Democrats May Write Own Immigration Bill (AP)

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Democrats May Write Own Immigration Bill
Feeling Stymied By Bipartisan Talks, Democrats Consider Writing
Their Own Immigration Bill

(AP) Senate Democratic leaders, increasingly unhappy with an immigration overhaul
taking shape in bipartisan talks with the White House, are considering moving their
own, more permissive bill.

The move would essentially pull the rug out from under a delicate round of talks
between Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., top Bush administration officials and senior
Republicans, who have been negotiating for weeks to strike a deal on the contentious
and politically sensitive issue.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who has set May 14 as a target date for
the immigration debate, said Thursday he plans to bring up a measure drafted last
year _ backed by most Democrats but only a few Republicans _ if the talks don't
yield a bipartisan deal.

The move would set the stage for a heated and unpredictable partisan fight over
immigration.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/03/ap/politics/main2759659.shtml

[bluestateguy]

1. Something I don't understand about the Bush-Kennedy bill

It calls for illegal immigrants to pay a large fine before becoming citizens.

And exactly where are a bunch of indigent--lower middle-class at best--illegal immigrants going to just come up with thousands of dollars out of their pockets to just fork over to the federal government?

That is just impractical and unrealistic. Only someone who has never left the Beltway/DC cocktail party circuit would not be able to understand that.

[w4rma]

2. If I understand the previous bill it increases the number of skilled workers allowed. I oppose that

bill, strongly.

[pampango]

3. Immigration is the "third rail" of American politics right now.

Dems should stay away from this.

The Repubs are split between the nativists and the corporatists, while we are split between those who fear the effect of immigrants on the wages of the working class and those who support the rights of the immigrants.

I don't see any possible legislation that would satisfy DU much less mainstream America.