It's like he doesn't know how to get elected.

Sad and stupid. I'd like to see his top priority be American energy independence and winning the WoT.

I really, really feel sorry for my fellow Americans. Your choices suck as bad as ours did in the mid-nineties.

McCain is going to get trounced.

I think he's trying to say the right thing, but isn't that good saying contentful things with his mouth.

Well that campaign strategy might work if all the illegals could vote for him.

Unbelievable.

re: #4 Lawrence Schmerel

Maybe, it depends on who inmplodes firstest and worstest.

/any odds makers out there?

If they were going to actually build the fence first - a real fence from the Gulf of Mexico to th Pacific Ocean - and to deport all criminals, I would be willing to go along with some type of path to citizenship for the rest of them.

Good lord. What an idiot. I must get upwards of twenty begging letters from the McCain campaign every week. It never fails. Just when I find myself about to send him a little bit of money he pulls another whopper.

It's bad when the guy you're voting for is trying to NOT get your vote. Yes, McCain, you're getting it, but my Senators will be on speed dial.

re: #8 BlueCanuck

Maybe, it depends on who inmplodes firstest and worstest.

/any odds makers out there?

Offshore betting
Obambi -180
McCain - +160
no sarc

Fence now.
Crack down on employers
Pull federal funding from any jurisdiction that doesn't cooperate with ICE.
No anchor babies.

Give illegals a limited time to get a green card, say 3 months, or return home and enter legally. Those for those that opt for staying and green card path to citizenship is closed.

Any still illegal after the 3 months grace gets deported when caught.

REFORM!

This is no surprise. Either candidate will open the boarders.
This is not about anybody being biased against "Brown" people.
It is about soverignty, national security, crime , education, health care & economics.
No society can absorb this mass. A new entitled class ,will drain the Middle Class of resources. It will be exterminatin of a class through taxation.

So he really thinks that the Dems will cross over and vote him in?
This is madness.

re: #8 BlueCanuck

Maybe, it depends on who inmplodes firstest and worstest.

The off-the-teleprompter McCain seems to be much less self-destructive than the Obamessiah, but his prepared material is shockingly lame.

of course we need comprehensive reform. I have been very disappointed in the right when it comes to this issue. The plan McCain and Bush backed was a logical way to move forward. Instead, everyone bitched and nothing got done. Claiming it was amnesty was a lie. It was not.

Ohfergoodnesssakes.

re: #8 BlueCanuck

Obama's implosions will go unreported.

McCain will pay foolishly to advertise his own implosions.

The result is so predictable, you don't need a expert to tell you the odds.

re: #15 mbruce

So he really thinks that the Dems will cross over and vote him in?
This is madness.

The Dems who would cross over are the anti-illegal-immigration white working-class Dems. You know, the ones who are "clinging to their guns and their God". McCain hasn't figured that out yet.

re: #12 VegasRick

okay I asked for odds but I don't really understand the + - thing.

/figures it would be VegasRick who would have them close to hand. :)

I liked him better when he did this
[Link: bluestarchronicles.com...]

I wonder if he will recognize the damage done to our economy by the flood of illegal workers who helped fuel the housing boom the last couple decades. New construction costs were lower than what they would have been had all the labor been legal, and this led to overbuilding, which led to the glut, which led to the free fall in prices.

Unintended consequences are a bitch. And ignoring them or covering them up makes it worse.

My name is John McCain and I approved of this inconsistent, convoluted message that is meant to appeal to a very narrow and specific segment of society, whose meaning will ultimately shoot me in my political right foot.

Si Se Puede
yes, you can - sell out
Is McCain gonna have Teddy Kennedy as his VP?

That idiot is bound and determined to make this a difficult election.

If anybody in McCain's campaign is lurking here, you better tell that bozo that this is an issue that could screw the pooch for campaign.

re: #17 CactusJack

Agree that something(s) must be done... and that the "shamnesty" cries were over done.

However, still this seems like a lame move for McCain. He needs every last vote he can get and as Mickey Kaus points out the potential loss of votes from disillusioned Republicans (and Reagan Democrats IMO) is larger than any expected gain from Latinos.

What may have happened is that internal polling came back with some very scary figures.... and McCain decided to start throwing out Hail Mary policies/priorities just to see what happens.

