Newt Gingrich: Immig Failure Could Hand Dems Congress

NewsMax ^ | 4/16/06 | NewsMax

[wagglebee]

Newt Gingrich, the architect of the 1994 GOP Revolution, is warning that Republicans in Congress better "get their act together" and pass tough new laws against illegal immigration - or the Democrats will win back the House and Senate in November.

Appearing on "Fox News Sunday," the former House Speaker scorched his successors for a lack of performance across a whole range of issues, but zeroed in on what he called "the debacle two weeks ago on immigration."

"The [Senate's] McCain-Kennedy bill and the compromise that followed is so far from what the average American wants," Gingrich said, "that it raises the danger of Republican [voters] staying home."

The one-time top Republican noted that in poll after poll, the public has demanded tougher border security and reforms like a voter ID card, saying it would be easy to put Democrats on the defensive on the illegal immigration issue.

"I'd be perfectly happy for the Senate Republicans to bring up a border control bill and have Hillary and Schumer try to stop it," Gingrich told Fox.

"Sometimes incumbents forget that we were sent here to reform Washington, we were not sent here to be co-opted by Washington," he added. "For Republicans to succeed in '06 and '08 we need real change."

"The question for Republicans in the next 90 days is: Are they going to become the party of real change?" Gingrich said. "Are they going to learn some lessons and get their act together?"

[WOSG]

I also will not send money to the NRSC anymore, too many RINOs funded through that ... OTOH, many good Senators are "on point" on this issue, and Gingrich can gab about it, but we have key Senators (Sessions, Cornyn, Kyl, Chambliss) and Congressmen (Sensenbrenner, etc.) who represent the right view on this and are fighting the open-borders tide here:

From April 6 email from Cornyn's office:

---

CORNYN: PROPOSED ‘COMPROMISE’ LEAVES IMMIGRATION BILL FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED

‘Compromise’ would repeat mistakes of past, but on a much larger scale -- 12 million illegal immigrants would be put on easier path to citizenship, Cornyn says

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the Immigration and Border Security subcommittee, made the following statement Thursday regarding the proposed “compromise” on immigration reform:

“I’m encouraged to see there is a growing consensus around the idea of a second chance for those who have come to this country in violation of our immigration laws. And indeed that’s a principle that I think we share in common with the Senators who worked out this ‘compromise.’

“But the difficulty with the proposal of Sen. Hagel and Sen. Martinez and others is that it represents only a slight improvement from the initial flawed bill (Specter-McCain-Kennedy). Everyone agrees that the 1986 amnesty was a complete failure and had the unintended consequence of actually increasing the flow of illegal immigrants across our borders. Yet this compromise would repeat the mistakes of the past, but on a much larger scale because 12 million illegal immigrants would still be placed on an easier path to citizenship.

“One of the problems that we have had throughout the debate is trying to get votes on amendments that we’ve had on the floor. Sen. Kyl and I have an amendment that has been pending a week and that we believe has a lot of support if we could just be allowed a vote. It simply would exclude felons, repeat criminals and absconders from this general grant of amnesty. There are other provisions that we’d like to offer to the bill and we want to make sure that process is preserved.

“We understand that majorities have a vote. But those of us who have other ideas about how this bill can be improved shouldn’t be crowded out of the process.

“So I hope and expect there will be an opportunity to vote on amendments that will improve this bill. I’m not part of any agreement. But we have certain rights as Senators to have a debate and vote on those amendments. And I expect to be a part of the ultimate solution to this problem which is comprehensive immigration reform.”

“Many of the enforcement provisions in the Senate bill trace their origin to the bill that Sen. Kyl and I introduced last summer. And while the proposed compromise reflects progress in moving the Senate away from a wholesale amnesty, it remains fundamentally flawed.”

Some of the key problems in the “compromise” proposal:

Approximately 12 million illegal immigrants would be placed on a different, easier path to a green card and citizenship;

Felons, repeat criminals and illegal immigrants who ignored orders of deportation would remain eligible for legalization;

Information sharing restrictions could prevent the Department of Homeland Security from investigating fraud;

Illegal immigrants who do depart and re-enter would be given a priority for green cards over those who waited to enter legally; and

Hundreds of thousands of temporary workers could obtain green cards without the normal U.S. worker protections.

Sen. Cornyn continues to play a leading role in the efforts to bolster border security and implement comprehensive immigration reform. He and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) are the authors of The Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act (S.1438).

The key components of his comprehensive bill include enhanced border security and interior enforcement, employer accountability, and reform to address temporary workers and the current illegal population. Cornyn has said he will vote against any proposal that includes amnesty and rewards illegal immigrants.

Sen. Cornyn is a member of the following Senate Committees: Armed Services; Judiciary; Budget; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and Joint Economic. He is also the chairman of the subcommittees on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship and Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

-30-

www.cornyn.senate.gov/immigration

[TheForceOfOne]

I'm not so sure these Republicans would rally around the president. I do think the proceedings would be a farce, anger the public, and cause a backlash at the polls against Dem's and the Pub's who would run and hide under their desks.

[WOSG]

"I think Newt could be elected and I would vote for him."

I agree with 50% of that statement (I'd vote for him, but IMHO he's not electable as President).

[TheForceOfOne]

We'll have to wait and see. I'm positive he will run in '08. He has continued to make himself public on major issues. He may not be the best candidate for FReeper's, but against the opposition he would look good to the general public.

I also like Allen for president.

