(2007-05-19) — If Congress were to pass the new proposed comprehensive immigration bill, Bush administration sources say Sen. Ted Kennedy will get naming rights to George W. Bush’s future presidential library as part of the deal.
“It’s only fair, since Teddy’s the architect of the Bush legacy,” said an unnamed White House source. “Sen. Kennedy was the driving force behind the ‘No Child Left Behind’ act, and now this measure to legalize illegal immigration. Historians will remember these as the watersheds of Bush-Kennedy years.”
The president has already expressed enthusiasm for the Kennedy-sponsored bill, which supporters dubbed the “No Hard Feelings Immigration Act of 2007,” because it creates a pathway to citizenship for the more than 12 million “undocumented workers” who can document that they arrived in the U.S. before January 1, 2007.
The future Bush presidential library will be located in the president’s hometown of Crawford, TX, and sources said it would be built for “pennies on the dollar” by a small army of newly-legal illegal immigrants.
34 responses so far ↓
1 Ms RightWing, Ink // May 19, 2007 at 5:58 am
Ladies and Gentlemen start your documents. And may all your Pocos be Loco. Eee haaa!
2 Ms RightWing, Ink // May 19, 2007 at 6:12 am
I don’t know why Kennedy worries about all the Mexicans safely crossing the dessert, why with him Mary Jo couldn’t even cross the bridge safely
3 JamesonLewis3rd // May 19, 2007 at 6:45 am
God Bless America
4 Big Java // May 19, 2007 at 7:13 am
My hometown tried to get the then Bush Library a while back, glad we will not host the Kennedy-whatshisname Library.
Oh, and as always, Scott, you hit the old nail on the head HARD!
5 USS Ben // May 19, 2007 at 7:13 am
Hey, it only costs approx. $20,000 bucks per taxpayer…so far.
We can also say goodbye to the GOP, since two thirds of hispanic illegal, I mean soon-to-be-legal immigrants vote Democrat.
Envy works well for Hugo Chavez, and it’ll work well for Teddy and his comrades.
6 Shelly // May 19, 2007 at 7:15 am
Looking for a summer read? Check out Bernie’s latest. The review at Amazon:
“In Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right, Goldberg speaks for the millions of Americans who are saying: Enough!
Enough of lunatics like Rosie O’Donnell who think “Radical Christianity”—whatever that means—is “as big a threat to America as Radical Islam.” Enough of the hyperbolic liberal rhetoric comparing Bush to Hitler and Abu Ghraib to a Saddam Hussein torture chamber. Enough of the liberal media, in particular the New York Times, which Goldberg claims doesn’t publish “all the news that’s fit to print” so much as “all the news that fits our ideology.” And please, enough of the military-hating crazies who run San Francisco! (”Just what this country needs,” Goldberg writes, “a city with Rice-A-Roni and a foreign policy.”)
But Goldberg doesn’t stop with the crazies on the Left. Speaking for fed-up conservatives, he also goes after the wimps on the Right—the gutless wonders in Washington who sold out their principles for power.
He’s had it with hypocritical Republicans who say they’re for small government but then spend our hard-earned tax money like Imelda Marcos in a shoe store. He’s also had it with the weak and timid Republicans who won’t stand up and fight against racial preferences, too afraid that the Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons of the world will call them bigots. In plain English, he’s had it with Republicans who are afraid to be conservative!
In his most personal, provocative book yet, Bernard Goldberg argues that while conservatives still believe in important things, the jury is out on Republicans. The 2006 election was a wake-up call, he warns, and if the wimps on the Right fail to regain their courage, recover their principles, and reclaim their sense of fiscal responsibility, the crazies on the Left just might win the White House in 2008.”
This begs the question, who won the White House in 2000 and 2004? Politicians in Washington appear to be confused about this. Simple words like “illegal” have completely stumped them. The issue of border security is a complete mystery to those supposedly fighting the war on terror, not to mention the Homeland Security crowd. We’re now creating a group of second class citizens, who ironically are the ones living here legally.
And they’re not spending like Imelda, but as Huckabee noted, like John Edwards in a beauty shop.
7 Shelly // May 19, 2007 at 7:25 am
Michelle Malin reports of a leftist liar who might be held responsible for his reprehensible acts:
“Got a tip from Tacoma, Wash. that our old friend Jesse MacBeth, the fake Army Ranger who was briefly a poster boy for the anti-war movement, has been arrested. My source says he was released from the Pierce County Jail-for assaulting a woman-and then taken into custody by federal law enforcement officials. He is facing federal charges of fraud.”
