BUSH CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGALS, A CHANGE FOR GOP FUTURE ? - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY
In what would seem a 360 degree change for the President, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced last week that the Bush administration was not only increasing border security to stem the flow of illegal aliens into The United States but will also be pressuring employers to fire illegal workers by enforcing existing laws.
In a statement issued shortly after the announcement President Bush said, "These reforms represent steps my administration can take within the boundaries of existing law." Of course as would be expected the announcement had mixed revues as does anything the President announces. Democrats blasted it and claimed along with illegal alien advocate groups that the crack down would damage the economy as prices would rise on commodities because of the firing of workers.
The addition of 370 miles of border fencing, 300 miles of vehicle barriers and 1,700 Border Patrol agents also drew criticism from illegal alien advocate groups who encourage the crossing of illegals into this country.
In light of the President's past policy concerning illegals and his lack of effort to enforce existing laws, does this change in enforcement mean that Bush and the GOP finally understand that the American people want and demand this approach to the illegal alien problem in this country ? Did the failure of the Senate Amnesty Bill make them realize how serious the people are over this issue ?
It would seem so since this is the first significant move by the administration to enforce existing laws and crack down hard on illegal aliens. While this is not only good news for the country it does also pose another question concerning the future of the GOP and especially the position of Republicans as we approach 2008 and another election.
Though the election is still months away there has really been no significant excitement over the Presidential candidates and especially the platform of the GOP and the candidates have had a , "Ho Hum, " response at best. While Fred Thompson still causes a stir while conservative await his announcement after Labor Day because of issues concerning the airing of Law and Order episodes and equal time problems they pose only Rudy Giuliani is making any real head way with voters and that is minimal at best.
As far as the GOP as a whole though they are not as far down the ladder as they were at the time of the last election there is not much that voters see as significant enough to oust the Democrats and return the GOP to the majority in Congress. That tide also seems to be shifting ever so slightly but not because the GOP excites any great response but because Democrats have failed so miserably in Congress.
Democrats have made their strategy very clear both in the Presidential campaign and the Congressional races as the 2008 election cycle escalates after Labor Day. The Presidential candidates while sometimes playing tag with digs against each other during the debates are focusing on the war and pulling out of Iraq following the same rhetoric as the Congress concerning surrender strategies and calling Iraq a failure despite evidence to the contrary.
Democrats in both houses of Congress are following a strategy that basically falls along these lines. Blast the President, vote for withdrawal, (surrender), measures investigate the Attorney General and then when those three moves begin losing what little interest they stir with voters, Democrats repeat the same pattern again while claiming to have a new direction for the country and a new strategy.
Voters are seeing through this and polls are showing that Congress under Democrat leadership as well as the leaders themselves are getting a failing grade with no prospect for a better future in the eyes of the American public.
Where then does this leave the GOP ? With this significant move by the Bush administration coupled with many Senate Republicans in forcing the failure of the Senate Amnesty Bill on the issue of immigration combined with recent changes over spending and a strong stance on preventing Democrats from pushing through proposed tax increases, the GOP may have finally understood what they must do in order to win in 08 and most importantly what the American people want out of Washington.
If the GOP were to stand strong and embrace the following issues as they seem to be moving this writer believes that they will not only win the Presidency next year but stand a good chance of gaining the majority in the Senate and possibly the House also. Here are the key issues the GOP must embrace for success.
1. Continue their steady stance concerning national security and the War on Terror by maintaining a strong defense and staying on the offense against terrorism.
2. Strengthen border security and continue to push for strong enforcement of existing laws which will stem the tide of illegals into the country.
3. Embrace the conservative standard of limited government especially concerning intrusion through unnecessary regulation thus limiting the reach of the government over individuals and business.
4. Stand true to decreasing taxes and possibly add to the GOP platform endorsement of the Fair Tax which eliminates all federal payroll taxes and taxes on business with a consumption tax. This type of tax reduces federal taxes on goods and when that reduction is passed on by business will decrease the tax on all consumer items from housing to products by 23%. The consumption tax then would replace this with a federal sales tax of the same amount thus eliminating all taxation to individuals and business. Taxes then will only be paid when a purchase is made and by everyone not just those who earn a paycheck.
If the GOP would embrace these four issues which are the most important to the American people and not only stand true to these principles but run on these issues during the campaign voters will respond in a positive manner to not only the candidates but the party as a whole. The , "Ho Hum, " will be replaced by a renewed interest in conservative values and the cynicism will be replaced with a belief that Washington or at least the GOP does listen to the people.
The time for the GOP to move is now. There is no time to waste capitalising on the failures of the Democrats and finally listening to the people who ultimately in our Constitutional Republic are the boss and the power which makes this nation great. The move cannot be for just political expediency but a whole hearted belief and stance on conservative principles that led President Reagan to landslide victories and the GOP into the majority in 1994.
