DNC: Bush Crosses the Line on Border Security

[madfloridian]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=57216

DNC: Bush Crosses the Line on Border Security; After Five Years of Failed Leadership, More of the Same
11/28/2005 5:42:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Karen Finney or Luis Miranda, 202-863-8148, both of Democratic National Committee Press Office

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on President Bushs campaign-style event today in Tucson and his failed policies on immigration:

"President Bush's campaign-style event today in Tucson comes after five years of failed leadership that has weakened America's border security, and allowed the extremist anti-immigrant wing of the Republican Party to dominate the critical debate on immigration reform.

"To keep America safe, Democrats know we must have secure borders and an orderly flow of immigration, but scapegoating immigrants, as the Republican Party has done for political gain, is simply wrong. Voters resoundingly rejected the politics of polarization and Karl Rove's divisive tactics only a few weeks ago in elections all across the country. The message was clear: together, America can do better.

"President Bush's recent pronouncement that his ultimate goal was to expel every single undocumented immigrant from the country is not just a surrender to the far right, it's an irresponsible policy that does little to make America safer. Democrats are committed to comprehensive immigration reform that protects our borders, and provides cities and states the resources to keep our communities safe. A realistic approach must also protect American workers and their wages, while offering immigrants who have earned it the opportunities and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. Democrats will never abdicate the responsibility for a real immigration policy and its enforcement to vigilantes, or exploit people's fears for political gain. We demand the same of the President and the Republican Party."

See below for a new fact sheet on Bush's failed immigration policy:"

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. Come on. This was a faux statement. it had nothing to do with immigrants

this was a PR move, testing the waters, seeing if any, any, any issue might have traction with the public. As though finding one right issue might erase the incredibly difficult problems he has created elsewhere.

[Gman]

15. Dean is right to shoot down each and every trial balloon they put up

just in case they might try to start flying.

[Toots]

22. But but but what about Xmas er I mean Christmas

You do know there is a war going on and Liberals want to destroy Christmas. Real Americans have to stand up and protect Christmas. It is not enough that Christians enjoy Christmas in their homes but they demand it is shoved down everyone's throat at every location both public and private. They must find something that the majority of American consider sacred and spread fear abut it to rile people up. Christmas is the only thing they have left and now they want to foul it with their putrid political stench.

[HockeyMom]

2. Border with MEXICO

That's what they are taling about. Leave off the "S" in borders. Do they really care about "illegal CANADIANS" crossing over and having their kids born here becoming citizens? Hell, NO. lol

Read between the lines. It has nothing to do the "terroists". It is all RACIAL.

[madfloridian]

3. Dean often says Bush abandoned his friend, Vincente Fox.

Dean was in Mexico recently, meeting with the 3 candidates for president. He says they agree that working together with the USA would financially benefit their own country as well. Bush just won't work with them.

This quote from the research is interesting:

"Bush Abandoned His Immigration Reform Partner; Mexican Experts Say Republicans Embarking On Anti-Immigrant Campaign Without Precedent. Mexican President Vicente Fox and President Bush began a close relationship after they took office, Fox in December 2000 and Bush a month later. They vowed to enrich ties and work on legalizing or giving amnesty to at least 4 million Mexicans and other undocumented workers in the United States. But a chill followed the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Bush didn't push an immigration accord. "This is an anti-immigration campaign without precedent. It's Mexico against Republicans, (California Gov. Arnold) Schwarzenegger, the Minutemen in Arizona, Bush's entire Cabinet," said Primitivo Rodriguez, a Mexican political scientist who specializes in immigration. Mexican community leaders have advocated going on strike to prove that U.S. employers couldn't survive without cheap Mexican labor. (Knight Ridder, 7/28/05)"

[chat_noir]

14. "A Day without a Mexican" - check out this film!!

http://www.adaywithoutamexican.com/dos.html

I got it through my library.

[goclark]

9. Exactly ~ it's about keeping "those" people out nt

[Robert Oak]

4. DNC out of touch

firstly it's not about immigrants, it's illegals and Dean clearly
is oblivious to what the American people say on this issue or even
what it's about.

