Breaking: Bush, Senate leaders reach immigration agreement; Update: “I don’t care how you try to spin it, this is amnesty”; Update: Illegals slam bill as too onerous
posted at 1:15 pm on May 17, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Fox News and MSNBC are reporting that the hour of reckoning is at hand. Stand by for details, although I think we already know most of them.
Update: “Quick legal status.”
A bipartisan group of senators reached agreement with the White House Thursday on an immigration overhaul to grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border against new ones…
It set the stage for what promises to be a bruising battle next week in the Senate on one of Bush’s top non-war priorities.
The group of lawmakers had been haggling over the terms of agreement for weeks were reviewing language negotiated Wednesday night in efforts to nail down a deal. Among the final sticking points was a stubborn dispute over how much family ties count toward green cards under a new “point system.” The plan prioritizes advanced skills and education levels for future immigrants.
Update: The formal announcement is at 1:30. Reuters has a few of the basics already; it looks like the GOP won the battle over whether illegals can bring extended family with them.
The legislation would create a temporary worker program that would require laborers to return home after a period of time. Tough border security and workplace enforcement measures would go into place before the temporary worker program, congressional aides said.
The proposal would limit family-based migration to immediate family members and establish a merit-based system by which future migrants could earn points for skills, education, understanding of English and family ties.
Update: Michelle is posting reaction and points to a WashTimes report from last night that claimed Bush was ready to cave on safeguards that would prevent fraud in the guest-worker program. She also links to a point by point rebuttal of the GOP talking points at Lone Wacko.
Update: Quote of the day:
Senator Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, said he had doubts about this approach, but said Congress had to do something because his constituents were telling him that “they feel they are being overrun with uncontrolled immigration.”
The irony is that most Republicans would accept a compromise on the back half of the equation, even if it meant legalizing large numbers of illegals who are already here, if the party was serious about plugging the leaks in the border. Show us a sustained, good faith effort to secure it and then we can deal charitably with the “undocumented.” Anyone think that’s in the offing?
Update: WaPo has the major details. 400,000 “guest workers” a year. And unless they’ve made an oversight, the English-language requirement for the “Z visa” that would grant permanent legal status has been dropped: “each Z Visa itself would be renewable indefinitely, as long as the holder passes a criminal background check, remains fully employed and pays a $5,000 fine, plus a paperwork-processing fee.”
Update: Near as I can tell (nitty gritty details being suspiciously hard to come by in news reports on immigration), there are two basic innovations to the bill: replacing family connections with a “points system” that emphasizes job skills and education as the key criteria for a green card — which seems odd given the argument about needing low-skilled workers to do the jobs Americans won’t do — and the requirement that the “Z visa” program not be triggered until certain measures have been taken to enforce the border. Question per Lone Wacko: Does that mean actual, concrete improvements in border security or merely passing laws and allocating funds for improvements that are never going to be made, like that nifty border fence they passed last year?
We had a Republican Congress and a Republican White House for six years. Six years, and it’s come to this.
Update: Bush applauds. And I take it back — here’s the line of the day:
“This is what my 9th grade teacher told me government is all about and I finally got to experience it,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Update: The Counterterrorism Blog says it’s a national security disaster:
In short order, the system will be overwhelmed. Whatever minimal fraud detection and prevention safeguards might be erected won’t last long in the face of hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of applications and petitions to be adjudicated. What that means is the information provided on those applications and petitions, and whatever supporting documents they may have (if any), will essentially be taken at face value. Whatever the applicant alien tells the adjudicator will essentially be taken at face value. There will be little time or process available to verify anything, perhaps beyond running the applicant’s name through a standard battery of computer databases (and, even that may become so time consuming some will slip through the cracks).
Update: Who among the GOP candidates reaps the whirlwind on this? It’s got to be McCain, right?
Expect Rudy to pronounce himself “troubled” by the deal.
Update: Jim DeMint: “I don’t care how you try to spin it, this is amnesty.”
Update: Tancredo goes right after McCain:
“Senator McCain and his allies seem to think that they can dupe the American public into accepting a blanket amnesty if they just call it ‘comprehensive’ or ‘earned legalization’ or ‘regularization.’ Unfortunately for them, however, the American people know amnesty when they see it,” said Tancredo. “The President is so desperate for a legacy and a domestic policy win that he is willing to sell out the American people and our national security.”
“If Senator McCain and Senator Kennedy spent as much time working on improving border security as they did poll testing creative euphemisms for amnesty, America would be a much safer place,” quipped Tancredo.