Shouldn’t the politicians in Washington selling us out face the same charge?
8 Shelly // May 19, 2007 at 8:01 am
Can we elect Fred tomorrow? From his blog at ABCnews.com:
“I think its time for a little plain talk to the leaders of Mexico. Something like: Hey guys, you’re our friends and neighbors and we love you but it’s time you had a little dose of reality. A sovereign nation loses that status if it cannot secure its own borders and we are going to do whatever is necessary to do so, although our policies won’t be as harsh as yours are along your southern border. And criticizing the U.S. for alternately doing too much and too little to stop your illegal activities is not going to set too well with Americans of good will who are trying to figure a way out of the mess that your and our open borders policy has already created.
My friends, it’s also time for a little introspection. Since we all agree that improving Mexico’s economy will help with the illegal-immigration problem, you might want to consider your own left-of-center policies. For example, nationalized industries are not known for enhancing economic growth — just a thought. But here’s something even more to the point that you might want to think about: What does it say about the leadership of a country when that country’s economy and politics are dependent upon the exportation of its own citizens?”
I agree with a commenter on another site, referring to his Michael Moore knockdown - Oval Office Fred. It’s something you might want to think about.
9 onlineanalyst // May 19, 2007 at 8:36 am
Andy McCarthy has an observation of relevance. Mitt Romney brings common sense to the currently cobbled Alien Bill. Like Fred Dalton Thompson, he is willing to challenge the inside-the-Beltway wheeling and dealing to address the will of the legal American voter/taxpayer.
A Thompson-Romney ticket of such common sense could strip away much of the Democrat constituency and the independent fence sitters.
Bush allied himself with Kennedy (in the spirit of reaching across the aisle?) to pass the expensive No Child Left Behind Act, expanding the role of the federal government in education. The bill, however, will go down in history as Bush’s boondoggle.
Why in the world would Bush not learn from this error by allying himself with Kennedy again? This current “grand bargain” of immigration reform promises to alienate (pun intended) voters of both parties and attach a huge price tag to the tax burden of law-abiding Americans. What the Kennedy-Bush bill represents is taxation without representation.
10 conserve-a-tips // May 19, 2007 at 9:11 am
Onlineanalyst - I have a theory on your last question. I think that Bush is focused on what he thinks is “kind” rather then “healthy”. It is typical of people who are devout enablers. People like Bush, who think that by keeping people from feeling the pain of their choices, think they are being heroes, and don’t understand the concept of “loving someone to death” - meaning, helping them to actually kill themselves by keeping them from facing themselves.
I think that Bush is part of a bigger plan that has at its base an idea that the world would be one big happy family if nations weren’t so independent and sovereign. He means well, but it is a stupid idea and dangerous. That would be like me saying that all the families in my neighborhood should be helping me raise my children with all of their various values and religions because we shouldn’t be so narrow-minded in our childrearing.
This is a typical pagan belief that has infiltrated the church today because people can’t accept a God who is not only Love, but also Judgement. Many Christians today think that “doing good” means to let everybody have their way and not feel the pain. Christ warned us that it would get to this point and it has.
11 JamesonLewis3rd // May 19, 2007 at 9:50 am
Ayup.
12 JamesonLewis3rd // May 19, 2007 at 10:03 am
Yeah.
Right.
I can just picture 12,000,000 Mexicans lined up at the “Consiga Su Visa De Z Aquí” window.
13 RedPepper // May 19, 2007 at 10:37 am
In 1986, when that Amnesty deal was struck, there were something like 2.5 million illegal aliens in the United States.
So we legalized them.
And now we have twelve million more!
Think what we can achieve in another twenty years!
Will the last person to leave Mexico please turn off the lights ? ! ?
14 its-just-me // May 19, 2007 at 11:31 am
I don’t think most illegals HAVE $5,000 to buy their citizenship… (at least, not around here)
c-a-t, I think it’s part of the “meek = doormat” thinking.
I actually had a woman in CHURCH several years ago (it was WA state, what do you expect?) that everyone who is good and adheres to their own beliefs is going to heaven.
So I think it’s the attempt to be “good” and “moral” that causes everyone to be complete idiots.
15 its-just-me // May 19, 2007 at 11:33 am
oops…. I had a woman TELL ME that everyone…
16 antodav // May 19, 2007 at 3:39 pm
“Hey, it only costs approx. $20,000 bucks per taxpayer…so far.”
Might be less if these 12 million people could actually get paid like the rest of us and thus contribute to tax revenues, but no, that would require your dreaded, horrible amnesty…
“We can also say goodbye to the GOP, since two thirds of hispanic illegal, I mean soon-to-be-legal immigrants vote Democrat.”
