Bush: Viva la amnistía!
posted at 1:10 pm on June 8, 2007 by Allahpundit
Oh, this amnesty is happenin’, baby. He and his 29% approval rating are going to see to that.
President Bush considers it premature to declare the immigration reform bill dead in the Senate, White House adviser Dan Bartlett said Friday.
A motion to cut off debate on the measure failed Thursday night, stopping the proposal from coming up for a vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had said earlier that if the motion was not approved, it would be “over with … gone.”
But Bartlett told CNN that Bush wants Reid to consider putting the bill back on the table.
No matter how it ends up, savor this: the longer it drags out, the longer Saint McCain spends eating shinola sandwiches.
Someone who knows McCain’s thinking told Playbook: “It’s negative for McCain. He needed it resolved. If it had been, it becomes a debate about how effective the law is, and people move on. Now it’s open for critics. Passage is better.”
But the conventional wisdom is likely to be that it’s good for McCain if the apparent death is more than apparent — if it moves the issue off newscasts and front pages. A colleague adds: “But if the thing still has life it just drags out the bad narrative.”
A Republican who usually knows which way the wind is blowing: “It is very good for McCain, both near-term and long-term. He benefits from having it go away. You can’t become POTUS if you’re not the nominee. I assure you that McCain — a man that I loathe — is elated.”
A Democratic strategist, who has usually been right over the years, echoed the McCain source, calling it “John McCain’s nightmare”: “Now, it won’t ever go away. He needed the boil lanced. They’ll torture him with it at every debate.”
And a neutral wise man says that while the upside is that the issue may die down, it has taken a deep toll on McCain: The anecdotes about him cussing and proclaiming himself the expert on the bill will persist, becoming viral among party activists and a symbol of McCain’s ideological drift from the party.
Exit question: Will Fred’s campaign really bleed McCain’s campaign dry? I understand that they have similar voting records in the Senate, but they’re far apart on this signature issue and McCain’s social conservative bona fides are suspect. It seems to me if Fred’s going to bleed anyone, it’ll be Mitt, the current social-con standard bearer, by presenting “values” voters with an alternative. Although Mitt’s personal wealth and fundraising skill are such that he can afford to bleed an awful lot before it hurts him.
Blowback
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Well, since that didn’t work, we could always try enforcing the laws and borders. Maybe?
Tony737 on June 8, 2007 at 1:16 PM
Right on the mark T737, we have existing laws on the books for immigration, gun control, and who knows what else that’s not being enforced. We have too many laws in my…. book.
BTW, what with the HA site this morning? AP, B, MM?
Kini on June 8, 2007 at 1:22 PM
AP, what’s up with this new, minimalist look for HotAir?
Jaibones on June 8, 2007 at 1:23 PM
I’ve put a black X through the W sticker on my car!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 8, 2007 at 1:25 PM
And where are all of the blog posts?
amerpundit on June 8, 2007 at 1:25 PM
Sorry Republican-who-usually-knows-which-way-the-wind-is-blowing, but this debate will sink the McVain campaign. Nobody is going to trust him anymore on this issue and it’s yet another stab in the back of the base – which he has done too many times before. To do this during the middle of his campaign is a death knell.
Any one of the smart candidates (a group that decidely excludes McVain) will understand that enforcement-first is a popular and winning issue and will seize on it like a hungry dog on a dropped pork chop.
And while I would advice us pro-enforcement-first types against letting our guards down, I don’t think Dingy Harry will bring this up for another vote. I don’t believe he was that committed to the bill in the first place and seemed a bit eager to kill it – with the added bonus for him of inflicting another defeat on Bush.
thirteen28 on June 8, 2007 at 1:27 PM
It seems that the shamnesty is the only story fit for The Blog, the right column here at HotAir. Did all of the other current posts get summarily Vaulted?
Freelancer on June 8, 2007 at 1:28 PM
Ok, so I’m not the only one who notices this.
amerpundit on June 8, 2007 at 1:30 PM
I expect every trick in the book by the no-fence crowd to get this bill revived.
