Posted on 11/23/2011 3:50:07 PM PST by South40
At the top of the Republican presidential pack, Newt Gingrich is poised for what some call the “Perry Plunge” for supporting part of the pro-immigrant DREAM Act.
Like former frontrunner Rick Perry, Gingrich became a target of criticism among fellow Republicans at Tuesday night’s nationally televised debate for saying that some people should be allowed to stay in the United States even if they’re here illegally.
The former U.S. House Speaker said longtime residents who have raised families here, paid taxes and stayed out of trouble should not face deportation.
“I don’t see how the party that says it’s the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter century,” Gingrich said during the CNN debate.
“I’m prepared to take the heat for saying: ‘Let’s be humane in enforcing the law without giving them citizenship but by finding a way to create legality so that they are not separated from their families,’” he said.
Gingrich’s comments were quickly blasted on conservative websites like Free Republic.
(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...
Rush was talking about this today and wondering why Newt chose to suddenly go off the rails about this.
Actually, he’s right in a lot of ways, but there is so much hate in this country and especially around here for illegal aliens that it was stupid on his part to bring it up suddenly like that.
He could have waited till he won and then introduce some sensible scheme to deal with the 12 to 20 million who are here.
In a way I admire his honesty, but it wasn’t smart.
Who do you think the upset Newt followers will go to?
I’m already for Perry, but he is unfairly targeted as being soft on border issues which he absolutely is not.
I hope they don’t go back to Cain.
Sometimes you can’t afford to be honest because there are too many idiots out there.
You’re right but rational thinking goes out the window when it comes to illegals.
Most of them are doing JOBS AMERICANS WON’T DO. And that’s the truth. Texas is full of them and they are doing hard labor, yardwork, construction. The women work as maids and as care givers for older people. I like Mexicans.
I think we should concentrate on closing the border before anything else. Then we can make a rational decision about what to do about those already here.
The first step would be to deport any illegal who commits a crime; any illegal who’s busted with drugs, even minor ones, and any illegal who gets a DWI etc. That should be a quick automatic process without a lot of red tape.
That's the stupidest position a candidate for President can take.
They are depriving Americans of jobs.
What Newt said is no different than what any of the others except Bachmann have opined. She is the ONLY one calling for deporting all illegals.
Newt was giving an idea on what to do with all these folks in combination with getting a handle on the border and enforcement.
But no one here except a few ever much care about nuance when soundbites will do...especially in primary season.
Sarah Palin was the choice here before she opted out and her position on illegals was the same as Newt's and she endorsed the biggest amnesty supporter in the GOP for senator...and the pack here never uttered a peep in protest
Newt has not called for amnesty but rather who to deport or not and a way to account or document these millions in conjunction with other means.
Only Bachmann calls for round ups. It sounds good but ain't gonna happen.
Best we can hope is to send back the newer ones like Newt and others say and lock the door best we can.
For Perry and Mitt to admonish Newt on immigration ideas is hilarious...and hypocritical. Nowhere has Newt called for in state tution for illegals and Mitt has before called for path to citizenship himself.
It is too bad Bachmann can't get traction...she is ideologically my first pick..even over Palin likely.
We are left dealing with what we are left with and immigration there is not a scant of difference but on capability there is a world of difference and Newt stands out. Cain is weak as a candidate....in my view.
One last note...some of the same folks here today railing on and on about illegals were the exact same folks 6 years ago calling folks like me who opposed the Bush-McCain-Kennedy amnesty (again Sarah's endorsement..but nevermind right?) bigots and racist evene though we warned the ramifications of how latinos vote as a rule. We were even called anti Catholic for opposing them..since these freepers were sure these Catholic illegals would naturally be conservative....and I after a dustup over Tony Snow's pro amnesty pontifications was zotted..along with a few others...for a long zot...a year,
Now some of these same folks have the nerve to say FU to Newt and clamour over the illegals question and call for zots again but this time from the complete opposite position?
It's defies logic...nothing personal.
It is very difficult to follow truth and consistency here over the years especially at election time.
New freepers and older ones with bad memories need only review the 2000 election here for a lesson in fickleness and the circuitous nature of preferred candidates here.
This forum was wrong on Sarah...she did not run and did misstep some...she was never perfect and don't forget the same folks now waging war on Newt here waged it on pro deportation Bachmann when she was seen as a threat to Sarah...lol
And now they have gone to Cain...mostly...no all...but the forum was wrong on Cain...he is simply a soft candidate...and was to me always an identity pick...from jump street
and now the forum will be wrong about Newt...I for one think he can articulate the complicated ideas about how to resolve this issue and ideas that will win politically regardless of what we here might hope for regardless of the political impossibility
Sarah Palin on illegals;
Sarah Palin: There is no way that in the US we would roundup every illegal immigrant - there are about 12 million of the illegal immigrants - not only economically is that just an impossibility but that's not a humane way anyway to deal with the issue that we face with illegal immigration.
Why was she not lambasted here? ..lol...because it's not about truth and consistency or immigration either here...it's about promoting the candidate the pack prefers...truths be damned basically
I can go on...reams of soundbites from all but Michelle aping exactly what Newt said except some like Perry and Mitt offer even more goodies for illegals
Forum simply hates Mitt and loves Cain. Fine but Cain ain't coming back..Perry neither.
Florida, my home state, currently has like legislation ready to pass. The illegals here don't assimilate into the population. Most of them don't speak or understand English. They live in enclaves and send their kids to school expecting the schools to teach them English. They manage to manufacturer their own Social Security Numbers, fake their driver's license and never file a tax return (they simply don't know how). Most want to work for cash. If you go to our local Social Security Office you see entire families-from Grandma down to the 3 month old baby and 5-6 kids in between waiting to fill out forms to collect what ever benefits they can from the Government.
Illegal Immigration is costing the Taxpayer an enormous amount of money and adding to our National Debt. Allowing them to become legal, in what ever fashion Mr. Gingrich has in mind, will just add more benefits to their package of goodies and cost the American Tax Payer even more to allow them to live in our Country!
Newt - we don't need no stinkin Amnesty.
In what way is Perry anti-American?
Is it because he’s fought against abortion and closed Planned Parenthood clinics around Texas?
Is it because he’s created a business-friendly environment that’s made Texas economy do well in spite of Obama?
Is it because he got tort reform passed in Texas to protect doctors from greedy lawyers and outrageous lawsuits? This has attracted doctors to Texas.
Is it because he’s used state funds and Texas rangers to try and protect the border with no help from Obama?
Is it because of the fact that despite dealing with bunches of illegals who’ve come into Texas for the past 30 years, he’s managed to run a successful state economy for 11 years?
Is it because he served his country in the military?
Is it because he believes in a strong national defense?
Exactly why would you call Perry anti-American?
..hence between Mitt and Newt, it’s a no brainer for Gingrich
and the forum will come along kicking and screaming rather than sit it out and let Mitt get the nomination
and they sure won’t sit out Newt versus Obama
if I am wrong then by all means..folks can let me have it then
Trust me, when you treat Mexicans inside the United States better than you treat other Americans you are ANTI AMERICAN.
Good post and Newt is still my second favorite.
Wonder why you don’t like Perry?
Cain was never qualified, he was just the I Heart Cain pick.
Could you possibly go to the idiot corner.
The new laws states have tried to pass have all been shot down by the federal government. Haven’t you heard that?
“Liberalism is destroying this country and conservatism is the only cure.”
I’ll bet you your favorite chocolate doughnut that you never sat on a local village council and begged so-called conservatives to show up for a meeting to prevent a massive land-grab by the commies on the council.
Conservatives are fat and lazy and can’t be relied upon for shit. I think the word you’re looking for is patriot, not conservative, as in patriotism is the only cure.
It can be done in 6 months.
Sarah, fat and satisfied in her Alaska fastness imagines illegals can't really be that much of a problem to people who have summertime heat, growing plants, and so forth.
She just doesn't know and it will be centuries before Alaska gets overrun by any people other than those fashioned by nature to accommodate the climate.
If Sarah bothered reading my analysis of what was wrong with her vacuous thoughts on the matter she probably realized becoming President was a lot harder job than she had ever imagined.
Frankly, our best bet here is to get Newt back on the reservation ~ he needs set straight on this stuff. He's just huffing CR*P that was popular 12 years ago in certain Republican circles. It was never part of the belief system of the broad masses ~ not even the parish level Catholics on FR who know that all too many of those Mexicans turn into Holy Rollers the second they get one toe over the line (some estimates are 60%!). Whatever the hierarchy thinks, the latinos turn into 'muricans faster'n airy nekkid witch on halloween.
It's time to send them back to their own countries to FIX STUFF.
A guy who can't bend to get right with the Republican base has no business running for President on the Republican ticket.
“Sarah Palin was the choice here before she opted out and her position on illegals was the same as Newt’s ...and the pack here never uttered a peep in protest”
Thanks for the long, but informative and well spoken analysis.
You point out that Newt’s comments on immigration mirror Sarah’s. Kind of takes the wind out of the criticism.
Newt is presenting a reasonable position as we might hope a responsible President might. He is sounding more and more like a president.
I keep thinking about how Newt ended unlimited welfare. He was attacked for being cruel, but in the end his practical, conservative policies worked out as a win win for everyone.
While we might admire and like Cain, he doesn’t have legislative experience needed to get his ideas passed into law. It is risky to promote someone to the highest office who has never been elected or held reigns of government power before.
That is one of the most astute posts I’ve ever read.
Thank you so much, and bump dat!
The bigger issue for Gingrich is that he has set the 25 year limit as the baseline. I imagine that conversation will go something like this:
(G-man): “How many years have you been in America?”
(Illegal): “No hablo Ingles.”
(G-man): “Quantos anos estan en los EEUU?”
(Illegal): “Ah! Veinticinco!”
(G-man): “After 25 years, why don’t you speak English?”
(Illegal): “No comprende.”
There’s no way for them to prove how long they have really been here or haven’t been here. They fly below the radar and Gingrinch is smokin’ something if he thinks otherwise.
BTW - Good luck on the job hunt. I’m also lookin’!
Good post.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.