House GOP says immigration compromise is dead
posted at 9:13 pm on June 20, 2006 by Allahpundit
For this year, anyway. Captain Ed delivers the eulogy.
Hastert says Sensenbrenner and some of the other committee chairmen are going to hold “field hearings” this summer to gauge public opinion on the subject. Ostensibly. Actually, they’re going to use them to put immigration front and center before the midterms in hopes of stirring disaffected Republicans.
In some ways that’s savvy: immigration is already a top priority among voters, and turning the election into a referendum on the issue will act as a bit of a hedge if things go south in Iraq (depending upon how far south they go, natch). On the other hand, judging from the latest poll, the public is receptive to the Senate approach. If the GOP craps out and the left takes back the House, then we really are looking at amnesty, with or without the “comprehensive immigration reform” euphemism.
It’s a good thing we have committed Republican leadership in office now to defend strong-form border enforcement.
Blowback
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Anyone who think Demo has a chance to take back the House is wishful thinking. All the current GOP reps are in red districts and all were elected by high margins. If they could not get Cunningham’s seat then they might as well forget it.
GOP is winning. The polls are phony. The real election results tell me that the DEMO will lose at least 5 more seats, and one of them belongs to Murtha!
easy87us on June 20, 2006 at 9:22 PM
I think its a wise move. I’d rather have no bill than a bad bill.
.
GT on June 20, 2006 at 9:26 PM
The public is NOT receptive to the Senate plan. Don’t fall for Wall Street Journal’s treachery.
bucktowndusty on June 20, 2006 at 9:26 PM
The Senate bill was a total disaster. Good riddance to it.
speed647 on June 20, 2006 at 9:30 PM
The GAO assessment of the social security system said that if the illegals are included into the system, SS would bankrupt much sooner than previous estimate. This should send a wake up call to every American.
GOP should make this report known to the general public.
easy87us on June 20, 2006 at 9:32 PM
glad it’s dead. they just need to enforce the laws we already have. typical overkill from our congress. legislate it to death. It should be an interesting fall, friends.
toodles,
xoxo
pullingmyhairout on June 20, 2006 at 9:58 PM
Now lets close the border and get those arrogant, pampered asses out of the Senate.
pat on June 20, 2006 at 10:04 PM
I am completely mystified by inside the beltway conservatives’ reliance on polls. Goodness, you can make a poll sing and dance if you ask the “right” questions. One other thing, why do we need new laws? What about enforcing the ones we already have? We have 230 years of laws coming out of Congress, Do we really need more?
calnevari on June 20, 2006 at 10:21 PM
Don’t forget Dumbya is completely stupid on this subject also.
RolandHall on June 20, 2006 at 11:06 PM
If they want a compromise then try this on for size…
Enforce existing Illegal Alien laws for a year. Then maybe we will actually believe some of the B.S. comming out of the Senate about closing the borders to terrorists.
Border enforcement is a sham, and deporting illegals is almost non-existant. Why isn’t someone fired for not doing their jobs?
Damn hypocrital politicians.
DannoJyd on June 20, 2006 at 11:08 PM
No new laws, simply enforce the ones on the books currently. And this old saw about being unable to deport 12+ million illegals is BS. If they are going to be able to find them to give them their amnesty, then they can damn well find them well enough to deport them.
Chief1942 on June 20, 2006 at 11:19 PM
Why having a bill in the first place?
If our government apply the current laws:
1 – The borders would’ve been sealed.
2 – Illegal Immigrants would’ve been arrested and deported.
It is not the matter of a new Bill, it is the matter of applying the existing Laws.
But what else would you expect from the U.S. government?
If your government is breaking every law on the books every day, they steal our money, they waste our money, they look for their personal interests, they don’t want to defend this country here in America by sealing the borders, yet they send our troops thousands of miles away from home, if this is what the government is doing, how come do we expect from those clowns in Washington D.C. to enforce the laws they are breaking? It won’t make sense.
Don’t expect anything from the government, if you want to defend yourself, your family, your country, you have to do it yourself.
It is sad to see how America got into that situation, but it is Power and how it is corrupting people.
CatholicConservative on June 20, 2006 at 11:39 PM
I love how this is a defeat for Bush. Great spin AP. It’s also a loss for anyone in the open borders crowd, McCain, Pelosi, Kennedy, etc….
Good riddance to a bad bill. Allah I looked at the polls link and have come to the following conclusion: The American public can’t make up their mind.
“Allowing illegal immigrants who have jobs in the United States to apply for legal, temporary-worker status”
5/16-18/06 63% 29% 5% 2%
4/4-5/06 69% 25% 3% 2%
.
