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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Featured Galleries: March 13, 2007 Latin America tour starts Bush policy push By John D. McKinnon Wall Street Journal GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — President Bush is using his Latin America tour to kick off a make-or-break debate over immigration overhaul in the U.S. But while many analysts say the 2006 election vindicated his support for immigrant-friendly policies, his waning political strength will make it difficult to muster the Republican votes needed for Congress to pass them into law. In an apparent effort to leverage his political power, at nearly every stop in this five-nation swing, Bush has mentioned the pressure he is getting from Latin leaders for action on immigration. In Bogotá, Colombia, on Sunday, Bush cited the "concern" that President Alvaro Uribe expressed about the need for overhaul of U.S. rules. On Saturday in Uruguay, Bush said President Tabare Vazquez had "spoken eloquently to me about the need for...[an] immigration policy that upholds the values of America." In Guatemala City on Monday, the issue of immigration took center stage, with Bush saying he wants a bill from Congress by the August recess. "The system needs to be fixed," he said. He said the first step is reaching a Republican position in the Senate. But "I believe we're going to find consensus," he added. He was scheduled to meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon today in Merida. Immigration's first major legislative test begins soon, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid aims to bring the matter up for a vote on the floor in late April or early May. House leaders are waiting to see if the Senate can succeed before they take up the politically volatile issue. To emphasize his interest in passing legislation, Reid will travel to Mexico this week to meet with Calderón and other leaders. Despite many Democrats' longtime support for the same comprehensive approach that Bush favors, they will need many Republican votes to pass a bill — perhaps 20 in the Senate and twice that number in the House. Republicans may have taken a lesson from the 2006 election, when their anti-immigration wing sustained unexpected losses. In the two congressional districts where Democrats gained seats in Arizona, both the defeated Republicans campaigned on anti-immigrant positions, focusing on tighter border security. Overall, Republicans saw their share of Hispanic votes drop to 30 percent, from about 44 percent in 2004, according to some estimates, in part because of the anti-immigrant tenor of many of their candidates. In addition, congressional Republicans' lack of action on immigration overhaul in 2005 and 2006 may have contributed to a "do nothing" image and the subsequent loss of their House and Senate majorities. Another result of the 2006 election was a broad weakening of Bush's own political standing. Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Payday Loans Free Ringtones Debt Consolidation Security Systems Debt Relief New Hampshire Primary Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us