Speech #1100118232

And as we raised up issues that we said were facts. and those facts were raised up with an opportunity for those who disagreed to challenge those facts. maybe present their own. Americans came to a consensus conclusion. And when it came to the consensus conclusion. that was when the crucible of the comprehensive immigration bill was before the United States Senate. As it came before the United States Senate. the American people. having had a national conversation throughout all that media that I talked about. persontoperson. facetoface decided we do not want an amnesty plan. We dont want a comprehensive immigration plan. I call it often a comprehensive amnesty plan. We want to make sure that we defend the rule of law. and whatever we do with legal immigration needs to be predicated upon the requirement that we establish the rule of law and that those who might be beneficiaries of a change in immigration law would be those people who have not violated our laws. That was the principle that caused the American people to weigh in. that was the principle that shut down the switchboards in the United States Senate. that is the principle that has gotten their attention over there a couple of times since then. and it is this national conversation where we are able to reach out and listen to and understand and benefit from the wisdom of the American people. Our judgment is endorsed by the virtue that we have been elected to represent our constituents.