I want employment enforcement.

Once we start blocking those who shouldn't be *working*, border enforcement gets easier.

Of course, Mexico gets a double whammy - first, a big economic kick in the nuts (less ca$h coming south) and second a lot of unemployed young men with no prospects.

I HOPE their CHANGE doesn't spill across the border northward.

Mew

re: #17 CactusJack

of course we need comprehensive reform. I have been very disappointed in the right when it comes to this issue. The plan McCain and Bush backed was a logical way to move forward. Instead, everyone bitched and nothing got done. Claiming it was amnesty was a lie. It was not.

Let me take issue with you my friend. It was an Amnesty bill with lipstick.
The touch back provision? Yeah that would happen.
$5,000 fines? Uh huh, those woud be waived.
The extended families woul be packing to come here.
Just look at health care. These employers usually provide no benefits.
ER is being used as primary care doctors & hospitals are closing

Today's Day by Day.

re: #21 BlueCanuck

okay I asked for odds but I don't really understand the + - thing.

/figures it would be VegasRick who would have them close to hand. :)

+ - thing
+160 = bet $100 and win $160 plus the $100, -180 = you must bet $180 to win $100. In other words, McCain is a big underdog.

re: #13 jcm

Fence now.
Crack down on employers
Pull federal funding from any jurisdiction that doesn't cooperate with ICE.
No anchor babies.

Give illegals a limited time to get a green card, say 3 months, or return home and enter legally. Those for those that opt for staying and green card path to citizenship is closed.

Any still illegal after the 3 months grace gets deported when caught.

REFORM!

And make English the official language of the United States (by Constitutional Amendment if necessary).

The Hispanics that I work with (all citizens) seem to favor McCain.

....To be quite honest, many of them do not like the a black president.

Prediction: emotionalist 19 year olds will make sure Obama goes over the top in 08 and wins the election.

and with so many republicans retiring from congress and the huge sums of money awash in democrat machine - the dems will take over both houses of congress.

say hello to a really bad supreme court selections and all sorts of socialist tax the productive and give it to the entitled - nation down the euro-marxist toilet bowl - "change".

someones listening to the wrong people....gonna be a long election..

Nothing McCain--or for that matter any politician--does to pander for the vote of minorities surprises me any more. They think the Latino vote or the Woman's Lib vote is the big swing vote this year and tend to forget about us middle class white males. I would stay home on election day if Obama wasn't so dangerous.

re: #32 goddessoftheclassroom

Add some heavy prosecution of businesses getting fat on illegal labor to the wish list.

There are at least 4, count 'em four guest worker programs. Build the damn fence and enforce the existing laws, pull federal funds from "sanctuary" cities.

re: #32 goddessoftheclassroom

And make English the official language of the United States (by Constitutional Amendment if necessary).

If english is taught in schools to all natural born citizens, and immigrants have to pass an english competency test to gain citizenship....

Why are election ballots printed in anything other than English?

re: #37 jaunte

Add some heavy prosecution of businesses getting fat on illegal labor to the wish list.

That's the key to success.

This is timely, Brokaw is now discussing the issue & said, "So called undocumented workers." So called?
My favorite was a sociologist on the radio saying, "Undocumented Citizens." There ya go.

You know, they've got problems like this in Europe, too, and they have no problems building fences and deporting people who try to get in from Africa. It seems to me there's not nearly as much howling about that there as there is here. And a lot more of those illegal aliens get killed in the process, yet no one blames Europe.

re: #39 jcm

politiclly correct pandering bullshit

McCain is just being realistic. he does not support illegal immigration, but you cant build a dumb wall either. so what do we do? a lot of people seem to think that bitching and moaning will accomplish something or maybe we just knock on every restaurant door or farm and start rounding people up?

Bush backed the same plan McCain did, but McCain gets all the grief, why?

re: #23 Mich-again

I wonder if he will recognize the damage done to our economy by the flood of illegal workers who helped fuel the housing boom the last couple decades. New construction costs were lower than what they would have been had all the labor been legal, and this led to overbuilding, which led to the glut, which led to the free fall in prices.

Oh yeah. Here in Southern California, you could not get a job in residential construction if you didn't speak Spanish. Seriously, because 70-80% of your fellow crewmen couldn't speak English. There were several occasions (at least five I remember) when I went to a jobsite to find not one person there could speak English, not even the supervisor.

