Typical of deals we make with Democrats: We give them something tangible, immediate, and easily delivered. They say they’ll give us something that can only be delivered gradually and with difficulty. And they probably don’t mean it to begin with. It’s also a nice example of how it is indeed possible to overestimate the Gipper’s toughness and effectiveness as a conservative president. He was a great president relatively speaking. But every now and then, he slipped badly. Simpson-Mazzoli was a case in point.

...through sanctions against employers who hired illegal immigrants.

And there proved to be a failure of political will in enforcing new laws against employers.

To think we will enforce a get tough policy against employers now, when we didn’t have the will to do it then...the phrase pipe dream comes to mind. It idn’t gonna happen.

The fair and sound policy is to give those who are here illegally the opportunity to correct their status by returning to their country of origin and getting in line with everyone else.

Sorry Mr. Meese, that idn’t gonna happen either. No matter how bad we try to make it for them here, it will only be worse for them there.

Several other bloggers had a phone conference with Mr. Meese, about which they wrote. They included Power Line, RWN and Michelle Malkin. One of them wrote about a temporary worker program, suggested by Mr. Meese, which got me to thinking. Maybe, and this is a very guarded maybe, this could work:
Private temp companies are allowed to incorporate here, but set up franchises in Mexico and any other countries they want. All alien unskilled workers must apply for work through these franchises. In person. Fingerprints and photographs must be taken at time of application. No employers will be allowed to accept workers except by these franchises. The franchises will provide transportation to and from places of work in the U.S. Participating employers will not pay any money to the workers, they will pay the franchises. To receive their pay, the workers must return to the franchise. In person.

Hey, UG, now that’s a plan with some promise. It would have to be strictly enforced, however, with jail time for companies that violate the law.

now that’s a plan with some promise.

Just sent it off to my congressman, David Drier. If he starts going public with it, you know you got it from UG first.