Posted on 09/05/2006 9:16:54 AM PDT by Reagan Man
Like the famous racehorse Silky Sullivan, Sen. Rick Santorum is known as a great closer. Yet, months ago, he had been virtually given up for dead by pundits in his race against Bob Casey, Jr., son of the popular, pro-life, former Democratic governor of Pennsylvania.
One poll early this year had Santorum down 23 points, an almost insurmountable deficit. A Strategic Value poll had Santorum down 16 points.
Now the senator who had been written off is finishing fast. An average of all polls monitored by the RealClearPolitics.com website finds him trailing by 6 points. The most recent Strategic Value poll confirms it. Casey is at 47; Santorum, 41 and rising.
What accounts for the surge? The Washington Times traces it to one issue: "Republican strategists say Santorum's tough stand on immigration has become a key factor." No. 3 in the Senate leadership, Santorum was the highest-ranking Republican to vote against the McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill that would open a path to U.S. citizenship for 10 million of the aliens who have either broken into our country, or are breaking the laws by being here, plus grant a full pardon from all civil and criminal penalties for the companies that employed them. McCain-Kennedy would further empower corporations to go abroad and hire what unions once called "scabs" to bring here to take jobs Americans cannot take at Third World wages.
"We did a certain amount of internal polling and when it got to immigration, it was very clear," says Santorum's media consultant John Braybender, who prepared two tough ads on immigration. "Rick's position versus Casey's was overwhelming. If Casey or anyone else thinks this is not an issue in Pennsylvania, they should start talking to voters."
Backing up Braybender is the same Strategic Value poll that found 79 percent of Pennsylvanians opposed to amnesty and 82 percent favoring a wall on the Mexican border. Pennsylvanians, like the rest of America, want the border secured and the illegals sent home.
But what will it take to wake up Karl Rove, lately sighted at the Los Angeles convention of the National Council of La Raza, where he won cheers for urging legalization of "undocumented" workers and boos for speaking of border security? (The literal translation of La Raza is "The Race.") Imagine the reaction to David Duke organizing a "National Council of The Race."
Two months from election day, Republicans, divided over Iraq, amnesty, spending, the loss of manufacturing and an economy that has left the working class treading water while the investor class is singing "Happy Days Are Here Again," are looking at the prospect of something somewhere between a defeat and a rout, or a massacre.
Yet if Republicans wish to hold Congress, despite what they may deserve, the Bushites could do no better than to borrow from the Santorum playbook. What can Bush and Congress do in 60 days?
One, publicly set aside the amnesty and guest worker provisions of the McCain-Kennedy bill. Bush cannot get them passed by the House in any event. Second, extract and enact the most urgent and popular provisions of both the Senate and House bills.
Bush should request $3 billion to $4 billion to start a security fence along all major crossing points for drug-dealers, coyotes and illegals. Then have Homeland Security begin systematic and public deportation of felons and gang members who are not U.S. citizens. Tattooed thugs being put on planes in cuffs will do the GOP and nation a world of good.
The FBI can provide the names. It has been tracking MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, the most vicious and violent gang in the hemisphere, with tens of thousands of members in the United States, for a year now.
Then call on Congress to reclaim its authority to denaturalize and deport any new citizen whose conduct -- applauding Al Qaeda or engaging in gang activity -- suggests they lied to become U.S. citizens. Bush could then tour the border again and, this time, shake hands with a few of the Minutemen patriots he earlier derided as "vigilantes." Unfortunately for the GOP, Rove & Co. believe that if Republicans take the hard line on illegal immigration that Pete Wilson took in 1994, the GOP will be as dead nationally as it has been lately in California. They forget: Wilson converted a 20-point deficit into a 10-point victory, captured both houses of the legislature and brought in four new GOP congressmen.
Arnold is the only other Republican to win statewide since then, and he ran against driver's licenses for illegals. No Republican who has taken the Rove-La Raza line has ever won the Golden State. Why is the GOP so mindlessly pursuing a transparently losing strategy? In pandering to La Raza, Rove may be playing for the long run. But as Lord Keynes said, in the long run we are all dead, which is where Republicans are headed if they don't get it right on this issue. Like Rick Santorum.
So why is Pat giving advice to the Republicans. If I remember correctly, he left the Republican some time ago. This is like Clinton tell the Republicans what they have to do to win.
As you bash and denegrate such people doing such good things from your useless DC cubicle.
Huh, well my coffe-break is over. Back on my head!
And good luck with that ....
Does your resume include a header that is Red, White and Green in color?
Is your header red with a white circle in the middle with a black swastika within the white circle.
We Jews frown upon that symbol....Now, answer the question.
Where is it you live?? Even here in California they've dropped from a high of $3.29 to $2.99 now in about 5 weeks. Do you live in Hawaii? Nationally gas prices are said to be down an avg. of 15 cents a gallon.
I agree. It's the "hate Pat syndrome" even when he is right on an issue.
After the Republicans "get creamed", I suppose that the Rats will solve the illegal immigration problem. However, maybe the new Congress,in Republican control and with a lot of input from voters, might do a better job.
The GOP is always more conservative when it is the minority party.
Must not be a boater Dane.. Gasoline is explosive in a confined space, diesel is NOT.. many gasoline boats BLOW UP each year (because of that).. Diesel boats DO NOT..
You don't think maybe he(Pat)was referring to that do you?... A gas can is a vitual time bomb.. a container of diesel is stable..
I think Pat is more obsessed with the GOP than Dick Morris is with Hillary. Talk about unsolicited advice.....
Minority parties, that lose elections,don`t get much done or have you forgot President Goldwater?
You don't need to acknowledge PB to know that a large part of the conservative base, and the party's, is quite emotional about this. I am a professional salesman, and I can tell you that people hate a)surprises and b) being told what to think. The Bush/Rove/Chamber/Pence school tries to win the argument by demonizing the opposition and telling people what they need to think in order to not be knuckle-dragging mouth breathing neanderthals. It'll never work.
"After the Republicans "get creamed", I suppose that the Rats will solve the illegal immigration problem."
I doubt it. As far as I can tell the desire for broad amnesty is bipartisan.
I see no reason to think the GOP is going to change its approach on this. For them to ignore public sentiment this strong means they are very motivated. Follow the money (both parties, for that matter).
("Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" Ronald Reagan, 1987)
You use that quote like there is some sort of parity between a wall built to keep people out, and one that is built to keep people in.
Hint prisons are different than gated communities.
So, your solution is.......................
I drove from Fairmont, WV to Charleston, SC over the holiday weekend and found regular gas at $2.399 in South Carolina and Diesel at $2.699 in Virginia.
You're lucky. I live on the left coast.
"So, your solution is......................."
Why would you think there has to be one? Solutions look great on paper, but in the real world I see very little happening that would constitute a solution or even a resolution of this issue. Some type of amnesty is almost inevitable, and presumably a modified limited form of border control will be attached, though whether it gets funded is anyone's guess.
Unforunately, sometimes all the practical options suck. This is one of those cases.
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