Stewart A. Alexander for President
Peace and Freedom Party

July 2, 2007

The bipartisan effort to reform immigration stalled and died in the US Senate; it was a major set-back for the Bush administration and a victory for supporters for immigrant rights. Members of the U S Senate failed to obtain the 60 votes needed to end the debate and move the immigration bill forward.

The immigration bill was an extensive and complex approach to solving many of the issues involving immigration. Most opponents of the bill were concerned that the legislation had too many flaws and would need a complete overhaul.

President Bush was counting on the success of his immigration reform package because his approval ratings are at an all time low on domestic and foreign policies. The timing of the bill became a major distraction for the failures of the Iraq War and US policy in the Middle East.

A majority of Americans want immigration reform; however they don’t want reform by sacrificing the rights of workers, immigrants and their families. Also, the guest worker program contained in the immigration bill was a temporary work program and was an invitation for abuse of emigrant workers.

Many labor organizations were concerned that the immigration bill would not protect the rights of workers and immigrants. In northern California a group of the most influential labor leaders, with the unions and labor organizations, are expected to meet to formulate proposals that will offer a different approach to immigration reform.

Chuck Mack, President of the Joint Council 7 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said regarding the guest worker program, “These programs have historically been used by large corporations to attack the conditions our unions have fought to achieve. We need a way for people to come to this country legally that does not force them to become guest workers.”

It is unlikely that Congress will be able to take a comprehensive approach in dealing with immigration reform while trade agreements, such as NAFTA, are in existence. Most US trade agreements are economic policies design to spread US imperialism; policies that are anti-labor trade deals. These trade agreements create problems between nations and unfortunately immigrants suffer the blame.

Stewart Alexander, a presidential hopeful with the Peace and Freedom Party, says, “I believe Congress should work on comprehensive immigration reform after President Bush ends his term in office. I do not believe this important issue should be used as a political football or as a bandage for an administration that is hemorrhaging before the nation and the world.”

Stewart Alexander is asking all the candidates for president, for all political parties, to demand that Washington deal with this most serious issue after 2008 and the General Election.

For more information search the Web for: Stewart A. Alexander; Iraq War, Many Diversions; Presidential Candidate: Immigrants Beaten Coast to Coast; Alexander: PFP Setting Tone for 2008.

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