Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Immigration Debate: GOP COMMITS SUICIDE!
nationalledger ^ | Mar 25, 2006 | Matthew A. Roberts

Posted on 03/25/2006 11:03:30 PM PST by Icelander

In elections one earns political capital. Once spent, c’est tout. Consumed capital cannot be replenished by a cauterized constituency, and today the Republican base boils.

I recently spoke to someone who volunteered for Bush’s 2004 campaign. I asked whether he would work for the GOP in 2008, and he bemoaned “no.” I asked why, and he replied, “It’s a sad day when Democrats like Dianne Feinstein are tougher on immigration than Republicans like Sam Brownback.”

The avalanche of support that has followed Republicans since 1994 we now see slowly evaporating over the issue of a guest-worker program. Impassioned Republicans four years ago now stand out of steam, feeling betrayed by a party leadership that would support a bill so at odds with conservative principles.

This guest-worker proposal, after all, rewards illegal behavior. Instead of requiring illegal immigrants to return to Mexico (or wherever) to apply for a permit, it grants legal status on the spot, thus acting as a “magnet for continued illegal immigration.” And, as Rep. John Hostettler (R.-Ind.) recently said, any guest-worker plan “puts the interest of foreign, illegal workers above those of our own American citizens.”

Newt Gingrich summed up the matter most succinctly on the O’Reilly Factor (March 15, 2006). He has observed a growing divide between Washington GOP elites and the average voting Republican. Somehow, GOP elites have come to believe that a guest-worker program is necessary (although it is not). Your average GOP voter, however, while praising boosts to border security, deeply dislikes any guest-worker giveaway.

Why GOP leadership supports such a lemon remains unseen. In 1986 Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act. It granted green cards to three million illegal immigrants, consequently attracting yet another five million to cross the border to replace their decriminalized comrades. Furthermore, a recent poll taken in Mexico found that at least 46 percent of the population (50 million Mexicans) would cross the border if given the chance. Any guest-worker initiative advertises this avenue.

It is in future forecasts, however, that Republicans really blunder. Illegal immigrants, voting for socialist candidates in Mexico or South America, will become Democrats once gaining full citizenship. Superficial surveys taken in a couple cities show that 9 out of 10 illegal immigrants support Democrats over Republicans. This guest-worker program, on a silver platter, will hand over California, Florida, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico to Democrats.

Is the GOP abating its base and fallowing its future in one fell swoop?


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; amnesty; aztlan; bigotry; borders; crime; elections; hysteria; immigrantlist; parnoia; politics; selfdestruct; whining
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-198 next last
To: Do not dub me shapka broham
Bush won IN SPITE OF, not due to, his abominable, unconscionable position advocating open borders.

The fact that our borders have not been secured years after 9-11 is gov't malpractice. If we ever get "hit" again (as Homeland Security keeps telling us), it will no doubt be due in part to lax border controls (as it was with 9-11). If such a terrible event were to happen again, there would be a serious move to oust whoever the sitting President is with the charge of deriliction of duty. (That is the President has a positive duty to protect the borders. He does not have a Constitutional requirement to make Mexicans or ethnic rights groups feel happy.)
161 posted on 03/26/2006 11:03:48 AM PST by Dialup Llama
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 159 | View Replies]

To: Sam the Sham
Put up a viable Conservative Party Candidate in '08 with a proven track record and I'll vote for them but until then all we have is words and two parties and please quit using derogatory words about me while making your position known.
162 posted on 03/26/2006 11:44:35 AM PST by Wasanother (Terrorist come in many forms but all are RATS.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 132 | View Replies]

To: Justanobody; All

Justanobody said: "Don't leave anyone out!"

Actually it sounds more like some republicans, like Grover Norquist, Bush's point man on immigration, who has always been great at "stunts" when it comes to illegal immigration. Read on.

Part III of Series) Illegal-immigration bill weakened by unlikely alliance (HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF!)

By Marcus Stern

COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

04-Nov-1997 WASHINGTON - After years of bitter losses, Sen. Alan K. Simpson thought the political tides finally favored his quest to create a way to keep illegal immigrants from getting jobs.

The issue had emerged as a hot-button during the 1996 campaign. This time, he would surely defeat the powerful and savvy pro-immigration lobby.

"As I look out on this sea of faces, there are some who have been cutting my bicycle tire for 17 years," the now-retired Wyoming Republican said last year as the Judiciary Committee prepared to debate his proposals. "They're sitting back there, hollow-eyed, twitching like dogs eating peach seeds and wondering if they can do it again. ... Well, I think that game is over."

Simpson was wrong.

Once again, he had sorely underestimated the tenacity and cleverness of special-interest groups determined to preserve the flow of undocumented workers into the United States.