Gee, I wonder why they would do that? Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that Republicans are constantly demanding that they be thrown out of the country? Nah, surely not. Just because most of them are hard-working Christians with conservative social values doesn’t mean they’d vote Republican even if Republicans did stop trying to persecute them. It’s just something in the Hispanic gene pool that causes them to vote for Democrats, right?
“In 1986, when that Amnesty deal was struck, there were something like 2.5 million illegal aliens in the United States.
So we legalized them.
And now we have twelve million more!
Think what we can achieve in another twenty years!”
I’m sorry, what is the connection you’re trying to draw here? Are you under the impression that Reagan’s amnesty in ‘86 was intended as some sort of solution to the problem? I don’t think so.
As for the increase from 2, to 12, to maybe 20 million in another 20 years, as long as our immigration laws don’t change so that people can come here more easily LEGALLY, I’m sure we have a lot to “achieve” in this regard indeed….
Somehow, if even if it had been 12 million legal immigrants rather than 12 million illegals, I still don’t think it would have stopped your complaining, as long as they were all still immigrants from Mexico and Central America.
“Will the last person to leave Mexico please turn off the lights ? ! ?”
It’s OK. Once Mexico is empty we can just annex it and transport all the illegals (or former illegals) back there. Who says manifest destiny is a thing of the past…
“I don’t think most illegals HAVE $5,000 to buy their citizenship… (at least, not around here)”
That’s the most sensible thing I’ve heard in this whole discussion. Forget their citizenship, they can’t even afford their VISAS or their GREEN CARDS, which is WHY so many of them try to enter the country illegally in the first place. This bill doesn’t do very much to reduce the COST of trying to become a legal immigrant in the United States. That’s why it’s ultimately going to accomplish very little.
“I think that Bush is part of a bigger plan that has at its base an idea that the world would be one big happy family if nations weren’t so independent and sovereign. He means well, but it is a stupid idea and dangerous. That would be like me saying that all the families in my neighborhood should be helping me raise my children with all of their various values and religions because we shouldn’t be so narrow-minded in our childrearing.”
Not if all the families in the neighborhood were raising your children according to your values…suppose we did one day enter into a “North American Union” with Canada (sans Quebec) and at least the northern half of Mexico. Suppose the central government of this union was located in Washington D.C., and the U.S. Constitution, as it currently stands with maybe just a few minor changes, formed the basis of its government. It would still be the USA you’re familiar with and love, except that it would be a lot bigger and, god forbid, you might have to learn to speak a second language. Intellectual laziness notwithstanding, would you still have a problem with it?
“My friends, it’s also time for a little introspection. Since we all agree that improving Mexico’s economy will help with the illegal-immigration problem, you might want to consider your own left-of-center policies. For example, nationalized industries are not known for enhancing economic growth — just a thought. But here’s something even more to the point that you might want to think about: What does it say about the leadership of a country when that country’s economy and politics are dependent upon the exportation of its own citizens?””
OK then, Fred. How about a regime change? That might just solve all of our problems. Otherwise, complaining about internal Mexican politics really doesn’t serve much of a purpose, since there’s very little we could do about that, besides getting the CIA to fix a few elections like they did back in the good ol’ days.
I say go for the bill. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing. They can fix whatever is wrong with it later. In all likelyhood, whoever wins the presidency next year, whether it be a RINO or a Democrat (I have yet to see any actual Republicans enter the race), the immigration problem will be addressed the way it should be one way or another. You all might not get the Great Wall of America that you all so eagerly desire, but hey, maybe that’s a good thing…after all, with all the illegals kicked out of the country, who’d be left to actually build the thing anyway?
17 JamesonLewis3rd // May 19, 2007 at 3:54 pm
While we’re at it, let’s reward all criminals, eh?
18 its-just-me // May 19, 2007 at 3:56 pm
“This bill doesn’t do very much to reduce the COST of trying to become a legal immigrant in the United States. That’s why it’s ultimately going to accomplish very little.”
Why should it be cheap & easy to come here?
I live in Southern Arizona. I know plenty of people who came here legally, worked hard, and, after YEARS, became citizens. Bar none (that I’ve met), these people are against the cheap & easy method of immigration and/or amnesty.
What would America do without illegals to do all the “dirty” jobs?
We’d get off our lazy duffs, and quit expecting top dollar to do unskilled labor (thank you, labor unions).
…And that would be bad because???
