(06/25/09) "Obama calls immigration system ‘broken' " (The Houston Chronical)

[Spang]

WASHINGTON — White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel bluntly admitted Thursday that “the votes aren’t there” to win comprehensive immigration legislation — even as President Barack Obama met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in an attempt to jump-start stalled reform efforts.

Calling it one of the most critical issues facing the nation, Obama told the lawmakers, including Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, that the U.S. immigration system is “broken and needs fixing.”

But Obama and Emanuel signaled that political obstacles are likely to make it difficult to reach consensus on sticking points such as guest workers and the legal status for 12 million immigrants here illegally.

“It’s going to require some heavy lifting, it’s going to require a victory of practicality and common sense and good policy-making over short-term politics,” Obama said.

After meeting with 34 lawmakers and Cabinet officials in the State Dining Room at the White House, Obama said he is encouraged “that after all the overheated rhetoric and occasional demagoguery on all sides around this issue, we’ve got a responsible set of leaders sitting around the table who want to actively get something done.”

Obama appointed Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to lead working groups to hash through the more politically volatile issues.

GOP lawmakers called the closed-door meeting with Obama a good first step but remained skeptical that compromise could be reached quickly.

“This is tough stuff. Tough politics,” said Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., a co-sponsor of a 2007 immigration bill that died in the Senate.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., another co-sponsor of that bill, agreed that reaching consensus on some issues would be difficult. He cited organized labor opposition to temporary worker programs as one stumbling block that could trip up progress on overall reform.

At a breakfast meeting with reporters, Emanuel said supporters of immigration reform lacked the votes to push through a comprehensive plan now — and he was not optimistic about winning approval this year, despite the president’s declaration that his administration is “fully behind an effort to achieve comprehensive immigration reform.”

White House aides said a compromise could be reached that would allow Congress to pass a bill late in 2009 or early 2010.

Some Republicans have criticized the president for not presenting a legislative plan to Congress.

Cornyn, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, said that without a bill or legislative blueprint, the White House meeting was merely a “photo op.”

Others, like Smith, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, called the White House meeting substantive but questioned the administration’s commitment to work site enforcement.

The Source (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6498426.html)

[Laura Cereta]

Making a decision to do nothing is still making a decision.

[PA_Voter]

I think BHO wants the illegals legal by early 2011... 12 million more voters for his re-election!

[Spang]

I think BHO wants the illegals legal by early 2011... 12 million more voters for his re-election!

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[VotingHillary]

“It’s going to require some heavy lifting, it’s going to require a victory of practicality and common sense and good policy-making over short-term politics,” Obama said.

However, the stimulus bill, climate bill and healthcare reform apparently don't require the same.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...:thinking:

[Kbentleyis]

He's hoping for their votes... LOL, they'll probably be the only ones voting for him. Who could take 4 more years of BHO and his elite spending crowd?

[NativeSun]

Of course it's broken. Just ask his aunt. :-bd

[VotingHillary]

Of course it's broken. Just ask his aunt. :-bd

ouch......:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

[PA_Voter]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Yes, IMO I believe it is a very bad thing!

[Spang]

Yes, IMO I believe it is a very bad thing!

If it weren't for immigrants, a lot of us wouldn't be Americans right now.

[PA_Voter]

If it weren't for immigrants, a lot of us wouldn't be Americans right now.

There's a huge difference between illegal and legal immigration. IMO, Obama wouldn't care about illegals if there wasn't a self-serving angle to it.

[Spang]

With a name like Wurzelbacher, I bet if it weren't for immigration, Joe The Plumber wouldn't be an American today.

Joe The Plumber Says Immigrants Should Get ‘The Hell Out Of Our Damn Country’

While protesting government spending at Houston’s Independence Day Tea Party, Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher stated that American taxpayer dollars would be best spent on the mass deportation of 12 million undocumented immigrants:

WURZELBACHER: I believe in making sure our country is safe first. I believe we need to spend a little more on illegal immigrants. Get them the hell out of our damn country and close the borders down. We can do it. We’ve got the greatest military in the world and you’re telling me we can’t close our borders? — That’s just ridiculous.

Wurzelbacher dedicated a private interview to saying that he’s tired of the government “sticking its hand” in his “back-pocket” and urging the government to “pull its head out of its butt.” Apparently he’s against bailouts and the stimulus bill, but he completely supports spending approximately $206 billion over five years, or $41.2 billion annually, to hunt down and deport all the undocumented immigrants living in the US. Joe probably doesn’t realize that such a policy would also mean a loss of $1.8 trillion in annual spending and $651.5 billion in annual output.

Joe’s demented view on immigration and government spending was echoed by tax protesters at tea parties across the nation. Jack Martin, Special Projects Director of the anti-immigrant hate group Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) was a featured speaker at Virginia’s Prince William County American Freedom Day Tea Party. The Anti-Defamation League warned that white supremacists and neo-Nazi hate groups were planning to take advantage of the tea parties to disseminate their anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant views and recruit new members.

The Source (http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/06/joe-the-plumber-immigration/)

[NativeSun]

With a name like Wurzelbacher, I bet if it weren't for immigration, Joe The Plumber wouldn't be an American today.



The Source (http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/06/joe-the-plumber-immigration/)

There is a HUGE difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration, and Joe the Plumber singles out illegal immigration. Nice try though.

[Ikasu]

There is a HUGE difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration, and Joe the Plumber singles out illegal immigration. Nice try though.

The same people who rail against illegal immigration also have problems with legal immigration from certain countries (I'll let you guess which).

