The Republican Party has failed miserably to counter the Democrat political strategy on the issue of immigration. They have been cowed and intimidated, fearing that unless they adapt to the new demographic reality forged by mass immigration over the past 45 years, the GOP will become politically irrelevant and powerless. These fears resulted in the nomination of Presidential candidate John McCain, a self-described maverick who supported amnesty and pandered to extremist groups like La Raza. On the issue of immigration, the American people were offered an echo, not a choice in 2008 with both Obama and McCain holding the same views. The Republican Party has focused primarily on illegal immigration and border security, because they are less controversial and require little political courage to address. Legal immigration is rarely discussed because it is fraught with perceived political danger.
More importantly, the immigration issue has deeply divided the Republican Party. President Bush and Presidential nominee McCain supported amnesty bills (Hagel-Martinez in 2006 and McCain-Kennedy in 2007) against the majority of their own party. Moreover, we had the sorry spectacle of people like Karl Rove and Lindsay Graham castigating their fellow Republicans who opposed amnesty using such epithets as bigots, racists, and nativists. These criticisms just reinforce the Democrat branding of the GOP and alienate minorities who perceive that they are not welcome in the party. Moreover, being branded as a “racist” political party hurts the GOP in recruiting new members, regardless of race or ethnicity. America is not a racist country and no one wants to be associated with a racist organization.
The irony is that immigration can be a winning issue for Republicans. Our views on immigration actually coincide with those of the majority of the American people. We need not be apologetic or defensive. Republicans must be more proactive and less reactive. They must be willing to take a principled stand on the issue even if it means polarization, being the object of demagoguery, and short-term political losses. Unless Republicans redefine the battlefield and terms of engagement, they will continue to lose the war.
The Republican strategy on immigration should be based on the core principles of the party, i.e., national security, limited government, the rule of law and the Constitution, and individual responsibility. Immigration is an issue that cuts across partisan lines. There are plenty of independents and Reagan Democrats who are affected adversely by immigration and hold far different views than the Democrat political leadership, union bosses, religious leaders, etc. Republicans need to articulate their message better to tap into those constituencies. That said, pandering and outreach to minorities don’t work. Republicans lose when they try to play identity politics against the Democrats and it just reinforces their framing of the issue. Republicans must appeal to the interests of the individual voter with a universal message regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender.
I have developed a strategy paper on specific actions the Reps can take to make immigration a winning issue and have handed them out to some local politicians. So far, they lack the courage to address the issue the way it should be addressed. Rather, they are worried about losing the immigrant vote and have chosen to play according to the Dem rules, i.e., identity politics. And we lose that every time.
I think many rebpucican party big wigs are getting the message,let's hope in time. In addition to having to really beg for funding from conservatives in the party at least some of the rinos are leaving or being booted out. Here is Fla.,you mentioned Martinez,he's leaving early. No coincidence there. We have been on his ass for some time. We are sick of the lack of enforcement of immigration laws on our border.
One of the Hispanic newcomers to the party and fast up and coming, Marco Rubio, has been tasked with signing on to a whole new respect for immigration laws. To be expected he fought it some but seems to be coming around.
Most Hispanics I know have respect for borders and do not believe in open borders. That alone takes away the argument that the rinos who have almost destroyed the party have had.
It's going to be a long battle but many of us have adopted a position of not having our party co-opted by the rino squishy middle wannabes.
The Republican Party historically has been a conservative party and will be again. It's just a matter of how long it takes us to get there.
Maybe you should put your paper up on FR. Do a bunch of threads on it and then get it to FNC, Talk radio,get a few people talking about it. Few have you experience or expertise.