Posted on 04/16/2006 11:47:35 AM PDT by 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?"
IMHO, the Contract with America was abandoned when Bob Dole was given the nomination in 1996.
No he is not. Buch.. has always been an nutbag. Republicans are scared to play offense. Scared to throw interception. If you don't play though won't score.
LOL, yea, what Newt said
If they've read their mail during the Easter break... they KNOW what we want. Sealed borders(wall), prison-time for employers of illegals and a cut-off of federal funding to states that coddle to illegals.
If they fail to respond... they will cut their own throats.
really? i have yet to see it... especially on this point... he is right on...
It's quite frustrating to have people claim you are a traitor because you cannot support politicians who are not doing what you feel is best for the country. That's a pretty sad state of affairs. Howevler, call me whatever you like. I'm not going to support guys who call themselves republicans but act like dems.
susie
I was absolutly shocked when NEIL CAVUTO said he expect the democrat party to wing BOTH the house and senate this november!
I think the discussion needs to morph into building a wall.
Without a wall, there is going to be no immigration change
I look at it this way.
AMNESY= GOP looses
STATUS QUO= GOP holds status quo
WALL= GOP GAINS SEATS
Listened to Krauthammer on Fox earlier. He had a couple of observations. He believes that many who oppose the McCain-Kennedy bill would be a little more disposed to support it if we were serious about stopping the flow of illegals. His suggestion, build a fence 10, 15, 20 feet, whatever it takes from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. On the day the Golden Post is driven, then we can talk about guest worker programs and amnesty. Further, he said, if there is a guest worker program for those already here, it is not a ticket for your wife, brother, sister, mother, father, uncle or aunt back in the home country to come to the US. But first build the fence."
That position is exactly the conservative mainstream position of Cornyn, Kyl and others. Not against legal immigration, but for combination of guest worker program to fill labor demand and for enforcement to keep immigration on legal basis only.
"Fox had one other statistic -- only one-third of the illegals are from Mexico, the other two-thirds are from other central and SA countries (plus some Arabs, that we also know)."
That contradict other recent data shared, which was that 57% of illegal aliens are from mexico.
Illegal immigration is NOT a policical sideshow.
susie
You've hit the nail on the head. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't. It's not a good situation to be in, but I don't see any solution.
susie
These guys get it. They know that if they push for a true conservative agenda their puppetiers will defund them. They are owned by the elites that have no desire for us conservaties winning. Plus these pols know that you will vote them back in for whatever trangressions.
The legalization part is indeed a sideshow, the size of the problem makes it so. There will be some type of compromise reached. Believe it.
The protection of our borders is a security issue that will be solved shortly IMHO,
The war on terror is the main issue we must not lose sight of.
I propose that we stop referring to them as RINOs and just call them "OTRs", Other Than Republicans.
Wo would I in the CA primary. But it aint gonna happen. He hasn't expressed any intention to run, not even set up an organization and if he doesn't get into Iowa and New Hampshire first and take them, it's all over
IMHO it is the duty of every American to get themselves down to the polling place, get in the booth and put their mark next to the candidates that they feel will best execute the war on international terrorism.
The troops on the lines don't get to sit out the battle of their choice.
It would be unbelieveably stupid to let the Democrats take control just to "teach the Republicans a lesson". You know what's going to happen? Withdrawel from Iraq, negating everything we've done, a green light for Iran to develop nukes, open borders, and no conservative majority on the Supreme Court. That's what's at stake here. Is that what we really want?
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