Don't Squander It, Mr. President

IRVINE, Calif., April 24 -- Under pressure from Republicans to play a bigger role in the immigration debate, President Bush will begin meeting key lawmakers Tuesday to help forge a bipartisan agreement by Memorial Day to offer some undocumented workers a path to citizenship.

But White House aides emphasized that Bush has no intention for now of staking clear legislative positions on the immigration bill. He does not want to embrace a proposal, only to see it lose once House and Senate negotiators try to reach a final agreement, whose prospects are still seen as remote on Capitol Hill.

This is such a no brain-er, if only Bush genuinely had the ability to get in touch with the American people. Sadly, apart from the GWOT, I have serious doubts he - and apparently his advisers are up to the task.

If they would simply apply logic instead of getting caught up in special interest group demands to secure votes, the immigration issue could turn into a real winner for Republicans. But it appears they are willing to squander it.

First, you immediately walk back from amnesty, not permanently, but place it on the back burner. It is not the over-riding concern of the American people. Perhaps the strongest reason for doing that is to stop any surge over the border by Mexicans sensing an amnesty is in the offing and that they can get around any weak requirements the Congress appears to be entertaining. Stop the flood, that's job one.

From there, make it clear that the government has been wrong to not enforce existing law and begin enforcing it in moderation. There's no need to go overboard, but progress will buy the good will needed for now.

Second, make genuine regulated control of the border priority one for new legislation and any additional spending. That does not mean erecting a wall which no one will ever be able to pass through heading North. It means a manageable barrier which can be controlled. During that time, and the barrier needs to proceed promptly, illegal immigrants here will pretty much see a Status Quo. The exception I would make would be to begin deporting both convicted criminals and allowing for local law enforcement to start tracking people into a system which weeded out undesirables and returned them to Mexico.

Vincente Fox doesn't vote in American elections, yet - and Bush is going to have to stop treating him like he does. It is a terrible affront to American citizens and we are tired of him rubbing it in our face.

During the time period in which a manageable barrier is erected, we can attrit undesirables to some degree. Again, that's progress after years of criminal neglect on the part of Washington. During this time a commission can also be empaneled to seriously study the relevant labor market and begin to set numbers around what would be seen as a prudent number of guest workers absorbed over time.

Illegal immigrants already here would qualify for that track to citizenship, regardless of the number. And none would simply be sent home, provided they obeyed American law. Naturally, the citizenship track would include assimilation in the form of language and civics education, as appropriate and tested.

Given the possibilities for seasonal needs, immigrants would be allowed into that distinct program as a precursor to a permanent guest worker program tracked toward citizenship as dictated by labor demand and desire on the part of the immigrant. Adjustments in the number would be made annually as determined by an immigrant labor commission.

Admission into any of the above programs would be through a combination of screening and a lottery of sorts. We could then regulate immigrant labor as an additional lever on the economy, backing off influx during times of recession, or economic slowdown.

Either I'm crazy, or I'm not beholding to any special interets and can see the logic in a simple approach, one I believe the majority of Americans would support.

I do believe that if Bush and the Republicans continue on this path of talking primarily of a guest worker program without any genuinely serious approach to border control, they will be tossing the cards totally up in the air come November and they are not going to like the way the base rewards them. If the Democrats get out infront on this issue, however disingenuously, the Republicans are in big trouble.

The Democrats will advocate strong border control and make it disappear in Congress, but they will realize a stronger than predicted showing at the polls in November based upon the ploy. And the Republicans will deserve everything they get for selling out their base and much of the public on this issue.

They've sold us out on spending. Right and right of center voters have just about had it with them. Barring a major development as regards Iran, which I wouldn't want to predict, this issue may well prove to be the defining issue of 2006. The Republicans are fools if they don't sieze the initiative, assuming they are capable of taking any initiative at all, anymore.

Comments

[Whitney]

Perfect. The Prez is tone deaf on this one and fat chance he reads the Riehl World because he certainly hasn't been reading the emails I've sent re immigration. You absolutely knew it was trouble when Mr. Bush went to Orange County CA and served up his "not amnesty" amnesty program and border control-lite provisions.

Too many remember the legacy of the last amnesty program in 1986 when 3 million were naturalized for the "last time." Now it's either 12 million or 20 million new illegals all vying for a spot in the amnesty line.

Because of the last amnesty in 1986, there is still AN AGENCY PROCESSING the claims of those...can you imagine what this one will look like in 2026? Se habla espanol?

This is all about expanding markets into that great void to the south: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,308704,00.html

[jeff]

They're all afraid of the "Hispanic street", & point to Calif's Prop 187 for turning the state over to the Dems. But Hispanics who've been here awhile tend to be Catholic & conservative, which is why the Dems want the amnesty, figuring newer arrivals will vote for the party that promises them the most handouts

[Robert]

No jeff.

They are afraid their corporate masters might be upset if we turn off the "cheap labor spigot".

It's like the fake corruption "lobbying" reform.
Sounded like a good idea to americans, but the real leaders of this nation (Corporate interests) said "no".