Update: Rich Lowry thinks the “triggers” are a scam from the word go, with amnesty granted immediately upon passage of the bill and the “Z visas,” which are keed to the enforcement triggers, only relevant insofar as they allow the bearer to travel. But even if Lowry’s wrong, what happens to the illegals who are here while the feds are working towards the triggers? Let’s say they get bogged down and can’t get them done for another decade. What’s the status of the “undocumented” during that interim period?
Update: Illegal aliens don’t like the bill either, a claim which will doubtless be trumpeted by proponents to “prove” that it’s a fair compromise. Actually, what it proves is that even the amnesty side of it is crap that won’t achieve what it means to.
The sub-moronic “touchback” provision comes in for special abuse:
David Guerra wants to be legal, but he says the path to citizenship offered by the Senate on Thursday would be too risky and too expensive, and could end up driving him deeper into the shadows…
“If I go home, who is going to guarantee that I’ll be let back in?” said the 44-year-old who lays bricks, clears weeds and does landscaping…
“Where would I find $5,000? In two years, I don’t get $5,000,” said Daniel Carrillo Maldonado, an illegal immigrant who was looking for construction work outside a Home Depot in Phoenix…
Amy Ndour, a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Senegal who lives in New York, said she would be willing to pay the $5,000 fine, but not return home because her family there depends on what she earns as a hair braider.
“I’m helping myself” here, she said. “I’m helping people there too.”…
Many illegal immigrants said they had little incentive to apply for residency because the process was long and did not offer much hope of bringing their families.
“If I’ll never be able to bring my family, why should I apply?” said Jose Monson, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala who has lived in Los Angeles for four years. “I prefer to just stay here illegally.”
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True enough, but I’ve always figured Tancredo as being in this to interview for head of Homeland Security under a conservative president.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 1:42 AM
Must be a full moon. Some of my “favorites” from the thread today.
Bradky on May 18, 2007 at 1:43 AM
I like that idea. He’d do a heck of a lot better than Skeletor. I mean, Chertoff.
wherestherum on May 18, 2007 at 1:44 AM
I made the Top 10! YES!!!
Doghouse on May 18, 2007 at 1:44 AM
“Illegal aliens don’t like the bill either,”
Like I said in my earlier post. They aren’t going to go back. They’re not going to pay $5,000. I’d say that most of them don’t give a damn if they are “legal” or “citizens” or not. They only care about being HERE.
As the plan isn’t going to be sending CEOs of businesses to jail for hiring illgals (or anybody else for that matter), there is no reason for them to NOT come here.
Every illegal alien is competing against an American. That nonsense about “doing jobs most Americans won’t do” is an outright lie. Every illegal alien LOWERS the wages of each of us. By willing to work for less (and not pay taxes), they drive everybody’s wages down. Consider it Gresham’s law as applied to the job market. “Cheap priced labor” drives out the higher priced, which results in a lowered standard of living for everybody.
georgej on May 18, 2007 at 1:46 AM
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 1:28 AM
csdeven, if you’re a guy I’d date you just for this post. Just kidding. I’m not single. Sending you hugs, though, because it said it all succinctly. You spoke for us legal immigrants and for Americans.
Bradky, watch out, Janos is a tough cookie :)
Entelechy on May 18, 2007 at 1:48 AM
Doghouse, it looks like you partake in many fiestas with them :)
Entelechy on May 18, 2007 at 1:53 AM
The official language of Hotair.com threads is now Spanish. If you don’t use it, it’s a hate crime.
Halley on May 18, 2007 at 1:54 AM
Halley, no odio!
Entelechy on May 18, 2007 at 1:56 AM
How do you secure the border???
You take th 20K Army troops protecting Germany from… oh… Poland? and put them on the border…
You take the 10K troops sitting in Hawaii protecting it from… the Japenese??? and put them on the border….
You take the 20K troops sitting protecting S. Korea from a 1950s era army…. and put them on the border…
You take the 20K troops sitting around San Diego, and put them TO WORK PROTECTING THE BORDER!!!
Thats how you secure it.
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 2:02 AM
The Aristocracy and the King is giving every American citizen the middle finger. They know nothing will happen. Sure, there will be some pissin’ and moanin’ at first, but they also know ya’ll have things to do and need to get back to work. It will all pass with time.
The government has not feared you for sometime. Perhaps you just realized it. Get used to it.
