Speech #880293559

MILLER made two assertions that are totally inaccurate. Either he did not know they were untrue. which would make him historys leastinformed candidate for high office. or he spoke to them knowing that they cannot be justified. "In legislation which Lyndon Johnson has designated as top priority." Mr. MILLER said. "he now proposes that we completely abolish our selective system of immigration and Instead open the floodgates for virtually any and all who would wish to come and find work in this country." This is simply not true. The immigration reforms which have been sponsored by four previous administrations. including that of President Eisenhower. have nowhere called for open floodgates or abolition of all restrictions. Indeed. the 1960 Republican campaign platform. which has been repudiated by the GoldwaterMiller ticket. required that: "The annual number of immigrants we accept be at least doubled. obsolete immigration laws be amended by outlawing the outdated 1920 census data as a base and substituting the 1960 census." The bill. which was originally introduced for President Kennedy and now Is endorsed by President Johnson does not go this far. Instead of "doubling" the annual intake of immigrants. as the Republicans advocated in 1960. this bill would increase the total number eligible to 165.000. It now Is 157.000 but. because of the national origins quota system condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike up to this year. the limit is never reached because many countries never reach their quota. The bill proposes that unused quotas be transferred to countries where the number of applicants exceeds the number fixed by quota. The bill. moreover. applies rigid standards. first priority goes to people who have skills which are in short supply here. second to persons whose families already live here and third to those whose applications have been longest pending.