Mr. Bush Goes to the Capitol

I agree with President Bush when he says now is the time to get an immigration bill done.

I disagree with his belief that S 1348 is the right bill.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush pressed divided Republicans on Tuesday to support him on immigration overhaul, saying "status quo is unacceptable."

The president, in a rare visit to the Capitol, told reporters after a luncheon with the Senate GOP membership that he recognized that immigration was an emotional issue and that many do not agree with him. Still, he said, "Now is the time to get it done."

Bush mounted a personal effort to salvage his derailed immigration bill, as key lawmakers reached for a deal that could quickly revive the measure. He needs to change enough minds among GOP senators to push through a top domestic priority.

The measure, which legalizes up to 12 million unlawful immigrants and tightens border security, stalled last week in the face of broad Republican opposition.

...Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., told CNN Tuesday that Bush "needs to help us write a better bill and not push a bill that so many of us cannot support."

He was one of nine senators who wrote Bush on Tuesday calling on him to enforce border laws regardless of the fate of his immigration measure.

The administration said that only a comprehensive approach will pass, and be effective in practice.

Amending the immigration bill sufficiently for it to pass would require rewriting the bill.

Sessions is right.

We need a better bill. It is fatally flawed with lots of loopholes.

I don't think President Bush's high profile visit to the Capitol will succeed.

What impact will that have?

I think it will help Republicans in the long run. By standing up to the President and refusing to march in Democrat-style lockstep, Republicans are sure to score points with their constituents.

It can only serve to energize the base and empower them.

That bodes well for 2008.

I think Bush is taking a bullet for the party.

I don't think it's necessarily an intentional move, but he's taking a bullet nonetheless.