“We have to secure our borders—that’s the message,” McCain said. “But we also must proceed with a temporary worker program that is verifiable and truly temporary.”

Translation - No need to worry about border securtiy right now we will continue to let illegals work until we can give them all amnesty.

He just doesn't get it does he?

re: #41 opnion

This is timely, Brokaw is now discussing the issue & said, "So called undocumented workers." So called?
My favorite was a sociologist on the radio saying, "Undocumented Citizens." There ya go.

Some yutz said that on the house floor too.....

re: #38 pingjockey

There are at least 4, count 'em four guest worker programs. Build the damn fence and enforce the existing laws, pull federal funds from "sanctuary" cities.

Pull all the funding *except* for police enforcement.

The economic changes that come with pulling fed funds (forex. welfare) are going to mean some crime waves.

Mew

re: #43 Boondock St. Bender

politiclly correct pandering bullshit

LOL!

Rotating title nomination!

Very true!

re: #37 jaunte

Add some heavy prosecution of businesses getting fat on illegal labor to the wish list.

Yup, CEO's hearing the cell doors slam, would do wonders

re: #41 opnion

This is timely, Brokaw is now discussing the issue & said, "So called undocumented workers." So called?
My favorite was a sociologist on the radio saying, "Undocumented Citizens." There ya go.

Scumbag Harry Red called them "undocumented Americans" if you can believe that!

re: #44 CactusJack

McCain is just being realistic. he does not support illegal immigration, but you cant build a dumb wall either. so what do we do? a lot of people seem to think that bitching and moaning will accomplish something or maybe we just knock on every restaurant door or farm and start rounding people up?

Bush backed the same plan McCain did, but McCain gets all the grief, why?

Umm, Bush isn't running for re-election?

Mew

Good morning Charles!
This is really not a shock to me - politicians lie, ALL the time. Some bright bulb on McCain's staff thinks that this position will help him win votes - I don't see how, but John didn't ask me for my opinion, just my money.
What truly amazes me is that McCain has been stuck on this position since before starting his campaign for POTUS and he "represents" one of the States that has so many problems with illegals.

Nothing like an immigration thread to kick things in the but early morning!

My wife entered this country legally 12 years ago, waiting 2 years and having to go through a long interview process before she could get her green card. When she got here, she was disgusted by ease at which others can cut in line before those that try to follow the legal process. That is why she became a citizen as soon as she could - so that she could vote against those that encourage and reward illegal behavior.

re: #44 CactusJack

McCain is just being realistic. he does not support illegal immigration, but you cant build a dumb wall either. so what do we do? a lot of people seem to think that bitching and moaning will accomplish something or maybe we just knock on every restaurant door or farm and start rounding people up?

Bush backed the same plan McCain did, but McCain gets all the grief, why?

Know he is not supporting illegal immigration. He wants to legalise it.
We could defeat all crime in total by making all things legal.

Well John, all I can say is , BRING IT ON! We stopped this bs before and we will stop this bs AGAIN!

re: #48 MijaCat

Pull all the funding *except* for police enforcement.

The economic changes that come with pulling fed funds (forex. welfare) are going to mean some crime waves.

Mew

In Seattle I'd gladly pull federal funding for police on this issue. SPD has orders not ask, not to cooperate with ICE. Until the moonbats of Seattle really feel some pain, they're aren't going to force city government to change on this issue.

# 27 feetoken

However, still this seems like a lame move for McCain. He needs every last vote he can get and as Mickey Kaus points out the potential loss of votes from disillusioned Republicans (and Reagan Democrats IMO) is larger than any expected gain from Latinos.

But, its not lame to compromise your values for votes? McCain just cant win on this issue. The right needs to wake up and stop bashing him over the head about this. we need to do something that is wise. But the right is just not being wise on this issue.

re: #41 opnion

Absolutely. What part of the word "ILLEGAL" don't they get.
So, it's a big problem, and the way all these guys will deal with it will be to talk, talk, talk. Just like energy, the war, etc, etc. None of them have the guts or will to implement a workable, fair, sensible plan.
And every day, there are more ILLEGAL immigrants.

Oh yeah. Here in Southern California, you could not get a job in residential construction if you didn't speak Spanish.

