There are three separate and distinct issues at play in the current discussion on immigration reform.

1.  The Criminal / Justice Issue:  There are 12-20 million individuals in the US who broke our laws to be here.  This behavior cannot be rewarded.  It must be punished.  Chertoff says we are punishing them in this new legislation.  What a joke!

To punish this at the level of the current proposed legislation would be akin to "bringing bank robbers out of the darkness of criminality" and requiring them only to do 10 hours of community service for a complete pardon while allowing them to keep the money they stole. 

What is the appropriate level of punishment?  Two parts - first to re-establish the normal state of things that their crime disrupted, and then a penalty for their actions.  For the bank robber, part one would be to return the stolen money and then part two would be an appropriate term of incarceration.  For illegal aliens, part one would be deportation (the return to pre-crime status) and then part two would being put at the very end of the immigration line.

This has NOTHING to do with immigration reform, it is a rule of law issue.  Immigration reform is needed, but you do not start with legalizing criminal behavior!  That would be the same as bailing out the failed S&L's with funds stolen from personal bank accounts.

2.  The National Security Issue:  Our borders need to be sealed. 

This is not based on a anti-latino mentality or a xenophobic reaction.  This is just common sense.  In order to prevent the next round of terrorist attacks, we need to make sure that EVERYONE entering our nation does so through a legal port of entry where their identity and purpose can be identified. 

The Republican base is angry over this because it violates common sense.  We do not have any of the 700 mile fence completed yet per Chertoff himself!  A fence that was made law and fully funded - and there is not one mile of fence up yet!  But we are supposed to believe that this new legislation will make sure that our borders are secure?  Give me  a break!

Do what you are supposed to already be doing , Mr. Chertoff, then talk to us about doing something else.  

The Border issue is not an immigration issue and to confuse the two only shows the level of imbecility our politicians possess!  Immigration happens at legal ports of entry according to a set process, not in the middle of the night across an open border in violation of our national sovereignty and security!!

3.  Immigration Reform Issue:  Allowing people to become citizens

Conservatives are pro-immigration.  As someone has said, we are all immigrants!  I personally am an Irish-Syrian descendant and a third generation American.  My grandparents were very fortunate to be allowed to come to the US.  My grandfather served in the Army to learn English and was very proud of his adopted homeland.   We want people to come to the US and to become full citizens.  That is where we differ from Democrats.

The current legislation makes a complete mockery of what it means to be American.  The idea of a guest worker program is the antithesis of everything America stands for!   This idea allows business to import a new slave class to benefit their bottom line!!  The only difference is that we get to send them back home at the end of their term!  No wonder the democrats (who defended slavery in the south, instituted Jim Crow Laws, and prevented civil rights for 70 years) love this idea!!

Do we need more workers in America?  Then reform the immigration system so that those who want to get here - and there are millions - can get here legally and quickly with all of the rights and privileges of being American. 

To Democrats there is nothing special about being American and this bill illustrates that!

If the White House and Republican politicians continue to support this legislation, 2006 won't be the only election cycle that they lose.  They are ignoring the will of the people and that will destroy our party.

I though that Bush's domestic agenda was just an aberration, but it turns out that on domestic issues he is as bad as Clinton!  The Republican party needs real conservative leadership!