Ken Taylor
In a statement issued shortly after the announcement President Bush said, "These reforms represent steps my administration can take within the boundaries of existing law." Of course as would be expected the announcement had mixed revues as does anything the President announces. Democrats blasted it and claimed along with illegal alien advocate groups that the crack down would damage the economy as prices would rise on commodities because of the firing of workers.
The addition of 370 miles of border fencing, 300 miles of vehicle barriers and 1,700 Border Patrol agents also drew criticism from illegal alien advocate groups who encourage the crossing of illegals into this country.
In light of the President's past policy concerning illegals and his lack of effort to enforce existing laws, does this change in enforcement mean that Bush and the GOP finally understand that the American people want and demand this approach to the illegal alien problem in this country ? Did the failure of the Senate Amnesty Bill make them realize how serious the people are over this issue ?
It would seem so since this is the first significant move by the administration to enforce existing laws and crack down hard on illegal aliens. While this is not only good news for the country it does also pose another question concerning the future of the GOP and especially the position of Republicans as we approach 2008 and another election.
Though the election is still months away there has really been no significant excitement over the Presidential candidates and especially the platform of the GOP and the candidates have had a , "Ho Hum, " response at best. While Fred Thompson still causes a stir while conservative await his announcement after Labor Day because of issues concerning the airing of Law and Order episodes and equal time problems they pose only Rudy Giuliani is making any real head way with voters and that is minimal at best.
As far as the GOP as a whole though they are not as far down the ladder as they were at the time of the last election there is not much that voters see as significant enough to oust the Democrats and return the GOP to the majority in Congress. That tide also seems to be shifting ever so slightly but not because the GOP excites any great response but because Democrats have failed so miserably in Congress.
Democrats have made their strategy very clear both in the Presidential campaign and the Congressional races as the 2008 election cycle escalates after Labor Day. The Presidential candidates while sometimes playing tag with digs against each other during the debates are focusing on the war and pulling out of Iraq following the same rhetoric as the Congress concerning surrender strategies and calling Iraq a failure despite evidence to the contrary.
Democrats in both houses of Congress are following a strategy that basically falls along these lines. Blast the President, vote for withdrawal, (surrender), measures investigate the Attorney General and then when those three moves begin losing what little interest they stir with voters, Democrats repeat the same pattern again while claiming to have a new direction for the country and a new strategy.
Voters are seeing through this and polls are showing that Congress under Democrat leadership as well as the leaders themselves are getting a failing grade with no prospect for a better future in the eyes of the American public.
Where then does this leave the GOP ? With this significant move by the Bush administration coupled with many Senate Republicans in forcing the failure of the Senate Amnesty Bill on the issue of immigration combined with recent changes over spending and a strong stance on preventing Democrats from pushing through proposed tax increases, the GOP may have finally understood what they must do in order to win in 08 and most importantly what the American people want out of Washington.
If the GOP were to stand strong and embrace the following issues as they seem to be moving this writer believes that they will not only win the Presidency next year but stand a good chance of gaining the majority in the Senate and possibly the House also. Here are the key issues the GOP must embrace for success.
1. Continue their steady stance concerning national security and the War on Terror by maintaining a strong defense and staying on the offense against terrorism.
2. Strengthen border security and continue to push for strong enforcement of existing laws which will stem the tide of illegals into the country.
3. Embrace the conservative standard of limited government especially concerning intrusion through unnecessary regulation thus limiting the reach of the government over individuals and business.
4. Stand true to decreasing taxes and possibly add to the GOP platform endorsement of the Fair Tax which eliminates all federal payroll taxes and taxes on business with a consumption tax. This type of tax reduces federal taxes on goods and when that reduction is passed on by business will decrease the tax on all consumer items from housing to products by 23%. The consumption tax then would replace this with a federal sales tax of the same amount thus eliminating all taxation to individuals and business. Taxes then will only be paid when a purchase is made and by everyone not just those who earn a paycheck.
If the GOP would embrace these four issues which are the most important to the American people and not only stand true to these principles but run on these issues during the campaign voters will respond in a positive manner to not only the candidates but the party as a whole. The , "Ho Hum, " will be replaced by a renewed interest in conservative values and the cynicism will be replaced with a belief that Washington or at least the GOP does listen to the people.
The time for the GOP to move is now. There is no time to waste capitalising on the failures of the Democrats and finally listening to the people who ultimately in our Constitutional Republic are the boss and the power which makes this nation great. The move cannot be for just political expediency but a whole hearted belief and stance on conservative principles that led President Reagan to landslide victories and the GOP into the majority in 1994.
Ken Taylor
posted by The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth | 10:30 AM
7 Comments:
Having seen the public reactions that led to the killing of the recent immigration travesty bill and the readmission of the John Doe consideration in the homeland security legislation, I believe that the American people are once again paying attention to what the politicians are doing.
I agree, Ken -- now that we're paying attention again, I believe that the four issues you've outlined, if put to the voters as definite Republican goals, will attract the votes we need to bring the government back to the right side of the equation.
First, excerpts from . . .
