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  1. #1
    Senior Member curiouspat's Avatar
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    Congress gets an earful on immigration

    http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0609/p03s02-uspo.html

    USA > Domestic Politics
    from the June 09, 2006 edition

    Congress gets an earful on immigration

    As the House and Senate struggle to reconcile two reform bills, constituents express frustration.
    By Gail Russell Chaddock | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
    WASHINGTON – It's wedge week in the US Senate, as Republican leaders force largely symbolic votes on issues that sparked the GOP base in past elections, such as a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and permanent repeal of the estate tax.
    But this election cycle, it appears that voters are fixed on bigger-ticket concerns - and they want results.

    Back from a week in their home districts, members on both sides of the aisle report a growing disconnect between Congress and constituents on issues ranging from war to fuel prices. But voters seem to be reserving their greatest frustration for immigration
    .

    Just count the bricks. Last Friday, the Architect of the Capitol's office hauled off some 2,100 bricks, sent to Senate offices by people who are angry that Congress hasn't done enough to build a "wall" at the borders. The Senate version of immigration reform, which passed on May 25, offers a path to citizenship for millions of people now in the country illegally. The House version of the bill focuses on border security. The two versions now must be reconciled.

    A recent poll by the Republican National Committee signals there may be room for compromise. The RNC poll tested a number of messages on immigration and found that the candidate who focuses only on border security loses to the candidate who talks about comprehensive reform, 25 percent to 71 percent. Seventy percent of voters - and 64 percent of Republicans - say illegal immigrants who have put down roots in the US should be granted legal status if they "go to the back of the line, pay a fine, pay back taxes, learn English, and have a clean criminal record," according to this poll. Only 25 percent say that would be amnesty.

    "Americans believe illegal immigration is a serious problem that the government has failed to address in the past. Doing nothing on this issue is not a solution, as Americans want it fixed today," wrote RNC senior adviser Matthew Dowd in a May 26 memorandum.

    For Rep. Jeff Flake (R) of Arizona, it's meant facing angry constituents at district meetings and late nights personally answering e-mails from voters dismayed over his support for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. "If you can get more than 30 seconds to talk about the issue, you can win some people over," he says.

    "If we just put our resources on the border, what do you do with the fact that half of those in the country illegally didn't sneak across the border? Do you think we can deport the equivalent of the state of Ohio across the border?" he says, in response to critics.

    But freshman Rep. Patrick McHenry (R) of North Carolina, who has two bricks displayed on his desk, says his constituents are opposed to any form of amnesty for illegals. "My constituents are outraged by the Senate's actions," he says. "I hear about it when I'm at the supermarket, when I am getting gas, when I'm doing constituent meetings. To a person, they mention immigration as a top-tier issue. And I've yet to hear one constituent say anything positive about the Senate bill."

    Recent polls put Congress at near-historic lows in public approval ratings, in the 20s. It's also playing out at the ballot box.

    This week, Republicans won what had been a safe GOP seat in a special election to replace Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R) of California, who stepped down after pleading guilty to corruption charges. But they did so only after pouring $5 million into the race, and after Francine Busby, the Democratic contender, committed an 11th-hour gaffe on immigration that damaged her prospects. Last Thursday, she made a comment that critics said encouraged illegal immigrants to help her campaign.

    "That remark pulled a whole bunch of Republican voters who weren't enthused about [former Rep. Brian] Bilbray into the race. It made a big difference," says Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report.

    "Iraq is the driving reason why people think the direction of the country is so bad, but immigration feeds the sense that it's time for a change. It makes an already strong mood even stronger," says political analyst Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report.

    However, incumbents also face scrutiny from voters over runaway spending and soaring fuel costs. The rising cost of commuting is especially likely to figure in suburbs and rural areas, where Republicans have typically won elections.

    "If you read the polls, the top issues now are Iraq, immigration, and fuel prices. They're the hot-button issues people want something done on by Congress and the president," says Rhodes Cook, an independent political analyst.

    Pennsylvania voters ousted 17 incumbent state legislators last month; 14 were Republicans. "I hope Republicans get the message that the base is very, very angry," says Pat Toomey, president of the anti-tax Club for Growth.

