Thread: Jeb Bush: Democrats playing politics with immigration

Jeb Bush: Democrats playing politics with immigration

James Hohman -
Nov. 30, 2010 01:03 PM
POLITICO.COM

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush accused Democrats Tuesday of shamelessly playing politics with immigration.

His uncharacteristically sharp comments came during a discussion of the DREAM Act, which Democrats and the White House are pushing hard in the lame-duck session despite its virtually nonexistent chances of passage.

"It's used as a political tool for both parties," Bush said, of immigration generally. "The Democrats, I think, are more shameless because they use it as a wedge issue, promising things that they're never going to deliver, knowing they're not going to deliver. I think it happens all the time."

Bush, often mentioned as a possible presidential contender, called on President Barack Obama to travel down to the border. It's a talking point other Republicans, like Arizona Sen. John McCain, have honed in on over the last few months.

"The president would, I think, earn tremendous points if he just went to the border and listened to people and sensed the frustration and determined that it's different in Chicago maybe than it is in Tucson," Bush said.

Bush, whose wife Columba was born in Mexico and who has deep appeal with Hispanic voters in his home state, said he's sympathetic to what the DREAM Act is trying to accomplish: creating a path to citizenship for tens of thousands of young, undocumented immigrants who attend college or serve in the military for at least two years.

But he was more insistent that the fix should be part of a broader package and added that he hasn't seen enough specifics to make a determination about the legislation now being considered.

"It is so clear that the first element of comprehensive immigration reform must be to control the border," he said.

The ex-governor lamented that more politicians didn't show the courage to back George W. Bush's failed second-term immigration overhaul and complained that there are no meaningful benchmarks to track whether the border is better under control.

"I don't think, politically, not having a vote, or voting no, will change the course of electoral politics for the next couple of election cycles," he added.

Critics say the DREAM Act is tantamount to "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.

Bush made the comments at Washington's Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where he appeared at a news conference with five state schools' chiefs to talk about education reform at the start of a two-day conference on the issue.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan has been the administration's point man on the DREAM Act, holding a conference call for reporters on Monday to tout the legislation. Ironically he's scheduled to speak at this conference on Wednesday.

Bush, though, praised Duncan and Obama for being willing to take on teachers' unions - one of the Democratic Party's core constituencies. He said unions are "one of the principal resistors" to helping children.

He focused his comments on education, an area on which he made strides during two terms in the Sunshine State. He thinks that the coming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act offers a chance for bipartisan cooperation. He noted that Speaker-in-waiting John Boehner was the chairman of the House committee that pushed the 2002 law and that the administration has shown a willingness to break with longstanding Democratic positions on education.

Bush identified four reforms that he'd like to see in the controversial law, which he supports. He complained that some states game the system and create lower bars for passing statewide exams. He said a requirement that all students be proficient by 2014 is unrealistic. He wants funding formulas to better incentivize reform. He also called for more choices (as in charter schools and vouchers) for parents when their kid's school fails.

Bush declined to engage on a reporter's question about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's comments on his family. She dismissed "the blue-bloods who want to pick and choose their winners instead of allowing competition" after former First Lady Barbara Bush suggested that Palin "stay in Alaska."

"No response," he said.

The Arizona Republic is a member of the Politico Network.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... itico.html

READ WHAT JEB REALLY THINKS.

REPUBLICANS TO PUSH AMNESTY (Just like Obama)

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-192736.html

I don't trust Jeb, any more than his brother or Obama.