Dems better get it together for they are going to lose releasing this kind of red herring response.

[creeksneakers2]

5. I agree

No point in getting involved in this mess. Especially not with any plan that substantially increases immigration.

[madfloridian]

8. Over 10 million involved...perhaps someone should speak out.

I don't especially have a strong stand on any of this, but this looks pretty bad to me. I read an article earlier about Bush's conservative base wanting a fence from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico....and I shivered. He is not in favor apparently of ANY amnesty, none at all, if I read right. As I say, this is not an issue I argue about....but I disagree we should ignore it.

Quotes from the research at the link, this involves a lot of workers who have been here a long long time.

"BUSH'S FLAWED PLAN FAILED MISERABLY

Bush's Guestworker Program Would Virtually Guarantee Deportation for Millions.
Bush's guestworker plan would force any undocumented immigrant who registered to return home if their employment ends or they are not renewed in the program after three years. The Bush plan also would not create any new way to put undocumented workers on the path to legal residency. (White House Press Briefing, 1/7/04; National Council of La Raza, 1/7/03; New York Times, 1/8/03)

Bush Would Leave Millions of Workers Stuck in Current System Where Residency Is Nearly Impossible.
The Bush immigration plan would not provide any new means of putting immigrants who currently are living, working and paying taxes in the United States on a path to legal residency.
Immigrants currently working in the US would have to apply under the current green card lottery, in which there are only 5,000 available for unskilled workers, and only 140,000 total available for all employment-based immigration. (White House Press Briefing, 1/7/04; New York Times, 1/8/03)

Bush's Call for More Green Cards Still Would Not Help Undocumented Immigrants in the US Today.
Bush's call for increasing the number of green cards available would likely be of little help to current undocumented workers. With only 140,000 employment-based green cards, it is unlikely that any increase would supply enough for the majority of the 8 million undocumented immigrants. (AP, 1/7/04; White House Background Briefing, 1/6/04)

Bush Plan Ignores Family Sponsored Immigration Backlogs and 245(i).
Bush's plan keeps families apart by not dealing with the tremendous backlog that family sponsored immigrants face and not addressing 245(i) or cutting the current ban on re-entry. Backlogs faced by siblings of US citizens currently range from 12 to 21 years, and other family sponsored categories have similar waits. The plan does not address reinstating 245(i), which allowed qualified immigrants to gain legal status without returning home, or cutting the current 3 year, 5 year, or permanent reentry bans imposed on those who came to the US illegally. (White House Press Briefing, 1/7/04; American Immigration Lawyers Association, www.aila.org; National Immigration Forum, www.immigrationforum.org) REPUBLICAN IMMIGRATION POLICIES INEFFECTIVE

Republican Immigration Bill Would Attempt To Deport 11 Million Immigrants, Many Who Have Lived Here For Years.
Sens. Kyl and Cornyn's proposed immigration bill would require the estimated 10.3 million to 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States to submit themselves to "mandatory departure" back to their home country before they could apply to return legally to the United States. Sen. John McCain, who is sponsoring a competing bi-partisan bill with Sen. Kennedy, called the plan a "fantasy" saying, "to think that they're going to come out of the shadows and say, 'Send me back to Guatemala; I've been living in Phoenix for 50 years,' borders on fantasy." Tamar Jacoby, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a think tank, said "only the McCain-Kennedy approach comes close to being practical." (Arizona Republic, 7/25/05)"

I guess we will have to agree to disagree, these are human beings...and Bush appears to be once again trying to shore up his base. There must be some amnesty in some way.

[Robert Oak]

10. more like 20M

I think they should do a case by case either green card or deportation.

But, #1 enforce the existing laws and punish employers.

There are many illegals "workin the system" and should be deported.

But, as you point out there are many who have established themselves,
contributing to society, i.e. all the things you want in an immigrant
except for the legal paper and in those cases I think they should be given green cards.

