McCain: “We must enact comprehensive immigration reform”
posted at 8:05 pm on May 22, 2008 by Allahpundit
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You guys think I’m kidding about writing in Hillary. Okay then.
In yet another sign of his pivoting toward the general election, Senator John McCain said at a roundtable with business leaders [in San Jose] today that comprehensive immigration reform should be a top priority for the next president…
“Senator Kennedy and I tried very hard to get immigration reform, a comprehensive plan, through the Congress of the United States,” he said. “It is a federal responsibility and because of our failure as a federal obligation, we’re seeing all these various conflicts and problems throughout our nation as different towns, cities, counties, whatever they are, implement different policies and different programs which makes things even worse and even more confusing.”
He added: “I believe we have to secure our borders, and I think most Americans agree with that, because it’s a matter of national security. But we must enact comprehensive immigration reform. We must make it a top agenda item if we don’t do it before, and we probably won’t, a little straight talk, as of January 2009.”
The boss reminds us that this sunny little pander directly contradicts what he said in the heat of the Republican primary about having “gotten the message” on immigration and agreeing that we should secure the border first. Consider it the answer to Obama’s pitiful climbdown from promising to meet with Ahmadinejad at the YouTube debate last year — an early empty promise aimed squarely at the gullible idiots in his own base who need to hear it to nominate him, and who’ll then merrily acquiesce as he abandons that position for a more electable centrist footing in the general. Hell of a day to say this, though, coming as it does within hours of the Hagee un-endorsement that’s going to annoy evangelicals. Serious exit question: Would Obama really be much worse for Iraq than McCain would? The more security gains there are, the harder it’ll be for him to pull the rug out from under Petraeus and Odierno. Even his own advisors admit that the Hopenchange rhetoric about abandoning Iraq is crap along these same lines, to soothe the savage liberal beast for long enough to get him elected while he plots a more responsible strategy. The real question is whether he’d be much worse on Iran, which he very well might. We can’t afford that, and McCain knows it. Which is precisely why it’s suddenly become the centerpiece of his campaign.
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Yes. We are right and he is out left and soon to realize he is left out of supporters. All of that “middle of the road vote” is so stupid. Anything in the center lane is going to turn left.
maverick muse on May 22, 2008 at 9:24 PM
I’ve been at that stage for a few weeks already. Every time I move a little closer to even considering supporting McCain, or someone moves me in that direction, McCain opens his big mouth and I end up back in the writing in Zombie Reagan camp. I’ll also note, I’m in PA, so my vote may actually matter this time around.
doubleplusundead on May 22, 2008 at 9:25 PM
Like they say, every new engineering or science doctorate earned in the US should come with a residency card. They’ll be doing new research and development somewhere in the World. Why not here?
RBMN on May 22, 2008 at 9:27 PM
No.
Get used to President Obama. I’ve been used to it for about 2 months. I beat everybody here at being used to Republican nominee John McCain by about 6 weeks. President Obama and Vice President Hillary is going to happen no matter how much you might love McCain.
Being prepared makes it easier to handle when it happens.
ThackerAgency on May 22, 2008 at 9:28 PM
What I was about to post would have been my last…trust me!
That said, most of you know I’m a fence guy, but I am not in support of deportation, as long as they register and pay any fine/taxes they owe. THEN they get tacked on the back of the line. If they don’t want to do that then line up the green buses.
Limerick on May 22, 2008 at 9:29 PM
Since we’re talinkg Reagan…
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 9:29 PM
I’ll be surprised at VP Hillary. Michelle Obama doesn’t like her, many of Obama’s supporters despise her, and she adds significant baggage to his ticket.
amerpundit on May 22, 2008 at 9:30 PM
So we should repeat mistakes we made 22 years ago? How well did it stop illegal immigration? We know Reagan supported amnesty. It failed.
amerpundit on May 22, 2008 at 9:32 PM
DrDeano on May 22, 2008 at 9:17 PM
So much so it’s down right scary.
jerrytbg on May 22, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Hide the women and the booze! Juan is laying siege to America again.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Phrases, in no particular order, that are big red flags -
Think of the children.
If you give in to Muslims some, that will satisfy them.
Baby if you let my, I promise to stop before it’s too late.