“Trying to send as many illegal immigrants back to their home countries as possible”
5/16-18/06 55% 31% 11% 3%
4/4-5/06 57% 31% 7% 5%
????WTF Let em all have jobs but send them all back. Which is it? There is many inconsistencies in those numbers.
Psycotte on June 20, 2006 at 11:49 PM
I can’t understand why the senate doesn’k know the difference between legal and illegal…
You DON’T reward bad behavior…
Tom N on June 20, 2006 at 11:54 PM
Nailed it Chief! And you’re not alone. In fact, enforcing laws already on the books would be a great approach for several of our nation’s problems. The left wing’s favorite new word for acts committed by felons with a firearm – “gunviolence” – for example, with the actual crime often plead down to an offense that doesn’t include the gun portion, so Bloomberg’s crime statistics look better. Or how about speed limits which are too low in most places but not enforced until someone is exceeding them sufficiently to draw a really juicy fine to fill the local jurisdiction’s coffers. Or perhaps actually allowing ICE agents to attend the Reconquista protests and start hauling off anyone here illegally. Or enforcing the law requiring pharmeceutical companies to fully disclose test data. Or maybe actually fining or jailing telemarketers who violate the Do Not Call list (yes, pet peeve).
So will having another law that won’t be enforced help seal the borders? Of course it will…just as effectively as the 30-year gun ban in DC has eliminated crime in our nation’s capital.
Since it appears we won’t get an enforcement-only bill through the Senate, maybe it’s possible to get enough pressure placed on politicians to just get enforcement. Anyone giving odds on that bet?
on the Mark... on June 20, 2006 at 11:59 PM
If Republicans really want to show that they are listening to “We the People”. Then birth right citizenship should be amended to apply only to children born to American citizens.
Very little angers Americans more than citizen mills and the women who migrate to America to give birth.
Speakup on June 21, 2006 at 1:14 AM
Yes indeed speakup. I’m for amending the law so that:
. two American parents = citizenship;
. one American parent = must live in the U.S. for 5 years before age 18 for automatic citizenship
. one American parent, grew up abroad = conditional citizenship may be granted but must be applied for.
. no American parents = no citizenship. And no free medical care for the baby’s delivery. You here by “chance”, you pay the tab.
RD on June 21, 2006 at 1:51 AM
The NBC/WSJ poll is typically dishonest. It makes the House sound like they are calling for all-or-nothing deportation of all the millions already here, which they aren’t.
But more importantly it describes the Senate as favoring “a guest worker program to allow illegal immigrants who have jobs and who have been here for more than two years to remain in the United States.” The Senate bill does no such thing. It instead puts all illegal aliens who can convince an ICE bureaucrat that they have been here for more than two years on a path to citzenship. So the respondents to this poll are not agreeing the illegals should be here permanently, only that they be granted guest status if they have a job–in other words, a way to get them to leave on a gentler schedule.
And that’s just as it relates to the question of public support for amnesty. Of course the poll also leaves out the massive increase in legal immigration, the expansion of the welfare state, etc.
This “guest worker” lie is SOP for mass immigration supporters, so a lot of commentators have internalized it even if they aren’t themselves in favor of amnesty or increased immigration.
Of course, the fact that polls like this are not actually measuring the public’s position on what the government is doing (because they aren’t actually asking) does not mean that the Congress won’t get its amnesty or immigration increase by just these sort of tactics.
Alex K on June 21, 2006 at 5:48 AM
My email to Ken M, RNC head, after receiving yet another request for contribution.
Dear Ken,
I have just received yet another request for a contribution towards my dues. Luckily it included a postage paid envelop. I’ll be pasting it to the back of an illegal immigrant and sending it on to you. Instead of cash, you can put this guy to work and save a few bucks there at headquarters.
Just so you know, my wife and I plus my 3 kids and their families had been hard and fast conservative Republicans. But no more. It seems that my contributions have been used to elect some damned fools who firmly believe it is just a-okay to hand my country over to 12,000,000 illegals. Moreover the Senate fools believe a compromise on this issue is fine and dandy and worthy of reward, a path to citizenship. They’re almost as bad as the House cowards who had the guts to pass a bill but not enough spine to stand up against Bush and the Senate.
So, screw it and please watch the mail for your own personal illegal – soon to arrive with your postage paid return envelop firmly attached to his back.
Sincerely,
MikeG
Indianapolis, IN 46208
MikeG on June 21, 2006 at 8:06 AM
MikeG,
Remember this, 60% of GOP Senate are the good guys.
Over 90% of the House Reps are good guys.
I would pass the money directly to my Rep and Senate candidates.