Heh. So do the current statutes. Surely this new set of statutes will be enforced with greater zeal than the last ones. Don’t kid yourself or even consider selling that line. I don’t think anyone is buying.
Xenophobic - I was waiting for that one to pop out in one form or another. Next you will be telling us we aren’t being inclusive.
Based on personal experience, I doubt the PEW Center spent much, if any, time in southern Arizona.
AZ_Redneck on May 18, 2007 at 2:04 AM
igen, kedves, but we had to live on US Army posts in Nurnberg and Munich/Munchen for almost 5 years before Uncle Sam would let us in, even though Dad was a Certified Freedom Fighter
So, the idea of letting people come in illegally and then be handed citizenship is………unpleasant
Janos Hunyadi on May 18, 2007 at 2:09 AM
The problem with this is that it assumes that there are a fixed number of jobs that we are competing for. The truth is the opposite of that. By adding low wage, low-skill workers, it allows less demanding work to be given to them so that better educated, english speaking people can focus on jobs that use their skills. The result is that as a nation we become more competitive. Instead of every year importing billions more than we export, we have a chance to turn that around. If you think illegal Hispanics are bad, just wait until the ChiComs starting using their one trillion dollars in hard currency reserves to buy up our factories and technology and have all the product of our shipped over there. Right now they are using that $10^12 to fund our social security, something else we need lots of younger workers for.
pedestrian on May 18, 2007 at 2:12 AM
Oh… and Bradky???
Three generations equals SIXTY TO 75 YEARS!!!! So you want, what will then be about 60 million (with their rate of birth, and immigration) to FINALLY speak English in 60 years????
se habla Espanol???
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 2:12 AM
Janos, thanks for sharing. Some day I hope we can share stories directly. I’m a pretty good Austro-Hungarian cook - best Hungarian cookbook is the one in the Culinaria series. Fabulous.
Entelechy on May 18, 2007 at 2:14 AM
Heh. Guess you didn’t hear. They were sent to the border to observe, not protect anything. Given the rules of engagement, they aren’t even allowed to protect themselves.
Also, the hoopla tossed about by our illustrious state leader regarding the border ended a nanosecond after the election.
AZ_Redneck on May 18, 2007 at 2:15 AM
I remember something about the Nat’l Guard not being allowed to be armed at the border and not to engage if anything happens. Vincente Fox approved.
Dios mio!
wherestherum on May 18, 2007 at 2:19 AM
>Doghouse, it looks like you partake in many fiestas with them :)
Oh, many…Jus’ de udder day, we celebrate Pico de Gallo together.
Doghouse on May 18, 2007 at 3:35 AM
Even though it must be noted this is far from being law, it’s starting to sink in for me. This is just horrible on so many levels. But one of the most perplexing aspects of this, and possibly deadly ironic, is if this bill becomes law why Republicans would essentially be voting to marginalize themselves? How does an RNC (or the President, or a Rep Senator) rep look at this bill, and say, “Well, the base will be livid and we’ll be bringing in 30 million votes for Democrats within 10 years, but sounds good enough for me.” Seriously, how incredibly stupid and arrogant and completely out of touch do you have to be to think 1-the base will just swallow it and still support you, and 2-that these illegals turned legals become Republican. Just…wow.
Patriot33 on May 18, 2007 at 5:15 AM
You need to recount, sorry but last estimates were that there are over 250 million firearms in the hands of law abiding citizens, now even if you want to say each person owns 10 of these that’s still 25 million armed Americans, I’m afraid we don’t have anywhere near that in law enforcement.
The US citizens being out gunned by law enforcement is a myth and nothing more. Believe me when (not if mind you) the sh!t hits the fan you’ll be seeing the worlds largest armed force come to life and it won’t be pretty.
AZPatriot on May 18, 2007 at 6:22 AM
OH>>>WHILE WE WERE SWATTING ILLEGALS>>>>>LATE THURSDAY>>>
CONGRESS BONES US WITH A $2.96 TTtttrillion Budget.
How does THAT feel, y’all?
seejanemom on May 18, 2007 at 6:37 AM
WELCOME the coming New American Stone Age.
Romney, Newt and Thompson Denounce this immigration screwjob.
McVain say, whoooopeeeee, AMNESTY!!!!!!
seejanemom on May 18, 2007 at 6:39 AM
It never ceases to amaze me how people will shun one poll but stake their life on one that supports their opinion (recent poll regarding the Truthers comes to mind).
If we had applied your logic we’d never have allowed the immigrants to Ellis island. What a different type of society we would be living in now.
