The Right State

Earlier in this post, I discussed how the House bill just concerned securing the border while the competing Senate bill had provisions which would allow a path to citizenship for many of the illegal aliens already here. It turns out that this very liberal version of border security is too tough on immigration to the organizers who helped to organize the ‘Day without Immigrants’ boycott.

And the Senate bill, far more generous than the House version, was denounced on the House steps by some immigrant-rights advocates who view it as wholly inadequate. Members of the March 25th Coalition, which helped organize the massive street rallies and boycotts, termed the Senate bill “repressive” and said they’d settle for nothing less than legalization for all illegal immigrants and near-unlimited visas for foreigners who want to come in the future. (Emphasis added by TRS)

“We’re not going to compromise,” said Jesse Diaz, a March 25th Coalition organizer.

Can you believe that? They want “near unlimited visas for those who want to come here. You got to be kidding?!

In my post mentioned above, I told about the 350 miles of a three layered fence to be built in the high traffic areas between Mexico and the United States. Senator Sessions explained why the Senate included the proposed fence.

By voting for more fencing, “We are sending a signal that we are serious about stopping the flow of illegal immigrants over the border,” Mr. Sessions said.

So far the Democrats have offered nothing concerning border security indicating their willingness to allow different factions of the Republican Party fight the battle between themselves. Making sure they are not forgotten, the Dems will occasionally lob a comment depicting Republicans as racist.

But critics complained about the signal a border fence would send to Mexico.

“What we have here has become a symbol for the right wing in American politics,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

I may be a little bit biased, since I am from Texas, but I really like John Cornyn. It was Cornyn and Kyl, Senator from Arizona, who proposed an amendment denying citizenship to any immigrant who has committed a felony or multiple misdemeanors. Now Senator Cornyn has proposed an amendment which would not allow immigrants the right to petition for permanent residence.

By a 50-48 vote, the Senate agreed to an amendment by Mr. Cornyn that would deny illegal immigrants enrolled in a temporary worker program the right to self-petition for legal permanent residence. Instead, employers would petition for the green cards after proving they’d first tried to find an American worker for the job. Democrats, who strongly opposed the measure, said they’d try to revisit the matter on Thursday.

The Democratic Party is the party of Against. No proposals, no ideas, just against. I just hope they keep this nonsense up until the 2006 midterm election.

Update:

It keeps getting better and better. The Senate is discussing whether these illegal aliens, once they become legal, could take advantage of the Social Security payments they made using a fraudulently obtained card.

Just a few minutes ago, on the floor of the United States Senate, senators debated an amendment to the McCain immigration bill.

This is not, by itself, profanity-inducing.

But here’s the substance of the debate– Should ILLEGAL immigrants, once made legal by the McCain legislation, be entitled to receive the Social Security benefits they have paid into the system while ILLEGALLY using FRAUDULENT Social Security numbers STOLEN from actual, legal citizens of the United States of America.

The fact that this is even up for debate is just beyond insane. Everyone knows we will never have enough Social Security funds to serve, you know, actual citizens.

Every single one of those senators knows that, and they’re debating whether we should extend such non-existent, unsustainable, budget-busting, generation-saddling benefits to millions of people who fraudulently entered the system by stealing the identities (and sometimes ruining the credit) of legal Americans?!?

Sen. Ensign, God bless him, offered an amendment suggesting illegals should not be eligible for Social Security benefits accrued while illegal.

The U.S. Senate voted to kill that amendment, 50-49.

If this does not show that the Senate is totally out of control and out of touch with the American people, nothing will. This is just maddening!

Hat tip: Michele Malkin

Tags: Immigration, Culture, Politics by Chuck
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Representative John Murtha is at it again.  This time what he says brings back memories of John Kerry’s testimony before Congress on ‘war crimes’ committed by the United States Military.  He outright accuses our military soldiers who are serving in Iraq of murdering innocent civilians, even before the investigation has been completed.  You’ve got to read it to believe it.   Captain’s Quarters has more.

“Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them. And they killed innocent civilians in cold blood. That is what the report is going to tell.”

Why the people of Pennsylvania keep electing this moron is beyond me.

Tags: Moonbats, Iraq, Politics, War by Chuck
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The President is having a difficult time convincing the American people of the need to grant amnesty to those who entered our country illegally.  The House of Representatives, which is much closer to the people due to their elections every two years, has voted to close the border with Mexico in its version of immigration reform.

“It is a nonstarter with the American people, and the Republican Party will pay the price at the polls,” said Representative Dana Rohrabacher, Republican of California.

The Senate by the fact of having elections every six years is much more distant from the views of the nation.  As such they are trying to give amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens already here.  President Bush is saying this is not amnesty, but Senator Tom Coburn, the Republican Senator from Oklahoma pretty well nails down the issue.

“Whether they say it is amnesty or not, it is amnesty when somebody here illegally gets a path to citizenship without going back to their home country.”

And yet there are some in the Senate who see the issue of illegal immigration as the chance to increase their voting block, who derisively say of those who support controlling our borders as the makings of a political stunt.

“Enforcement first may be an attractive campaign slogan, but it is bad policy,” said Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts.

Protecting our borders is not bad policy Mr. Kennedy.  It is a national security issue.

Unlike the tone of Senator Kennedy, many in the Senate are beginning to realize that a compromise with the House bill, of secure the borders first, is unlikely unless some amendments are added to the Senate’s amnesty bill.  So they have finally added a fence building amendment to their version of the bill.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure Wednesday to build at least 370 miles of double- and triple-layered fences along the Mexico border, moving its immigration bill closer to the enforcement-focused approach conservatives favor.

Another amendment would exclude any illegal alien from amnesty who has a felony or three or more misdemeanors on their record.

But a compromise between the two competing bills is going to be difficult since Republicans in the House want to start at protecting the border and are reluctant to pass anything even resembling amnesty.

By in large, the American people do not favor amnesty.

The word “amnesty” carries a certain “radioactivity,” says pollster John Zogby.
“Why? Simply because Americans favor playing by the rules,” he said. “Anything that sounds illegal, unfair, it’s tantamount to using steroids to hit home runs or to win a marathon. When the word amnesty comes up it means condoning actions of people who are not playing by the same rules.”

(Hat tip: Super Fun Power Hour)

If Republicans want to be re-elected to the House, they will vote against anything that even resembles amnesty.  A ‘guest worker’ program might be okay, but not amnesty.  It was tried in 1986 when almost three million people became citizens.  To allow another twelve million to become citizens now would only further encourage illegal aliens to come here.

In 1836 Col. Travis, according to legend, drew a line in the sand asking all who wanted to face certain death in defending the Alamo to cross over the line.  Today the American people are drawing their own line in the sand asking their politicians who support protecting our borders to cross over the line.  All those who support amnesty can stay where they are and face certain defeat at the polls.

Tags: President Bush, History, Immigration, National Elections, Culture, Politics by Chuck
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