President Discusses Comprehensive Immigration Reform

The White House ^ | June 1, 2006 | Office of the Press Secretary

[raybbr]

The fundamental question facing this country is, do we fear the future, or do we intend to shape it. I intend to shape the future so America...

Yes, George. We know the shape of your "new America".

THE "NEW AMERICAN"

We are now one of the largest Spanish-speaking nations in the world. We're a major source of Latin music, journalism and culture.

Just go to Miami, or San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago or West New York, New Jersey ... and close your eyes and listen. You could just as easily be in Santo Domingo or Santiago, or San Miguel de Allende.

For years our nation has debated this change -- some have praised it and others have resented it. By nominating me, my party has made a choice to welcome the new America.

As I speak, we are celebrating the success of democracy in Mexico.

George Bush from a campaign speech in Miami, August 2000.

You can read the speech here.

Here is an excerpt of a good critique of that speech:

In equating our intimate historic bonds to our mother country and to Canada with our ties to Mexico, W. shows a staggering ignorance of the civilizational facts of life. The reason we are so close to Britain and Canada is that we share with them a common historical culture, language, literature, and legal system, as well as similar standards of behavior, expectations of public officials, and so on. My Bush Epiphany By Lawrence Auster

[raybbr]

ping

[Paladin2]

The US is demonstrably NOT a nation of laws. It's up to W to correct that.

[hedgetrimmer]

Bump for later

[KTM rider]

I live in LA California.....so I know the shape of the new America,

It has several old cars parked on the unmowed weed lawns, diapers strewn all over the parks, knee deep trash in every gutter and the major retail chains have moved out

our new neighbors seem to get more demanding, arrogant and hostile by the day.

[dan1123]

"There's a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant and a program that requires every illegal immigrant to leave. The middle ground recognizes there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently, and someone who has worked here for many years who's got a home, a family, and a clean record.

How, Mr. President, do we tell the difference between someone who crossed the border last year and one who crossed five or ten years ago? How do we know if someone without any identification, or a forged id has committed any crimes in the past? How do we know if a home bought under false documents is that particular person's home?

There is no way to tell the difference. That's why any condition is amnesty.

[SteveMcKing]

President Discusses Plan That Will Be Abandoned The Moment We All Vote Next November

[Cobra64]

"This nation is a nation of laws. And we're going to enforce our laws."

When?

[upchuck]

I pray several times a day that you are right.

[ex-Texan]



Nada por nada.

[claptrap]

The neo-con artists dont realize real conservatives hate
the flaunting of the law for economic or even humanitarian
concerns. Too much humanitarianism can kill a person.

[taxed2death]

"One of the jobs of the government is to encourage entrepreneurship. We've done so in this administration, and as a result, America's risk-takers are -- and business owners, both small and large, are hiring people."

Hey Chief...how about some freakin workplace enforcement of hiring laws so that legit business owners can sop getting their asses handed to them by scumbags who hire illegals?

[taxed2death]

sop=stop

[taxed2death]

"My position is clear: I believe that illegal immigrants who have roots in our country and who want to stay should have to pay a meaningful penalty for breaking the law, to pay their taxes, to learn English, and to work in a job for a number of years. People who meet these conditions should be eventually permitted to apply for citizenship like other foreign workers. But approval would not be automatic. They would have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law. This isn't amnesty."

______________________________________________________

hhhhooookkkkaaaayyyyy?

It's a "pathway to citizenship"...hence...Amnesty

There is no compelling reason to ever let these people have the privilege of US citizenship and voting rights.

None what so ever.

Grant them conditional "legal residency" and nothing more.

Citizenship = Amnesty.

Stop the BS.....PPPULLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ GWB

[raybbr]

"One of the jobs of the government is to encourage entrepreneurship. We've done so in this administration, and as a result, America's risk-takers are -- and business owners, both small and large, are hiring people."

That part struck me, too. In a discussion about legalizing illegals he speaks of American entrepreneurship. Pretty telling, isn't it?

[spectre]

I can't get thru this speech without my blood boiling. Bush talks out of both sides of his mouth. For example:

" We got people working long, long hours down there, and they catch somebody sneaking into our country, and they say, hey, go over here to this legal proceeding and, since the courts are full, just check back with us in 45 days. The problem is a lot of people who want to put food on the table, or want to do other things, don't check back".

See, yet again, he's making excuses for them breaking our law.. Says they work hard to put food on the table so they just don't have the time to go to court..see?

sw

[dbrew2u]

Hey George, how about reducing Federal Regulations on business.Perhaps then they could afford to hire and pay American workers more.And not have to hire illegals ?
If we're a nation of laws as you call us.Why are you supporting those who have broken them ? There was a time when being an American meant something.
And becoming an American also mean't something.
But if this so-called "Immigration Law " you so desperately want were to pass ? Being or becoming an American will never be the same.

[AmeriBrit]

Bookmarked

[fantom]

Yes. Let the working class rubes fund my comprehensive dream. So with the Americans finally coming out from the fog , this administration is months behind the reality. So he now flogs a plan he knows is dead and sends Captain insano out to work the crowds , that will get smaller and smaller. I am not a Bush basher, i don't hate him but he is way off course, and has been for more than a year.

[LostInTheWoods]

Second, in order to have a comprehensive reform bill, we have to have a temporary worker program. Part of securing this border is a temporary worker program. You see, there are people who will do anything to come into this country to work.

As of March 2005, the unemployment rate for unauthorized migrants who arrived between 2000 and 2005 was 5.8 percent, compared with 4.1 percent for those who arrived prior to 2000. There were, however, significant differences by gender and by occupation.

Male unauthorized workers who arrived between 2000 and 2005 had an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent compared with 3.7 percent for those who arrived prior to 2000. The differences were smaller among female unauthorized workers who, in general, have a higher unemployment rate than males. The overall unemployment rate for female unauthorized workers who arrived between 2000 and 2005 was similar to that of those who arrived prior to 2000 (6.2 percent compared with 6.4 percent).

In the construction and extraction occupations, males who arrived between 2000 and 2005 had an unemployment rate of 8.5% which was higher than the 6% unemployment rate among those who arrived prior to 2000. In service occupations both short-term and long-term unauthorized male workers had similar unemployment rates of about 4%.

Source: Pew Hispanic Center: The Labor Force Status of Short-Term Unauthorized Workers