If a family wants to have kids and are willing to work hard to support and raise them that is somehow a bad thing IF they are Hispanic??
I disprove a misconception that Hispanics don’t want to integrate into society and you take a different approach based on their language. One of the regrettable things about the lower educational standards in the US is the intolerance it has built up in certain quarters. I’ve lived in Europe and Asia. In all of the countries if a person tries to speak the local language, no matter how poorly, the hosts of that country go out of their way to compliment and encourage the foreigners for their efforts. This has the tendency to make people want to get better at a language. Shunning or teasing those who speak english as a second language is not very sophisticated, or helpful. Melting pot and all that you know.
Bradky on May 18, 2007 at 7:27 AM
Overreacting? I think so. Support the troops but we may have to kill them over immigration???
Civil war? Come on that is about as likely as the Truthers being proven right.
Bradky on May 18, 2007 at 7:39 AM
Believe what you will. When the western third of the country is given back to Mexico, which is the aim of a significant portion of the illegal aliens, we’ll see whose reactions are right.
steveegg on May 18, 2007 at 7:43 AM
How can you possibly make this claim with a straight face. The fact that they are illegal makes it rather difficult to know what they think about different issues. In addition I can’t think of any politician of any party who has advocated giving away a third of the country.
Why does the thought of Hispanics integrating into our society scare you so much?
Bradky on May 18, 2007 at 7:48 AM
It’s not the integration, it’s the lack of integration that frightens me. I see precious little signs of integration, and I take it you never heard of La Raza, the largest Latin American political group, consisting of both “legals” and illegals, whose stated goal is the reconquista of the Southwest.
steveegg on May 18, 2007 at 7:53 AM
Amazing, these politicos think they can do anything and the we, the “mindless masses” will simply forget and move on . . . we’ll see about that in 2008.
rplat on May 18, 2007 at 7:57 AM
I’ve heard of La Raza. The article I discussed earlier specifically showed how integration is occurring.
I’m not making fun of you but I see the chances of the US giving away a third of its continental real estate somewhere about the same as me or you winning the lottery.
Hysteria will not fix the problem. No viable plans have been proposed that would make more sense than the recent legislation passed.
Bradky on May 18, 2007 at 8:01 AM
Our illustreous president and members of Congress should all have to go for stipulating that the ONLY way they will protect our borders is to give amnesty to illegal criminals.
Our founding fathers would have hung El Presidente and all
members of Congress for their dereliction of duty.
lynnv on May 18, 2007 at 8:07 AM
Damn cry babies! THE SKY IS FALLING THE SKY IS FALLING! You people have been listening to Hannity too long! 11-14 million people are not going back. The military can’t do it, the police can’t do it and you sure as hell are not going to grab you .3006 and make it happen. Besides, there are tons of details in the PROPOSAL we haven’t heard..
Besides, everything in congress is compromise. So live with it or go buy a house in Venezuela all of you “I’m gonna vote for OBAMA” “Lets start a third party” “We’ve been sold out!” dopes.
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 18, 2007 at 8:11 AM
Cure the headache by cutting off the head.
That’s what this whole issue reminds of.
mojowire on May 18, 2007 at 8:18 AM
Dread Pirate Roberts
Why don’t you drop dead? We will do whatever we feel is necessary … oh yeah, doesn’t your back get stiff from bending over all the time?
darwin on May 18, 2007 at 8:38 AM
Hey Bradky, If we had citizens like you during WWII we would all be speaking German and some Americans would be used as lampshades…………….Pathetic……….
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 8:43 AM
Hey Jen It is an honor to see you here…You must be the single last person in this country that admires George Bush….I think we may finally see his job approval ratings hit 0 with this as well as congress…….As it should be because these folks do not represent the American people any longer.
Did you hear Kennedy talking about the poor illegals arrested in New Bedford..”They’re livingin fear” Yeah they BROKE the law!!!! They Broke the LAW!!…well now there is NO lAW!!!.”Now they can stop being afraid”…Heck Senator why not throw those lousy Americans who took those jobs when the lawbreakering foreigners were picked up and throw them out of the country so you can hand pick who you want to be American supporters of your socialist state.
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 8:56 AM
Bradky I am convinced you are a plant here to throw water on anyone who realizes that they are being screwed……….keep talking like an ignoramus then if you are for real do some research. You will find that the influx of these lovely immigrants is UNPRECEDENTED. Next get yerself a tape of the riots in France and get some asbestos to wrap your car in because what the new French President defied our government has caved to…….
