President Bush, Senators Kennedy and McCain, and the others pushing for liberalization of immigration policies decry attempts to label their doings "amnesty." Tom Tancredo, the presidential candidate with the most credibility on this issue, calls the agreement "instant amnesty." But amnesty, as the controversial compromise reached on immigration reform is dubbed, is to weak a word to describe the legislation. Amnesty merely forgives someone for a past crime. This bill does that, and then rewards the lawbreaker with a visa. Thus, "amnesty" doesn't give the complete picture. "Reward" does. Newt Gingrich calls the deal "a sellout of every conservative principle." It's not. I'm not ready to say someone is not a conservative because they disagree with me on immigration. I am ready to say that they are wrong. (Immigration really isn't a good barometer of where politicians stand on other issues.) There really isn't a crying need for more immigration laws. There is a crying need to enforce the laws that already exist.

This Bill is an abomination of an amnesty bill that will only excuse and reward blatant illegal activity and, if passed, will help to crush our already overburdened social and legal systems.

They say 12 million illegals will be handed the most coveted citizenship to the greatest country in the World, but they truly have no idea how many they're talking about because THEY ARE ALL UNDOCUMENTED!!! It will likely be along the lines of 20 to 30 million and let's not forget the family that they'll bring in.

All you need to know about this mess is that treasonous, socialist Ted Kennedy is a prime sponsor. He says that immigration needs to be fixed, even though we don't bother to enforce immigration laws currently in effect. Well, Fat Teddy should look in the mirror because he's the one who broke immigration with the Immigrtation Reform Act of 65', championing and supporting amnesty for 1 to 3 million in 86' and now by sponsoring the Mother of all Immigration Bills that's supposed to cure all of our ills.......until the next time.

Kennedy, McCain and Bush are making history with this proposal at the expense of the naturalized U.S. citizen and in the process are cheapening what it means to be an American.

Another question is the political dynamic. When all those "new citizens" are allowed to vote, will it upset the balance?

It will, of course. Both major parties realize that the hispanic bloc is the next big thing in electoral politics, so neither will dare piss them off.

They are trading in the sovereignty of the nation for votes. It is disgusting.

Power corrupts and all that. This is what happens when people say "Vote the bums out", then, under their breath, "Just not my bum."

Ted Kennedy's name is on this bill.
Enough said.

It's probably too late, but if people in this country don't wake up soon, in the near future we are heading in the direction of becoming a third world country. And it doesn't appear that it matters anymore who's in power, the Dems or the Banana Republicans are just as aloof and dangerous.

What happens when and if this Bill passes and people who have only been in this country for only God knows how many few years are eligible for the benefits that are now only available to citizens born here or who have been legally naturalized?

Amnesty to allow 20 to 30 million mostly poor and uneducated and their families to stay who will be able to get onto the welfare rolls and to use government funded medicine, not to mention what it will do to an already depleted and broken social security system.

So, what's in it for me? Nada. And these bums expect us to continue to fight in phony baloney wars to "defend" this country. For what? To protect a United States that will eventually be that in name only?

Another great article on this subject is from Mark Steyn, "America Z Beautiful." According to Steyn, "sponsors of the recent accord between the White House and the Senate don't like the word "amnesty" any more than the deal's critics do."

You all might be interested in my latest post at the ACRU Blog, too. In "Sound Off on the Immigration Reform Deal", I provide a brief summary of what advocates and critics are saying, as well as some sound principles that ACRU Policy Board member Ed Meese has set out for any comprehensive immigration reform package.

All you would need to say is Ted Kennedys name is on this bill and you already know its a horrible idea meant to stick it to the average hard working joe. Our economy is totally in shambles and the legalization of 12-20 million illegals will make it worse. When they eventually become US CITIZENS they will no longer work for below minimum wage as ILLEGAL ALIENS do. So that will force big conglomerates to either raise the price of their products, outsource everything that they make or hire more illegal aliens streaming across the border (most likely hiring of the reletives of the newly aquired Shamnesty citizens). Nothing makes my blood boil more than the blatant disregard for our countrys national security. They need to tighten the noose around the border fast, then they need to deal with the illegal scum.

RRW, I don’t know that I’d agree with you that our economy is in shambles. Market’s up, unemployment down and outside of gasoline, consumer goods and service costs are manageable. On the whole, the economy appears to be pretty good.

But, I do agree that with a massive influx of low skilled low paid workers automatically becoming newly minted citizens that will elevate them beyond what made them attractive to many businesses in the first place, the current economic dynamic would change enough to start the process all over again.

Suffice it to say, this illegal immigration fiasco is wrong on many levels and by allowing the flood to continue and additionally by allowing those who broke the law in the first place to be rewarded, our economy would be impacted directly and indirectly due to strains on our social systems and stress on an already incompetent government.