Democrats Sour On Kennedy's Immigration Deal
By California Yankee Posted in Immigration — Comments (31) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Democrats aren't impressed with Kennedy's immigration deal.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in a statement expressed serious concern over Kennedy's agreement:
Their agreement can serve as a starting point for the Senate debate next week. I have serious concerns about some aspects of this proposal, including the structure of the temporary worker program and undue limitations on family immigration. We need to improve the bill as it moves through the legislative process.
In remarks on the Senate floor, Reid questioned whether "we're going to be able to pass it."
Only two Democrats, Ken Salazar of Colorado and Dianne Feinstein of California, stood beside Kennedy when he announced his immigration deal. Seven Republican senators and two Cabinet secretaries joined the three Democrats.
Read on ...
According to Bloomberg, Democrats expressed doubts over provisions to create a temporary-worker program and to reduce the emphasis on uniting families when deciding which legal immigrants are admitted to the U.S.
New York Senator Charles Schumer said, "There are a lot of Democrats who want to see it improved." New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez called Kennedy's deal "far to the right" last year's Senate immigration reform effort.
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin expressed concern, saying low-wage workers seeking to reunite with their families could suffer.
John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO condemned Kennedy's deal, saying it strikes at "the reunification of families" and expands temporary-worker programs that can amount to "virtual servitude."
Democratic presidential frontrunners, Senators Clinton and Obama and former Edwards reacted cautiously. Hillary said she will study the proposal to make sure it "does not lead to the creation of a new underclass in our country." Obama, told reporters the temporary-worker plan and the merit-based point system must be "carefully examined" to ensure they are "just and humane." Edwards said he had concerns about parts of the proposal, including a “poorly conceived guest worker program.”
West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd said, "We should not give a blanket amnesty to illegal immigrants who want to flaunt the laws of this land."
According to The Ledger, North Dakota Senator Byron L. Dorgan said he would offer an amendment to eliminate the guest worker program from the bill.
House Democrats likewise don't seem to like Kennedy's deal.
Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said it will be difficult to pass an immigration bill similar to the Senate proposal.
Representative Xavier Becerra, Democrat of California and a former chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said he had grave concerns about the Senate bill.
All in all, not a very auspicious Democratic reaction to Kennedy's deal.
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Democrats Sour On Kennedy's Immigration Deal 31 Comments (0 topical, 31 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
And amend the constitution so that only illegal immigrants are eligible to be President.
Its only fair, considering that in at least a few jurisdictions they've been sometimes denied the vote.
They that are with us are more than they that are against us.
I hope this becomes their 'overreach' that gives them trouble.
Run like Reagan!
They know Bush, who has realized none of his family will ever crawl, slither, or scurry across any legislative or administrative hall again, will sign anything. Therefore, they will do what Democrats and Bushbots always do--overplay their hand.
From what I gather, there are about 100 House Democrats ready to wreck the so-called "compromise" no one has read and lay the blame on the Administration. It would be a fitting end to the Bush Trashocracy.
than almost all Republicans. If you check the NumbersUSA immigration legislative report cards I think you will find he has the single highest grade on protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws and generally trying to stop the illegal invasion of any Senator. If it is not the best it is darn close.
You may recall that back in early 2004, in the dark days where the President was consistently refusing to fund the expansion of the Border Patrol in his proposed budgets, it was "Sheets" along with the unanimous vote of the entire Senate Democrat caucus and embarrassingly few Republicans who forced a major funding increase for the Border Patrol and expansion of beds into one of the War Supplemental bills.
I don't think you could put enough pork in a bill to make "Sheets" think the massive importation of brown people was a good idea. Even porkers have principles and he got his from the KKK.
The centerpiece of our immigration policy should be adding stable, hardworking families to our citizenship, just as the foundation of our society is the family.
I am not saying that we should not have guest workers, or that there should not be a long and rigorous application, complete with trial period, but I am leery of mercenary labor. If we make it more difficult to sponsor family members, that only ensures that workers will be rooted elsewhere, exporting their paychecks and doing little to settle down and contribute to our society.
That doesn't mean that people here illegally should receive amnesty. I just hate to see us shifting toward a policy that is based on cheap, temporary labor, rather than citizenship.