19 conserve-a-tips // May 19, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Yep, I have a dear friend from South Korea who came here around 25 years ago at great expense, studied long and hard, having great difficulty learning the language, and has finally gotten citizenship a few years ago. There is pride in being able to say that one has worked to achieve a goal rather then having it handed to one. Paying a fine is not working toward a goal…it is buying an accomplishment, something with which rich Democrats and Republicans like Kennedy and Kerry and Bush are quite familiar.
Antodav, it didn’t work in 1986 and it won’t work now. The results of 1986 are the chaos that we have now and you want to quadruple that for our children and grandchildren? I heard a man give the best response the other day to the politicians who are whining that it’s just too big a problem and that we just can’t round them all up and send them back. He said, “Start with one. Then two. Then three and so on. But make the effort. Be consistent. Enforce the law and make it stick. That is what it is there for. If we don’t enforce the law prior to this new one, what makes you think that they will enforce the law on NEW illegals coming across the border? He then pointed out that perhaps if Congress wants to be so lenient on illegal alien lawbreakers, they should think about being lenient on all of us paying taxes and just look the other way while we don’t pay them anymore.
20 RedPepper // May 19, 2007 at 4:55 pm
antodav #16: “I’m sorry, what is the connection you’re trying to draw here? Are you under the impression that Reagan’s amnesty in ‘86 was intended as some sort of solution to the problem? I don’t think so.”
GOP Immigration Stance Far From Reagan Reforms.
In exchange for legal status for the group, Reagan insisted that the magnet attracting illegal aliens to the United States be removed by extinguishing any incentive for U.S. employers to hire illegal aliens. In tandem with the amnesty, Reagan campaigned for employer sanctions for hiring illegal aliens, sanctions so stringent that many at the time regarded them as draconian.
This story was the third entry that came up when I Googled “1986 Immigration Amnesty”. Not too hard to find, antodav.
I’ll have some additional comments later.
21 BLACKTYGRRRR // May 19, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Internet Rumors
April 14th, 2007 at 8:41 pm (POLITICS) · blacktygrrrr.wordpress.com
Normally I am not a fan of internet rumors, but if I start them, then it is ok. I hope these circulate the globe with the help of as many clods as possible.
1) The Academy caved into right wing pressure and decided to help boost moviegoing in red states by giving “Crash” the Oscar by trying to convince as many people in middle America and the South as possible that “Crash” was a movie about NASCAR, the Dale Earnhardt story of his tragic Daytona 500 last race.
2) February used to have 31 days, but then the Republicans made a deal with NAACP to provide for Black History Month provided that the month was shortened to 28 days, with a 29th day in Presidential years to give them an extra day to register voters before the March 1st deadline.
Perhaps I have too much free time, or work has fried my brain, but if enough liberals repeat this stuff as fact, this is where it started.
eric
P.S. I loved your reading about you in “South Park Conservatives” and I own an “Axis of Weasel” deck of playing cards.
22 RedPepper // May 19, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Where were we?
“They can fix whatever is wrong with it later.” Now, there’s a plan! Seems like I’ve heard it before, though …
And, I’m so glad you mentioned Canada, antodav! We certainly should strive to emulate Canada … ’cause being a bi-lingual, bi-cultural society has been such a howling sucess for them! Why did you exclude Quebec from your North American Union fantasy, BTW? Planning on giving it back to France, perhaps? I’m sure that would suit the Quebecois … bad enough to be a minority, let alone in third (or fourth!) place!
Finally, I see you’ve fully bought into the “jobs no American will do” crap (with the ” … who’d be left to actually build the thing anyway?” remark). Try running that one past an actual rank-and-file union member, why don’t you! You know … the folks whose have to compete with this constant supply of dirt-cheap labor to earn their livings!
23 conserve-a-tips // May 19, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Redpepper: One has to ask, what in the world did America do before illegals were used to do the jobs that Americans wouldn’t do? Oh yeah…right…they used Oklahomans who were darned glad to get the work during the Dust Bowl days. These apologists are such a cop-out.
24 Beerme // May 19, 2007 at 8:19 pm
While I agree that the legal means of entering the US are far too difficult, I certainly don’t think this new bill is the correct answer. Illegals are costing this country’s taxpayers an enormous burden. Federal giveaways are bad enough when given to US taxpayers, but unforgivable when given to illegal aliens.
Change immigration laws to make it easier (quicker, with less unnecessary red tape) to gain legal citizenship. Then ship the illegals back! When the wages to do the jobs they did come up enough, Americans will do any job there is!
