Newt on Immigration

Townhall.com ^ | November 29, 2011 | Neal Boortz

[Kaslin]

OK, Republicans. Since you’re so religious and all – it’s time for a little “come to Jesus meetin’”. If you’re not familiar with the term, click on the link. It’s time for a little harsh dressing down.

Do you realize what we have at stake in this election next year? This isn’t just about taxes, pork spending, social security benefits and repairing bridges. This is about saving our Republic. Do you know we’re already past our life expectancy? Economies and societies built on the rule of law, liberty and economic freedom have this troubling tendency to destroy themselves at around the 200 year mark. This happens when people figure out they can use the ballot box to get their hands on someone else’s stuff.

Well guess what, folks? We’re there. We’re past there. We’re on the ropes. We’re old – and durned near on our deathbed.

We have a president who was not raised as an American. Oh, I know. He’s a citizen and all that … but he was not infused during his formative years with how fortunate he was to have been born in this country and what it means to be an American. He lived in Indonesia, for crying out loud, for much of his childhood; that and Hawaii. Well guess what? I lived in Hawaii too, and I can tell you that as a student in Hawaiian schools you weren’t exactly saturated with American culture and history. Hawaiian history? Sure. And that’s understandable. Hawaiians are very proud of their heritage. But U.S. history? Only what the schools absolutely had to include. And that private school, Punahou, that Obama went to in Honolulu? Here’s another “guess what?” My sister taught there; right around the time that Barry was a student. Again – not a place where you’re going to learn what a blessing it is to be an American and a citizen of the greatest nation on earth … ever.

Our president thinks that American greatness comes from government. He believes that free enterprise is inherently evil. He is robbing us of our economic liberty as he institutes a command economy. He believes in using tax policy for income redistribution rather than raising the revenue needed to pay for the basic (Constitutional) functions of government. He said he was going to fundamentally transform the United States of America, and we stupidly didn’t ask him just how he planned to do that. Now we know. And now we know that for our children to have half a chance of improving on the standard of living that we have enjoyed – or even living as well as we have -- this man has to be sent back to a community organizing office behind a dry cleaner on the South Side of Chicago … STAT.

That brings us to Newt Gingrich and this little puddin’ storm over his comments on immigration. Newt suggested that we might not want to be rounding up people who have lived in this country – though illegally – for 25 years or so; during which time they raised families, started businesses, paid taxes and helped drive our economy; and ship them back to Mexico. As soon as those words were out of his mouth Michelle Bachmann – desperate for a way to ignite voters – started screeching about “amnesty.” In no time we had the ObamaMedia falling over itself to parrot the “amnesty” line and call Gingrich out on strikes.

Let the progs and libs play this thing any way they want … but you Replublicans; you GOPers … could you make a special effort and try to get serious here for a minute or two? Think! I’ve done it on occasion, and I can promise it’s not painful.

Do we need to enforce our immigration laws? Absolutely! Does the border with Mexico need to be secured? No doubt. And Gingrich has said he would do just that. But a bit of realism needs to creep into this conversation.

I love analogies, so try this one: You come home from work to find a pipe has broken. Your home is flooded. What is the FIRST thing you do? Do you sit there and argue with people about how you’re going to get all that water out of your home? No. The FIRST thing you do is shut off the water. The same logic applies to our immigration problem. The first thing we do is secure our borders. Gingrich says he will shut them down.

OK … so the flood has stopped. NOW you start to clean up the mess.

Republican voters need to mature a bit on this issue …. Not one of your candidates has actually articulated a plan deport all illegals. Not one. And do you know just why that is? Because every single GOP candidate, including Bachmann, knows full well that there is no way in the world we’re going to round up every illegal in this country and send them south.

Try to imagine what the world will think of us (and it does matter) if we suddenly start looking for people who entered this country illegally 25 years ago; people who then married an American citizen, started a business, raised several children – all citizens – and who is now a vital and integral part of the American economy and his community, not to mention a husband, father and grandfather. So we find these people, and start shipping them back to Mexico. Can you hear the screams from the international community? Try these two words: “Ethnic cleansing.” Oh, I know. In reality we would just be expelling law-breakers … but you try to tell that to people we want to like and admire us that when they see that most of the people on the green busses have brown skin and dark hair.

