Border Security an Issue for GOP

November 27, 2005 latimes.com : National News
Border Security an Issue for GOP
Bush will lay out his plan this week to stem illegal immigration. The divisive subject could reinvigorate or roil his party in 2006 elections.

By Janet Hook, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON -- Illegal immigration has emerged as a major issue in political campaigns around the country, adding an element of emotional intensity that Republicans hope will excite their conservative supporters — but that also threatens to split the party.

The issue is most intense in states along the southern border, where President Bush will travel this week to promote his plan to stem illegal immigration. But concerns about the flow of such immigrants into the U.S. are cropping up in states far removed from Mexico and Central America.

The debate pits advocates of strict new immigration limits against powerful business interests that rely on cheap immigrant labor. That divide is already apparent in a number of contentious campaigns in which immigration-control activists are challenging establishment Republicans.

In Idaho, a leading GOP candidate for a U.S. House seat made his name with headline-grabbing efforts to counter illegal immigration.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-immig27nov27,0,130284.story?coll=la-home-headlines
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I know we're supposed to give it credibility because the FOX sheeple are wringing theirs hands over it. But JEEBUS!

Here's an idea. Either fine corporations a bazillion dollars a day for hiring them, or admit that most Americans would rather eat lettuce than pick it for a couple bucks an hour, and find a real solution to the problem.

If I see one more Lou Dobbs "Broken Borders" special I'm going to puke. WTF does he want us to do?

...if Bush has his way.

What??? No need for background checks or medical examinations to make sure no one's trying to kill everybody in this country???? Good lord, who are these people? We could have serial killers crossing in from lord knows where and these idiots are too stupid to realize it.

You know what? Maybe we shouldn't say anything. Greedy wealthy people who hire illegal immigrants ought to be concerned the most. They have no idea who they're hiring. It could be someone with infected with a deadly virus and they'll be the first ones to fall victim.

We need to know who is coming into our country!

I don't understand this reluctance. Every country in the world knows who's coming and going, and it doesn't diminish our democracy to know.

We're not talking about American citizens (although they DO know when we enter and leave the country, don't they? ) here.

We're talking about ... well, we don't know who we're talking about, and that's a problem which should frighten evey American.

I'm sorry, but the Democrats are going to lose on this one.

And please, don't label me a freeper for caring about my country!

including the poor souls who leave their homes and families and come here to do stoop work for illegally low wages.

Right now, those folks have no security, either. If you are undocumented, you don't report: rapes, assaults, being shorted by your employer, being evicted without warning, blackmail or kidnapping. Pretty awful, isn't it?

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, I've known tons of undocumented people. Who are they? They're the same people who have always come to California to work because they need to feed themselves and their families in any way they can. They are the hardest working people I have ever met.

I would like to see my friends get into a visiting workers' program and get some paper so they will be able to simply work in peace without being subject to the daily abuses they live with.

Your chances of being hurt by an Islamist Mexican National are close to zero. My friends chances of being exploited because they have no resort to law enforcement are close to 100%.

The problem of illegal immigration will never be brought down to a manageable level unless the demand for illegal labor is attacked. That means a lot of business busting, and Republicans have historically been pro-business.

No matter how many "Broken Borders" programs Lous Dobbs runs, the Repubs keep missing the point. Voters are smart enough to understand that the CORPORATIONS are the problem, not the illegals.

flip flop this issue, "I was for the slave visa programs before I was for eradicating them for our country."

He was more or less push polling his propositions. But there were also questions about illegals and whether it was considered a big problem. It was. Dems and Reps alike in California considered it an issue.

It may be they think it's one of the few things they have that could win back some independants.

Of catching, detaining, deporting poor workers and turning a blind eye to the employers dangling carrots for them to come back before the Border Patrol even finishes the paperwork.

Don't let it be a wedge issue they can use. Expose the rich bastards who profit from paying substandard wages to illegals. Expose the payroll taxes these fat cats avoid, and the safety regs they get around by hiring people who cannot report violations of laws.

Expose the folly of making a show of 'fighting illegal immigration' while not doing a damned thing about the ILLEGAL HIRING of undocumented workers for fun and profit.

Expose the bastards. Take the wedge out of their hands and split THEM with it!

Will there be signs on businesses saying, "Wetbacks need not apply"?

It has happened in this country before. Also, it continues to happen is more subtle ways.

Yep right here in Virginia the last two weeks of the races were nothing but ads about how the Republicans would end illegal immigration and how the Dems were going to have illegals performing abortions....don't laugh it was close to that.

with his poll numbers in the toilet, people talking about Plame/CIA leak, concerns about Iraq, and oil prices - it's time to set up a strawman and change the topic

yeah, border security is a valid concern - however, it will be used to divert attention and broaden the divide.

the sincerity and credibility of bush*'s sudden concern for border security is suspect

women, gays and minorities.

"It's not MY fault the economy, the war, the environment, gas prices and our moral standing in the world are in the toilet...

It's them goddamned Immig'ants!"

"Look! Over there!"

Fix Mexico and the border will heal itself.

Peace

Proud Members of Melonhawg Society

:eyes:

Instead of focusing on the real problem, the companies that hire illegals, he has to have some scapegoat for his followers to bash.

I think something should be done about the borders as far as making sure immigration is fair, legal, and not preferential towards one group. It's also a safety issue. However, I know Bushs' motives are all wrong. He couldn't care less about illegal immigration because it helps big business. He is just pulling out the hate card to rev up his conservative racist base.

"Anti-illegal campaign" my ass. Everyone knows that the nazi party is pro cheap labor & that's what illegals represent to them.

but Brownie and BushCo are on the job, folks--no need to worry about the Blues people losing the next Civil War.

illegal immigration is a huge problem in this country.

...no one ever talks about sealing the border with Canada?

toilets! Imagine that. After all, they don't want to pay decent wages to the housecleaners, so of course they hire cheap (illegal) labor.

Charming image: Dicky Chaney wielding toilet brush in effort to clean bathroom. Bet he doesn't know what one is...

...ooo, nasty thought...toilet brush meets Dicky...bad me.:evilgrin:

piss me off no end. Regardless of which way you come down on the illegals issue Bush isn't going to do a damn thing about this. This is lip service, plain and simple. I wouldn't take kindly to lip service from one of ours, so although I am anti-illegal, this cracks me up. I just went over to see what the Freepers had to say about this, and they aren't reacting any better to lip service than I would.

Every dark cloud DOES have a silver lining.