Immigration still breathing fire for GOP

The San Diego Union Tribune ^ | September 6, 2007 | Max Neiman

[2ndDivisionVet]

Many GOP leaders likely breathed a sigh of relief when the Senate immigration reform bill collapsed a couple months ago – offering political cover from proposals that threatened to shatter their party's unity. And at a time when campaigning for the presidential primary was ramping up.

But while Congress has taken a hiatus from active immigration reform, GOP legislators who supported the Senate bill are still being assailed by constituents, and state-level anti-immigration legislation has been popping up across the country since the bill failed. Many observers think John McCain's advocacy of the bill is significantly responsible for his plummet in national polls. And other GOP contenders are using the immigration issue against each other: Mitt Romney charging Rudy Giuliani with being soft on illegal immigration, for example.

The backlash underscores how chronic a problem immigration is for the GOP – one that is likely to gnaw at the party throughout the primaries. Misunderstanding its seriousness could have far-reaching consequences, so GOP supporters should look carefully at California. What's happening on the national level may very well have been foretold here.

Nearly a decade of state polling reveals the current round of concern over immigration, especially among the GOP, began to stir in California in October 2003, and has become more intense over the past three-and-a-half years.

In 18 Statewide Surveys conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California between January 2000 and October 2003, the share of Californians who identified immigration as the state's most important issue never reached 5 percent among Democrats or 8 percent among Republicans. But by the beginning of 2004, the percentage of Republicans who were calling immigration the most important issue had climbed to 12 percent.

At the same time, Democratic interest barely budged. Throughout 2004 and 2005, an average of 4 percent of Democrats identified immigration as California's most important problem, compared with 14 percent of Republicans. By the end of 2005, over a fifth (22 percent) of the state's Republicans considered immigration to be the state's most important issue.

What changed for Republicans in October 2003? Renewed interest among Republicans coincided with the recall of then-Gov. Gray Davis. In September 2003, the recall battle was climaxing – and Davis sought to save his position by reversing his longtime opposition to granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. The issue of immigration suddenly gained new focus, especially among Republicans. The issue ricocheted around the state even after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a proposal that would have granted driver licenses to illegal immigrants.

In December 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sensenbrenner bill, considered by many to be the most Draconian anti-immigration bill in nearly a century, and pro-immigrant rallies sprang up across the nation.

By this time, PPIC surveys revealed a clear trend: Growing numbers of non-Hispanic white Republican Californians believed immigration to be the state's most important issue. By April 2006, more than 44 percent of California's Republicans concurred, compared with only 23 percent of non-Hispanic white Democrats.

During the heated struggle over the recent Senate bill, 33 percent of California's non-Hispanic white Republicans said immigration was the state's most important issue, compared with just 11 percent of non-Hispanic white Democrats. And since the Senate bill's demise, pressure hasn't lessened, but grown on the leading contenders for the party's presidential nomination to adopt the views of the GOP base.

The question is can a Republican contender, so hemmed in, appeal to a national electorate without lethally undermining support from the base? Immigration is a corrosive wedge issue among Republicans – while Democrats' disagreements are quibbles in comparison. This is a dangerous conundrum for Republican leaders as a national election looms.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Not just the GOP, but many democrat voters are concerned with illegal immigration. I think it will be one of the top three issues in this election.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

If the national GOP does not select Hunter or Tancredo....the GOP will get trounced in Nov 2008. Pandering to illegal aliens will cost them many votes.

In fact Hunter is the only GOP candidate who could win CA from the Dems. No liberal pro-illegal GOPer stands a chance

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Illegal immigration will be the top issue this election. It is a groundswell issue that is just bubbling to the consciousness of those in Washington, but is a torrent to the masses.

People are very concerned about it, one way or the other, and the major candidate that grabs the brass ring and declares it a major priority will be in great position to move into the White House.

[EEDUDE]

“I think it will be one of the top three issues in this election.”

It certainly should be.

I think that many people feel more threatened by illegal immigration than they do by terrorism.

[Man50D]

I think that many people feel more threatened by illegal immigration than they do by terrorism.

They are not necessarily separate issues. Terrorists have slipped through our porous borders posing as illegal immigrants as we have seen in New Jersey recently.

[Califreak]

“I think that many people feel more threatened by illegal immigration than they do by terrorism.”

Agreed.

IMHO, the two go hand in hand. Unsecured borders and unchecked immigration, legal or not, is inviting disaster.

[umgud]

All the recent publicity given to illegals who rape, murder and kill on the highways is fueling this feeling also. Sanctuary cities are the new “bad guy”. Yup, the masses are awakening.

[vetsvette]

“GOP legislators who supported the Senate bill are still being assailed by constituents”

Imagine that! Constituents with memories!

[Plutarch]

Immigration is a corrosive wedge issue among Republicans – while Democrats' disagreements are quibbles in comparison.

The issue is an opportunity for the GOP to peel off anti-amnesty Democrats and independents, if they were offered a clear choice in a general election.

[Hoffer Rand]

I agree. What I’m waiting for is the African American community to wake up and realize that all the government and non-profit programs and agencies that used to be geared toward helping them, have been ursurped by and refocused on helping illegals. They are the new token victim that all the touchy-feely types want to help. And with government funding, of course. I see this everywhere, from grant RFPs to TV commercials to education, to non-profits and various government agencies. It’s all about helping the illegals. I’m hoping this is what finally gets African Americans off the democrat plantation and thinking about who they vote for, rather than looking for the (D) on the ballot.

[TomGuy]

GOP/RNC is in for remedial lesson in 2008, because they learned little from the 2006 defeat.

If they continue to push for amnesty and comprehensive illegal immigration legislation, they are going to hand the White House, Senate and House to the Dems for decades.

[CottonBall]

Nearly a decade of state polling reveals the current round of concern over immigration, especially among the GOP, began to stir in California in October 2003, and has become more intense over the past three-and-a-half years.

I'd say it was long before that. In 1994, Californians overwhelmingly voted for Prop 187, which would've denied social services and education to illegals.

[CottonBall]

Pandering to illegal aliens will cost them many votes.

That's exactly what happened in 2006, IMO. Although the MSM only printed stories about how the GOP lost hispanic votes, they lost more white male votes. IF they got the same percentage of white male votes that they did in 2004, they would've won both houses. Let's see if they've learned. (Ha, I won't be betting anything on that!)

[Liz]

The vicious Newark, New Jersey slayings of three innocent students has galvanized the nation against illegals, for good reason. One of the killers, Jose Carranza, an illegal Peruvian immigrant, was previously arrested on multiple occasions (had 31 counts of child rape against him) and, rather than being deported or held for trial, was let go scot-free by a justice system top-loaded with incompetent latino political appointees.

LINE-UP OF EVIL These three are the scum who first mutilated three victims w/ machetes, then shot them execution-style. Carranza from Peru is also a child rapist (let go scot-free); another scumbag is from Honduras.

Melvin Jovel, Jose Carranza, Rodolfo Godinez (L to R)

NEWARK FIENDS FIRST FAILED AT SEX ATTACK: REPORT
By AUSTIN FENNER NY POST August 23, 2007

The thugs who shot four college students in Newark reportedly preceded their sick attack by trying to sexually assault their two female victims. The group of six assailants - who shot two men and a woman dead and wounded another woman - failed in their attempt at a sexual attack, and then decided to kill their victims, according to 1010 WINS radio. Six suspects have now been charged in the Aug. 4 atrocity, in which the victims were blasted execution-style.

Yesterday, a family member of one of the slain victims described the level of savagery of the attack. He said the thugs used a machete to hack their victims.

"They cut my niece's face off," said John McClain, who is Iofemi Hightower's great-uncle, and the chaplain of the Newark Police Department. "They cut her from cheek to cheek. They left her head hanging." McClain said the mortician had to work for three days to put his grand-niece's face back together. "Most people couldn't tell, when he was done, but the family could tell," he said. --SNIP--

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08232007/news/regionalnews/newark_fiends_first_failed_at_.htm

NOTE: Machetes and trademark body mutiliations linked the Newark executions to MS-13, a particularly ruthless Hispanic gang rooted in El Salvador. The name is believed to come from a variety of threads in Salvadoran history and Salvadorans who settled on the West Coast. MS-13 gangs from Honduras are now operating in 42 US states according to a FBI report.

[devane617]

IMHO, I think it will be the “TOP” issue. It will determine who I vote for — not the war on terror, nor the economy, but illegal immigration.

[SunkenCiv]

Ping!

[Haddit]

You keep talking about us, Californians. It is the rest of the country that allowed this to happen and it is coming your way. It didn’t bother you when it was just California. The San Fernando Valley area of Los Angles was home to the “Valley Girls”, Hippies, and Surfers. Now the Valley is home to about 1-1/2 million Hispanics. Most of them illegals. The beaches are filthy, full of Mexicans with huge families and their unsanitary upbringing. Nothing near what they show you on TV. They throw used toilet paper on the floor. They use the bushes across the street from me to take a dump. All day long I see them walking up and down the street with stolen shopping carts full of cans for recycling that they have stolen out of our trash bins. They drive drunk without fear of a ticket because they don’t have a license to begin with. About ¾ of the traffic accidents, according to friends that have been involved, are hit-and-run.
When I see a white person at Home Depot, I’m no longer surprised to hear a Russian accent. I rarely go out to eat anymore because too often I get sick. I took the bus to work for six months and never saw another white person or heard anyone talking English. We have a Mexican mayor and the last time I heard him give a speech, it was in “Mexican” and he was calling the illegals “his people”.
Now I’m hearing that the government is afraid of antagonizing illegals because there are too many of them and they will rebel and take to the streets and riot.
Now they are spreading to the rest of the country and you people are starting to take notice. Don’t just take notice, Act! Don’t vote for anyone that wants to just close the borders, we should deny jobs to all illegals AND close the border. Then we should throw the employers in jail instead of making the “monetary fine” a part of doing business. We should throw all the politicians that circumvent our laws in jail. Don’t vote for someone that has just recently made illegal immigration an issue in an attempt to get your vote. You have to vote for Hunter or Trancredo. But don’t stop there, make sure every politician you vote for is for Americans and not some foreigners. I can’t think of any legal way to get rid of bad judges.

[Ron H.]

... it will be the “TOP” issue. It will determine who I vote for — not the war on terror, nor the economy, but illegal immigration.

Agreed - it will be the number one issue for me as well as it affects just too many other areas of our society in such disastrous ways. If a politician cannot say in such a clear and unambiguous manner where he or she stands on this issue then they will not likely get my support. They must leave absolutely no doubt in my mind.

[devane617]

I really do not believe people understand the consequences of illegal immigration, and how it has affected our America. I can’t think of many areas that are not being negatively affected by II. Have any idea how many Americans are killed, or seriously injured, by illegals? Just because we have not had a single attack that killed thousands like 911 does not mean Americans are not dying at the hands of foreign illegals by the thousands each year.

[Sagacious Sam]

After securing the borders, what do you propose that we do with the 12 million illegal aliens presently living and working in this country?