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Title: Florida Gov. Bush Calls Tone of Immigration Debate `Hurtful' (TO HIS WIFE)
Source:
LAtimes
URL Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw ... 75.story?coll=la-home-headline
Published: Apr 5, 2006
Author: Peter Wallsten,
Post Date: 2006-04-05 10:55:26 by Joe Hadenuf
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Comments: 93
April 5, 2006 WASHINGTON — Accusing politicians of "pounding their chests" on immigration for short-term political gain, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Tuesday that the tone of the debate had been "hurtful" to him and his Mexican-born wife, Columba. Bush, the younger brother of President Bush, reserved some of his sharpest criticism for conservatives in his own Republican Party, calling it "just plain wrong" to charge illegal immigrants with a felony, as a provision passed by the Republican-led House would do. He also opposed "penalizing the children of illegal immigrants" by denying them U.S. citizenship, an idea backed by some conservatives but not included in the legislation. ADVERTISEMENT "My wife came here legally, but it hurts her just as it hurts me when people give the perception that all immigrants are bad," the Florida governor wrote in an e-mail exchange with The Times. Gov. Bush has generally avoided injecting himself into national political fights, and he rarely invokes his soft-spoken wife of 32 years in such a public way. But his comments reflect the concern among many Republicans that calls by conservatives for an immigrant crackdown risk alienating Latino voters. His brother is attempting to navigate a growing rift among Republicans over what to do with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country. The president has proposed a guest-worker program but has not said what should happen to those already here illegally. Florida is home to millions of residents who were born in other countries. And the Bush brothers, in Florida and Texas, where the president was governor, have been popular with Latino voters. Both have long advocated open immigration laws, putting them at odds with many in their party. Longtime friends and associates say the president's relationship with his brother's family, along with his experiences living and working in Texas, contributed to his views on immigration. The Senate is debating immigration proposals this week, and White House allies are beginning to speak out more forcefully on the issue. Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman used a speech Tuesday to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to extol the contributions of immigrants. In his e-mail, Gov. Bush chastised both politicians and the media for being simplistic on immigration, and he lauded his brother for seeking a civil tone. "The cumulative effect of some politicians pounding their chests about immigration is hurtful to both of us," he wrote, referring to himself and his brother. "I fear they do so for current political gain at the expense of thoughtful policy over the long term." Jeb Bush pointed to the political damage wrought 12 years ago by California's Proposition 187, in which the state's voters backed a plan to strip illegal immigrants of public benefits. The initiative was pushed by then-Gov. Pete Wilson, a Republican. Some analysts have since blamed that campaign for a backlash among Latino voters that has made California reliably Democratic in national elections. Gov. Bush wrote that Wilson "fell prey" to the short-term political temptations. "I know he felt he was doing the right thing, but matters are worse now and the Republican Party is now the minority party in California," Bush wrote. Wilson, in a recent interview, rejected the theory that Prop. 187 turned California to the left — arguing that, instead, he had performed especially well with female voters who later abandoned the GOP over abortion. Referring to Republicans who shied away from cracking down on illegal immigrants as "gutless," Wilson said they were "intimidated by the fear that they will be charged with racism." For the Florida governor, though, immigration is a personal matter. He met his wife during a high school exchange program in Mexico, and the two married when he was 21. They settled in Miami in 1980 in part because she would feel comfortable in a heavily Latin city, home to Cubans, Mexicans and thousands of other Spanish-speaking immigrants. The governor speaks the language fluently. His son, George P. Bush, has cited his Latino heritage in campaign appearances for his father and uncle and is considered an heir to the family political dynasty. "Columba and I watch the news early in the morning and in the evenings," Bush wrote in the late-night e-mail exchange. "The cumulative effect of the coverage is that immigrants are bad and hurting our country. The coverage is black and white, good and bad, without the nuances that the coverage deserves." The Florida governor has said he does not intend to run for president in 2008. But he has been mentioned as a potential running mate for another likely candidate, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). In his e-mail, Gov. Bush endorsed the idea of a broad guest-worker program encompassing the kinds of low-wage workers sought by farms and factories as well as high-tech professionals from places such as India. Like his brother, he offered no specificity on how to treat current immigrants and whether they should be granted a path to citizenship. "The focus should be on protecting our borders rather than these piling on provisions that are punitive to many who have made a great contribution to our country," he wrote. "Along with that, the focus should be on a guest worker program and a means to deal with the millions of long term undocumented workers…. "Frankly," he added, "I also believe we should open up legal immigration to the qualified scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs and others who can additionally add value to our great country."
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 45.
#7. To: All (#0)
Is Jeb Bush's wife an illegal alien?
No, just a small time criminal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba_Bush On July 24, 1999, [Columba] Bush was detained by the U.S. Customs Service at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta after returning from a trip to Paris, France, on a Delta flight. On a mandatory declaration form handed out on the flight, Bush falsely stated that she had purchased only $500 worth of goods. Customs agents then found some shopping receipts in Bush's purse, but she declined an opportunity to change her declaration. When Customs agents searched Bush's luggage and found the merchandise, she then confessed to the agents that she had lied on the declaration form because she did not want her husband to know how much she had spent. Under federal law, customs agents could have fined her up to the full dollar amount of the purchases and confiscated the merchandise; however, Bush was only fined $4100 and returned to Tallahassee that evening with her purchases. The Bushes issued a written apology admitting to the incident late the next day.
