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Joined: May 22, 2006 Posts: 28639 Location: Mexifornia
Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 1:29 am Post subject: Did Kyl forget 2006 stance on amnesty?
Did Kyl forget 2006 stance on amnesty?
BLAKE MORLOCK
Published: 05.19.2007
U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl defines amnesty as any change to immigration law that allows illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
This was during his 2006 re-election campaign.
The Arizona Republican said then that couldn't support amnesty.
This week he did just that in helping craft an immigration reform bill that provides a path to citizenship but clamps down just about everywhere else.
The deal he brokered with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., seems more crackdown than handout.
It shows little leniency to family members of immigrants, turns the border into a virtual searchlight and makes sure guest workers brought into the country are here temporarily with no chance of citizenship through that program.
Those here illegally would likely wait up to 13 years to get permanent legal status and start the path to citizenship (after leaving the country to apply for it).
Liberal Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., won't support such a bill, calling it unnecessarily harsh.
Kyl predicts his plan will pass the Senate with 60 votes and will be opposed by more Democrats than Republicans.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has decided to leave "whipping" up votes for immigration reform to President Bush. Bush will have to find votes from Republicans, which would probably steer the House proposal to the right.
And what does Kyl get for winning concession after concession and tightening border security?
The no-compromise crowd painted a big bull's-eye on him and his immigration deal.
State Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, called Kyl's plan "treasonous" and is organizing lawmakers across the country to oppose the Kyl bill.
Pearce is known for his fierce opposition to illegal immigration and his charming demeanor. There was no charm in his style Thursday when he talked about the deal that Kyl made.
He had a warning for Kyl and any who vote for his compromise. Pearce's reading of the 2006 election, unique in its interpretation, is that the GOP rank and file revolted against Republicans who supported what Pearce calls "amnesty."
"We threw out our own because they were not standing up as Republicans," Pearce said.
A Tucson Citizen reader responding to an article about the Senate immigration deal simply wrote one word: "Revolution!"
Similar sentiments followed.
A self-professed conservative group, MOD EDIT, sent out messages promising to fire off 791,000 faxes and organize an effort to force Congress to reject Kyl's "offensive" deal.
Grassfire is based in South Carolina, home of one the second presidential primary.
Also in South Carolina, the Columbia Christians for Life managed to link the immigration bill to John F. Kennedy's assassination.
Turns out Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., helped negotiate the immigration deal and served on the Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy's death. Coincidence?
But how big of a voice are the conservative cultural warriors?
A CNN/Opinion Research poll this month asked 1,028 adults nationally whether they favored a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants here today. Eighty-one percent said "yes," and 17 percent said "no."
In April, NBC News and the Wall Street Journal asked a similar question of 500 adults nationally. Fifty-one percent said "no," and 44 percent said "yes."
There's some confusion.
But on this issue, public opinion is about intensity as much as it is about majority.
A third of respondents were "strongly opposed," while "strongly favored" came in at 14 percent.
The National Journal ranks Kyl as the third-most conservative senator, but on this issue, Kyl said he was following his constituents.
"The message voters sent me during the campaign is that they wanted something done about immigration," Kyl said.
Thursday night, Kyl reflected on how he'd gone on the FOXNews "Hannity and Colmes" show, only to be attacked by Sean Hannity from the right and Alan Colmes from the left.
He'd irritated both extremes, so he figures he probably did a good job.
"I think I found the legislative sweet spot," Kyl said.
Joined: Jun 01, 2006 Posts: 12473 Location: North Carolina
Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 1:40 am Post subject:
Quote:
A CNN/Opinion Research poll this month asked 1,028 adults nationally whether they favored a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants here today. Eighty-one percent said "yes," and 17 percent said "no."
Ahhhh, this must be the infamous poll I've heard so much about.
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