Jeb Bush has a surprisingly vague stance on immigration

The Week ^ | 7/8/15 | Paul Waldman

[jimbo123]

Between Donald Trump, scourge of Mexican immigrant rapists, and accused killer Francisco Sanchez, immigration is becoming the hottest issue on the 2016 campaign trail.

Behind every new controversy on the issue, some fundamental questions lie, both practical and political. Is there a way to deal with the 11 million undocumented immigrants here in the United States? Is there much more to be done on border security than we're already doing? And can Republicans talk tough enough to satisfy their base in the primaries, while not alienating Hispanic voters, at least some of whom they'll need to win in November?

Questions like those are behind an interesting disagreement Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush are now having, and if they end up being the two parties' nominees, it will be one we'll see continuing into next fall.

In an interview this week with CNN, Clinton said of Bush, "He doesn't believe in a path to citizenship. If he did at one time, he no longer does." The Bush campaign released an angry statement in reply, calling Clinton a flip-flopper and saying, "As he outlined in his book on this issue, Gov. Bush believes in a conservative legislative solution to fix our broken immigration system that includes earned legal status for those currently in the country after they pay fines and taxes, learn English, and commit no substantial crimes while securing our border." There are an awful lot of qualifiers in there, which shows how complicated the words "path to citizenship" can be for a Republican — even one who's trying to be the most open-minded and welcoming candidate in the field on immigration.

Here are the basic facts about Bush.

As late as 2012, he said in public that he would support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

[basil]

Let’s just stay out of the Bushes——

[EternalVigilance]

They’re all vague. It’s SOP in the GOP.

[Pollster1]

There is nothing vague about Jeb’s stance. He believes coming here illegally is an act of love. He believes in comprehensive immigration reform, which means illegals get citizenship and Americans get empty promises that this time they really will secure the border. He believes in policies that will spell the end of America as a free and prosperous country.

[GeneralisimoFranciscoFranco]

First post nails it.

How is this RINO even being considered?

[Eddie01]

“There is nothing vague about Jeb’s stance. He believes coming here illegally is an act of love. He believes in comprehensive immigration reform, which means illegals get citizenship and Americans get empty promises that this time they really will secure the border. He believes in policies that will spell the end of America as a free and prosperous country.”

...he just can’t say it anymore.

[bkepley]

You can bet that JB will make immigration reform his top domestic agenda if elected. That is why he is vague..he doesn’t want to tell too many lies.

[Jim Noble]

Is there a way to deal with the 11 million undocumented immigrants here in the United States?

[SharpRightTurn]

Almost all of the Republican politicians blather generalities about immigration because they know it is a hot button issue and that their real positions are diametrically opposed to the big majority of the base.

So we get lies, distortions, circumlocutions, diversions, red herrings, and dissemblings.

[GailA]

RINO

[tennmountainman]

Ole Jeb has a position, you can bet on that.
However, to explain his real stand would cost him tens of millions of votes.

Hence, he would rather confuse.

[raybbr]

He also believes that Americans should work more hours to support his illegitimate cousins from the south.

[Ray76]

Hahahahahaha!!!!! Vague?!?!?? Ahh-Hahahahahahaha! That’s a good one!

He’s an amnesty king pin. He’s spun up astroturf groups. He never stops promoting amnesty. And they call this “vague”?

[stanne]

Vague? These people are clueless

[grumpygresh]

It doesn’t matter what jebbush says or thinks because he’s never going to be president. He’s just out there to demoralize conservatives and to ensure that the next president is another communist globalist puppet.

[drpix]

Jeb Bush bragged in an ABC interview, in Spanish, that Spanish is the primary language used in his home:

"Jeb Bush Says He Speaks 'More Spanish Than English At Home'"

So if you want Spanish to become the primary language for the next occupants of the White House, Jeb is your hombre.

And to those who are thinking, "Why should that be held against him?" Do you think a Presidential candidate in Mexico would survive a public boast on Mexican TV in English that English is the primary language used in his home?

Mexicans take their sovereignty & survival too seriously to allow that! Do Americans?

[luvbach1]

The only reason(s) our immigration system is “broken” is that existing laws are not obeyed or enforced.

[skeeter]

Sounds like the Bush folks have read the handwriting on the wall and are now trying to obfuscate Jebster's formerly unambiguous position on a come-one-come-all policy for latin American illegal aliens.

Sorry gang, Jeb has made his policy painfully obvious by now - 'Jeb Bush' is practically synonomous with 'illegal alien'.

In a game of word association the words 'Jeb Bush' would evoke an immediate 'Dreamer committing an act of love'.

If you showed most folks a rorschach blot in the shape of Jeb Bush's face most would say 'latino day laborer'.

When asked what food they would associate with Jeb Bush a majority of Americans would answer guacamole. Extra spicy.

[Caipirabob]

He’s been crystal clear on immigration. He thinks opposition to illegal immigration is open hate.

He’s a loser, plain and clear.

[Patton@Bastogne]