What are the political strategies surrounding the president and immigration?
395980
Being from Texas, it puts him in a tough no-win spot. \n\nBush has typically been for NOT having the tighter controls.  He has a working relationship with the Mexican President.  \n\nBut this thing has turned into a firestorm of controversy.  There NEEDS to be some sort of answer to compromise as well as possible.\n\nYet another reason why you couldn't pay me enough money to be President!!!
1133804
I agree with the House version of the immigration bill and strongly disagree with the Senate's bill and the President's proposal.  This "comprehensive" immigration reform championed by the Senate and the President is really a code word for amnesty.  Bush and the Senate care only about appeasing the big business interests that want a steady supply of cheap labor and the lawbreakers who are demanding that we allow their disregard for the laws of this country.\n\nIllegal immigration strains our social services and our environment.  Immigration driven population growth puts more cars on the road creating more pollution, contributes to the housing shortage as well as the paving over of open space and farmland to provide housing for the growing population.  Perhaps most important to a lot of people is the fact that illegal immigrants depress wages and allow employers to pay low wages and give no benefits.  I strongly believe the House should be steadfast in its opposition to those who want to give amnesty to the criminals who flagrantly disregard our immigration laws.
1135309
3 words, 'pro hispanic lobbyists'. That's why. And yes, they've got lots of money, AND the sympathy vote, AND lots of new prospective voters that have only been in the country for a week or two and are doing their level best to remain invisibile. The next 2 years will determine whether we retain our independence from mexico, or not. Bush is a sellout on this one....
619973
August 24, 2000 ( < Notice The Date)\nWeb posted at: 6:12 p.m. EDT (2212 GMT)\nhttp://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/08/24/fox.us.04/\n\nFox calls for freer flow of legal immigrants, investment between U.S. and Mexico\nLooks to open doors between northern neighbors\n\nWASHINGTON -- Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox on Thursday called on the United States to spend less defending its southern border and more on investing in Mexico so that Mexicans won't feel the need to migrate north of the border. \n\nThe Last Ten Words Of That Phrase Makes Me LMFAOff\n\n\nA close, personal friendship with President George W. Bush has given Mexicos President Vicente Fox the opportunity to purposely allow (or even send) Millions of Criminals, Thugs, Anarchists, and Potential Terrorists to swarm over our southern border in breathtaking numbers. \n(Nearly half of all Illegal Aliens currently living in the U.S. came here since Bush became president in 2000.) \n\n\nShort Answer - With Troops On The Border, Foxes Whole Plan Gets Shot To Hell\n\nHes Been Working Very Hard For 6 Years, \nSending His Poverty To Us, \nSo He Wouldnt Have To Develop His Nation\n\nHe WILL Be Very Vocal About This\nAs He Has Been In The Past \nRegarding U.S.Immigration Policies\n\nFolks.........(For The Past 25 Years Or So) The U.S. is being Invaded by People from Another Nation - Ever Since REAGAN Granted Amnesty To 2.7 Million In 1986, They HAVE NOT STOPPED COMING!!! .\n\nOn January 9, 2004, President Bush proposed a guest worker program - a thinly veiled amnesty for illegal aliens. \nA February 29, 2004, Fox News article subsequently stated that from 50 percent to 90 percent of illegal aliens apprehended claimed they were coming here for the "amnesty" (their words). One Border Patrol officer stated that "They believe that they are only responding to an invitation." \n\nEl Presidente Vicente Fox's administration has embraced this reality. In fact, increasing the number of Mexicans working illegally in the United States is among Mexico's highest foreign policy objectives. \n\nThus, in orchestrating this war on America, the Mexican state is representing the desires of the Mexican people as a whole. \n\nWhat are these desires? \n\n(1) Political revanchism—to regain control of the territories Mexico lost to the U.S. in 1848, thus avenging themselves for the humiliations they feel they have suffered at our hands for the last century and a half; \n\n(2) Cultural imperialism—to expand the Mexican culture and the Spanish language into North America; and especially \n\n(3) Economic parasitism—to maintain and increase the flow of billions of dollars that Mexicans in the U.S. send back to their relatives at home every year, \n(39 BILLION US DOLLARS) \nA major factor keeping the chronically troubled Mexican economy afloat and the corrupt Mexican political system cocooned in its status quo. \n\nThese motives are shared by the Mexican masses and the elites. \n\nAccording to a Zogby poll in 2002, 58 percent of the Mexican people believe the U.S. Southwest belongs to Mexico, and 57 percent believe that Mexicans HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREELY ENTER the United States without U.S. permission. Only small minorities disagreed with these propositions.
1017008
Folks today use the term "like", -even for the office of the President, like it's even relevant. \n\nYou could ask the question...\nDo you concur with the president's foreign policy?\nDo you agree with the top 3 agenda issue of the president?\n\nAt least then you getting close to being able to talk inteligently about the office and whomever the current president is. President is a job and that job is tempo, agendas, and basically a cheerleader and visionary for the USA.\n\nAnd besides, the less these politicians 'do' the better, -esp. the Legislature. As Ronald Reagan said, - "The scariest phrase to hear is a knock at the door and the person saying, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'".
17054
It's simple -- big business interests have considerable influence on politicians. Big business wants cheap labor, and gets it, while the government still gets to appear tough on immigration by harrassing the individual immigrants.\n\nEven if the gov't begins prosecuting employers, I be the ones hit will be mostly small businesses (e.g. restaurants), and not large agricultural/construction companies.
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!
