WP: Conservatives Split in Debate on Curbing Illegal Immigration

[Pirate Smile]

Conservatives Split in Debate on Curbing Illegal Immigration

By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 25, 2005; Page A02

Republican lawmakers are headed for a showdown over illegal immigration, an issue that exposes a deep and bitter rift within the GOP.

The drama will unfold when Congress returns early next month and turns to finish an emergency spending bill to fund the Iraq war. The House version, approved before the Easter break, carries tough immigration restrictions, reigniting a long-simmering battle with the Senate over how to deal with the growing illegal population.

It is a conflict that President Bush scarcely needs as he tries to unite his party behind contentious Social Security changes and judicial nominations. Meeting Wednesday with Mexican President Vicente Fox, Bush promised to continue pushing Congress for a program allowing temporary guest workers. That accommodation is the opposite of what House conservatives are seeking with the crackdown on asylum seekers and state driver's-license requirements for illegal immigrants that they attached to the Iraq bill. Bush acknowledged the limits of his influence: "I'm not a member of the legislative branch," he told Fox.

The immigration debate pits one core GOP constituency (law-and-order conservatives) against another (business interests that rely on immigrant labor). One camp wants to tighten borders and deport people who are here illegally; the other seeks to bring illegal workers out of the shadows and acknowledge their growing economic importance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64179-2005Mar24.html

[solinvictus]

1. Free Republic..

Rim Job has declared it a dead issue that will not be discussed. The more conservative among them have stated they've closed their wallets to him.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

7. I feel a "duh" coming on...

but who the hell is Rim Job? Who's rimming who?!

[Anakin Skywalker]

9. Rim Job is Jimbo Robinson, Owner of Freepy Creepy Land

[WorseBeforeBetter]

10. Blah, thanks.

I see he's tight (no pun intended) with Steve Forbes:

[DBoon]

2. Let 'em split

and we should remind all legal immigrants that we support their interests.

[w4rma]

11. And for illegal immigrants, that we don't support their interests. (nt)

[GrouchierThanThou]

3. Well, there's W's base

who supply the money for the machine to convince the dim to vote for him, but their party is even pissing off the dim now. Things are getting interesting and it's only a couple months after the swearing in.

[d_b]

4. Hmm.

Hispanic votes or freeper xenophobia. Decisions, decisions.

[Sandpiper]

5. Big Business vs. Bigots

It's fun to watch the right eat their own.

[bluestateguy]

6. In the Red corner, the nativists

In the Green corner, the cheap labor conservatives.

[Anakin Skywalker]

8. Heh Heh Heh. Nice.

*rubbing hands* >:)