Jun 12 2007
America Speaks – Two Thirds Support “Amnesty”
The far right gambled and lost. Two thirds of Americans, Republicans as well, support legalizing the 12 million illegal aliens here now after they pay their debt to society by way of fines and back taxes:
A strong majority of Americans — including nearly two-thirds of Republicans — favors allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens if they pay fines, learn English and meet other requirements, a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found.
…
Although the pathway to citizenship was one of the most controversial provisions of the Senate bill, the poll found the idea was backed by 63% of those surveyed — even by 58% of those who identified themselves as conservatives and 65% of Republicans.
That is a lot of traitors to the far right. No wonder we see so much backpedaling on the talk shows and elsewhere. With so many treasonous, open border, alien lovers out there, the GOP better rethink its self destructive strategy. And soon.
Addendum: In a complete blow to the “amnesty” hypochondriacs, their numbers are now around 1 in 5:
Only 23 percent of adults surveyed opposed allowing immigrants to become legal.
Some majority. The immigration hypochondriacs are outnumbered 4-1. So much for representing America. I expect them to be as proud of America in defeat as they were in their mythical victory over Amnesty. Anyone aligned with Lou Dobbs needs their views examined.
Update: The message is getting out that reform is better than nothing, and those getting the blame for the nothing are the far right GOP:
In an ill-advised game of chicken, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had warned members that unless they voted to limit debate to 30 more hours, he’d pull the bill from the floor. They didn’t and he did. That was good news only for the handful of hard-liners who’d rather live with the current dysfunctional immigration system than compromise on a solution. We like to think most senators — like most Americans — want this problem solved. And in fact, now both parties are working to revive the bill, with Reid agreeing to resume debate if Republican leaders can bring their recalcitrant members to heel.
…
The immigration bill is a fragile bargain struck during two months of closed-door negotiations between the White House and leaders from both parties. Everyone at the table found parts of it bitterly distasteful, but they emerged with a bill that would genuinely accomplish things. It offers more border security, more workplace enforcement, more legal workers to address the nation’s labor shortage and a realistic plan to legalize the 12 million undocumented workers who already live here.
More press like this and things might actually begin moving again.
“And by the way, there have been polls by gallup, cnn, ap, and even rasmussen that stated the majority of Americans support both guest worker programs and regularization of illlegals.”
Left by Terrye on June 13th, 2007
and then this from AJ,
“That letter is the last gasp of the minority. We now know the 9-10 GOP senators who refuse anything giving legal status the long time illegals.”
your synapses are not touching.
terrye, i have straigthened you out on this canard several times already–the american people say the above only after the border is secured which you are against.
aj, you know full well in poll after poll that the american people want the border secured and they don’t trust the government to do it. this bill, like all the prior bills, will not secure the border. whether it passes or fails is irrelevant. without securing the border first we have this drill again in 15-20 years. clearly you have another agenda that has nothing to do with border security. the definition of insanity is repeating the same behavior hoping for a different outcome–an outcome that never happens……..
why do you think they will secure the border? because it is in the bill?
they already gutted the bill passed last october!
Patrick,
You know full well no one is against strengthening the border – it is in the bill in many ways. The contention is “amnesty’ which has nothing to do with the border. Try and wrap some functioning synapses around those facts. It is not called an ‘amnesty’ bill because of open borders. The truth lies in the labels.
AJ,
There you go again. Your best Andrew Sullivan bit yet. Keep it up and you’ll earn a spot in the Vicente Fox hall of fame.
Your Pal,
Hypochondriac
George Will says it better than I ever could:
RS,
This is my last attempt. I will prove once again the far right is far wrong.
You don’t have to prove that to me, AJ. I don’t think it’s the “far right” that standing in the way, and, if it is, then they are a lot more powerful (and numerous) than you give them credit for.
AJ, there was a republican primary in your state yesterday. How did the moderate republicans fare against the more conservative hard line on immigration republicans????? The story is in the Washington post but I don’t have a link to it. It starts out like this…
“Conservative Republican challengers prevailed against moderate incumbents in key legislative primary elections across Virginia yesterday, setting the stage for a bruising fall election in which Democrats will try to take over the… ”
I think the dems will get their hats handed to them. What the WaPo doesn’t realize is why the moderates lost. People are angry about the moderates stand on illegal immigration. You can talk all you want about this country being more moderate, but I think this whole fight actually shrunk the moderate middle down quite a bit. A lot of the dems who came in on the last election promising to be tough on illegal immigration will be out if they don’t stick to it.
