Does anyone really believe we'll get amnesty passed or even the wall finished?

Question

I don't believe either will take place. I think they're both something to pacify both sides of the issue. The situatiion as it stands will continue for many years in my opinion and be brought up every once in a while for election purposes AGAIN!

What is your opinion on it?

Same to you DM :-)

Answer 1

The wall? No , of course. No one is going to waste mony on that stupid thing.

Amnesty, yes (along with a guest worker program). It won't happen next year--the right wing still is strong enough to block it, jsut as they did this year. But in 2009, yeas.

Keep in mind that this whole immigration mess is strictlly a creation of the GOP right-wing in the first place. They were in control of Congress for 12 years while immigrants poured in illegaly and did absolutely NOTHING to fix the problem.

Also keep in mind tha tpolls show 75-80% of Americans favor amnesty. The Democrats supoprt it. The only hold -up are the right wing extremists in the GOP. There won't be enough of them left after the election to continue to block reform.

Answer 2

Money and politics will influence both. I think we may get amnesty, (with a different PC-approved semantic label) but with lots of qualifications. One thing that won't get loosened is the regulatory strictures for employers who knowingly hire illegals. But then even this will be selective- 'tis one thing to hire a $1,000,000 surgeon and another to hire a $6/hour farm worker. Without saying so, economists know that agriculture depends on cheap, illegal labor.

The wall is about money. I think the southern border is like a faucet- you can close it, but each turn on the handle takes money. A Berlin Wall 2500 miles long will be too expensive to build and maintain. So improvements will happen- a Berlin Wall one or two or even 20 miles long is a maybe, along with some hi-zoot technology. But these things are expensive.

Good point- if terrorists use the southern border for ingress, that would be a big political incentive to improve that border, but improvement to the point of 100% effectiveness will be too expensive.

And expense of a different sort keeps more from happening- Mexico is a NAFTA partner. Policy wonks inside the beltway don't want to send a politically negative "We don't trust Mexicans" signal by building a physical Berlin-style wall.

And like other hot-button issues, it'll be hard to make things happen because there are plenty of people who feel strongly against a wall. (Similar push-pull dynamics exist in gun control, prayer in school, abortion, and the war.) So if someone says, "Let's build this 2500-mile wall at a cost of $1,000,000 per linear foot" it'll get support. (Compare the wall with the cost of building an interstate freeway.) But it'll also get opposition. And politicians bend whichever way the wind blows. Everyone wants immigration enforcement but no one can abide the concomitant expense. You know how it goes: "A trillion here, a trillion there. Pretty soon you're talking real money."

Answer 3

Amnesty won't be passed. ANd I'm glad about that.

Americans are anti amnesty when we are talking about the numbers here today and the implications of making these criminals legal while others have waited and followed due process. Alas 2007 is NOT the Reagan era.

As far as the wall.....alas, I agree it won't be finished and I'm NOT glad about that. I too view it as a controversial move, but at the end of the day, it can't hurt, it might help, and if it stops SOME illegal immigration its better than not.

But basically enforcing the laws we have on the books TODAY, punishing noncompliant employers, and cutting off non-life saving infrastucture would all go a long way as well.

PS, Happy New Year, DT.

Answer 4

Amnesty won't happen. It's become yet another 3rd rail of politics. Any politician that votes for amnesty is an instant pariah.

They're going to have to move on immigration legislation, and/or enforcement of existing laws because we...the people....DEMAND it.
If they want to keep their jobs, they'll move on this in the next Congressional session. In my state, one Senator has already said he won't run because he knows he couldn't be elected as a dog poop scooper...much less back to his Senate seat. This has happened because of his stance on illegal immigration. Stay tuned...more will follow him out the door.

As for the wall...it IS being built. Just slower than planned. Remember that the wall isn't a wall at all in a lot of places. It's a virtual wall with motion and vibration sensors as well as UAVs being used to overfly and spot groups of illegals coming across. Cost effective and almost foolproof.

Answer 5

I doubt either will happen, it is so polarizing on both sides- If they gave that many people amnesty while so many are waiting then all hell would break loose. as for the wall, I call it a dog and pony show. I have become so jaded over the past year regarding this

Answer 6

Well remember, you asked for my opinion!

If there is any sort of amnesty bill passed, the people of this country are gonna be sooooo p!ssed! Not a politician in office will ever get re-elected.

The fence is already started, but I think you're probably right in the fact that it won't be completed..

I think that this country is in terrible constant danger from the illegal criminals in our country now! I really don't care what it costs, or who it p!sses off, all 12 to 20 million of them need to be rounded up and sent back to the country from whence they came! Not to their country of origin, mind you, but the country they came from to get here!. I also think that if any of these illegal alien criminals are married and have children they too should be forced out of the country! I'm more than willing to accept any and all immigrants who come to this country legally and assimilate into our society, but I'm DEAD SET against illegals coming here, mooching off the taxpayers, living 25 and 30 in a 1 bedroom apartment and spreading their south of the border squalor into this nation!

Answer 7

what i think is this...

-We build the wall
-We give border agents more authority
-We punish the businesses that hire illegals
-We have a period set up where ALL illegals have to have the appropriate things done in order to lawfully be here.. and after that period, if illegals do not comply.. you take the appropriate action.

there is absolutely NO plausable way to deport the millions of illegals here now.. not to mention, we cannot deport the children of these illegals.. (many are citizens by our laws).. first thing's first though, seal the border.. crack down heavily on those who attempt to cross, who don't comply with the "sign-up", and those businesses who continue to hire illegals... then, and only then will we appease (for the most part) all those involved on both sides of this issue..

Answer 8

The wall is being built slowly (Please visit Duncan Hunters website for details)
I think it will get built, we just need to come together as a nation as we did when the issue of amnesty came up.
We can't give up on this...We the People- have the power, our Congress and Senate need to be reminded of this.

Answer 9

Amnesty? No. The Wall? Not until a large number of violent incidents happen. And they will, tensions are too high for them not to happen. Things are gettin'.... ominous down here.

Answer 10

Amnesty isn't going to happen. It's dead and buried. A good border fence and better border security are inevitable. Unfortunately, our congress probably won't get serious about it until another 9-11 style tragedy happens and is linked to the porous southern border.

Answer 11

I agree. nothing is going to happen, or change. It is very annoying. Our politicians get rich, give themselves raises, and, do nothing. NOTHING- about anything of significance. THey can meet for 2 weeks about Janet Jackson's breast, but, Darfur? Not getting involved. Illegal Immigration? nothing being done. Life or death issues mean nothing. Money rules, and, if you don't have it, you don't count. OUr politicians do nothing for what effect our lives and livelihood, but, show a breast on TV- there will be congressional meeting til the cows come home. Ridiculousness of it all!