We must enact comprehensive immigration reform.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 9:41 PM
What do you think the “mistake” was, the amnesty itself, or poor administration of the other provisions (border security) that accompanied it? Amnesty didn’t fail; in fact, it succeeded brilliantly, in that a huge number of illegal immigrants were regularized. However, the provisions for reforming the process of immigration were not as successful, and led to the presence of the millions of illegal immigrants we have today.
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 9:43 PM
Ttwo more pharse that are really, really great big RED Flags, even bigger that the others -
Straight talk.
My friends.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 9:46 PM
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 9:43 PM
So the answer is to let in another 20 mil. You’ve got to be kidding. Come on, come clean now.
jerrytbg on May 22, 2008 at 9:47 PM
I see only one McCain-bot trying to defend their guy.
Where are the rest of the Hot Air trolls?
Valiant on May 22, 2008 at 9:51 PM
Let’s see- big fine? Nope- a fraction of what those who immigrate legally pay to go through the process.
A 24 hour background check and having some sort of documentation (real or fake) showing you’ve been illegal for a length of time isn’t a terribly tough hoop to jump through or long wait.
McCain’s “comprehensive immigration reform” provisions were almost identical to the ‘86 amnesty bill, and no one hesitated then or now calling it for what it is- amnesty.
It’s pretty clear that McCain cares a whole lot more about passing amnesty than securing the border or enforcing immigration law. The lesson he learned from his previous failure to pass amnesty thanks to public outcry: The need to pass amnesty.
Hollowpoint on May 22, 2008 at 9:53 PM
You may be on to something. There is plenty “out there” that says that Juans’ classmates at Annapolis didn’t much care for him and then pretty much ditto after that in the Navy, so he could be overcompensating with the Senate and the MSM.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Honestly, I don’t care how many immigrants come here to work, as long as they do work. If our economy is strong enough to require the infusion of labor, great! I do care whether or not the process is orderly, and would hope for documentation and legal protections (against exploitation) for those who do come to work. Such provisions would also help protect American workers by removing the double standards of wage and employment verification. Note that practically nobody is still complaining about the illegal immigrants who were granted amnesty in 1986, and one must assume that they have largely assimilated and have become productive Americans. In closing, I’ll dig up a passage from that piece on Reagan that I linked above.
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 9:54 PM
Having dinner at Taco Bell?
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 9:56 PM
Spending their official McCain comment troll points?
malan89 on May 22, 2008 at 9:57 PM
Call in the black helicopters, but the missing piece is a biometric digitally-encoded instantly-checkable National ID card. Nothing except biometric ID will stop someone that’s determined to pass themselves off as a citizen, or a legal resident. It’s the only thing that stops someone that came on an airplane as a tourist–not over a fence. Once you get to up 300-million of ANYTHING–books, used car parts, people–you have an inventory problem that you can’t solve without a tamper-proof centrally-issued ID. I don’t care if you don’t like it. I don’t care if it makes you feel like a UPS package. If you can’t accept something equivalent to that, you’re just not serious about solving the problem of “people living in the shadows” and passing themselves off as citizens or legal residents. I think a plastic card will do the job. No forehead tattoos.
RBMN on May 22, 2008 at 10:01 PM
Dude, Steyn himself said he had no dog in this fight. Alan asked him if he was supporting McCain, and that’s what he answered.
Spirit of 1776 on May 22, 2008 at 10:02 PM
What do they get for the troll points, anyway? Has anybody found out? I really, really hope it’s more than just bragging rights for being a shill extraordinaire.
Laura on May 22, 2008 at 10:02 PM
I agree. At least one candidate for the Republican nomination made these a centerpiece of his immigration plan, but the “base” was not too receptive to the idea.
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Immigrants? I thought that the issue was ILLEGAL immigrants.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Actually, it looked like the first part of the plan worked very well… get those crap weasels out. The 2nd part of the plan is to vote in conservatives in place of the Democrats once their term is up. You have to think longer term… what is it with all these short attention spans? Haven’t you ever played chess before?
dominigan on May 22, 2008 at 10:08 PM
You’re brushing up against the tactic of equating legal immigration with illegal immigration. IF there is a legitimate need for immigrant labor that can’t reasonably be met with American workers, then I suspect most of us wouldn’t have a problem with some form of a work permit. Likewise, the path to legal immigration should be overhauled and simplified.
