Posted on 09/23/2011 11:11:24 AM PDT by Rufus2007
As the rest of the 2012 Republican presidential field ganged up on Texas Gov. Rick Perry during Thursday night’s GOP debate, illegal immigration was the evening’s hottest-button issue — particularly the granting of in-state tuition rates to children of illegal immigrants in Texas. Now Perry’s defense seems to have struck nerve with National Review columnist Mark Steyn.
Filling in for Rush Limbaugh on his radio program Friday, Steyn, the author of “After America: Get Ready for Armageddon,” took issue with Perry’s response to those attacks.
Rick Perry “has basically adopted the Democratic line now on the whole illegal immigration issue,” Steyn said. “He says that you know, if you want to demonize him for providing education to the children of illegal immigrants at in-state tuition rates, then you don’t have any heart. That’s a Democrat talking point.
...more (w/audio)...
(Excerpt) Read more at thedc.com ...
Boneheaded beyond measure. Perry's great skill in his political career has been to demagogue nearly flawlessly WITH the current of the electorate. I can't imagine what he was thinking.
The way of the left is to transform policy difference of opinion into moral failings. Sad to see Governor Perry go that route.
see I did the same as most I forgot about Cain, he is against affirmative action, illegals homosexuality and knows how to run a business plus he stands for the constitution.
He is not PC unlike the north east turd.
The north east might be more socially liberal but the north east is not all of America and it is high time for them up there to understand this and that we do not agree with their ways or views in NY City, Boston or Chicago
All too true. Most Republicans are NOT conservatives especially the Republican "leadership" to use the word advisedly.
Mark Steyn is right. Rick Perry is irritating and guilt tripping and duplicitous on illegal alien college tuition. Even Mitt Romney (wimp that he is) was coming down harder on protecting our Mexican border. I still support Rick Perry but his attitude that Texas knows how to deal with their unique border....this is utter BS and pure pandering for the Texas Hispanic vote which he has done many times
Perry better snap out of it on immigration or he might be history soon. That BS may fly in Texas but not in Republican primaries
[ TX is well on it’s way to becoming the next CA thanks to “compassion” like G W and Katie Perry. ]
In Perry’s I did not feel a lot of “Compassion” for the other residents of the other 49 / 57 states who wanted to go to school. Nor did I feel much compassion for immigrants who came here legally.
Didn’t feel much compassion for the citizens who were unemployed due to economic damage done by illegals and companies/business owners who hire illegals.
I did like Newts answer to the E-Verify question. I think that we do need an E-verify requirement as both insurance to companies who want to make sure their employees are legal and to stop hiring of illegals by companies who aren’t doing so.
I believe in Herman Cain’s answer of not wanting to reward bad behavior.
Where’s Perry’s heart for the AMERICAN CITIZENS footing the bills for all this coddling of illegals? Why on earth does any AMERICAN CITIZEN think it’s okay to PAY Mexicans for breaking the law???
[ Yeah I think Perry needs the medic, he shot himself in the foot last night and you damned well know it. ]
Not even Doctor Ron Paul could save Rick Perry by being the “Ugly girl standing next to the mediocre girl”.
McCain called us lazy.
Perry calls us heartless racists.
I am not sure yet who I will support in these primaries but I now know who I will NOT support.
Me, too
It's curious how Republicans don't seem to realize that this will be the last chance for them to hold office once the illegal aliens start voting in large numbers.
I've been wondering that same thing, for years.
I expect democrats to hate me. I expect them to despise me and call me names.
I do NOT expect that from a Republican candidate who wants my vote. In fact, I won’t tolerate that attitude from a Republican who wants my vote.
In a debate with Obama, Perry would pull a Kemp and thank Obama for understanding that Perry, unlike the rest of the GOP, isn’t a racist...
