Monday, May 15, 2006

The president's sellout

You can read the transcript here but let me summarize the way that Jorge Bush is attempting to sell us crap and call it chocolate ice cream.

He started by identifying the problem as "urgent."

First, the United States must secure its borders. This is a basic responsibility of a sovereign Nation. It is also an urgent requirement of our national security.

Uh huh, so where was this urgency last year? Or two years ago? Did our commander in chief just check his job desription yesterday?

But this, this is probably my favorite part:

Many use forged documents to get jobs, and that makes it difficult for employers to verify that the workers they hire are legal. Illegal immigration puts pressure on public schools and hospitals ... strains state and local budgets ... and brings crime to our communities. These are real problems, yet we must remember that the vast majority of illegal immigrants are decent people who work hard, support their families, practice their faith, and lead responsible lives. They are a part of American life — but they are beyond the reach and protection of American law.

So we have people who are putting pressure on schools and hospitals, bringing crime and using forged documents but they are "decent people." I'd hate to see who Bush considers to be a bad person.

And the sellout parts:

Therefore, I support a temporary worker program that would create a legal path for foreign workers to enter our country in an orderly way, for a limited period of time. This program would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers for jobs Americans are not doing.

It is neither wise nor realistic to round up millions of people, many with deep roots in the United States, and send them across the border. There is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant, and a program of mass deportation. That middle ground recognizes that there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently - and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record.*

*By "clean record" he means that they have broken our immigration laws, broken our labor laws, used forged documents, committed ID theft, perjury, tax evasion but that's it. Of course, the bleeding hearts in congress will insist that certain other crimes be forgiven because otherwise it just "won't be fair."

So we've got millions of illegal aliens who are currently here that will be allowed to stay and then millions of guest workers that will also be allowed to enter. Gee Mr. President, forgive me if I'm not excited.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

No arguement here, Jorge Bush is a sellout. Might just as well have a "D" after his name.

Anonymous said...

Bush is at 29% for a reason, he is getting desperate. This is a hail mary pass to try and win some of us back. Don't buy it.

BEAR said...

Every "coyote" just set up an account in the Bahamas to handle all the new money from the TIDAL WAVE of Immigrants-who-only-want-to-do-jobs-that-Americans-won't-do-(and-"happen"-to-be-pregnant)-and-have-37-"cousins"-axtlan-and-la-raza....sheesh.

Anonymous said...

Here's another disturbing comment: "This practice, called "catch and release," is unacceptable — and we will end it." Then he goes on to say: "As a result of these actions, we have ended "catch and release" for illegal immigrants from some countries."

SOME COUNTRIES! Let me guess one of the countries is Mexico. This is nothing more than a ploy to make us think he's getting tough on illegal immigration, but in reality he's just going to let the same stuff continue unabated. His only goal is to get his "Guest Worker/Amnesty Program" passed in congress.

I wonder if Tony Snow wrote this speech?

D.Jezeski, USCG (Ret.)

Anonymous said...

El Presidente is right on the money, Senoras. I don't think there was any doubt most of you immigrant hating bigots would berade the prez. How fucking un-American you fools are. Don't support the president, his policies etc etc. What a bunch of wimps.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry anonymouse 7:17, but it's very American to question the actions of our leaders. That's how we make change in our government. This is why Mexico is still a 3rd World cesspool dominated by weak minded communist rebel wantabees.

Daniel said...

Anon 7:17, I'm sure that you never question the president. You think that all his ideas are wonderful. Sure.

Anonymous said...

Jorge Bush. Good one.

Anonymous said...

where were you all!?
One guy faced 150 Hispanics POUNDING on the lectern DEMANDING even MORE MONEY for Bi-Lingual programs.
The Schools are getting convinced that YOU don't care what they do with your money.
I hope someday will show up tomorrow at the Salem budget meeting.
It is very hard to read all your concerns but then no body steps up to STOP the insanity!
YOUR choice, ALL Students will learn Spanish & English? Is that what you want?
YOU better SPEAK UP or you will lose your Choices.
PLEASE
don't beleive me? www.cctvsalem.org

Anonymous said...

