The difference between Iraq and the immigration fight, for Bush, is that the former divides the Democrats (and presumably helps Republicans) while the latter decimates the Republican party.

Exactly Sam. This bill will drive the Senate GOP down to the low 40s and prevent the GOP from retaking the House from the inept Pelosi led Dems. Bush's legacy, while his heart is in the right place, will set the GOP back electorally for several cycles.

There's no difference. Just as Reagan had to extend amnesty for the same reason he had to win the Cold War, so W has to extend amnesty for the same reason he leads the Reformation. To do less is unAmerican. Inconceivable for our two most American presidents. Recall the price Reagan paid?

Bush has smashed the domestic GOP concensus for a generation with his policies legitimating amnesty in preference to enforcement. I drank his Kool Aid for Iraq and only began to wake up when his complete contempt for his conservative supporters lead him to send us Harriet to nail down a generation's sacrifice in opposition to the activist judiciary and its support for abortion.

What you can say for certain with this last betrayal is that Jed is DOA in any future 2012/2016 primary. We should have quit when we were behind after reading his father's lips.

Bush has smashed the domestic GOP concensus for a generation with his policies legitimating amnesty in preference to enforcement. I drank his Kool Aid for Iraq and only began to wake up when his complete contempt for his conservative supporters lead him to send us Harriet to nail down a generation's sacrifice in opposition to the activist judiciary and its support for abortion.

What you can say for certain with this last betrayal is that Jed is DOA in any future 2012/2016 primary. We should have quit when we were behind after reading his father's lips.

It's Jeb, not Jed. Immigration will not stop him from becoming president. Still betting on him for VP in 2008 by the way.

President Bush is right, the crazies on the right are wrong and it won't have any impact on 2008.

I'm not worried about 2008 - I'm worried about 2025 and beyond. Kiss it adios.

Importing socialists or 1 big NA Union is not a good idea. We've been sold down the river.

I wonder what Sandy P.'s grandfather was saying about Ronald Reagan's Irish ancestors when they set foot on American soil? Reagan certainly sounded threatening to those who feared competition for their jobs:

"I learned that hard work is an essential part of life – that by and large, you don't get something for nothing – and that America was a place that offered unlimited opportunity to those who did work hard." Ronald Reagan

This is essentially a moral issue and will separate the Christians and non-Christians from both parties. I doubt it will hurt the Republicans nearly as much as the racist, nativist hate-mongering that passes for political debate among them.

Like it or not, the values that founded American are being promoted by G.W. Bush. Wasn't it up until 1926 that anyone who came to America was by definition an American?

The great thing about the nativists is that their claims are unchanged since Ben Franklin made them and still just as silly.

A consensus built on racism isn't worth maintaining.

AWW:

Nativists aren't voting for the party of Barrack Obama.

Right, "nativists" aren't voting at all. 2006 will seem like a big win for the GOP, compared to 2008.

Sandy: The "North American Union" is a "Minuteman" fanatsy. But, given we have 300 million people and Canada/Mexico have 140 million, who would dominate such a union?

Sam: Nice plan. Since giving the White House and bigger margins to the Dems in Congress will "secure the borders" and otherwise advance nativist goals. Time to grow up.

Bob: I am not advocating a plan, I'm pointing out what's going to happen. Dividing your voters into opposing camps is not a winning strategy. You win when your opponents are divided. You lose when your supporters are divided. This is not rocket science.

The Union is simply Manifest Destiny.

Of course they'll vote. Their displeasure is merely emotional and therefore temporary. Racismn is an impulse, not a thought.