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 9:01 AM
For all we know they might make excellent Americans, although parading through our cities waving Mexican flags and saying this country is really theirs isn’t a good beginning.
Still. given a chance they might love America as much as our immigrant ancestors did.
Given a chance. Sorry, poor choice of words. I should have said, forcibily given a chance. Forced to become Americans in the same way everybody who got off the boat at Ellis Island was.
Forced to speak English. Forced, in the schools, to declaim hand on heart The Gettysburgh Address, forced to read in every lesson book that next to Jesus Christ George Washington was the wisest, justest man who ever lived, forced to repeat day in and day out that the Almighty was especially partial to this American Republic and the Liberty it embodied. And so forth, and so forth. That’s what made the melting pot work.
Well, fat chance these people will get that chance. It won’t be their fault. It will be ours. We the pc-whipped American people who can do nothing more than raise a limp wrist, give a shrug, and go ‘whatever’.
Somebody mentioned hate. Guilty. I hate. I hate the people we trusted to mind this country. And I hate you and me for not minding them better.
dhimwit on May 18, 2007 at 9:06 AM
DANG! If I knew I was gonna get a compliment like that, I’d stayed up last night! ;-) Hugs back at ya! Ya know, talk like this would get us both in trouble with our significant others. :-)
The minute I sat down at my computer, I turned the TV on and I thought I heard a blurb on Fox quoting some pretty tough talk about this from Fred Thompson. Needless to say, I AM paying attention to Fox this AM.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 9:20 AM
Hunh? Where are the question marks, the Fred! bashing, the usual anti-FDT vitriol?
Oh, I get it. This is actually csdeven’s evil twin, csdodd.
Good one. Nearly had me there.
IrishEi on May 18, 2007 at 9:32 AM
I think we should have amnesty day at the ball parks around our nation and then arrest everyone. Or call for a protest for amnesty across the US…and arrest everyone. There are ways to get as many people as possible.
My fear is how are these people going to get there 5k. They can get low interest loans at banks without citizenship I forgot.
Reagan really screwed this country bad.
tomas on May 18, 2007 at 9:33 AM
Why do I think that there is some type of connection to these two events?
Oh, MEANWHILE, did you hear that the strongest singer EVER to be on Idol was voted off night before last?
Americans are easily distracted.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 9:34 AM
That’s because you have your head up your 2$$. The people pushing this ARE NOT americans first, they are CAPITALISTS first and ANY situation that makes them more money is acceptable. Bank of America just instituted a policy for illegals that a legal immigrant, or an american citizen cannot take advantage of.
Dig the crap outta your ears and wise up.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 9:43 AM
:-)
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 9:46 AM
I, for one, am a little sick of all the talk of armed violence with regard to this legislative fiasco. I am just as angry as the rest of you, but I cannot and would never condone any sort of violence in response.
How dare you assume that law-abiding Americans would stoop to the level of “stone-age Muslim” tactics. How dare you even suggest its effectiveness.
IrishEi on May 18, 2007 at 9:47 AM
I am not and never did condone it. I was making a factual point about how the entire event would play out and who would be involved. I even stopped short of mentioning the foriegn governments and other entities that would be throwing support behind ANY attempt to take over the US government by force.
I have always advocated speaking out, making phone calls, and other civil means of dissent. I have never and will never advocate armed violence against anyone to effect change that has peaceful political means in place to effect that change.
I am dissapointed that you would jump to that conclusion about me before asking me to clarify my point.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 9:59 AM
Should we open repatriation camps… we have tons of Mobile homes no one is using?
tomas on May 18, 2007 at 10:01 AM
NO WAIT! I got it Soylent Green! Soylent Green is the answer!
tomas on May 18, 2007 at 10:03 AM
Wow. Mexico’s gonna be empty.
aero on May 18, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Nothing like an amnesty bill and post to stir up 467 comments on a Thursday…
Jaibones on May 18, 2007 at 10:07 AM
If Democrats don’t like it, and Republicans don’t like it, and illegals don’t like it, does that mean it was a good bill?
ballz2wallz on May 18, 2007 at 10:12 AM
Bad Joke alert!!!
So… Tomas..
Soylent Green would then become a mexican food???
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 10:16 AM
I apologize for my own vitriol if indeed you were not advocating violence. But you must admit, that it did sound like a suggested solution.
I’ve been following this thread since last night and there are dozens of posts regarding weapons, armed resistance, and outright militaristic revolution.