Mitt doesn’t have to worry about Fred!, yet, but if Thompson does well in the August debate Mitt better be circling the wagons.
Limerick on June 8, 2007 at 1:31 PM
No…the right side is borked on the page
Limerick on June 8, 2007 at 1:32 PM
Never mind
Limerick on June 8, 2007 at 1:33 PM
PS. I’d like to tell him what he can do with that thumb!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 8, 2007 at 1:34 PM
Fred has yet to announce his candidacy. But has the party base used up it’s contributions yet? I’m sure a fresh flux of money is still sitting on the sidelines like the stock market waiting for the IPO to open.
Kinda spooky the empty look on the blog side of HA. Are we getting the cold shoulder? Hello, anyone in there?
Kini on June 8, 2007 at 1:35 PM
Ok, it’s fixed now.
amerpundit on June 8, 2007 at 1:36 PM
The President is going to push for Amnesty right up until the last day of his time in office. That day cannot come soon enough. He does not care about the will of the American people. Can anyone think of any other time this has ever happened throughout the history of the United States? The polls cannot be more clear about the fact that the American voters just want to see our immigration laws enforced both at the borders and within the borders. We cannot compile any more evidence to show that what is best for our country is to have our immigration laws enforced. It is a national security issue. It is a national soverienty issue. It is a economic issue. It is a cultural assimilation issue. It is a welfare state issue. It is a edjucation and schools issue. It is a healthcare issue. Our jails are overflowing with illegals. The stupidity of this President walking lockstep with McCain, Kennedy and company on this issue which encompasses so much is baffeling. The position they have taken by all measures is distructive and illogical. Despite this and all the evidence laid out in front of them on a silver platter in the form of a revolt by the American taxpayers to tear down this Amnesty bill they still refuse to back down as if they were Kings who have seized power and are enforceing their own will and agendas on the American people. They refuse to give up on their vision for Amnesty which has been tried and failed in the past multiple times and after the 1986 Amnesty they promised to never repeat this mistake. Kennedy said that it was just that once and then never again. Liars and facists they are. This president is dead to me.
Zetterson on June 8, 2007 at 1:37 PM
OT, but how insane is this?
On topic, I had said that Bush wouldn’t let this die.
amerpundit on June 8, 2007 at 1:39 PM
The minute freddie boy has to open his mouth and his record up to the same harsh scrutiny that real candidates do, he will bleed himself dry. All this wild eyed groupie support doesn’t translate beyond reality. fred? is probably the least qualified candidate (the minute he grows the stones to announce that is) in the entire field.
So, fred isn’t going to take much more money than he will after about a month or two of campaigning. Mean while, MITT! has $20 mil in the coffers and is still raking it in? McCain support will go to Mitt!.
Ouch, freddie boy, OUCH!
csdeven on June 8, 2007 at 1:40 PM
I’m not so sure about that.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=%5EGSPC&t=3m
The stock market was heading up right to the day that the bill was looking good. The day the bill fell apart, so did the market.
pedestrian on June 8, 2007 at 1:43 PM
Hyperventilate much?
lan astaslem on June 8, 2007 at 1:47 PM
Coorelation does not always equal causation. Their are many possible reasons for that. And if the market “falls apart” with this bill I want to hear them make a strong economic case for this and explain to me why this is so important to the prosperity of the economy without calling me a racist for disagreeing.
Zetterson on June 8, 2007 at 1:49 PM
The major corps. were hoping for an endless supply of cheap labor. Once they got told they’d only get 5 years of it, and then none at all, it stopped.
amerpundit on June 8, 2007 at 1:50 PM
If this gets back on the table, it is time to go nuclear.
Call RNC membership services at (202) 863-8743 and ask for a return of all your donations for the last 12 months. All they need is your membership number.
Tell them you are giving the money to conservative candidates directly and why.