However the decision on who gets to come here, how many and for what purpose is something that needs to be managed and controlled as opposed to the current free-for-all situation that we now have and will continue to have without much better enforcement, whether amnesty is passed again or not.
Just as McCain is doing now, Reagan promised better border control and immigration enforcement in conjunction with amnesty. Didn’t happen then, why should we believe it’ll happen now? The only difference is that in ‘86 it was some 3 million illegals, now it’s at least 4 times that. What will it be 20 years after McCain passes amnesty again? 30 million? 40 million?
Hollowpoint on May 22, 2008 at 10:09 PM
How many McCain comment troll points does it take to get one beef taco at Taco Bell? Do you know? Does it take less points if you order in Spanish?
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Some of you need to get out more.
RBMN on May 22, 2008 at 10:10 PM
I agree and McCain is clueless. Appearing on Ellen DeGeneres’ show proves it. There is no choice. Do nothing Bush lets our people get killed and does nothing to punish Iran. Delegitimizing the process by refusing to vote for any of these creeps is a reasonable alternative. I won’t be deterred by threats that the others are worse.
On the other hand, there remains the possibility that Hillary’s hormones become imbalanced at the same time she is irritated by Iran…
Feedie on May 22, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Hey, I’d like for the process of immigration to be reformed to allow for legal entry and thorough documentation for the laborers we need in this country, but if it’s not, on acount of opposition to comprehensive reform, then I guess I’ll be OK with the illegals. Obviously, the demand for labor is high, since we have low unemployment and workers are still streaming into the country. If you cut off he supply of labor, companies will outsource their work to where the leabor is. That is, unless you emulate Maxine Waters and “socialize” the private companies, or cut off free trade.
I view the question of process reform as an entirely different issue from what to do with the people who are already here illegally. Since we were lax in enforcing our laws, I can’t get too worked up about trying to make them all leave, which will never happen anyway. If they haven’t committed any additional crimes (aside from the misdemeanor of illegal entry) I say let them stay on the condition of starting on the path to assimilation (e.g. learning English, etc.)
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 10:14 PM
They don’t see a line separating the two. That’s the difference between us (rational thinkers) and them (shamnesty supporters).
malan89 on May 22, 2008 at 10:15 PM
I am making plans for that now, but I have to wait until the night guard takes a nap.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 10:19 PM
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 9:54 PM
It’s the exponential factor that scares me.
I’ll try to find the numbers that I’m speaking about.
It has something to do with how rapidly the demographics will change.
I believe Teddy R. once said that if you leave it unchecked the culture, in your children’s lifetime, will be unrecognizable.
Or something to that effect.
So, is that what you want? Do you want your children to be second class citizens in there own country?
That’s a hellava legacy to leave.
What happens when you put 10 chickens in a 5 qt. pot?
jerrytbg on May 22, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Maybe the message that needs to be sent to Congress: You grant amnesty, we quit paying taxes. If they can’t round up 20 million illegals how the hell are they going to lock up 100 million citizens?
trs on May 22, 2008 at 10:21 PM
And I think that they know their jig will probably be up if they use the word illegal.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 10:21 PM
How many times to I have to tell you, WRITE IN THE BOSS!
I hate to bust your chops, but the fate of South Vietnam after Nixon got “peace in his time” sort of rings an alarm bell.
That having been said, it is all about Iran now.
steveegg on May 22, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Except that most illegals have committed other crimes, ID Fraud, Social Security fraud, using false ID.
I agree that we need to improve the immigration process to make it more easy and fair, and to promote business, but I’m not willing to agree to an Amnesty to see that happen.
doubleplusundead on May 22, 2008 at 10:25 PM
But will the baggage matter? This is shaping up to be a base election; the hard left versus whatever base McCain thinks is his. Since McCain and the RNC are systematically driving away their former base of conservatives, and there aren’t as many in the middle to replace them, it may well be that all Obama needs to do is get the Clintonistas on his side to win.
