Is the US Congress going to be able to agree and compromise for a fair immigration reform in the coming weeks?
355450
probably not...it looks like the "compromise" proposed in the senate is stalled and Majority Leader Bill Frist has tabled it until their Easter holiday ends two weeks from now. But frankly, the differences among the house and the senate, not to mention in-fighting among Republicans, means that any bill that is agreed on and reaches the president's desk will be watered down and probably vetoed.
892470
The president and congress will "get along" better than they ever have .. Bush does not have to worry about offending the far right republicans with his moderate ideas, such as the guest worker program. (this was HIS idea before the dems claimed it) and since the dems have control, they will be willing to debate and compromise instead of just opposing whatever the republicans say or do... Just because they have a majority, they don't automatically have the votes to override a veto.
1152414
Absolutely not.  It is so out of step with what people in this country want (deportation of all illegals, an end to illegal immigration, a restrict reduction of legal immigration) that the senate bill representing Bush's plan is essentially dead in the water.
891947
Of course you would three things have to happen...Amnesty, Immigration Reform and Border Control...All three will have to be implemented simultaneously or we will be back in the same situation..... in 20 years or even less
491950
What is the question? The current Senate Bill doesn't give amnesty for all. It gives legalization to those here over 5 years, the ability to apply for legalization by leaving the country for those here between 2 and five years and deportation for those here less than two years.\n\nNo clue what will come out of the House on this point, if anything.  The most noise on any compromise at all between the Senate and the House that I've heard is to kill amnesty but leave in place the guest worker program going forward.  Me, I'd rather have amnesty for non-felons already here, and kill the guest worker program going forward until the border is really secured.  I don't think the Senate is at all serious about border security.\n\nHowever, we'll have to see what happens.
781194
No they have applied for amnesty. It's one of the bills supported by the Democrats who now contol Congress. Perhaps a wall.............. a very high wall between our borders might be the solution to this horrible crisis that we now face.
1150926
The fair tax bill is the greatest piece of legislation in the past century.  But if you stop and think about it, it would be the biggest transfer of power back to the people in the history of this country.  Dems and Reps will both lose and the lobbiests would be out of a job.
635732
We need border security immediately and all else should wait.  That will at least restrict illegal immigrants to bottlenecks where they can be more easily managed. (Love the wrestling pigs analogy!) Putting amnesty and guest worker programs in place now while waiting on studies and permission from Mexico to build barriers to future illegal immigration is ludicrous.\n\nLetting the Senate get away with putting a 'rolling' ten year statute of limitations for border crossing in the bill so all illegals have to do is stay 10 years (or forge documents pretending they have) is completely out of line.  The very fact that they slipped that provision in secretly while piously and loudly discussing what illegal immigration may or may not be legalized is dishonest and an insult to our intelligence.  This is an engraved invitation for illegals to enter in the future and is far worse than the amnesty for those already here.\n\nFortunately, the House approach is very different, and any compromise will have to take that into account.  \n\nWrite to your Congressmen about this.
644097
Nooooo, until they take out the amnesty clause, I don't ever see it passing the house.  We can't reward criminals, otherwise the whole damn country of Mexico will hit the border and try to get in.
1156657
The GOP attempts to end affirmative action was meet with a filibuster by the Democrats.  He is attempting support of immigration reform currently (not up to date on your current news I see) all be it it is an ulta Liberal stance.  \nAlso as you noted he "promised" during his campaign, are you sure?  Or did he profess that those issues were on his agenda?  In the system of government that the US has, the president can not write laws or bills... or did you not know that?
806858
With the Democrats in control it shouldn't take too long.....\n\nThey'll give amnesty to all illegal aliens\nand English will not become the official language.
630249
The shape of the guest worker program would need to be worked out in negotiation of whatever the Senate passes to combine it with what the House passed.\n\nThe President's plan would give a 'path to citizenship' for qualified illegal immigrants. (Terrorists need not apply). It is something like apply, work for 6 years (unknown if that starts now or at a historical date) and learn English.\n\nOpponents are saying that it is essentially amnesty, since there is no real punishment, and there is citizenship opportunity.  The President calls it 'earned citizenship'.  Maybe he figures having to learn English is punishment enough. Clearly the illegal immigrants will think so!
