John Kasich Slams Donald Trump's 'Silly' Immigration Policy

The Republican debate on Tuesday evening was set for fireworks, but the first real explosions of the night came from an unexpected source.

A substantive debate on economics and tax policy descended into petty insults when Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Donald Trump squabbled over the issue of whether millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States could be deported.

Kasich, who interrupted the moderators multiple times throughout the debate to interject his views, rebutted the idea that a future President Trump could deport millions of immigrants after the construction of a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

"In 1986, Ronald Reagan basically said, the people who were here, if they were law-abiding, could stay," Kasich said, citing the conservative icon.

Kasich then blasted Trump for making a "silly argument," and added that the notion of deporting millions of people, including children, was "not an adult argument."

Kasich was incoherent on illegal immigration. Yeb only a little less so. They came across extremely flaky and I do not think they impressed any primary voters with their stance. You could almost see Marco hunching over hoping the whole topic would just go away.

Trump is right, but only Cruz explained why.

You can tell from the pained expression on Kaisch’s face when he talks, or doesn’t talk, that he thinks of himself as Atlas, holding up the world. It all depends on him, and I can tell he is a little ticked off because all of us out here will not acknowledge and submit to his greatness. He impatiently struggles to point out to the vast unwashed his greatness and how plain it is to see if only we weren’t so dull.

My thoughts are that Trump’s statements are as much a negotiation opening bid as an absolute goal. Maybe he fully intends to deport all 11 million (and I’d be happy if that happens).

Or maybe his end goal is to keep and document the “good ones” and get rid of the “bad ones” and stop future illegals. If that’s the goal he shouldn’t start off telling the Dems “let’s get rid of these 1 million (or 2 or 5) bad ones”. The Dems would try to negotiate down to 100,000 bad ones using their definition of bad (i.e. may vote republican).

He should say “we’ll get rid of ALL of them” then if negotiating is required (which it probably will be in timeline, method, and budget if nothing else) he can let the Dems negotiate over which 100,000 or million to allow to stay of the 11 million, not out of the 1 million.

Aside from negotiation, I don’t think he’s and idiot. And if it ends up that 11 million is unrealistic, he’ll deal with that fact. But start off with the ideal goal and get the best minds to try to make it happen. Then, if those people really can’t find a way, pick the best realistic end. Starting with the politically and technically realistic goal is our problem is lots of areas. Nobody in government tries to meet “stretch goals”. Unlike most successful companies where “stretch goals” are created for any significant effort and are often met by finding non-standard ways of doing things.

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