Spokesman for President Bush Posts on Free Republic About Immigration Bill

Thursday, June 14, 2007 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

A spokeman for the Bush administration sent an e-mail to Jim Robinson and myself confirming the authenticity of a post on Free Republic this afternoon regarding the immigration bill currently before the Senate as having been posted on behalf of the White House.

The spokesman, Nicholas Thompson, works for the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. The Politico reported yesterday that Thompson and Kerrie Rushton, associate directors in the Office of Strategic Initiatives who work under Karl Rove, would be engaging the blogosphere on the immigration bill.

Thompson's post is on the thread titled Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill, a vanity posted by philman_36. Thompson posted at comment #53.

Thompson's e-mail to Free Republic included a brief introduction and the text of his posted comment:

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that I just posted a response to the post "Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill."

The White House appreciates the opportunity to respond on Free Republic.

Response:
I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law. Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bill’s new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in. We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.

For those employers who do knowingly hire illegal immigrants, please know that we intend to penalize these employers strongly, and the Administration has already stepped up these penalties in the last couple of years. For example, a 2005 program, “Operation Rollback,” assessed $15,000,000 in civil fines to employers, an amount greater than the sum of administrative fines collected in the previous eight years and was the largest worksite enforcement penalty in US history. In the first quarter of FY07, criminal and civil forfeitures have totaled $26,700,000 for employers.

As a reminder of what’s in the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000 maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per illegal worker for the second, $25,000 maximum per illegal worker for the third , and $75,000 maximum per illegal worker for the fourth. In addition, the bill increases the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of unlawful hiring twenty-five-fold, from $3,000 to $75,000, and would impose a prison term of up to six months. This represents a significant increase in fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Nicholas Thompson
White House Office of Strategic Initiatives

[George W. Bush]

But, gee, they are gone. They can catch on really quickly that this is merely a punk trash site - no real doers here.

Oh, gee, Clancy, it seems you've missed your chance to be a real "doer". Here we are, such rude and ungrateful persons that we expect them to enforce the law and repel illegal aliens and deport them. And you were going to sit down with them and be a "doer" and we've just spoiled it for you.

Another brilliant White House career nipped in the bud by some bunch of Neanderthal FReepers. It's so tragic.

Now, to explain so even you can grasp it: this was no consultation or brainstorming session or bargaining or negotiation with the White House. JimRob let them and will probably let them come back so we can abuse them, you know, like pulling the wings off a fly while we await our chance to defeat any GOP senator or House member and all Democrats on this issue in next spring's primary.

What it was was an attempt to expand their little talking points fax list that they send out to the shills and the pro-amnesty morons in the Senate and House. It was, in a word, propaganda, deliberate as anything Goebbels ever wrote. Tony Snow probably wouldn't have included us if he knew that the WA^kes had been banned here.

And you fell for this elementary tactic and are resenting the 99.99% of all FReepers who didn't fall for it like you did. Because we're not stupid.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Niters WB,,,Hope ya’ get some rest...;0)

[hosepipe]

The White House is ignorant, on purpose, that illegals will deport themselves like lemmings with the right law enforcment.. They think "WE" don't know they know this..

Playing silly games/gambits on free republic will be like herding cats.. Amnesty for 20+million brand new voting democrats is way past not being funny..

Make it hard to rent to or employ an illegal and they WILL deport themselves.. Familys/"friends" that harbor illegals should also be punished..

[b9]

Thank you!

[Dat Mon]

YOU SAID...”But, I kinda thought that maybe some people with actual power would come to FR and gather the views of conservatives on issues. Call me naive.”

I think that people realize that they are being deceived...manipulated...conned...and the worst of all...talked down to.

I think the sense of anger and betrayal is visceral.

People have concluded that the approach here is not honest...it is not an honest debate.

Every time I have seen people square off on this issue on the MSM or on alternate media..the bills proponents get hammered..yet they come off as arrogant, and strangely unfazed by the fact that they have no valid arguments to counter the Robert Rectors, the Jeff Sessions, the Kris Kobachs, the Laura Ingrahams, the Michelle Malkins, the Ann Coulters...etc....

Everyone has finite patience, when dealing with people who are not giving an honest debate.

[Bogtrotter52]

After all this time and all the polls showing what the American people think of the bill they are still responding by putting their fingers in their ears and going “La, la, la, la,la,......”.

[nicmarlo]

fofl!

[PhiKapMom]

Just posted the info below you along with his press release about his amendment English only that passed.

Jim Inhofe is great and is one Senator up for reelection that I am supporting 100% — Oklahoma and America needs him in the Senate.

[suffering_fools]

1) BUILD THE FENCE
2) DEPORT ALL ILLEGALS
3) FINE / PROSECUTE EMPLOYERS BREAKING THE LAW
4) FINE / PROSECUTE LANDLORDS THAT RENT TO THEM

Just a minor point, but if you've ever had the unfortunate experience of having them as neighbors, you'd understand. AND they stole my car for a joyride to add insult to injury.

[ClancyJ]

I sure hope so - too many smart people here to waste an opportunity.

I’m stumped about what is going on.

Again, who would ever think we would be begging the President of the United States to protect our borders and having to watch the democrats support the enemies of America and do all in their power to bring in masses of people as an underclass dependent on the “taxpayer” teat to give them votes to take over control of a socialistic America - and, of course, without having to gain real American votes to do it.

And who would have thought we would see a political party that circumvents the election processs to utilize judges legislating from the bench without laws coming from the people, that uses every process possible to instill themselves in control of the country WITHOUT THE VOTES TO DO SO.

Guess we really are in Stage 4 of the loss of democracy.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

DON'T PISS DOWN MY BACK AND TELL ME IT'S RAININ' !!!

[George W. Bush]

To me this is pushing the cost of labor onto the members of churches in our society and on to the taxpayer by draining the entitlement programs. Cheap labor? For who? Only the employers - not the taxpayer, not the churches.

Now you see the purpose of the "Faith-based Initiatives". This has been the plan all along. Your mistake was in not perceiving that this is deliberate, it was planned.

The labor and materials in church charity, even if partially funded by government, represent ... wait, can you hear it coming ... more cheap/free church labor to subsidize all the foreign cheap/free labor. And to leave the citizens too exhausted to protest and to place church members in conflict with their clergy if they complain about such a cynical misuse of the churches by the government.

It's all one set piece. It always was, from the very beginning. And the federal role in NCLB is part of it. And good ol' Teddy Kennedy is the major player and architect of all of these programs.

[Jorge]

"Unless there is a law requiring employers investigate the ID and records for all prospective employees."

Google "I-9 employment form" -- it is required.

Wrong. There's NOTHING in the I9 employement form that requires employers to become investigators as to authenticity of ID provided by prospective employees.

It simply states that the employer require ID and that it is acceptable to the best of their knowledge.

[beckysueb]

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.

Interesting little item I found in that document.

[potlatch]

He's singing the FREEPER'S SONG

I  CAN'T   GET  NO  SATISFACTION

[nicmarlo]

lol!