AN INVITATION TO DISASTER
As the Senate gleefully races toward the immigration reform gasoline dump sporting a lit match and a truckload of nitroglycerin, an outline of their handiwork shows the true nature of the disaster that is about to befall the republic.
Think I’m exaggerating? A little “Nuthouse nuttery” that I’m inclined to indulge in from time to time?
Think again. What these guardians of our national security have wrought is nothing short of a surrender to lawlessness, a pandering to an interest group so nauseating in its totality and so base in it calculated appeal for their electoral loyalty that it takes one’s breath away to contemplate how easily our safety has been compromised in the name of a few, lousy, votes.
For in truth, this “comprehensive reform” is hardly comprehensive and reforms nothing. Instead, it validates lawbreaking, rewards separateness, spits in the face of those who have followed the rules and come here legally, and endangers the cohesiveness and unity of the country. It also opens wide the borders and invites another two or three generations of immigration scofflaws to enjoy our hospitality, awaiting their turn on the amnesty-go-round willingly supplied by politicians who refuse to do the right thing in favor of being able to preen, primp, and posture in front of the voters, touting their credentials as compassionate lawmakers concerned about the “plight” of illegal aliens.
The more one reads about this bill, the more it becomes clear that border security advocates and immigration law enforcement supporters have been thrown off the train in favor of full blown amnesty and a visa program with big enough loopholes that you can drive a truck full of “undocumented workers” through:
The proposed agreement would allow illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a “Z visa” and — after paying fees and a $5,000 fine — ultimately get on track for permanent residency, which could take between eight and 13 years. Heads of household would have to return to their home countries first.
They could come forward right away to claim a probationary card that would let them live and work legally in the U.S., but could not begin the path to permanent residency or citizenship until border security improvements and the high-tech worker identification program were completed.
A new temporary guest worker program would also have to wait until those so-called “triggers” had been activated.
Those workers would have to return home after work stints of two years, with little opportunity to gain permanent legal status or ever become U.S. citizens. They could renew their guest worker visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year in between each time.
Why bother with the “Z” visa when the “probationary card” will get you by for a few years? Then it would simply be a matter of going underground again, counting on the same kind of lax enforcement that has been the hallmark of our immigration policies for decades.
The “guest worker” program is another invitation to abuse. Anyone want to bet how many of those workers actually go home after 2 years?
One aspect of the bill not mentioned in the AP story but that Michelle Malkin has via email from Roy Beck of NumbersUSA:
WE LOSE — by getting a tripling of the rate of chain migration of extended family from around 250,000 a year to around 750,000 a year for about a decade;
IN EXCHANGE FOR — after about a decade, there should be no more chain migration (assuming that Kennedy doesn’t add it back in by then);
That’s three quarters of a million people - slightly less than the number of legal immigrants allowed on an annual basis - who will be dumped on the social welfare system (schools, hospitals, and government dependence programs), placing strain on what is already a nearly broken network of support for the poor. This will be in addition to the millions who have been fearful of taking advantage of this system because of their previously illegal status.
We should brace ourselves for the human flood who will seek to cross the border between now and when the amnesty takes effect. Now that the amnesty cat is out of the bag, it is more than likely that there will be a huge surge of humanity desperate to get here to grab the brass ring so eagerly offered up by our lawmakers.
How this will scramble politics is uncertain. I would not be surprised if this measure was the catalyst for the formation of a third party. Nor would it surprise me if it didn’t disgust enough conservatives that the political re-alignment predicted by some didn’t become a reality as a result of the right abandoning the GOP. For Presidential politics, I’d like to say it would doom John McCain’s candidacy but unfortunately, we will not be vouchsafed such a happy occurrence. Nor will it give much of a boost to Mr. Tancredo’s one-issue crusade, although one can barely see him as Vice Presidential material if the issue is still hot this time next year.
Make no mistake. This bill is a watershed, the GOP’s Gettysburg. And those of us who favor enforcement and security are in the position of making a futile charge up the long slope under the guns of the pro-amnesty crowd from both parties.
And there’s not a damn thing we can do to stop it.
UPDATE
Allah has a good question:
Rich Lowry thinks the “triggers†are a scam from the word go, with amnesty granted immediately upon passage of the bill and the “Z visas,†which are keed to the enforcement triggers, only relevant insofar as they allow the bearer to travel. But even if Lowry’s wrong, what happens to the illegals who are here while the feds are working towards the triggers? Let’s say they get bogged down and can’t get them done for another decade. What’s the status of the “undocumented†during that interim period?
Answer: Congress will simply say the “triggers” are in place even if they aren’t. Just move the goal posts.
And Hugh Hewitt issues a challenge:
If there aren’t 41 Republican senators willing to fight for the common sense solution, the Senate GOP will be staggered again, just as it was by John Warner’s and Susan Collins’ attempt to agree to slow surrender in Iraq some months ago. Apparently the bulk of the Senate Republicans simply do not understand that an opposition party is supposed to oppose bad laws, not attempt to merely dilute them.
