Posted on 04/21/2015 12:58:46 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Scott Walker is under fire for what a former aide calls an “Olympics-quality flip-flop” on immigration.
Walker has already moved away from his past positions on allowing undocumented immigrants a clear pathway to legal status — what many conservatives deride as “amnesty” for immigrants who arrived in the U.S. illegally.
On Monday, the Wisconsin governor appeared to go a step further, telling radio host Glenn Beck that he supports limits on legal immigration.
“The next president and the next Congress need to make decisions about a legal immigration system that’s based on, first and foremost, on protecting American workers and American wages,” Walker said. “It is a fundamentally lost issue by many elected [politicians] today — is what is [legal immigration] doing for American workers looking for jobs, what is this doing to wages, and we need to have that be the forefront of our discussion going forward.”
Walker aides note that the governor has laid out similar positions before, pointing to his past statements linking immigration to Americans’ wages and job prospects and his previous support for more allowing in more skilled immigrants.
“Governor Walker supports American workers’ wages and the U.S. economy and thinks both should be considered when crafting a policy for legal immigration,” AshLee Strong, spokeswoman for Walker’s Our American Revival PAC said. “He strongly supports legal immigration, and like many Americans, believes that our economic situation should be considered instead of arbitrary caps on the amount of immigrants that can enter.”
Walker himself acknowledged his views had shifted on the “amnesty” issue in a March 8 interview on Fox News. “My view has changed. I’m flat out saying it,” he said.
But his latest remarks struck a nerve with some on the establishment wing of the GOP.
On Monday, former Walker aide Liz Mair — who resigned from her post amid scrutiny of her Twitter account that criticized Iowa’s early role in presidential nominations — torched the Wisconsin governor for his comments on Beck’s show.
“Sad to see the full, Olympics-quality flip-flop by a former boss today. I guess some people think they can do what Romney did in 08 + win,” Mair tweeted.
She continued, “In any event, I’m extraordinarily glad I don’t have to defend a) that level of policy gymnastics or b) that specific dubious policy.”
Conservative critics of Walker pounced, with the Washington Examiner’s Philip Klein calling the latest shift “bizarre” and newsletter writer Ben Domenech describing Walker’s position as “held by none of the other presidential candidates,” including hard-line Sen. Ted Cruz. The Daily Caller’s Matt Lewis called it “a demagogic pander.”
“Walker should take the shots as a compliment, and hopefully, the rest of the field will begin to think and talk about immigration the same way,” National Review’s Rich Lowry fired back.
For his part, Beck said he enjoyed his interview with Walker. “I loved him,” he said.
The thing is we need to figure out who is saying they support some sort of path to legal status because they believe it or because they are shrewd enough to know they need to say it get elected. I Know Cruz is saying it to get the extra few Spanish votes, Walker I don’t know. Jebber can eat my shorts. Paul needs a psychiatrist.
We’ve got the biggest flip-flopper in the history of politics in the White House right now, and the media are picking on Scott Walker?!
Even President Eisenhower’s “draconian” Operation Wetback had a guest worker program:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wetback
I haven’t heard Cruz say he supported a path to citizenship. Just the opposite.
Nearly all politicians flip flop.
When they are flipping to my way of thinking, I don’t complain.
And you think they’ll stay there after elected?
You can look at their record as an elected official in their home state. That is usually the best indicator.
The liberals are scared shitless about Scott Walker and Ted Cruz! We are going to see so many lies and crap thrown at them for the next year! Hopefully, it will galvanize America to ignore the liberal media and RATS.
The liberals will not change their minds. They do not have the capacity for rational and objective thought.
Note, the 2013 reference was accidentally posted as 2003 a few minutes ago. This a correction.
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Scott has a problem.
He states his immigration policy has changed.
In this video clip his old (2013) policy is aired in a second video clip. He backs illegals staying in the U. S. if they pay a fine.
It is also mentioned that he favored the McCain/Kennedy immigration bill. (You know, amnesty but not an amnesty) He acknowledges that.
Then in this (03/01/2015) clip, Walker is asked if illegals can stay, if they pay a fine. He responds with, I believes a way can be found to do that.
This is the same policy as his old policy.
Then he states that his policy has changed. No Scott, it hasn’t changed. You just got through endorsing the same policy, illegals being allowed to stay in our country if they pay a fine. So you even fibbed about it.
Immigration is discussed starting at 9:20 and the “...a way can be found...” is located at 10:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uymMeeRV1RU
I’m not trusting Walker. I see the liar in chief in him— “You can keep your Doctor” Or read my lips. No new taxes” No more of that.
Some serious sour grapes there by the stupid female communications “expert”, that Walker fired! And deservedly fired.
Hope she goes over to Bush now and damages him in the communications department.
As for Walker. I like it that he says, straight up, that he has changed his approach to immigration. He claimed on Kelly File last night that he has proven in Wisconsin, that he says what he means, tells the voters what he will do and then does it.
It’s on the record that he kicked it pretty hard in WI.
Cruz supports a path to legal status. That is not citizenship.
Agreed. Personally, I don’t think illegals should be rewarded with either.
I didn’t know this. Very interesting. Those who think 15 million people are going to be marched across the border aren’t being realistic. I know it’s WRONG, but it is what it is. Democrats don’t think like us and that is why thy are successful. They wish we had NO military but the slowly destroy it instead of screaming to get rid of it. They hate Christianity but they don’t say “let’s get rid of it now!!!” on their platform. They slowly erode it. We must use this tactic.
Boy do I agree but like I said, lets say what’s needed to get over the finish line. Then deport anyone for any crime. And take it from there.
There are stories circulating undermining EVERY Republican candidate..It’s a Hilary plot
You heard Cruz supports immigration from a poster on free republic in the same way the liberal culture sneakily imposes facts on people. Insidiously and without any facts
You’ll never gets a source for the remark just slithering away
Cruz certainly does not support anything of the sort and that is from his actions, his character and his history in his offices held, not just his words
I totally agree. I’ve never said that Cruz supported immigration or amnesty because he clearly doesn’t. the only person who has changed their position is Walker.
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