Bush accuses conservative critics of fear-mongering on immigration
SanLuisObispo.com
In an exclusive interview with McClatchy Newspapers, Bush expressed his determination to fight for changes that would let millions of illegal immigrants gain legal status. He cast the debate as a struggle over America’s soul and its reputation as a welcoming nation.
“I’m deeply concerned about America losing its soul. Immigration has been the lifeblood of a lot of our country’s history,” the president said during an interview on Air Force One. “I am worried that a backlash to newcomers would cause our country to lose its great capacity to assimilate newcomers.”
Bush underscored his commitment to the proposed overhaul — despite harsh criticism from some conservatives — as he traveled to Georgia for a speech that blasted the legislation’s critics.
“I’m sure you’ve heard some of the talk out there about people defining the bill. It’s clear they hadn’t read the bill. They’re speculating about what the bill says, and they’re trying to rile up people’s emotions,” he told an audience at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, near Brunswick. “If you want to kill the bill, if you don’t want to do what’s right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it, you can use it to frighten people. Or you can show leadership and solve this problem once and for all.”
Some of the most vociferous criticism has come from conservative talk-show hosts who usually back the president. Commentator Rush Limbaugh has told his listeners that the legislation would doom the Republican Party and the nation.
Bush hopes to push it through Congress with help from a bipartisan group of lawmakers that includes Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., a liberal stalwart, and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., a staunch conservative. The president said he had no hesitations about working with Kennedy despite their sharp differences over Iraq and other issues.
“The reason why is, he can get the job done,” Bush said aboard Air Force One.
“When you grow up in Texas like I did, you recognize the decency and humanity of Hispanics. And the truth of the matter is, a lot of this immigration debate is driven as a result of Latinos being in our country,” he said. “I have seen firsthand the beautiful stories of people being able to take advantage of opportunity and make solid contributions to our society.”
He said Americans had nothing to fear from large-scale immigration from Latin America.
“There is an element of our society that is worried about two Americas,” he said. “Our ability to welcome newcomers and the system’s capacity to assimilate them has been one of the great powerful traditions of America. It works, and it will work this time. People shouldn’t fear our capacity to uphold our motto: E Pluribus Unum.”
The Latin phrase means “Out of many, one.”
Addressing one of the most sensitive issues in the measure, Bush expressed hope that the changes would reduce the need for a fence along the border with Mexico.
The bill requires the completion of at least 370 miles of fencing, along with other security measures, before any temporary worker program can go into effect, but doesn’t specify how much of the border ultimately will be fenced. Congress approved legislation last year calling for 700 miles of fence.
Wild Thing’s comment………..
America had its GREAT DEPRESSION
What we’re seeing here today is …
THE GREAT INVASION.
We simply want the rule of law upheld and our nation secure.
So, in 2000, conservatives busted their asses to stop Gore from taking the Presidency away from Bush.
In 2003, we supported Bush against the anti-war “Bush lied” moonbats.
In 2004, we supported Bush when Dan Rather tried to smear Bush’s honorable service in the TANG.
There were other times when we backed the President when he was under an unprecedented assault from liberal hate and the Democrats, his judicial picks, his SS reforms…
So how does Bush repay us.
Why, he repaid us by continuing to reach out to these same scumbags that want to display his head over the fireplace and bearskin rug.
We overlooked his Medicare Part D boondoggle, his Harriet Meier’s, his Dubai Ports dealing, his LBJ spending spree that makes Slick look fiscally conservative * cough 30 billion for AIDS in Africa cough *
But the line in the sand has been drawn. All Americans do not support the AMNESTY that the President is promoting, to please the WSJ and the US Chamber of Commerce, as well as corporate trans-nationals and big business. And securing our borders is now almost a second thought, THAT speaks volumes of how much our leaders want to make our Nation secure. They don’t.
As a middle-aged gun-owning male caucasian, I’m getting tired of being a member of the only group of people in this country required to obey the law.
Rick I know just how you feel.
I wonder what would happen if even at a Stop sign we would tell a policeman, sorry sir, why do I have to obey a law if I don’t like it. Can we re-write the stop sign laws? I mean since our leaders have proven they do not want to obey existing laws, what does it matter what the law is for, a law is a law isn’t it officer?
Then of course I would get a nice friendly ticket. But laws should be for everyone.
He was supposed to protect and defend US against all enemies foreign and domestic – which includes ILLEGAL ALIENS and LAWBREAKERS! Dubya has bruised my heart…what the hell is wrong with him, and Laura doesn’t see what we’re seeing?
I don’t get it.
Yes, this is the land of opportunity, but holy moly, we can’t just let them in here illegally. I don’t know why he isn’t seeing that.
My ancestors didn’t break the law to get here and the border didn’t cross the Mexicans. They were paid fair and square for it!
Years ago, there was fear of killer bees coming up from the south. Well, I think they’re here, but it isn’t bees, it’s illegals.
Time to stop coddling these bozos and send them back where they came from. It has kept salaries down for everyone. I actually make less after 11 years on my job than the kids who are bilinguals and are brand new on the job. It makes my blood boil. My company won’t promote you unless you speak spanish, so I am stuck. And it seems all the companies in this town are doing the same.
I don’t know who made this a law–that if you have your baby in America, that baby is a citizen and you can’t be deported.
Every day I get more and more upset over the illegals. I don’t mind those who came here legally–that’s fine, but stop coddling the illegals! My kids would gladly detassle corn, mow lawns, scoop snow or walk beans (I had to) but those jobs are unavailable anymore.