524146
00132 18-May  S. 2611  On the Amendment S.Amdt. 4073  Agreed to  Salazar Amdt. No. 4073 As Modified; To declare that English is the common and unifying language of the United States, and to preserve and enhance the role of the English language. \n\n00131 18-May  S. 2611  On the Amendment S.Amdt. 4064  Agreed to  Inhofe Amdt. No. 4064; To amend title 4 United States Code, to declare English as the national language of the United States and to promote the patriotic integration of prospective US citizens. \n\n\nU.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 2nd Session \n\nas compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate\n\n\nVote Summary \n\nQuestion: On the Amendment (Inhofe Amdt. No. 4064 )  \nVote Number:  131 Vote Date:  May 18, 2006, 05:00 PM \nRequired For Majority:  1/2 Vote Result:  Amendment Agreed to \nAmendment Number:  S.Amdt. 4064 to S. 2611 (Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 )  \nStatement of Purpose:  To amend title 4 United States Code, to declare English as the national language of the United States and to promote the patriotic integration of prospective US citizens. \nVote Counts: YEAs 63 \n NAYs 34 \n Not Voting 3 \nVote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State \n\n\nGrouped By Vote Position YEAs ---63 \nAlexander (R-TN)\nAllard (R-CO)\nAllen (R-VA)\nBaucus (D-MT)\nBennett (R-UT)\nBond (R-MO)\nBrownback (R-KS)\nBurns (R-MT)\nBurr (R-NC)\nByrd (D-WV)\nCarper (D-DE)\nChafee (R-RI)\nChambliss (R-GA)\nCoburn (R-OK)\nCochran (R-MS)\nColeman (R-MN)\nCollins (R-ME)\nConrad (D-ND)\nCornyn (R-TX)\nCraig (R-ID)\nCrapo (R-ID)\n DeMint (R-SC)\nDeWine (R-OH)\nDole (R-NC)\nDorgan (D-ND)\nEnsign (R-NV)\nEnzi (R-WY)\nFrist (R-TN)\nGraham (R-SC)\nGrassley (R-IA)\nGregg (R-NH)\nHagel (R-NE)\nHatch (R-UT)\nHutchison (R-TX)\nInhofe (R-OK)\nIsakson (R-GA)\nJohnson (D-SD)\nKyl (R-AZ)\nLandrieu (D-LA)\nLincoln (D-AR)\nLott (R-MS)\nLugar (R-IN)\n McCain (R-AZ)\nMcConnell (R-KY)\nMurkowski (R-AK)\nNelson (D-FL)\nNelson (D-NE)\nPryor (D-AR)\nRoberts (R-KS)\nSantorum (R-PA)\nSessions (R-AL)\nShelby (R-AL)\nSmith (R-OR)\nSnowe (R-ME)\nSpecter (R-PA)\nStevens (R-AK)\nSununu (R-NH)\nTalent (R-MO)\nThomas (R-WY)\nThune (R-SD)\nVitter (R-LA)\nVoinovich (R-OH)\nWarner (R-VA)\n \nNAYs ---34 \nAkaka (D-HI)\nBayh (D-IN)\nBiden (D-DE)\nBingaman (D-NM)\nBoxer (D-CA)\nCantwell (D-WA)\nClinton (D-NY)\nDayton (D-MN)\nDodd (D-CT)\nDomenici (R-NM)\nDurbin (D-IL)\nFeingold (D-WI)\n Feinstein (D-CA)\nHarkin (D-IA)\nInouye (D-HI)\nJeffords (I-VT)\nKennedy (D-MA)\nKerry (D-MA)\nKohl (D-WI)\nLautenberg (D-NJ)\nLeahy (D-VT)\nLevin (D-MI)\nLieberman (D-CT)\nMenendez (D-NJ)\n Mikulski (D-MD)\nMurray (D-WA)\nObama (D-IL)\nReed (D-RI)\nReid (D-NV)\nSalazar (D-CO)\nSarbanes (D-MD)\nSchumer (D-NY)\nStabenow (D-MI)\nWyden (D-OR)\n \nNot Voting - 3 \nBunning (R-KY)\n Martinez (R-FL)\n Rockefeller (D-WV
1176242
Republican Senators and even Kennedy are hinting they would compromise with a 'close border first then do the rest' approach they previously rejected.  However, what exactly that means isn't clear.  They do seem to be changing their position at least slightly, however.
558974
Yes! At this time, I am for it...Of course, I plan to study this in depth...but so far it looks pretty good...and fair.\n\nThe FairTax: \n\nAbolishes the IRS \nCloses all tax loopholes and brings fairness to taxation \nMaintains our current Social Security and Medicare benefits \nBrings transparency and accountability to tax policy \nAllows American products to compete fairly \nReimburses the tax on purchases of basic necessities \nEnables retirees to keep their entire pension \nEnables workers to keep their entire paycheck
603198
The problem is that in order to get a perpetual stream of low wage workers, big business has tangled the amnesty concept up in the guest worker program.  A Senator projected immigration under the guest worker program, including the increased legal immigration going forward, as bringing in an additional 217 million poor immigrants in the next 20 years on top of those already here.  There is no provision for employers to offset the impacts on schools or other services.  \n\nI think the guest worker plan in this form has to go.  I would be OK with legalizing current qualified illegal immigrants so long as I really felt the border was secure and employers could be held accountable.  I would combine the House Bill provisions on border security with the Senate Bill employer database and penalty provisions.  \n\nHowever, an increase in legal immigration assumes that we have really stopped the illegal immigration.  I think we need to make sure the border is actually secure before deciding whether and how much to increase legal immigration rates going forward.
961092
Promises Promises\n\nNeither will do what they say they will.  The immigration issue is sort of moot, because Bush already signed the immigration bill a couple weeks ago.  I have not heard anything on their part in how they are going to treat immigrants on the local level though.\n\nChris Bell is the agriculture guy, so he would be against the horse slaughters.