Here we go again: Democrats planning to revive shamnesty-lite?
posted at 7:15 pm on February 11, 2008 by Bryan
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House Democrats are crafting a “scaled-down” immigration reform measure despite the political minefields that surround the issue, the Roll Call newspaper reported Monday.
It says that Hispanic members — including Rep. Joe Baca — are seeking five-year visas for illegal immigrants who pay fines and pass criminal background checks. Baca, a California Democrat chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Baca said the prospects for a compromise package were discussed in high-level meetings that included Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who chairs a key immigration subcommittee, Roll Call said.
All behind-the-scenes, all libs, and therefore all very predictable. The fact that we have three viable shamnesty-prone candidates for the presidency is obviously not lost on these back room dealers. Weekly Standard blogger Brian Faughnan says this is a dangerous debate for the Democrats, and that’s true to some extent. But it’s one that, if handled craftily, can reap benefits for the Dems down the road. And that’s the point.
We may have to roll out another WSJ-scaring series of attack ads.
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Funny, the timing. I received a few days ago an “immigration” flyer from Jason Altmire (Democrap- PA). These democraps are just thick headed.
Zorro on February 11, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Thick…as a brick.
Gerard on February 11, 2008 at 7:20 PM
I wonder what McShamnesty’s “Newly Revised Cuz I Wanna Be GOP Nominee” position is…
malan89 on February 11, 2008 at 7:21 PM
What a great opportunity for Senator McCain to assure us of the sincerity of his desire to secure the border.
Have you Hot Air heads received that press release from McCain central condemning this initiative and containing Johnny Mac’s pledge to oppose it?
Coming out of the fax any second now, I’m sure…
see-dubya on February 11, 2008 at 7:22 PM
I guess we have to build a wall around Washington, D.C. first.
profitsbeard on February 11, 2008 at 7:23 PM
I’m waiting to hear from Juan McCain, attorney general Lindsey Graham, and VP Crist. *crickets*
SouthernGent on February 11, 2008 at 7:25 PM
So if it is a Federal case, guess the States who have put in their own laws concerning illegals and working don’t count now do they?
upinak on February 11, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Hmmm…
Could it be they are feeling lucky since they know no matter what….they have someone who will sign it (with the Republican being the most ready to sign it). It’s a dream situation for the shmanesty clan).
TOPV on February 11, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Perfectly selected photo, there, Bryan.
First time I’ve ever laughed out loud at the concept of Shamnesty.
Always Right on February 11, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Assuming McCain doesn’t dare cross us on this issue again (which admittedly is a huge toss up), the plus side here would be if this ever gets enough media play. If the country, which we saw last time is very against shamnesty, learns that the Dems are trying to push it again now, it could be bad news for them. However that assumes enough of the truth gets through the liberal media’s filter (first, they’ll ignore it in favor of a “Bush scandal of the week”… probably new Abu Ghraib photos will be released or something. then, if it stays in the news cycle long enough, they’ll downplay the amnesty angle, and still bury the story).
RightWinged on February 11, 2008 at 7:31 PM
Since they see shamesty as their ticket to a permanent majority and Dem rule forever, we can expect them to be relentless. Shamnesty initiatives will be so fast and furious that it’s going to be whack-a-mole until they get it passed, or until we figure out how to defeat it once and for all.
Need I add, doesn’t look good for our side.
petefrt on February 11, 2008 at 7:33 PM
I’m sure this doesn’t bother Juan McShAmnesty or Jorge Bush at all. Ain’t it time for the 2nd American Revolution yet, feels like half past about damned time to me. Oh yeah, forgot that we’re supposed to support McShAmnesty because he’s so much better than his buddies to the left. Wasn’t that how they got me to vote for Bush not once but twice.
Buzzy on February 11, 2008 at 7:36 PM
BTW, I predict snark from moonbats who think you’re being racist with the photo choice. Hot Air thinks Mexicans are Zombies! That kind of thing.
see-dubya on February 11, 2008 at 7:36 PM
What a perfect opportunity for McCain to show all of how exactly how much he’s learned from the last time around, as well as how strong his opposition to amnesty is.
amerpundit on February 11, 2008 at 7:36 PM
OH! LOL!!! That’s probably the funniest thing I’ve seen all day! ;-0
highhopes on February 11, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Here is a good opportunity for McCain to put his money where his mouth is. He’s been advocating that the borders need to be secured first. This Democratic proposal does not tow that line. Will McCain do what he says, if he is such a straight shooter, and oppose this measure at least because it entitles illegal aliens to something before “the borders are secure” or will he figure out some way to compromise with Democrats and find a middle ground. (Note: I use the phrases “compromise” and “middle ground” lightly with McCain because in actions past, his meaning of both is to move left, while Democrats remain left.)