Valiant on June 8, 2007 at 1:58 PM
When it comes to buying a politician there’s always more money available!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 8, 2007 at 1:59 PM
I don’t buy the economic model of this at all. Adapt, adapt, adapt………that is what the corps will do. Will it mean a recession, slow down, 8% unemployment…..maybe, but not for long. This whole ‘jobs-Americans-won’t-do’ is the biggest scam since insurance.
Limerick on June 8, 2007 at 2:00 PM
Limerick, I agree. Not sure about the insurance thing but other then that I’m with ya.
Zetterson on June 8, 2007 at 2:05 PM
Yes. And Trent Lott needs to make a better argument than, “Are you chicken. Come on, do it if you aren’t a chicken.”
Coyote D. on June 8, 2007 at 2:12 PM
Actually either high wages or low wages can trigger a good economy. The tight labor market following the Black Death during the westward expansion of the US both lead to great periods of technological advance because companies did adapt. Low wages give us an edge in trade competition, but do not lead to innovation. At this time the US national security needs cost competitiveness (to reduce the trade deficit) more than it does more labor saving innovation. China has already racked up $1 trillion in hard cash, which means our kids will be working for the Chinese if we don’t start manufacturing locally again. I’m alot more worried about that then our illegal residents’ supposed allegience to Mexico.
pedestrian on June 8, 2007 at 2:33 PM
Black Death *and* during the westward
pedestrian on June 8, 2007 at 2:33 PM
Oh no no no, this is not going away McCain. Immigration is a huge issue and the candidates will be discussing it for the next 18 months.
csdeven on June 8, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Pedestrian, regardless of whether or not I agree with what you are saying at least you are arguing your point in a coherent, rational way. That is all I’m asking for from our elected leaders. Instead we have Bush calling us racists, Lott daring us to pass the bill and Kennedy/McCain attempting to appeal to our emotions telling stories about how the poor “undocumented workers” are driven into the shadows of our society because of our current policies. Because of the way the Amnesty pushers set up their arguments we cannot have a honest discussion about this.
In the end though, economic factors are a distant secondary concern in comparison to the national security problems cultural deterioration that accompany open borders and unchecked illegal immigration. Nor am I comfortable using what is essentially second class slave labor in order to ensure the upward trend of the Dow Jones line graph.
Zetterson on June 8, 2007 at 2:51 PM
Why is it wrong to enforce the laws and definitively secure our borders? Why is that wrong???
Is it because it’s ‘racist’? The race card’s a cop out playing on emotions strictly for self-serving political gains. I just do not get it with these elected officials who are duly elected and solemnly sworn to uphold the constitution, enforce the laws of the United States, and defend our country from foreign invaders.
ARGH!
I am going to need an epiphany to understand these reprobate politicians.
SilverStar830 on June 8, 2007 at 3:00 PM
The point of the bill is to make them no longer second class workers here and to allow more of them to leave their even worse conditions in their home countries. The fact that it benefits us economically is what allows us to provide the social services for their families and kids.
pedestrian on June 8, 2007 at 3:59 PM
I guess the question is… if our economy can only be maintained by resorting to low wage illegal workers is it healthy? I personally know two individuals who run fairly large agribusiness corporations. Over 10 years ago one of them invested in mechanical labor saving machinery (hardly high tech even at the time) while the other still boasts at how low a wage he can hire hundreds of illegals to work for him. To my viewpoint he runs his business like a pre civil war plantation using fear of deportation to keep his workers in line. Would you care to guess which side of the issue each one of them is on?
Buzzy on June 8, 2007 at 4:11 PM
Yes, thats true but the problem is that our leaders have no intention of enforcing our borders or our immigration laws at all even after this bill passes. I guarantee that if the American people were confident that the borders were actually going to be enforced this time the Amnesty part of this whole discussion would be acceptable. What we are trying to do now because of the fact we know they have no intention to enforce the immigration laws now (or ever) is to put our heal on their necks and make them pass an enforcement only bill seperate from the Amnesty bill. Our primary objective is to stop illegal immigration now where it is and worry about the aspect that doesn’t apply to national security later. Its the “comprehensive” part of this that is the sham. The only reason why then need this to be “comprehensive” is because they don’t want to really have to be bothered with enforceing the borders and the current immigration laws on the books. We are never going to allow that to happen again.
