workers." (Congressional Quarterly, April 17, 2009). Polls Show Washington Out-of-Touch with the American People on Amne (McCain, driver's license)

[JDubsMom]

Rasmussen found an even larger difference between the political class and the American people on the issue of amnesty. Voters were divided on whether legalization is "Somewhat Important": 48% say it is, while 45% say it's not. Among the political class, however, Rasmussen found that 74% say legalization is important, while only 17% disagreed. (Id.) The American people also clearly favor an enforcement approach, as 68% of Americans support punishing employers who hire illegal aliens; 73% of Americans believe law enforcement should automatically check an individual's immigration status during routine traffic stops; and among people with a "mainstream" or "populist" view, a view Rasmussen says most Americans share, 83% oppose giving driver's licenses to illegal aliens. (Rasmussen (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics2/on_immigration_large_gap_remains_between_mainstrea m_america_and_political_class - broken link), April 12, 2009). Rasmussen suggests that the 2006 and 2007 immigration debates centered on the issue that mattered most to Washington's political elite: how illegal aliens could earn a "path to citizenship." The debates failed to address the concerns of the American people, namely, "gaining control of the border." (Id.) In 2007, Rasmussen found that just 16% of American voters believed "comprehensive immigration reform" would reduce illegal immigration, compared to 74% who believed it would not. (Rasmussen, May 30, 2007). At the time, just 22% of Americans supported the Senate bill. (Rasmussen, June 25, 2007). Last week, Rasmussen noted that public opinion on amnesty legislation has remain unchanged since the 2006 debate on the Bush-McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill which, despite "tremendous support among the political elite," was defeated in 2007 after "the Senate was eventually forced to surrender to public opinion." (Id.) (Rasmussen (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics2/on_immigration_large_gap_remains_between_mainstrea m_america_and_political_class - broken link), April 12, 2009).


The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR): FAIR Legislative Update - April 20, 2009 (http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=20361&security=1601&news _iv_ctrl=1721 - broken link)

[blacknight04]

Rasmussen found an even larger difference between the political class and the American people on the issue of amnesty. Voters were divided on whether legalization is "Somewhat Important": 48% say it is, while 45% say it's not. Among the political class, however, Rasmussen found that 74% say legalization is important, while only 17% disagreed

This poll must be rigged.

[JDubsMom]

Fast forward to April 2009

Last week, Rasmussen noted that public opinion on amnesty legislation has remain unchanged since the 2006 debate on the Bush-McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill which, despite "tremendous support among the political elite," was defeated in 2007 after "the Senate was eventually forced to surrender to public opinion." (Id.) (Rasmussen (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics2/on_immigration_large_gap_remains_between_mainstrea m_america_and_political_class - broken link), April 12, 2009).

[blacknight04]

Originally Posted by JDubsMom

Fast forward to April 2009

Same poll came out with this conclusion.

An even more dramatic gap appears on the question of legalizing the status of those immigrants now in the country illegally. Voters nationwide are evenly divided on the question of whether it is even somewhat important: 48% say it’s important, and 45% say it’s not

Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Data Anywhere (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics2/on_immigration_large_gap_remains_between_mainstrea m_america_and_political_class - broken link)

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by blacknight04

This poll must be rigged.

So are the Pew Hispanic polls.

[JDubsMom]

Originally Posted by blacknight04

Same poll came out with this conclusion.



Rasmussen Reports™: The Most Comprehensive Public Opinion Data Anywhere (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics2/on_immigration_large_gap_remains_between_mainstrea m_america_and_political_class - broken link)

From your link:

The final Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll before the vote found that just 22% of Americans supported the legislation. No amount of Presidential persuasion, Senate logrolling, and procedural tricks was able to overcome that solid bi-partisan lack of public support (although it’s breathtaking to consider how close a determined leadership could come to passing such an unpopular bill).
Near the end of the debate, supporters of the doomed legislation often stated that the status quo is unacceptable. Most Americans would agree on that point. In fact, they might even hold that feeling more strongly than the Grand Bargainers of the Senate--72% of American voters believe it’s Very Important to reduce illegal immigration and enforce the borders. But controlling the border was never a focal point of the Senate debate. Instead, the Senators spent most of the time debating the fine points of various approaches to legalizing those who are here illegally. For voters, those topics were definitely a second-or-third tier aspect of the issue.

[blacknight04]

Point is, the article you linked to showed that 48(majority) percent of Americans support amnesty. So i wonder what group is really out of touch?

[Benicar]

Originally Posted by blacknight04

Point is, the article you linked to showed that 48(majority) percent of Americans support amnesty. So i wonder what group is really out of touch?

When did 48% become a majority? Is that the new "new" math?

The proof will be revealed when we shut down the switchboards again, and defeat yet another attempt to grant amnesty. The only people who believe the majority support amnesty, are those who DREAM of becoming a citizen. The majority of citizens realize we have absolutely nothing to gain from illegal aliens. We already have more than enough dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and generational welfare; we certainly do not need more.

BTW, doesn’t your side vehemently argue that CIR isn't amnesty? Oops!