President Bush Continues to Antagonize Us
Elites of Washington vs. real people of America
By Bluey Posted in Featured Stories | Immigration — Comments (44) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Conservatives who are already frustrated with President Bush should be even more upset with him after seeing his remarks in recent days. Yesterday, he antagonized us by boasting, "I'll see you at the bill signing." Just as Bush had angered the base by telling us that we "don’t want to do what’s right for America," he once again put his foot in his mouth with this latest quip. The remark prompted Eagle Forum to release an action alert titled "No Means No, Mr. President."
Bush's argument that the status quo won't work is an embarrassing admission of his administration's failure to enforce existing laws. Today during a visit to Capitol Hill, Bush told reporters, "We've got to convince the American people that this bill is the best way to enforce our border." Convince us? Why doesn't the administration use the laws already on the books to clean up the border?
There's a growing desire for the administration to act on this front. Today, for instance, nine senators, led by Republican Jim DeMint of South Carolina, sent Bush a letter that asks the administration to "enforce the border security laws that have already been authorized by Congress regardless of whether the Senate passes the immigration reform bill." The other eight senators signing the letter were Tom Coburn (Okla.), Mike Enzi (Wyo.), David Vitter (La.), Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Jim Bunning (Ky.), Charles Grassley (Iowa), John Ensign (Nev.) and Jeff Sessions (Ala.).
As critics of the Senate bill begin to offer alternatives (as my colleagues at the Heritage Foundation did today), it's going to grow even more difficult for Bush to convince conservatives that his approach is the only option. As Jessica Echard of Eagle Forum puts it , this debate is shaping up to be a fight between the elites of Washington vs. the real people of America. The question is: When will the elites start listening to the people?
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The fact that I defended him for years from liberals who said EXACTLY the same things you are saying, but I could not see it then and just thought they were being partisan.
The truth is that they were substantially correct. That really makes me feel stupid.
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
... I must admit I am having some of the same guilt feelings about standing with President Bush for so long. Mostly I think it comes from simply being raised to respect the Office of President whether it's occupied by someone I voted for or not. It was that view that caused me so much angst whenever the BDS affected Left/MSM started in on him. I really abhored Bill Clinton, but would have gone to the mat for him as "Our President" if someone from some other country started in on him.
Being from Arizona, it is obvious that my 2 elected Senators have effectively put the knife in our backs over this immigration issue. I was kinda, sorta, wishin', hopen', President Bush would hear the hue and cry from his base and do an about face, but I have since thrown in the towel and spend a large amount of my energy encouraging those left in the Senate who do hear us, not to bend under the onslaught they are experiencing. Ain't hindsite a wunderful thang!!
You need that kind of resolution in order to conduct a war like the one we're fighting.
It's not a bad thing. It's his policies that are wrong, not his willingness to lead.
Run like Reagan!
In order to be a leader, you must have people willing to follow you. A leader takes positions that may be contrary to public opinion and then shapes the public opinion by making a logical and compelling argument as to why his positions are the best for our country. Bush constantly takes arbitrary and sometimes indefensible positions that defy logic while antagonizing the people he is supposed to lead. Even with the war in Iraq, his public justifications amount to little more than sound bytes and talking points that he repeats over and over again. It is the blogs and pundits that have been mounting the best public defense of his Iraq policy.
...in your question: "When will the elites start listening to the people"?
They are not elites! Does the appelation "public servant" mean anything? Our form of government is supposed to be egalitarian representation, not "rule by elites". Is it any wonder such mistrust has been engendered when our governmental representatives follow the European elitist model?
It's NO surprise! We have a much bigger job ahead of us than even WE think!!!
”Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system”. – Cicero
Bush's argument that the status quo won't work is an embarrassing admission of his administration's failure to enforce existing laws. Today during a visit to Capitol Hill, Bush told reporters, "We've got to convince the American people that this bill is the best way to enforce our border." Convince us? Why doesn't the administration use the laws already on the books to clean up the border?
