Same Old Same Old! Not A Good Plan Mr. President!
The speech tonight was just much of the same old same old! Michelle pointed out some of the obvious:
Unintentional laugh line: Most illegal aliens “live in the shadows of our society.”
Unintentional laugh line #2: “We are a nation of laws. And we must enforce our laws.”
Cites border security funding increase.
“The men and women of our Border Patrol are doing a fine job under difficult circumstances.” That I agree with 100 percent.
807 Message to Vicente Fox: “The United States is not going to militarize the border.” But you go ahead and militarize yours, Vicente.
Addresses catch-and-release problem. Detention bed shortage. We’ll end catch and release at the southern border once and for all.
Why just at the southern border? Catch and release is a deadly problem everywhere.
811: Bush has lost touch with reality, arguing that guest worker/amnesty will reduce the incentive to cross the border. Reality check.
814 Bush tosses a bone to Americans outraged by the reconquista desecration of the American flag…paraphrasing…immigrants must “respect the flag we fly.”
816. Bush admonishes others not to exploit immigration for political gain.
Chutzpah.Here’s the White House official speech preview (hat tip: Kathryn Lopez) of the platitudes, non sequiturs, and recycled rhetoric I’ve been deconstructing the last five years:
On the President’s vision for comprehensive immigration reform:
“We are a Nation of laws, and we must enforce our laws. We are also a Nation of immigrants, and we must uphold that tradition, which has strengthened our country in so many ways. These are not contradictory goals – America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time. We will fix the problems created by illegal immigration, and we will deliver a system that is secure, orderly, and fair.”On Border Security:
“Since I became President, we have increased funding for border security by 66 percent, and expanded the Border Patrol from about 9,000 to 12,000 agents. . . .we have apprehended and sent home about six million people entering America illegally.
“Despite this progress, we do not yet have full control of the border, and I am determined to change that. Tonight I am calling on Congress to provide funding for dramatic improvements in manpower and technology at the border.”
On the Importance of a Temporary Worker Program to relieve pressure on the border:
“The reality is that there are many people on the other side of our border who will do anything to come to America to work and build a better life. They walk across miles of desert in the summer heat, or hide in the back of 18-wheelers to reach our country. This creates enormous pressure on our border that walls and patrols alone will not stop. To secure the border effectively we must reduce the numbers of people trying to sneak across.”
On enforcing our laws:
“. . . we need to hold employers to account for the workers they hire. It is against the law to hire someone who is in this country illegally. Yet businesses often cannot verify the legal status of their employees, because of the widespread problem of document fraud. Therefore, comprehensive immigration reform must include a better system for verifying documents and work eligibility . . .
“A tamper-proof card would help us enforce the law – and leave employers with no excuse for violating it. And by making it harder for illegal immigrants to find work in our country, we would discourage people from crossing the border illegally in the first place.”
On the President’s opposition to amnesty:
“. . . we must face the reality that millions of illegal immigrants are already here. They should not be given an automatic path to citizenship. This is amnesty, and I oppose it. Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully – and it would invite further waves of illegal immigration.”
On assimilation:
“. . . we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot, which has made us one Nation out of many peoples. The success of our country depends upon helping newcomers assimilate into our society, and embrace our common identity as Americans. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for the flag we fly, and an ability to speak and write the English language.”
On the tone of the debate:
“We must always remember that real lives will be affected by our debates and decisions, and that every human being has dignity and value no matter what their citizenship papers say.”
May 15, 2006 - 08:41 PM on May 15th, 2006
The President’s Immigration Speech
Call me uninspired. While I am happy about giving the border patrol assistance with National Guard troops, the speech was much too comprehensive for me. Too much of the same ole’ stuff in this speech. Here’s a bit of it:WASHINGTON
May 15, 2006 - 09:05 PM on May 15th, 2006
I like President Bush, I really do. But his speech shows either a total lack of comprehension of the situation or a lack of interest in the wishes of the American citizens who voted for him. I’m really starting to believe that we might need to hold a freaking 1,000,000 person march on Washington to get the damn point across that illegal aliens represent a SERIOUS threat to the people of this country. We must secure the border and if it takes militarizing it, so be it. Last I checked Vicente Fox wasn’t on the ballot or the voter rolls in this country whatever he has to say about the US militarizing the border has two problems with it. He has one of the most militarized border in the western hemisphere, and he has done nothing but assist his countrymen to illegally enter this country in violation of our sovereignty. Add in the fact that is Army has made multiple excursions into this country on supposed Land navigation exercise “Accidents” fully armed. They’ve even been caught here with large quantities of drugs and been sent back.
We must secure our borders against further illegal aliens WHATEVER IT TAKES. We can then decide how to deal with those that are here already. We need to end the Anchor Baby citizenship plan. Virtually no other country has it why should we? We need to vote out ANY representative or Senator who votes for the plan that was put forward giving a visa to any widow or child from a third world country claiming that they are in fear for their lives if they stay at home. We MUST crack down on employers with the full extent of the law. At $10,000 per illegal, the fines will make most of them really think twice.
May 16, 2006 - 01:06 AM on May 16th, 2006
[...] Right Voices: Same Old Same Old! Not A Good Plan Mr. President! [...]
May 16, 2006 - 01:26 PM on May 16th, 2006
I could scarcely watch it. I knew it was going to be a truckload of manure, and he didn’t dissapoint.
I agree with FAO above. GWB either just doesn’t get it, or the Puppetmasters are jerking the strings.
May 17, 2006 - 10:19 PM on May 17th, 2006
Robert, I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but there has been a LOT of civil unrest in Mexico lately. There were 6 police officers who were kidnapped by persons unknown but believed to have been labor unionist. In retaliation, the police in Mexico City clubbed a bunch of labor union members brutally, killing at least two and hospitalizing at least four others with critical injuries. Two other police officers were kidnapped and beheaded by drug dealers who placed their heads on a fence as a warning to police as to who actually controls the area. The beheadings were in response to the deaths of some drug dealers in a gun fight.
If this keeps up through the upcoming Mexican elections, we could have a revolution on our southern border complete with all of the resulting refugees. If we don’t begin reenforcing and militarizing the border now, we may not have the time to later. For those who don’t live in southern border states, I can tell you that the crime rates will go through the roof in the south west.