Immigration Reform on Bush Agenda

[foreigncorrespondent]

President Bush plans to kick off his reelection year by proposing a program that would make it easier for immigrants to work legally in the United States, in what would constitute the most significant changes to immigration law in 18 years, Republican officials said yesterday.

Lobbyists working with the White House said Bush is developing a plan that would allow immigrants to cross the border legally if jobs are waiting for them. The sources said the administration also wants to provide a way for some undocumented workers in the United States to move toward legal status.

White House aides would not provide details of the proposal, but the Republican officials said it draws on, among other sources, a bill introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). It would create a Web-based job registry, to be run by the Labor Department. Employers would post job opportunities that would be available first to U.S. workers and then to prospective immigrants, who would be allowed to come under a new visa for temporary workers.

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A25882-2003Dec23

[terryg11]

1. it's a nice cheap labor force they are tapping into

don't knw how it will play out but could backfire on Bush. don't many of his blue collar supporters get a little nervous when allowing immigrants into the US?

[PsN2Wind]

4. What you're saying

doesn't play well around here. I agree that the importing of labor has much the same result as exporting jobs but it seems that the only immigrants taking jobs that gets disapproved here are the techies. The blue-collar workers are supposed to fend for themselves.

[terryg11]

5. that's too bad

this is a big issue in some areas and will be an even bigger one in the future. Large manufacturing firms that are tired of taking care of their workers and tired of unions fighting for their members but don't want to pack it in for another country will start using immigrant labor, who often will work for less. It's not an issue the dems probably want to touch since it pits a "minority" class against labor, two groups that often support the dems but it's going to happen unless something is done. This issue is another example of the dems pissing it away.

[nhtfopo]

6. There is one advantage

over exporting jobs, and that is we can tax their wages.

[PsN2Wind]

7. Except

that in the competition for jobs many of these workers will making to little to pay income taxes but will be a drain on those paying taxes ala WalMart.

[_Jumper_]

9. Immigrants also create jobs

They consume goods and services, just like native-born Americans. Remember, when YOUR family came here the same arguments against immigrants made today were used against them...

[terryg11]

14. not really

when some of our forefathers and mothers came here there were no organized labor, everyone was exploited who didn't have money.
the original post is focused more on Bush's policy to let immigrants in legally as long as they are coming in with a j0b already in hand.

I'm all for legal immigrants, it's what this country was supposed to be about, just the political ramifications could be complex in the future

[_Jumper_]

15. What "political ramifications"?

This should be interesting.

[K-W]

17. More low class ethnic citizens + a generation or so = votes

Those are the ramifications that it is kinda suprising to see Bush toying with.

[terryg11]

18. mostly things already posted in this thread

When I say ramifications I don't mean things like the country going to hell because of immigration, no, what I'm talking about is the very real possibility of two normally democrat voting blocks being at odds with each other and affecting the political landscape. Latin Americans have usually voted democrat for the most part and so has organized labor but if large businesses start using immigrants as a wedge against labor then there could be a backlash. I'm not saying it's going to happen but that's a real possibility. Also, many arch conservatives that are strong supporters of Bush don't agree with easing immigration laws either so that could also have an interesting affect on the washington games.

[_Jumper_]

22. Ok

Don't take my question personally, I am always on the lookout for bigots. ;)

[Blue_Chill]

2. Hey democrats, do you see what's going on here!

Bush is stealing our votes. In case none of you have noticed he is taking little nibbles out of our constituents and if he keeps this up we haven't a chance in 04.

Think about it this way. The AARP sided with the GOP on a drug benefit. He won't get all the seniors, but bet your butt he stole a few with that little move. Now he's going after the hispanic vote with something that they hold near and dear to their hearts, namely immigration.

Who many republican votes are we stealing from them and how are we doing it?

[cosmicdot]

3. just another option vs. shipping jobs off-shore -> hire non-citizens here

... the impact won't be felt until after 11/2004 or later...

it's the image or appearance of doing something ... another demographic vote grab here and there in order to hedge on what will likely be another neck-and-neck vote count in many key states ...

... all it takes is 1 vote to get the electoral or Supreme Court selection.

[Sapphocrat]

8. Gee, I guess that means...

...all I have to do is talk my Australian girlfriend into getting a Mexican passport -- then she can work here!

Sheeeeeeeesh.

[tritsofme]

10. This is a PLUS for us!

You all seem to forget that the main core of Bush's base are racist and vehemently anti-immigrant. If there is a perception that Bush is going for more amnesty, or not clamping down on the borders, I predict that they will stay home in droves.

[_Jumper_]

11. Good point

It may also cause some right-wing racist like Pat Buchanan or Michael Savage to run against Bush in the primaries.

[K-W]

16. Giant Bigots wont stay home

they are too afraid fo queers and blacks. They will always vote and always vote republican. Bush has plenty of leeway with that group.

[Serenades]

12. well . . .

Doesn't this contradict the notion of homeland security? They're giving amnesty to people who have broken the law. Undocumented people could (technically) be anyone with affiliation to any terrorist entity.

[_Jumper_]

13. Closed borders are impossible in the 21st century

Terrorists will find a way to enter America regardless of what we do with respect to immigration.

[Cleita]

19. I hate to agree with anything Bush, but on the surface this is

actually the right thing to do. The jobs the latino workers do aren't those most Americans want and they are often cruelly exploited by those who hire them. Giving them some legal status will give them some needed protection they don't have now.

However, whenever Republicans do something liberal, I keep looking for the poison pill, like in the Medicare prescription legislation.

[K-W]

20. Most americans dont want them because the pay is unreasonably low

and the working conditions are aweful. I am not anti immigration, but I am anti-cheap labor. How about we raise the pay and working conditions, then give americans a crack at the jobs.

[Cleita]

21. They still won't go out and pick vegetables in the fields

or work in a hot kitchen. Where I live the field workers get $10 an hour because they are unionized and yet it's still the latinos who do the majority of the picking. Legalizing the people who do these jobs should at least force employers to give them minimum wage.

We have to force our legislators to raise the minimum wage and maybe a few more native born Americans might be willing to do these jobs. Raising the minimum wage will also raise the wage level across the board. Also, these employers, who employ guest workers, should be made to get health and injury insurance for them so that they don't strain our public health system.

[K-W]

23. Yah, for 10$ an hour people wont do grueling labor outdoors

that means they should be paying more than 10$ an hour. I am all for open immigration, but not under a race to the bottom labor standards scenario.