Thread: McCain Resumes Talk of Comprehesive Immigration Reform

Originally Posted by Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post (click masthead)

McCain Resumes Talk of Comprehesive Immigration Reform
Juliet Eilperin, 4:23 PM ET on May 22, 2008

UNION CITY, Calif. -- Surrounded by high-tech entrepreneurs, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said this morning he would expand visas for immigrants at the same time he would propose legislation cracking down on illegal immigration. The declaration -- which came as several Silicon Valley CEOs complained about the need for highly skilled employees -- marked a slight shift from what McCain had said while campaigning to secure his party's nomination. During the GOP primary McCain -- whose support for bipartisan immigration reform proved to be a liability within his own party -- said he would clamp down on illegal aliens before doing any other immigration reform.

"I believe we have to secure our borders. But we must enact comprehensive immigration reform, and we must make it a top priority," McCain told the chief executives of several high-tech companies. "We must make the best of this problem, and we must attract the best and brightest minds to this nation." Shellye Archambeau, CEO of the software company MetricStream, told McCain she was worried about the decline in H1B visas, which go to highly skilled workers, as well as the fact that foreign students earning graduate degrees here are leaving the United States in increasing numbers.

"We should give them a diploma and staple a visa right at the same time, so they can stay," she said, prompting applause from the audience "The key point here is immigration has fueled the growth and innovation of this country since its founding." McCain expressed sympathy for the entrepreneurs' plight, asking them about the problems they are facing in hiring skilled foreign workers. Conrad Burke, president of Innovalight, a solar energy company, quipped he had become an expert in U.S. immigration law over the past two years as he searched for qualified workers. "It is difficult getting visas, there are caps," Burke said, who emigrated from Ireland to America a decade ago. "Certainly we need some help."

Vivek Ranadive, who came from India to the U.S. for college and graduate school and stayed to start a high-tech company, said his own experience testifies to the importance of welcoming talented immigrants. Innovation is still occurring more frequently in America than in India and other nations, Ranadive argued. "The innovation that is going on is going on in my back yard," he said "It will go on forever, as long as we continue to accept smart people." McCain -- who has not talked about immigration as frequently since securing the GOP nomination, in part because audience members are not raising the issue as often as they did during town hall meetings during the GOP primaries -- also took personal responsibility for Congress's failure to enact immigration reform last year. "The failure of the federal government -- and it was my failure, too -- has had a lot of consequences associated with it," he said today. Source (click here)

Comprehensive reform? Again? How 'bout a comprehensive candidate?
Red and blue emphasis added by me.

"In an update concerning the presidential candidates, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, in an interview with Bill O'Riely, said that she would continue to allow sanctuary cities to exist unchallenged. And Republican candidate John McCain has been courting the Hispanic vote of which he feels he needs to get at least 40% to win. McCain has said he will build the fence and improve border security but will provide amnesty for the millions of illegal aliens already here, although he did say that he would deport any illegal aliens with a criminal record. "

Same Ole Bogger; Different Nose ...

Let's all Yell USA, USA as we go off the cliff with 4 more years of BULL SH_T

but I would almost guarantee the echo coming back is going to be CFR and NAU

We gets me is they act like they can't get skilled Americans to do these jobs. That's absolutely rubbish. If you believe that I'll sell you the collapsed bridge in Minnesota. Good grief. IF our schools are the ones teaching these people, are you trying to tell me there were NO qualified American students in the same classes?

This idiot is just like the other two they just don't get it, even being out among the people they are still in denial.

He treats the people like little children, scolds them and makes them feel bad for the way they feel. Talk about control, the people are like puppets, they intimidate them into shutting their mouths.

My letter to McCain:

May 22, 2008

Senator McCain,

Since the introduction of McCain-Kennedy, I've had a high level of distrust of you. When you said you learned your lesson about immigration, I wasn't sure you were being honest.

You have brought up Comprehensive Immigration Reform on a couple of occasions lately. To people like me, Conservative Republicans, that spells amnesty. That also tells me you didn't learn your lesson at all.