It is good not to give to RNC, because the money will be controlled by the RINO.
easy87us on June 21, 2006 at 9:24 AM
Don’t know why Bush has such a hole in his head when it comes to illegal immigration. It’s simple: Illegal entry is, at the very least, trespassing. Quite often it is burglary as well if there is any intent to take something. Producing illegal papers is forgery. There is already laws on the books to handle these crimes and misdemeanors and to return all illegals to their countries (read Mexico) of origin. JUST ENFORCE EXISTING LAWS MR CHIEF LAW ENFORCING OFFICER.
MaiDee on June 21, 2006 at 9:29 AM
Mike G, we got to hold our noses and stay in the party. If only to torment the fools, liars and traitors who claim to represent us.
dhimwit on June 21, 2006 at 9:51 AM
I’m with GT- better no bill that to be stuck with a bad one.
By all means, ask the people what they think about the issue of illegal immigration to our country. Five bucks says the opinion is much different than the one the politicos hear/read/see inside the Beltway.
Abigail Adams on June 21, 2006 at 10:51 AM
Our conservative congressmen know a winning platform when they see one, and this is it.
Demos and RINOs will crank on the propaganda machines to create phony polls in next three months to try to change public opinion, but we know better.
STAY THE COURSE! NO NEW BILLS!
Enforing current laws is the only sensible thing to do so we would not repeat the same errors we made 20 years ago.
NO AMNESTY! BUILD THE FENCE!
easy87us on June 21, 2006 at 11:04 AM
Love the way most of those poll questions are worded….
No talk of AMMNESTY, no talk about giving them a pass for identity theft, no talk about Social Security, and they potray the Sencate Bill as a Guest Worker (guests go home?) rather than a path to citizenship….
Sad…
Romeo13 on June 21, 2006 at 11:07 AM
One of the biggest mistakes the Demo made is supporting the illegals. They thought they can draw votes from the Hispanics.
This is so wrong. The legal Hispanics will get hurt the biggest when the illegals become legals, next will be the blacks. That is why the blacks are angry at the Demos now…very angry.
When the illegals become legals, they will move up the ladder to fight for better jobs. They will be competing for higher pay jobs from existing workers. Guess who they will take the job from? From Ann Coulter or Michelle?
That is why the highest resistance is in the communities of legal immigrants.
Demos are so dumb.
easy87us on June 21, 2006 at 11:23 AM
If the best they could do is the mixed results in those polls with the questions they asked (and more particularly, those which they avoided), then they really don’t have a case.
Good for the House Republicans for scuttling this thing. Shame on the RINO’s who are in favor of this sellout to the cheap labor lobby (I would also say shame on the Democrats, but such a concept does not compute with them).
thirteen28 on June 21, 2006 at 11:55 AM
So they want to hold hearings. What a joke!
The President could seal the border with a phone call if he was serious about our borders.
While we wait for the GOP to hold their hearings for Political Advantage, approx 10,000 Illegals cross our borders every day.
This is exactly what the pro open borders lobby wants to happen.
ScottyDog on June 21, 2006 at 12:04 PM
For more, peruse this article -
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0621/p09s01-cojh.html
In their zeal to attract potential Hispanic voters, the Democrats are in the process of alienating existing, legal voting blocs: union workers, Blacks, construction personnel, technical professionals, legal Hispanics, moderate conservatives and independents, who vote with the Left sometimes.
If a compromise would be reached with the Senate, ahead of Nov. 2006, the Republicans would lose almost their entire base.
The math is simple to figure out for each party.
For 2006, this is a great move for the House Republicans. The hearings will be an excellent medium for clarifying the platform for both parties. Citizens will contribute, unrestricted by ‘calculated poll subtleties and agendas’.
On Iraq we will know, after today, exactly where each Senator stands.
On immigration the Republicans need to force the Democrats to make their positions clear on individual items of the bill, not on the ‘idealistic mishmash’ from the Senate: border security, displacement cost of U.S. workers, employers’ penalties for hiring illegal aliens, SS Cost for the 100 million immigrants for the next 20 years, medical costs, welfare costs, etc. etc.
Entelechy on June 21, 2006 at 1:19 PM
ScottyDog said: So they want to hold hearings. What a joke!
Hearings are what they do when they don’t have an answer and when they need to hear themselves pontificate. They feel it’s their God-Given Right to hold a hearing on JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. It is the ultimate procrastination tool of our congress-people (don’t ‘cha just love my stab at political correctness? i kind of like the ring of congress-people).
pullingmyhairout on June 21, 2006 at 1:23 PM
pullingmyhairout
Yeah I like your stab but what bothers me, is that for Political Advantage, Rome is burning.
I am fed up with GWB and I am fed up with Congress. We are being invaded by a foreign country and all they can do is study it!
Anyone with common sense knows what need to be done but these gas bags want Congressional Hearings.
ScottyDog on June 21, 2006 at 2:26 PM