That said, I’m expecting the Kansas governor (I forget her name off-hand). She’ll keep the women in lock-step, and she doesn’t have the Clinton baggage.
steveegg on May 22, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Yeah, I love to hear that too. According to the Greyhound Bus mileage pricing, 2000 miles is $89 for 14-day notice. I say we fine their employers $200/illegal and expedite the legal process, and we pay for their one-way fares. AND PEOPLE SAY THIS IS HARD???
dominigan on May 22, 2008 at 10:29 PM
When McCain begins to piss-off RINO’s like me, I see an Obama presidency. I just don’t know what to think. I like moderation. I’m center-right. McCain is supposed to be center-right. I should be happy, but open borders just repulses me.
I was a math nerd in high school. I get exponential growth. I fear most people don’t, and it will be the end of us.
thuja on May 22, 2008 at 10:32 PM
What? Most of the Conservatives and Liberals are each going to vote for their respective candidates, no matter how much some of them may complain about it. The dunces that can’t make their minds up are going to decide this, just like they have every other election in recent history.
malan89 on May 22, 2008 at 10:32 PM
Pretty much.
doubleplusundead on May 22, 2008 at 10:37 PM
Well, other than being a math nerd, I spent most of high school and college just barely passing math…
doubleplusundead on May 22, 2008 at 10:38 PM
Sen McCain seems to believe that there is no distinction between “securing the border” and “comprehensive immigration reform”. He seems to mention those two things within a short amount of time of each other, so they must be synonymous. So, perhaps, to him part and parcel of securing the border is to pass his amnesty legislation. The only thing he has compromised on this issue is rather than implementing the “guest worker” part first and to have the border fence built along the way, he has just rearranged his rhetoric to have the fence first, THEN amnesty.
I am just not convinced McCain should be supported, especially with his continual support for amnesty. Saying that he’s better than the alternative implies that the burden is on me to choose McCain, rather than the other way around. It is also intellectually lazy to use such an argument.
Weebork on May 22, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Every time I think that there may be an effective enough gas mask for me, considering the alternative, to actually hold my breath and cross myself many, many times and just maybe, maybe vote for Juan he pulls still more crap.
MB4 on May 22, 2008 at 10:40 PM
“Comprehensive immigration reform” is amnesty today, and a promise of secure borders, someday.
RJL on May 22, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Kidding?
Not sure.
Would I blame you for doing so?
Nope, not one bit.
If he wants to run on a strategy of antagonizing the base, then let him. We’ll see how that strategy works out.
thirteen28 on May 22, 2008 at 10:44 PM
This guy is a fool. We have a choice between a Marxist and a “useful idiot” this fall.
God help us!
woodswalking1 on May 22, 2008 at 10:47 PM
Just when things were looking good, it’s time for “duck and cover”.
I don’t know how voting for Clinton or Obama is a better vote, they want amnesty and to keep the borders open. I’ll still vote McCain in the hopes he will at least secure the borders. But we did survive and rebound from President Carter, it’s hard to imagine Obama could do worse. Obama would be the first half American President (African American is not a term I came up with)so he would have to be cautious in hopes of not turning off independents and losing in a re-election bid.
Bad move McCain, especially since a majority of the country isn’t cool with granting amnesty (path to citizenship) to anyone here illegally.
Hog Wild on May 22, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Bring em in, make em legal,qualify em for social security they’ve never paid into and compound that problem 200%.
McLames understanding of economics sucks as do most of his ideas.
I may write in Hillary also, I want no part of the Republican party being to blame for the next 4(hopefully only 4) years.
Beside Hillary has more balls than the NBA and Republican National Committee combined.
dhunter on May 22, 2008 at 11:04 PM
F$%@ it. Why not have the NAU? We all join together and the provinces in Mexico and Canada become states. One big happy family. Mexico and Canada has the oil we need. Fixed that problem.
I sure would like some beachfront property down there in Mexico. So, being the NAU, then I can buy some. Fixed another problem.
Then all of the illegal drugs coming across the US / Mexican border just got shifted down to Guatemala and Belize. Shorter border to protect. Another problem fixed.
Am I a problem solver or a dumb-ass?
Alright, enough of the piling on.
cjs1943 on May 22, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Yes.