---
Where is the outrage over sky-high taxes, regulatory costs?
by Steve Higgins
7/15/07 - New Haven (CT) Register (Fair Use excerpts)
"Reports last week from two nonprofit groups should serve as a wake-up call to Americans to start agitating for tax reform . . .
"On Monday, the Competitive Enterprise Institute reported that the cost to consumers of complying with federal regulations exceeded $1 trillion in 2006 . . . almost 10 percent of the nation's gross domestic product. It's nearly half the amount of government spending.
"Even more worrisome, the cost of complying with these multitudinous regulations exceeds the amount of individual income tax paid in 2006, about $998 billion, as well as corporate incomes taxes of $277 billion.
"According to the Washington, DC-based advocacy group [ Americans for Tax Reform ], the average American had to work through July 11 this year just to pay all federal, state and local taxes, as well as regulatory costs including workers' compensation and unemployment benefits.
"Congress should take one of two paths: Either cut tax rates and government spending drastically, or adopt the FairTax, an innovative proposal that would involve abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and its income tax and replacing it with a simple national sales tax."
Full article here: http://snipr.com/wherestheoutrage
---
. . . The U.S. income tax system and the U.S. economy are inter-related, and are in DIRE trouble. If we, the citizens of these United States, do not act aggressively to spread the FairTax plan with family, friends and associates - our "nest eggs" stand to be devastated through a coming economic meltdown (see Kotlikoff interview, below).
Politicians are putting demogoguery and pandering above responsible governing - and they're able to do it because Americans do NOT understand - at the "get go" - politicians' / bankers' hunger for ever-increasing shares of the working person's bi-weekly paycheck; Americans do NOT understand the totality of taxes they pay. The FairTax shines the "light of day" on this, putting citizens back in charge to forcefully demand spending reductons.
YOU AND I MUST ACT to mobilize public opinion, and get the FairTax enacted, because the signs point to a probable devaluation of the dollar (for reissuance of an "Amero" ? - under a U.S.-sovereignty-busting North American Union? http://youtube.com/watch?v=6hiPrsc9g98 )
[ NOTE: Does this help clarify your understanding of what's going on globally? a) Bush's persistence on rewarding illegal immigration? b) the North American Highway now under construction in Texas (to stream cheap labor into the covertly-planned North American Union marketplace designed to compete with 21st-century China market? c) the gradual increase in value of the Chinese yuan by China corresponding to China's economic growth? (This will result in the dumping of dollar-denominated debt as its manufacturing economy grows stronger - which guarantees devaluing and ushering-in of the Amero.) ]
Keep in mind, this NAU strategy - supported by the "super-rich" (member-owners of the Fed) - together with their politician buddies who want NOTHING to do with FairTax - runs contrary to simply making the U.S. a "tax free zone" for business under the FairTax. Politicians and bankers lose power when the U.S. is returned to a "savings-driven economy" from a "debt/interest-driven" economy).
Read the summary, "Laurence J. Kotlikoff on Long-Term Fiscal Problems in the U.S.," and download the podcast here: http://taxfoundation.org/news/show/1859.html
( Prof. Kotlikoff is an expert economist, and advocate, of the FairTax plan).
Powerful "elites," members of political and monied-interest "clubs" reaching into the halls of power in Washington, depend on keeping you and me uninformed of their plans. It is up to YOU and ME to ACT - and not live in a state of denial - based on what we now know is clearly happening to our financial futures.
After you consult the Kotlikoff interview (above):
• (If you're a member of your State FairTax organization) Contact your state or local FairTax Director to learn what you can do. Find yours here: http://snipr.com/localftleaders
• (If you're just learning about the FairTax bill) Join FairTax.org here: http://snipurl.com/scrapthecode
No need to try and sell me on the Fair tax Ion, I am not only on board but activly contact Congress about inacting it.
Seth, I like you gained a considerable amount of hope and optimism after the response to the Amnesty Bill.
Let's hope that the GOP has finally learned by this. At least for the moment it would seem so and 08 looks much better than it did a few months back
Good news is always welcome, Ken. We get so little of it! It does look far better than it did a few months ago. Let's pray that the trend continues.
That's a great conservative manifesto - thanks for this!
Ken, I agree. I am 100% behind the implementation of the Fair Tax. The states have proved that this works quite well. Texas has no state income tax but we have a standardized state sales tax. Municipalities and Counties are allowed to modify this tax to address special circumstances and needs, but there is a statewide cap of 8.25% without the approval of the legislature. Texas has had buget surplusses for six out of the past ten years.
Taxing spending works much better than taxing earning and it the fairest way about it.
The Fair Tax is aptly named;
People with less money buy cheaper and buy less, people with more money buy costlier and make more purchases.
They are taxed accordingly, so no one would be able to say that taxes discriminate against the poor or favor the rich.
The only problem I can see there is that the Democrats would be fighting day and night to raise the caps on sales taxes, and as soon as they scored a victory, they would bellow that the higher tax caps favored the rich and oppressed the poor, and it was all the Republicans' fault.
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