The Flipping Fifteen Senators (see entry here) are being lobbied hard by the pro amnesty Senators. They are throwing $4.4 bil at them for border security which was already approved and promised–and never delivered. And from our friends at NumbersUSA
are a few things you should mention to our Senators when you call them to give a (nice) piece of your mind:
TIP NO. 1: Tell them that the grand compromise of S. 1348 makes Senators accept a huge amnesty in exchange for a promise to end future illegal immigration. But the bill’s actual provisions make no promises of lower illegal immigration and set no numerical reduction goals at all.
While most phone calls to Senators recently have stressed the caller’s hatred of amnesty, it might be a good idea today to focus on whether the trade-off for the amnesty can work.
There are a number of good reasons to think that many of the Flippin’ Fifteen truly believe that, as much as they regret accepting an amnesty, it can be justified because illegal immigration will finally be brought under control.
You need to find every opportunity to tell staffers, Senators and anybody else that the bill is unworkable in fighting illegal immigration
TIP NO. 2: “Show me the results, not just the money.”
Pres. Bush and the chief architects of this giant amnesty for 12-20 million illegal aliens have just now persuaded more than a dozen Republicans to change their votes in part because the President is promising a big increase in spending on enforcement.
But we’ve seen huge amounts of money spent on enforcement in the past with little result.
Let staffers know that the only thing that counts with you is proof of substantial reductions in future illegal immigration. Even if somebody thinks it a good idea to reward millions of illegal aliens with the right to work and live here, surely it makes sense to withhold any legalization until funding and enforcement efforts have actually resulted in substantial reductions of the illegal population?
TIP NO. 3: Talk facts and details.
Staffers are listening for any details about the bill that show you know what you are talking about. Some of these fence-straddling Senators have been expressing amazement about all the details many voters in their states know about S. 1348.
When Pres. Bush came to their lunch Tuesday, people in the room said his bod! y langua ge and facial expressions showed genuine surprise at the number of Senators who told him that it isn’t just the “immigration crazies” who are objecting to the bill. Rather, they said, regular middle class people are expressing their distrust and backing it up with real details from the bill.
TIP NO. 4: Speak calmly.
Staffers’ ear drums are ringing from a month of outrage shouted at them through the phones. They’re tuning it out now. What gets their attention is a conversational tone from a constituent who sincerely shares a concern. Passion can be expressed calmly. (Always try to think of these staffers as perhaps slightly inexperienced nieces and nephews who could use a litle kindness.)
TIP NO. 5: All “touch back” provisions that require the illegal aliens to leave the country briefly are meaningless to voters concerned about amnesty.
Pro-amnesty leaders use the touch-back provisions to try to fool voters into thinking that the illegal aliens would be allowed to live here permanently in a process no different from anybody else.
In fact, though, the illegal aliens would just be doing the hokey pokey (“put your right foot out / put your right foot in / put your fight foot out / and then you can pretend”). The permanent residence they would be given would be possible only because they broke the law in the first place.
But most importantly, these touch-back provisions so dear to Sen. Hutchinson (R-Texas) have nothing to do with slowing down illegal immigration in the future.
TIP NO. 6: Note to them that Ted Kennedy has already pushed SEVEN amnesties into law. None was followed by a reduction in illegal immigration. Why should anybody believe this one will be?
1. In 1986, Ted Kennedy’s blanket amnesty for 2.7 million illegal aliens promised a lot more enforcement but did ! not set any requirments for actual reductions in illegal immigration. The illegal flow continued.
2. In 1994, Ted Kennedy’s Section 245(i) Amnesty gave legal residence and jobs to 578,000 illegal aliens. It was a temporary rolling amnesty primarily for extended family members of immigrants who instead of waiting in line, come on to the country illegally. The illegal flow continued.
3. In 1997, Ted Kennedy’s extension of the Section 245(i) rolling amnesty was followed by an increasing flow of illegal immigration.
4. In 1997, Ted Kennedy also won an amnesty for close to one million illegal aliens from Central America. Illegal immigration sped up some more.
5. In 1998, Ted Kennedy won an amnesty for 125,000 illegal aliens from Haiti. The illegal flow continued.
6. In 2000, Ted Kennedy got the so-called Late Amnesty, legalizing another 400,000 illegal aliens who claimed that they missed out on Kennedy’s 1986 amnesty. Illegal immigration continued unimpeded.
7. In 2000, Ted Kennedy also won the LIFE Act Amnesty for an estimated 900,000 illegal aliens. It was another reinstatement of the rolling Section 245(i) amnesty., an estimated 900,000 illegal aliens. Illegal immigration accelerated.
Now, Ted Kennedy is saying that this amnesty is necessary if we are ever to stop the flow of illegal aliens. Why would any of these Senators believe him when he says this amnesty bill will end illegal immigration with a track record like his?
