Immigration Debate Is Killing GOP

Yahoo ^ | April 10, 2006 | John McIntyre

[Shaun_MD]

Round them up and send them home and put the military on the border.

[DTogo]

Immigration Debate Is Killing GOP

So be it, good riddance!!

[XJarhead]

No amnesty. Not now. Not ever. Seal the borders and then start deporting. Bring in legal migrants.

The votes for that do not exist. There is no way you will get the funding to "seal the border" if step two is "start deporting". You might not like hearing that, but that's the political reality. And if you want evidence of that, name the 51 Senators who have shown an inclination to vote for your bill. Or name the President who will sign it. Good luck.

[stopem]

Don't betray the very base of voters who have defended you is a plain and simple message don't you think?

[Michael Barnes]

"Amnesty" (no matter what form D.C.is pushing it) is a slap in th face of all legal immigrants.

[stockstrader]

I know it won't play well on this board, but President Bush is as much to blame as anyone on the recent immigration fiasco/demostrations.

His unwillingness to stand a 'pro-enforcement' stand, and his words about the benefits of immigration (he doesn't mention the illegal part, of course) only serves to encourage more illegal immigration and to incite those already here to be even MORE VOCAL and MORE OUTRAGEOUS.

I'm afraid his unwillingness to say 'enough is enough' when it comes to illegal immigration will do permanent damage to the country and the Republican Party long-term (since the majority of the illegals will vote democratic when they inevitably become citizens someday/somehow).

The democrats (did any of you see Ted Kenney today at one of the rallies?) will ENSURE that most (and even more to come in the future) DO become citizens. The democrats realize that they have a GOLD MINE here in millions of future voters!

This whole fiasco does not bode well for the future of the Republican Party.

[technomage]

The biggest problem with the GOP is they did NOT take this one step at a time.

They allowed themselved to get suckered into trying to fix ALL the illegal alien problems in one immigration bill, to fix everything wrong in one fell swoop.

I believe the GOP would have been on firmer ground if they took this one step at a time and the first step would have been protect our borders. Control the borders, then talk about other issues concerning illegals who do not respect laws.

[conservativecorner]

"Republicans face a growing disaster on immigration. Right now the GOP is sailing on a dangerous course where they are increasingly turning off two pillars of their new majority. The first pillar is the talk-radio portion of the Republican base led by Rush Limbaugh (and the many who have followed in his wake) that provide a tremendous amount of energy to the conservative movement. The second pillar the GOP is endangering is the Hispanic community, the single largest growing demographic in American politics. In 2004, President Bush increased his share of the Hispanic vote to around 40% nationally. Had John Kerry been able win the same percentage of the Hispanic vote as Al Gore in 2000, he would have won the presidency."

The writer forgets to mention that many in this group also happen to be here illegally. Is this what the Republican Party has become? Will we throw away our conservative convictions because it's good for the Party? Pathetic!

[Shermy]

"And if you want evidence of that, name the 51 Senators who have shown an inclination to vote for your bill."

Let's smoke them out by a vote. I think you might be surprised.

"Or name the President who will sign it. Good luck"

Let's put him to the test.

[Shermy]

"They allowed themselved to get suckered into trying to fix ALL the illegal alien problems in one immigration bill, to fix everything wrong in one fell swoop."

Suckered by whom? George Bush?

[justshutupandtakeit]

Once again the Know Nothings and clueless rise to endanger the Nation. There is nothing the Left hopes for more than to whip up anger against the GOP. ALL assisting their efforts are endangering the Nation.

How the Right ever wins an election is a mystery since it is trivially simple to stampede it into Blind Alleys, over the Cliff with a few well-chosen LIES and news stories about lesser issues.

[colorado tanker]

Good analysis. The base was already tired of the Bush administration weakness on fiscal restraint and other issues. The split in the party over immigration is a self-inflicted wound and a gift to the Democrats that will probably hand the House and Senate to the Dems this mid-term. If that happens it will mean a loss of the Iraq war, no majority on the Supreme Court and loss of the tax cuts. Oh, and no border fence plus an amnesty program to sign up lots more Dem voters. I hope the no-compromise zealots on this issue will enjoy their handiwork.