:)
Weebork on May 22, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Besides, who is the “we” that McCain is talking about? As far as I remember, it wasn’t just conservatives and Republicans that crammed, jammed, and broke the congressional switchboard to notify congress that passing the McShamnesty legislation was a very big no no. Apparently, Captain Obvious hasn’t had a chance to visit Sen McCain yet about the whole visceral response by the american public over amnesty.
It’s that, or McCain is suffering from severe Rectal-Cranial Inversion.
Weebork on May 22, 2008 at 11:23 PM
Gee McCain lied and claimed to be a conservative. What are the odds of that? Gee, all the McCainiacs here claim we have to support him or the Democrats will be in the White House. What’s the difference if it’s McCain or Obama? Easy, we won’t be blamed for it by history.
F*** John McCain. I won’t vote for him.
Snake307 on May 22, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Like I was gonna vote for that RINO puke anyway.
Buzzy on May 22, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Does anyone, finally after all, doubt that a McCain win will spell the end of the Republican Party as a source and home of conservatism?
seanrobins on May 22, 2008 at 11:36 PM
Don’t worry, in a day or two the McCainiacs will be here again telling us the doom and gloom if a Democrat in name as well as political beliefs gets elected to the White House.
I just donated another fifty bucks to Obama, and am in the process of donating another fifty bucks to the DNC. I just sent a donation request back to the RNC, in their postage paid envelope I might add, telling them when they start to act Conservative, then they can come to me for a donation. Until then, stop trying to redefine conservativism to include amnesty and the junk science of global warming.
Who’s going to join with me in demanding that John McCain step down from his senate seat to run for the White House?
Snake307 on May 22, 2008 at 11:43 PM
What can I say that I haven’t said here every time the subject, ‘my Arch-Enemy’, the cause of my MDS appears here.
So, beyond a “nyah nyah, told you so” -
I’ll just say we DO need some comprehensive immigration reform.
We need to make the bureaucratic process of legal immigration more efficient (a friend of mine has been here legally for 18 years, has been trying to get her citizenship for 15 years…. and they keep ‘losing her paperwork’ and she has to start the process from scratch every year….. despite that, she loves America, hates Mexico with its corruption and lack of opportunity and really wants to do things right.)
We need to build that real wall. We need to have enough people patrolling our side of the wall to catch those going over and under.
We have to enforce the current immigration laws.
We have to weed out the ones that want to build Aztlan.
We have to weed out those with untreated communicable diseases like Tuberculosis.
We need to immediately deport every one that gets anything more than a single minor misdemeanor.
We have to significantly punish employers who knowingly or ‘unknowingly ‘wink wink’ hire illegal aliens…. A big fine the first time, jail the next time.
That is what Comprehensive Immigration Reform means to me.
Unfortunately, despite any of his occasional campaign
promiseslies, to McCain, C.I.R. means to open the borders to anyone, and give them citizenship if they will chip in fifty bucks to his campaign or a hundred bucks to the federal coffers.LegendHasIt on May 23, 2008 at 12:03 AM
John McCain, it seems does not want my vote.
xplodeit on May 23, 2008 at 12:12 AM
Yeah.. that will show him.. way to go..
DaveC on May 23, 2008 at 12:14 AM
A tad late for that, methinks.
OldEnglish on May 23, 2008 at 12:18 AM
It will show the Republicans. They haven’t figured it out yet. They keep losing and keep dropping in the polls, because they’re not being conservative. Now, if you don’t want to represent me, then don’t ask for my vote. I’m one person, and one of the hundreds of millions who voted for Bush. I won’t be voting for McCain. I may not even waste time going to vote.
Now, when the Republicans start to act like Conservatives again, then I’ll follow them. Until then, I won’t. I am not a Republican. I’m a Conservative. John McCain isn’t. He spits on Conservatives, insults them, and now figures they’ll vote for him anyway.
Give up your Senate Seat John, if you’re that convinced that we’ll follow you anywhere.
Snake307 on May 23, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Only if you demand that Obama and Hillary! do likewise.
What frosted my fanny about the McCain-Kennedy bill was that it had so many loopholes to provide endless litigation opportunities for immigration lawyers that the result would have been a paralyzed, over-extended court system and well-paid attorneys. The jiffy Z-visa was another joke, allowing no adequate background checks.
