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Debunking the Perry Immigration Lie
TownHall ^ | Sept. 25, 2011 | Kevin McCullough

Posted on 09/25/2011 10:37:58 AM PDT by Clairity

In this week's GOP Presidential debate, Governor Mitt Romney and Senator Rick Santorum both repeated untruths about Governor Rick Perry's immigration position. It is time to set the record straight.

First let me say, I've not endorsed a candidate and though I've predicted a Perry win in 2012, it is not based on a personal desire, but rather the assessment of all the data that I believe the general election race will be dependent on. I did the same thing in 2006, predicting a Barack Obama win, but by no means endorsing his candidacy.

Second let me also say, this week's debate performance by Governor Rick Perry was bizarre and seemed to run out of complete steam in the final thirty minutes. In fact I was so curious as to the Governor's performance down the stretch I inquired to the Perry campaign to see if the Governor had taken ill, or had some other medical issue arise in the final half hour.

But on Thursday evening it did become clear that the GOP opponents intend to rhetorically bloody Governor Perry as best they can until they begin to be eliminated from the race.

In the debate, Chris Wallace asked a direct question to Mitt Romney regarding the in-state tuition rates of children who live in the state, but happen to have parents who came here illegally.

Mitt Romney replied, "I don't see how it is that a state like Texas--to go to the University of Texas--if you're an illegal alien--you get an in-state tuition discount. D'you know how much that is? It's twenty-two thousand dollars a year. Four years of college you're almost a hundred thousand dollar discount if you're an illegal alien--if you go to the University of Texas. If you're a United States citizen, from any one of the other forty-nine states, you have to pay a hundred thousand dollars more. That doesn't make sense to me. And that kind of magnet, draws people into this country, to get that education, to get that kind of hundred thousand dollar break, it makes no sense..."

I was disappointed that Chris Wallace didn't stop him and make him answer the question he had actually asked him.

Maybe Mitt Romney doesn't realize that many children of illegal aliens aren't illegals themselves. And as long as birth-rite citizenship is the law, anchor babies are protected under the law with equal benefits to all other American citizens.

Maybe Mitt Romney doesn't realize that nearly all of the rest of children of illegals had no choice in whether to live in Texas or not. If they were brought there by parents who were illegal--how is that the child's fault? Is Romney ready to charge those children with crimes? Mass deportations? Even Romney has not pledged to go that far.

Maybe Mitt Romney somehow missed the point that Governor Perry's problem is one that the Federal Government created for him. By refusing to enforce current immigration law, the Obama administration has made life for border states unbelievably difficult. And in some cases the Federal Government is even attempting to choke out state's rights to react to border issues in any way whatsoever.

Maybe Mitt Romney is completely ignorant of what the reality of dealing with the border actually means--in real terms. Gov. Perry had to raise $400 million in state taxes to attempt to shore up the border and do the job that the Feds should be doing.

Or maybe Governor Romney believes he doesn't need any votes from legal Hispanics and legal immigrants who are wrestling with the real issue of being in a position where their family's future is in question.

But to set the record straight, it was the state of Texas, and most specifically its lawfully elected legislature that drafted the legislation and passed it with only 4 votes of 181 possible to vote against it. Yes, Governor Perry signed it into law, but it was a definitively bi-partisan initiative that the people of Texas clearly wanted to see become law.

Additionally, Governor Perry has actual compassion for these children who ended up in his state, outside of their own doing. Educating them gets them working and contributing to the state's treasury faster, and is more meaningful than letting them sit on the sidelines.

And despite what the unusually angry Rick Santorum offered, all the legislation did was allow those children (NOT ILLEGAL ALIENS AT LARGE) to get the same "starting point" in state institutions that all of their classmates got. The stupid argument that Romney and Santorum grew red-faced and spittle-spewing over didn't seem to hold true against Texas where non-Texan students would have to pay $88,000 more than other Texas-raised children. And states discriminate that way against other children from other regions of the country--all the time.

