No More Mañana (re: immigration reform)

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-immig19jan19.story
EDITORIAL
No More Mañana

January 19, 2005

It was nice to hear Condoleezza Rice at her confirmation hearings Tuesday remind us that the president "has been concerned about and a proponent of immigration reform going back to the time that he was governor of Texas." But it would be even nicer to see him do something about it — now. Mañana won't do anymore when it comes to immigration reform; President Bush must move it to the front burner for his second term.

Bush continues to say the right things. Last week he told the Washington Times: "The system has broken down … and I think by legalizing work, we take a lot of pressure off our borders."

Trouble is, Bush has been saying this sort of thing for years, but he's done remarkably little about it. A year ago, in January, he raised the issue, as he did four years ago when he first took office. We don't question his sincerity, but every time the White House floats a vague proposal to fix the system, it seems to back off after the party's right wing throws a fit — though not before getting some credit from Latino groups.

Bush's proposal from last year remains vague, but the thrust of his ideas makes sense. He wants to legalize some of the estimated 8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States by granting them some type of temporary legal-worker status. The current situation is untenable; the nation cannot continue to tolerate this huge black market for labor. Immigrants are without labor rights or fair pay, and the market for legal labor is unfairly suppressed.
<snip>

But Bush should not back off from this fight. For the first time in his presidency, he will have to take on social conservative activists within his party to advance his agenda. To prevail, he will have to work with business groups, enlightened Republicans like Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and, yes, even Democrats. Bill Clinton relied on some GOP support to push for free trade against opposition within his own party. Bush will have to build a similar coalition across party lines on immigration.

[ComingTogether]

1. I don't think you understand

he will have to take on social conservative activists within his party to advance his agenda.

his agenda has nothing to do with helping people. He was just lying...again.

[eg101]

2. Strange that the LA Times doesn't mention letting them vote?

Actually, the LA Times is just like all the rest of the media and teh GOP and the Dems, they all just want to exploit the immigrants, and drive down labor prices, but not let them vote.

You ever notice that the media and the Republicrats, in all the discussion about illegal immigration, that topic of voting hardly EVER gets brought up.....

Gee, I wonder why?