Maybe you could say you were mad I disagreed with you and chose an inappropriate way to counter my argument. You could also say you have no idea what you said to me because you haven’t gone back and read your first response to me on the subject. But don’t bother. I know what you said to me and frankly felt I was at Scary’s place instead of being where I had always felt comfortable to disagree.
I’ve already removed you from my favorites list. It is just a matter of time and putting some of the blogs you have linked into my favorites list before I stop stopping in.
aj says,
“You know full well no one is against strengthening the border – it is in the bill in many ways.”
are you putting me on? the reason that this whole debate is about border security is because the government and the dems have no intention, past, present or future of securing the border. the border and all previous laws were never enforced–EVER. you are being purposely naieve by pretending that this time it is different. as to what bush feels about this, that to is irrelevent. he won’t be in office as the main parts of this bill go forward. and to his discredit he has allowed the HLS to already gut the border fence act last october. read that bill. read the visa bill from 1995/96.
you continue to hide behind the “no amnesty” crowd because it allows you to smear a larger group that wants, and has always wanted, to secure the border. you clearly do not. your position on this proves as much.
Patrick,
Forget the “it will never be done” argument. The only ones making sure it will never be done are the obstructionists. You have seen the enemy – and it is in your mirror.
As I pointed out Bush has more bona fides on enforcement that anyone in 20 years. Forget the fantasy hype. And thanks for proving my point. The far right is using these canards to hide some deeper issues. When you point out how wrong they are they simply deny reality.
I have to laugh at your comment that laws are not being enforced ‘EVER when you look at Bush’s record. Denial is not a strength. And I am not interested in people who deny reality to stop progress.
Why would that surprise anyone?
Bahh.. no worries.
AJ, the Times poll, and the position you’ve now taken, is hyperfocused on one question….for which the Rasmussen poll “Also” finds the same agreement. How you can declare Rasmussen poll not accurate on this question I don’t know given it says the same thing. The Rasmussen poll however goes into a lot more detail in that it asks “other questions” related to this “one” that give a bigger and more accurate picture of where people actually are on the whole of the issue and what the central issues are (which have “ziiiinggggg”…entirely missed..flew right by your head) The answer is ‘yes’, most Americans would accept some sort of legalization process IF it is part of reform that led to enforcement of our borders and would significantly reduce illegal immigration going forward. You can reframe that however you want…..but your side is loosing this argument at this point. I just don’t see the polls or public being swayed in polling, etc..to your argument (at least not yet).
But, I do see some senators moving in the direction I told you they would:
bush? “As I pointed out Bush has more bona fides on enforcement that anyone in 20 years. ”
he has no record. that’s why the senators handed him the letter. you continue to make stuff up. if previously there were 100 border agents and he incresed it to 150 yes the force went up 50% but so what. since bush has been in office the illegal immigration across the southern border has gone from 5 million to over 10 million.
your logic then says if bush hadn’t done “all he has done” the problem would be worse. well that’s just f’n wonderful. bush et al like all the losers before them have no intention of sealing the border. neither do you. there have been on the books, countless laws, too many to mention that bush and company have refused to enforce. hell, clinton had more arrests and deportations than bush did. how pathetic is that. bush has zero credibility on immigration reform. every new law has been shoved down his throat. so he then guts them just like the fence act from last october. you think its great that he’s changed the double fencing to vehicle barriers(guard rails basically), cut it in half and adds 75 miles of previously existing fencing as part of the completion ratio. the bill called for the entire 700-854 miles of fence to be completed by the end of 2008–with most of it completed by this july. how much have they done AJ? come on AJ, i can’t hear you. talk to duncan hunter, he was one of the co-sponors. eleven miles!!!!!!!!!!!!
the border security credits of this president and congress and all that went before them is zero. that’s why we have 12-20 million illegal aliens in this country. duh!
not being able to see that might be a plea for professional help.
this is what the majority of americans know—bush and the government cannot be trusted to enforce border security. their record proves it. you have another agenda……….
Patrick,
He does have a record. See the other post. Problem is you won’t admit it.
RFLMAO
LAT’s?? This blog used to be a legitimate sight! Must be the Water!
Buh Bye!