[not2worry]

Newt wants to be President. He's never going to make it in my opinion. Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy but I've stopped giving Hannity 3 hours a day and I've got the hubby trained to hit the remote when ever Newt shows up on the black and white.

The guy needs to get a life. IMHO, he has as much chance at becoming President than Hillary Clinton.

[EGPWS]

Newt Gingrich, the architect of the 1994 GOP Revolution, is warning that Republicans in Congress better "get their act together" and pass tough new laws against illegal immigration - or the Democrats will win back the House and Senate in November.

Get their act together yes, to place all on one agenda for the day, no.

This agenda of immigration, important as it is, could very well be forced to the "back burner" politically in a heart beat.

To put a single agenda issue on political importance will put that politician out of work. Just ask Tom Daschle or the like.

A consistent political mindset via belief and conviction will prevail. Just ask Ronald Reagan or the like.

[okie01]

How are the extreme left wing Democrats going to win 31 seats in the House ! ?

It could happen...if enough discontented conservatives stay home.

In my estimation, that is a very real risk.

[Eastbound]

"that's a stretch - let's get real, the only people standing in the way of amnesty, are republicans in the House. why lump them in with McCain?"

I really shouldn't have mentioned McCain. He's a non-player anyway.

But how to solve the problem, oceanview. How can the Republicans redeem their base before November? What is the dissatisfaction of nearly 60 percent of the FR poll, member and non-member with even no amnesty plan or resolution that will not address the poll question:

" . . . not act immediately to seal the borders, penalize employers who hire illegals and deport illegals when caught?"

That's a pretty tall order. Are the House republicans you mention who reject amnesty want to seal the borders? Penalize employers who hire illegals? Deport illegals when caught?

If so, that's the only good news I'm hearing on this.

[tennmountainman]

Build a fence? Oh no, we can't do that. It could offend illegal aliens and they might not go vote, with their illegal votes. Oh no, we can't do that.

[oceanview]

well first, its too early to measure dissatisfaction - nothing has passed yet. let's stay involved and see what comes of it.

I think alot of the base are unhappy with what they see coming from he administration on this - but we can't let that trickle down to the house republicans, who are the only people left who can stop blanket amnesty.

that said, if the base is pushing the House to conduct felony roundups of illegals - forget it, that's the wrong approach. pushing the one group left who can stop blanket amnesty into marginalizing itself by supporting this position, is exactly what the Dems want us to do - that's why they voted to sustain the felony provision. if the House republicans can be marginalized, McCain/Kennedy will pass, and every indication tells me that Bush would sign it.

[tennmountainman]

Then I suggest the GOP start governing like the MAJORITY, instead of the MINORITY. Don't blame some conservatives who might stay home. Blame the GOP for it's inability to govern.

[Centurion2000]

He is dead on target with this one.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I also believe Newt would be an unbelievable debater and I,for one, think he could run circles around most the dems would put up against him.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I've returned to the fold. Used to watch then started watching Brit, but the gang on Brit's show are so out of touch that I've returned to Lou Dobbs.

[TheForceOfOne]

I would love to see Dick Cheney and Newt debate, that would be a classic. It would also be fun to see Newt spank Edwards like Cheney did in '04.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I am lucky that Arizona is pretty well represented in the house and partially in the Senate. Our district is pretty conservative and Trent Franks has voted with the conservatives...

Kyl is great and he has a tough challenge.. the dem running against him is very wealthy and well-funded in this campaign. My issue in AZ is with McCain -- and I will NOT vote for him in the primary or for president.

I think, for the most part, the RINO's are not in Congress but in the Senate.

The GOP in the house are getting the blame for the part of the bill making illegals felons and it was the dems who put that in there. Where the GOP falls short, in both houses, is their inability to out dem the dems and the public is getting a poor perception of the GOP in the house.

[Eastbound]

"That is not true."

Maybe it isn't. But it's un-related to the illegal alien problem.

"I'm mad as hell about the pandering on illegals and fearful of the Democrats regaining power for many reasons. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Shoulder to shoulder with you on that.

Open for suggestions on what it's going to take to 'Save the Union' again. If the country goes down the tube, are we going to be kicking ourselves in the asses because we failed to be more pro-active and could have prevented it?

As I asked elsewhere, if our Liberty Train has been hi-jacked and headed for certain destruction, would we go along for the ride or would we be getting ready to 'roll' again?

I also ask, if we are so concerned about the islamocrazies planning to destroy us overtly, why are we not as concerned with those who are destroying us covertly? Well, not so covertly anymore.

And let me ask one final embarrasing question. Why are we establishing peace and democracy in other countries when we are allowing it to be subverted and destroyed here?

I think we have a schizoid gummint. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I agree that we have some great senators. The problem is we have some terrible GOP senators (McCain, Chaffee, DeWine, Snow, etc.) and they get way too many soundbites. Kyl is one of my reps in AZ and I love the man.. he actually knows we exist and is very responsive to his constituents... unlike McCain who is touring AZ next week -- his version of a tour is three main cities on the border. Wanna bet what that will be all about??

[Arizona Carolyn]

I like George Allen, but think he isn't quite as strong as Newt or as quick on his feet verbally (I could be wrong, it's my perception).

I think a ticket with Newt for President and Allen as VP could be a strong ticket and Allen is young and seems to like to take his jobs in order to gain experience as evidenced by being Gov, then congressman and now senator.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

That's what people need to do, go somewhere else. I think right now they're catering to the Wall St. Journal/open borders crowd, who they probably figure is their main audience. They'll find out soon enough who it really is when their ratings start hitting the floor.