President Obama, Bush on Immigration
President Obama has just addressed the nation on comprehensive immigration reform. As I had suspected, in substance not much different than President Bush's 2006 remarks on same -- and not surprisingly, since I worked on them, I am partial to the latter.
I did notice that in all his talk about the problems of illegal immigration, President Obama seems to speak of the problems only from the perspective of the illegals -- that they are shaken down by unscrupulous businessmen, etc. The same goes for Americans -- he mentions people who will presumably be profiled because of laws like Arizona's. Doesn't ever mention problems that ordinary Americans face: such as having your car destroyed in an accident with an illegal lacking insurance; the people who are victims of crimes by illegals, etc.
I do not believe enforcement is the answer to immigration, and I oppose forcing businesses to have to enforce the law our federal officials won't. I do believe that statements like President Obama's in this speech and Secretary Napolitano's the other day that the border is really unenforceable is what Americans react against most. Basically it says to Americans who want to see laws enforced: you are simpletons, and probably bigots.
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Re: President Obama, Bush on Immigration
Exactly, Bill, exactly.
Obama in his speech today: "Our borders will not be secure as long as our limited resources are devoted to not only stopping gangs and potential terrorists, but also the hundreds of thousands who attempt to cross each year simply to find work."
This is a guy who claims he just solved the health care problem for all 300 million of us and who is proposing carbon tax legislation that he claims will cool the entire planet. But he he can't patrol our borders?
May '10
Re: President Obama, Bush on Immigration
I don't think the irony of the "limited resources" point is going to be lost on anyone. He may be cynically pandering to Hispanics, but living in the bubble as he does, the President underestimates the unanimity in the electorate on the border issue. He may just have misplayed this one.
I admit to having been moved by his rhetoric in the past, but today he sounded cynical and phony. I can't remember which of Ricochet's star-studded contributors made this point earlier, but it really feels as if his speechifying powers are all used up.