Senate to Resurrect Immigration Bill Next Week(Get your phone #'s & email addresses ready!)

NewsMax.com ^ | June 23, 2007 | staff

[kellynla]

WASHINGTON -- President Bush urged lawmakers Saturday to "summon the political courage" to support his top domestic priority, an immigration overhaul that is hanging by a thread in Congress.

"We have an obligation to solve problems that have been piling up for decades," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "The status quo is unacceptable."

A fragile bipartisan compromise on immigration known as the "grand bargain" is due to come back before the Senate as early as next week. After critics sidelined the bill two weeks ago, it is being considered under an agreement to allow votes on a limited number of amendments from both Democrats and Republicans.

The measure would tighten borders and workplace enforcement, create a new guest worker program and provide pathways to legal status for most of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

With 19 months left in Bush's presidency, some see immigration reform as his last hope for a major domestic achievement, and Bush himself has made clear it is his main legislative priority for the year. The Democrats who won control of Congress in November also want to demonstrate that they can produce results on a problem of concern to many Americans.

But the issue splits the Republican Party.

Many business groups, hungry to fill low-wage jobs, support the bill, while many social conservatives have pronounced it unacceptable, calling it amnesty for illegal immigrants.

So the legislation's backers - including Bush - fear that any radical changes to the compromise would derail its already tenuous chances of getting through Congress. The House has yet to draft its version.

As an incentive for those who are skeptical about the government's ability to carry out the legislation's enforcement provisions, Bush publicly signed onto a plan for $4.4 billion in immediate funding for border security and workplace enforcement. The accelerated funding would be paid back by new fines and fees for illegal immigrants in the bill.

In his radio address, Bush stressed the bill's many enforcement provisions, which must be in place before the temporary worker program or new route for legal status becomes operational.

He also noted that, under the bill, people caught crossing the border illegally will be permanently barred from returning to the United States on a work or tourist visa, those known to have taken part in illegal gang activity can be denied admission and aliens who are dangerous criminals can be detained until another country accepts them.

"I understand that many Americans have concerns about immigration reform - especially about the federal government's ability to secure the border," Bush said. "So this bill puts the enforcement tools in place first."

But the president also argued that stepped-up enforcement will not by itself solve the problem of illegal immigration. Taking "pressure off the border" with a guest worker program also is crucial, he said.

"I urge members of both parties to support comprehensive immigration reform," Bush said.

[kellynla]

ping

[Lexington Green]

Will they make it official and declare themselves dictators?

[Recall Em All]

The picture captures my mood perfectly!

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>He also noted that, under the bill, people caught crossing the border illegally will be permanently barred from returning to the United States on a work or tourist visa<<

That make me feel so much better.

[paul51]

"I understand that many Americans have concerns about immigration reform - especially about the federal government's ability to secure the border," Bush said. "So this bill puts the enforcement tools in place first."

Shrub and the government have zero credibility on the notion of enforcing any laws, existing, new or otherwise. The government's present strategy of deciding which laws to enforce at what time causes one to not believe anything they say re law enforcement

[Principled]

"We have an obligation to solve problems that have been piling up for decades,"...

Uh huh...and your failure to prevent or even attempt to prevent these problems from piling up for six years have been nonexistent.

Freakin' retards.

How long have people been screaming about the illegal problem? At least 10 years. Now, suddenly, you think it's time to do "something"? You have created the very problem you purport to solve with this amnesty. And this amnesty doesn't even solve the problem = it makes it worse for crying out loud.

Like the "strict background checks" [Tony Snow]. They're to be done in 24 hours or the Z visa is automatically granted - did you even know that? And you say you can do a strict background check in 24 hours but you can't even prevent the government from being one of the biggest employers of illegals? You're full of sheeottt.

[ckilmer]

bush say that if lawmakers can just summon a sufficient amount of treason in their hearts—anything is possible. bush says that’s impossible that he would ever put national interests above family interests. “I got mine. Why don’t you have yours” bush said later.

[upchuck]

"I understand that many Americans have concerns about immigration reform - especially about the federal government's ability to secure the border," Bush said. "So this bill puts the enforcement tools in place first."

I really, really hate to say this, Mr. Bush, you being the President and all. But

I DON'T TRUST YOU!

You "promised" to faithfully execute the laws of the land. And you willfully and clearly didn't. So why should I trust you when you say "enforcement first?"

Go peddle your stuff somewhere else.

[rolling_stone]

He also noted that, under the bill, people caught crossing the border illegally will be permanently barred from returning to the United States on a work or tourist visa, those known to have taken part in illegal gang activity can be denied admission

Let me translate: under the bill the few people left in the world that don't have amnesty including their families (fraudulently applied for or not) and try crossing the border illegally if they are caught by our "virtual enforcement" will be barred from returning to the US on a work or tourist visa, and instead will be given a green card for permanent residency and those that have taken part in illegal gang activity might be denied admission if they are stupid enough not to "renounce" their previous gang affiliation even though they are still in the gang. We in the WH believe we have enough loopholes that there will be no one left in Mexico that will have to cross the border illegally because they will already be here legally.

[sourcery]

How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico

I Like Ike.

The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Immigrants to the U.S. Taxpayer

Take the Pledge: "I pledge to never, ever vote for anyone, for any office, who votes in favor of the Mexican Invasion Surrender Bill."

Model letter to your Senator:

To: Your Senator
From: A concerned citizen and constituent
Subject: Urge that you oppose S.1639--vote no on cloture

I urge that you vote no on S.1639 (Immigration Reform,) and vote no on cloture.

