That’s why it’s good news that the glimmer of a workable compromise surfaced this week, courtesy of Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, head of the Republican Study Committee, a group of 115 conservative House Republicans. Mr. Pence, proud grandson of an Irish immigrant, says the only bill that can pass in this year’s hothouse environment may have to be one that couples stiffer border enforcement with a no-amnesty guest-worker program.
His proposal (which can be found here) would have the U.S. government contract with gold-standard private employment agencies such as Kelly Services to establish offices called Ellis Island Centers in countries that supply the most illegal alien labor today. The centers would provide an incentive for illegals to leave the country and apply for guest-worker visas in the U.S. that would be granted within a week by matching workers with jobs employers can’t fill with American workers. They would also make criminal and other background checks. Guest workers would be able to apply for citizenship, but they would have to follow current rules with no favoritism over those now waiting legally in line.

“It would encourage illegal aliens to self-deport and come back legally as guest workers,” says Mr. Pence. “They would benefit from no longer living in fear or in the shadows of life and they could return home for visits. And since employers who hired anyone without such a visa would face stiff fines, it would make it increasingly difficult over time for those who weren’t legal guest workers to get jobs.”

This is from the same article speculating Chris Cannon’s soon demise, we hope. Mike Pence has put a bill on the table to handle the illegal immigration. Not surprisingly, his proposal is the best one to come forward that I think could get a majority on board. I have never been opposed to a guest worker program provided that the borders are secured, for real, first, that there is no granting of citizenship involved with the guest worker program, and that the jobs are only going to guest workers when Americans can not or will not fill the jobs.

It’s also interesting to note that the tide may be changing with the Republicans’ ass kissing of illegal aliens. If Chris Cannon goes down then there is no doubt the GOP will change its tune and suddenly begin listening to the American peoples’ wishes of not giving any type of amnesty to the people who have shown no respect for our laws. Some of them are already seeing the light.

That Mr. Cannon is now an underdog in a Congressional district where the new Dan Jones poll still shows President Bush enjoying a 65% approval rating is a sign that the politics of immigration are changing. Here are other signs:

• Rep. Tom Osborne, the legendary University of Nebraska football coach, who lost a GOP primary for governor this month, says he was defeated in part because he backed a bill that made children of illegal immigrants eligible for in-state tuition rates at Nebraska colleges. “I don’t think [voters] really understood” his position, he told the Associated Press.

• Rep. Chris Shays, a leading GOP moderate from Connecticut, told me his recent town-hall meetings in his upper-income district have convinced him he must oppose citizenship for illegal aliens.

• Of the 17 House Democrats who face the toughest races this fall, 13 voted for the get-tough bill passed by the House last December. And some of the 17 Republicans who voted against the enforcement-only House bill are having second thoughts. Rep. Mark Souder, who saw his vote percentage drop about 10 points against the same hapless challenger he faced in the 2004 primary, says, “there is a pot boiling out there. We’ve got to secure the border first.”

• Even Sen. John McCain, one of the main backers of a comprehensive immigration solution, made a bow to the passions behind the immigration issue when he addressed the same GOP convention in Utah that rebuffed Rep. Cannon. “The present system is broke. It’s a failed federal policy,” he told the GOP delegates. “We need a comprehensive approach, but first we have to fix our borders.”

Wow. Shays must have really taken a beating for that RINO to change his tune. If people in Connecticut are P.O.’d about this then you know that the American people are really serious here and aren’t going to take any pandering, lieing, and double speak from sleazy politicians like John McCain.

Timing is everything in politics. Late next month, just as the conference committee that will decide the fate of an immigration bill gets down to business, a GOP primary for a Utah House seat in the country’s most conservative congressional district may set the boundaries for any legislation that has a chance of passing both the House and Senate.

Illegal immigration is the key issue in the race, and should five-term incumbent Rep. Chris Cannon of Provo lose to a restrictionist challenger, look for House Republicans to dig in their heels and block any bill that creates a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.

“House Republicans are already spooked about immigration, and should one of our own lose on the issue, you will see panic break out,” one GOP congressman told me. At the same time, several GOP pollsters, led by Whit Ayres, say their surveys show it is vital that Republicans pass some immigration bill this year to prove they can govern.

It looks as though we might finally be rid of Chris Cannon. He has been a parriah for a long time with his pro illegal immigration views. Being in such a conservative district, we can easily do better than him. His challenger, John Jacob, won the GOP State Convention poll 52% to 48%, but Utah law requires 60% in order to avoid a primary election. If the sentiment of the people is that of the Utah Republican State Committee then Mr. Jacob is in for a good election night celebration.

I don’t know much about Mr. Jacob, but from what I have read he appears to be a good conservative. What I really like about him is a statement he made during his campaign in the context that hiring illegal immigrants is creating a sub culture that is little different from slavery. I am in full agreement with his thoughts as I hold this belief as well.