As to your rhetorical question about "elites," they never will listen. We will have to settle for their abject fear of actual consequences for their actions, something more likely in the mass communications era despite short attention spans and a dumbed down electorate.
When will the elites start listening to the people?
When we Primary them. Actually, this won't make all of them listen -- like that slimebag Specter, who continued his RINO ways even after narrowly escaping Toomey. But he was emboldened because he had the endorsements of GWB and Santorum.
I'm not suggesting we Primary them to get their attention. Actually I am suggesting we Primary them so we can turn them out of office and replace them with legitimately conservative people who DO listen to the people.
It's war -- so when can we start shooting back at the enemy Democrats?
He is managing to unite the bulk of the country not just the party with this effort. Its a great shame as he is having success in other very important efforts.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
Where'd all these radical critrics come from? Hey , I was with regular folks all day! Cops, firemen, concrete workers, teachers, Streets and San guys ( well they are elites I guess), tin-knockers and wood butchers and none of them had a beef about immigration.
Now illegal criminals and ne'er-do-wells of every stripe they'd beef a plenty. Never saw a Mexican asleep at the working end of shovel. Saw plenty of American born salary robbers poocjing the day at Wrigley Field when they were supposed to be foreclosing on widows and orphans or Ponzi scamming a couple of cousins on tech investments.
This crisis seemed to wait until after Easter to get feet and it seems to my gimlet eyed suspicions that it's all tied to who's backing whom with the neatest bumper sticker.
The immigrants legal and illegal aren't putting America in dog-house - those folks are working. Paying taxes, buying $3,69 gallons of gas, paying $900 a month for studio apartments, and doing the work of all entry level immigrants in American History.
Elites? Shoot I drive a Chevy!
Pat Hickey
I promise not to call you an elitist for wanting to legalize the immigrants if you promise not to call me racist for being opposed.
I have spoken to Democrats and Republicans who hate this sell out of America and I also see 40 or more illegals a day standing at the 7-11 they are there in the morning and they are there in the afternoon, they haven't moved, yeah they are working alright, those shadows are killing em. Those that are working and I am sure they are many are doing the work that American teenagers should be doing the unemployment numbers for teenagers are above 10 percent and black males are at 9.7 percent (where is the CBC on this?). When I was growing up teenagers mowed lawns, babysat and worked construction jobs in the summer and guess what they made 8-10 an hour back then and guess what because of illegals doing the jobs for the same dollar amount now it hasn't changed. shoot I drive a chevy and my husband drives a chrysler and my son drives a dodge and we all hate this bill. The elites in question are Bush and his minions in the Senate and Kennedy and his minions on the left. I would beg to differ on whether illegals are putting America in the doghouse by the way, one example hospitals http://www.jhu.edu/hurj/issue7/focus-draoua.html I will leave you to find all the other ways if you choose to look seriously.
I really wish you woudln't attack the character of the proponents of 'comprehensive immigration reform' by using the term 'sell out,' but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who sees youth unemployment as a long-term dislocation caused by illegal labor labor.
Run like Reagan!
however I am sorry if that offends you because I personally as someone who hates this bill do not want to be called a bigot or be told to shut up or be called un-American however it would appear that proponents of this bill feel it necessary to take it to the gutter and I am one to fight in that gutter with them. The teenage issue is one that is personal to me, my son who is graduating tom. has been to Walmart and McDonald's and a multitude of other shopping center stores and I can tell you in this part of VA most of the workers there are hispanic and by the way I am not saying they are illegal or not, I don't know however I do know that my son cannot secure a job and he is not the only teenager not finding a job.
Do you all remember back in the mid 90's when department stores were paying 15 an hour to get people to work there because of the great economy? in the last 13 years the number of illegals coming into the country and the drop in salaries even though the economy is just as great in non office work has been devastating.
That's just the thing: I'm steaming mad at Senator Graham for calling me a bigot in front of La Raza, so I'm just doing my part to police my side on keeping the level of discourse up :-)
And yeah, I remember when I was 16, there was very little chance of my getting an entry level job here in Southern California. For some reason the employers all seemed to prefer full time illegal aliens to part time teenagers...