Yes, Congress eventually passed a new immigration law. But it was so weak it would do little to hasten the creation of a system to help employers quickly and reliably verify that the people working for them are in fact eligible to hold jobs in the United States. Such a system is a key to curbing illegal immigration, according to many experts.

The "twitching dogs" who dragged down Simpson's initiative last year are Capitol heavyweights whose coalition on immigration falls into the unlikely bedfellows category. Among them: the National Federation of Independent Business, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Rifle Association, the Catholic church, the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Bar Association and even some labor unions.

As these special interests swarmed all over Capitol Hill, however, no lobbyist represented millions of legal immigrants and other poor people, who, because of welfare reform, soon might need the low-skill jobs now being held by the rising number of undocumented workers.

"There's no National Association of Working Poor," said Robert Reich, who served as labor secretary during President Clinton's first term. "There's no special-interest lobbying group working on behalf of very poor people trying desperately to find and keep jobs.

"If a politician has to decide between the interests of small businesses seeking inexpensive help and the interests of poor Americans either seeking a job or afraid of losing a job or declining earnings, the chances are very good that the small business has far more clout."

Special-interest clout

The clout displayed last year when the immigration lobby defeated Simpson's plan is a textbook demonstration of how special interests have long dominated immigration policy in Washington.

Simpson wasn't asking for anything remotely like a national ID card or national database of workers. He merely wanted the Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to authorize pilot projects to test methods for verifying employment eligibility.

One pilot would have required participating employers to check their new employees' Social Security numbers. Because it would apply to all of their new workers, discrimination against "foreign-looking" job applicants would have been minimized.

But the anti-verification coalition painted the proposal as a sinister plot. It portrayed it as a retina-scan ID card, police-state power, the second coming of the Holocaust and even the fulfillment of a dark prophecy in the Bible's Book of Revelation that people would be stamped with the "mark of the beast."

At one meeting of the Judiciary Committee, an irritated and clearly frustrated Simpson indignantly waved a make-believe tattoo that looked like a grocery store bar code. He called it a ploy to kill his verification proposal. He was right.

Grover Norquist, a social conservative and anti-tax Republican lobbyist, reveled unapologetically in the tactics he used to undermine the verification initiative and to mock Simpson personally.

The peel-off bar-code tattoos were supposed to remind people of the way Nazis tattooed Jews during World War II. "It was great," recalled Norquist, who is close to House Speaker Newt Gingrich. "We had our guys walking around with tattoos on their arms. It drove Simpson nuts because the implication was he's a Nazi."

The truth, however, is that both the House and the Senate bills specifically barred the implementation of any kind of national ID card. Politicians view such a card as a political kiss of death; nobody expects Congress to seriously consider one.

Toward the end of the debate, Simpson decried the pranks and slurs.

"We have dealt with tattoos and Adolf Hitler," he said. "It is the most offensive thing that I have ever heard. It's disgusting and I'm sick of it."

'Mark of the beast' Although voters tend to see Republicans as tougher than Democrats on illegal immigration, the weakening of the verification provisions was largely the handiwork of conservative Republicans and their behind-the-scenes strategists like Norquist.

Their success underscores how tough it is for Congress to do the one thing experts have said for decades is central to curbing illegal immigration: Establish a reliable, non-discriminatory employment verification system.

Norquist has strong ties to the business community. Mainstream firms like Microsoft paid him to lobby against other provisions of the bill, such as tighter restrictions on the immigration of computer programmers.

But his forte is mobilizing support among social or moral conservatives, including gun owners, the religious right, home-schooling adherents and others he described as "anti-welfare and anti-police state."

"A government powerful enough to find an illegal immigrant is also powerful enough to find your bank accounts," he said.

Conveniently, he ignores the fact that the government long has been able to find bank accounts with ease while it still can't reliably identify undocumented workers.

"Nobody really minds people sneaking across the border and working at 7-Eleven," he added.

At one point during the debate, congressional offices received calls from fundamentalist ministers around the country asking about rumors that the verification provision would fulfill a prophecy in the Book of Revelation. Was it true, they asked congressional staffers, that people would be stamped with the "mark of the beast" under the new law?

"Six-six-six," Norquist explained matter-of-factly during an interview. "That's always been one of the arguments against the ID card. There's something in Revelations about numbering people. The 'beast' could be a big computer."

The National Rifle Association was told the bill would lead to a federal computer registry that the government could use to hunt down its members and seize their guns. "Gun owners quite correctly understand that it would take Bill Clinton all of two weeks to add the question, 'Got any guns? Could we have a list of them? Where do you keep them?' " said Norquist.

Verification opponents also circulated mock national identification cards bearing Simpson's likeness. On the back of the cards was a retina scan diagram suggesting that the legislation called for everyone to carry such a card.

"That was a good one," Norquist chuckled.