After a few quotes from leftists who want more and border security folks who want less, came the only comment in favor of the legislation:
Matt Donnelly, president of The Maids Home Services, a group of house-cleaning franchises, had unqualified praise for the legislation yesterday.
The cleaning companies employ only legal immigrants, he said, and those workers have been very difficult to find. "This legislation will potentially allow us to hire people who want to work for a company like ours"
The cleaning companies ONLY employ legal immigrants. I want what he's smoking.
Reid: We need to improve the bill as it moves through the legislative process..
Translation: Compromise? Bwahahahaha
ALL points of view will be considered.
DLC: We need an endless supply of workers to make our yacht payments.
Unions: But cheap labor will drive down wages!
Activists: Won't someone think of the CHILDREN?
Solution: Open borders, BUT everyone who comes into the country is guaranteed a high-paying job, health care, and housing assistance by the government.
See, everyone wins!
just want to ask a question on the issue to understand the conservative position on this issue better:
I understand the argument that we should not reward people that break the law. But isn't it that a lot of the immigration from Mexico happens because they get job offers, at least indirect? The corporations that employ these peole are breaking the law too but nobody seems to talk about them. It seems that there's a focus on the weak while the powerful get away with it.
thx
would be wrong with fining corporations that hire illegals? Nothing. In fact, that happens to be the law currently on the books. Hardly ever enforced, though.
They that are with us are more than they that are against us.
Mexicans do not "get job offers" from US companies. There are no recruiting offices for Tyson just across the border. The Minnesota meat packing companies don't have offices there either. And neither do the lawn care guys. They come across "hoping" to find a job.
Of course WE care about companies hiring illegals. You'd know that if you did some research before asking stupid questions. The majority (I'm guessing, and I'm guessing it's a large majority) of us would have no problem fining the daylights out businesses and tossing some folks in jail. At the same time, when we find illegals we want them deported, along with their families.
I really don't think you give a rip about "serios" discussion. If you did, you'd have posted this on one of a dozen immigration blogs. You're starting out here by building a reputation for being really dumb.
You can leave now and tell your friends you asked the hard questions and spoke truth to power. ____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
Did you see anyone on here saying we need to keep illegals here so that businesses could reap greater profits? Did you see anyone here saying when there are ICE raids that the companies should be let off the hook?
Your question could certainly be taken as a troll, since it was spouting much of the usual leftie claptrap. The position by most people here would be the revolutionary idea of fully enforcing existing laws.
Hmm, my posting was probably naive, however, I am not a troll (I think, I am not hundred 100% sure what it means). However, I have no idea how to convince people to say I am sincere other than saying I am.
I fully realize that there are proposals out there to punish employers. And no, I didn't mean to say that anybody there said that employers should not be punished. But you would never know from CNN, or any other TV station that there's a focus on the employer.
Anyways, I appreciate your response, bk.
Thanks
then stop asking stupid questions, especially when you've been here 15 minutes. If you bothered to read some of the blogs on this subject (use the "search" function it's your friend) you wouldn't have to ask.
Read the blogs, read the current blogs, find out where people here are coming from. Then ask questions that have relevance, don't cross post the same comment on several blogs. Participate with comments so we get to know you. When you bounce in here and do what you did, cynical old curmudgeons like be will jump your case and beat you with a hammer.
And, in fact, there are no "proposals out there" to punish employers. We have existing laws concerning hiring and employment, they aren't being enforced and have never been. And for "enforcement" provisions in the currently proposed bill, first, we don't know what they are because the Senate leadership won't put the bill up for review. Second, I can guarantee you nobody is going to believe the line that will actually implement the enforcement provisions. These laws have never been enforced and given the current jerks writing laws, they never will be.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
actually, no point in that.
I have no interest in talking to people that use language like this.
Bye bye
Byron Dorgan, ND, rightfully realizes that immigrants could stay here indefinitely on a Z-visa and says that its unfair to American workers.
Chalk up one Dem who gets it.
Romney or Fred.
Currently writing non-political stories over at first-cut-stories.blogspot.com
I feel there is no simple solution to the illegal immigrant issue and to say we round them all up and push them back across the border is too simplistic if not impossible. The enforcement should have been on-going and we should not have let the problem build up to the unmanageable level that it is now.
