Posted on 06/16/2007 4:41:04 PM PDT by Principled
PEWAUKEE, Wis. — An immigration bill resurrected by the U.S. Senate is a “monstrosity” that is “fundamentally dishonest and impossible to implement,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday.
Addressing about 300 people at a taxpayer rally about 20 miles west of Milwaukee, the Republican said the bill amounts to the government asking citizens to trust it to protect the borders, even though border security is so flawed that one official recently ignored a computer warning and allowed a tuberculosis patient back into the country.
“The problem here is not illegal immigration, it’s American employers who willfully refuse to enforce law,” said the former Georgia congressman, who is considering a run for the White House and turns 64 on Sunday.
The immigration bill would strengthen border security while bestowing legal status on millions of illegal immigrants.
Gingrich railed against the senators who gave renewed life to the floundering measure Thursday, and told a questioner he had no idea why President Bush was encouraging the issue.
“They had every opportunity to let this die. It’s clear a huge majority of the country doesn’t like it,” he said. “Why it’s come back, I have no concept.”
Gingrich otherwise avoided mentioning the Bush administration, even though he has described it in recent interviews as dysfunctional and said the president has driven the party into collapse.
Gingrich also joked that national couriers can send and track thousands of moving packages simultaneously, while the government can’t find millions of illegal immigrants who are sitting still.
“We should spend a couple hundred million dollars to send a package to every illegal immigrant,” he said to laughter. “FedEx and UPS will find them and we’ll have them right there on the computer screen. Done.”
In response to a question, Gingrich, who helped shut down government over spending fights with the Clinton administration in the 1990s, reiterated that he hasn’t ruled out seeking the GOP nomination. But he won’t make a decision before the fall, he said.
He also criticized Wisconsin’s taxing policies, saying Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle had brought back failed economic strategies from the 1980s.
“Raising taxes kills jobs. It’s real simple,” he said.
He suggested that citizens could help rein in excessive government spending by creating a competition on the video-sharing Web site YouTube. People could submit examples of wasteful spending, he said, and the person who spotlights the biggest example of waste might receive recognition.
Enjoy.
Right on Newt. By the way, thank you for NAFTA.
One party system, here we come.
Yeah Newt. You took such a lead on this issue while you were in Congress. Thanks.
Probably the most honest appraisal of the immigration bill I’ve seen to date.
In fact, it’s a pretty accurate description of the Senate as well.
For my own attack on the President's views on Immigration, when he touted the Teddy Kennedy view of the world, last year: Answer To President On Immigration.
William Flax
A lot of the politicians and former politicians who are screaming the loudest about this bill have pretty shoddy voting records of their own.
as long as they are doing the right thing here, it matters little what is in the past.
In the case of those still in office, yes today’s votes do matter. In the case of those running for office, I see no reason to trust them unless they have a record that can back them up.
I Like Ike.
Take the Pledge: "I pledge to never, ever vote for anyone, for any office, who votes in favor of the Mexican Invasion Surrender Bill."
The penalty for being politically tone-deaf is death of one's political career. Amnesty for illegal immigrants--which means any path to any sort of permanent legal residency of any kind (let alone citizenship,) regardless of cost--is worse than the "third rail of politics." It's the Guillotine.
Sounds like our income tax system.
Someone who would run including immigration and tax reform as priorities would do well.
Or rewarding those who implement systems that catch the illegals before they start. There's a running thread baout Dunkin Donuts doing just that with some pilot program....
I've been waiting to hear Fred's position on tax reform. I'm gonna jump o'er there for a mint..
OY - linked ntu instead of the thread....
One drive by critic on every thread. If I recall, this was not too big an issue when Newt was in office. You need to check up on your history. No, Newt is not my candidate of choice.
Now, about your global warming views.....
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