Bipartisan Meaningful Immigration Reform?

I don't see anything in there that I hate, but will it pass in its present form? Icouldcontinue see both sides of the aisle going to town on this and dismembering it.

LadyJazzer wrote: I didn't say it wasn't "bipartisan"--As a matter of fact, I specifically DID say a "bipartisan plan."... But isn't it odd that after running on a platform of "All these illegals should self-deport", all of a sudden the GOTP decides to go for a "bipartisan" effort? Somehow, I don't think it was the Dems that tried to start one... Why would they? They hold the cards right now......

Actually this bipartisan move could reduce the Republicans to a regional party at best. 11 million hispanics voting 90% for Democrats would change the politics of all the border states and other regions, so having the GOP put the country ahead of party is admirable, or maybe the stupidest thing they ever do as a party.

I think it's a great plan as long as two things happen... real border enforcement and having to wait in line before getting citizenship. I doubt the first will happen but hopeful about the second. I also wonder if illlegals becoming legal workers will be a net tax gain or loss since there will be so many on the lower end who will most likely get gov't assistance.

If the border isn't more strictly enforced, we will see a tidal wave of people pouring over it.

Nobody that matters wrote:

LadyJazzer wrote: I didn't say it wasn't "bipartisan"--As a matter of fact, I specifically DID say a "bipartisan plan."... But isn't it odd that after running on a platform of "All these illegals should self-deport", all of a sudden the GOTP decides to go for a "bipartisan" effort? Somehow, I don't think it was the Dems that tried to start one... Why would they? They hold the cards right now......

First you bitch about the republicans being obstructionists.
Now you bitch about them helping to create a bipartisan plan.

It must really suck to be so bitter.

Bitch about it? Hardly. It's about time they figured out that telling the Hispanic population that they should "self-deport" if they're undocumented, was a death-sentence for the GOTP. They didn't suddenly have a "change of heart"... They finally found somebody on their side that wasn't too stupid to read the polls and the election results. It must have been a revelation to folks like Steve King to realize they were actually going to have to participate, even if they are dragged to it kicking-and-screaming.

Better late than never.

But, hey, you got to use the word "bitter" in a sentence! :thumbsup:

It sounds similar to what Bush proposed back in 2007 and McCain supported back then as well, though it failed in Congress.

Hopefully something can now get done 6 yrs later.

Yes, I think that was before McCain had to run against radio-talk-show wingnut J.D. Hayworth and uttered the famous jump-the-shark line, "We've got to finish the danged fence." That was a classic.

Rick wrote:
If the border isn't more strictly enforced, we will see a tidal wave of people pouring over it.

I just don't see how it could be, too long, and too pourus, and it would cost way too much to do it right.

And shutting down the land border might just open up more sea and air transit.

With this in the works, think there will be increased illegal immigration to get in before the new bill becomes law?

I heard Rubio on the Hugh Hewitt show and he thinks it could be hammered out by mid-March.

None of this is going to be cheap, especially providing a more secure border......If the Republicans are on board, how will they reconcile their calls to cut spending and not raise revenue/taxes with a new immigration program that may be expensive? I was surprised that no mention of cost was forthcoming from the "gang of 8".

How to pay for increased border security? Good question. Drones, fencing and border guards aren't cheap.
Multi-task? Create combined Border Guard/Infantry units like the Russians and Germans do?
The military could set up new bases along the Mexican border, train there and patrol.

It would be a lot cheaper to re-supply than our units in Afghanistan.