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Hey, GOP: American exceptionalism demands compassion at the border (Another faux conservative)
The Week ^ | August 1, 2014 | Matt K. Lewis

Posted on 08/02/2014 8:57:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Other countries may turn away desperate children. But the United States should aim higher.

If a child showed up at your doorstep, begging for help, what would you do?

Most Americans, I suspect, would offer help, even if that meant simply calling the police, who would, hopefully, ascertain whether the child was really in danger. But a lot of Americans who would respond to such a scenario with compassion also believe that America should simply shut its door to desperate refugees.

I would suggest that a moral nation has an obligation to come to the aid of children who are fleeing grave danger. A nation as blessed as America ought to be a force for good in the world. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

This, in my estimation, is part of American exceptionalism. Like the U.S. Marines and the New York Yankees, classy operations aspire to higher standards of excellence.

The question of whether or not America is legally obliged to show this kind of compassion is irrelevant. Nations, like individuals, answer to a higher calling and should go beyond meeting the bare minimum of what is required by law.

I'm tired of hearing people say things like, "You know what Mexico does if they catch you sneaking into their country?" To which, I answer: "Do you want to emulate that kind of behavior?" The fact that other nations are less humane — less generous — is irrelevant. More is expected of America — and that's a good thing. Rather than sink to the moral mediocrity of other nations, let's go for something greater. Let's hold ourselves to a higher bar. This should be a point of pride.

And I'm tired of conservatives acting as if we live in a world of limited resources, where we are all fighting over a small piece of the same pie, instead of realizing we can grow that pie. This populist rhetoric is the talk of defeatism, of fear, of scarcity. It is in utter opposition to the Reagan/Kemp brand of optimistic conservatism that helped transform the world.

It's the cry of victimhood — not the talk of a prosperous nation, or of kindness or of greatness. It's the mindset of a nation that truly believes its best days are in the rearview mirror. To paraphrase Reagan, I reject that worldview, partly because such beliefs have a way of becoming self-fulfilling prophesies.

Fear leads to hoarding and bitterness. We can go that direction; conservatives can make that their brand. The GOP can become the party of the angry and the dispossessed — not the party of the aspirational and the generous. But why would we want to?


TOPICS: Issues; Parties
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; dreamers; gop; immigration
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I wonder how many Matt will be taking into his home? At least the masks are coming off all these so-called "conservatives" due to this issue. Thank you, Chamber of Commerce.
1 posted on 08/02/2014 8:57:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

More emotion disguised as reason.


2 posted on 08/02/2014 9:00:25 PM PDT by headstamp 2
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Will the last one to leave Latin America please turn out the light


3 posted on 08/02/2014 9:00:58 PM PDT by Sybeck1 (Remember Mississippi!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I suspect, would offer help, even if that meant simply calling the police, who would, hopefully, ascertain whether the child was really in danger.

And in this case our government is just declaring that they're all in danger with nothing to base it on.
4 posted on 08/02/2014 9:01:04 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Remember the River Raisin.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

You know what I would do? I would call the police. There is a difference between a house and a country. This whole equating houses to countries is so ridiculous. It’s inane.

Now, if a child came to my door, and the people in my house demanded I feed, clothe, educate, and pay for this child’s rent. I would kick the child, and all the people in my house out. If they wouldn’t go, well ...... they would.


5 posted on 08/02/2014 9:03:36 PM PDT by FreedomStar3028 (Evil must be punished.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I am all in favor of the same compassion We would give to AMERICAN kids who were sent on a 2000 mile plus journey by their parents under the care of criminal gangs: Rescue the younger kids, criminally charge the gangs, terminate all custody rights of the criminally negligent parents, and try any of the older kids with gang affiliations as adults.


6 posted on 08/02/2014 9:05:59 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
If a child showed up at your doorstep, begging for help, what would you do?

If the so called child was 18 years old and covered with tattoos including his entire head, I'd tell him to take a hike. Next question.