I’m particularly amused by Bachmann’s (and other’s) claim that letting these people go through a process to gain legal residency status in America would be a “magnet” for more illegal immigration. Earth to Michelle. Our country is a magnet. Our way of life, our freedoms, our opportunities … all a magnet; a magnet much more powerful than giving some long-time illegal (but otherwise law-abiding) residents a break. What is Bachmann’s solution? Are we going to combat illegal immigration by making the United States a country to which nobody wants to emigrate? Seal the borders! Take the same actions to protect our borders that Mexico takes to protect theirs!

There’s a lot of anger on this issue. Understandable anger. We’ve had a succession of politicians and leaders who have steadfastly refused to do anything about what I call the Mexican invasion. And when a state (like Arizona) does try to address the situation, our federal government sides with the Mexican officials to go to court to get the enforcement actions stopped!

If it were not for the 17th Amendment to our Constitution, this story would read completely different .. but that’s another column.

So, Republicans --- instead of insisting that your candidate seek revenge on people who sought freedom and opportunity many, many years ago; try demanding that your candidate promise to do something to stem the tide as soon as he’s sworn in. Shut off the water. Close the borders. Once that’s been done we’ll seek out the illegals that pose a threat to our society and greet them with a clenched fist. Those who contribute to our society and want to join our family? Let’s greet them with an outstretched hand.

[Kaslin]

I am not a fan of Neal Boortz, but he makes a lot of sense in this column

[BarnacleCenturion]

 

Gingrich Shows 'Compassion' for Illegal Aliens He Helped Stay Rooted in U.S.

By Roy Beck, Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 10:56 AM EST

The mainstream news media is filled with awe that Newt Gingrich showed some "compassion" for illegal aliens in last night's GOP presidential debate. A look at his record while in Congress shows this is nothing new. 

In fact, Gingrich's leadership in Congress is one of the reasons we have so many illegal aliens today who have been able to stay in this country for 25 years.  

That's the supreme irony of Gingrich's pro-amnesty remarks in last night's debate.  The man who helped ensure that illegal aliens from the 1980s and 1990s are still here in 2011 asked voters last night to consider the inhumanity of making illegal aliens leave this country after they have sunk such long roots here.

If, while Speaker of the House in the 1990s, Gingrich had shown any leadership in stopping illegal immigration, there would be very few illegal aliens still here from the 1980s and 1990s because they wouldn't have been able to hold payroll jobs.

Nobody pushed him last night to take a pro-amnesty stand.  He volunteered it!    By focusing on long-term illegal aliens, he took a big risk that the media spotlight (or at least the internet and talk radio spotlight) would shine on his long-term record with those illegal aliens.

What the spotlight will find is that Gingrich worked with Big Business lobbyists to make sure that employers could continue to hire illegal workers, and thus sink roots that would be used by pro-amnesty politicians to justify legalizing them today. 

We hear the same arguments from the National Council of La Raza, from the ACLU, from the National Immigration Forum -- all of them cite the lack of past enforcement (which they impeded at every turn) as having allowed illegal aliens to sink such long roots that it would be unjust to make them go home now. 

[dirtboy]

So, Republicans --- instead of insisting that your candidate seek revenge on people who sought freedom and opportunity many, many years ago; try demanding that your candidate promise to do something to stem the tide as soon as he’s sworn in. Shut off the water. Close the borders.

Seek revenge? I never realized that asking the laws be enforced was revenge.

Close the borders? Sure, great idea. However, when amnesty is coupled to closing the borders, history shows we get the amnesty without the closed borders.

So Boortz combines misdirection along with a demand we ignore the history of this subject.

[Timber Rattler]

If Neal actually think that Newt the chameleon actually plans on doing anything about the illegal alien problem, then he’s drinking bad kool-aid.

[Gaffer]

I am also not a fan of his. Let’s take his plumbing/basement flooding problem a little farther....

YES, you definitely SHUT OFF the water....(okay, I agree here)....

NEXT, his example relating to illegals here 25 years (how about 22, or 21, or 20...hey 15 is enough, idn’t it?)..he says we all just need to live with it and enjoy the wonderful contributions they make owning all those businesses and employing all those people (Ha!)...

