If Bush ever wants to get serious about solving illegal immigration here is what he could say: You have 60 days to arrange your affairs and leave. If you leave during this exit amnesty period and have committed no other crimes against the American people, you will suffer no penalty or recriminations. You will not be harassed or persecuted in any manner while you depart from our nation. You may show your appreciation for the better wages and working conditions we have provided you by obeying our laws.
If you leave voluntarily, you will be free to enter the U.S. in the future without prejudice or discrimination. You will be allowed to apply for lawful immigration to the U.S. in the future. However, you will be given no special privileges and will have to wait in line like every one else. And you will have to wait in your country not ours.
I would say 90 days, but the rest is pretty much perfect.
In fact the letter above lays out a centrist position that is more reasonable and more defensible than any other I've heard. Centrist? But doesn't the media call anyone and any position short of open borders "far right"? Why yes, they do. That doesn't mean it's true. But as long as we're casting aspersions allow me to critique some other popular positions:
The Anarchist/Libertarian: Relax. Do nothing. Problem? There's no problem.
The Capitalist: I need guest workers to be profitable. It doesn't trouble me what everyone else will pay for what I stand to gain.
The Socialist: Amnesty for the exploited and oppressed undocumented worker! Che Guevara is my hero.
The Activist: What would hurt Bush? He's sorta for stuff alotta Republicans are against. Hmmm. I know! Let's protest!
The Priest: I need to fill my flock. Let us all be brothers in poverty.
The Racist Reconquista: This is stolen land. We will take it back and then you will be the oppressed minority you dirty anglo gringo.
The President: Americans just won't do these jobs. We need to turn the underclass that came here illegally into citizens, and we need a new underclass to take their place. Until we can get that done I'll send a few thousand soldiers down to keep an eye on the vigilantes.
So go read that supposed extreme right position again and decide for yourself who the extremists are.
