Jun 04 2007
McCain On The Realities Of Immigration Reform
Sen John McCain is making the case which will sweep the immigration Bill into law as long as liberal amendments can be beaten back. It is the case which will win the day:
“The politics of Washington have encouraged us to leave solutions to the toughest problems for another unluckier generation of leaders. Problems are left unsolved year after year, because we fear the political consequences of seriously addressing them or value their utility as political attacks in our campaigns. … To do nothing now would be an unconscionable abrogation of our responsibilities to defend the security, prosperity and values of our country. … I welcome any attempt to meet our responsibility to fix our broken borders and immigration system. Our proposal has provoked criticism from some on both the left and right. Compromises usually do. People of good will, who take their responsibilities seriously, argue variously that our ideas are too tough or not tough enough. I do not question the sincerity of their convictions or their purpose in proposing other ways to address the problem. There is one premise most of us agree on: the status quo is unacceptable. …
“It is a hard problem, and I understand that. But the choice is between doing something, imperfect but effective and achievable, and doing nothing. I would hope that any candidate for President would not suggest doing nothing. And I would hope they wouldn’t play politics for their own interests if the cost of their ambition was to make this problem even harder to solve. To want the office so badly that you would intentionally make our country’s problems worse might prove you can read a poll or take a cheap shot, but it hardly demonstrates presidential leadership. …
“We have a chance now to secure our borders and place effective controls on immigration that benefit all of us, and enhance our ability to apprehend terrorists before they strike us. It is a common sense, conservative approach to the problem. Is any office worth sacrificing the progress we can make now to solve this crisis? …
“We can’t leave our borders so undefended that people who come here to hurt us can enter it as easily as someone following a dream of living in a great country. But these people are also God’s children, who wanted simply to be Americans, and we cannot forget the humanity God commands of us as we seek a remedy to this problem. … We have a chance this year to prevent such terrible tragedies from occurring in the numbers they have occurred in the past. Let’s do it. For the sake of security, justice, prosperity and humanity, let us do it.â€
It is rapidly becoming apparent there is no appeasing the fringes left or right. The 44% opposed to this Bill include the true liberals wanting real open borders, real amnesty and immediate citizenship, as well as the immigration hypochondriacs on the right. That means the numbers left and right opposing this Bill are somewhere around 22% each side. 22% of the right is less than half of those who voted to elect Bush. Same thing for the left and those who helped put Congress under democrat control. Neither left nor right can afford to repulse the middle of the nation now rallying in conensus around this Bill. The far left and right cannot be appeased. And we will not get another shot at this for a decade at least, if this Bill fails. The stakes are too high to fail. Failure will be a much worse stigma than an imperfect bill which includes a lot of good ideas (hello – that describes anything passed by Congress).
Americans will not allow the far left and right to torpedo another shot at doing something. We do not accept the zero sum game. We do not support more of the same because of wild fears and exaggerations. We will not let extreme partisanship ruin our chance at fixing a decades old problem – again. That is how we got here: by letting the fringes tank our opportunities to fix things. Not an option this time.
If you have been sitting back watching this mess and in the end accept that what is being presented is pretty good, warts and all, compared to another decade of this mess then call your Congressman and Senator and let them know there are those in the country who do not want the zero sum out of this. Speak up and speak out. Clearly I am doing so and I invite you all to do the same.
John McCain, who says he doesn’t agree with fear tactics, seems to have no problem using them himself:
“In case you hadn’t noticed, the thousands of people who have been relegated to ghettos have risen up and burned cars in France,” McCain said. “They’ve got hugh problems in France. They have tremendous problems. The police can’t even go into certain areas in the suburbs of Paris. I don’t want that in the suburbs of America”.
What is McCain trying to tell us? That if we continue to pander to unfettered immigration, put these illegals on welfare as the nation of France has, grant entitlement after entitlement to illegals and don’t forgive them for their lack of civic responsibility, we can expect riots in our streets and our law enforcement agencies are so inadequate and inefficient that they would not be able to handle it? Is McCain saying that there will be rioting in the streets of America if we don’t give the law breakers what they want, amnesty and a free ride? Does McCain have that little faith in American law enforcement officers that he thinks they can’t handle the riots that he will be advocating with his rhetoric?
It is odd that AJ would quote John McCain and his Kumbaya speech but not quote the threats that John McCain seems to be so capable of such as “F-U” to John Cornyn.
Senator McCain should save his money, go back to Washington, change parties since he is not really a Republican in the true sense of the word anyway and stop campaigning for an office he doesn’t have a chance of ever holding.
And while you are at it, AJ, maybe you would like to give a history of how John McCain, along with that traitor John Kerry, turned his back on American POWs in Vietnam.
Why is enforcement first, zero sum? If our leaders are really interested in anything but amnesty without border control why not control the border first? Amnesty without border control is worse than nothing.
