January 20, 2006

Republican National Committee supports Bush "guest" worker scheme

From "Republican Divide Over Immigration Keeps Widening":

...At their winter meeting in Washington, D.C., RNC members approved a pro-Bush plan resolution by Texas committeeman Bill Crocker. That forced the withdrawal of a resolution against the plan proposed by Arizona committeeman Randy Pullen.

The Crocker resolution called for a "functional program which will allow workers from other countries to enter the United States to work for a fixed period of time."

It also said such a program must provide "no amnesty" for those here illegally, but did not exclude "legalization," the term favored by immigration proponents.

GOP leaders, including Vice President Dick Cheney, RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, lobbied hard for the Crocker resolution and against the efforts of immigration critics...

The RNC vote came a day after a coalition of business and labor groups declared its determination to fight for legalization and increases in foreign workers.

"We have decided that this is a fundamental, essential issue to the future of our economy," said Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"This is not an issue that the fundamental organizations representing our economy, representing society, are going to walk away from," he said...

The Chamber of Commerce represents America? I - and the vast majority of Americans - beg to disagree.

And, yes, the article has some terminology problems but let's hope the usually sane IBD is just having a bad day. For more similar problems, see the earlier "Immigration Rift in GOP Up for Vote" (also here). For background, see 1/13's "RNC member calls for anti-illegals vote".

Previously: Republican National Committee rejects "amnesty". Again!

Posted to Immigration at January 20, 2006 06:02 PM

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