Thread: Smart Move: Mccain Doesn't Want to Lead Amnesty Fight This T

By JONATHAN WEISMAN
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will meet Thursday with a bipartisan, politically diverse group of lawmakers to begin discussing a rewrite of U.S. immigration laws.

But the effort faces stiff headwinds: a Washington agenda already packed with other priorities; a recession making Americans nervous about the job market; and the sidelining of the most vocal champions of an immigration overhaul.

"Greater presidential leadership is going to be needed," said Clarissa Martinez, director of immigration policy at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy group. "It's an absolute necessity."

Barack Obama
.The White House meeting will bring together lawmakers who were involved in the failed immigration fights of the George W. Bush years, but who weren't the central stars. Gone will be Sen. Edward Kennedy (D., Mass.), suffering from a brain tumor. His Republican partner, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, will be at the White House Thursday. But bearing scars from his presidential battle with Mr. Obama and from his own party over his pro-immigration stand, Mr. McCain says he won't lead the fight this time.

Instead, it would be up to a new cast, including Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) and opponents of the last immigration-overhaul efforts, such as Sens. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.) and John Cornyn (R., Texas), to forge any bipartisan compromise, lawmakers say.

Mr. Schumer, who took over from Mr. Kennedy this year as chairman of the Senate's immigration subcommittee, said he believes an immigration bill can get done this year, though he admitted he is a lonely voice in Washington. Democratic officials say the passing of the baton has its advantages: The New Yorker is likely to be tougher on stemming illegal immigration, and less prone to support civil liberties for illegal immigrants, a stand of Sen. Kennedy that infuriated some Republicans.

"If you can convince Americans we can and we want to stop future waves of illegal immigration, they will accept a tough but fair path to citizenship and a very rational future flow of legal immigrants," Mr. Schumer said in an interview.

Business groups are ready to get on board, especially the high-technology industry, which faces a shortage of high-skilled workers, even with unemployment nearing 10%, said Ralph Hellman, chief lobbyist for the Information Technology Industry Council.

But business groups worry that Democrats will defer to the AFL-CIO on the issue of legal immigration. The labor confederation has opposed a robust guest-worker program or higher levels of legal immigration, fearing they would depress wages.

A larger labor presence would splinter the coalition of business and pro-immigration groups that embraced past immigration efforts, only to see them falter in the Senate.

The biggest question remains what role the president will play. White House officials, especially Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have repeatedly told supporters in Congress to show them they have the votes to pass an immigration measure. That has infuriated advocates, who say the president has shown no such hesitation with his tough fights for health-care and climate-change bills.

"With this issue, it's 'Do we have the votes?' Hell, if we had the votes, we wouldn't be calling you," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D., Ill.), a leading advocate of immigration changes, speaking of his talks with White House officials.

Some immigration advocates say the president's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court has alleviated some of the pressure for action from Latinos. Latino voters helped deliver the White House to Mr. Obama in part on his immigration pledges; many are delighted with the nomination of the first Hispanic for the high court.

The White House itself has done much to downplay expectations for this first meeting, which has been twice delayed.

But some immigration advocates remain hopeful. The presence of Mr. Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, at the meeting would be evidence the GOP is trying to make up ground among Latino voters.

Write to Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A4

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124589025790951081.html

McCain is better suited to do Depends Diapers or Viagra Infomercials

"If you can convince Americans we can and we want to stop future waves of illegal immigration, they will accept a tough but fair path to citizenship and a very rational future flow of legal immigrants," Mr. Schumer said in an interview.

Mr. Schumer, in order to convince Americans you REALLY want to and CAN actually stop illegal immigration, we will need PROOF, indisputable PROOF. The gov told us they were going to secure the borders and increase enforcement at the time of the 1986 amnesty, and they DIDN'T do it. So this time we need proof, not promises. That will take a few years - YEARS.

You need to put "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty on the back burner until at least the year 2015, so you can show us all the proof of your successful enforcement.

"With this issue, it's 'Do we have the votes?' Hell, if we had the votes, we wouldn't be calling you," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D., Ill.), a leading advocate of immigration changes, speaking of his talks with White House officials.


Well that's very dignified language??? In another article it was stated that Luis would come out and tell the protesters what was said at the meeting today. Luis is 'bringing' his staffer and his wife among others. We found out this week that Slim Coleman (who housed Elvira and Flor in his store-front church) has been a staffer of Luis's for 5 years. Slim's wife is Emma Lozano, an outspoken OBL'er who makes a lot of demands.

Should be an interesting day.

builditnow wrote:

You need to put "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty on the back burner until at least the year 2015, so you can show us all the proof of your successful enforcement.

Personally, I don't think the federal government will ever convince me to compromise my principles.

NO AMNESTY, NOT NOW, NOT NEXT YEAR, NOT IN 50 YEARS!

Illegal aliens should never be rewarded with the very thing they sought to obtain illegally, a path to legalization (amnesty)!

AMNESTY did not work before(in the 80s) and won't work now for AMERICANS! THEN: NO SECURE BORDER... NOW: NO SECURE BORDER! AMNESTY: A BAD IDEA THEN & EVEN WORSE IDEA NOW!!! SO SIMPLE even a GORILLA can UNDERSTAND IT! (NO WONDER the CONGRESS & PRESIDENT Can't!)

Originally Posted by MW

builditnow wrote:

You need to put "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty on the back burner until at least the year 2015, so you can show us all the proof of your successful enforcement.

Personally, I don't think the federal government will ever convince me to compromise my principles.

NO AMNESTY, NOT NOW, NOT NEXT YEAR, NOT IN 50 YEARS!

Illegal aliens should never be rewarded with the very thing they sought to obtain illegally, a path to legalization (amnesty)!

My point is the government will NEVER really enforce the laws as they say they're going to, at least not in the ways that will actually work, so they will have no proof in 2015. We can keep re-setting the date for another five or ten years - 2015, 2025, etc.

The only way illegal immigration is likely going to decrease is if they change the chain-migration laws and clarify the purpose of 14th Amendment which was NEVER to allow the anchor babies. If we do these things, AND strictly enforce all laws (throw employers in jail), AND tightly secure the border, AND eliminate eligibility for welfare and social security, the illegal aliens will likely self-deport anyway. Problem solved.

Originally Posted by builditnow

Mr. Schumer, in order to convince Americans you REALLY want to and CAN actually stop illegal immigration, we will need PROOF, indisputable PROOF. The gov told us they were going to secure the borders and increase enforcement at the time of the 1986 amnesty, and they DIDN'T do it. So this time we need proof, not promises. That will take a few years - YEARS.

You need to put "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty on the back burner until at least the year 2015, so you can show us all the proof of your successful enforcement.

I borrowed that from ya BIN and sent it to Schumer and Gillibrand.
It was too good not to.

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

Originally Posted by builditnow

Mr. Schumer, in order to convince Americans you REALLY want to and CAN actually stop illegal immigration, we will need PROOF, indisputable PROOF. The gov told us they were going to secure the borders and increase enforcement at the time of the 1986 amnesty, and they DIDN'T do it. So this time we need proof, not promises. That will take a few years - YEARS.

You need to put "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty on the back burner until at least the year 2015, so you can show us all the proof of your successful enforcement.

I borrowed that from ya BIN and sent it to Schumer and Gillibrand.
It was too good not to.

Ratbstard - Great! Thank-you! Thanks for writing to those two pandering fools.