I posted a list of contacts twice last night, and at the risk of being a pain in the a$$, will do so again since very few people who are new to the thread will read through the 400+ comments.
IrishEi on May 18, 2007 at 10:16 AM
Here is the list again:
CONTACTS:
White House Comments (9am-5pm EST): 202-456-1111
Email White House: comments@whitehouse.gov
Email VP Cheney: vice_president@whitehouse.gov
GOP HQ (nat’l & states) contact: http://www.gop.com/ContactUs/
Call the Upper House and ask for the offices of Mitch McConnell, Trent Lott or Jon Kyl (8:30am-5:30pm EST): 202-225-3121
Email your representatives: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Email your senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Write and call every one of them. Copy this list and email it to everyone you know.
IrishEi on May 18, 2007 at 10:17 AM
Big question of the day…
Do people with Z visas have to pay social security tax, and are therefore considered benificiaries?
If not, then EMPLOYERS will get a break, and hire them as they won’t have to pay the employer portion.
If so? They can work for just a couple of years, and be guarenteed the minimum benefit, for themselves and their spouses… bankrupting the system….
Question 2. If someone here on the TEMPORARY work program enters the country, and has a child, is that child an American citizen… so they will get to stay to raise that child? Like now?
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 10:19 AM
I can’t get the home page to update for me. This thread is stuck at 320 comments.
No problem.
And I used those links immediately. I had already emailed my representitives but never thought about the RNC or the GOP.
Thanks.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 10:23 AM
That happens to me when I’m on AOL w/IE.
IrishEi on May 18, 2007 at 10:29 AM
Nothing has really happened here. The workers who come here don’t have $5,000 and won’t save that kind of money because THEY DON’T WANT TO BE AMERICAN CITIZENS. THEY ARE HERE FOR WELFARE. We aren’t looking at 12 million new citizens only a small fraction of that. They can continue to flood our schools and emergency rooms and can even vote in heavily Democratic precincts without becoming citizens.
We need welfare reform and then this problem will largely fix itself (along with the big fence).
elle_k on May 18, 2007 at 10:31 AM
I’m using firefox. I can get to Michelles new vent through the vault, but it doesn’t appear up top.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 10:33 AM
Those here discussing the merits and different parts of this bill……………………Whada you nuts??? Have you forgotten that the FENCE BILL was signed and to date only 2 miles have been built, and will ever be built ……………that law is already being ignored………………Oh Yeah we can TRUST these fine upstanding bullshit artists, uh I mean politicians….
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 10:36 AM
Oh I forgot to add:
Lindsey Graham is a boob. What is wrong with South Carolina? Stop voting him back into office.
elle_k on May 18, 2007 at 10:39 AM
DO you really believe this bills finer points will be followed…Need Iremind you that the SIGNED FENCE BILL has already been shoved into the dustbin of history and they LIED….(Yeah really can you believe it?)So far they have built 2 miles -remember Chertoffs photo op on the border? More scam from the greatest scam arttists this country has ever seen…………
So don’t bother considering the fine print…They will get FREE amnesty FREE and CLEAR YOU HAVE BEEN HOSED!!
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 10:39 AM
Thanks for the list Irish. I’ve sent a polite ‘no thanks’ to each.
How do you get 12 million out? Have an open hunting season
When does the revolution start? I am ready to desend on Washington and enjoy my 2nd amendment rights
Thomas Jefferson, “Government big enough to give you everything you need is big enough to take everything you have.
I thought that by sleeping on this idiotic news that I would calm down, but I’m more fired up today. I’m ready for the revolution. The survival of our country is at stake.
doginblack on May 18, 2007 at 10:41 AM
Yes, they will have social security withheld. (unless they are getting paid cash).
Yes. Any person born on US soil is an American citizen.
BacaDog on May 18, 2007 at 10:43 AM
What’s the highest number of comments a thread has ever received and what was that that thread about? Does anyone keep track of that kind of useless but interesting information?
elle_k on May 18, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Laura Ingraham (among others, I’m sure) is encouraging everyone to write their representitives and voice their opposition.
I did.
Did you??
Tru2my2 on May 18, 2007 at 10:47 AM
Look people there’s going to be a bill! The GOP lost the last election so get used to the ideal!!!!
However, this thing is going to take time to get on-line, up and running. So what does that mean? It means that next to nothing is going to really happen until the NEXT ADMINISTRATION is in place.
And who’s the best person to make sure the triggers are pulled? That umpteen thousand boarder patrol officers are hired? That the fence is built!
