Why doesn't one of our Republican Congressmen initiate a bill that would require current immigration law to be enforced and penalize those cities and entities that choose to ignore the problem? Just that simple - no amnesty, no comprehensive reform, let's just prove we know how to enforce the laws we already have. In addition to that, Republicans should be pushing to BUILD THE FENCE we were already promised. Show Americans that our federal government is actually capable of securing the border and taking illegal immigration seriously. Perhaps then, people like myself who are vehemently opposed to amnesty would be willing to swallow the amnesty pill. It's not that I believe we could, or even should actually deport 12-20 million illegals, it's that I'm scared to death we're going to get amnesty without real border enforcement AGAIN. 20+ years of looking the other way is a hard habit to break, and my elected officials need to prove to me that the attitude towards illegal immigration and border security has really changed. Americans no longer believe the lip service we get from our politicians - we need to see it to believe it. Not only would that give most Americans a warm, fuzzy feeling about giving amnesty, but truly cracking down on illegals NOW would cause some to self-deport while deterring many more from coming here illegally. If municipalities verified the legal status of all people arrested and turned illegals over to ICE, we could easily identify the criminal illegals and deport those who are harmful, not helpful to our nation. Of course then ICE would actually have to do its job, and that would require a total change of culture.
Hopefully, Republicans realize that opposing amnesty and preventing comprehensive immigration reform is the best way for Republicans to win big in '08. If comprehensive immigration reform (amnesty) gets passed, the Democrats will get credit from their left wing base while telling moderate America it was Bush's bill (Harry Reid has already used those exact words). Republicans will be so angry at their elected officials that Democrats will re-take the white house and win even bigger than in '06. And beyond 2008 as more and more illegals become legal citizens, the majority will vote Democrat and eventually, our 2-party system will go away altogether.
Republicans must stand firm against amnesty. Let the Democrats keep trying to pass amnesty - it's great for Republicans if it remains in the news, but the Republicans have to keep opposing it. If it's still an issue in '08, the millions of anti-amnesty voices that spoke up by calling, emailing and faxing their elected officials these past few weeks will all show up to the polls and vote for the anti-amnesty candidate. It's a win-win... Republicans win in the election and the American people get what they want and deserve from their government.
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Posted by: TexasFred | June 17, 2007 at 06:45 PM