that (truly frightening), and it was my understanding that this immigration fiasco is just part of it.

I just don't trust them to not take advantage of this and slip some other equally devastating piece of garbage under the radar while this is going on.

69 posted on 05/26/2007 6:51:58 AM PDT by WorkerbeeCitizen (I Relieve Myself In Islam's General Direction While I Deny Global Warming.)
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To: philman_36

“No, cheap labor is not a logical explanation. In fact, it’s counterintuitive.”

I agree with you, and so without enforcement of the borders and immigration laws the NEXT wave of illegals will begin shortly after all the ones here are “regularized” and are no longer cheap.

But I think you give Congress entirely too much credit for being logical.

They are five dollar whores.


70 posted on 05/26/2007 6:52:56 AM PDT by EEDUDE (The more I know, the less I understand...)
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To: philman_36
That's exactly right -- and that's why I've said here that "legalizing" illegal aliens isn't going to change a damn thing . . . because there will still be a latent demand for unregulated labor in many industries.

It's worth noting that illegal immigration was never a "problem" in this country until we had a massive government in place that introduced major distortions in the marketplace for labor and other services.

You didn't hear so many complaints about illegal immigration back in the latter half of the 19th century (the term "illegal immigrant" may have even been completely meaningless back then) -- mainly because the immigrant from Europe who filed a homestead claim out on the Great Plains had no financial advantage over the American citizen who owned the farm across the road. They both worked from dawn to dusk, and neither of them had the ability to use the power of government to force the other to do anything. All transactions were voluntary, and the system worked very well from a purely economic standpoint.

71 posted on 05/26/2007 6:54:41 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (I'm out on the outskirts of nowhere . . . with ghosts on my trail, chasing me there.)
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To: ontap

“Lets not get carried away here!!!”

Carter was so bad that he caused a conservative resurgance.
Bush is so bad that he will cause the end of the GOP.


72 posted on 05/26/2007 6:55:04 AM PDT by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: paul544

no


73 posted on 05/26/2007 6:56:27 AM PDT by chasio649
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To: Aetius
There would likely...
That's almost as bad as "maybe" being used in a scientific report. LOL
74 posted on 05/26/2007 6:58:52 AM PDT by philman_36
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To: Big Horn

sarcasm?


75 posted on 05/26/2007 6:59:56 AM PDT by chasio649
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To: EEDUDE
They are five dollar whores.
You've been down Magsaysay Drive, PI too? {;^)
76 posted on 05/26/2007 7:03:38 AM PDT by philman_36
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To: etradervic
Cheap labor trumps security and the law - disgusting!

It is, in reality, a VERY slick form of corporate welfare benefiting those who are able to use this taxpayer subsidized labor force as "casual labor", "day labor" or some other such label without them actually being "employees". They can directly expense the costs involved and get their work done at very reasonable rates.

The guys who recieve this "corporate welfare" also just happen to be the largest donors there are to republican party coffers.

77 posted on 05/26/2007 7:03:49 AM PDT by Bigun (IRS sucks @getridof it.com)
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To: AIM-54
because of the net benefit to democrat causes - more welfare recipients, gov't programs, etc will translate to more people voting themselves more goodies and welfare. illegal immigrants will be the next big 'victim group' for liberals to pander to.

I understand that. Bush doesn't. McCain doesn't. Yet, that doesn't change the fact that so many republicans were involved with this bill and Bush has been pushing for this since 2000.

78 posted on 05/26/2007 7:04:51 AM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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To: etradervic
I disagree. This is about helping companies that want to keep the price of labor down. Rather than pay a decent wage, they would rather uphold an irresponsible immigration policy.

There's a very good article you need to read. I think it is dead on the money, and it's not about cheap labor.

Immigration and Usurpation - Real reason why your Senator wants this immigration amnesty bill

79 posted on 05/26/2007 7:05:37 AM PDT by AFreeBird (Will NOT vote for Rudy. <--- notice the period)
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To: cripplecreek
Bush is becoming the Jim Jones of politics.


80 posted on 05/26/2007 7:10:18 AM PDT by P-Marlowe (LPFOKETT GAHCOEEP-w/o*)
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