Posted on 08/18/2015 11:42:57 AM PDT by conservativejoy
Scott Walker said on Monday for the first time that he supports building a wall at the southern border, and ending birthright citizenship, a day after Donald Trump endorsed the same policies.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) said on Monday that his immigration proposals were "very similar" to those of the real estate magnate, who over the weekend released a tough new plan exclusively focused on enforcement and cracking down on unauthorized immigrants. Walker said that he, too, wanted to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, which is one of Trump's most controversial proposals.
"Earlier in the year, I was on 'Fox News Sunday' and laid out what I thought we should do, which is secure the border, which means build the wall, have the technology, have the personnel to make sure it's safe and secure," Walker said in an interview with Fox News.
The governor and presidential contender was referring to a March interview in which he did not mention a wall, but discussed the need to crack down on illegal immigration more generally.
This is true. As recently as last week in an interview with Breitbart, when asked directly if he supported a border wall, he refused to answer directly, saying only he supported "infrastructure" and "technology" and "personnel". He has never directly said he supported a border wall or fence until today, and he is misrepresenting his past support of it.
In 2013, Walker advocated for "a saner way to let people into the country" rather than focusing only on border security or the construction of a wall to address the status of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
"You hear some people talk about border security and a wall and all that," he said at the time. "To me, I don't know that you need any of that if you had a better, saner way to let people into the country in the first place."
He now says he has changed his mind, and argues that the country must first beef up its border security before dealing with undocumented immigrants, a more typical conservative stance.
Walker is now saying he also wants to end birthright citizenship, which has been abused to create "anchor babies". Or does he?
(Asked directly at the Iowa State Fair on Monday if he supported ending birthright citizenship, Mr. Walker said he did but would not say whether that meant he would deport the children of undocumented immigrants.)
Walker also criticized Congress for caving in on Obamacare and not trying to defund amnesty.
In an interview Monday on Glenn Becks radio show, Mr. Walker said he agreed with Mr. Becks assertion that Republican leaders like Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, are part of the problem for the party.
Yes. I hear it all the time and I share that sentiment, Mr. Walker said. We were told if Republicans got the majority in the United States Senate, there would be a bill on the presidents desk to repeal Obamacare. It is August. Where is that bill? Where was that vote?
Mr. Walker also criticized Republican congressional leaders for not trying to block President Obamas executive order of amnesty for millions of undocumented immigrants.
But, here's the problem: this is the very first time Scott Walker has said any of these things. Unlike someone like Ted Cruz, who has a record of resistance to GOP obedience to Obama on many issues, Walker's history of criticizing the Republican Congressional leadership only goes back to August 17, 2015.
According to the latest Fox News national poll of registered voters -- the first such poll since the GOP debate on Aug. 6 -- Walker trails behind Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
This is cause and effect. He drops in the polls, and suddenly starts talking tougher on immigration.Would he have done the same if he were still number one in Iowa?
Scott Walker has a credibility problem, and he only compounds it when he says he supported things (like a border wall) which he never explicitly has before. Coming out and endorsing an end to birthright citizenship, a day after Trump does, looks too much like me-tooism. And for his belated attack on the Republican Congressional leadership, well, why was he silent until now? I'm having real trouble believing anything he says, and I question the double-think of supporters who will say he was always for these things even though he never spoke about them until today.
He should be shown how they have trashed the border areas - even the indians are pist off. They should also show these on nightly TV (I know, I know :-) )
No wonder Walkers poll numbers are tanking.
He has no energy, and apparently he prefers following, than leading.
He has such a dull speaking style. It might be excellent for Wisconsin but it puts me to sleep.
I know. The illegal trails are an environmental disaster.
Walker is pathetic. I’m starting to get embarrassed for him. He needs to call it a day and go back to being Gov of WI.
Hey, all the cool kids are doing it!
that is funny. Walker /TRUMP— Bwahhhaaaaa
let me assure you — Walker doesn’t stand a chance. People want Trump — conservatives— the silent— the workers — the independents. It is a Tsunami. Get on the train or get out of the way. Right today we may have Dr.Carson as possible VP but I think Senator Sessions is closing fast!!
Sorry. I didn't mean to imply Walker as president, only that he was an echo chamber.
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