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Voters Did Not Endorse Amnesty: Open-Borders Advocates Distort Election Results
Human Events ^ | November 20 2006 | Mark Krikorian

Posted on 11/19/2006 4:43:19 PM PST by Reagan Man

The idea is spreading that this month’s Republican electoral defeat somehow represented voter rejection of the enforcement-first approach to immigration championed by the House Republican leadership, and meant, instead, voter endorsement of the Bush-McCain-Kennedy approach that would amnesty (or “legalize”) the illegal aliens already here and double or triple future legal immigration.

This notion is so colossally wrong only a senator could believe it.

Kyl Won, DeWine Lost

Sen. Mel Martinez (R.-Fla.), that is. The presumptive general chairman of the Republican National Committee is peddling this ludicrous pro-amnesty spin, joined by a number of other politicians and journalists. Martinez told the Washington Times: “I think we have to understand that the election did speak to one issue, and that was that it’s not about bashing people, it’s about presenting a hopeful face. … Border security only, enforcement only, harshness only is not the message that I believe America wants to convey.”

Even before the election, the pro-amnesty crowd was preparing a full-blown disinformation campaign. Immigration enthusiast Fred Barnes blamed the then-coming Republican defeat in part on Congress’ failure to pass an amnesty and increase legal immigration. “But imagine,” Barnes wrote, “if Republicans had agreed on a compromise and enacted a ‘comprehensive’—Mr. Bush’s word—immigration bill, dealing with both legal and illegal immigrants. They’d be justifiably basking in their accomplishment. The American public, except for nativist diehards, would be thrilled.”

Newsweek columnist Fareed Zakaria was practically quivering in anticipation: “The great obstacle to immigration reform has been a noisy minority. … Come Tuesday, the party will be over. CNN’s Lou Dobbs and his angry band of xenophobes will continue to rail, but a new Congress, with fewer Republicans and no impending primary elections, would make the climate much less vulnerable to the tyranny of the minority.”

“Angry band of xenophobes”? “Nativist diehards”? That’s you and me, folks.

After Election Day, the name-calling continued. Tamar Jacoby of the otherwise conservative Manhattan Institute used her entrée at the Weekly Standard to denounce “far-right” groups she said were motivated by “xenophobia” and engaging in “demagoguery” over this “wedge issue.” She sounded an awful lot like a Democrat complaining about, say, the defense of traditional marriage. The Wall Street Journal, of course, cackled at “Immigration Losers” and warned against following immigration controllers “down the garden path of defeat.”

The open-borders crowd scavenged for results they hoped would confirm their pre-packaged conclusions. A favorite was the defeat of two Republican immigration hawks running for the House in Arizona, incumbent Rep. J.D. Hayworth and Randy Graf, who was seeking liberal Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe’s seat. The problem with pointing to these results as proof of the public’s support for the Bush-McCain-Kennedy “comprehensive” amnesty plan is that the very same voters overwhelmingly approved four good ballot measures related to immigration: denying bail to illegals, barring illegals from winning punitive damages in civil suits, prohibiting illegals from receiving certain state subsidies for education and day care, and declaring English the state’s official language. Clearly, the actual policy issue of immigration control remained hugely popular and, while Hayworth’s opponent endorsed a guest-worker program, he explicitly said on his campaign website, “Secure Our Border and Stop Illegal Immigration,” “Hold employers accountable for whom they hire,” and, “I oppose amnesty and will not support it.” Hardly a Bush echo.

Searching elsewhere for some ammunition, amnesty proponents pointed to the defeats in Colorado of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez and Republican House aspirant Rick O’Donnell as proof that the public is with them. What they don’t mention is that Colorado voters approved two tough initiatives: one to deny the tax deductibility of wages paid to illegals and another requiring the state’s attorney general to sue the federal government over non-enforcement of the immigration laws.

In the anti-Republican storm, both hawks and doves were affected. Immigration-control stalwarts such as Republican Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana were washed away, but so was Republican Senate amnesty co-sponsor Mike DeWine of Ohio. On the other hand, nationally known immigration hawks such as Republican Representatives Tom Tancredo of Colorado and Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin enjoyed easy re-election, as did Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, an immigration dove.