25 DrivebyMeteor // May 19, 2007 at 9:07 pm
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
- attributed to Benjamin Franklin . . . and to Albert Einstein!
26 Ms RightWing, Ink // May 19, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Here is where I spent my Saturday
www.thewilds.org -
It is a reclaimed strip mine, so ecology is great sometimes. Betchya Al Gore doesn’t even know this place exists
Web site says:
The Wilds is one of the largest and most innovative wildlife conservation centers in the world. Located on nearly 10,000 acres in southeast Ohio, it is home to more than 25 species of non-native wildlife from Africa, Asia and North America and hundreds of indigenous species.
Afterwards we toured the Old National Road (Rt 40), crossed the famous Y Bridge in Zanesville, peeked in at the Zane Grey Museum, but I was to tired to go in.
For you history Buffs The National Road was America’s first highway started in 1811 at Cumberland Maryland
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu.uRrE9GduIA715XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB2dnY0Nm1iBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMgRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZAM
27 Ms RightWing, Ink // May 19, 2007 at 9:22 pm
The thread said I said this but I did not!
Here is where I spent my Saturday
www.thewilds.org -
It is a reclaimed strip mine, so ecology is great sometimes. Betchya Al Gore doesn’t even know this place exists
Web site says:
The Wilds is one of the largest and most innovative wildlife conservation centers in the world. Located on nearly 10,000 acres in southeast Ohio, it is home to more than 25 species of non-native wildlife from Africa, Asia and North America and hundreds of indigenous species.
Afterwards we toured the Old National Road (Rt 40), crossed the famous Y Bridge in Zanesville, peeked in at the Zane Grey Museum, but I was to tired to go in.
For you history Buffs The National Road was America’s first highway started in 1811 at Cumberland Maryland
28 Ms RightWing, Ink // May 19, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Ooops and double oops. I did say that and the web site for the National Road is:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Road -
29 EXT // May 19, 2007 at 9:48 pm
I have it on good authority…from someone whose left brain is so big that his head is lopsided!
Fred Dalton Thompson is an illegal alien!
He, as a child, was ejected from The Planet Vulcan because he was TOO logical even for their standards. No space ship for him! He was teleported into the OB department of a small town hospital. Fortunately the only person on duty at the time was a young doctor whose wife had been unable to bear a child. Surprised as was he when little Fred appeared, she was much more amazed to discover that she had been pregnant for 9-months and never experienced any discomfort.
Green card? Fred didn’t need no stinkin’ green card. After all, daddy-doc was the only person around for the delivery and had all the proper forms at his fingertips!
But, hey, the paperwork is all in order! If he does make a presidential run (though his superior logic suggests he won’t), just let the left try to prove otherwise. Even if they did, it wouldn’t matter; they’re legalizing ALL illegal aliens retroactive to 1620 which will make sure all those good liberals in Massachusetts can trace their ancestry back to 100% pure AMERICANS who lack a single drop of Native American blood!
30 JamesonLewis3rd // May 19, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Wow.
I think Michelle Malkin is upset.
31 conserve-a-tips // May 19, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Whoa, James. That’s pretty harsh. True, but harsh.
EXT, I like your statement that they are legalizing ALL illegal aliens retroactive to 1620 - cute. I say we start a movement to not pay taxes and then have them give us amnesty. Anybody game?
32 da Bunny // May 19, 2007 at 10:53 pm
JamesonLewis3rd, you’re darn right Michelle is mad! So am I!! All legal citizens, born here or naturalized, who pay taxes and abide by the law, just got the “middle digit” extended to us by GWB, Fatboy Kennedy, McPain et al. Michelle’s parents came here legally, and became naturalized citizens. This “amnesty deal” is a slap in the face to anyone else who has done it correctly, and to those who are currently in the process of becoming naturalized US citizens. McShame’s presidential aspirations can now be relegated to just a memory for Mr. Sell-out. And, Clinton’s legacy of sc***ing more than a few women will pale in comparison to Bush’s legacy of sc***ing us all with this “deal.”
c-a-t, yeah, why should the US government be allowed to cherry-pick which laws are enforced, and which aren’t? If illegal aliens are rewarded for breaking into our country, flouting our laws, and stealing from the US taxpayer, why are tax cheats prosecuted? Since we’re celebrating these illegals actions, why don’t we just celebrate the actions of all criminals, and reward them for their behavior? Crime is crime!
33 da Bunny // May 19, 2007 at 10:58 pm
And, while I’m so fired up: Jimmy Carter…SHUT UP!!
34 mig // May 22, 2007 at 5:48 am
Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist.”
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