Bush renews amnesty debate, but idea gets little support among locals

[question everything]

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Bush renews amnesty debate, but idea gets little support among locals

By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer
North (San Diego) County Times

NORTH COUNTY ---- President Bush did not mention immigration in his second inaugural address last week, but it is certain to become an issue in Congress during his second term. In the days prior to the speech Thursday, he renewed his call for an amnesty plan and a guest worker program. It is a commitment that even some of his staunchest Republican supporters find hard to explain. Many in his party, including local congressmen, said they plan to push for stricter immigration policies, not the legalization of illegal immigrants.

"I'm opposed to his amnesty program and I know that some of my colleagues are too," said U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, speaking from his office in Washington, D.C., shortly after he witnessed Bush's second inaugural ceremony. Cunningham represents a largely Republican district including northern San Diego to Carlsbad and east to Escondido.

Bush told the Wall Street Journal last week that immigration reform was a "big, important issue because there are millions of people here" illegally. He added that reform was important for national security. "I happen to believe that a reform of the legal system, a guest worker program, for lack of a word ... will help border security," he told the newspaper.

That could cause problems for local conservative congressmen, whose districts include groups with loud opposition to any reform that could be interpreted as rewarding illegal immigrants. Last year, a local talk radio program led a campaign against U.S. Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, for appearing to be soft on illegal immigrants.

Since then, some lawmakers have started to bolster their anti-illegal immigrant credentials. U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, has called on Congress to restore provisions deleted from last year's intelligence reform bill, such as barring states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Earlier this month, Dreier introduced a bill to create Social Security cards that make it easier for employers to identify illegal immigrant job applicants.

More..
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/23/news/top_stories/19_08_101_22_05.txt


Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at [phone] or [e-mail].

[ultraist]

1. Bush is lying again! The guest worker program is good for big corps!

This is not "good for national security," it's good for companies to be able to continue to exploit immigrants for cheap labor. It's all about the benjamins. If it were about national security, they would start extraditing illegal aliens to their home countries and tightening up the borders.

If it were about humanitarian purposes, the US would start putting pressure on Mexico to address it's oppressive policies and violations of human rights. Mexico has TWO classes: the very wealthy and the extremely poor. And the US is cosigning and supporting this system!

[ugarte]

2. Another non-starter idea floated by Bush just for P.R. value

He knows his right-wing base will shoot it down.

[question everything]

5. I posted a separate story about the disappearance of field work for

migrants - the new grapes of wrath http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1176624 because of introduction of mechanized pickers and global competition

[TheFarseer]

3. This could be a good issue for us

The problem is, is he pushing this to get votes from immigrants or so his corporate buddies can have cheap labor? If he floats this and gets only token support from both parties, with most dems and repubs shouting him down, then dems could lose support of immigrants/minorities and bush won't care if he loses rightwing nationalists because he's not running for re-election.

But my first reaction is, most people, maybe even most minorities are against illegal immigration and it could score us some votes to oppose his amnesty program.

[AndyTiedye]

4. Boosh** Wants To Throw More Americans Out of Work

He's already giving TAX INCENTIVES to companies to move jobs offshore
and throw Americans out of work, but the unemployment rate isn't high
enough to satisfy him yet. Gotta let more illegals in until it's
at least into the double-digits.

Americans are all supposed to become cannon fodder for the Crusade.
No civilian jobs for us.