The pro-amnesty crowd has yet to explain why, if the public is with them, no candidates made a main part of their campaigns their support for legalizing illegal aliens and admitting millions of additional foreign workers. The only exception was Jim Pederson, the Democrat running against Republican Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona. Pederson not only championed the President’s amnesty/guest-worker plan, but lauded the 1986 amnesty disaster as well. Unsurprisingly, he was defeated.

Some smarter—winning—Democrats actually had very tough immigration positions, explicitly endorsing an enforcement-first approach. For instance, Brad Ellsworth (who defeated Hostettler in Indiana) said: “We need to tighten our borders, enforce the laws we have and punish employers who break them.” Sen.-elect Claire McCaskill of Missouri expressed similar views, as did Sen.-elect Jon Tester of Montana and Jason Altmire, who was elected to the House from Pennsylvania.

Regardless of the facts, if the “amnesty mandate” myth takes root, the consequences could be dire. We’re already seeing its effects, with President Bush’s saying the day after the election that immigration is an area “where I believe we can find some common ground with the Democrats.” Martinez’s selection as RNC chairman is particularly disturbing in this context, because he didn’t just vote for the Senate amnesty, he actually wrote the final version. His Hagel-Martinez bill (S 2611) passed in May, despite the opposition of a majority of his fellow Republicans in the Senate—and it was dismissed out of hand by virtually all House Republicans.

Preventing the acceptance of the open-border crowd’s fairy-tale version of the election is imperative—both to stymie next year’s Bush/Democrat efforts to pass the amnesty and to preserving opportunities for future Congresses and Presidents to actually address this pressing issue in a constructive fashion.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; borders; illegalaliens; illegals; immigrantlist
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To: Reagan Man
There are realistic alternatives.

Only in your imagination.

Displacing the equivalent population as Greater Los Angeles is utterly impossible without several forms of backlash that would be unacceptable. The enforcement only option was shot by the Republican Congress, and they lost the election. All they could manage was a fence. A fence not even as long as the border. There's not a chance in hades that a Dem congress will do any enforcement, thus my conclusion that any "realistic alternatives" that could actually be enacted exist only in your imagination.

It's time for conservatives to stop living in fantasy land and start promoting a viable plan B that will assimilate these people, because they're not going to be leaving.

201 posted on 11/20/2006 7:57:30 AM PST by narby
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To: narby
>>>>Only in your imagination.

So, according to you, building a wall on our border with Mexico, enforcing employer sanctions and eliminating govt welfare handouts to illegals is part of the conservative imagination. I don't think so. Poll after poll shows that significant majorities of American's support all three policies. The people who oppose them, are either liberal or libertarian.

>>>>It's time for conservatives to stop living in fantasy land ....

Conservatives don't live in fantasyland. Making fantasy a reality, is what liberalism is all about. The New Deal, the Fair Deal and the Great Society have been making fantasy a reality since 1933. Senate bill S.2611, fits the liberal agenda to a tee. Its what you support.

202 posted on 11/20/2006 8:30:28 AM PST by Reagan Man (Conservatives don't support amnesty and conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: dirtboy

Yes defending the nation. The border has not been an issue in the War on Terror since our enemies are NOT attacking from North or South. It is an issue ONLY because it can be used against the GOP by the unscrupulous who know very well Democrats will make it worse.

The economy has growth to the extent that we are approaching theoretic full employment. Only those ignorant of the role of a public debt complain about it. If federal accounting were done like business the debt would be small. But there is NO consideration of the value of assets held by the US government. How much do you think Alaska would be worth?

Spare me the crocidile tears about the RAT takeover when most of what I have seen from you has been concentrated on attacking the GOP.


203 posted on 11/20/2006 9:08:08 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
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To: justshutupandtakeit
Spare me the crocidile tears about the RAT takeover when most of what I have seen from you has been concentrated on attacking the GOP.

Attacking the GOP? I said repeatedly this election to vote for pubbies.