Sounds to me more like jobs Americans can't get instead of jobs Americans wont do.

My question is why hasn't anyone gone to a job that they were qualified for and turned down as they did not speak Spanish file a discrimination lawsuit? You figure that the attention of a lawsuit like that would be well worth the pro-bono work a lawyer could do on something like that.

re: #33 Ringo the Gringo

The Hispanics that I work with (all citizens) seem to favor McCain.

....To be quite honest, many of them do not like the a black president.

I wondered if that was going to come up this election. Obama was campaigning in a Latino area the other day, and it occurred to me that he might be wasting his time. Though I don't know the reasons behind it.

re: #47 jcm

Some yutz said that on the house floor too.....

That was not your typical yutz. Senate Majority leader as it were. POS.
[Link: www.youtube.com...]

We had a guy here in North central Wa. Got the C41 or C4I or whatever the program is do bring people in legally to work. Had to pay for their plane tickets to and from Mexico, room and board. Had to pay a prevailing wage type deal plus 2$. So if the local orchardists were paying 10 bucks an hour he had to pay 12$ an hour. Rented out the local Best Western motel for housing. Guess who is suing him for substandard housing? The state of Washington. Apparently according to their little socialist template, a Best Westerns rooms aren't big enough! So he did everything by the book and is getting sued. You can't hire high school kids cause of the silly labor laws. So if your apples, pears, cherries, peaches, etc...are damn spendy thank the socialist bureaucrats.

Step one is to prevent the Obama from being elected.
Step two is to repeat the grassroots effort to defeat this bill again, and as many times as it needs to be defeated.

Here's an interesting bit about the Clinton voters who might go for McCain.

...Why Does Obama Fear 4 million?
The PUMA Community represents the most ardent, values driven and politically educated of Hillary Clinton's supporters. They do not fall for the traditional talking points of the political parties that are meant to drive a wedge between the electorate. When McCain was attacked as a Womanizer and accused of not supporting equal pay; this community researched the issues and pointed out the divisiveness and fallacies of the accusations. When Obama and his supporters brought abortion to the forefront of their argument, the Puma community was quick to point out that historically speaking the "Overturning Roe" threat has been disproved simply by the fact that after years of Republican judicial appointments SCOTUS has shown no desire to take up the issue. Obama fears the Puma community because they are not the typical single-issue voters who will fall for rhetoric.

[Link: politicallydrunk.blogspot.com...]

re: #10 Bobblehead

I get emails almost daily from the McCain campaign asking for donations. As of today they are marked as spam.

re: #44 CactusJack

McCain is just being realistic. he does not support illegal immigration, but you cant build a dumb wall either. so what do we do? a lot of people seem to think that bitching and moaning will accomplish something or maybe we just knock on every restaurant door or farm and start rounding people up?

Bush backed the same plan McCain did, but McCain gets all the grief, why?

Because McCain wrote the fucking thing.

And no, truly opposing illegal immigration does not mean rounding all 20 miilion of them up. Making it next to impossible for them to get work will encourage them to "self-deport". Something like a real identification that can't be easily faked and real penalties to employers who knowingly hire illegals.

re: #62 VegasRick

That was not your typical yutz. Senate Majority leader as it were. POS.
[Link: www.youtube.com...]

That putz is a yutz with no nutz!

The first and most logical choice is to tell Mexico that anyone trying to violate our border will be shot on sight.

That's severely extreme, but it solves a significant portion of the illegal immigration issue instantly and with finality. And with a high degree of cost effectiveness.

People will infiltrate our border by all available means until we stop it. This isn't a national crisis, it's an international crisis. If the US collapses under the weight of illegal influx, then so goes the worlld.

That issue should be a non-issue, but as long as there is a strong marketplace in this country for undermarket labor we have little choice.

Our country is too important to abandon for the greed and avarice of a minority of Americans. Deal with immigration, and get that turkey out of the way. We have issues even more critical to deal with, including energy and the nuclear threat from Iran.

I'm so agitated by Iran that today I'm going to suggest the termination solution, something that's never ever been on our table. If Iran wants to exterminate Israel by any means, and continues on a course of nuclear annihilation, then we need to let them know in no uncertain terms that their intentions are putting the existence of their society at great risk. This became much less than funny a long time ago.

re: #1 Noam Sayin'

It's like he doesn't know how to get elected.