Anti-verification coalition Conservatives didn't fight verification alone last year. They were part of a coalition of strange bedfellows involved in civil rights, ethnic and religious advocacy, anti-government politics and free-market ideology. They were also bolstered by powerful business groups.

The coalition was a juggernaut that fought virtually any verification initiative. Because Republicans control Congress, conservative lobbyists were especially influential. The fact that some limited, voluntary verification projects stayed in the bill at all outraged some conservatives.

http://www.cis.org/articles/Katz/katz1998.html


163 posted on 03/26/2006 12:06:00 PM PST by WatchingInAmazement ("Nothing is more expensive than cheap labor," prof. Vernon Briggs, labor economist Cornell Un.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Dialup Llama
I don't see what President Bush's problem is.

Evidently, he doesn't realize that his duty is to uphold the United States Constitution, and to do his duty to protect Americans, not to placate La Raza, or Maldef, or LULAC, or Naleo, or the virulently racist, anti-Semitic Mechistas, or anyone else from the Reconquista brigades.

164 posted on 03/26/2006 12:41:10 PM PST by Do not dub me shapka broham ("The moment that someone wants to forbid caricatures, that is the moment we publish them.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 161 | View Replies]

To: Dialup Llama
"The fact that our borders have not been secured years after 9-11 is gov't malpractice.

The fact that 9-11 happened at all is evidence of government malpractice, as is the colossal negiligence on the border issue, the failure in New Orleans, etc. I fear that what we are seeing here is ongoing evidence of something far more serious than "malpractice". Could it possibly be evidence of a complete breakdown in the proper functioning of the system which has already occurred?

We have legalized bribery in the form of campaign contributions, a completely ossified two party domination of politics, totally disproportionate influence of various "lobbies", certain topics about which no debate is allowed to take place, an increasingly ignorant and apathetic population. If the system is trying to tell us that it is broken, is it any wonder why?

165 posted on 03/26/2006 1:14:13 PM PST by rimmont
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 161 | View Replies]

To: Conservativegreatgrandma

I respect your opinion and your right to degrade the Constitution Party but much like Orwell's Animal Farm, one can no longer tell the difference between Republicans and Democrats on a large scale. Individually there are some members of the GOP who are reputable, sincere, moralistic people but as an entity the GOP has sold its core constituency down the Rio Grande. I've never personally met Mr. Peroutka or Mr. Gilchrist so I don't know if they're cowards but I find it clear that the mainstream GOP has turned tail on this nation - and not by what the MSM says - you know what they are by their actions and deeds. Personally I've come to the conclusion that unless a strong third party is raised up in this nation we will continue to succumb to the Socilaist mentality and lifestyle of moral relativism. Since I can't agree with Libertarians (social liberals) nor the Greens or the Perot-bots, the Constitution Party's platform and stated goals suit me, a born-again Christian conservative, the best. Now, I certainly don't have much money to give them so they can't get what the GOP already takes from me in federal taxes (I live in New Hampshire now, praise God!) but I can devote my time and energy to help make the party live up to its stated platform and goals. We've gotten stale and we need change now!

I'm truly sorry you had a poor experience with the USCP but the GOP is a toothless tiger pandering to votes. I hate "moderates". Moderate is the same as lukewarm, wishy-washy, no guts or principles. This is today's GOP. They won't take a stand for what's right even though they know that grass-roots America will support them if they do.

I wish you well and may God save these United States of America!


166 posted on 03/26/2006 2:58:56 PM PST by kpbruinfan ("Try as they might, they cannot steal your dreams." - Neil Peart)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 110 | View Replies]

To: ARealMothersSonForever

"I paid federal income tax, and the local VAT."

Not to distract from your main point, on which we agree, but if you paid American income tax, you either didn't work in Europe for a European company or your accountant is rock dumb. And VATs are usually refundable upon exit if you're not a local and you save your receipts. Sounds to me like you propped up at least one gummint you didn't have to.


167 posted on 03/26/2006 3:05:27 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (Freedom isn't free--no, there's a hefty f'in fee--and if you don't throw in your buck-o-5, who will?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 160 | View Replies]

To: LibertarianInExile
Not to distract from your main point, on which we agree, but if you paid American income tax, you either didn't work in Europe for a European company or your accountant is rock dumb.

I was working for an American sub-contractor. Their "accounting assistance" could very accurately be described as worse than rock dumb. They even withheld state tax from their corporate HQ state, even though the direct deposit was to a Texas bank. I learned a lot about tax treatment of income earned overseas, after the fact. The VAT hit was not that bad (personally), since most was re-imbursed as expenses that the company with the contract had to run down.

