“are those on our side really that naive? Are they that stupid? Or are they just already compromised.”
Question 1 - Yes
Question 2 - Generally No, but it doesn’t matter due to Question 1.
The problem our side has is that they are in DC way too long. And in DC, there are something like 35 lobbyists for each member of Congress. The lobbyists ARE compromised because they are paid, big-time, by their masters (and the top lobbyists are often former elected Republicans). And with Republicans, who usually cannot imagine some people being inherently bad in DC positions of power (i.e., elected Democrats), the lobbyists, and to some extent, the Democrats themselves, are able to schmooze them with lines like “Do you think Americans will REALLY do landscaping in hot weather? Of course not, that’s why we need Amnesty” - Republicans reply: “Uhh, yeah, my children would never would never do that. Now where are we having dinner again?”. One more vote for Immigration “Reform”.
If the Elected Republicans were instead to go home and ask the base why we oppose ‘Immigration Reform’, we would answer that we’re not interested in changing our culture to be even more Third World and Tribal than it already is, and that the jobs that Illegals currently do would resolve themselves in different ways if Americans were forced to address them (example with Landscaping - perhaps we wouldn’t all need to have Better Homes and Gardens front lawns, but instead would look more like Seattle properties - crappy, but still perfectly functional, or somewhere in between - that’s what many of us grew up in, by the way).
“”And with Republicans, who usually cannot imagine some people being inherently bad in DC positions of power (i.e., elected Democrats), the lobbyists, and to some extent, the Democrats themselves, are able to schmooze them with lines like “Do you think Americans will REALLY do landscaping in hot weather?””
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Right, they are naive and corruptible, since the schmoozing (bribes) work only too well. Case in point: I used to think that Kay Granger was THE best, most conservative rep ever. But lo and behold, once she got to DC, that all seemed to change. Your point proven, she was schmoozed... good & plenty.