President Obama will need to re-energize the American Hispanic vote in order for him to win re-election. They had left him on the economy, and they were never with him on his values. But Mitt Romney--who vows allegiance to a church that had at its core a racist doctrine until only a couple of decades ago--is verging on alienating other ethnic groups, in part because he is not telling the truth about the Texas legislature's law to allow children (not illegal aliens who crossed the border--the children of) to simply pay the same amount of tuition as the kids they sit next to in class.

In short Perry knows this problem intimately. And it will be a cold day in Hades before he ever signs a federal version of the DREAM Act. He believes in fencing, technology, state's rights, and workplace incentives.

Which more or less means he believes in the same enforcement techniques as all the rest of the GOP field.

And for Santorum and Romney to pretend otherwise is sanctimonious and dishonest.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; gopdebate; illegalimmigration; immigration; obama; perry; perry2012; romney; santorum
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To: Mr Rogers

It seems that you missed the point.

Children of illegals are no more entitled to help in college or any other taxpayer paid perks than children of bank robbers are entitled to enjoy the money.

I thought that put it in perspective.


201 posted on 09/25/2011 2:02:15 PM PDT by old curmudgeon
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To: vicar7

The biggest enemies Rick Perry has are his record and his mouth.


202 posted on 09/25/2011 2:03:04 PM PDT by Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears (Bush called us "vigilantes." Perry calls us "heartless.")
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To: SaraJohnson
address what he would do with immigration as President.

Oh yes he did address what he would do as POTUS but Santorum was yelling over him and it was hard to hear.

I just wonder WHERE on the TX-Mex border Santorum went to...it does make a difference.

But we know Santorum knows more than the guy who has had to deal with it for ten years.

I'm getting really teed off with these idiots who think they know no more about TX than Texans!

203 posted on 09/25/2011 2:04:19 PM PDT by lonestar (It takes a village of idiots to elect a village idiot.)
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To: trumandogz
Is there a process by which illegal aliens can work on gaining citizenship?

No, there is not. And Perry supporters know that.

One cannot apply for US citizenship if they are in this country ILLEGALLY.

204 posted on 09/25/2011 2:04:59 PM PDT by South40 (2012 matchup.... CAIN vs UNABLE?)
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To: Conservativegreatgrandma
"I am just asking for the candidates to be treated fairly."

I found a cute picture of Ricky the RINO for you and it looks like he is also upset about not being treated fairly.

205 posted on 09/25/2011 2:09:05 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: mylife
Do a google search on “Rick Perry Amnesty”

All you can find is innuendo and smears.

Rick Perry: "I support a guest worker program that takes undocumented workers off the black market and legitimizes their economic contributions without providing them citizenship status."

Those are not innuendo and smears, they are Rick Perry's own words taken directly from the website of the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas.

When you take illegals working here now and decide that they will be considered legal from here on out that IS amnesty. Choosing not to call it that doesn't change what it is.

Abraham Lincoln used to ask his audiences, "How many legs would a dog have, if you called its tail a leg?"

People would answer "five."

Lincoln said "No, that's not right, you can call a tail a leg but that does not make it so."

206 posted on 09/25/2011 2:11:59 PM PDT by Meet the New Boss
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To: mylife; Meet the New Boss
Do a google search on “Rick Perry Amnesty” All you can find is innuendo and smears.

That's just not true.

Below, and in his own words, Perry says he is for amnesty.

But just to be clear: if border security is accomplished, you can envision some sort of path to citizenship for people who are here illegally.

Rick Perry: Sure.

"Sure" is an affirmative response.

207 posted on 09/25/2011 2:13:14 PM PDT by South40 (2012 matchup.... CAIN vs UNABLE?)
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To: Meet the New Boss
and legitimizes their economic contributions without providing them citizenship status."
208 posted on 09/25/2011 2:13:42 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears

Yep it did him in big time you got that right


209 posted on 09/25/2011 2:14:25 PM PDT by vicar7 ("Polls are for strippers and cross-country skiers" Sarah Palin)
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To: mylife

There is no current process by which an illegal alien can become of citizen and it makes no sense to give a college eduction it a person that can never work in this country.

