May 23, 2006
WHICH 65% OF THE PUBLIC WANTS IT GETS:
On immigration, for once, Bush understands what the public wants (Dick Morris, 5/24/06, The Hill))
It is odd how there are so many issues on which the two political-party establishments in the United States sharply differ but on which the public is relatively united. As the debate rages in Congress on whether to be tough on the border or generous in granting citizenship and guest-worker status to illegal immigrants, the Fox News poll of May 9 echoes the public’s point of view: Do it all!While their party leaders steadfastly resist granting “amnesty” by allowing “illegal immigrants who have jobs in the United States to apply for legal temporary-worker status,” voters back the proposal by an overwhelming 63-29 percent. And, despite the posturing of the right wing, Republican voters say yes by 63-30.
Nor are Democrats any more likely to fall in line behind their party’s polarizing positions. Asked if they back “using thousands of National Guard troops temporarily to help patrol agents along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration, voters as a whole answer yes by 63-31, and even Democrats support the idea by 52-40.
And everybody supports increasing the Border Patrol force. Voters as a whole back the addition of thousands of new agents by 79-17, and Democrats go along by 73-22.
It's funny listening to pundits ponder why the president keeps pushing the issue when only the wahoo wing of each party opposes him. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 23, 2006 9:23 PM
The left would have gone off on George W. Bush no matter what he did because he's George W. Bush. For those on the right, some seem to think they're on a winning streak after Harriet Myers and the Dubai ports deal, while pols like Tancredo see it as their path to greater power. Tom's likely to be among the "take my ball and go home unless I get everything I want" crowd when it comes to the fall elections, and will be irate after a compromise deal is finally reached, but he'll be surprised once a new bill is signed into law how fast the issue peters out with the public.
Posted by: John at May 23, 2006 10:03 PMHow's the sale of those ports going?
Posted by: oj at May 23, 2006 10:09 PMRead the blogs from the right where they are praying the House kills the whole deal over the amnesty. The right will be happy while the voters will be pissed that a bill with some good features got killed. And if these House members get tossed in November the right will blame it on taxes or Iraq or whatever.
Posted by: AWW at May 23, 2006 11:12 PMFor the next 3 months "right-liberals" like Helperin(febrile Willie Nelson look alikes)and Ken Mehlman(anybody actually voting GOP is a racist embarressment)and other PC urban,crunchy cons will attack the base and threaten a President Hillary.
And the party will panic.
What is illuminating about this debate is the clarity with which depth,breadth and completeness of the leftist cultural revolution is revealed.
All that's left of the historic right is anti-abortion and low taxes.
At this point,votes don't matter,the Dems will bring things to a head faster than the GOP,but it doesn't really matter what either party does.
Not only does the Right jibe with America morally and on taxes, as you point out, but on applying Third Way solutions to entitlements as well. Ms Clinton could win if she ran as far Right as her husband on those issues and hung John McCain out to dry on the Left as Bill did to GHW Bush. It doesn't seem like she has that in her though.
Posted by: oj at May 24, 2006 8:08 AM