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Newt's Citizenship Problem (What does he mean by long established illegals who are "law abiding"?)
American Thinker ^ | 12/12/2011 | Daren Jonescu

Posted on 12/12/2011 4:48:54 AM PST by SeekAndFind

After the November 22 Republican debate in Washington, D.C., many conservatives took issue with Newt Gingrich's proposal to establish a system of local boards of review to assess the cases of illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for twenty-five years. While his opponents on stage chose to focus on concerns that the plan would entrench a powerful new "magnet" for illegal aliens, others isolated the strangest aspect of Gingrich's proposal, which was his explicit description of such long-established illegal immigrants as "law-abiding citizens." How, people reasonably asked, can an illegal alien who has never been granted U.S. citizenship be called a "citizen" at all, let alone a "law-abiding" one?

Some of us shied away from putting too much emphasis on this odd phraseology. In my own case, I considered that "law-abiding citizen" is a hackneyed expression, and hence the kind of term that a candidate might carelessly toss off in the heat of a debate, particularly when he is coming under fire for his position, and is attempting to defend himself on the spur of the moment. In the context of a debate about illegal immigration, paths to citizenship, and the like, it was a poorly chosen phrase, indeed. Nevertheless, as I have devoted some energy to debunking the myth of Gingrich as a great debater who would mop the floor with Obama in a one-on-one confrontation, it was not at all surprising to me that the candidate most inclined to present himself (and, presumably, to see himself) as a great rhetorician would be the one most likely to produce the most absurd logical gaffes.

Suddenly, however, in the wake of the December 10 debate in Iowa, it is no longer feasible or reasonable to hold our fire on Gingrich's peculiar use of the notion of citizenship.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; gingrich; illegal; immigration; newt; pandering
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1 posted on 12/12/2011 4:48:57 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
We will have a Tea Party congress no matter WHO the president is.

Amnesty for illegals ain't going anywhere so this hit on Newt is moot.

2 posted on 12/12/2011 4:54:18 AM PST by Happy Rain ("The Founders obviously anticipated Obama when they crafted the 2nd Amendment.")
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To: SeekAndFind

If you support amnesty, Newt is your man. The final bill, the grand bargain negotiated between Senate’s Acorn caucus and Newt will be great.

Once we have changed the electrorate, we can ignore those radical rightwingers and social engineers.


3 posted on 12/12/2011 4:54:31 AM PST by heiss (heartless and inhumane (radical rightwinger))
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To: SeekAndFind

He means that the clowns insisting on rounding up and deporting 15 million illegals are unserious about finding a workable solution.

NO!

I will not engage in a circular debate that brings us back to this same point.


4 posted on 12/12/2011 4:56:01 AM PST by G Larry ("I dream of a day when a man is judged by the content of his Character.")
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To: SeekAndFind

To call the author an American thinker is to redefine the word “thinker”.

This piece pedantic. The author does not agree with Newt. But this piece pretends its more than that.


5 posted on 12/12/2011 4:56:16 AM PST by Notwithstanding (1998 ACU ratings: Newt=100%, Paul=88%, Santorum=84% [the last year all were in Congress])
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To: SeekAndFind

To call the author an American thinker is to redefine the word “thinker”.

This piece pedantic. The author does not agree with Newt. But this piece pretends its more than that.


6 posted on 12/12/2011 4:57:09 AM PST by Notwithstanding (1998 ACU ratings: Newt=100%, Paul=88%, Santorum=84% [the last year all were in Congress])
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To: Happy Rain
We will have a Tea Party congress no matter WHO the president is.

We'd better, if Noot is elected.

7 posted on 12/12/2011 5:02:47 AM PST by Colonel_Flagg (Why, yes. I AM in a bad mood.)
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To: SeekAndFind

A law abiding illegal alien is an oxymoron.


8 posted on 12/12/2011 5:09:09 AM PST by magslinger (Who cares if they are"electable" if they are going to govern like Democrats? -noprogs)
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To: SeekAndFind

I think we need to examine this whole “law abiding” issu also. Is it possible for an illegal for an illegal to live here and be law abiding?