The "guest worker" program is just plain permaslave. The corporation/business controls the VISA status and thus this is the "status quo" where big business loves illegal aliens because they can stiff them on pay, pay them nothing, offer no benefits and they won't do a thing because of fear of being deported.

Green cards are much better but blanket amnesty is absolutely no way...that just makes our immigration laws a joke, plus floods the market with cheap labor which then lends itself to more abuses of labor.

What's going on overall is labor arbitrage and there is no "god given right" for other nations to enter the US. Believe it, try immigrating to Canada (which has a extremely liberal immigration policy) without bringing some serious skill or money to the table...same everywhere.

[madfloridian]

13. I am speaking for those who have been here.

I think it is right that the DNC is doing this. It would be easier not to speak out, and not point out that Bush is going to go to the extreme on it. But it would not be right to be silent.

Those who have been here a long time and contributed deserve more than being ignored and having no voice.

[Robert Oak]

16. DNC says "immigrants"

that's a bs statement. This is about illegal aliens exclusively.

That's just propaganda to put legal immigrants in with illegal aliens.

They try to play the race card instead of presenting policy that is fair and a true alternative.

Right now they are just doing big business if you check the Kennedy bill it doesn't give them citizenship either...it's big business and not
what you are thinking and when any solution is proposed by conservative republicans they pull the race card.

If they really thought this was racist they would create a path to citizenship for those who have been here a long time and they do not.

[madfloridian]

18. I saw a post where you said good for the Minutemen. So....

we will have to just disagree. Sometimes there is not a way to get on the same page. To me the Minutemen are vigilantes and outside the law. I can not agree with you on this issue.

[Robert Oak]

20. dream on

don't put me into your dismissive racist category. I've been on DU for a long time and am extremely active on labor issues and am well known.

Long stretch to dismiss everything the minutemen are doing and then actually link that to me to ignore the fact the DNC is full of shit
on this issue and manipulating the race card to avoid the fact they
are doing what big business wants.

[Carolab]

17. Read the statement again. He does reference illegals.

A realistic approach must also protect American workers and their wages, while offering immigrants who have earned it the opportunities and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. Democrats will never abdicate the responsibility for a real immigration policy and its enforcement to vigilantes, or exploit people's fears for political gain. We demand the same of the President and the Republican Party."

[shance]

19. These "illegals" as you put sure are willing to do the jobs you aint.

Before you go off on "illegals", consider all the shit work they do, and are handed by the 'massahs' who dont pay taxes on it.

You want to blame anyone, take it up with the "massahs". They are the ones flashing all the carrots.

[jsamuel]

6. Say this---> Bush ok with illegals taking American jobs, but not ok with

them staying in the US after they have finished the job.

Stay smart.

[Robert Oak]

11. exactly, permaslaves fine, real citizens, no way

it's bs the guest worker program and yet another way to erode unions,
labor rights and wages.

Either illegal aliens or guest workers VISAs are absolute bs.

[pinerow]

7. Sure seems odd that all this brouhaha never seems to tackle

the illegal Irish, British and Canadian workers. They generally take the higher paying tech jobs, and rarely take the jobs that most "native" workers would rather not take. Sadly, the progressive take on this matter is almost as jingoistic as any right wing-nut...I will eat my words when it can be shown that the 9/11 jackasses came through Mexico...the so-called "millennium' bomber plot came through Canada...the other idiots came into the U.S, with valid visa's and overstayed their alloted time here...

[Robert Oak]

12. they are not illegal

They have TN and other VISAs...

if you want to discuss use of the H-1B VISA to erode high paying tech jobs in the US, yes, that is happening...
engineers, esp. those over 40 are replaced through bringing in foreigners (mainly from India/China) who work for 20% to 80% less and the VISA status is controlled by the corporation. Whine and the corporation sends you home.

[pinerow]

21. They also have a tendency to overstay their visa's...much like the idiots

who who destroyed the WT and the Pentagon...i repeat my assertion that that when it comes to illegal entry trough the Southern border is partly based on a jingoistic and racist point of view...I know my
share of Canadians in central Florida who entered legally and and have put down roots here...