Posted on 04/26/2006 5:20:12 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
---I wish people had realized this in early 2000.
OK, for argument's sake, let's say they had. Then where would we be right now?
WHO would be President? Pat Buchanan? HAHAHAHA---
Al Gore would be President.
If Republicans cater to the illegals on this immigration issue it will be over. Many conservativeswill stay home or vote 3rd party. That's just a natural fact. This issue is like gun control. It's a deal breaker. Except that this issue has a much wider appeal.
Evidently many even here on FR were asleep during the recent demonstrations. These are not a bunch of potential Republican voters.
After 911 Bush only tried to get the postal workers, the cable guy, and meter readers to keep a watchful eye in the homes they go into (until the companies refused to allow their employers to do it) AND He was in Portland, Maine telling the lobstermen that we need to be "VIGILANT" and suggesting that they keep an eye on the port and report anything that appears strange. Come to think of it... "AMERICANS NEED TO BE MORE VIGILANT" was one of Bush's favorite statements a couple of years ago.
It's one thing to encourage watchfulness and to encourage tipsters. It's another thing to encourage the organization of patrols.
I think both are acceptable. Bush like most politicians doesn't.
We can't let a little thing like the truth get in the way of a good rant, though, can we?
You know, to be honest this makes me uneasy as well. Thanks.
I have a couple of questions about it though. Are we more upwardly mobile in the US in general, or is that a common misconception? I have felt that perhaps with a less socialistic economy, there was more of a chance for upward movement.
I'd love to hear your perspective.
Do you have that poll handy, Howlin?
The issues Americans care about most?
E.D. Hill has been whipping up this immigration thing for years.
If Poppy had stayed with what Reagan accomplished and not tried to turn it into a thousand points of liberalism there would have been no Perot race in 1992 and Poppy would have been a second termer for doing so. Poppy and company couldn't wait to undo the Reagan accomplishments on all fronts. His son? The same.
Stay home.
Just shut up about it. Once you say it, there's no need to KEEP saying it over and over.
Just stay the hell home.
Thanks. I do not watch F&F.
Be careful....you're losing your edge!
Is this one of those ... I'm rubber, you're glue, what bouncing off me, sticks to you moments???
Ok .. really off to bed this time .. later dude
It is the Federal government's job to secure our borders. State government's can also help.
You started a virtual stampede.
We had fun though.
Perot's ran for one reason and one reason only...he hated Vice President Bush. He was just using his money to further a personal grudge.
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CBS News Poll. April 6-9, 2006. N=899 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3. |
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"What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?" Open-ended |
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| % | ||||||
| War in Iraq | 27 | |||||
| Economy/Jobs | 13 | |||||
| Immigration | 7 | |||||
| Terrorism (general) | 6 | |||||
| Health care | 5 | |||||
| President Bush | 4 | |||||
| Gas/Heating oil crisis | 4 | |||||
| Poverty/Homelessness | 4 | |||||
| Other | 26 | |||||
| Unsure | 4 | |||||
They're right.
When they give these people amnesty, we all know they will, and millions more come here, who's going to stand up and take responsibility? We, the people, will be left holding the bag, just like last time. We're the ones who's neighborhoods will be crime riddle and who's children will suffer. The a--holes in DC won't have to live with it, behind their gated communities.
Never!
Gun control???????
A DEAL BREAKER is the WAR ON TERROR.
I have more faith in Americans than you do. I don't think they'll "sit this out".
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