Reasons:

1) Granting any form of legal residency to those who illegally crossed our borders is drastically unfair to all those in the wider world who cannot so easily get the same deal for themselves, because they happen to be geographically disadvantaged relative to most of the illegal immigrants who come here. What about those from Asia, Africa and Europe? Should not legal residency in the US be fairly rationed among all the world's peoples?

2) To reward illegal immigrants with the very thing they were trying to achieve when they broke the law is unconscionable: It encourages law breaking in general, and yet more illegal immigration in particular. Criminals must never be granted that which they were seeking when they broke the law--in this case, any form of legal residency in the United States.

3) S. 1639 would have the effect of creating a peasant class of cheap laborers. Although not as bad as our failed experiment with slavery that ultimately ended in a civil war, the moral argument against it is analogous.

4) "Guest worker" programs of the form proposed by S. 1639 are nothing more than an attempt by business to avoid having to pay a living wage to legal US residents.

5) Eisenhower solved the problem much more simply, and for far less money. His solution also exposed the extent to which the problem is corruption in our government, and among our businesspeople. [Reference: http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0706/p09s01-coop.html]

6) Illegal immigrants are a net financial drain on our economy. The benefits of cheap labor (and cheap food prices) are more than offset by the increased costs for social services and infrastructure. [Reference: http://www.heritage.org/Research/Immigration/sr14.cfm]

7) Current law is not the problem. The problem is lack of enforcement. If the current law cannot be enforced, why would things be any different under S. 1639?

[SmoothTalker]

“President Bush urged lawmakers Saturday to “summon the political courage””

So the people who oppose him lack courage and don’t want to do what is best for America. Perhaps the libs were right to call him King George. Or perhaps the Republican Jimmy Carter is better.

[AFMobster]

“Political courage”

So, is that the new term for political suicide?

[freekitty]

What liars.

[blam]

If the Immigration Bill passes, I’m going to Washington!!

[trebb]

I just sent my second missive to Trent Lott:

Dear Senator Lott,
This is the second email I am sending about your stance on the immigration fiasco. I will grant that the first was strongly worded and made it easy for you and your office to not respond. I will try to be gentler and more civil this time.
You were recently quoted as saying: “To think that you’re going to intimidate a senator or any senator into voting one way or the other by gorging your phones with phone calls - most of whom don’t even know where Gulfport, Mississippi, is - is not an effective tactic. But it’s their right to do that.”
I am here to tell you I do know where Gulfport is and I really resent the way you so flippantly shrug off the fact that your constituency (you know, the ones who actually voted for you and stood by you in the past - the ones you are supposed to be representing) is overwhelmingly against this sham of an "Immigration Reform" Bill that you seem to think so much of. It's bad enough that the Democrats are so obviously undemocratic in their endeavors and so willing to try to become the new leaders of a fascist State, but I am incomprehensibly puzzled at your stance and the blatant disregard and disrespect it shows for those who elected you. Why should anyone have to "intimidate a U.S. Senator" in order to get him to do the right thing? What has happened to the principled man that used to inhabit your office? It is no wonder that many folks are wondering if you have become imbalanced or if someone else has some dirt on you, because the reasons for your ignoring those you are supposed to represent, in favor of those that have no rightful claim for your representation, are limited. Perhaps, instead of acting the uncaring, all-powerful, untouchable big shot, you were to try to give a rational reason for your stance, we might understand. As it stands now, you are worse than an embarrassment, you are actually a danger to the Constitution and our way of life. Please do me the courtesy of explaining your stance, and do it without the political doublespeak - like most of your fellow Mississippians, I can understand plain English just fine. Bob B...

Perhaps a few more folks will holler at their "representatives" too.

Let's pray this fiasco is finally buried and those that push it to the bitter end are soon back in civilian status, where they can whine about the fickle voters instead of having anal intercourse with them...

[ANGGAPO]

I will join you on that statement. The government can not enforce any law that has so many escape provisions. It couldn’t protect the border under the present law, how can anyone expect better performance now?

[MainFrame65]

“We have an obligation to solve problems that have been piling up for decades,” Bush said in his weekly radio address. “The status quo is unacceptable.”

Yes, Mr. President, and the status quo is the problem you have refused to deal with for 6 1/2 years. You can solve the largest part of it with no new legislation at all.

1. Stop lying to us about your stewardship of our borders and language.

2. PARDON Ramos, Campion, and every other PERsecuted Border Partol agent, issue an executive order directing the Border Patrol to perform its duties effectively and AGGRESSIVELY, and FIRE Johnny Sutton, as an object lesson in how NOT to interfere with good people doing the enforcement job they took an oath to perform.

3. Build the fence, hire all the agents needed, install the technology, then maintain, patrol, and monitor the border appropriately. Funding is available as of LAST YEAR!

4. Expand the SSA’s “Basic Pilot” program, and make participation MANDATORY for every employer with 5 or more employees, beginning with largest companies. This program verifies and matches SSN/TIN or alien number with name, birth place, and date, and verifies immigration status and employment eligibility with the Dept. of Homeland Security.

5. Come back NEXT YEAR with real results, and we might listen to your other plans.

[Leofl]

Here;s the list of every fax machine in the RNC Building

Let them know how you feel

Republican National Committee Fax

Chairman (202) 863-8820
Administration (202) 863-8609
Counsel (202) 863-8654
Finance (202) 863-8690
Member Relations (202) 863-8835
Strategy (202) 863-8885
Co-Chairman (202) 863-8631
Communications (202) 863-8773
Political (202) 863-8808
Membership Services (202) 863-8589
eCampaign (202) 863-8851
Government Affairs (202) 863-8877