[Polybius]

But I strongly suspect that the poor debating style is not as important as the substance of his views on illegal immigration in weakening him.

The two are related. See my Post 71.

When 98% of all the Legislators in a state as conservative as Texas vote for something, there must be some logic behind the high "Yes" vote count.

Explaining the reasoning ("Sins of the Father") will get you points or, at least, do no further damage.

Throwing out "you have no heart" only waves a red flag in front of those you are trying to convince and pisses them off. Just ask Grunthor.

[Meet the New Boss]

“We are dealing with young adults that, through no fault of their own, were brought here as children by the Sins of their Fathers. They grew up in Texas, they know no other home but Texas and have been here for so long that they know English so well that they were accepted into college.”

This “Sins of the Fathers” thing is nonsense.

In the first place, this spent all their lives in Texas point is not a requirement for the tuition subsidy from taxpayers. It is only three years in Texas plus a GED. And we all know how that works. They just have to sign a piece of paper. We all know how honest people are these days. Someone here for a year who gets his GED signs a piece of paper and no one cares. The social worker bureaucracy is all on his or her side. And even if they did live here for 3 years, so what? Why should sneaking into the country and managing to avoid deportation for 3 years entitle someone to taxpayer-subsidized college education?

And where is it written in stone that they can’t go live in Mexico? There are countless American families who go to work in another country and when they return to the US guess what? THEY BRING THEIR CHILDREN BACK WITH THEM! Even if the American family has lived in that country for several years.

The illegal parents should be deported, and they should bring their children to Mexico with them. Children belong with their parents. The fact that children born in the US may have a legal right to live in the US doesn’t change the fact that children belong with their parents and when the parents are deported, the proper thing to do is take their children to live with them in their home back in Mexico.

[deport]

As you probably know Texas isn't the only one with this in state tuition law.

There are other states, 13 that had/have a similar program but that isn't the issue as Perry is the Gov of one that has this program. Also, additional states have filed or are discussing this in the legislatures.

Allow In-State Tuition for Undocumented Students

Since 2001, 13 states have enacted legislation granting undocumented students who meet specific requirements in-state tuition rates at public postsecondary institutions. California and Texas were the first states to enact legislation in 2001. In 2002, New York and Utah passed similar legislation. During the 2003 and 2004 legislative sessions, Washington, Oklahoma, Illinois and Kansas all passed such laws. Oklahoma has since amended its law, leaving granting of in-state tuition rates to undocumented students up to the Oklahoma Board of Regents. The Board of Regents currently still allows undocumented students, who meet Oklahoma's original statutory requirements, to receive in-state tuition. In 2005 and 2006, New Mexico and Nebraska signed undocumented student tuition legislation into law, and Wisconsin enacted a similar law in 2009, but then revoked that law in 2011. Maryland's governor signed a law in May 2011 allowing undocumented students meeting the specified requirements to pay in-state tuition at community colleges. Also in 2011, Connecticut enacted a law allowing in-state tuition for undocumented students.