Since our government hasn't enforced the immigration laws in the past, why should I believe they will enforce them in the future?
As usual, Congress and the President want to avoid any responsibility by actually enforcing the laws that are on the books.
That being said, I would hope that any bill that is passed would at a minimum:
1. Tighten and enforce border security.
2. Crack down hard on employers who hire illegal immigrants.
3. Change the law granting citizenship to children born in this country (probably delivered in a U.S Hospital with all medical costs covered by the taxpayers) while their parents are in an illegal status.
4. Stop putting "birdseed in the feeder" in order to stop attracting the birds - in other words, stop the free social services. Employment is a draw, but the added bonus of free health care and other services many Americans don't even enjoy is an added attraction.
5. Suspend any ACLU dreamed up and court imposed constitutional rights to people in an illegal status -- the word illegal in and of itself should cause our system to pause and think that these people should not be afforded the same rights and privileges one receives when becoming a lawful citizen.
I have to ask, when did this country get so stupid and throw plain common sense out the window? Many of the issues our congressman are quibbling about wouldn't have even been worthy of discussion years ago.
The dumbest one I think I've heard is "Should we allow 'illegal' aliens to get a driver's license?" A no brainer to most people but not our liberal friends.
1 & 2. Never, ever happen. They don't enforce existing laws, and when token enforcement happens there are protests, Congress howls about the "victims" and the illegals who are picked up are released within hours.
3. NEVER, EVER HAPPEN.
4. Yeah. You've just got to overcome various state laws and state constitutions that require it.
5. You're dreaming. And actually, of your points (the first 4 of which I agree with), this one is a really bad idea.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
"Maryland Senator Ben Cardin expressed concern, saying low-wage workers seeking to reunite with their families could suffer."
How about they unite in their HOME COUNTRY!!!
then call Cardins office and ask him to block/delay this bill because it prevents low-wage workers from reuniting with their families .
Same for New Jersey and Menendez.
Time is against the people pushing this. Slow it down and they are dead.
An interesting post this morning from Rich Galen at
www.mullings.com . Says, as this thread is implying, that the House will NEVER pass this bill as it stands either, as House members are too close to the people. So we should relax. Might want to take a look. Galen is a true conservative and always examines a topic in a very logical way.
To find what Kennedy is telling the American people with his immigrantion bill...
Click the link below... look at his hand...
(ironic it would be with his "left" hand).
"Even when you fall on your face, you're still moving forward."
The fact that so many prominent Democrats are against this bill means that it can hardly be the sell out to the left that so many here believe it is. If Pelosi and Reid hate it, if Obama is unhappy with it, I suspect the cries of Armageddon and betrayal that started up as soon as this deal was announced were premature.
Besides, the bill does do the one thing that everyone agrees must be done: it beefs up border security. For conservatives, that should be the sin qua non of immigration reform, not this stuff about amnesty.
A precedent embalms a principle.
- Disraeli
compared to what this bill does, which is immediately grant a waver to millions of illegals, and their families making them eligible for welfare, food stamps and the soc. sec. system.
Since there is no possible way we can pay for it I think that makes the bill pretty damn dangerous
"Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty"
Kyle
Besides, the bill does do the one thing that everyone agrees must be done: it beefs up border security. For conservatives, that should be the sin qua non of immigration reform, not this stuff about amnesty.
What does this deal give us that the 1986 deal did not? An unfunded, indeterminate amount of fencing?
Run like Reagan!
If a few modest improvements like this are added, perhaps the Dems will be able to support it rather than have to accept the far right wing version the GOP is trying to cram down their throats.
* Add a hardship provision that eliminates the need for a family member to return home, separating him/her from his/her family. As an alternative, include funding for air travel for the entire family as a humanitarian gesture.
* Institute a provision that allows collection of earned income tax credit refunds for all the years when the worker used a fake SSN so that he/she will be able to afford the stiff financial penalty in the bill.
* Guarantee that the applicant and all family members will be able to return to gain citizenship regardless of any problems found (e.g. crimes committed) so that we don't punish people who are trying to do the right thing.
* Create a Robert C. Byrd Center for Z Visa Processing somewhere in WV.