OBAMA?
HILLARY?
MCCAIN
PAUL?
RUDY?
MITT?
Some 3rd party? WHO?
BLOOMBERG?
Someone not yet declared?
FRED?
NEWT?
For all of you hardrightnutjobs who are ready to jump ship, watch out for what you’ll get if the GOP loses the White House next year!!! I fought and worked for PEROT and we got CLINTON! I learned. Will you????
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on May 18, 2007 at 10:51 AM
From what I see, there was one post before, which had over 700 comments. There was also one with 548 comments.
amerpundit on May 18, 2007 at 10:56 AM
Sent emails to both House and Senate representatives. Told what the illegal aliens have done to my neighborhood and town. Also, sent faxes through NumbersUSA.
Dread Pirate Roberts VI, I may be a “hardrightnutjob,” but I’m not a quitter. My daughter cried last night because of this. Even if it gets passed, at least we tried. Unlike you who is ready to give-up.
moonsbreath on May 18, 2007 at 10:57 AM
One bright spot, the Dems may not pass this bill because they want the whole friggin family tree transplanted as well.
moonsbreath on May 18, 2007 at 10:58 AM
I say we let the Democrats register all illegal aliens to vote. However, in return Republicans get to let all of Kurdistan vote.
amerpundit on May 18, 2007 at 10:59 AM
If Gore or Kerry had been elected, they never would have dared push this amnesty on us. Only a Republican could get away with this crime against America.
Perchant on May 18, 2007 at 11:05 AM
I have written ,called and protested this travesty for quite some time. So have the majority of Americans who are being virtually
IGNORED. This is exactly like the Fox and the Grapes…The Evildoers (politicans) are holding conservatives at bay but the gleam in their eye is the 20-60 million slaves they can force to their will….will they drop the cards they hold in hopes of having the cards they hope to get? And will the Americans be smart enough to throw their traitorous butts out of office?
By the way THAT LAW for the Fence has aready been thrown into the dustbin of history….Only two miles have been built for Chertoffs photo op……suprised?? Don’t be LAW is just an idea , like Lindsey Grahams description of America…..What a Disgrace!
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 11:08 AM
Dreadpirate…Yeah good idea ..vote for people who are already ignoring your wishes…..how stupid is that??
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 11:09 AM
We don’t need 1,000 pages of Immigration “Reform”.
Build the wall. (At least the other 698 miles already authorized.)
Triple the number of Border Patrol Agents.
Enforce the laws we already have.Crack down hard on businesses that hire illegals. (Jobs dry up, illegals go home.)
Once you have done these things and secured our borders, THEN and ONLY THEN you can talk to me about doing something with the illegals still in this country.
IrishEi on May 18, 2007 at 11:26 AM
Take the troops out of Germany, and put em on the border.
Take the troops out of Japan, and put them on the border…
Since when can the US Army only be used to protect OTHER countries?
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 11:34 AM
LMAO!!!
Thanks for putting a smile on my face - I needed that in the present circumstances.
thirteen28 on May 18, 2007 at 11:39 AM
I don’t know how valid it is now, but the Posse Comitatus act of 1878 is normally cited when the suggestion of using US troops on US soil is forwarded.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 12:52 PM
I have always supported Prez Bush, because I believe that the war was justified and we must win in Iraq. He did a good job getting us two conservative supreme court judges, even if he wanted that Meyers person first. But he has made too many mistakes, too many incompetent appointments, and neglected too many issues he should have met head on.
Instead, he gave us another big entitlement program and now has endorsed a ridiculous amnesty bill. At 700 pages, its got enough weasel room to squeeze every remaining Mexican through it. Just wait until the liberals start whining about the “fee” the poor immigrants must pay. And by the time those 12 million finish bringing over their wives and children, you’re looking at 40 million new legal residents. We’ll never see the fence built either. Remember all the teddy Kennedy quotes about previous immigration bills, and how THEY would stop the flood of illegals. How stupid can anyone be to be taken in yet again?
One of Bush’s biggest mistakes was supporting the re-election of the world’s biggest asshole (Arlen Specter). That man has done nothing but destroy the Republican Party, and I believe he cost Santorum his seat. What else should we expect from the moron who thought up with the “magic bullet” theory of the JFK assassination.
The first thing I’m going to do is open up the several requests for contributions I have at home from the RNC, the Republican Senatorial Campaign, and all the other Republican political groups. I am going to write “YOU WON’T BE GETTING ANOTHER NICKEL FROM ME UNTIL YOU DEVELOP SOME BALLS AND START STANDING FOR CONSERVATIVE AMERICAN VALUES.” Then I’m going to mail them.