Their 1st illegal entry carries little weight or consequence. Their 2nd is damned serious in the eyes of the law. Can they have lived here 25 years and not have perpetrated identity fraud or theft?


9 posted on 12/12/2011 5:11:11 AM PST by umgud
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To: SeekAndFind

Imagine a race of people who do not speak English, have no skills but physical labor and are encouraged by their own countrymen (for a small fee) to ‘follow me’ and I will show you a land of opportunity.

You must travel a long distance in sub-human conditions - will face starvation, dehydration, armed patrols and razor sharp barriers. If you survive - your housing, clothing and wages will be subsistence and you may be arrested as an invader.

By living quiety in the shadows and working hard for your new owner, this will become a paradise. The laws of this new land are supple and it will even be possible to acquire help from the government in the form of medical care, food and education for any children you have.

Imagine that.


10 posted on 12/12/2011 5:21:19 AM PST by sodpoodle ( Gingrich - flying solo - without congressional baggage!!!)
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To: SeekAndFind

I guess hacks think illegal is the norm because so many invest in it.
A vote is a vote no matter if it’s above the law.


11 posted on 12/12/2011 5:21:21 AM PST by Vaduz
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To: Happy Rain

“We will have a Tea Party congress no matter WHO the president is.”

I’m not so optimistic.

McCain’s failed campaign resulted in republican losses in the house and senate.

I just don’t see Newt doing much better than McCain.


12 posted on 12/12/2011 5:33:39 AM PST by BarnacleCenturion
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To: SeekAndFind

And do Daren Jonescu and SeekAndFind have a candidate that they are supporting?


13 posted on 12/12/2011 5:51:17 AM PST by campaignPete R-CT (I will go back to New Hampshire to campaign.)
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To: heiss

Deja vu all over again. Bush compassionate conservatism. Romney, Perry not any better. Yuck! Screwed again!!


14 posted on 12/12/2011 5:54:56 AM PST by AmericanInTokyo (Bye bye Hugo (Chavez)...I smell sulphur approaching.)
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To: spectre; truthkeeper; processing please hold; antceecee; navymom1; jaredt112; Edgerunner; ...

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This is a ping list promoting Immigration Enforcement and Congressional Reform.
If you wish to be added or removed from this ping list, please contact me.

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15 posted on 12/12/2011 6:00:19 AM PST by bcsco
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To: Happy Rain

Wrong, the first argument, look they voted for newt they must support amnesty. If amnesty is not the third rail, congress will pass it.


16 posted on 12/12/2011 6:00:41 AM PST by org.whodat (Just another heartless American, hated by "AMNESTY" Newt, Willard, Perry and his fellow supporters)
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To: SeekAndFind

Gingrich is not trustworthy on immigration issues. Period.

And immigration is killing us.


17 posted on 12/12/2011 6:00:51 AM PST by SharpRightTurn ( White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: SeekAndFind
illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for twenty-five years

Gingrich 'mesh-muddles' all around that number.

When one news person asks him about the '25 years', Gingrich says 'he didn't say that'. In another question, a newsie asks him, then, if 15 years is okay/too long/not long enough, and he responds that it should be more like 25 years.

Gingrich slithers through his responses on the issue, as the newsies try to pin him down on specifics.

==

Other concerns:


18 posted on 12/12/2011 6:03:15 AM PST by TomGuy
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To: SeekAndFind

Good....anybody around here truly believe that any one of us We the People CITIZENS who say, just happened to have forgotten to file our tax returns, for a few years, but otherwise are “completely law-abiding” ...would be treated equally as these NON-CITIZENS here illegally?


19 posted on 12/12/2011 6:03:21 AM PST by mo
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s really quite simple. All you do is ask the illegal how long they have been here and I’m sure they will tell you the truth. (sarc) This statement by Newt shows just how full of nothing he is. The Republican Party is done if they nominate him.


20 posted on 12/12/2011 6:04:57 AM PST by Hattie
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