Run like Reagan!
This to shall come to pass with a lot of hard work and faxing and calling and basically harassing in a intelligent way.
I want this bill to wait for atleast three more months until the result of the fund gathered by McCain is out for the third quarter.
I am dying to see how much money he is able to generate given a) big Fred is in the race b) he supports immigration reform.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/spanish-tv-puts-08-hopefuls-into-a-b...
Spanish language TV wants presidential debates (that's US presidential debates) in Spanish (translators for those who don't speak it). Mel Martinez thinks it's a good idea.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
they will have them i guarantee. Two Dems are already in.
I want to see a French language debate with no translation, that would be fun. They could debate who has the nicest teacher and what color their house is. :)
Molon Labe!
I will use the youtube video of any Presidential candidate debating in spanish all over the internet, this is pathetic this is still America and the language is still American or English whichever is your preference, good grief this is out of control.
Like many - I've supported the Republican party for years..but I'm just about fed up with this Administration's total lack of respect for middle class votes like myself.
I'll be watching future votes on this issue and will show my dissatisfaction with those supporting this total sell-out.
The President isn't antagonizing you, he's doing the job that he was elected to do. He ran on immigration reform, with a guest worker program, twice. People want something done. You are the one's that sound like the elites, dictating to the President what he should do or not do!
We have elections, and he won, twice.
___________
"The perfect is the enemy of the good."
The same way the dems didn't win because of the war.
______________________________
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
In 2000 immigration was barely a mention let alone an "issue". Yes, he mentioned it, but he never canpaigned on. it.
He got elected on 2K because the right was sick of Clinton and the left voted for Nader because Gore was to stupid and too self absorbed to ask Clinton to campaign for him. If Clinton had campaigned, we'd be discussing how Gore is a lame duck.
In '04 Bush won reelection campaigning on the war, entitlement reform and to a lesser extent, the economy. Immigration didn't even make a passing reference. He won in '04 ONLY because the SwiftVets came to his rescue and reminded the country that the Democrats had nominated a traitor in a time of war.
So, what have we gotten? A President who campaigned on national security who refuses to ferrit out leaks in the CIA and NSA, refuses to take on the Democrats as they do everything in their power to undercut the war effort and insure "another Vietnam".
He tossed out some commentary about SS reform without bothering to get anybody in his own party on board. It was DOA and there was not even a skirmish about it let alone a battle.
Then there's the judiciary. He did a good job with R&A only after WE stood up and objected to his attempt to put a consumate lightweight in HM on SCOTUS. He's done less than nothing to get his appellate nominees through the Senate.
He's either failed, screwed up or done a pretty mediocre job on every issue he actually campaigned on and made crusades out of issues near and dear to Ted Kennedy's heart.
You're right about one thing. People want something done. They want the border secured. They do not want this amnesty bill.
As usual, President Bush is on the wrong side of this important issue.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Let us be completely honest with ourselves here, shall we? President Bush is stubbornly pursuing the kind of immigration reform he is because he BELIEVES IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO! You may well THINK Bush is wrong, and Bush may as a matter of objective fact may well BE wrong.
But it is downright childish, even Democrat-like, not to give Bush at least the credit for being SINCERELY, HONORABLY, and HONESTLY wrong.
Let us leave the search for non-existent evil motives to the other party, shall we?
As I've said several times on this site: I enthusiastically voted for Bush twice. The prominent issue then was fighting the GWOT and Bush did everything in his power to catch terrorists and fight them in Iraq. I give him full thanks and credit.
His being elected twice was not about THIS IMMIGRATION BILL. He may have talked about immigration reform, but it wasn't front burner. He didn't do anything about it during his terms and now he wants this for his legacy. We now know most of his ideas promote open borders and legal status for illegal immigrants. Thankfully this mess of a bill is being scrutinized closely.
Turn the page from past elections Sandra. We didn't have a bill to see Bush's ideas clearly. Beyond that, he didn't build the whole fence which citizens desperately want to close our border. His administration could have easily done it so citizens no longer trust what he says on this issue.