Weebork on February 11, 2008 at 7:38 PM
And our message to the law abiders waiting in line? What fools you are!
jed58 on February 11, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Do you have the New York Money People on board to fund the operation?
billy on February 11, 2008 at 7:41 PM
Am I the only one who finds today’s news selections totally depressing? Y’all wake me up when the conquest is accomplished. Who’s it going to be first: jihadists, Mexicans, or Sino-Russians?
TX Mom on February 11, 2008 at 7:41 PM
Perfect timing…I want to hear what the candidates have to say about the new bill. The Democrats stupidity knows no bounds. McCain will make, or break, himself on this issue alone and so will the Dumbocrats. The sooner they get it out there the better.
orlandocajun on February 11, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Good point. Call me the optimist, but I’ll be watching.
petefrt on February 11, 2008 at 7:47 PM
Quick, let’s get a bill in there calling for white reparations for slavery too!
LimeyGeek on February 11, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Oh, so Sen McCain is working with Democrats on amnesty again! I knew it!
Weebork on February 11, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Must…reward…illegals. Must…reward…illegals.
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 7:52 PM
You’ve gotta ‘reach out across the aisle’ to be a true ‘maverick’, donchaknow?
LimeyGeek on February 11, 2008 at 7:52 PM
I declare the border secure. I mean it’s pretty damn safe, trust me. Now can we move to the important “proving our humanity” part.
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 7:53 PM
If the democrats were smarter than they are, I’d accuse them of floating this bill just to drive the ol’ wedge a little deeper between McCain and the Republicans.
Quick, Bryan, check the fax! I’m sure that press statement from the McCain campaign has come through by now. Maybe there’s a paper jam?
see-dubya on February 11, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Yes, McCain is against the bill: who needs five-year visas when you can get the permanent kind? Five years is just not humane enough.
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Well, the proposal doesn’t sound like such an awful idea. That is, if you look at the practicality of living with millions of illegals. I’m not really sure what the alternative that *isn’t* deportation you all have in mind for dealing with the immigrant problem. One purely non-partisan, non-politico reason I can see for some sort of amnesty is to just get these people into the system. Paying taxes, being counted, and having some sense of belonging to the USA doesn’t seem like a bad thing.
Viscount_Bolingbroke on February 11, 2008 at 8:12 PM
Besides, how could you cold-hearted S.O.B.s expect CINC John McCain to tell some poor kid serving in Iraq that his mom is going to be deported when the war is only 1/20th of the way done being fought?
Deety on February 11, 2008 at 8:13 PM
In exchange for a secure fence, I think this is probably the best we can hope for.
That said, there are lots of people who will take those lawbreakers’ place and are willing to immigrate legally. I’d rather they get the chance.
see-dubya on February 11, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Sorry, couldn’t resist. I’ve seen him speaking on C-SPAN.
fiatboomer on February 11, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Come on, NOBODY NEEDS MASS DEPORTATIONS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. Gradually increasing employer sanctions are all that’s required. Couple that with an easy SSN verification system and a few severe sentences for some large-scale corporate employer CEOs and 90% of the illegals will self-deport. Look at what’s happening in Oklahoma with just a little bit of “comprehensive” immigration control reform. They are leaving in droves!
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Yes, that was my “favorite” argument from the straight-talker. What’s next: how can you tell some poor kid in Iraq that his parents have to go to jail for bank fraud? Murder? Child molesting? I mean you have to refuse to prosecute any parent of anyone in Iraq.
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 8:18 PM
We’ve just read an article on this site about how DHS can’t keep up with pending visa applications, and so DHS has been going ahead and granting visas to applicants who have not had their criminal background checks completed as a means of “dealing with” the backlog. So the Dims propose that we give DHS another 20 million or so applications to process? Yeah, that makes sense.
AZCoyote on February 11, 2008 at 8:32 PM
Actually, putting or returning this issue to the headlines may be a sound campaign tactic for the Dems – for precisely the reasons that are evident in most comments above. McCain has a wee problem with a huge part of his party’s base, on this matter probably above all others, and if you were his opponents who wanted to maintain and stoke that division, what better way than to keep illegal immigration on the political radar with more congressional proposals?