9 Oct 1996:
Gore: “I think it’s an extremely valuable service to have a voice within the Republican party who says we ought to be one nation. We ought to cross all of the racial and ethnic and cultural barriers. I think that is a very important message to deliver. And we ought to speak out against these violations of civility when they do occur...I compliment Mr. Kemp for the leadership he has shown in moving us away from that kind of attitude.”
Kemp: “Well, I thank you, Al. I mean that very, very sincerely...”
http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=october-9-1996-debate-transcript
I don’t want another candidate, supposedly on OUR side, calling us all racists.
I stand on my thoughts that all students attendance at taxpayer expense should be costed out on an idividual basis. Students who are USA citizens get benefit of USA taxpayers funding. All students who are not citizens must have either independent funding or a payment voucher from the country of their citizenship. The time has come to cut the flow of USA taxpayers money footing the costs for non-citizens.
“Perry better snap out of it on immigration”
He’s not going to snap out of it. He’s made it very clear how he feels about illegals.
Either you don’t wish to see it or you prefer to be lied to.
Let’s cut to the chase here, there are a large majority of illegals who are here and don’t give a damn about the United States, they don’t wish to share out culture, our history and they could care less about anything American.
They are here because their own country is corrupt to the point that the people have few freedoms and little or no chance to better themselves especially economically.
No all, but good majority come here to in a sense create a country within a country the ‘United States of Mexico’ one where they can live and thrive in the same history, culture and language of their homeland and yet not under the same corrupted government.
If there was a another country that border them that was just as successful as the United States where they could live and thrive in their own enclaves they would move there just as quick as they move here.
Yes not all are like that, but a good potion are and we can not have people coming into this country who are of a mindset that they merely wish to create ‘colonies’ of their home country within ours. Politicians like Perry, Bush and many other are allowing this colonization to the determent of our country.
History is full of the results where such behavior was allowed and eventually push came to shove and the results were ugly.
This is the problem that I have with all this uproar about state tuition. One he just came into office when it was voted on. Two he couldn’t have vetoed it if had wanted to because it was fully supported at that time by the congress. Three if its so damn bad and Texans hate it so much why haven’t you moved to repeal it since you now control the house and senate.
As for his comment about being heartless. I don’t agree . I don’t see the point of rewarding people who are breaking the law along with their family’s,but I’ve been called worse
Rick Perry is using the Democrat's emotionalism approach as a response to criticism of his granting the children of illegal immigrants much lower, in-state college tuition rates. The same tuition rates given a Texas citizen, which is an insult to anyone who is a legal citizen of Texas and the United States. Perry implies that racism is the motivating factor for anyone who criticizes his stand on that issue as well his misguided opposition to a secure fence on our border with Mexico indicating that he is far too liberal on the illegal immigration problem, much like his predecessor in the Texas Governors office, George W. Bush. Perry choosing to use liberal tactics to defend his positions on illegal immigration and it's ancillary complications and challenges is unfortunate for him.
I was never a fan of Governor Perry but wanted to learn where he stood on some of the major issues. Now I know. I'll definitely look elsewhere should the person I want to support - Sarah Palin - decide not to run. Her stand on illegal immigration is the opposite of what Rick Perry advocates and far closer to the views of most conservatives, including this one. For that matter, Michele Bachmann's positions on immigration are close to those of Sarah Palin. So, I (and others) may end up supporting Bachmann if Palin declines to run. We'll see. One thing for sure, I won't be supporting Rick Perry - and that decision will be echoed by many conservatives tired of western governors running for president that go all gooey and play the emotionalism card when illegal immigration is the issue. That problem has to be addressed and Governor Perry's feel-good, emotional approach isn't the solution.
Really? Gov Palin may have some unforeseen problems down the road but I think you can put your mind at ease about her debate and presentation skills. Her biggest asset is her willingness to tell the truth about Obama without fear.
Very well said.
Thank you for stating the overwhelmingly glaringly obvious comparison. Perry is certainly to the left of G.W., the 'Compassionate Conservative' President, way left whereas G.W. was already left of center on the issue and the nation as a whole.
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