Redstate

Well said, JG. Republicans are gutless. I personally think that most of them don't have any "core values" but only talk about them to get votes when they are needed. That's why the conservative base is fleeing the Republican Party as fast as their little feet will carry them. As someone has said, today's Republican Party is nothing more than "Democrats-Lite". And even that is being generous.

When Republicans compromise it's not matched with some compromise from the left. Instead it's called "a good first step". To me, that translates into, "You finally came to your senses and dumped that idea. Now we can start to talk about what sorts of things you're willing to give up so that we can move forward. Those other things you gave up were a given and don't count as part of any compromise."

This, more than corruption, "is something [you] could get excited about calling people about"?

I like you, man, but wow does that demonstrate what is wrong with some folks' priorities here. Not that this isn't something to fight about as well, but having trustworthy, non-criminal, principled representation in DC in the first place - especially on influential committees - is a huge part of how we avoid being sold out like this overall.

You think that that the GOP is doing what it is doing with regards to immigration because of principle? You think that even if employers were not giving them "donations" they would still be so committed to helping people flout the law?

Exhibit A in the corruption on display in Washington DC is the sell out of the Republican Party to whoever gives them the most money, and their easy acquiescence with criminal behavior. If you want to crack down on corruption, then getting Congress to listen to the citizens rather than the lobbyists should be high on your agenda.

Or is the thinking that if “they all do it” it cannot by definition be corrupt? If one Congressman takes money for a vote, it’s a bribe, but if several dozen do it, its not?

Bush isn't an open borders guy just because he thinks it will help him raise money for his library. McCain isn't an open borders guy just because he thinks it will help him raise money for his campaign. These guys are true believers. They really believe we need all these unskilled workers who are willing to pick lettuce or the economy will come screeching to a halt. They believe the more unskilled workers we allow into this country for lettuce picking purposes, the more prosperous we will all become. Bush also sees it as a way of making Mexico more prosperous and successful, through unskilled immigrants sending remittances back home or returning home to start businesses.

Their concerns are way overblown and easily remedied by a combination of allowing in enough fully vetted legal immigrants and allowing inefficient government-supported businesses to shut down or move out of the country. If we can't figure out how to automate the process, maybe we shouldn't be growing lettuce in the US at all.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

It's a strange coincidence that the people in Washington always happen to believe whatever the people who give them money happen to believe.

People who think the GOP politicians are not on the take are in deep denial on this. I guarantee you that if the Chamber of Commerce was pushing for closed borders we'd have them in heartbeat. Just look at the legislation the GOP has managed to get enacted these last several years.

Call your Senator and call Senator Kyl and Senator McConnell.

The Capital Switchboard number is 1-202-225-3121.

They that are with us are more than they that are against us.

Here's a form to email Sen. Kyl, who is doing the negotiating for the GOP. He's the one who is currently willing (1) to accept an amnesty and (2) to limit the size of the border fence and (3) to make the amnesty dependent on fraudulent enforcement metrics like increased funding for the INS and not on real metrics like a sustained reduction in the number of illegals.

They that are with us are more than they that are against us.

Why wait?!? By definition it is treason. I think George Bush might be the only politician in the country with more liberal ideas about illegal immigration than Teddy Kennedy.

The Dems will put whatever in there that they need to, then make sure it doesn't get funded since money will be needed to subsidize the fines for the illegals who will be too poor to pay them. The only sort of border "security" that the Dems would find acceptable would be more sensitivity training for border agents.

If you want to add more, you can explain why the bill is so terrible--

-it allows chain immigration
-it allows illegals to stay here and get citizenship
-it cuts the fence in half
-it's so-called enforcement metrics are a sham.
-illegal terrorists gets lots more rights once they're given legal residence status

They that are with us are more than they that are against us.

-it allows spouse and kids. A chain with one link is not much of a chain.
-half right. Illegals get temp cards. Citizenship and even perm res requires going home to the "back of the line" first.
-right. bad deal. But it must be completed before even temp cards are given out.
-EEVS sounds like it might take years to implement, but it's another trigger.
-"illegal terrorists gets..." Does that mean anything other than that we should check who we give cards to?

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IMMIGRATION_CONGRESS?SITE=AZSVH&S...

I wonder who is wrong?

My guess is that the Republican cowards who reached this so-called compromise (actually they gave away the store) would prefer to wait until Friday afternoon for this to hit the news.

!!!Well Said.

Hewitt and the other cheerleaders are eager to find an issue with which to part company from Bush.

This is the valid issue they've wanted. But it wouldn't matter. They just want an exit plan from the Bush administration.

If he agrees with a Bush admin policy he is just a "cheerleader" trying to suck up to them, and if he disagrees with a Bush admin policy, he is just trying to invent a reason to distance himself from them. Hard to see exactly where he can win there.
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Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

Unless there are pre-teen bloggers here, there won't be a GOP president, House or Senate in their lifetimes. And as the old pre-socialist commercial went, it was acquired the old fashioned way--we earned it.

The first would be Selective Service registration, which apparently only applies to citizens or permanent residents but not to fast-tracked illegal aliens (which brings up a good point...but I'll let it pass).

But the majority of lawsuits will be from the other side as Kenney and company make even bigger fools of this Administration and the GOP and challenge every impediment to automatic citizenship.

The GOP is dead. Mark the day.

Not only will this hurt the GOP with the base, but it will also move it from the slow train towards demographic doom it is currently on because of high levels of immigration and put it on an express train with even higher levels of immigration.

If this passes, then the GOP and conservative movement is totally screwed.