Enforcement of the law leads to self-deportation. Local communities have the right to make and execute laws that don’t bleed their social services.
The committing of felonies should mean automatic deportation with no opportunity to seek citizenship. Using stolen or fraudulent documentation should also be grounds for deportation. Driving without a license (and no car insurance) is another crime that merits felony charges.
Chain migration and anchor babies should not be permitted. Period. Wire transfers of wages should have an automatic deduction to cover social services.
Communities that defy federal immigration law should be denied federal funding.
Guest workers and those here on work or student visas must have biometric proof of their identity and status. Those without such documentation are deported without question.
There: That is my comprehensive immigration policy.
Someone please email McCain, Hillary!, and Obama the information from Numbers USA, the Heritage Foundation, and U.S. English. Every member of Congress needs to be likewise informed.
onlineanalyst on May 23, 2008 at 12:23 AM
They already know.
They don’t care…..
Well. maybe ten or twenty of them care.
LegendHasIt on May 23, 2008 at 12:27 AM
Since we’re talinkg Reagan…
Red Pill on May 23, 2008 at 12:52 AM
There he goes again…
Saltysam on May 23, 2008 at 1:07 AM
Tancredo/Hunter 2008. (If only.)
McCain is Bob Dole’s luckier brother to be running against Che Obama and Bernadine Rodman.
Bring an airsickness bag when you vote.
profitsbeard on May 23, 2008 at 1:12 AM
They all commit crimes on a daily basis. Identity theft, income tax evasion, lying on government documents, {Phony social security cards}, driving without a license and insurance, obtaining welfare, ect, ect, ect. Not to mention all the gang members, traffic conjestion and depressed wages. Don’t believe it, come to Texas.
Big S on May 22, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Johan Klaus on May 23, 2008 at 1:31 AM
Hey look on the bright side! Our new overlords will probably set up a handy, user-friendly rendition program for our kids to send us money!
McLettuce/O’rugula ‘08!
RushBaby on May 23, 2008 at 1:39 AM
The problem is not sending the illegals back, it is stopping their return.
Johan Klaus on May 23, 2008 at 1:43 AM
Where is CHOSEN ONE to defend Mccain?
Was he banned or is he in iraq or did Mccain just stop paying him?
I always enjoyed his comments though.
SaintOlaf on May 23, 2008 at 2:20 AM
Especially for those who have a hard time understanding the term illegal, if YOU were guilty of as Heinous a crime in another country you’d be shocked how the law cae into play against you. As a matter of fact if you do something significantly less you can be sure the FBI, local ploice, DEA, whoever will prosecute YOU to fullest extent of the law…why do foreigners get a pass? One reason Political Correctness! but really for everyone because this boils it down nicely and facts are damn stubborn things.
GUMBALLS
RedLizard64 on May 23, 2008 at 2:26 AM
Maybe McCain is too old. He got the message, then misplaced it. then forgot he’d ever had it. Or maybe he thinks he running to be president of Mexico.
The MSM goes on and on about whether Democrats are going to vote for McCain. I think his real problem will end being that few Republicans will vote for him.
snaggletoothie on May 23, 2008 at 2:34 AM
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) is backing the renewal of a $250 million-a-year program that will pay illegal immigrants’ hospital bills
MB4 on May 23, 2008 at 4:44 AM
Friends, they don’t care what we think. They don’t care that we who have voted for the Conservative Republicans in many cases for more than twenty years are outraged. They don’t care.
Here’s the thing. I’m starting to wonder if it would be easier to change the Democratic Party, than it would be to bring the Republican party back to the right. The Libertarian Party is almost looking good. (I looked at them before, and they refuse to walk away from drug legalization as a first day requirement which means they’ll be loons for life) I can’t, and won’t vote for McCain. I won’t vote for the death of the Conservative Republican movement. I would honestly rather have a good enemy than a friend like that.
We can trust Hillary or Obama to be a good enemy. We can trust the Republicans to oppose them slightly. We can’t trust McCain with anything. He lies as much as they do, if not more. Get this message McCain, I’ll donate money to the opposition all day and all night before I give you a dime. I’ve already given over $400 to Obama and Hillary so far. I’ve not given one dime to any Republican.