623272
Smart question!\n\nThe closer an administration moves to the end of term, the more it will focus on problems that are easier to fix, e.g. at home. It's so much easier to bash the illegals that they themselves invited (since no one in America wants to do these mean low-paid jobs) than to do something heroic abroad that might drag on like Vietnam and Iraq. It's a matter of strategy. If they win against the immigrants perhaps they'll win another presidential term.
706807
Bush and Pelosi have been discussing 'comprehensive reform', read, 'you give me guest workers and I'll give you amnesty'.  However, Homeland Security has said processing just the illegals here under the Senate Bill would create a 10 year back log.  At first blush that isn't good news for anyone legally immigrating.  However, Gates also immediately began pushing for skilled workers, and he has both clout and celebrity value.\n\nThe adminstration seems to be jumping on immigration as the only area where there may not be gridlock with the new Congress.  Question is how all of the populist Democrats who ran on border security to defeat Republicans will vote.
497442
I don't know his reasoning behind the Minuteman thing.  I have to say I was kind of surprised by that.  It may just be that he doesn't want an international incident while we are working things out still, domestically.\n\nI think he really does want to strengthen the border, so in that sense I don't think he is 'supporting illegal immigration'.  He is then trying to increase legal immigration through a guest worker program, since people wanting cheap labor was obviously one of the reasons the problem got where it did.  If his program worked perfectly (people actually go back at the end of their visas, etc.) it would mean we would still get immigrants, but at least they would be in the system.  Meanwhile the criminals and terrorists could be kept out.\n\nStopping the flow of illegal immigrants has a huge economic effect on Mexico, granted it was because our money was being sent 'home' there while the services for supporting the worker and his family were being used in this country.  It would be something any Mexican President would be interested in, and both Fox and his leftist opponent are running on platforms based on OUR immigration laws.\n\nI think Bush's main priority is the national security issue of securing the border, and he has the other elements in place to build a consensus and (with regards to the illegals already here) for reasons of practicality and humanity.\n\nI wouldn't think it was a bad system as long as the border were secured BEFORE legal immigration were increased.  However, there are absolutely people lobbying for even more relaxed immigration.  The pro-illegals are asking for a rolling statute of limitations that would make illegal immigrants legal if they could get here illegally and remain here for three years.\n\nContact the Senate Majority leader and House Leader with your concerns, since they will have the greatest impact on negotiating the actual Bill to be voted on.
366183
politic:presidents\n\npolicy:someting you have to be polite and follow like honsty is the best POLICY
364097
Please do not take the above comments to heart.  There is currently a lot of anti-immigration sentiment in the US, especially among political conservatives.  The media is feeding this xenophobia.\n\nMany US citizens forget that their families were all immigrants at one time.  (Except for Native Americans, of course.)\n\nThere are many ways to begin the immigration process.  If you have any family members in the US, contact them.  If you believe you may be considered a person in need of political asylum because you are being persecuted in your country, visit or write to the American consulate in your country, and tell them about your situation.  \n\nBut first, visit the website I've posted below.  It is the website of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and will give you basic information about immigration.\n\nAlso, don't overlook Canada as a possibility for immigration.  Their immigration process is often easier.\n\nBest wishes to you, and my apologies for my fellow citizens who are being less than welcoming.  They make me ashamed.
1149948
The real reason is this:\n\nThe politician will get more votes from the Latin-American populace if they take a pro-immigration stance. \n\nIn states where politicians stand to win from latin-American voters, they will be pro-immigration. In states where there is little latin-American voters, they will tend to be pro-FENCES.\n\nIn one sense, this seems duplicitous, but in fact we have a representative democracy. Whatever gets a politician elected is supposed to represent the politician's constituency.\n\nPoliticians want guest-worker programs to be elected. Politicians want fences so they can be elected.\n\nPoliticians also represent unions - so they have to weigh a balance - and the balance usually means money from PACs.\nWhen the Union's PAC gives more money than the Latin-American PAC, then the representative can be elected - so they go pro-Union. The contrary is obvious.\n\nIf American's really voted the issues, this wouldn't be true. But, Americans are a fickle bunch, and they tend to vote for the side with the most, brightest, loudest, most-offensive ads.\n\nRemember Willy Horton. The guy who came up with that ad apologized on his deathbed.
189292
Running for office\nGetting others to vote\nEducating yourself and fellow man on political issues both locally and nationally\nWriting your local representatives in regards to policies that exist or do not exist.\nVote! Vote! Vote!
1154198
I'm slightly over 25, but I hope I can still answer.\nIf I were President, there are a few things I would try to do: 1) I'd build that wall on the border with Mexico, it wouldn't fix the problems with illegals here, but it may help stem the tide. 2) I'd try to increase military enlistment and retention (increased bonuses for signing, and benefits after service). 3) I'd fix the gay marriage debate by signing a law prohibiting the gov't from conducting marriages period, the gov't can only conduct civil unions (marriage shall be purely a religious institution, SEPERATE from the state). 4) I'd drill in ANWAR, and the gulf of Mexico, and anywhere else we could to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. 5) institute a national sales tax, no more income, there's a plan already drawn up, and it looks pretty fair. 6) more funding for alternative fuels. 7) (probably most important) I'd withdraw funding for the U.N. and kick them the hell out of my country, and until they can prove they aren't a corrupt bunch of imbeciles, they will get no help from us.
148054
United Statates most definetly does not have an "open door" policy with regards to immigration. It does not have an active immigration program like Canada does.\n\nPersonally, as much as I don't like Bush, his guest worker program proposal makes sense, this would stop illegal immigration by a large extent.\n\nAlso I belive that the US should concentrate more on selecting educated people to come to the US, right now these people represent a small minority from the immigration programs available.
996112
Immigration\nGay Marriage\nWar in Iraq\nAbortion\n\nJust to name a few...