And from this day forward, George Bush is nothing to me. I no longer care what the Democrats do to him or say about him. Maybe he’s as ignorant as they say. He sure as hell doesn’t represent much of what I believe in. I’ll look outside the Republican Party, because I won’t be lied to again.
Mustafa Hemmroid on May 18, 2007 at 1:25 PM
>I fought and worked for PEROT and we got CLINTON! I learned. Will you????
I fought and worked for BUSH and we got AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS! I learned. Will you????
Doghouse on May 18, 2007 at 1:44 PM
Become a drug dealer! It’s the American Dream!
Tanya on May 18, 2007 at 1:48 PM
if you draw a parallel, you’d refer to this as an, “unlicensed pharmacist” - much more politically correct.
MikeG on May 18, 2007 at 3:03 PM
As opposed to the type of citizen that you are who in this very thread suggested our president should be assassinated????
And no I am not a plant of any kind, although your rather myopic view of things makes me think you may be more closely related to a plant of the green variety.
Bradky on May 18, 2007 at 3:48 PM
Sweet, when do I get amnesty for my illegal behavior?
I’m ummm, a … how to put this…
I’m an “unlicensed pharmacist”. If you have pharmacological needs but don’t want to go through the normal licensed process, I can help you out there.
See, I’m a valuable member of society just like licensed pharmacists; but for years the Government has been cracking down on people like me, I could face life in prison if I’m caught.
*sob* it’s just not fair. Why won’t anyone take pity on a poor drug deale… um, unlicensed pharmacist?
** yes, the above is fictional… but does it have to be?
gekkobear on May 18, 2007 at 5:17 PM
BLS
Doghouse on May 18, 2007 at 5:18 PM
>I’m an “unlicensed pharmacist”.
You’re doing a job that normal Americans won’t.
Doghouse on May 18, 2007 at 5:20 PM
The Posse act is just that…. a law which can be rescinded or amended.
Notice we didn’t have it for the first 100 years of our country?
Romeo13 on May 18, 2007 at 5:48 PM
BUILD THE WALL
ENFORCE THE EXISTING LAWS
IN 5 YEARS, WE WON’T NEED A NEW BILL
shooter on May 18, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Didn’t Bush Senior send Marines into Los Angeles to help stop the riots? I don’t know if he had to seek a one time exemption to do that or what.
jaleach on May 18, 2007 at 10:27 PM
Yep. If ya need Dem voters, why not just import them? better yet.. let them import themselves….illegally. Thats what ya got….
johnnyU on May 18, 2007 at 11:12 PM
You’re dead on. A lot of illegals take high paying american trade crafts and turn them into low paying jobs. It’s all about greed. It isn’t enough to be comfortable, people want to be super rich. And I have no problem with that until the government is complicite in helping them screw the american public.
In the 60’s, the owner of a company was satisfied if he lived in a slightly higher end neighborhood than his employees did. Now, owners live in gated communities with 15′ tall walls around them with armed guards at the gates and some of their employees live in hotels which they pay their rent week to week.
Illegal low paid workers are one way these people become super rich. Illegals that the government refuses to deport from this country. THAT is unfair and immoral.
csdeven on May 18, 2007 at 11:24 PM
— Thomas Babbington Macaulay
“Horatius at the Bridge”
History repeats.
Hiraghm on May 18, 2007 at 11:45 PM
Bradky I did not say assassinated ..I said tried for treason and then treated as Saadaam..That was Legal Remember?? By the way decry violence but a civil war is a WAR..Get it Appeaser……….. I also admired The French resistance and the Polish resistance ….get the picture…Lead, follow or get out of the way!!!
Mellen on May 18, 2007 at 11:57 PM
Hunter-Tancredo 2008
Mellen on May 19, 2007 at 12:00 AM
My goodness. I haven’t followed the comments in this thread since yesterday morning; it seems I’ve really been missing out, haven’t I?
Hiraghm is banned with an atomic vengeance for his filthy racism. Now I’m going to scroll up through the thread. Can’t wait to see who else will no longer be joining us.
Allahpundit on May 19, 2007 at 12:08 AM
Nuance
Bradky on May 19, 2007 at 12:10 AM
Tancredo-Hunter in 2008
(I prefer Tom’s views on Islam.)
profitsbeard on May 19, 2007 at 12:15 AM
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