Down with McCain, and the Liberal Republican Blue Blooded Country Club gang.
Snake307 on May 23, 2008 at 4:49 AM
Sadly though, if one part fails the whole plan is a failure. Current ILLEGALS are waging a war of attrition hoping to hide out long enough under the radar until amnesty pt. 2 comes around since they KNOW none of the leaders have the stones to seal off the GD border.
The only immigration reform we need is to move all national guard trainging grounds and bases to the borders and let them take their target practice there while the construction crews build the wall. Then move on to giving all illegals a free ride out of Dodge for a 6 month period before a systematic shakedown that sees them fined thousands of dollars and deported (a process they and their employer will pay for out of their own pockets as they have already cheated taxpayers enough at this point)
The final phase is making the government more efficient and quicker about allowing LEGAL immigrants come in as the needs of business dictate. I have no less than 30 friends from Europe who’d like to move to the US but find it prohibitive at the moment. Most of them already hold college degrees in science or finance.
Uhhhh..wrong. If you don’t want to accept it you simply don’t want to make big government even bigger. Ya know, like conserveatives claim to have concerns about. Biometric ID’s are a ludicrous intrusion. I’m not even wild about having to give up a thumb print for a driver’s license here in The People’s Republic of California.
There are plenty of ways to solve the issue without having to give up more of our freedoms and privacy.
MannyT-vA on May 23, 2008 at 7:02 AM
It takes talent to make Bob Barr look good, but the 3 Stooges that we are stuck with have managed to do it, and do it with enthusiasm.
HonestConservative on May 23, 2008 at 7:28 AM
Well friend, unlike illegals, they have information on you including your bank accounts, any property you pay taxes on, your employment record, etc. They have to exert far less effort in prosectuing Americans than they must exert in enforcing our immigration policies. McCain is among the lazy politicians who thinks that granting amnesty means the “immigration policy” goes away. It was wrong in 1986 and it is wrong now but it is the politically expedient way to “solve” the inconvenient truth that our elected leaders have been asleep at the wheel on this issue for decades.
highhopes on May 23, 2008 at 8:27 AM
Good point, friend.
highhopes on May 23, 2008 at 8:28 AM
All the right wingers on talk radio (Ingram, medved etc.) will be shilling for this idiot by the time the election rolls around. The will be telling us that electing Obama will be the end of Western Civilization as we know it! They will say that McCain will appoint the “right judges”! I say, B.S.! I will NEVER EVER vote for, campaign for or support this dill weed…EVER! I too will write in Hillary! If the country wants 4 years of liberal policies, then elect a real liberal and let the Democratic party take credit for the results!
sabbott on May 23, 2008 at 8:33 AM
Pay a big fine? Under the “comprehensive” plan McCain was pushing, there was a waiver provision for the fine. In other words, if the illegal couldn’t afford to pay the fine, he/she wouldn’t have to. Wonder how many would have qualified for that waiver? About 90%?
A ton of bureaucratic and geographic hoops? Not sure what “geographic” hoops you’re referring to. Possibly the “touch-back” provision that required illegals to return (however briefly) to their country of origin before applying for their visa? That provision was removed.
Other “bureaucratic” hoops — let’s see: how about the “requirement” that illegals learn English? Do you know how the bill was going to enforce that requirement? There was to be a written test to demonstrate English proficiency. The test consisted of writing 5 sentences in English. How long do you think it would take the average illegal to memorize 5 sentences in English? (Janes likes cake. Mike hit Bob. Sue wants water. Jim ate pie. I love America. Congratulations Julio, you’ve just proved that you’re proficient in English!).
What were the other “bureaucratic” hoops — waiting that whole 24-hour period for your Z visa while your “background check” (snicker) was being conducted? Do you realize that it currently takes an average of 6-9 months to run an FBI background check on an American citizen? But somehow, under McCain’s bill, we would magically run background checks on tens of millions of foreigners, many of whom have been using phony identities, in 24 hours.