168 posted on 03/26/2006 3:19:10 PM PST by ARealMothersSonForever (Political troglodyte with a partisan axe to grind)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 167 | View Replies]

To: Icelander

I recently spoke to someone who volunteered for Bush’s 2004 campaign. I asked whether he would work for the GOP in 2008, and he bemoaned “no.” I asked why, and he replied, “It’s a sad day when Democrats like Dianne Feinstein are tougher on immigration than Republicans like Sam Brownback.”


My situation 1000000000%


169 posted on 03/26/2006 3:22:43 PM PST by chris1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hank Rearden
So you're saying you're fine with being screwed and look forward to more of it.

No Hank, I'm saying that I don't want to get screwed, but since I'm going to get screwed, I'd rather be screwed a little than screwed a lot.

If you're still voting for a third party in your thirties, perhaps it's time for a competency hearing.

170 posted on 03/26/2006 3:30:51 PM PST by Alien Gunfighter (Secular Misanthropist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: ARealMothersSonForever

Sorry to hear about the rock dumb accounting, though I am glad you know different now. However, I do have some good news: you may be able to refile to correct your income tax filing. You might want to look into that. It could be worth the time you spend on the accounting.


171 posted on 03/26/2006 4:39:18 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (Freedom isn't free--no, there's a hefty f'in fee--and if you don't throw in your buck-o-5, who will?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 168 | View Replies]

To: kpbruinfan
Look. We both want the same thing. I like the platform of the Constitution Party. I also like the Republican platform. That's not the problem. The problem is BOTH parties are made up with falable human beings.

I was at one time sympathetic to the CP and was stupid enough to send them money.

When I heard the ads of Philips and Peroutka, I realized they wanted me to belive that Bush was worse than Gore and Kerry. I considered it insulting.

I also realize now that they have never won anything and never will. They're accepting people's money knowing full well they're never going to be called upon to have to stand behind what they say.

Being a CP is very, very easy. You never have to prove anything.

172 posted on 03/26/2006 5:51:55 PM PST by Conservativegreatgrandma
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 166 | View Replies]

To: antaresequity

""Screw the status quo...I am going my own way...""


and what way would that be...your own party?


173 posted on 03/26/2006 5:53:59 PM PST by georgia2006
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: La Enchiladita

It's almost like the Pubs are trying to get the Dems elected...

Not a dimes worth of difference in the two parties. I'll never vote for either of them. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.


174 posted on 03/26/2006 5:59:42 PM PST by RepublicanHippy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: RepublicanHippy

Not a dimes worth of difference in the two parties.

Opps. Meant to say: Not a dimes worth of difference between the two parties.


175 posted on 03/26/2006 6:02:02 PM PST by RepublicanHippy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 174 | View Replies]

To: georgia2006

To each his own. The Republican party can drop dead...


176 posted on 03/26/2006 6:08:50 PM PST by antaresequity (PUSH 1 FOR ENGLISH - PUSH 2 TO BE DEPORTED)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 173 | View Replies]

To: antaresequity

why dont you try to influence it? that is the only way youll get the changes you want...otherwise youll get exactly what you dont want


177 posted on 03/26/2006 6:12:09 PM PST by georgia2006
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 176 | View Replies]

To: antaresequity
I am bifurcated

I hate it when that happens...especially if I have not even had a polite request to bend over.

178 posted on 03/26/2006 6:19:13 PM PST by LK44-40
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Icelander
"The avalanche of support that has followed Republicans since 1994 we now see slowly evaporating over the issue of a guest-worker program.... Impassioned Republicans four years ago now stand out of steam, feeling betrayed by a party leadership that would support a bill so at odds with conservative principles."

And for THIS reason, the GOP's former infrastructure of support and organization will dwindle into a drip in time for 2008....and they ain't coming back.

Just talk to the Pat Toomey supporters who felt drained and betrayed when Dubya Bush supported RINO Arlen Spector...

Today's GOP is run by a cabal of kamikaze pilots (as per the NWO agenda.)

179 posted on 03/26/2006 6:33:31 PM PST by F16Fighter (Help elect a pro-U.S. sovereignty/anti-illegal invasion President THIS NEXT TIME)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Big Horn
"I haven't seen any solutions here, maybe no one has one. It is like trying to regulate flies."

There is a lot of emotion flowing around this issue. Between this and our elected representatives trying to muzzle free speech, it's understandable there are some strong feelings about the issue.

I'm planning on going to A Reckoning the first weekend in May. Sometimes our elected representatives need to be reminded who they are supposed to be representing. I just hope the whole thing doesn't turn into a Bush-bash. I am so glad we have someone of his caliber leading the charge in the GWOT, and I still like my tax cuts, although more cutting would be better. But on the immigration & border issues something drastic needs to be done. I support building a wall along our southern border, deporting illegals and fining businesses that hire illegals.

180 posted on 03/26/2006 6:42:20 PM PST by Left2Right ("Democracy isn't perfect, but other governments are so much worse")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 122 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180181-198 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson