Thread: Congressional leaders predict immigration law

Congressional leaders predict immigration law
Sun Jan 7, 2007 3:11 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic and Republican leaders predicted
on Sunday the U.S. Congress would pass an immigration law this session after scuttling President George W. Bush's plan last year.

Democratic leaders also said they were looking at ways to provide
middle class tax relief, with one hinting of possibly ending some tax breaks for the wealthy.

House of Representatives Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland
said on "Fox News Sunday" that immigration was one of the topics discussed when congressional leaders were invited to the White House
last week to meet with Bush.

"He (Bush) smiled and he said, 'You know, I think I'm going to
have a lot easier time dealing with you on immigration than I had dealing with the House Republican leadership on immigration,'" said Hoyer.

"I think that's the case," said Hoyer, who did not detail the plan.

Bush proposed a major overhaul of the immigration system that
included a limited guest worker program and an easier path to citizenship for many already in the country. He coupled that with money for i
ncreased border security.

In the end, House Republicans killed the immigration overhaul and Congress limited its action to approving money for 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky agreed that an immigration bill was possible.

Democrats last week took control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 12 years and have been outlining their legislative agenda since then.

On taxes, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said her party was looking at ways to provide "tax cuts for the middle class" but did
not rule out repealing breaks for the wealthiest taxpayers.

"We're not going to start with repealing tax cuts, but they certainly are not off the table for people making over half a million dollars a year," Pelosi said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

And Hoyer said Democrats were hoping to find a way to adjust the alternative minimum tax so it did not strike the upper middle class.
The tax was instituted to make sure the rich did not escape paying some tax, but it has not been changed or indexed so that inflation has brought more people under its provisions, raising their taxes.

But drastically changing it could cost the federal government $1 trillion over 10 years.

Hoyer said he thought the tax could be adjusted and not cost the government anything but he did not say how.

http://www.tiny.cc/43RV0

He (Bush) smiled

Me (my) stomach turned!

Felt sick when they were voted into power in November, feeling sicker by the moment now.

I can hear the picks, chipping away at America, and our chances of ever living differently than hand-to-mouth, and the hands with the picks are Bush and the Democratic House, backed by the ACLU.

No matter what I am not giving up, I am fighting. Though, should the politicians totally disregard us and our wishes and provide earned citizenship (aka: amnesty), I will refuse, for the rest of my life, to acknowledge any of these people as nothing more than invaders, and never as Americans.

Just as I would never consider giving a convicted bank robber a job in a bank.

Bush needs to be held to account! This week we need to flood the White House with calls, emails and faxes. And let him know if he pushes his amnesty/guestworker plan impeachment isn't far behind!

The mindset of these clowns is exactly why we MUST do a better job at getting our message out to each and every American citizen! I'm convinced the numbers are there for us to stop the predicted amnesty, but our cause depends on getting more Americans actively involved. I just don't believe business as usual is going to cut it now with the Democrats controlling the helm. Nows the time to act, not later!

I certainly hope every established anti-illegal group in the country is coming together and brainstorming. We must work together if we wish to overcome - there is strength in numbers. 2007 is the year of the Democrat, and I for one would like to rain on their parade where illegal immigration is concerned.

Mitch McConnell contact info:

Washington Office
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499

White House contact info

Phone Numbers

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

TTY/TDD

Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

E-Mail
Please send your comments to comments@whitehouse.gov

"tax cuts for the middle class"

Massive amnesty and mass immigration and they will throw a tiny bone to the american middle class that amounts to a couple of meals at mcdonalds or burger king and they will be happy. What an insult to the american middle class. They think we are all morons.

I don't see how the Democrats can even begin to push a massive amnesty if they are serious about PAY-GO, even if they decide to raise taxes on the wealthiest. The costs of this would be staggering.......on par with Iraq - we simply cannot afford to do such a thing.

On the other hand, we are now spending about $7 billion per month in Iraq, so the 700 mile border fence would cost the equivalent of 1 week in Iraq.....given the effectiveness of a fence, this is a bargain by any stretch of the imagination.

I realize our troops being in Iraq is simply a part of things right now, and I also agree that we need to start a definite exit strategy, so these people can begin to manage themselves.

I also think that we have helped the people of Iraq, by giving them a chance to be free of tyranny, but now our interests would be better served to start withdrawing, and take care of what is going on here. Bring these people home, bump up our Border Patrol's budget and start hiring these soldiers to be our civilian forces on our border's.

I do not believe, we should EVER cut and run. In the eyes of the terrorist organizations, it would be like a dog running away with it's tail between it's legs. It would open us up to all sorts of domestic aggressions.

We do need these people home, we need more people on OUR border's, not someone else's.