As to your comment to "grow up" to opponents of this bill. I've been a grown up and a taxpayer for a long time. I'm pretty tired of being lectured to and referred to in terms such as unpatriotic by the President, members of Congress, (Republicans Lindsey Graham, McCain, et al.)
This is the first time I've ever felt that illegal immigrants have more representation in DC that citizens. And the citizens will pay the bill.
========
Life is not fair, but It's still a Wonderful Life!
I certainly am glad to see I'm not the only one displeased with Georgey. At the time, it was either him or Kerry & his harlot wife. Today I was waiting to see if George & his bunch were going to give his illegals a condo in town & a summer home in the Hamptons & maybe a few hundred thousand to get them started in their new life in our land of milk & honey. Is he going to feed & cloth these millions in hard times? Is he going to invite these wonderful people to stay at his ranch? Because we're not closing our borders & millions come for the automatic citizenship, I hold Geoge & his bunch responsible for turning our wonderful country, as it is, into a third world. It will happen if we let it. These illegals are an infection. It will come to a head, as infection do. We need an antibody. I fear it will fall to the middle class, while it still exists, to clean it out, as it always does. This is our country. We must take it back from these clowns running it right now. Lets show them we mean business next election. RUN FRED RUN!!!
The President would pick up some support if he first focused on border security and putting the heat on employers to not hire illegals.An emergency supplimental to fully fund the fence would be a great start.Then come back in 08 with a common sense immigration bill that encourages skilled labor to get green card status as well as some guest worker program - but no fast track citizenship for illegals.The President fails to understand that 12m low skilled workers is a drain on the economy and not a plus.Factories are hiring illegals and not even paying the same wages they pay US citizens that work in the same factory.
I like the immigration reform bill. It reminds me of Englands tea stamp acts.
I was hoping we could throw a party for the legislature, something along the lines of the Boston tea party circa mid 1770's
Hey, I know how to solve the illegal alien problem. Since we can't deport 12 million illegal aliens lets get rid of a few hundred senators and legislators. Can we deport them instead?
Seriously,I can't imagine why both political parties want to make Americans so mad. Even Osama Bin Laden figured out that it is better to not really piss off America, or at least if you do, lay low for a while.
Can you guys in Washington get that?
Support the Mission - Honor the troops
Exsolvo Orbis Terrarum
Still supporting the mission, but not so happy with the Commander in Chief's domestic stupidity
...that we should realize Mexico is being imported here.
Why not annex Mexico? An interesting proposal here: http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/homeland.php?id=1050759
I throw this out there simply to explore the possibilties!
”Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system”. – Cicero
Now, just why do you suppose the president and the "elites" would turn a deaf ear to the people? Inasmuch as it is illogical to do so - it is obviously dividing the Republican Party and affecting chances for a Republican victory in 2008 - there must be a pretty darned good reason.
So what is it that is behind just about everything mysterious that happens in D.C.? Well, these days it sure isn't Pride of Country or Patriotism; it's Money. Pure and Simple. If you want to know what's up, as the saying goes, "follow the money."
Now, with that in mind - do you think if companies had to pay decent wages, taxes and benefits to all their legal employees that they would continue to make the profits they are making? Or even continue to function? The illegals-in-the-US question is functionally the same as the US-expatriating-jobs issue. In both cases, US jobs are lost. But, in both cases the stream of cheap labor is essential to keeping this whole charade going on just a little bit longer...
Here's my take: Bush & Co. have put the US Economy in such a weak position that any additional jarring will be its undoing.
Many of us are becoming increasingly aware that the US economy is a house of cards. Inflation stats are being falsified (the official stats tell you one thing, but you all feel the reality, no?), jobs are leaving, the dollar has declined gravely in value, people are in debt up to their eyeballs, and the GAO has stated - once again - that the US Govt's books are not reliable and do not use commonly accpeted accounting principles. And more money is being printed to keep all this afloat.