204 posted on 11/20/2006 9:16:25 AM PST by dirtboy (Objects in tagline are closer than they appear)
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To: dirtboy

Only after months of criticism over Illegals.


205 posted on 11/20/2006 9:24:12 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
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To: justshutupandtakeit
Only after months of criticism over Illegals.

Where did I criticize the GOP House?

My criticisms were reserved for those pushing shamnesty.

206 posted on 11/20/2006 9:26:04 AM PST by dirtboy (Objects in tagline are closer than they appear)
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To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..

ping


207 posted on 11/20/2006 9:30:09 AM PST by gubamyster
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To: dirtboy

While that may have been your intention the actual result is that the criticism is painted in such a way as to demoralize the GOP by the Treason Media.

Surely you don't expect such subtle reasoning to be accurately portrayed to the gullible masses? Not a chance. Rather it is used to show dissention, dissatisfaction and how the ranks are turning against the Party. Comments indicating how such criticisms as this were trumpheted from the time of the demonstrations until the vote as reflecting "massive upset with the GOP leaders" among the base.

Every comment critical of the GOP must be evaluated from the perspective of how it will be used by the Treason media to attack and undermine conservative ideals. It will be exaggerated just as surely as similiar critical comments by RATS of their party will be suppressed and diminished.


208 posted on 11/20/2006 9:42:40 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
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To: Reagan Man
Border security only, enforcement only, harshness only is not the message that I believe America wants to convey.”

In all these years since his immigration to the US as a boy; Martinez learned nothing about the US. Just amazingly disappointing!

209 posted on 11/20/2006 9:50:06 AM PST by melancholy (Bella bint Pelusi, the Sneaker of the Out-House, she is a shoe-in!)
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To: Reagan Man
building a wall on our border with Mexico, enforcing employer sanctions and eliminating govt welfare handouts to illegals is part of the conservative imagination. I don't think so. Poll after poll shows that significant majorities of American's support all three policies.

If that were true, the Republicans would have won. If these things were at the top of people's concerns, then my district in AZ would have re-elected J.D. Heyworth, despite the BS accusations of corruption. His opponent was on record supporting less strict measures, and JDs ads continually repeated that fact.

It's not like AZ doesn't want a solution to the problem, it voted in several ballot questions supporting English only, etc. But the simplistic "build a wall" and "throw the criminals out" methods do not hold water with thinking people. The proof is that J.D. lost.

210 posted on 11/20/2006 10:04:52 AM PST by narby
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To: TheCrusader
And men like Bush and the other elites who run our country will never have to suffer the consequences of living amongst these third world hispanic invaders.

Nor will they have to suffer the consequences of paying the billions of dollars this invasion is costing and will cost American taxpayers if this insane amnesty is allowed.

The Republicrats (most of them) have turned their backs on America. A strong third party that will fight for American interests is the only answer for this republic to survive the destructive globalist elites.

211 posted on 11/20/2006 10:20:33 AM PST by janetgreen
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To: Dane
And their first vote in the 110th Congress is going to be for Ms. Amnesty, nancy pelosi

Senor Bush's new found friend on amnesty. HMMM for someone who thinks pelosi is so bad on all the issues you sure don't have any problems with Bush "Mr Amnesty" on the same issues they have in common "amnesty"

212 posted on 11/20/2006 11:33:40 AM PST by CONSERVE
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To: narby

There's no chance these guys are going to assimilate. Best bet is a Fimbul Winter ~ a couple of years of intense cold and they'll be begging Mexico to let them in.


213 posted on 11/20/2006 1:14:38 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: narby
>>>>If that were true, the Republicans would have won.

READ THE ARTICLE.

