Frank Sharry
Frank Sharry
Frank Sharry is the founder and executive director of America’s Voice, an immigration reform group...
It's a big day for us. We may not have a lot of big days, but this is a big day.
bill food raises
It just raises the question: Did they want a bill or did they want a food fight?
ageing bringing challenges faces focus formidable hostile issues nation needs public sceptical societies society supporting together western
Every Western industrialised nation faces the same issues of an ageing society that needs migrants, a sceptical public and some hostile media. In supporting migrants, we do face formidable challenges but I'm still optimistic; we just have to focus on bringing together the needs of our societies and the aspirations of migrant families.
arrived born competition direct five last mexican month
The Mexican who arrived last month is more often in direct competition with a Mexican who's been here five years than with an African-American who was born here.
bad border broke call congress longer offensive talking
The Minutemen were offensive because they were kind of scary, but no one disagrees with border enforcement, really. It angered some people, but it angered activists. But when Congress said 'You hardworking people, we are going to call you felons,' that really broke through. You were no longer talking about policy, you were talking about who they are, that they are bad people.
base caught desire face issue jeopardy latino party progress tom voters winning
Their painstaking progress on winning Latino voters is in jeopardy because the face of the (Republican) party on this issue is Tom Tancredo. They are caught between their base and their desire to do something reasonable.
address backed continues good issue million news point program removal result sign temporary view workers
The idea that 11 million here illegally are going to sign up for a program that is going to (eventually) result in their removal is unworkable. Most won't sign up. The good news is that (Bush) continues to address the issue and he hasn't backed down from the point of view that temporary workers need to be part of it. But politically, they've made a mishmash of this issue.
easier emotional groups harder headlines loud midst offering policies side simple theirs
The loud voices, punchy arguments and simple headlines from governments, politicians and anti-immigration groups will often be easier to hear. The other side has a harder job, because theirs is the more sophisticated argument, offering humane, progressive and enlightened policies in the midst of an emotional debate.
both failure fight food frankly instead leadership quite
It is fundamentally workable. We got a food fight instead of a bill, and I quite frankly think it's a real failure of leadership on the part of both parties.
ads agenda draw extremist people soft trying
I think the ads are soft-peddling an extremist agenda. And what they're trying to do is draw people in with a soft pitch. But if you take a look at what their real agenda is, it is hard. It is ugly.
address calling congress far likely looking unstable variety voices volatile
It's a very volatile and unstable debate. There are a variety of voices all calling for action. And it's looking increasingly likely that Congress will address it but the what Congress does is far from certain.
change happen
Will it (the speech) change what's already scheduled to happen in Congress? Not one iota.
across bipartisan finish growing leadership line lots majority signs
There's lots of signs of the growing drumbeat for reform. We think there is a bipartisan majority with presidential leadership that can actually get across the finish line this session.
good sign tough votes
That's a very good sign for the tough votes on other issues.