He’s put in the position that several commenters here identify – either he makes good on his comically unpersuasive conversion to a rational rule-of-law and fairness approach by trashing the proposals, or he confirms everyone’s worst suspicions and further damages his veneer of authenticity and candor by going weaselly on the matter. Win/win, from an opponent’s perspective.
IceCold on February 11, 2008 at 8:34 PM
Attrition through enforcement is working here in Arizona too, and our law hasn’t even gone into effect yet. (It was supposed to be effective on 1/1/2008, but was pushed back a few months due to court challenges. So far, the law has survived all challenges). The Mexican consulate in Phoenix has reported a huge surge in applications from Mexicans for Mexican birth certificates for Mexicans who are returning home with their children and planning to enroll them in school there. The Sonoran government (adjoining Mexican state) sent a delegation to Arizona to complain to our lawmakers that the masses of Mexicans returning to Mexico is straining their (Sonora’s) resources. (Imagine that. Now they know how we have felt here for years).
Contrary to hysterical predictions from pro-”cheap”-labor business advocates and Hispanic open-borders groups, Arizona’s economy has not ground to a halt. I wonder if any of these factors could be playing a role in this latest stealth attempt to push through another massive amnesty? If American citizens find out that attrition through enforcement works, and that it won’t destroy our economy, they’ll probably be a lot less amenable to plans to reward illegal immigrants with any type of visas.
AZCoyote on February 11, 2008 at 8:47 PM
Perfect timing.
It’s time to put your money where your mouth is.
You want the wall built?
Huckabee has committed to:
Ensure that the border fence construction is completed by July 1, 2010.
Contribute to Huckabee’s campaign. Now.
Put up or shut up.
ITookTheRedPill on February 11, 2008 at 8:48 PM
Visas as opposed to permanent residence here? Having to pay fines instead of getting off scot-free? Having to pass criminal background checks?
I’m failing to see the outrage here.
Look, immigration reform is going to become a reality. Because it HAS to be. Because there are millions of illegals here, and you can lament the fact that they are here, and point fingers and assign blame, but deportation is not the solution and never could be with numbers that high. Way I see it, this is actually a step in the right direction. Less of the open borders crap, more providing real limitations on and requirements from the illegals already here.
Vyce on February 11, 2008 at 8:52 PM
This is a great move on the part of the defecrats. They missed the boat on the Civil Rights Act and, unfortunately, the Pubbies have never exploited that fact. They’re making sure people breaking the law know who-their-daddy / mommy is.
There’s a lot of optimism that McCain will come out and throw conservatives a bone and assure them / us that he won’t pass a bill granting amnesty.
But, since he joined hands with Kennedy in an attempt to shove this thing down our throats twice before and there very well may be a majority defecrat congress, I have no doubt that in 4 years time, regardless of who wins the Presidency – we’ll have 30,000,000 – 40,000,000 new citizens from south of the border, and elsewhere, all eligible to bring their families’ families’ into the country.
And of those 15,000,000 to 20,000,000 will be new, defecrat voters.
From there we’ll get free health care, free housing, free food, free transportation, etc. etc. And pretty soon we’ll find out that all that free stuff is pretty darn expensive.
… As a side note, don’t forget to buy guns and / or ammo with your $600 / $1200 rebate while you still can.
BowHuntingTexas on February 11, 2008 at 8:53 PM
You’re absolutely right. The simple truth is that the problem is easy to solve if there is political will to solve it. It’s also a good problem to solve. Dangerous liars like McCain and Kennedy (as well as political opportunists or just confused individuals like Hillary, Obama, and Bush) invent all sorts of reasons why the problem can’t be solved and capitulation is the only option. THEY ALL HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA.
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 8:53 PM
Now with McCain being foisted upon us as the “best GOP nominee”, the party is in no position to drive home this issue that the American public overwhelmingly opposes.
This is the issue that could have won the election for the republicans.
But no, support the RINO, open borders, amnesty authoring anti conservative front runner. The death of the GOP is coming sooner rather than later. I’m totally disgusted.
voiceofreason on February 11, 2008 at 8:55 PM
This quite could be the issue that does win the election for the Republicans.
Huckabee-Thompson defeats Hillary/Obama/Edwards in November.
