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Romney's top Hispanic surrogate: GOP must embrace immigration reform
The Hill ^ | November 14, 2012 | Cameron Joseph

Posted on 11/15/2012 1:18:08 AM PST by CutePuppy

Former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Mitt Romney's top Hispanic surrogate, is calling for the Republican Party to "modernize" and embrace comprehensive immigration reform in order to survive as a national party.

"We need to modernize. Modernization includes diversity. Obviously, immigration reform is part of that process of diversity," he told The Hill on Tuesday. "We are the party of growth, of business, of entrepreneurship, of innovation. We cannot continue to be that without an effective immigration policy."

Gutierrez, who chaired Romney's Hispanic Steering Committee during the GOP nominee's presidential campaign, blames Romney's rightward primary shift on immigration for his loss. Obama bested Romney among Hispanics, one of the nation's fastest-growing demographic groups, by a whopping 71 to 27 percent. That has led to calls from many prominent Republicans for the party to re-evaluate its position on immigration.

"The primary process has been taken over by the extremes," Gutierrez lamented. "The process forced Gov. Romney to be on the extreme right during the primaries and then in the general he had to work his way back to the center. The primaries gave the opposition so many talking points to use against Gov. Romney."

Gutierrez called his time as a Romney surrogate "very frustrating."

"What I learned throughout this whole process is that we as a party cause a great deal of fear for Hispanics, and not just in Hispanics but other immigrants too," he said. "I'd go on a Spanish-language show and defend the party, only to pick up the paper the next day and find some incredibly antiquated statements about immigrants from extremists in our party, things that almost sounded like they were from the 1920s. ... I was getting the question of self-deportation three days before the election. It never went away, even though the governor had moved and evolved and talked about a different position."

The former Cabinet official for then-President George W. Bush said that better immigration policy alone could not fix things for the party - but without comprehensive reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, the party would continue to struggle with Hispanics, Asian-Americans and other fast-growing populations.

He said immigration reform is an "economic imperative" for the country.

"It's a strategic issue for the 21st century. It's not a tactical political issue," he said. "When I came to this country in 1960 as a refugee from Cuba, the one thing I remember is how welcome I felt, how much people wanted me to succeed. I think of these students, these 'DREAMers,' and the courage and will it takes to continue to study 18 hours a day and get good grades even though they don't know if they're going to be deported the next day. Those are the kind of people we want and have made this country. We need to accept that and understand if we get immigration right, the 21st century is ours. If we get it wrong ... what a shame."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: amnesty; bush; buzzword; buzzwords; dreamact; failure; georgewbush; gutierrez; immigrationreform; loser; romney; shamnesty; surrogate
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To: dalebert

what other country leaves its borders open and ignores illegals then embraces them as citizens for breaking their laws....?????


41 posted on 11/15/2012 4:53:19 AM PST by dalebert
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To: CutePuppy

We don’t have to embrace anything; especially the PR firm lies.


42 posted on 11/15/2012 5:21:39 AM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: ansel12

I remember this story was a load of crap then and is now. What is he supposed to do go card check people that work for someone else? The owner was his friend and had told Mitt there were no illegals working for him.


43 posted on 11/15/2012 5:24:35 AM PST by BaldJohn
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To: CutePuppy

Immigration = More Poverty for America = More whining from the commie ‘RATS = More TAXES.


44 posted on 11/15/2012 5:51:23 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (We need Comprehensive Election Reform, NOW!)
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To: CutePuppy

Carlos, not a darn thing should be discussed until that border is secure. If not we will have a perpetual immigration problem.

Or, are you saying all immigrants should be able to freely cross our borders and collects our benefits, have our jobs?

If that’s the case, then Mexico needs to become a state and we start collecting federal income taxes off Mexican citizens..


45 posted on 11/15/2012 5:54:27 AM PST by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheel barrow)
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To: CutePuppy
Ahem. I would like tp point people's attention to the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are without JOBS!

That being said, why do we want to encourage those here illegally - and working - to not only stay but also make them legal. Not only that but make them citizens!

When you give something away, more people come to get it.

That's exactly what the pols on both sides are attempting to do, folks, give away our country!

Politicians work for US not the other way around!

Time to tell them that loud and clear, "You work for us and we're not letting you give our jobs and country to those here illegally, then you permit them to stay here and take our jobs!"

46 posted on 11/15/2012 6:12:56 AM PST by zerosix (Native sunflowerw)
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To: CutePuppy
Ahem. I would like tp point people's attention to the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are without JOBS!

That being said, why do we want to encourage those here illegally - and working - to not only stay but also make them legal. Not only that but make them citizens!

When you give something away, more people come to get it.

That's exactly what the pols on both sides are attempting to do, folks, give away our country!

Politicians work for US not the other way around!

Time to tell them that loud and clear, "You work for us and we're not letting you give our jobs and country to those here illegally, then you permit them to stay here and take our jobs!"

47 posted on 11/15/2012 6:12:56 AM PST by zerosix (Native sunflowerw)
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To: BaldJohn

You admit the story is true at least.

Romney clung to his Guatemalan illegals through 2 national scandals as he ran a “Sanctuary Mansion”, during that period Mitt was a governor for 4 years of it, yet Romney still kept his boys safe from his security checks, even his running for president didn’t change their sanctuary status, yet a couple of local reporters could drive over and openly discuss their illegal status with Romney’s permanent (11 years, twice busted, 2 national scandals) landscapers.

His “friend” says that Mitt was lying about his claims of innocence and had never bothered to do anything about the illegals, and we have video of Mitt lying on national television about the 11 year situation, pretending that he had no idea what Giuliani was talking about.


48 posted on 11/15/2012 9:38:20 AM PST by ansel12 (Todd Akin was NOT the tea party candidate, Sarah Steelman was, Brunner had tea party support also.)
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To: zerosix
Politicians work for US not the other way around!

You would like to think that... Politicians have a slightly different perspective.

49 posted on 11/15/2012 3:17:49 PM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: CutePuppy

Of course they do but I’m banking on the TEA Party to shake things up a bit.....and sold most of my stocks ahead of the Obama Crash today!


50 posted on 11/15/2012 7:44:12 PM PST by zerosix (Native sunflowerw)
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To: nathanbedford
or because he had a Mexican nanny as a child or a Hispanics sister-in-law.

Yes, I believe he has an affinity for the Mexican people which is easier to understand when you live in Texas (or Arizona as I do). Both states have an interesting melding of the cultures and have maintained conservative foundations. I can not say if Bush was aware, though, this current generation of Mexicans were being radicalized by the schools, pop culture and agitators in their communities.

I can't believe that the Bushes were completely naive to what is and was happening in the Mexican community. (we can call it Hispanic, but it is largely Mexican). There is a lot of evidence that the Bush family has a globalist outlook. The Bush family probably see their lineage keeping it's rightful seat at the table of elites with it's newly infused Mexican bloodline. George P is putting out the feelers now and will likely run for office. So, yes, on some level, I do believe Bush knew what he was doing with this poison pill.

51 posted on 11/16/2012 8:43:11 AM PST by riri (Plannedopolis-look it up. It's how the elites plan for US to live.)
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To: CutePuppy

Conservatives must embrace illegals, men marrying men, the confiscation and redistribution of our money, the murder of unborn babies and jihadism. Then we can win.


52 posted on 11/16/2012 8:46:24 AM PST by jwalsh07
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