NOW, back to the flooded basement. What do you really do AFTER you’ve shut off the water? Live with your new polluted basement pool? Just avoid it? Hell no. YOU GET RID OF THE DAMNED WATER! Only, Boortz don’t get to that little bit right there....

[justsaynomore]

Boortz sold out a long time ago. He threw Palin under the bus, as well as a lot of other conservatives.

[Timber Rattler]

And moreover, all of this business about it being impossible to deport millions of illegals, or else force them to deport themselves, is a bunch of hooey!

Ike did it very quickly in 1954. Problem solved, at least until LBJ reopened the flood gates by signing the loathsome Immigration and Naturalization Act into law in 1965.

How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico

[Timber Rattler]

He threw Palin under the bus, as well as a lot of other conservatives.

Yes, he did. So he has no room to be lecturing Conservatives about "holding noses" and voting for "lesser evils."

[Gaffer]

He’s only in it for the money...I remember him from WRNG radio. At WGST he used to carp about the old blue hairs over on WSB where he’s NOW syndicated from. He’s toned down some, figuring out that he can make more money that way. There’s a reason why Rush has never had him substituted for his show.

He’s just a prurient little snot with mediocre intellect.

[hosepipe]

Next question is.... Will Newt actually do all he says he will do.. if elected?..
Maybe better worded threatens to do?.. Perry as well..

-OR-

Will they be like Obama say one thing and DO completely another..?
Zero has proven you can get away with that..
Its a matter of who do you trust?..

OR being republicans will throw a few bones with a meat on them (like Bush did{tax cuts}) and ignore other things they SAID/promised...

[hosepipe]

THEN.... you got yer 200 year problem..

America has been dumbed down (by teachers Unions) past critical mass..
America may be too dumb to continue... and commits suicide..

[newheart]

I’m only a marginal fan of Boortz myself. But I agree with him. And sadly, I suspect that his suggestion “that a bit of realism needs to creep into this conversation” will be largely ignored. This ain’t 1954.

[umgud]

Turn off the magnets and let the chips fall where they may.

No E-Verify, no workee
No E-Verify, no public assistance

No need to create a police state to round up millions of illegals. No need for national ID. Make it inhospitable for illegals to remain or come here. Get rid of birthright citizenship to offspring of illegals.

Use all the money saved for real border security going after drug runners, terrorists and other scum.

[skeeter]

Boortz might do better to drop the insulting condescending tone.

He'd also do better to understand his logic is not infallible.

[skeeter]

The amnesty of 1986 changed the political landscape of California for decades - probably forever. And not for the better.

Any similar initiative on a scale contemplated by Boortz here will similarly change the US forever.

And Boortz can kiss his dreams of a more libertarian society goodbye.

[Darth Reardon]

Well, what if you had a slow leak for a long time? The first thing you would do is shut off the water. Then you fix the leak. We can all agree on that much.

But the mold has been there for a long time, has family (many of which born here, it’s not their fault), is tightly integrated into the local environment, and has been contributing to the atmosphere. How can we be so heartless not to let it stay?

[Gaffer]

We don’t have a ‘leak’ now. We have a full blown infestation just like a basement full of water. The drain on our resources is almost inestimable. If you can’t understand that, I don’t know what to tell you.

The ‘tightly integrated into the local environment’ thing is usually scads of illegals standing outside Home Depot or some other place while Mama and the kids are off to the local charity pantry or government WICs place, and their other children are in our schools taking resources and time away from legal children. And those are just the ones that don’t rob, rape, murder, drive drunk, etc.....

[Boogieman]

So we’d better support Newt because the sky is falling? That’s the best argument he’s got? Sorry, not buying it.

[kabar]

Try to imagine what the world will think of us (and it does matter) if we suddenly start looking for people who entered this country illegally 25 years ago; people who then married an American citizen, started a business, raised several children – all citizens – and who is now a vital and integral part of the American economy and his community, not to mention a husband, father and grandfather. So we find these people, and start shipping them back to Mexico. Can you hear the screams from the international community? Try these two words: “Ethnic cleansing.”