Or how about that burdensome “bureaucratic” requirement of proving that you’d been in the U.S. for 2 years before applying for your Z visa. Do you know what paperwork that required? An affidavit from the illegal, stating that he/she had been living in the U.S. for 2 years. So you write out on a piece of paper that you’ve been living here two years, sign the paper, pay $2 to get a Notary to witness your signature, and voila! you’ve just proved that you’ve lived here two years.
And as for the “wait, wait, wait” requirement, just exactly how much hardship does that impose on an illegal when he/she gets to do all their waiting here in the U.S.? People who go through the legal process of applying for a visa have to do their wait, wait, waiting in their home countries. But if you’re here illegally, then McCain’s bill would let you do all your waiting here — and you wouldn’t have any problems being an “illegal” here, because the Z visa, which you’d get after the 24-hour background check (snicker), would give you the right to work here and enjoy most of the privileges of citizenship while you do all your “waiting.”
McCain’s bill was amnesty and nothing but amnesty. All those “burdensome” requirements on the illegals to make it look like something other than amnesty were nothing but a joke — and the joke was on American citizens, and all the law-abiding foreigners who are trying to come here legally.
AZCoyote on May 23, 2008 at 9:21 AM
Can’t we all just get along. The employers only want subsidized labor.
Johan Klaus on May 23, 2008 at 9:30 AM
Bob Barr is looking better and better every day..
every time the Mave opens his mouth, it confirms my vote for Barr more and more..
DaveC on May 23, 2008 at 9:32 AM
at what pay rate?
if you want to let in millions of additional illegals and make them legal workers, you are essentially giving a big middle finger to the blue-collar class, independent truckers, high schooler summer jobs, factory workers, housing and construction careers.
at what pay rate are we willing to sell out the US worker?
Shawn92101 on May 23, 2008 at 9:51 AM
I’m concerned about who will be much worse for the United States.
abcurtis on May 23, 2008 at 10:02 AM
anybody thinks that mccain will appoint good conservative judges is just dreaming. he’ll betray us on every issue.
and I think he will end up betraying the troops if he is president.
right4life on May 23, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Oh, he got the message, he just threw it away.
right2bright on May 23, 2008 at 10:20 AM
comparing those 3 morons to the 3 stooges is an insult to the stooges!!!!
Moe would have made a great president!!
right4life on May 23, 2008 at 10:21 AM
This is exactly why I can’t vote for that stupid son of a whatever. He is hell bent on amnesty, which i know will be a disaster for the United States. Rewarding cheaters/thieves for spitting in the face of our rule of law is treason.
What a disaster McCain is: just like the other two shmucks.
saiga on May 23, 2008 at 10:26 AM
I think McCain has made a calculated decision that he can win without the conservatives. Every action of his reinforces my belief. He is not going to waste any energy courting “the base”. He actually believes he can draw enough votes from the left to take the election. (and he might be right)
sandspur on May 23, 2008 at 10:29 AM
You people are out of your minds. You have no idea how bad things would be under a President Obama. Think Venezuela. Think Chile in the Allende years. Grow up.
Hope P. Muntz on May 23, 2008 at 10:35 AM
This is an issue thread. They don’t argue issues. If the arguement can’t be answered ‘Obama is worse, McCain’s a vet, or Achmadinajad will be Obama’s Secretary of State’ they won’t answer period. Of course, I would have thought one of them would have started screaming ‘bigot’ by now since McCain is being criticized on amnesty. They namecall almost as well as liberals.
austinnelly on May 23, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Woohoo! Found one! And we’re being childish because we want our borders enforced…I love it! Thanks Hope…Let’s have a new cheer!
Obama sucks!
He wants to be Hugo C!
Vote McCain, or the United States will be a marxist dictatorship!
yay!
Hmm…rhythm is a bit off..I’ll work on it. Hey Hope, don’t you want to call us bigots? You didn’t call us bigots. You do know that anyone that opposes amnesty is a bigot, don’t you? Lindsey Graham says so.
austinnelly on May 23, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Ideological conservatives are what, 20-30% of the electorate? Maybe he could have done it against Hillary, but if he thinks he can peel that many liberals or moderates away from the Obamessiah he’s delusional.
vonspringer on May 23, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Amazingly, these confusing policies have caused little in the way of confusion and chaos for American citizens and legally documented aliens.
HitNRun on May 23, 2008 at 11:17 AM
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