Also, why is this steaming pile the only legislation possible? Because our legislatures are soulless and lazy? If it is defeated why can’t they come up with something else? Too busy assuring us that they can make the decisions of President?
If McCain were elected President would he lead, or whine that “The politics of Washington have encouraged us to leave solutions to the toughest problems for another unluckier generation of leaders.” I suspect, after reading the man’s own words, the later.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, the thousands of people who have been relegated to ghettos have risen up and burned cars in France,†McCain said. “They’ve got hugh problems in France. They have tremendous problems. The police can’t even go into certain areas in the suburbs of Paris. I don’t want that in the suburbs of Americaâ€.
What an amazing level of ignorance! He needs to leave the beltway once in a while.
What this IDIOT does not realize is that we already have areas like that in Texas, Arizona and Southern California. What the hell do you think we have been screaming about!!!???
“Senator McCain should save his money, go back to Washington, change parties since he is not really a Republican in the true sense of the word anyway and stop campaigning for an office he doesn’t have a chance of ever holding”
Wow MCcain has great American Conservative Union rankings. Tough on the war. Been pretty pro-life and now he is not a real Republican
Marshall,
The big myth from the right is the status quo is simply a result of not trying. The truth is the current laws do not allow for what we need. If it was as simple as doing enforcement no one would be pushing for the changes. The status quo is the only option to passing the Bill.
More of the same is not an option. “enforcing the laws” is a myth.
Bikerken:
This “idiot” spent years in a POW camp in Viet Nam after he was shot down in the service of his country. He did not go to Canada, he did not throw any medals over a fence in DC.
Back in 2000 he very nearly became the GOP candidate for president. He has been strong in his prolife stand and strong on national security. His Conservative Rating is about the same as Fred Thompson’s the last time I looked, around 86%.
Agree with him or not he deserves some respect….and if the people against this bill are willing to use statements made by other US Senators to kill the bill and maintain the status quo, then at the very least they should acknowledge McCain has as much right to claim that he knows what he is talking about as any of the rest of these people do.
At least he is willing to put his reputation on the line and try to do something, rather than just demagoguing the issue for personal political gain.
“What this IDIOT does not realize is that we already have areas like that in Texas, Arizona and Southern California. What the hell do you think we have been screaming about!!!??? ”
Why do people refuse to listen to people Like Rep Flake, McCain, and now Kyl that actually seem to be pretty intuned. They also get relelected
Seems like we are being urged to listen to people like Ex House Rep Hayworth and his hardline views. We can do that by listening to his new talk radio gig in Phoenix. The hardliners didnt show up and saved hin either in the border state of Ariz. Well he is still dishing out that nice narcotics of “WE are right” “Don’t Worry”
Maybe we should listen to Randy Graff who is connected with the Minutemen that now seem to be one huge scam that bilkeed conservatives out of money. When are we going to check out that “American Caging ” connection he has. But oh distrust McCain lol
from AJ”And we will not get another shot at this for a decade at least, if this Bill fails. ”
How true. The other option is we get force fed a solution from the left that really will be open borders.
Senator’s are creatures of comprimise. When the constitution was changed to make them an elelcted position we created the ultimate political animal. McCain is a comsumate politician. If he did not have a good idea which way the middle was falling than he would not be saying the above.
McCain is an arrogant blockhead. Sound like anyone else we know in Washington?
Lie #1 is “we have to do something”. Wrong. Amnesty is far worse than doing nothing.
Lie #2 is “only the racists and the kooks oppose this amnesty sellout”. Wrong. The media are in overdrive mode hiding the amazing amount of common sense resistance to this horrible sellout.
Lie #3 is ” it’s not amnesty – they have to pay a fine and jump through all kinds of hoops”. None of them will pay any fines – they get immediate amnesty. The ’86 amnesty required all kinds of hoop jumping too, but the real hoops are the ones being set up for the immigration bureaucracy – if they fail, the illegal gets in automatically. Like previous amnesties, none of the enforcement provisions will ever be enacted.
Our political system and our institutions are determined to set up a third-world style oligarchy in America with the political and corporate elites on top of all of us serfs. They also want to destroy European American culture by flooding us with millions of non-assimilating foreigners.
McCain is a liar. This amnesty will destroy us. It must be fought by any means necessary, and the invaders must never be allowed to think of themselves as real Americans, regardless of what our illegitimate government says.
The right just does not realize they don’t run everything. They do not understand that compromise is necessary if they are going to get a bill through at all.
After all this is not a new issue, it has been around and getting worse for years. People running for office can try to use the issue, but there were plenty of chances for hardliners to solve this problem by just enforcing the laws if that is all there is to it. And they have not done it yet. Just complaining does not count. Obviously the current system is not working.