[NativeSun]

The same people who rail against illegal immigration also have problems with legal immigration from certain countries (I'll let you guess which).

Is it Kenya???

[Spang]

Well, he wants our borders closed but what good would that do? Mexico would still be a <CENSORED> place to live and Mexicans would still get into our country. Unless, we help make Mexico a better place to live. If Mexico didn't suck so much, there wouldn't be 12 million of them in our country right now.

Furthermore, if our borders were closed before Wurzelbacher's ancestors immigrated here, he wouldn't be an American right now.

[NativeSun]

Well, he wants our borders closed but what good would that do? Mexico would still be a <CENSORED> place to live and Mexicans would still get into our country. Unless, we help make Mexico a better place to live. If Mexico didn't suck so much, there wouldn't be 12 million of them in our country right now.

Furthermore, if our borders were closed before Wurzelbacher's ancestors immigrated here, he wouldn't be an American right now.

Who's saying that closing our boarders means that Mexicans can't immigrate here anymore? It just means that it will be very difficult for them to immigrate here illegally. And BTW, people from countries other than Mexico use our southern border to cross into this country illegally.

[Spang]

And BTW, people from countries other than Mexico use our southern border to cross into this country illegally.

Yes, there's illegal immigrants in this country from all over the world but it appears that people are only outraged by the brown ones from Mexico.

[NativeSun]

Yes, there's illegal immigrants in this country from all over the world but it appears that people are only outraged by the brown ones from Mexico.

Maybe that has to do with the fact that they make up the overwhelming majority of illegal immigrants here as opposed to their simply being brown. And moreover, not all Mexicans are brown. My grandma is about as white as a ghost.

[Lealy]

Of course it's broken. Just ask his aunt. :-bd

HeHe;)

[Lealy]

Is it Kenya???

I have no problem with legal immigration regardless of color, religion or ethnic background. But it does no good if we cant stop the flow of illegal immigrants to just do what Regan did. It made it worse not better. Bump up legal immigration from everywhere not just penalize those waiting for years following the rules and then waiting some more because we still won't shut our borders down. Even 3rd world countries don't just let every one who feels like crossing just walk right in.

[NativeSun]

Even 3rd world countries don't just let every one who feels like crossing just walk right in.

Someone should have passed that by the two American journalists working in a North Korean labor camp before they crossed into that country.

[smiledr]

Yes, there's illegal immigrants in this country from all over the world but it appears that people are only outraged by the brown ones from Mexico.

Why is it that if you take a stand against illegal immigration you are painted as a racist?

[Spang]

Why is it that if you take a stand against illegal immigration you are painted as a racist?

I think it's wrong to tell people from another country that they can't live in a country that was wrongfully taken from Native Americans by people who illegally immigrated here from Europe in the first place.

[NativeSun]

I think it's wrong to tell people from another country that they can't live in a country that was wrongfully taken from Native Americans by people who illegally immigrated here from Europe in the first place.

So were the Native Americans illegal immigrants also for having immigrated here from Northern Asia?

[Spang]

So were the Native Americans illegal immigrants also for having immigrated here from Northern Asia?

What race of humans did they slaughter once they got here?

[NativeSun]

What race of humans did they slaughter once they got here?

Each other. Don't think that they were all nice guys. The Aztecs were real gang bangers.

[smiledr]

I think it's wrong to tell people from another country that they can't live in a country that was wrongfully taken from Native Americans by people who illegally immigrated here from Europe in the first place.

ok. but that doesn't answer my question. You expalin your reasons for supporting illegal immigration but still didn't answer my question of why if I say I am against illegal immigration then you insinuate that I am a racist.

[Spang]

ok. but that doesn't answer my question. You expalin your reasons for supporting illegal immigration but still didn't answer my question of why if I say I am against illegal immigration then you insinuate that I am a racist.

I'm not calling you a racist. However, if you're only outraged by the Mexicans, I don't know what else you'd call it.

[Laura Cereta]

I have no problem with legal immigration regardless of color, religion or ethnic background. But it does no good if we cant stop the flow of illegal immigrants to just do what Regan did. It made it worse not better. Bump up legal immigration from everywhere not just penalize those waiting for years following the rules and then waiting some more because we still won't shut our borders down. Even 3rd world countries don't just let every one who feels like crossing just walk right in.

You have a point. Immigration is such a complicated issue, especially fiscally. All politicians can pretend to be humanitarians (and some are), but it's still all about the money. The borders would probably already be shut if there weren't trade concerns.

[NativeSun]

I'm not calling you a racist. However, if you're only outraged by the Mexicans, I don't know what else you'd call it.

I think you'd see just as much outrage if there were just as many illegal immigrants from Canada living here in the U.S and they were causing the same ramifications.

[Suzan]

Yes, there's illegal immigrants in this country from all over the world but it appears that people are only outraged by the brown ones from Mexico.
I agree with others that skin color isn't the issue. It's the sheer numbers. I can remember how some southern Californians reacted to the influx of Vietnamese. There was lot of grumbling about how smart they were and how they skewed the Bell curve in college grading. Again, it was primarily about the numbers and the impact on the status quo.

[NativeSun]

I agree with others that skin color isn't the issue. It's the sheer numbers. I can remember how some southern Californians reacted to the influx of Vietnamese. There was lot of grumbling about how smart they were and how they skewed the Bell curve in college grading. Again, it was primarily about the numbers and the impact on the status quo.

I was in grade school when that happened. And what is most noteworthy about those kids was that they were put into English only classes. By the end of the school year they were fluent in English. The Mexican nationals in my bilingual class weren't. I am one of the biggest opponents of bilingual education you can find.