Senate panel has just approved immigration bill-

[BeHereNow]

"WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved election-year immigration legislation Monday that clears the way for millions of undocumented workers to seek U.S. citizenship without having to first leave the country.

After days of street demonstrations that stretched from California to the gounds of the U.S. Capitol, the committee also voted to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in this country illegally.

The panel's vote cleared the way for the full Senate to begin debate Tuesday on the emotional immigration issue."

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/US/Immigration

Here comes the guest worker program.
Bush must be SO happy!
BHN

[BeHereNow]

1. No discussion on this?

You must be kidding.
bhn

[BeHereNow]

2. Hello?

Any one paying attention?
BHN

[Rainscents]

3. Did you read the whole article?

It's going on the floor and they are debating it.

[BeHereNow]

5. I'd say it's a fair indicator that Bush is going to get his

Guest worker program after all.
BHN

[Rainscents]

7. Oh, I'm sure...

Everyone will cave for Bush and he gets what he want. Nothing change!

[BeHereNow]

9. AND, the interesting part is...

the last line of the article:
"That gave Democrats a majority that allowed them to shape the bill to their liking."
What a set up.
BHN

[Rainscents]

4. Is it possible someone can post this bill here?

So, we can all see it?

[BeHereNow]

6. It will probably be up at Senate.gov

soon enough...
BHN

[Idioteque]

8. It looks like we're winning this battle so far...

Arlen Specter, Sam Brownback, Mike DeWine, and Lindsey Graham joined the Democrats in supporting this bill. Now it will have to face a filibuster by Senate conservatives, a conference committee, and a vote in the House.

This is a fair, moderate, sensible bill. Let's hope it doesn't get watered down.

[BeHereNow]

10. Like I said on the LBN thread I started about this...

the debate is going to make for some
raucous C-span watching...:popcorn:
BHN

[Minnesota Libra]

11. Well, it's a start but there is the part about..........

".......voted to strip out proposed criminal penalties for residents found to be in this country illegally."

So what will change?:shrug: Basically it will be another amnesty program.:eyes:

[BeHereNow]

13. Necessary to clear them for military duty...

They will be eliglble to serve and that
is the plan.
BHN

[bowens43]

18. and if it is the reason who cares?

Giving these people legal status is the morally correct thing to do. Whether or not the motivation of the administration is evil is irrelevant.

[BeHereNow]

20. I agree completely- however, what about when the motive

is completely evil?
See my post below-
"You got that right: wrong reason"
BHN

[Rainscents]

14. Yup... Just like 1986 bill!

[bowens43]

16. and that's bad because????

You are in favor of making felons out of millions of people who have done nothing more heinous then risking everything to improve the lives of their families?



wow....just wow......

[bowens43]

12. The guest worker program doesn't go far enough

but it's a good start. Bush is on the right side of this issue but no doubt, it's for the wrong reasons.

[Rainscents]

15. Exactly...

We need to deal with "CORPORATE!!!"

[BeHereNow]

19. You got that right: "wrong reasons"

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2004/01/99975.php

"The masses rarely catch-on until it is way too late in the game to go back. Every alien, illegal or not, denoted immediately above, that registers for the new three year immigration status will be simultaneously (though likely without knowledge of it) be registering to be selected for service in the United States Army or Marines. They will, along with other Americans chosen, be selected by a lottery system most are familiar with. Their tour of two years minimum will lighten the load on America’s Reserves and National Guard forces deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan presently, and it seems likely in Syria and Iran (but anywhere U.S. forces are deployed) later on in 2004-2008. It hasn’t helped any that there has been some 1,700 deserters from the Iraq war alone. Bus is having trouble convincing the youth of America that to enlist in the Armed Forces is the patriotic thing to do; enlistments is all branches of the military are off drastically. So reinstitution of the draft is a necessity if Bush and Pentagon are to continue their plans for an extended Pentagon “footprint” throughout the world. While there are some 12 million aliens in the United States presently (illegal and legal) Mr. Bush isn’t likely to overlook this unregistered pool of draftees for long.

This would have the dual effect of seeming to be 1) a more fair system to Americans (especially white American males) generally not wanting to serve (and fewer will have to serve should the millions of registered aliens make up part of the equation) and 2) an entirely orchestrated affair to the aliens who are not going to be told of their new found citizen “obligations” to the American system known the world over as the American dream.
One can already hear Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity squealing: “If they want the benefits of the American dream they have to accept the obligations which come with these freedoms.” Of course nearly every single talk show host in America has never served their country either and will not be subject to the new draft as they will fall over the 25 year age limit (initially at least). "

BHN

[acmejack]

17. The House Bill is an insane measure.

Universally described as "Draconian" conference will kill it! They can afford to be reasonable.