Bush keeps talking about how this country was built on immigration … Again, he is not telling the whole story, LEGAL immigration, sponsors, for would be citizens. They had to pass physicals, they couldn’t be carrying any air-borne diseases, … When people came here, they wanted to be Americans, they wanted to leave their past country behind … My ancestors were Irish and German, they wanted to be here, they wanted to learn the culture, the language and be part of the greatest country in the world.
My grandfather(from Germany) came here in 1890 and spoke better english that a lot of the population, today, he took great pride in becoming an American.
Big difference between Legal Immigrants and thieves that break into your house at night an rob you blind, via social programs and any other free lunch Toad Kennedy can dream up to give them as long as they vote democrat. … through Kennedy-Bush’s Idea of what immigration is.
Bush can be all the pissed-off he wants to be he is trying to force down our throats, his convoluted idea of what a conglomerated america would be, his global idea of U.S., Canada and Mexico as one North American Union, his big legacy.
Hopefully, there are enough democrats pissed off at this ‘Comprehensive Immigration’ freebie that it will go down in flames, which is what it deserves. And take him with it.
“He said Americans had nothing to fear from large-scale immigration from Latin America.”
I don’t think the man gets it. Nobody fears immigrants from Latin America and by immigrants I mean those that come here legally. What we fear are those who have no regard for OUR laws, thus disregarding OUR country.
Mark, you’re exactly right. Real immigrants came here wanting to be Americans; they studied and worked hard to become citizens. In the military I served with many foreign nationals who were hoping to become citizens. These men and women swore an oath to defend this nation in hopes of becoming one of its citizens. My grandfather came from Italy and refused to allow his 6 children to speak Italian. He would say “you’re in America and you will speak American”.
If we have nothing to fear then why does my old home town totally have a Mexican take over of all the business core, the farming community and the local school system? Big store chains have come and gone, Safeway and Wal-mart are the only big ones left and they’re not doing all that great. You have to be bi-lingual to get a job there, that is if you’re caucasian, there is no requirement to speak english. Up from 3100 to nearly 20,000 in population the criminal gangs rule the North side of the city, the police are infected with their sympathetic cousins on the force. People, even the illegals fear to leave their homes to go to the market for the fear of being burgled while gone or leaving family members unprotected. This state and it’s counties, being Socialist in nature bend over backwards to accomodate the illegal immigrant and further exacerbate the problem by making this a sanctuary state. I worked abroad for over 20 years owning property there with the dream of retiring to the farm only to have that dream destroyed by illegal immigrants who have displaced the legal immigrant. There is no place to go, pass the ammo!!!
This Memorial Day we went to Gettysburg for the Service and Memorial Day parade. We have made many trips to Gettysburg to visit the National Cemetery.
This year was not so special, Gettysburg, a small farming community has been turned into a California like Mall, where the Illegals are lined up every morning to get work. There are no cops to be seen, no enforcement of the law, they are just there, and disappear at night. I was shocked, I have never seen this before expecially there. They could not speak English, and made no attempt to, if you didn’t speak Spanish you were out of luck, too bad for me … gringo.
Now I just read on Drudge, the Chinese are sending us ‘Toxic Toothpaste’, Excuse me, is anything made in this country anymore. ???
E-Coli lettuce, from the Illegals, and poison dogfood from the Chinese and now Toxic Toothpaste,
and Bush, now says, “We may not even need a fence”
If he is so enamored with these people why don’t he move to Tiajuana, that would be a nice place for him to start.
Jack is right, ‘Keep your powder dry.’
Yes Bush, America IS losing it’s soul. You are on the wrong side. We are losing our Anglo-Saxon soul to Hispanic Third World culture. Bush is a blind, stumbling socialist idiot. I heard one person describe Bush as dumber than a flat tire on a loaded wheelbarrow.
Bush is giving away America, it’s culture and values. The “worst president in history” only gave away the Panama Canal. Our history will eventually be completely rewritten to favor the newcoming invaders/tresspassers. Many stores I go into in North Texas already have as many signs, or more, in Spanish as in English.
As Mark noted, toothpaste from China? Wheat by products from China, to the breadbasket of the World? Fords made in Canada, Chevys in Mexico. Walmart a Chinese outlet store.
Bush 1, Bill Clinton and now especially George W Bush have conspired to destroy the heart of America. Yeah, my stock portfolio is humming. But that is profits from outsourcing and cheap illegal labor. Eventually those stocks will go the other way as the big bubble bursts.
George W Bush, I have such an anger at you now it is difficult to remain self-controlled. You are not a “good ole boy”. You are a Yalie elitist Socialist, New World Order one worlder, incompetent, lying asswipe.
Darth he has been a great disappointment. I hate that I even have to say that but it is the truth.
Lynn I don’t know who made that a law either. I just remember the first time I heard it, it was such a surprise to me.
Mark I hope so, I hope there will be enough Democrats to add in with the conservative Republicans when they vote on this to shut it down.
Thank you for sharing about your Grandfather.
I just don’t get it, how Bush even leaves out the word Illegal when he speaks his argument for immigration. Like you said it is about illegals not any hate for those coming here legally. But he is twisting it around on purpose.
Bob I really hate saying this but I think he does get it and he does not care. Bush seems to have a deeper agenda of his own for who knows what.
Jack there is no place to go your right. I feel so much like the rug is being pulled out from under me, from under America.
Mark I heard that about the toothpaste and that was my very first thought. Can’t we make all these things here. It would help our economy and jobs and why the heck do we have to get every item from some other place and China of all places.
Tom, when we lived still lived in Calif. we saw a lot of that. Stores changing names to Spanish names, in some areas it felt like we were living in Mexico when we would drive certain places.