I notice Columba is doing nothing to open the borders of her beloved patria. Mexico keeps it's sovereignty --- the only borderless country she demands is the USA. Why is that? How about --- for every American allowed to buy up property anywhere they like in Mexico, we allow in one guest worker. One-to-one. These one-way open borders have to go. Columba wants Mexico to keep all it has, only the USA must give....and give....and give.
Check THIS out!
Hmm...seems to me she's more like Evita Klinton...click the link on her name! Born: 1953 Birthplace: León, Guanajuato, Mexico Gender: Female Religion: Roman Catholic Ethnicity: Hispanic Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Relative Nationality: United States Executive summary: Wife of Florida governor Jeb Bush In June 1999 Columba Bush was thwarted at Altanta International Airport attempting to smuggle $19,000 in French clothing and jewelry into the United States without declaring the purchases. Despite the fact that the U.S. customs officers gave her two opportunities to amend the form, Bush declined. Then they found the receipts in her purse. Bush wrote a check for $4,100 to cover the fine (three times the duty amount) and went on her way. A few days later she claimed her crime had been entirely inadvertent, calling it "an awful mistake" and declaring: "It's an accident and I regret it with all my heart." (me: Yeah...it was an AWFUL mistake...one that you ONLY regret being subjected to the HORRENDOUS indignity of being treated like a Third-Class SERRF (read: American Citizen!) and not the "Ruling Eeee-lites" Class that you married in to!) Now, remember...the Laws are for the "Little People", and if you are Rich enough/Connected, or now of a PROTECTED CLASS (I.E. Illegal Infiltrator from Mexico!), you can thumb your nose at all the Laws you don't like with impugnity! The rest of us Serfs better watch ourselves...and "Know our Place!" BTW, I guess she was just smuggling the things "Americans' Won't Smuggle!" And here's a pic of her "Hubby"...shown actual size, and in the Bush/Klinton clan Dress garb!
#48. To: Itzlzha, auntb, goldi-lox, fitz, moderatemammal, out damned spot, becketsaunders, *Immigration Issues-Borders* (#45)
Ping on #45 - pieces fit perfectly. (Catholic Church is a main instigator and enabler of the illegal alien invasion from Mexico.) Gender: Female I wrote an e-mail to the clueless Jeb... Governor Bush: It appears that the Bush family does not differentiate between LEGAL immigrants and ILLEGAL ALIENS. This raises a HUGE RED FLAG in America. If our own leaders refuse to learn the difference, where is this country heading?? Third world status, maybe?? If you think your wife's feelings are hurt, HOW DO YOU THINK AMERICA FEELS ABOUT THIS THIRD WORLD INVASION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS?? Perhaps a clarification on your part is necessary, Governor. It will get deleted, I'm sure (also forwarded to the RNC).
She looks a lot like Laura Bush. Wonder what Laura's ancestry is.
Columba Bush: AKA Columba Garnica Gallo Born: 1953 Birthplace: León, Guanajuato, Mexico OMFG! I JUST CAUGHT THIS! Look at where Jeb's wife is from! Now check THIS out! Vicente Fox Quesada (born July 2, 1942) is the current president of Mexico. He was elected in the 2000 presidential election, a historically significant election that made him the first president elected from an opposition party since Francisco Madero in 1910. His current term runs through 2006, after which he has said he will retire from political life—re-election is not possible under the Constitution of Mexico. Fox was born in Mexico City to a wealthy Mexican family of mixed Spanish-Irish descent (his father was of part-Irish descent and his mother from the province of Asturias in Spain)of Guanajuato. His was educated at the Universidad Iberoamericana and attended seminars put on by the Business School of Harvard University (though he did not obtain an MBA degree). After the end of his formal education he went to work for The Coca-Cola Company where he started as a route supervisor and drove a delivery truck. He rose in the company to become supervisor of Coca-Cola's operations in Mexico, and then in all of Latin America. (snip) Early political career _____________________________________________________________________________ A VERY Interesting coincidence! Note, when Fox "lost" to the PRI stooge...GHWBush (Poppy) was still President...could Bush-41 have leaned on the PRI as a "family favor"?
Itzlzha, I'm glad to see you! Thanks for the ping.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestJeb Bush said Tuesday that the tone of the debate had been "hurtful" to him and his Mexican-born wife, Columba.
#11. To: Joe Hadenuf (#7)
Is Jeb Bush's wife an illegal alien?
#15. To: donna (#11)
#37. To: Itzlzha, fallujah nuker (#15)
#45. To: KineTIK, fallujah nuker, indalay, Auntb, Joe Hadenuf, stellar dendrite, F16Fighter, Happy2BMe-OnLP (#37)
AKA Columba Garnica Gallo
________________________________________________________________________________ 
Replies to Comment # 45.
Religion: Roman Catholic
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Wife of Florida Governor Jeb Bush
#49. To: Itzlzha (#45)
#51. To: Itzlzha (#45)
#54. To: Itzlzha (#45)
#60. To: All (#45)
Fox joined the National Action Party (PAN) in the 1980s by invitation of Manuel J. Clouthier, a distinguished member of the party, who was also an entrepreneur and presidential candidate in 1988. In that year, Fox was elected to the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of Congress) representing León, Guanajuato. He ran for governor of Guanajuato in 1991, in a disputed election where Ramón Aguirre Velázquez, of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) was declared the winner; however, the political climate forced behind-the-scenes negotiations with President Carlos Salinas, and the governorship was given to Carlos Medina Plascencia of the PAN on an interim basis. Claiming the governorship should have been his, since he was the candidate, Fox abstained from political activity for the rest of Salinas's term.
#78. To: Itzlzha (#45)
End Trace Mode for Comment # 45.