Thread: McConnell: eyes bipartisan illegal bill

McConnell eyes 'bipartisan' illegals bill
By S.A. Miller and Christina Bellantoni
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
March 19, 2007


Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans are trying to craft a "bipartisan solution" to illegal immigration -- generating concern among party members who consider President Bush's goal to be amnesty.


Mr. McConnell, echoing Mr. Bush's optimism for overhauling immigration law to include citizenship opportunities for illegal aliens, said senators are trying to pull Republicans "together behind our proposal."


"There's a pretty broad desire to have an accomplishment, to do something, even among members who voted against final passage last year. There is still a lot of sentiment that a comprehensive bill would be the right thing to do," said Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican.


Mr. Bush last week told foreign leaders he sees reasons for optimism and said that "the mood in the Congress seems like it has changed" in favor of completing a broad bill that includes a path to citizenship -- the linchpin of an agreement he hopes to strike with congressional Democrats, who call it "earned legalization."

He said his goal is to have Senate Republicans settle on a "coherent" position first, then approach Senate Democrats, particularly Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, who likely will be the chief sponsor of the main Senate bill.

Mr. Kennedy said his bill will be based on the one the Senate passed last year when Republicans controlled Congress. That plan also provided for enhanced border security, a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.

House Republicans refused to vote on it, arguing that granting citizenship to illegals amounts to amnesty and a reward for law-breaking.
The House should be an easier sell for Mr. Bush this year, with Democrats now in control.

Some rank-and-file House Republicans worry their leaders will have a change of heart under pressure from the White House and support the Democrats.

"It is very disconcerting to me because I don't know where the leadership is on this," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican and outspoken critic of amnesty for illegal aliens.

"If the president is going to weigh in on this, I don't know what [Majority Leader John A. Boehner] and the rest of my leadership are going to do," Mr. Tancredo said. "We are going to be defense more than offense."
The House Republican leaders say they remain opposed to granting citizenship rights.


"Leader Boehner opposes amnesty, led the charge against the Reid-Kennedy amnesty bill last year, and continues to oppose amnesty," said his spokesman, Brian Kennedy, referring to Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, now the Senate majority leader. "There has been no change in his position."

Minority Whip Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican, also remains opposed to any immigration plan that doesn't make border security a priority or that provides a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.

Numbers USA, a group advocating reduced levels of legal and illegal immigration, says the White House for weeks has been quietly telling member of Congress that it has "critical mass" of Republican support for the immigration plan in both chambers and leadership has "signed off on it."

"I do not believe it is true," said Rosemary Jenks, the group's government-relations director. "I believe they want it to be true, and they are saying it is true in hopes of making it so."

She said the noise the White House is making is a "good reminder that this is not what the public wants in any way."

Rep. Brian P. Bilbray, California Republican and chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, is concerned about a repeat of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which granted amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens but failed to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

"There is a lot of pressure from the White House," said Kurt Bardella, Mr. Bilbray's spokesman. "There is this anything-is-better-than-nothing attitude -- whether or not it is good public policy." • Jerry Seper and Stephen Dinan contributed to this report.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national ... _page2.htm

"There is this anything-is-better-than-nothing attitude" Is this what Americans deserve?

Make no mistake about it. Senator McConnell promoted and voted for last year's "comprenhensive immigration reform" i.e. senate bill #2611.He is an amnesty (disguised as a "guess worker plan") advocate.He is the senate minority leader and will do the will of the current administration of Mr. Bush.

I have voted for Senator McConnell in the past but I have informed his staff in Washington that in 2008 I will work for his opposition.If my Senator votes like a Democrat,I might as well vote for a Democrat for Senator even though I am a lifetime Republican voter.

Originally Posted by ChromeDome

Make no mistake about it. Senator McConnell promoted and voted for last year's "comprenhensive immigration reform" i.e. senate bill #2611.He is an amnesty (disguised as a "guess worker plan") advocate.He is the senate minority leader and will do the will of the current administration of Mr. Bush.

I have voted for Senator McConnell in the past but I have informed his staff in Washington that in 2008 I will work for his opposition.If my Senator votes like a Democrat,I might as well vote for a Democrat for Senator even though I am a lifetime Republican voter.

McConnell gave me the most embarrassing moment of the S. 2611 negotiations. However, he did tell the truth. His televised comment was "we've got to pass something." Well, we'll have to vote for something too I guess. It won't be Mitch.

I was so infuriated by this, I called McConnell's office, told them what I had read about his support of CIR. I asked them just who he was listening to on the subject, that he certainly wasn't listening to Republicans and that he wasn't listening to the American public.

I asked her if McConnell was aware of what the states were doing on illegals and it certainly didn't look to me like anyone wants a path to citizenship!

I said if he was listening to Bush he was going to walk off a cliff.

She wrote it down and was pleasant.

Make phones calls to McConnell and let him know how you feel!!! If you don't who will???

Capital switchboard: 202-224-3121

Or as native said, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Fire off a fax of this to McConnell if you have a chance!

Fax his office @ (202) 224-2499

Let's show McConnell who he should be listening to--and it's not Jorge.

Kate's flyers can be copied easily and emailed-I've been doing it to McCain's exploratory committee all weekend. Of course, his fax isn't working today!

Remember that McConnell's wife is Chinese and a immigrant. I don't know if she came legally or not. She is also Secretary of Labor. Does any one have any question on why he votes for amnesty. He is just another RINO. Please don't vote out all Republicans becuase of the RINOs like Bush, McCain, and McConnell. Vote for candidates that support your issues otherwise you will have all democrats who will give amnesty.

Originally Posted by Beckyal

Remember that McConnell's wife is Chinese and a immigrant. I don't know if she came legally or not. She is also Secretary of Labor. Does any one have any question on why he votes for amnesty. He is just another RINO. Please don't vote out all Republicans becuase of the RINOs like Bush, McCain, and McConnell. Vote for candidates that support your issues otherwise you will have all democrats who will give amnesty.

Some of these guys are going to have to create some evidence that they are Republicans on this issue.

And the Dept. of Labor donates millions of dollaes to La Raza.

Here's his FAX
Sen. Mitch Mc Connell
Washington Office
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499

This is plain horse pucky!

"Leader Boehner opposes amnesty, led the charge against the Reid-Kennedy amnesty bill last year, and continues to oppose amnesty," said his spokesman, Brian Kennedy, referring to Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, now the Senate majority leader. "There has been no change in his position."

Boehner was pushing for bush's amnesty by any other name last year!!

He's a liar and a con man, period.