Pelosi: What this bill needs is a whole lot more amnesty

One of the few good, if nonsensical, provisions of the bill is the new “points system” that replaces automatic amnesty for extended families with a merit-based metric. Granted, it’s idiotic to give preference to skilled illegals when the whole purpose of the bill is to provide unskilled labor (the “jobs Americans won’t do,” remember?), but I guess we take our victories where we find them.

Naturally, Pelosi’s going to try to roll that back once the bill gets to her. Why settle for five million new Democratic voters when she can make it 10 or 20?

“I have serious objection to the point system that is in the bill now,” the speaker said on ABC’s This Week. “Yes, we should deal with the backlog [of workers seeking citizenship]. I completely agree with that. But the family unification principles which had been fundamental to American immigration are disrupted by what is in there now.”

The point system Pelosi refers to would grant those seeking citizenship points based on English proficiency, work history, family status and passing a criminal background check.

“We’re about families and family values,” Pelosi added. “And having people coming and going, taking their children out of school and being separated from them – we should try to fashion something that recognizes the reality of life.”

With Democrats working at cross-purposes from organized labor and Republican hardliners looking to impose harsh penalties on big business, the immigration debate is now sufficiently absurd that I guess the abortion party can get away with calling itself pro-family.

In unrelated Pelosi news, she’s shocked, shocked that anyone would accuse John Murtha of an ethical lapse.

Update: Kaus follows up on news of Bush’s bold stance that illegals should be exempt from basic civic responsibilities you and I can be imprisoned for shirking:

Will backers of “comprehensive” immigration reform continue to tout approving poll numbers from polls that specifically cited the now-defunct “back taxes” requirement before asking voters for their opinion about semi-amnesty?