So Senator McCain, you made your decision. You would rather have the support of ethnic based special interest groups than the people who should be your base.

You better hope you chose the right side, this could make or break your campaign. As a conservative, I cannot hold my nose and vote for you. I also cannot vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. I will be forced to throw my vote away on a third party candidate that I find less detestable than the rest of you, and waste my vote.

You can thank yourself, I will now leave the Republican Party and become a proud Independent, free of party affiliation. It's a shame. If there were more people like Jeff Sessions in Washington, this would have never happened.

It will be interesting to see if Open Border Lobbyists and disenchanted Democrats will carry you. I think you will find millions of people like me who cannot vote for you.

Disappointed,


XXX

McCain was pandering in California all day today

McCain calls for guest worker visas
By Peter Hecht - phecht@sacbee.com
Published 1:21 pm PDT Thursday, May 22, 2008

Print | E-Mail | Comments (22)|


Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain on Thursday joins California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during a roundtable discussion in Union City.
Brian Baer / bbaer@sacbee.com


UNION CITY - Republican presidential candidate John McCain joined Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in calling today for comprehensive immigration reform, including guest worker visas to bring employees to California's Silicon Valley and the state's vast agricultural fields.

The two men brought up the issue at McCain's prompting during a global competitiveness roundtable featuring California technology executives and entrepreneurs.

Asked by Silicon Valley panelists on what he would do to grant more visa for skilled technology workers, McCain broadly advocated the comprehensive immigration reform plan he had backed with Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy in Congress.

The same issue brought McCain intense criticism during the Republican presidential primary from conservatives who assailed him as soft on illegal immigration and an advocate of amnesty.

But today McCain, the now presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said an immigration program is needed that protects America's borders and national security. While he called for punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants, he also advocated a humane approach that treats illegal workers as "God's children."

McCain said they should be allowed to seek legal status in a "humane and comprehensive fashion" through a program "they can count on and trust."

Responding to a question about so-called H1-B visas for Silicon Valley workers, McCain said: "We have to attract the best and brightest minds. It isn't just H1-B visas. In our agricultural sector, they can't find workers as well. We need a temporary agriculture (worker) program."

Schwarzenegger echoed McCain's remarks after the Arizona senator asked his opinion on the topic.

"We need to change the system. All this is part of a comprehensive immigration reform. You can't piecemeal this thing," Schwarzenegger said.

While the governor said, "securing the border is extremely important" to California he added: "You have to have the courage to do this kind of immigration reform so we can bring people into this country legally."

Schwarzenegger said he supported a pathway to legal status so that more people can have "legal drivers licenses" and "everyone would have bank accounts...and there would be background checks so that there would be no criminal element in this country."

Afterwards, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman hosted a fundraiser for McCain expected to draw 350 donors and $2 million in contributions.

McCain touched down in California Wednesday for a fundraiser at the Irvine Marriott in Orange County hosted by real estate developer and former Seattle Mariners baseball team owner George Argyros. Later Thursday, he is to appear at a Stockton airport rally and fundraiser at the home of developer Alex Spanos, owner of the San Diego Chargers football team.

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/959959.html

I see this man and I really cant take much more.. I see OLD

Really Old... might not make it through office Old.

I see Corruption... Keeting 5 maybe

I see campaign finance reform

I see Bush .. a real Old Bush

I see 4 more years of advanced NAU and the death of America

I see 100 Million More Illegal Aliens killing more America's but a lot more efficiently in greater numbers

I see a lier that calls himself a conservative

I see funk.. pure funk

As a Veteran.. I don't want to here that Prior Military crap ..... Just because you are a veteran doesn't make you a leader

Look at his voting record and you tell me if he is a conservative ... no, I see a lier on the straight talk express that will say anything he can to get into office

The military stuff doesn't work for me either, with this dude, McCain. Just remember, Benedict Arnold was in the military.