'Path to citizenship' Faces Liberal House foes

While our Senators are determined to ram some kind of amnesty down our throats the stand against it in the House is becoming more solid. When the RINO's come out in support of what is considered a right wing issue you can bet that the people back home have laid down the law.

Christopher Shays of Connecticut, who is about as Democrat as a Republican can get, returned from a short visit to the district he represents with renewed conviction that no amnesty will be offered until the border is secure. His constituents showed up at the 18 various meeting he held to discuss issues with them. At the first one he got his head handed to him on the guest worker amnesty provision. He saw the light and it was a train wreck for him in November. He quickly abandoned the amnesty idea and want's nothing of it.

"There were real questions about that," Mr. Shays said yesterday. "There is not much tolerance for allowing people to become citizens who came here illegally."...

..."They have very little tolerance for those marches that took place, the upside-down American flags and the Mexican flags," he said. Also, they worried that immigrants' resistance to learning English could create a splintered "Spanish Quebec" in the U.S.

Mr. Shays said he still supports a guest-worker plan that allows illegal aliens to work here temporarily. But, he said, illegals should return home and get at the very back of the line if they want to apply for citizenship.

Then, he said, the government must "really clamp down on employers" who hire illegals. "We have to start throwing the book at them."

Tom Davis in Northern Virginia is also steadfast. He has a district that includes many liberals so he often dances around issues. But not on this one.

"This is not just hard-right conservatives," he said. "These are seniors, these are liberals. Everybody thinks the border ought to be enforced, the rule of law should be preserved."

Politically speaking, Mr. Davis said Democrats should be "very, very careful" about getting too cozy with the illegal alien lobbyists if they want to make gains in the House or the Senate.

But, he said, the issue could be equally perilous in November for Republicans, who are already "on the ropes." If a Republican Congress fails to pass immigration reform -- without amnesty -- the GOP will face harsh consequences.

"This will be a test for voters in terms of 'Are Republicans capable of governing?' " said Mr. Davis.

He has it summed up exactly correct. The voters have made this the defining issue. Any politician who will stand for the sovereignty of our border and respect the laws we have will receive the support of voters across the board. This kind of bipartisan support from the electorate is the holy grail of politics and we can begin to see politicians reaching for it with determination the nearer the election we get.

immigration politics Mexico Virginia