Whose values are we talking about?

Bush is trying to save his immigration policy ass, insisting that immigrants assimilate. As if that hasn't happened with every immigrant community thus far, excepting perhaps the Amish. Here's a brief snippet of the miserable failure's speech:

"One aspect of making sure we have an immigration system that works, that's orderly and fair, is to actively reach out and help people assimilate into our country," Bush said. "That means to learn the values and history and language of America."

Aside from the hilarious non sequitur definition that allows Bush to define "actively reach out and help people assimilate into our country" as "to learn the values and history and language of America" (yes, to assimilate can mean to learn the values etc., but it puts the onus on the learner, i.e. the immigrant, whereas his first clause puts the onus on the U.S. immigration system), Bush is really treading on some dangerous ground here.

I mean, do we really want immigrants learning U.S. values as Bush understands them? What are these values? Many people might say hard work, or the "puritan work ethic," is a core value, but certainly that's not in Bush's values toolbox. Or how about duty. Is duty an American value? Well, it might be for some, but Bush's National Guard history kind of puts the kibosh on that...How about honesty. Um, not really one of Bush's priorities. Fairplay? Wrong again.

Here's what a recent immigrant might learn about American values by emulating our President:

1. Perception is more important than reality.
2. Lie. If caught, blame the people who caught you.
3. No morals should get in the way of getting what you want.

I suppose those are good values to learn in today's America. It's certainly Bush's way, and he made it all the way to President.