http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,640189812,00.html

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Jacob, Cannon similar in views

Copyright 2006 Deseret Morning News
By Tad Walch and Deborah Bulkeley
Deseret Morning News

OREM — Nearly $1 million has been spent on Tuesday's Republican primary for Utah's 3rd District congressional seat, with much of the cash targeted at defining the two candidates' positions on illegal immigration.
Kim Raff, Deseret Morning NewsPartisans Saturday at WestFest. The topic has been the flash point in the campaign, and for good reason. The responses by Rep. Chris Cannon and challenger John Jacob to a Deseret Morning News questionnaire show they share very similar views on a wide range of topics — including, in many respects, illegal immigration.

A poll conducted this past week for the Deseret Morning News and KSL-TV by Dan Jones & Associates shows that Cannon leads Jacob 46 percent to 33 percent among all voters. However, among Republicans alone, Cannon's lead jumps to 60 percent versus Jacob's 35 percent. And Tuesday's election is open only to registered Republicans.

In their replies to the Morning News questionnaire, Cannon and Jacob both said they support constitutional amendments to protect the flag and traditional marriage. They each want to curb government spending and fight high gas prices by opening up federal and other lands for the development of oil resources in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and Alaska.

The two conservatives also want to derail the federal education mandate No Child Left Behind, although Jacob blames Cannon for voting for it. Cannon said his 2001 vote did reauthorize a decades-old law but that he quickly learned the revamped measure was a mistake and has fought against it for years. He now calls for the abolishment of the entire U.S. Department of Education.

Even on illegal immigration, both men oppose the Senate bill and its path to citizenship for illegal aliens, though Cannon's critics say the bill was inspired by an earlier House agricultural jobs bill introduced by Cannon. That bill would have allowed some farm workers to earn legal status. Jacob and Cannon like the December 2005 House bill — Cannon voted for it — because of its border enforcement measures, but they agree it isn't sufficient.

Kim Raff, Deseret Morning NewsDiane and John Jacob They also say the key elements of effective immigration reform are border security, interior enforcement and tools to help businesses comply with laws against hiring illegal aliens. And they want tamper-proof identification for all immigrants to the United States.

They even said they are both against amnesty for illegal immigrants, though this is also where the two 50-something, Utah County millionaire businessmen have some differences.

Using a dictionary, Cannon defined amnesty as a pardon, and a pardon as anything that excused an offense without exacting a penalty. He has co-sponsored and supported legislation that would create a temporary-worker or guest-worker program to allow some of those in the country illegally to change their status to legal, with penalties attached.

"I support an adjustment of status only if it includes meaningful penalties for illegal behavior," Cannon said. "Otherwise, it is an amnesty."

Meanwhile, Jacob defined amnesty as a "mass-pardon for lawbreakers."

"In short, amnesty is looking the other way while a crime is being committed," he said.

Jacob only supports a guest-worker status for people who go home first.

"It's not an amnesty," he has said of the program, which would give out "very rare" FastPasses to those who qualified.

Those who qualified would be required to leave but given a date when they could return, sort of like the FastPass used at Disneyland so people don't have to stand in line for the most popular rides.

Another major point of contention that has come out of the campaign, but which was not addressed in the questionnaires, is how and why immigrants are here illegally. Jacob said the 12 million to 20 million illegal immigrants jumped the border to take advantage of American jobs and social programs and do not want to stay.

Cannon said as many as half are people who came here legally but overstayed their visas because want to live here and want to become legal U.S. residents but can't navigate the immigration system both candidates agree is broken.

The most obvious differences between the candidates are revealed in response to questions about what each would offer voters compared to their opponent.

Jacob said he will be better at listening to 3rd District residents, and that he believed it is time for a change as Cannon completes his fifth term in Congress.

Deseret Morning News graphic "We now have a federal debt of $8.3 trillion," Jacob said. "No Child Left Behind has failed, gasoline prices are soaring, and 12 million uninvited, illegal immigrants have crossed our borders. . . . We deserve better."

Cannon continued to tout his experience in Washington as his advantage to "get things done."

"We are a small state and that reality demands effectiveness from our congressional delegation, and I believe my record reflects that effectiveness."


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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com; dbulkeley@desnews.com