I'm sorry to say that there really is a reason to call it the stupid party.

I just posted the following comment over at E-Ramblings:

What the Left is doing looks a lot like the Puritan or Prohibitionist mode of behavior transferred to other areas of public policy. We should remember that continued support for Prohibition had seriously hurt the Republicans in the 1932 election. Even Ayn Rand had voted for FDR that year.

The Republicans could really go to town and make significant gains by opposing the Democrat's idiotic technopuritan policies, but that would mean having to give up their own idiotic practice of doing politics as usual.

And I just don't see that happening.

What are your questions on this block of instruction?
_

re: #45 Spiny Norman

You'd think it would be a huge safety problem in construction. Although it looks like they solved it after all- everybody speaks Spanish.

Supreme Court justice picks....

War on Islamic jihad....

He's too old to last longer than one term....

The illegals are already flooding the zone with President Bush at the helm. McCain was one of the congressmen pushing the inital bill.

I don't expect the illegal issue to be solved except through cracking down hard on employers who hire illegals, and sending any we find back home--more or less what state legislatures--including my own--are doing now. I'd rather leave the illegal issue to the states anyway. They can locate the illegal-hiring employers a lot faster than the federal government.

Heck, I appreciate the fact that Senator McCain didn't flip-flop. He believes (wrongly) in this position.

I do also think that: illegal immigration didn't happen overnight, and it won't be solved with either party in control of the White House--not overnight.

Get McCain in, then replace him with a stronger conservative (Duncan Hunter) in four.

/Hunter 12!

Some more thoughts before I leave for the morning:

Don't know how many of you follow the online (game) markets, but the Iowa Electronic Market has been showing worsening figures for McCain.

E.g., in the winner-take-all offering (essentially popular vote):
[Link: iemweb.biz.uiowa.edu...]

It could be that for all his effort to make Energy Policy the front and center matter the past two weeks, the evidence is coming in that it was not affecting (enough) people.

Surely McCain can expect a bounce after the convention, but who believes it could overcome a > 20 point spread?

I know a lot of people poo-poo'd the various polling figures last week, but what if (more accurate) internal polling showed the same thing - that McCain was heading for a loss that could only be called a blow out?

In such a situation, what would McCain lose by trying to stir up some attention and try to change the national dialogue?

/just wondering....

re: #44 CactusJack

McCain is just being realistic. he does not support illegal immigration, but you cant build a dumb wall either.

A double fence can be built and it would decrease illegal border crossings by more than 90%.

But I agree, if we were to try to deport every illegal alien in the US, millions of families would be torn apart and the agriculture industry would collapse.

The answer is to stop the flow at the border. It can be done if we have the will.

re: #33 Ringo the Gringo
Yeah, same here with ALL the hispanics I know (and fwiw, North Carolina is in the top five of states with major problems with illegal immigration).

re: #65 joegosox

what took you so long?

re: #34 FrogMarch

Prediction: emotionalist 19 year olds will make sure Obama goes over the top in 08 and wins the election.

That is, if said 19 year olds aren't busy frakking with each other!

re: #59 leboaz

Absolutely. What part of the word "ILLEGAL" don't they get.
So, it's a big problem, and the way all these guys will deal with it will be to talk, talk, talk. Just like energy, the war, etc, etc. None of them have the guts or will to implement a workable, fair, sensible plan.
And every day, there are more ILLEGAL immigrants.

The talking points are incredible, "these are Gods children."
"Lettuce would cost ten dollars" We cannot do anyting about it anyway." "You're just haters"
Hey crash Mexico illegaly. Ten years in the callabose!

#55 opnion

Know he is not supporting illegal immigration. He wants to legalise it.

BS. so, all the illegals that are here, what do we do with them? if you want people rounded up just say it! everyone bitches, but no one offers solutions. good grief.

re: #63 pingjockey

When I was a member of the CPUSA, I had a friend who useta' work the orchards during harvest. She hated illegal immigration 'cause it took money away from locals and many outfits mistreated illegals, and this mistreatment sometimes spilled over to the locals.

Its funny that we need the votes of the illegals to win the election in Nov. Now I sound like a Dem.

