If you could speak directly with members of Congress today about an issue, what exactly would you talk with them about? Honestly, even people I know who are OK with amnesty would not use the opportunity to talk about amnesty, because they would prefer that other issues aside from border issues be addressed first. It’s a given that I am against amnesty and Bush’s efforts, I’ve made enough posts already to make that clear. But what is interesting is that our (as in this nation’s) President is going to speak with Congress today taking a side of an issue that Conservatives are against and to use an angle that while some Liberals agree with Bush, even many of them would not make it their own focus if they had a moment with Congress.

Bush to push immigration bill at Capitol

WASHINGTON –President Bush, wading deeper into an issue that bitterly divides his party, hopes a personal appeal to fellow Republicans at lunch Tuesday can save his immigration bill.

Let’s not waste time with claims of those who say it’s not amnesty versus we who know it is. We all have our view of this and I’m not trying to convince anyone of otherwise in this post, given I’ve already made that effort in prior posts. My point with this post is to expose how our President is prioritizing his time, even when we might disagree with him. Because the Americans who have no problem with allowing illegal aliens to remain in the USA are not focusing most of their time on the issue. Those who do harp in favor of this amnesty effort are the true fringe group. We who stand against Bush’s efforts and this amnesty plot are great in number and sound in our resolve. Our sentiments are why people like John McCain ranks low in polls regarding his Presidential bid. Our sentiments are why when given a vote in a statewide ballot, efforts to curb illegal immigration and deny illegals benefits available to citizens usually succeeded. We are not the fringe, we are very much the majority and this represents one of few issues most Americans agree on. We want to be assured the borders are closed FIRST and only then would a debate over amnesty be appropriate, although I would be in opposition to amnesty then as well.

So we basically have a President who has devoted his time to an effort that most oppose and many who support don’t even put at the top of their own agenda. But look at the arrogance of President Bush.

“I’ll see you at the bill signing,” Bush predicted Monday.

You might have another issue that you consider to be #1, but for Bush, amnesty is #1. He knows even past efforts have resulted in there still not being any secured border yet. He knows this bill he’s pushing will result in the same, plus amnesty, plus inspiring more illegal immigration by those who never care to work by the rules.

What did the amnesty of 1986 result in? The idea then was that the borders would be secured and they were not. The idea then was that there would be less future illegal immigration and that has not been the case. The idea then was that more people would do things like encourage use of the English language, but we see more people in America than ever before that do not speak English.

Also from the article:

Senate Democratic leaders have written Bush saying it is up to him to lean on Republicans to back the measure.

Who is driving Bush? His core base? No, his supposed political opposition is driving him.

It’s unclear, though, how much influence Bush has among Republicans on immigration, given that it has sparked a backlash among some of the party’s core supporters, who see it as amnesty for people who sneaked into the country.

And let’s not even mention those who are waiting their turn and look at this figuring they probably should have entered this nation illegally too. Bush’s efforts give the impression that skirting the law has more benefits than following the rules. And disrespect all who follow the rules. Many of us might better accept something that advanced people who are waiting in line legally, than to grant amnesty to the biggest violators of our borders. This smacks the face of the Border Patrol, that puts their lives on the line in the name of border security.

Some claim that Bush’s efforts are better than the current status quo. However, before Bush’s efforts, people considering entering the USA illegally never felt their illegal activity would be rewarded. What would be better than the status quo is a proper ordering of priorities.

(This was posted by me earlier today at GuardtheBorders.)