    That's why Republicans on Capitol Hill are eager to find other reasons to mobilize their base for fall elections. But the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage fell short this week, as did the vote to end the estate tax.
    TIME'S UP!
    **********
    Why should <u>only</u> AMERICAN CITIZENS and LEGAL immigrants, have to obey the law?!

  2. #2
    Senior Member gofer's Avatar
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    The RNC poll tested a number of messages on immigration and found that the candidate who focuses only on border security loses to the candidate who talks about comprehensive reform, 25 percent to 71 percent. Seventy percent of voters - and 64 percent of Republicans - say illegal immigrants who have put down roots in the US should be granted legal status if they "go to the back of the line, pay a fine, pay back taxes, learn English, and have a clean criminal record," according to this poll. Only 25 percent say that would be amnesty.
    Whaaaat???? Am I reading this right????

  3. #3
    Senior Member curiouspat's Avatar
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    I'd love to see that poll, gofer, wouldn't you?
    TIME'S UP!
    **********
    Why should <u>only</u> AMERICAN CITIZENS and LEGAL immigrants, have to obey the law?!

  4. #4
    Senior Member Richard's Avatar
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    I think that they mean if they returned to their home countries and filtered through the legal bottleneck would you hold having been living here before illegally against them.
    I support enforcement and see its lack as bad for the 3rd World as well. Remittances are now mostly spent on consumption not production assets. Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  5. #5
    Senior Member Sailor's Avatar
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    Must have been polling the Democrats.
    "Send them Back." "Build a damn wall and be done with it."
    Janis McDonald, Research Specialist, University of Pittsburg, 2006

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    Yeah, polling the democratic senate...

    MJ

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    mrmiata7's Avatar
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    Who is in control?

    You would think with their jobs in jeopardy those idiot politicians would not twist polls around to suit their own means. They still don't get it. That is why it looks as if the House is caving in to Senate demands as they are probably using the poll gauged by the RNC which I am sure the jackass in the White House subscribes to as well.

  8. #8
    Senior Member loservillelabor's Avatar
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    They polled Senators again. Damned liars. At Congress.org the issue alert mail for people that actualy wrote Congress is:

    Action Poll Updates:
    Here are the results of messages sent to our leaders. It's not too late to register your views by writing to Congress and President Bush.
    86% Oppose the Immigration Compromise 14% Support the Compromise

    Tell your House members the RNC is putting out propaganda.
    Send one yourself right here:

    http://www.congress.org/congressorg/...lertid=8788796
    Unemployment is not working. Deport illegal alien workers now! Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  9. #9
    Senior Member PintoBean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gofer
    The RNC poll tested a number of messages on immigration and found that the candidate who focuses only on border security loses to the candidate who talks about comprehensive reform, 25 percent to 71 percent. Seventy percent of voters - and 64 percent of Republicans - say illegal immigrants who have put down roots in the US should be granted legal status if they "go to the back of the line, pay a fine, pay back taxes, learn English, and have a clean criminal record," according to this poll. Only 25 percent say that would be amnesty.
    Whaaaat???? Am I reading this right????
    Face it, they will stoop to ANY LIE to approve CHEAP LABOR for their corporate handlers, including crafting a poll that elicits the results that they want. I recieved a phone call for one of these polls and got very IRATE because the questions are formed in such a way that you are left choosing an option that is not what you want, or taking a pass on the question.

    As one example, look at the polls on President Bush, and they say things like this:

    How would you rate the Presidents over all handling of the immigrants without documents issue?

    A) Excellent
    B) OK
    C) Fair
    D) Average

    Now, where in that question can a citizen truly express their anger at the presidents refusal to listen to the American Public on this important issue.
    Where are choices like PUTRID, vile and repugnant, or "a anal retentive chimp tripping on LSD could handle the situation better."

    Pinto Bean
    Keep the spirit of a child alive in your heart, and you can still spy the shadow of a unicorn when walking through the woods.

  10. #10
    Senior Member dman1200's Avatar
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    Contact the RNC and demand that they stop putting out bogus polls. Tell them we aren't fooled and they will feel our wrath at the polls.
    Please support our fight against illegal immigration by joining ALIPAC's email alerts here https://eepurl.com/cktGTn

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