Speaking of jobs that Americans won't do, I just found out today that one of the managers at Mr. Peeps used to be that guy who would go into the "rooms" with a spray bottle and a paper towel. Guess what he would clean up? Oddly enough, this was an "American" who did this job, not an illegal, a Mexican, or OTM.

So what's up with that? Are there any Mexicans who would like to do this job?

Don't believe me about Mr. Peeps? Go ask the manager about it.

Anonymous said...

As for massive deportation, I see how that can be a problem, so here's how I'd handle it.

1. Make it impossible for illegal aliens to bank here and enter into contracts. Make it impossible for them to be able to access public services with only few exceptions. When this happens, many will simply leave as they will not be able to function here.

2. For those who stay or try to continue to break the law in terms of identity theft to circumvent point 1, any illegal aliens who come into contact with law enforcement and/or government agencies should be deported.

when you put the two together, you will have attrition or a shrinking illegal population base. If you have a tight border, the mix of the two will dry up the illegal alien population.

I challenge any of you to drive across the border into British Columbia and find all the Mexicans working up there. Last time I looked, they had an urban area surrounded by farms, much like us. Someone is working in those service industry jobs in the city and the ag jobs in the country, but they aren't Mexicans. Spanish is not a quasi-official language only 300 miles north of here.

Anonymous said...

I swear, the President could order all the illegals to be arrested, kicked out of the country, and then when the economy hit the shitter you guys would just complain about that. Good god man. Yes, illegal aliens are illegal, period. He very specifically stated that they should face the consequences for that action. You ignorant, arrogant morons think you have the answer to everything. Have you ever sat in the President's seat??? No, and neither have I. I know what I would like to see him do, and if what he layed out tonight actually get's to the field the country will be stronger for it. It's easy to have an opinion from behind a keyboard you ignorant morons. Try penetrating the voting populace beyond your extreme minority of 3% with your idea of a total deportation plan.

I am Coyote said...

What amazes me is how GW looks Americans in the eye like he knew all this stuff a long time ago.

More lecturing like he has on the Iraq war. The exact same posture and tone.

I will not support a Presidential candidate that appears to carry on the Bush policies.

Robin said...

on last night's TV news,they went they visited a small town [I can't remember the name] were approximately 50% of the populace were Hispanic.
I believe the point of the article was to show how I'm not having a guest worker program would highly impact this small town. [Going for the sympathy vote]

Of course, they had to interview one of the bankers who of course told us about the millions of dollars that the town would lose and how much the economy is dependent on illegal worker.

folks, if things keep going where they're going, we will be the minority speaking Spanish

Ric said...

I agree with the Presidents first point - we must secure the border.

After that ... not so much.

Once the border is secured, or relatively secured, then and only then should we begin discussions on policies like guest workers.

If the border is not secure, then no program, like mass deportation, or guest workers, will succeed.

Drudge headline this AM - "IF THE SOLDIERS TURN ME BACK, I WILL TRY AGAIN'"

This sums up why we must close the southern border to infiltration, and step up monitoring of the northern border and coast lines.

Earlier this year, I saw a report that 400k were being turned away each month, by the border patrol along the southern boundary of the US.

That is a huge number, & how many slipped by? It was way, way up from last year.

Do you think, the Mexicans and others are anticipating amnesty, or guest worker status, or pay a fine?

Mr. President! Secure our Borders.
Then we'll talk.

Instructor said...

I don't believe it. I just read 30 posts on a blog which focuses on immigration issues and not one of them mentioned the scummy employers who are making all this possible.

Nobody addressed the economic issue.

Oh, some nibbled the edges, talking about contract rights, banking, public services, etc... But not one word about jobs, except to repeat the mantra "jobs americans won't do."

I call myself "moderate." By that I mean I am willing to change my mind, being more interested in evidence than ideology.

The evidence becomes increasingly clear: The root of the problem isn't security at the border. Its thousands of repeat felons among us. Not the illegal aliens in their millions, but the thousands of US employers who routinely, deliberately break the law or at least violate its spirit.

"Jobs americans won't do." Bullshit!

Jobs Americans won't do for half a wage, perhaps. Jobs Americans won't do without being properly compensated for overtime. Jobs Americans won't do under substandard conditions or with substandard, unsafe equipment. Jobs Americans won't do because the foreman is the clone of an 1840 Alabama slavemaster.