Terrye, if you are giving credibility to the immigration bill because of years held in a Vietnamese POW camp perhaps you would be interested in Congressman Sam Johnson’s statements, since he was held years longer than John McCain:
http://www.samjohnson.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumenID=65310
I respect McCains service to his country, but he has been in DC so long he has lost touch with the realities in the rest of the country. And as to his conservative credentials, he has personally hamstrung the president on many issues since he has been trying to get elected president, not so much in the past few years because it really boomeranged on him. He has be a good supporter of Bush on the war and I appreciate that, but for him to say something like that comment about not wanting that in the suburbs of the US shows how he doesn’t even know that we are already into that. Are you disputing that we already have places like that here in America? Are you in denial that these areas are growing in size and numbers? Do you think this bill is going to put a stop to that?
Terrye, as I have stated before, the right, as you put it, has been trying to stop this invasion for years. The left have been whining about how they are only here to work for decades, so far the left has stymied the country from doing anything about it and now the left want’s us to do the same thing again, only a lot harder! How many times do you have to make a mistake in order to learn not to do it again?
Well, here is a DEVASTATING article for the “immigration crowd”; which means they’ll attack the messenger!
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/06/su_casa_es_mi_casa.html
I think some form of this bill will pass unless it is stopped in the House.
If the bill survives and proves to be a failure because of it’s poor structure of lack of enforcement that will be 3 strikes for reform.
Would any one care to guess what the 4th try that will then come will look like and what level of support do you think it will generate.
As I have stated before, no matter what form of bill is passed or not, the demographic numbers are already in place. Overstays on visas are not going to go away.
So the “fix” is not going to really fix it.
Terrye
I think the problem is that the extreme right and those that profit off them, Direct Mail, political consultanting companies are infuriated that the treats are falling on deaf ears. There is a money component to this. The same people that praise Bush in direct mail and align themselves with “conservatives ” make a pretty penny whipping up tales about the North American Union the Amero etc. When many conservatives are getting their political News from World Net Daily we know there is a problem.
The problem is that this group did not deliver in the last election. We shall get Jacobs elected in Utah- Not. We shall defeat that amensty loving Governor of Arizona.-Didn’t happen. In fact to say the least it was a very mixed bag.
What I don’t think people are getting is that the anger that many feel. The Gang of 14 will cause us to leave? What? Now we must eliminate the Filibuster or we are not conservative. I remember when the Nuclear Option was the litmus test. Of course I pointed out that this wasnt wise long term. Thank God we didnt change it since we are in the minority. We were told they would leave over a Frackin Terminal lease deal. THey got their way over the objctions of business and the military. How did it help us? The list goes on and on an on.
The rubicon was passed when people with impeccable Conservative creditentials were called RINOS week after WEEK.
In the end, the extreme over reached. They forget we are electing people that think of themselves as serious thinkers. THey don’t always view themselves as people that should react to every jiggle and dot of public emotion.
In the end “anger” that has been the selling card of the extreme and not Optimism and new ideas has a limited shelf life.
MOS2: no, you are correct; it’s a fraud!
No punishment for Visa overstayers..
No punishment for the Identity theives…
Despite what AJ says, their is currently NO $5000 penalty; McCain did try to put it back in, but it has to come from the House; still up in the air…
Ah, what’s the use, this piece of crap is going to pass; I predicted it 2 days ago.
It will pass, because as I always tell my daughters: “To do the CORRECT this, is the hardest thing to do…to avoid “conflict”, and to avoid being a “leader” and to avoid doing the RIGHT thing, people normally take the easy way out, the path of least resistence, the conflice avoidence route, and do the WRONG thing!”
I’m correct when applying this maxim, in today’s world, about 90% of the time!
I sure do infuriate a few Bosses, when I use it on them; it just stuns them, when I use it on them when they’re making some “PC”-inspired “decision”; to avoid doing the correct thing, or the hard thing, which is exhibit Leadership!
It KILLS them, and I’m right, and they usually end up kicking me out of their office!
But I always WIN the “argument”!
“It will pass, because as I always tell my daughters: “To do the CORRECT this, is the hardest thing to do…to avoid “conflictâ€, and to avoid being a “leader†and to avoid doing the RIGHT thing, people normally take the easy way out, the path of least resistence, the conflice avoidence route, and do the WRONG thing!â€
It is interesting that both sides are accusing the other of doing this.
Excuse me, but neither house has a republican majority. The democrats have a tiny bit more say in the senate and a bit more say in the House.
And so, if this remains the case, how do you propose to get anything done to improve our immigration system that is badly broken and our need for an updated guest worker program that would remotely resemble anything you like? This can has been kicked down the road since Reagan and consequently NOTHING
con’td
has been done. It is time to act which means negotiations will have to be done to accomplish anything as, last time I checked, we don’t live in a dictatorship and conservatives have no where near a majority…
It’s a 30 30 30 country as AJ would say.