7 posted on 08/02/2014 9:08:15 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (America is not a refugee camp! It is my home!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

who is this idiot?

does this idiot even believe in American exceptionalism?


8 posted on 08/02/2014 9:09:17 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: GeronL

Matt K. Lewis is a contributing editor at TheWeek.com, writes for The Daily Caller, and co-hosts The DMZ on Bloggingheads.tv. In 2012, the American Conservative Union honored Matt as CPAC “Blogger of the Year.” Matt lives in Alexandria, Va.


9 posted on 08/02/2014 9:11:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/24/mickey-kaus-vs-matt-lewis-on-immigration-reform/


10 posted on 08/02/2014 9:12:33 PM PDT by ObamahatesPACoal
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

If a “child” broke into my house to steal food I would call the police.


11 posted on 08/02/2014 9:12:45 PM PDT by Yogafist
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Bite me Matt.


12 posted on 08/02/2014 9:13:47 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: ObamahatesPACoal

My colleague at The Daily Caller, blogging pioneer Mickey Kaus, recently challenged his readers to create videos attacking amnesty. (It should be noted that Mickey — who happens to be a Democrat — opposes immigration reform for the simple reason that he believes more immigrants will hurt American workers who are already struggling. His brand of populist/protectionist politics isn’t my cup of tea. I prefer Reagan/Kemp/Ryan/Rubio optimism as opposed to a Malthusian worldview that says we live in a limited world and are fighting for scraps.

http://theweek.com/article/index/246064/the-anti-amnesty-movements-underbelly


13 posted on 08/02/2014 9:14:50 PM PDT by ObamahatesPACoal
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The purpose of a National Border is to keep Invaders OUT!

The purpose of the US Chamber of Commerce is to do whatever the Democrat Brotherhood wants them to do.


14 posted on 08/02/2014 9:15:00 PM PDT by Graewoulf (Democrats' Obamacare Socialist Health Insur. Tax violates U.S. Constitution AND Anti-Trust Law.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

American exceptionalism demands first and foremost that we keep America exceptional.


15 posted on 08/02/2014 9:15:22 PM PDT by vbmoneyspender
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Ultimate compassion is sending them home to family. Isn’t that what they told us with Elian?


16 posted on 08/02/2014 9:19:49 PM PDT by Ingtar (The NSA - "We're the only part of government who actually listens to the people.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'm tired of asshats like this author picking my pockets to pay for his definition of “compassion”. His argument is asinine in the extreme, and is yet another that uses idiotic circular logic to arrive at a conclusion that satisfies his irrational postulations.

Civil War II can't come soon enough, IMO. Let's get the dance started and over with. Liquidate the parasites by simply forcing them to work for their meals and be done with the welfare state once and for all as far as I'm concerned.

Oh, and it's way past time to start Tar and Feathering idiots like this author who make every and any excuse that “disenfranchises” productive Americans.

17 posted on 08/02/2014 9:29:08 PM PDT by Pox (Good Night. I expect more respect tomorrow.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

American exceptionalism demands we fundamentally transform ourselves into a different country.


18 posted on 08/02/2014 9:33:23 PM PDT by Hugin ("Do yourself a favor--first thing, get a firearm!")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

7 BILLION people in the world.

118m jobs in the US.

we can’t take them all. there’s a reason out immigration policy only takes a few... to allow some time for assimilation. too many too fast and it messes up the country

which 0bama understands. that’s his main thought.


19 posted on 08/02/2014 9:38:06 PM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The GOP can become the party of the angry and the dispossessed — not the party of the aspirational and the generous. But why would we want to?


Right here shows this guy is a Lefty. He advocating big spending to support illegal immigrants.

What’s sad is he mentions Reagan who got suckered into approving amnesty while the Dems later defunded the border security.


20 posted on 08/02/2014 9:46:08 PM PDT by RginTN
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