Thread: WARNING: Senator Frist SUPPORTS Guest Worker!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/29/ ... index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate opened an election-year debate on immigration on Wednesday, with Majority Leader Bill Frist saying he will oppose a controversial proposal to allow illegal immigrants to eventually work toward legal status.

Frist rejected the legalization process -- put forward by the Senate Judiciary Committee -- for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, a plan he said "most Americans would see as amnesty."

"I disagree with this approach, not just as a matter of principle, but because granting amnesty now will only encourage future and further disrespect for the law," the Tennessee Republican said on the Senate floor.

The majority leader has put forth his own immigration proposal, which lacked the legalization process and a provision in the committee's bill to create a guest-worker program allowing immigrants to hold jobs not filled by Americans. (Watch Lou Dobbs debate a worker program -- 13:24)

With Republicans divided in the debate, Frist said Wednesday he would support the guest-worker program, which also has President Bush's backing.

Frist said an immigration bill passed by the House in November, which does not contain a guest-worker program, was "incomplete."

"It fails to provide a comprehensive solution to our immigration situation, one that allows for necessary and helpful legal immigration and that welcomes those who played by the rules," said Frist, who has been mentioned as a possible 2008 presidential candidate. (A look at the competing bills)

But Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter insisted that allowing people already in the country illegally to eventually obtain legal status would not be "amnesty" because it would require them to pay $2,000 in fines, undergo a background check, learn English and work for six years before being granted permanent residency.

"It is not amnesty because the lawbreakers are not being unconditionally forgiven for their transgressions," said Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican. He added that "if there is a better way to bring these 11 million people forward so that we can identify them, we are open to any suggestions that anyone may have."

The bill will come to the Senate floor Thursday afternoon. Frist has blocked out the rest of this week and all of next week for the debate.

The Judiciary Committee's immigration reform bill passed Monday on a 12-6 vote. Six of the 10 Republicans on the committee opposed the measure, in large part because it contained the legalization process for undocumented workers.

While many conservative Republicans and other critics denounce the process as "amnesty," supporters refer to it as "earned citizenship."

A key question will be whether opponents of legalization will have the votes to strip the proposal out of the bill.

At least five of the Senate's 55 Republicans have expressed support for the concept. If Democrats stand united behind it, as they did in the Judiciary Committee, opponents may be hard-pressed to find the 51 votes they would need to take it out of the bill.

That could set up a confrontation with the House, where anti-illegal immigration sentiment is stronger.

The House version of immigration reform not only omitted a guest-worker program and a legalization process, but also made it a felony to come across the border illegally or to help illegal immigrants. It authorized construction of 700 miles of security fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Opposition to such measures helped spur protests in several states in recent days. (Full story)

House Speaker Dennis Hastert indicated Wednesday that the House could potentially accept a guest-worker program.

"Our first priority is to protect the border," the Illinois Republican told Reuters. "We also know that there's a need in some sectors of the economy for a guest-workers' program."

The language in the Judiciary Committee's bill setting up a process by which people in the country illegally could obtain legal status was originally proposed by Sens. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, and Ted Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat. (Watch a fact check on legal immigration -- 1:33)

Also supporting the proposal were Specter and three other Republicans on the committee -- Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Mike DeWine of Ohio.

Like Frist, both McCain and Brownback are thought to be considering 2008 White House bids.

Bush's balancing act
The immigration bill presents Bush with a tricky balancing act. His guest-worker program has support in the business community, and he has successfully courted Latino support during his presidency.

But he also must deal with an outspoken segment of his conservative base demanding restrictions on immigration.

While he supports a guest-worker program, the president has repeatedly said he does not support "amnesty" for those already here illegally.

The immigration issue is expected to be a major topic of discussion Thursday and Friday when Bush meets with Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Cancun, Mexico. (Watch the roots of Bush's immigration stance -- 2:21)

Hours before he departed for the meeting, Bush reiterated his support for a guest-worker program during a question-and-answer session at Freedom House, a Washington-based pro-democracy group.

"You cannot enforce the border without having a temporary guest-worker program," Bush said. "The two go hand in hand. There are people doing jobs Americans will not do. Many people who have come into our country are helping our economy grow. It's just a fact of life."

"We are a nation of law, but that doesn't preclude us from being a welcoming nation," he said. "I think a system which forces people underground and into the shadows of our society, which causes people to have to sneak across our border and risk their life, is a system that needs to be changed."

Whatever the politics and despite the odds against them, people from countries south of the U.S. border continue to try to cheat death for a chance at the American dream.

Once again this empty suit is talking out of both sides of his mouth. Has this clown ever seen a Bush policy he doesn't support? We really need to make these clowns pay at the polls in November. Even if this guest worker nonsense gets shot down, we need to remember all of the traitors who tried to shove this down our throats. No mercy at the polls in November.

Guest Worker Program is Amnesty, and if this law passes, it makes the Bush Administration the biggest COYOTE in Mexican history.

Pinto Bean

Well, the Frist bill does have a guest worker program for those who apply from outside the US. That makes it "complete", as opposed to the House bill which is enforcement only.

What the Frist bill does not have is "earned legalization" (Stolen Citizenship) for illegal aliens.

The confusing part is Bush wants to let illegal aliens stay, Frist's bill does not, so how can Frist say he supports Bush?

Who changed their mind all of a sudden, Bush or Frist?

The bottom line is that Frist supports Guest Worker which makes him a traitor to the will of the American public.

He can go on the political scrap heap with his brethren.

W

The Republicans aren't going to have ANYONE left to run for President. All the better for Congressman Tancredo.

Originally Posted by LegalUSCitizen

The Republicans aren't going to have ANYONE left to run for President. All the better for Congressman Tancredo.

The Democrats won't either which makes it even Better for Tancredo.

Now everyone hit VOLPAC tell Little Mr Frist who heck does he think he works for.

It seems that Senators Cornyn and Kyl are for amnesty.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&c ... gration_44

Contact this clown now and you tell him that you will vote out every Republican that supports Bush's guest worker nonsense and any other forms of amnesty. We need to tell these people, we are fed up and enough is enough.

Once again this empty suit is talking out of both sides of his mouth. Has this clown ever seen a Bush policy he doesn't support?

AMEN. And, that's exactly what he's been doing since he got there. All he wants to do is find some lie to perpetuate that will get him elected President. You are so right, dman1200--there has never been a Bush program that Frist didn't support. The man has never had an original thought in his life. He THINKS the American people are stupid and have a VERY SHORT MEMORY. That might be so for SOME but I guarantee this one won't forget his record. He can't fool me on this sudden change of heart. He sticks his finger up in the air to see which way the wind is blowing and that's the direction he takes. The man is a DISGRACE. All I can say is THANK GOD HE ISN'T PRACTICING MEDICINE ANYMORE.