May 10, 2007

Luis Gutierrez laughs at touchback: it's a "symbolic rebooting", a "gesture"

Sleazy U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez appeared on CSPAN apparently earlier today to promote the Flake-Gutierrez STRIVE ACT amnesty, and the video-only replay is here (warning: video might begin playing immediately).

First, I only watched as much of it as I could stand, so someone might have asked him a direct question later on. There were a couple people who gave good rants about the issue of immigration, but he was able to weasle out of their complaints because they did not ask him direct questions about specific policies. If anyone gets CSPAN and can call in, please only ask short, direct, specific questions. Feel free to preface it with "I would like you to directly answer this specific question."

Second, he confirmed that the "touchback" provisions of their bill are, literally, a joke:

LG: "...everything [to prepare for legalization and citizenship is] done here in the United States of America... security check in the U.S... [they get a] biometric visa... at some point during those six years, the head of the household leaves and comes back... For example, you live in Chicago, travel six hours to Detroit, cross the border into Canada, stopping at a coffee shop and be back home that evening... ...It's really a rebooting, a symbolic gesture..."

MODERATOR: [How long would they be out of the country?]

LG: [They'd] "stay in canada for an hour"

MODERATOR: [Why?]

LG: "There are those who want that symbolic rebooting... [you need to ask Rep. Flake why...] "...Jeff Flake says that in order to get republicans [to sign on they need the touchback...]

MODERATOR: [Does that make any sense?]

At that point, Gutierrez starts laughing at "touchback". Unfortunately, right now the joke's on us.

But, then again, if enough people ask him and his sleazy friend tough questions, maybe we can be the ones smiling.

Posted to Immigration2007a at May 10, 2007 01:38 PM