[concerned about politics]

Republicans face a growing disaster on immigration. Right now the GOP is sailing on a dangerous course where they are increasingly turning off two pillars of their new majority. The first pillar is the talk-radio portion of the Republican base led by Rush Limbaugh (and the many who have followed in his wake) that provide a tremendous amount of energy to the conservative movement. The second pillar the GOP is endangering is the Hispanic community, the single largest growing demographic in American politics. In 2004, President Bush increased his share of the Hispanic vote to around 40% nationally.

Those Hispanics that voted Bush were LEGAL immigrants, but the left still got the other 60%. Right now, polls (for what they're worth these days) say the LEGAL immigrants are against amnesty, because they had to work to get here LEGALLY.
Closing the borders and controlling the illegals would be a HUGE plus for Republicans. I hope they don't screw this up. This issue has been a big problem for years, and the Republicans should hit hard while the nation is watching this country being invaded by MILLIONS of illegal invaders on their TV's right now! The streets are full of illegal invaders, and the American people are looking right at them. Go for it now!!!

[Shermy]

"I believe the GOP would have been on firmer ground if they took this one step at a time and the first step would have been protect our borders. Control the borders, then talk about other issues concerning illegals who do not respect laws."

By the way, that's a sound approach. Gives Bush the "out" that his "amnesty" can still be discussed.

[P-40]

The problem for Republicans is they are split and not speaking with one voice.

Well...we do have some Republicans in the House and the Senate that do seem to be having some hearing difficulties but I'd say that other than that, Republicans are speaking with one voice...and it is saying no to amnesty, no to automatic citizenship for the children of illegals born here, no to welfare for illegals, and no to educating the children of illegals. Ironically, aside from some border lockdown issues, the conservatives and the liberals are starting to agree.

[moehoward]

RIP GOP

[conservativecorner]

"With the President's leadership a compromise along these lines is possible. However, right now Bush and the GOP Congress appear rudderless; hoping gerrymandered House districts and not quite enough Republican Senate seats in play will keep them in power. Unfortunately for conservatives, it looks like they would rather play those odds than lead and grow their majority."

We aren't rudderless. It's that the captain has charted some wild courses lately, and the crew is grumbling. In fact, many of his officers, Boehner,Frist,Tancredo,Kyle and other officers are also wondering where in the heck the captain is taking the USS AMERICA lately.

[RoseofTexas]

I have a question....I have intentionally kept away from watch the tube after I heard one of the FOX reporters over in DC fawn over the protest..now the question...it seem, to me, that only the folk here on FR are the one up in arms about this outrageous illegal protest ...WHERE are the rest of the American? Why aren't they also up in arms? Are they looking the other way NOT wanting to confront reality? This is scary and if we don't take action NOW, consider those law breaking illegals with MORE rights than you or me!! WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE BY THE AMERICAN FOLK?? WHERE?

[buck61]

Let's coin a term, GOP falling right into the plans of the
Democrats.

[dirtboy]

I hope the no-compromise zealots on this issue will enjoy their handiwork.

I am curious why this is the handiwork of the "no-compromise zealots."

Poll after poll shows Americans want something done about border security and do not want amnesty for illegals.

The base has told Bush and the GOP for years that they don't want amnesty. And that is not some kind of zealous irrationality - the Reagan amnesty didn't work - there is historical cause for that position.

And because Bush and RINOs in the GOP refuse to listen to the base, OR a strong majority of the American public, WE'RE NO-COMPROMISE?

Talk about getting it exactly backwards. Heck, even Krauthammer is saying, secure the border first. But Bush refuses to listen. HE is the one who won't compromise and take the prudent step of first securing the borders.

So if the party fissues, it will be his doing, not the fault of the base.