Boortz is an a$$hole. First, I suggest he read Newt's written stance on immigration. There is no mention of 25 years, which happens to be 1986, the date of the "one-time" amnesty never to be repeated. Here are the criteria Newt uses to determine if someone should be allowed to stay, aka amnesty:

There are currently anywhere from 8 to 12 million people living in the United States who entered illegally.

These people range from day laborers who arrived recently, to grandparents who have been paying taxes, supporting their families and obeying the law for decades.

We need a system that enforces the rule of law, ensures that those who broke the law pay a stiff penalty, but also acknowledges that it is neither optimal nor feasible nor humane to deport every single illegal immigrant.

We need a path to legality, but not citizenship, for some of these individuals who have deep ties to America, including family, church and community ties. We also need a path to swift but dignified repatriation for those who are transient and have no roots in America.

We need a process that can distinguish at the human level.

Congress must charge the Department of Justice to establish a “citizens’ review” process for those here outside the law. It would establish committees to process these cases in individual communities and determine who will continue on this path to legality, and who will be sent home. Congress must define understandable, clear, objective legal standards that will be applied equally during this process. While this process is ongoing, those here outside the law will be granted Temporary Legal Status for a certain, limited period of time until all have had the opportunity to apply and appear in front of committees.

Applicants must first pass a criminal background check, and then the local committees will assess applications based on family and community ties, and ability to support oneself via employment without the assistance of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other entitlement programs.

The government will rigorously enforce a requirement that all individuals seeking this path to legality must be able to prove that they can independently pay for private health insurance. If an individual cannot prove this, they will lose the ability to stay in the United States.

Furthermore, proficiency in English within a certain number of years, similar to the requirement for naturalization, will be required for anyone who seeks continued legal status in the United States.

Once an applicant has been granted the right to obtain legal status, he or she will have to pay a penalty of at least $5,000.

Moving forward, those who receive this status will have to prove on a regular basis that they can support themselves without entitlement programs and pay for health insurance or else risk the ability to stay in the United States.

This is old wine in new bottles. Newt, like McCain-Kennedy, is proposing that illegals pay a fine, learn English, and be legalized. Newt say they can't be citizens, at least not right away. In his 2nd principle, he states, "Under no circumstance can a path to citizenship be created which would allow those who have broken the law to receive precedence over those who patiently waited to become residents and citizens via the legal process. Those who adhered to our immigration law cannot be usurped by those who violated it." This is similar to McCain-Kennedy's back of line nonsense. McCain and Kennedy strenuously declared that their plan was not amnesty.

Note that nowhere in Newt's plan does it specify the actual criteria of who can stay and who must go. There is no time limit. Newt and Boortz are playing games with the extreme case of 25 years, i.e., those people who entered the US during the 1986 amnesty and didn't qualify.

Leaving the decision to local communities like LA and SF would be a disaster. Newt's "plan" is unworkable and uneforceable. Like McCain, he wants to deport the 2 million "criminal" aliens immediately. This doesn't pass the laugh test.

Newt is creating another class of LPR with the main exception being that they can never be citizens. I find it hard to believe the courts and the Left would ever sanction this. And even New's new class would be eligible for SS and Medicare and EITC and subsidies for Obamacare. In fact, illegals are using welfare now thru their American born children,

Aside from the many flaws in this plan, implementing it will be nearly impossible. With 12 to 20 million illegals or more, what kind of administrative operation would be necessary to process such numbers? ICE can't handle the current workload.

[GBA]

I posted this comment to dirtboy on a similar thread:

If the only law an illegal has broken in a couple of decades or more was coming here a couple of decades or more ago AND they've been good, established, law abiding, tax paying members of the community ever since, then figure out a way to make them pay for breaking the law decades ago and leave them be.

Those people have shown by how they have lived their lives that they are worthy enough to be here, but they are the only exception.

By all means, use every legal pressure (follow the law!) available to make all those here illegally self deport and most certainly will. And if they don't, follow the law and make it happen for them.

However, there needs to be some option for those who fit the above criteria, but do NOT grant any of them amnesty and give them citizenship and thus reward them for what they've done.

Instead, perhaps they could earn a limited citizenship, something like that of convicted felons who have served their sentence?

But, as much as we might like to do it, rounding them all up and automatically booting them all out, no exceptions, isn't going to happen.