That is unless, Ricky the RINO thought he would pass Amnesty on a national level.


210 posted on 09/25/2011 2:14:25 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: org.whodat

I was responding to a post that they could come here one day and immediately get instate tuition. They can’t. When you apply for college you send your school transcript. They have to have been in a TX school for three years. I nveer said they had to be here legally for three years, just that they had to be here. Try reading my actual post next time, and don’t put words in my mouth (or keyboard).


211 posted on 09/25/2011 2:15:17 PM PDT by Hugin ("A man'll usually tell you his bad intentions if you listen andY let yourself hear it"--- Open Range)
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To: shield
I think it's ironic that some of these FReepers don't realize that Perry is what they've been waiting for but are closed-minded and hung up on immigration lies and a bad debate. I think some are brainless rather than heartless.

I have to LOL when I read that some support a candidate who they say is doing the right thing by not running and debating. Do we need a candidate who is afraid to debate HER fellow Republicans?

New meaning to "running scared" IF she is even running! She is so do-nothing brilliant.

212 posted on 09/25/2011 2:19:39 PM PDT by lonestar (It takes a village of idiots to elect a village idiot.)
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To: mylife

“and legitimizes their economic contributions without providing them citizenship status.”

THAT IS STILL AMNESTY!

Amnesty is when someone has broken the law and it is decided that we will not punish them.

Foreign nationals who are in the country illegally and take jobs illegally who instead of being deported as the law requires are then allowed to stay and live and work here legally by definition are receiving AMNESTY.


213 posted on 09/25/2011 2:19:39 PM PDT by Meet the New Boss
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To: shield

I hope you are wrong, but it is also possible you are right.
However his win in Florida tells me he will be getting stronger with time.


214 posted on 09/25/2011 2:23:11 PM PDT by federal__reserve (Peace through strength has worked better than peace via appeasement in history.)
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To: mylife

Actually I chose this ID to specifically to draw attention to the folly of Bernanke. He must be fired ASAP.


215 posted on 09/25/2011 2:30:03 PM PDT by federal__reserve (Peace through strength has worked better than peace via appeasement in history.)
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To: federal__reserve

I agree. The Ben Bernack must go.


216 posted on 09/25/2011 2:32:28 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: lonestar
I think it's ironic that some of these FReepers don't realize that Perry is what they've been waiting for but are closed-minded and hung up on immigration lies and a bad debate. I think some are brainless rather than heartless.

Isn't that the truth!!! Now it's the love fest for someone who won a meaningless straw poll...this is proving your statement of the brainless. LOL...

217 posted on 09/25/2011 2:34:10 PM PDT by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
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To: shield

I like Herman a lot, but has anyone asked him about his involvement with the federal reserve?
Has Any candidate received the level of scrutiny that Perry is getting?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUY16CkS-k


218 posted on 09/25/2011 2:37:16 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: lonestar

“I think it’s ironic that some of these FReepers don’t realize that Perry is what they’ve been waiting for...”

I doubt many Freepers have been waiting for a presidential candidate who gives in state tuition to illegal aliens.

I doubt many Freepers have been waiting for a presidential candidate who wants to create a system of bi-national socialized medicine for both people in The United States and Mexico.


219 posted on 09/25/2011 2:37:54 PM PDT by trumandogz
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To: mylife

Me too...but wait till he is vetted...the wolves are circling the wagons now. Mittens has his guys all over this...and all his buddies in all the media companies will be printing as much garbage on him as Perry.


220 posted on 09/25/2011 2:40:03 PM PDT by shield (Rev 2:9 Woe unto those who say they are Judahites and are not, but are of the syna GOG ue of Satan.)
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