Zetterson on June 8, 2007 at 4:15 PM
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, having failed for the second time to cut off debate on the Immigration Bill, in a fit of pique, took his Immigration ball and ran home.
In what best can be described as a twenty minute cry-and-tell speech, Reid admonished those nasty ole Republicans for making him do it apparently forgetting that many Democrats also voted against cloture – both times.
Included in his cry-and-tell speech was a magnificent case of Chutzpah where-in he pleaded with President Bush to help him do something about those nasty ole Republicans who were holding up the bill. This plea, it should be remembered, is from a man who has been spitting on Bush and his administration for the past 6 years.
When all is said and done, there is one element in the great debate on the Immigration Bill that has failed to be considered. The American people. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THIS BILL! But, as happens so often in Congress, the people are ignored.
And why don’t the American people want this bill? Except for the bill’s two main provisions, the Democrats getting additional votes and the Republicans getting a cheap source of labor, they know from past experience that it will be a bureaucratic nightmare to administer resulting in very few of the provisions in the bill ever being implemented – no matter whether the Democrats or Republicans are in charge after 2008.
Finally, Lindsey ‘Goober’ Graham can try to put all the lipstick he wants on this bureaucratic oinker, but it will be the U.S. citizens who will suffer the financial disaster the bill will produce for decades to come.
pocomoco on June 8, 2007 at 4:25 PM
JUST ONE LITTLE QUESTION FOR BUSHIE:
If the STATE DEPARTMENT’S PASSPORT OFFICE couldn’t process the backlog of 12.1 million passports applications (by AMERICAN CITIZENS with valid I.D.) last year in a speedy manner, thereby admitting defeat and suspending new rules in place to secure our borders, how can strangers who can’t speak the language, using FAKE DOCUMENTS expect to be processed for their amnesty “background checks” IN ONE DAY?
HHhhmmm???????
seejanemom on June 8, 2007 at 4:31 PM
And the day after the bill fell apart:
Dow +157
Nasdaq + 32
S&P 500 +17
Guess that blows your theory all to sh!t, doesn’t it?
thirteen28 on June 8, 2007 at 4:39 PM
It will bleed everybody dry, with a special emphasis on Giuliani. He is the (more-or-less) solid conservative alternative to all 3 of the current “front-runners”. McCain’s already bled dry. Normally, it would be Romney that gets bled drier because he and Thompson are closer to each other. However, outside of the Global War on Islamist Terror, there is little to nothing the vast majority of Republican voters have in common with Giuliani, while Thompson is equally-strong on that issue and far closer to those voters on the other issues.
steveegg on June 8, 2007 at 5:02 PM
Chertoff insists the bill was enforcement first, then
path to citizenshipamnesty.Valiant on June 8, 2007 at 5:04 PM
So, when do we all go to the Southwest to start building the wall behind that very deep and wide mote?
SouthernGent on June 8, 2007 at 5:49 PM
Pretty soon we’ll just have to build a wall around Nevada.
The illegals say “Aqui estamos y no nos vamos.” We’re here and we’re not leaving.
We should say “Aqui estamos y somos enojados!” We’re here and we’re angry!”
Mojave Mark on June 8, 2007 at 6:03 PM
You’re welcome to try, in which case you’ll just have to do the best you can with the men you have. Many of the men who might have done the enforcing either never made it out of the ovary, got trapped in a reservoir tip, got flushed out by an IUD, or got vacuumed out by an abortionist. Maybe you could “outsource,” though; I hear there’s a large, young, underemployed labor force south of the border.
Kralizec on June 8, 2007 at 10:36 PM
I didn’t even think to mention the would-be enforcers who got tied up in a vas deferens or a fallopian tube.
I may thought of my first original contribution to the art of war. Did even Machiavelli or Sun Tzu ever suggest waging war by luring a people into voluntary contraception?
Kralizec on June 8, 2007 at 10:53 PM