Thread: Bush touts temporary worker program and affordable housing

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Bush touts temporary worker program, affordable housing during Tampa visit
Michael Hinman
There are jobs that most Americans simply won't do. And because of that, the government should work to let immigrants in to do those jobs, even if it's on a temporary basis.

President George W. Bush outlined that plan to a crowd of more than 300 people at Cruise Terminal 3 at Channelside in Tampa Friday in an appearance meant to boost his administration's Global War on Terror.

"If there's a willing employer and a willing worker on a job an American won't do, then it's OK to fill that job, so long as you're not here permanently," Bush said. "I believe there ought to be a temporary worker program."

The president said that a lot of the country's border patrol, especially in the southern reaches of Texas, law enforcement officers are spending more time policing Mexican immigrants who are trying to find a job in the United States, rather than looking for terrorists.

"Agriculture relies upon a lot of people willing to do the work that others won't do," Bush said. "And it seems like to me there ought to be a legal way to make this happen without creating a sense of amnesty or permanency."

Bush acknowledged that a lot of immigration labor can be found in Central Florida, and even pointed out U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, whose family has a citrus and cattle business in Polk County. But the president did empathize that he still does not support illegal immigration into the country.

"I'm not for amnesty," Bush said. "You got about 8 million-plus people here illegally. My worry is if all of a sudden (they become) legal citizens, then another 8 million comes. I don't think that makes any sense. I'm for border enforcement, and strong border enforcement, with a rational guest worker program that's temporary in nature, where it's understood that you're working here for a period of time, then you're going back on home."

As residential construction continues at a fast pace in the Tampa Bay area, Bush expressed a need to pursue more affordable housing, something he said can be done through a variety of options, including good government tax management.

"Interest rates matter, as does good tax policy," Bush said. "We want people owning their own home. We want this to be an ownership society. We want people owning their own business. Home ownership is a high right now. More minorities own a home than ever before in our nation's history, which is a fantastic statistic."

Trying to keep life affordable for Americans also can be complicated by the rising cost of fossil fuels such as what's used in gasoline. Bush said he is continuing his commitment to seek out alternative fuels and lessening the dependence on foreign oil. However, that does not mean he's going to support offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.

"I made a commitment that nothing is going to happen within 100 miles of this coastline, and I'm honoring that commitment," Bush said. "I don't care what people might be saying. It's a commitment that this government has. There's a lot of technologies that are coming on the market, and we're spending money. It's a good use of taxpayers' money it seems like to me in order to achieve some big objectives."

Bush said that a generous amount of energy can be saved in urban areas if technology were advanced supporting vehicles that might travel small distances from home to work.

"A lot of people in urban areas are not going to drive more than 30 miles a day," Bush said. "And so we're developing automobile engines that can run on electricity for 30 miles. And then if you go more, your gasoline kicks in. But it requires a battery that has got good storage capacity and is easy to recharge."

Earlier in the day, Bush met with military officials at MacDill Air Force Base to get a briefing on operations in the Middle East. After the town hall meeting, he headed to Orlando for a political fundraiser.

There are jobs that most Americans simply won't do. And because of that, the government should work to let immigrants in to do those jobs, even if it's on a temporary basis.

OK, George. We get the point.

Shouldn't you be busy looking for more US ports to turn over to those fine people in the Middle East?