ITookTheRedPill on February 11, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Right . . . and after their 5-year visas expire, all the former illegal aliens will just voluntarily give up their jobs and return home, right? Tell me another fairy tale, Vyce. And as for the fines, how much you want to bet that those fines will end up being less than the fees that legal immigrants pay now to go through the visa application process? Or that the new law will include “hardship” waivers, ensuring that the poor illegal aliens (which is about 90%) end up paying little or nothing in fines? And as for the criminal background checks, DHS can’t get those done for their current “backlog” of visa applicants, but somehow they’ll be able to get it done for 20+ million more??? Who’s kidding whom here?
AZCoyote on February 11, 2008 at 9:12 PM
What I can’t understand is why the Republican Party hierarchy, including Bush, don’t realize that the 40 million of the newly legalized illegals plus their “re-unified” relatives will vote Democratic for at least two generations. If they don’t care about their country, can they also not even care about their party? What the hell is making them behave like hypnotized zombies?
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 9:26 PM
You are a misguided individual.
Vyce on February 11, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Feh…is there an option to vote to not have a President for one term?
James on February 11, 2008 at 9:44 PM
I was thinking the same thing…
liquidflorian on February 11, 2008 at 9:58 PM
As if.
silverfox on February 11, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Reagan-DeMint.
Igor R. on February 11, 2008 at 10:24 PM
Are anybody surprized by this ? I saw this coming the moment McCain became the likely nominee. Expect more to come in the months ahead.
SIJ6141 on February 11, 2008 at 10:51 PM
McCain is caught between the rock ribs and the deep blue dogs.
Its a win win for liberals, if he condemns the new shamnesty attempt, his blues dogs yelp, if he supports the Democrat, screw the nation bill, the rock ribs come crashing down.
Oh the splinters you get trying to straddle the fence, oh the we don’t give a rats a$$.
Speakup on February 11, 2008 at 11:01 PM
McCain wants to be President. Put it to him strongly that riding this bill will elect a Dem. Since they can out-hispander him. I’m sure he’ll betray conservatives like he always does, but meanwhile he wants to be President.
If he goes on the side of hispander, how does he beat a Dem? They’ll out hispander him.
He’ll have to get elected FIRST then betray us.
whiskey_199 on February 11, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Go to this NumbersUSA page about Heath Schuler’s bill and FAX your Senators and Rep. for FREE!
NOW!!
Get this bill passed to help deflate the amnesty push.
This enforcement-only policy is working everywhere it has passed at the state level.
fred5678 on February 11, 2008 at 11:11 PM
I’d hit that.
see-dubya on February 11, 2008 at 11:21 PM
I never thought I’d miss Rudy.
Speakup on February 11, 2008 at 11:41 PM
Excellent news! Juan McAmnesty to sign on in 5 . . .
¡Hola! Despierte a Americanos perezosos!
DannoJyd on February 12, 2008 at 12:08 AM
Remember, remember, come election in November,
the shamnesty debacle and plot.
I have not a muse why the shamnesty ruse
should ever be forgot.
Woody
woodcdi on February 12, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Everything about the blood sucking illegals has to be done behind the scenes. The majority of American citizens are against them, the majority of big business is for them ….who do you think pays for these multi-million dollar political campaigns. The American Congress has sold out to the highest bidder and the highest bidder ain’t us. John McShame defines inside player politics and his making it to the Republican nomination has completely queered me on the Republican party and America in general. Our inability to hang the ACLU and put term limits on professional politicians sickens me.
God bless America RIP.
Ernest on February 12, 2008 at 9:31 AM
I guess we have to build a wall around Washington, D.C. first.
profitsbeard on February 11, 2008 at 7:23 PM
Good idea…maybe Mexico will fund it.
Christine on February 12, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Reminds me of a joke (normally used between football teams)…
A genie appeared one day during the Presidential elections. Seeing them in full swing, he decided to grant two wishes. To be fair, he selected an out of the way voting place and chose a liberal and conservative as the two lucky folks.
The liberal cut the conservative off just as he was to speak and blurted out, “I get first wish!” The genie rolled his eyes, but let him continue. “I wish Washington DC was walled off from conservatives and that only liberals were allowed in! That way, so no one could stop our agenda!”
The genie sighed and nodded (and a 100′ wall suddenly appeared around Washington DC). The liberal smiled smugly at the conservative as the genie turned to face him.
“I wish it was filled with water…”
dominigan on February 12, 2008 at 12:38 PM
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