Bush is Firm on Immigration
Why are so many people bent out of shape now over President Bush’s position on immigration? President Bush has not changed his tune on this subject since well before the 2000 elections. Let’s compare the 2000 presidential election platform on immigration to the five main points from the Monday night speech by President Bush.
Point 1 from 2006 speech - “First, the United States must secure its borders.”1
Point 1 in 2000 election platform - ” In order to prevent illegal immigration, Bush proposes to step up border control…”2 “Restore credibility to enforcement by devoting more resources both to border control and to internal operations.”3
Point 2 from 2006 speech - “Second, to secure our border, we must create a temporary worker program.”1
Point 2 in 2000 election platform - “Guest worker programs should be revisited.”2
Point 3 from 2006 speech - “…we need to hold employers to account for the workers they hire….new identification card for every legal foreign worker.”1
Point 3 in 2000 election platform - I found no evidence that President Bush spoke on this specific point before the 2000 election. The 2000 Republican party platform did state, “We oppose the creation of any national ID card.”3
Point 4 from 2006 speech - “It is neither wise, nor realistic to round up millions of people, many with deep roots in the United States, and send them across the border.”1
Point 4 in 2000 election platform - “it is far more compassionate to turn away people at the border than to attempt to find and arrest them once they are living in our country illegally.”2
Point 5 from 2006 speech - “…we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot, which has made us one nation out of many peoples.” The President goes on to say, “English is also the key to unlocking the opportunity of America.”1
Point 5 in 2000 election platform - “…every child ought to be educated regardless of the status of their parents.”2 “We support the recognition of English as the nation’s common language.”3
There is no evidence that shows President Bush to be playing any games or leaning in a new direction to gain poll numbers on the subject of immigration. President Bush is standing firm on the same immigration policy that he has promoted since before he was elected in 2000.
1President Bush Addresses the Nation on Immigration Reform - May 15, 2006
2The presidential candidates on immigration - Updated: April 2000
3REPUBLICAN PLATFORM 2000
May 19th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
Hey Ozz, Great post. Well thought out and researched.
I think a lot of people, myself included, have little to no memory of the 2000 campaign. I figure most people are just suspicious of the timing of the President coming out strong on this now when everybody and his brother have been up in arms about stemming the tide for the past several (maybe 10+) years.
I think the Republicans just wished he did something sooner, and the Dems just want him to fail at everything he does and look bad no matter what. (I could be wrong, but I think they might want a Dem. in the Oval Office.)
I lean with the side that wishes he did something sooner. It seems like he’s just taken a lot of heat for the past year or so without firing back. The war in Iraq has not really been headline news lately, and he comes across like a “Rahab the do-nothing” kinda guy.
I am glad he is doing something now. But is it a little too little and a little too late? I guess we’ll find out, eh?
May 22nd, 2006 at 2:01 pm
Great post!
One thing I have liked about President Bush is his consistancy and his determination to ‘do the right thing’ regardless of the polls.
I would have sworn he spoke of the ID cards in or around the 2000 election. I remember when it was voted down by the Congress or Senate telling my husband I thought it was a good idea - but it pretty much got shot down.
Maybe I’m not remembering it correctly - but that’s my memory of it. I think it all got put on the back burner when 9/11 happened.
Anyway - good post.