He might as well make a few campaign stops in Mexico.

re: #67 jcm

OT- just got back from vacation including a week on the beach at Moclips. You northwestern guys have a pretty nice deal going. Absolutely beautiful, and you tell everyone stories about how it rains all the time to keep people from coming. But I found you out!
Congratulations on a beautiful place.

re: #33 Ringo the Gringo

The Hispanics that I work with (all citizens) seem to favor McCain.

....To be quite honest, many of them do not like the a black president.

Yeah, legal Hispanics in Arizona, favor a fence.
Must be racists

“We have to secure our borders—that’s the message,” McCain said. “But . . .”

re: #72 freetoken Sorry, but there are too many ways in which polls can be misleading and just flat out wrong for me to pay any attention to them - and McCain should know that too!
Doesn't anyone remember recent American History?
Who did the polls predict would win POTUS the day before election day in 2004? Yep, John Effin' Kerry and by anywhere from 3-7%.
I think McCain actually believes this crap - see my #53 above.

Why doesn't McCain save a lot of time and money and say "Conservatives, I don't want your votes"? Obama is the worst candidate since Dukakis and there's no freaking way that he should be able to win, even with the 24/7 media fellatio. This election is proof positive why US Senators rarely make it to the presidency - they are ass-kissers first, compromisers second - not a leadership bone in their bodies. It's maddening and disgusting.

re: #83 opnion

Yeah, legal Hispanics in Arizona, favor a fence.
Must be racists realists.

Fixed it.

re: #70 angst

You'd think it would be a huge safety problem in construction. Although it looks like they solved it after all- everybody speaks Spanish.

Exactly.

I know a guy, the son of legal Mexican immigrants who goes by "John" not "Jose", who got fired from a crew after getting into a nose-to-nose shouting match with the supervisor after bitching at the others to speak English and they responded by calling him a "fucking Gringo".

I happened to witness this, because it was the crew building an addition on the house next door.

re: #68 really grumpy big dog Johnson

The first and most logical choice is to tell Mexico that anyone trying to violate our border will be shot on sight.

WTF?

Voter registration cards, no welfare or perqs, teach school inEnglish, arrest employers. Problem solved.

re: #78 CactusJack

#55 opnion

BS. so, all the illegals that are here, what do we do with them? if you want people rounded up just say it! everyone bitches, but no one offers solutions. good grief.

Calm down, this is jut a disagreement. A round up would actually work , but would take a long time. Serious sanctions on employers including jail time woud do the trick. They would go home.

re: #67 jcm

That putz is a yutz with no nutz!

He may be a puty with no nutz but he knows "Tommy!"
[Link: hotair.com...]

re: #87 The Other Les

Fixed it.

Thank you.

re: #82 leboaz

OT- just got back from vacation including a week on the beach at Moclips. You northwestern guys have a pretty nice deal going. Absolutely beautiful, and you tell everyone stories about how it rains all the time to keep people from coming. But I found you out!
Congratulations on a beautiful place.

How'd you get out, usually folks that discover that we declare to be in possession of state secrets and put 'em to work at Microserf!

/

Glad you had a good visit! We're heading camping on the coast near Westport in a couple of weeks.

re: #78 CactusJack

#55 opnion

BS. so, all the illegals that are here, what do we do with them? if you want people rounded up just say it! everyone bitches, but no one offers solutions. good grief.

Not all all. Just make it next to impossible for them to get work. They'll leave on their own.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrgggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhh

Why do you make this so hard, McCain?

I will have to bring a vomit bag to the polling station.

re: #86 tedzilla99

Why doesn't McCain save a lot of time and money and say "Conservatives, I don't want your votes"? Obama is the worst candidate since Dukakis the founding of our nation and there's no freaking way that he should be able to win, even with the 24/7 media fellatio. This election is proof positive why US Senators rarely make it to the presidency - they are ass-kissers first, compromisers second - not a leadership bone in their bodies. It's maddening and disgusting.

Slight tweak.

“We have to secure our borders—that’s the message,” McCain said. “But we also must proceed with a temporary worker program that is verifiable and truly temporary.”

Yes, Senator- we have to secure the border. I highly doubt Republicans will disagree with you on this. A worker's program- that's an issue we should continue to debate. Proceeding with a bad plan will be just as damaging as proceeding with the status quo.