The open-borders crowd scavenged for results they hoped would confirm their pre-packaged conclusions. A favorite was the defeat of two Republican immigration hawks running for the House in Arizona, incumbent Rep. J.D. Hayworth and Randy Graf, who was seeking liberal Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe’s seat. The problem with pointing to these results as proof of the public’s support for the Bush-McCain-Kennedy “comprehensive” amnesty plan is that the very same voters overwhelmingly approved four good ballot measures related to immigration: denying bail to illegals, barring illegals from winning punitive damages in civil suits, prohibiting illegals from receiving certain state subsidies for education and day care, and declaring English the state’s official language. Clearly, the actual policy issue of immigration control remained hugely popular and, while Hayworth’s opponent endorsed a guest-worker program, he explicitly said on his campaign website, “Secure Our Border and Stop Illegal Immigration,” “Hold employers accountable for whom they hire,” and, “I oppose amnesty and will not support it.” Hardly a Bush echo.

Some of the biggest names on the immigration issue like Tom Tancredo, Jim Sensenbrenner and Richard Lugar were all reelected. Many conservative voters stayed home on election day and that hurt some specific GOP candidates. Btw, just as with Conrad Burns, the corruption issue was a big reason why JD Hayworth lost.

214 posted on 11/20/2006 1:32:20 PM PST by Reagan Man (Conservatives don't support amnesty and conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: narby
Thanks to laws passed in Hazelton PA barring rentals to illegals, there was an exodus of illegal immigrants.
Illegals will leave if the costs outway the benefits.
215 posted on 11/20/2006 1:44:38 PM PST by rmlew (Having slit their throats may the conservatives who voted for Casey choke slowly on their blood.)
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To: dirtboy; Dane
Well, then, Dane, if you are so aghast at Martinez being trashed, why did you trash Tancredo all these years?

Because Tancredo's against amnesty and Martinez isn't. Same reason he's all for Chris Cannon. Dane only likes those on the right who support amnesty.

216 posted on 11/20/2006 4:29:25 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: Reagan Man
the corruption issue was a big reason why JD Hayworth lost.

And the Dem who favored a "comprehensive" plan on immigration won.

I dont read the local rag, so I have no idea how much they pounded supposed "corruption" issues with Heyworth. But I never bought into it myself.

Bottom line, even if Heyworth lost voters because of accusations of corruption, the people of Arizona who strongly voted for several immigration control issues on the ballot, didn't worry about a "comprehensive" Democrat being elected. They are *not* enforcement only single issue voters as many here would like to believe.

217 posted on 11/20/2006 5:16:49 PM PST by narby
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To: rmlew
Thanks to laws passed in Hazelton PA barring rentals to illegals, there was an exodus of illegal immigrants. Illegals will leave if the costs outway the benefits.

Irregardless of how you make them leave, if 15 million people moved in short order, the result would be catastrophic. The leftist press would believably paint it as akin to a holocaust, and whatever party wrote the laws would be in deep caca. Therefore, it ain't going to happen nationwide. Get over it, and spend your energy encuraging assimilation. This country was the melting pot of the world for centuries, and I'm amazed that conservatives have surrendered to the idea that assimilation is now impossible.

218 posted on 11/20/2006 5:22:01 PM PST by narby
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To: narby
This country was the melting pot of the world for centuries, and I'm amazed that conservatives have surrendered to the idea that assimilation is now impossible.

My grandparents came legally and I expect everyone else to do the same. We tried amnesty in 1986 and it failed. Many of those former illegals still don't speak a lick of English all these years later and you want to do it again? The bogyman of "it's either mass deportation or amnesty" doesn't fly either, as Hazleton has already proven, simply enforce the law and they'll leave on their own.

219 posted on 11/20/2006 5:34:49 PM PST by Reaganwuzthebest
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To: narby
Geez. You're trying to make JD Hayworth the central issue in this debate. Not gonna work. Respond to the article. The facts are clear. Those candidates who supported a get tough policy on immigration reform, and didn't have other issues which may have sidetracked their campaign, actually won reelection.

Americans consistently support building a wall on the border with Mexico, enforcement of employer sanctions and a halt to welfare handouts to illegals. Voters in Colorado adn Arizona supported ballot inititives that strengthened state laws against illegals. Most conservatives chose to stay home on election day and that factor was crucial in Democrats regaining majority control of Congress. That doesn't mean Americans support amnesty. They don't!

220 posted on 11/20/2006 5:41:07 PM PST by Reagan Man (Conservatives don't support amnesty and conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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