Michelle Malkin has many links, but despite the obvious anger in the ranks of the party’s base, this bill will move quickly unless stopped immediately. Call 202-225-3121 and ask for the offices of Mitch McConnell, Trent Lott or Jon Kyl, the three leaders of the GOP in the upper chamber. Surrendering half the fence is the first step in surrendering half the seats they are trying to defend in ‘08, and Gordon Smith, Norm Coleman, John Sununu and others ought to be demanding the caucus stop this national security and political insanity. The Senate GOP can and should filibuster any bill that dismantles half the fence before it was built, and any bill that is vague on the details of amnesty-lite.
GOP lawmakers should be polishing up those back benches, making them nice and presentable. They’re going to be stuck there a few decades if they meekly submit to the passage of this bill.
12 million undocumented, $5000 fine, unless I misread something that’s 60 billion dollars if everyone goes for the Z. Enough to pay for the Iraq war for 7 months or so.
(Only 80% kidding.)
Comment by Bill Arnold — 5/17/2007 @ 5:25 pm
I just tried calling Senator Martinez (R-FL) to let him know that his amnesty support means that he won’t be receiving my vote again. His voice-mail box is jammed and his Senate website has error messages on it. I’ll bet he’s getting an earful.
Comment by G. Weightman — 5/17/2007 @ 6:09 pm
Sent my thoughts to comments@whitehouse.gov
If this proposal passes and is implemeted it will assure that the Republican party will never again gain power (which is why Kennedy is so supportive of it). One third of the population in the US is now “minorities”. If this proposal is approved, 50% of the country will be minority within 5 years and most of them vote Democrat, so good-bye GOP. The US will become an entitlement socialist country with even more income re-distribution and confiscation of property to give to the “needy”. Not only that, but Spanish could become the official language since the “hard-working immigrants” don’t want to learn English (and don’t need to). In other words, a problem will soon become a disaster for those of us who want to keep the country. Force the law breaking immigrants to come here legally and become citizens the same way our forefathers did.
Comment by Lars — 5/17/2007 @ 7:21 pm
This is a travesty. A sad day for American citizens, who stand to lose so much because of this. Jobs, our culture, our resources. Thank you Rick for a great post and round up.
Comment by Glory1776 — 5/17/2007 @ 7:46 pm
I am not a proponent for illegal alien amnesty either. I was watching FNC this morning and they reported that over 90% of the emails they were receiving was extremely negative about this bi-partison/White House agreeing legislation.
As I was thinking about that (mind you I have not read any details) my thought was maybe it would be better to legitimize illegal aliens that are working for a living. I say this for Fox News said before any variant of the word amnesty the politicians are using, security measures must be implimented before hand to slow or prevent further influx of illegal aliens.
So again I say I am not a fan of amnesty; however a rare statesman like compromise may make liberals and conservative happier with the end in mind.
Comment by Theway2k — 5/17/2007 @ 8:13 pm
After initially seeing the main points of this bill, I would be inclined to support it.
The bill does not lead automatically to citizenship, only applies to those that have been here for 5 years or more, for the first time puts education level ahead of familial ties for consideration for green cards, requires those seeking green cards or citizenship to RETURN (heads of households) to their original countries to apply for LEGAL entrance into the U.S. and puts border security FIRST with “triggers†that must be met and signed off by homeland security in order for other provisions of the bill to be enacted. But, I will wait until a final bill has been crafted on deciding whether or not I will support it.
One thing to consider is that in all practicality because the federal government, especially under the Bush Administration, has abdigated it’s responsiblility on immigration enforcement and reform and created the immigration crises we all face, it would be a HUGE mistake to oppose a bill that has so many good aspects to it. I did not think it would contain so many elements I could support.
The reality is that there isn’t a workable solution that would peacefully cause even a majority of the 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens to go back home and stay there, especially without a MAJOR backlash against the Republican party that could last a generation or more of DEFEAT for our party.
Sometimes we can only get part of what we want or face consequences that bode DISASTER for our other causes and concerns.
If we handle this correctly, we could win all around with the immigration debate behind us while we focus on winning the Congress, Senate and presidency in 2008.
Remember that I was willing to split from the party on this issue alone, since the original Senate bill called for approximately 100,000,000 new legal immigrants projected to come in on a familial basis in the next twenty years or so. Now we have a point system that for the first time favors skills, instead of familial ties, when issuing green cards or citizenship.
Georgia Republican Johnny Isakson opposed last years’ Senate ‘amnesty’ bill but supports this one because the bill has to have:
a)18,000 border patrol agents
b)370 miles of border fence constructed
c)27,500 detention beds in operation
d)An employment verification system in place
All these have to be certified by Homeland security (Bush won’t be there) BEFORE the “Z Visa” or the “Y Visa” programs can begin.
