Intelligencer

Deep Split in GOP Widens

IF you want to see how split the Republican Party is on immigration, just consider the vast gulf between recent statements by Senator John McCain and two right wing opponents of the Senate bill on immigration reform.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Congressman Mike Pence had come up with an alternative proposal which they hoped could result in a united Republican Party on the issue. Pence is to the right of Attila the Hun, while Hutchinson is a Texas senator who should know better.

Their solution consists of a new visa category exclusively for Canada, Mexico and other South American countries. It would withhold any legalization proceedings for two years until the border was considered secure.

Then the illegal would have to go back to his country and wait for a job to become vacant which he could apply for. The jobs would be matched with the personnel by large private employment agencies known as Ellis Island Centers.

Then the lucky illegal could come back and get fully legal after 17 – count ‘em 17 years.

The proposal seems an utterly ridiculous way of dealing with the issue, but hey, these days, who knows what will pass. The Washington Post reported that a Bush associate stated the president might just sign such a bill, should it ever see the light of day.

If Bush did support such a plan it would probably lead to the greatest farce in American immigration history, though no doubt private sector friends of the White House would make out like bandits — see Halliburton.

The notion that illegals from Mexico will ever go back willingly to face an utterly uncertain future, waiting to be linked to a job they could not then leave for 17 years or so is utterly ludicrous.

Then maybe that is the intent all along, that such a proposal — although it is not a bill yet, merely a proposal — would make it so difficult that it would be border security only by another name.

Also making it so that only Latinos and Canadians could apply for the visas would certainly lead to accusations of major double standards. The Irish for one, have been castigated for daring to suggest they could look for a separate deal for themselves. Yet here we have a sweetheart private deal open only to a few countries.

Then again, this whole issue is replete with contradictions and obfuscations. Only one thing is certain. This is probably the worst proposal since the one outlawing Chinese from coming to the U.S.

McCain’s Straight Talk

CONTRAST that with Senator John McCain’s passionate embrace of the Senate proposals at the Irish America magazine Wall Street 50 event on Monday night in New York.

Taking a leaf from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s recent speech on immigration, McCain noted that Bloomberg had stated that the New York economy would collapse if all the undocumented were deported.

McCain stated that also held true at the national level, that the U.S. economy would likely collapse if 11 million illegals were forced out of the country.

It is a remarkable contrast between what McCain is stating, which is obvious, and what the right wing Republicans are trying to push through.

It seems increasingly unlikely that there will be a bill this year, but looking at this Republican effort at a “compromise” by Hutchinson and Pence that is no bad thing. Better no bill than a bad one.

Duffy’s Gift for ILIR

McCAIN noted in his remarks on Monday that the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform had played a huge role in the immigration debate so far in galvanizing Irish American support.

The ILIR role was also highlighted by Wall Street 50 Hall of Fame honoree John Duffy, chairman and CEO of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the Wall Street firm which was wiped out after September 11 but which has risen phoenix-like form the ashes.

Duffy, the son of Irish immigrants, made clear that he was fully behind ILIR and put his money where his mouth is by donating $10,000 to the organization.

It was certainly interesting to see a gathering of over 250 Wall Street bigwigs all focusing on the issue that has come to define much of Irish America at the moment, that of illegal Irish immigration.

By his generous action Duffy has certainly stepped up to the plate and no doubt others will follow. Indeed, it should be noted that an anonymous donation of $50,000 was received by the organization recently from a major businessman.

Bush Low with Hispanics

A RECENT poll of Hispanic Americans revealed bad news for President Bush. His ratings among Hispanics, especially Spanish speaking ones, have dropped sharply since the last election.

Bush won 48% of the vote among Spanish speaking Hispanics in 2004. His support level now is in the twenties.

It is not surprising that Hispanics would think less of Republicans over the issue of undocumented and the all out assault by the right wing, but Bush has actually been very good on the issue. Yet these new poll numbers indicate that he is receiving much of the blame for the stalemate in Congress over immigration reform.

The poll, carried out by a community polling group, also finds that Democrats have yet to fully exploit the dislike among Hispanic voters of the Republican tactics. Time will tell if they are able to get their message across by November.