My problem, however, Senator, is your making this a priority. Securing the borders- again- great! We welcome that, and it goes hand in hand with winning the WoT, imo. But this issue is not an issue that will bring people to vote for you.

There is one issue a lot of Americans would run to your banner to support however- OIL. Tell us your priority is American oil for American cars, and new refineries to lower our gas costs. You'll win in a landslide.

re: #94 jcm
Work?!?!?!?!?
My alter ego, Maynard G. Krebs, wouldn't think of it.

I must say that this is part of his personality that made him able to endure torture for five years at the hands of the VietCong.
However, his failure to learn lessons is as sad as the alternative's repeated flip flops. Does he really believe that Hispanics are going to vote for him over any person of color, no matter what his positions are?
He really is spitting on the republican and conservative community with his wink wink, we'll pass the Immigration Bill, but Jesus, I just can't get those democrats to fund the Border Fence, or to make it a temporary program, or to get security checks, BUT it's a great and worthwhile bill nevertheless.
If there are any courageous Repub delegates out here reading this Board, you should just abstain. If there are eight hundred or nine hundred abstentions, on the first ballot, and the rest split for McCain Romney, maybe that would be enough of a lesson to show McCain he still has not clinched the deal. I would urge the same for Hillary supporters at the Dem Convention. We have two seriously flawed candidates who will do MAJOR damage to the country if elected. It's hard to determine who would be worse. Even a donkey if it gets hit on the butt or head often enough might think to itself, gee what can I do that won't get me hit on the head by my constituents(master)? McCain seems to glory in spitting on his constituents as if that makes him SUPERIOR/SMARTER/ INDEPENDENT.
Well there may be times for such 'independence' but on matters of national security and immigration security and energy security, the base is right and McCain is hopelessly off in left field with the Obamanation. I think at this point the base is seriously considering staying home and letting the liberals get their wish of destroying the country (We have to destroy the country in order to save it).
Two years might restore Repub majorities to the House and Senate and four years might actually bring up a center right conservative candidate and not a dem lite rino like McCain. A failed McCain candidacy might be a warning shot for others seeking to be NYSlimes 'bipartisan' (read liberal) candidates for President.
Unless he sincerely backtracks pronto, this may be first election I won't be voting for top of ticket in thirty years.

re: #97 MandyManners

Slight tweak.

Thank you! :)

re: #88 Spiny Norman

Oh, but remember, these construction jobs are jobs no American would ever take.

#66 Spiny Norman

And no, truly opposing illegal immigration does not mean rounding all 20 miilion of them up. Making it next to impossible for them to get work will encourage them to "self-deport". Something like a real identification that can't be easily faked and real penalties to employers who knowingly hire illegals.

you think? they will just go back? ok some will, but some will turn to crime instead.

I agree " real identification" is a solution. um.. thats what McCain offered!

I agree we need tough penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegals.

But the fact remains that we have a ton of illegals here and more on the way LIKE IT OR NOT. and unless your willing to round everyone up or just hope they leave we need a solution. and the only logical one is some kind of temporary status for the ones who want to be legal. and the ones who wont get the card, ones who commit crimes. round um up jail them ship them out whatever.

re: #99 leboaz

Work?!?!?!?!?
My alter ego, Maynard G. Krebs, wouldn't think of it.

My place of work was deserted at 3pm last Friday, first really nice weekend, and everyone flew the coop!

re: #96 Tigger2005

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrgggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhh

Why do you make this so hard, McCain?

I will have to bring a vomit bag to the polling station.

If there has been a Presidential election of the "lesser of two evils" kind, this is it.

Just prepeat after me, "Supreme Court nominees. War on Islamic Terror. Supreme Court nominees. War on Islamic Terror. Supreme Court nominees. War on Islamic Terror."

OT
Some cheerier news; not all Democrats are going to fall under the O spell:

"We also don't vote for sexist pigs, or empty suits, or inept lying gasbags. We also don't vote for people who change their positions every day or so. We also don't vote for Chicago thugs who steal nominations. And we don't vote for guys who whine and use the race card every time somebody tries to vet them. We don't take kindly to bullying either. That pretty much eliminates Comrade Obama."

[Link: hyper-educated-uppity-woman.blogspot.com ...]

He seems to think the right`s fear of an Obama presidency gives him