Increasingly it becomes clear that whole industries have used immigrant labor, legal or otherwise to gut the labor market, debase the wage and benefit expectations, and generally put unscrupulous entrepreneurs in the driver's seat - and they're driving the rest of us off a cliff.

Border security is a chimera. 6,000 men on an 1100 mile border is a joke. We turn back 8 million and the total still grows? The scope is seen to be staggering. That alone demonstrates forced deportation won't work.

More laws won't work, either - we don't enforce what we have, why think more law will change that?

And the guest worker program is a sellout to the capitalist bastards who created the problem, one illegal hire at a time.

Let's get to the root of the issue. We need real enforcement of the hiring laws we have. More agents or troops on the border? Let's put those agents - we can't use the troops - in the workplace. And throw the book at every employer, no excuses accepted, no slack cut. Bankrupt them. Shut them down. And no plausible deniability, either. We don't care if you didn't know; you're still done.

Any takers? Not among GWB's business supporters, I'll wager...

Anonymous said...

Hey Sailor,

I'll say it to your face. Come on down to Portland. Pioneer Courthouse Square. I'll say it right to you.

R Huse said...

Possum - I think virtually everyone on here at one point or another has commented on the employer side of the equation. I know I have pointed out that the "impossible to deport 12 million people" is a straw man argument, simply enforce existing law against employers. Plus, I have specifically asked why farmers feel they are entitled to skirt wage laws and take advantage of illegals. The gall of an industry to publicly say they should be allowed to skirt the law still astounds me.

The bottom line is there are two inexpensive solutions to the problem

1) Build a wall at the border, station ICE personnel every mile or so.
2) Enforce existing law against employers. An employee does not have a matching social security number? Then you cant substantiate the employee, he is non deductible.

What happens then? We all pay $10 a head for lettuce and our farm exports go to zero. Big woop, every other industry has had to deal with the same thing.

DANEgerus said...


So Bush sucks on the border...


"In the speech he outlined a plan to start patrolling the U.S.-Mexican border using members of the National Guard. He said this will give us the most secure border in the world one weekend a month and two full weeks each summer." -- Leno


We know there is a Mex-i-fada


I've got a question.

If all these folks have to cross the borders to flee economic chaos then why are they waving Mexican flags and demanding the SouthWest be returned based on Spanish claims dating back centuries.

Should we redraw the border to allow the SouthWest to be destroyed by the same misguided governmental policies that they are fleeing?

Would not that eventually lead to these same activists simply crossing the new border?


Are you going to abandon reason?


Every vote for an ineffective 3rd party is a vote for the party of Amnesty(D).

Ross Perot gave us Bill Clinton(D)... twice.

Why are so many insisting we forget that?

If you are frustrated then work for conservatives so we can see the 'Gang of 14' beaten in the primaries or sidelined because of a more solid majority.

Karl Maher who lists Bush/Conservative victories:

Never mind his abrogation of the ABM treaty.

His withdrawal of the Kyoto treaty.

His response to 9/11, not just in Afghanistan but the bold domestic response.

His response to Saddam Hussein's continued provocations.

His calling the North Korean spade a spade.

His tax cuts.

Fifteen or whatever it is consecutive quarters of economic growth.

4.7 percent unemployment.

His relentless campaign to drill the Arctic.

A rare first-term by-election in which Republicans recaptured the Senate.

A re-election in the face of the fiercest liberal counter-attack in the modern history of American politics. And in which by the way the American electorate gave us four more Senate seats.

A sixth-year election in which the Republicans will probably hold both houses of Congress.

Roberts, Alito and a host of other district and appellate originalists.
Are you tired of WINNING?!?


(D)emocrats want Illegals to provide the votes Americans Won't!

Daniel said...

Why are they waving flags, insisting that American land be "returned" to Mexico and celebrating a culture that they abandoned?

It's best said: their bellies are in
America but their hearts are in Mexico!

It's kind of like marrying someone for their money but having a mistress.

Anonymous said...

Hey! It's raining!

Oh, wait. No, someone's pissing on my leg.