The reason Bush won't do a damn thing about immigration is that stopping illegal labor would be akin to kicking a leg out from under an already fragile economy. It would gouge corporate profits and further affect foreign confidence in the US economy, since econonic indicators would be affected adversely at a time when many countries are already divesting themselves of dollars. Bush/Cheney have always favored corporate profits over the middle class. From Day One. They will continue to support legislation transferring wealth from the middle class to corporate causes (or "elites," if you will).
None of this should come as any surprise to anyone who has been watching the goings on the last few years.
You know, I'm trying to squeeze in a few minutes online before I have to go buy a townhouse. I resent the time it takes to toss your conspiracy theorizing tuchis, in other words.
Moe
PS: I realize that the American economy looks different in Singapore than it does in, say, America. That's still no excuse.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
this is an extremely solid economy however the one thing you said that is true is that it is about money, that is pure and simple greed nothing more nothing less.
This is so riddled with fallacious statements and nonsense, it almost does not warrant a response.
Review the economy and metrics since Bush took office, especially after 2001. Then comes back and apologize for your ignorance.
While your at it, read up on wages paid to illegals and their impact to finished goods and the economy. What are you waiting for; go and get educated.
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
Contributor to The Minority Report
The southwestern United States is drowning in the quaqmire of illegal immigration. I know. I live there. Some newpapers now print duplicate articles in English/Spanish. The state economies are dying in the deludge of welfare payments, free health care and free education while the honest tax payers support the influx of illegal immigration. For all of you who live elsewhere, get your heads out of the sand. Come on down here to the southwest and see the truth.
The illegal issue will eventually explode into armed warfare as the legal residents in this area continue to drown in the flood of undocumented aliens.
First of all, under the new proposed immigration plan, these illegals will not flock in droves to become American citizens. They don't want to be. What they want is the United States of Mexico. They wave their Mexican flags around and condemn America.
Secondly, the overwhelming numbers of invaders will eventually become the majority. When that happens the southwestern area will be primed for insurgencies.
The illegal culture has no intention of becoming American, only filling their pockets with American greenbacks.
Call me a bigot. I don't care. The truth is, we are now seeing the decline of the American nation and its assimilation into the "global" new world.
"Wubbies World" aka: Brian; MSgt, U.S. Air Force (Retired): An argument is a sequence of statements aimed at demonstrating the truth of an assertion.
Right on, Zonablue. I live in Vegas & completely agree with you. You're not a bigot, you're a patriot American as I and, hopefully, many others are. These illegals don't want to be Americans & they tell you that to your face, along with 'we are not leaving, you are, this is our land'. They are expecting the white people to leave and give everything to them. I can really see the casino owners doing this - not! They say they are not Americans, don't want to be Americans, and will never be Americans as they take our welfare, medical services, and education. I contend they are an infection and the middle class is the antibody. When there are enough of them here they will try to physically remove the 'gringo' from 'their land'. The sooner the better, I say. We build a proper fence the whole way along the border; evict the illegals, starting with one all the way to 20 million; enforce our immigration laws and have peace of mind in our society again. The government says we need the cheap labor. Well, I'll pay more for my fruits & veggies if it is produced by LEGAL Americans, not some disrespectful, disreputable, law breaking illegals. The government is not turning the U.S. into a global new world, but a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY! We will have millions upon millions here living off the government, just like they have in Europe and South America. I've been to Australia, they feel lots different about illegals there. I'd hate to leave, (sadly, I'm too old) but maybe it's time to think about immigrating THERE, as the last hope of a free proper society.
of this President, he is truly tone deaf, he cannot hear us because he is insulated with nothing but yes men telling him what he wants to hear. I thought that the un-American comment was the straw that broke the camel's back for me however his snotty smug self saying "I'll see you at the bill signing" was the height of arrogance, he should be ashamed of himself I know I am ashamed of him. I knew that politics was brutal I am not a young person but I never thought I would feel as disheartened as I feel today. This President has taken every good feeling I ever had for him and has replaced it with disgust. I believe his legacy will be as the President who broke his party into two.