Please wait until a final bill is achieved before torpedoing it.
Please?
Comment by Denny — 5/17/2007 @ 8:28 pm
THEY ARE TRYING TO PUSH THIS THRU THE SENATE. HAVE EMAILED MY SENATORS AND DEMANDED A RESPONSE FROM THEM, NOT CANNED LETTERS FROM STAFFERS AND TOLD EM THAT IF THE VOTED FOR IT I’D PERSONALLY WORK TO DEFEAT THEM.
WE ARE LOSING OUR COUNTRY, CULTURE, SCHOOLS, MY KID’S HIGH SCHOOL HAS 20 TRAILERS OUT BACK ITS SO OVER-CROWDED WITH NON ENGLISH SPEAKING KIDS SUCKING UP THE EDUCATION DOLLARS AND WE WILL SOON SEE A NEW FLAG FLYING.
DID ANY OF THESE BOOBS MENTION ANCHOR BABIES?
I ALSO DON’T BELIEVE THE DEAL ABOUT NOT ALLOWING RELATIVES, THEY’D JUST SNEAK OVER TO LIVE IN THE MILLIONS OF HOUSEHOLDS SET UP HERE ALREADY, THATS BS.
PRESIDENT BUSH HAS JUST LOST MY SUPPORT AND I HATE TO SAY THAT, I REALLY DO, BUT I’M SCARED I’M LOSING MY COUNTRY.
WE’RE NOW FIGHTING TERROR ON TWO FRONTS, IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND HERE SINCE ALOT OF ILLEGALS WANT THIS LAND BACK, THEY SAY WE STOLE IT AND THERE ARE ENOUGH OF EM HERE TO PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT FOLKS.
I’M GONNA GET A GUN AND TAKE LESSONS ON HOW TO SHOOT CUZ I AIN’T GIVING UP ANYTHING TO THE MASSES OF THEIR GANG MEMBERS HERE AND THE OTHERS JUST WAITING TO COME NOW THAT THESE BOOBS ARE PASSING THIS BOGUS POS LEGISLATION.
I’M PISSE TO SAY THE LEAST, CAN YA TELL.
P.S. DID THE BILL SAY THEY HAVE TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, I’M SICK TO DEATH OF SEEING ALL THE SPANISH SIGNS AND CALLING AND HAVING TO HEAR THE SPANISH VERSION OF SOMETHING FIRST, IT SHOULD BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THIS IS MY COUNTRY DAMMIT.
Comment by Drewsmom — 5/18/2007 @ 5:29 am
More notes on the Immigration bill…
NRO’s Kate O’Beirne:
“Tomorrow, The Heritage Foundation’s Robert Rector will share the following analysis in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. Virtually no attention has been paid to the enormous costs involved in …
Trackback by Macsmind - Conservative Commentary and Common Sense — 5/18/2007 @ 7:16 am
The so-called “good” points of this bill such as the Zorro Visa, pay $5,000 fine, go back to home country, etc are NOT going to work. Why a Z visa? How about a visa from their home country? They will never pay $5,000, or at least we’ll never collect, and do you think an illegal is going home and not coming back with 6 relatives? The whole thing is just a hope and a promise that will result in an additional influx of at least 30 milion high school drop outs who will cost us $trillions over the next 10 to 20 years. If this is the best we can do, the Country is toast.
Comment by Lars — 5/18/2007 @ 8:09 am
Web Reconnaissance for 05/18/2007…
A short recon of whatÂ’s out there that might draw your attention….
Trackback by The Thunder Run — 5/18/2007 @ 9:58 am
After hearing more about this bill I am now OPPOSED to it.
The initial reports that I heard about those eligible to received the Z Visas were incorrect along with how long an illegal alien had to be in the country to get one. There are other provisions of this bill that are troubling, too.
NO, NO, NO!
Comment by Denny — 5/18/2007 @ 5:48 pm
“And there’s not a damn thing we can do to stop it.”
“Up to the dusty attic,
Out with the trusty gun!
The law book and the lawyer
Only go so far!
Sooner, or later,
Push gonna come to shove.
Don’t think that it can’t happen
Where you are.”
“No High Ground”, Leslie Fish.
Comment by SDN — 5/18/2007 @ 9:41 pm
Why are we as a nation APOLOGIZING for the discomfort we cause to people who sneak in here illegally? Family reunification? Go back and join your family in your own country! Why do we have laws allowing in people from “underrepresented countries? Are we obligated to admit every person who wants to come here in equal racial proportion to their presence on Earth?
I will settle for a repeal of sanctuary law and immediate deportation of all who break laws and are here illegally.
I will settle for applying the law here equally against immigrants, from stealing shopping carts to evading taxes.
I will settle for the same immigration policy as Mexico and Korea.
Comment by Patricia — 5/19/2007 @ 11:46 am