Thomas Sowell On Gingrich And Immigration

IBD Editorial ^ | November 28, 2011 | The great THOMAS SOWELL

[Kaslin]

Now that Newt Gingrich has become the latest in a series of Republican front-runners, he is getting the kinds of scrutiny and attacks that have done in other front-runners.

One of the issues that have aroused concern among conservative Republicans is that of amnesty for illegal immigrants, especially after Gingrich said that it would not be "humane" to deport someone who has been living and working here for years.

Let's go back to square one. The purpose of American immigration laws and policies is not to be either humane or inhumane to illegal immigrants. The purpose of immigration laws and policies is to serve the national interest of this country.

There is no inherent right to come live in the United States, in disregard of whether the American people want you here. Nor does the passage of time confer any such right retroactively.

The usually sober and thoughtful Wall Street Journal, on issues other than immigration, outdoes Newt Gingrich's claim that it would not be "humane" to deport illegal immigrants who have been living here a long time. A Wall Street Journal editorial says that it would be "psychotic" to do so.

"No one honestly believes the government should or will mount a nationwide manhunt to deport millions of people," according to the Wall Street Journal.

What we have today is virtually the opposite of that. Cities that openly proclaim themselves "sanctuaries" for illegal immigrants put their own policemen under strict orders not to report illegal immigrants to the federal authorities, with the result that illegal immigrants who have committed crime after crime are free to stay here and commit more crimes, including murder.

[Scotsman will be Free]

I wasn’t looking to “be tickled”. I was just reading his column and enjoying it as I usually do when I got to that paragraph.
As to your last point, I believe that an employer knowingly hiring an illegal alien is doing more harm to our country than the illegal looking for work.

[bwc2221]

Newt's policy has more holes than a sieve. If the 1986 immigration, which was far less complicated, what's to lead one to believe Newt's can (especially since the pro-illegal forces are far better organized than they were in the late 1980s).

Newt's plan is a Trojan horse. It is unworkable and will result in de-facto amnesty and Newt realizes that. Keep in mind that he is a long-time supporter of illegal aliens.

[presidio9]

Newt signed a letter along with other pro-illegal proponents including Grover Norquist and Linda Chavez in 2004 advocating less stringent enforcement and more worker visas.

Do you mean when he endorsed the Bush immigration propsal that was defeated. Oh, I hope he manages to live that down!

According to Roy Beck of Numbers USA, as Speaker, Newt actively worked to undermine the enforcement of illegal immigration laws:

So, a guy from an anti-immigrant group wrote a article opposing Gingrich? Your point is?

[John Valentine]

But EVERY other paragraph does, and the paragraph you mention does not in fact support your conclusion, either.

[Lancey Howard]

Kinda sounds like Dr. Sowell is in Newt’s corner.

???

It doesn't read like that to me at all.

[Lancey Howard]

As usual, Tom Sowell hits it out of the park.
Thanks for posting this.

[bwc2221]

I agree. The solution is simple. Secure the border and deny all aid to non-citizens except life-saving medical care and the problem will take care of itself.

Unfortunately, politicians are much more influenced by the media, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic advocacy groups than the voters.

[presidio9]

I did read it. You should do the same. Also, look to 1986 to see the results of the last time we cut illegals some slack. Worked out real swell, didn’t it?

Step 1: We all admit that we have a problem. (check)

What is your solution, and who is advocating it?

[LibLieSlayer]

Why can't this man run????? This is the mind of a man certain in his ideology and clear of vision.

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

I read just the opposite in it... weird. I will reread it.

LLS

[okie01]

second from the last paragraph on page 2.

You're attaching more significance to the paragraph than I.

I read it as a.) Newt made a mistake in addressing immigration as he did, b.) it's one more piece of baggage he'll have to overcome. Then, c.) nobody's perfect.

I believe Sowell would support Gingrich if he wins the nomination. But I didn't view the article as an endorsement at all.

[jazusamo]

So that's what you've been up to! :o)

LOL!

I swear I don't know how you came up with pic of me but that little lady there could really jitterbug!

[oldbrowser]

Newt and others are getting way ahead of themselves. Before we decide how to deal with the illegals in this country we have to control our borders. That is the number one subject to be discussed. By trying to jump to the end game you avoid the necessary steps to get there.

[LibLieSlayer]

I agree... even after reading it a second time.

LLS

[9YearLurker]

I didn’t mean to suggest you were tickled, I thought the suggestion had been that Newt supporters were or would have been.

And again I’d hold them both accountable: the reason that hiring illegals causes damage is because it contributes to their being here. And their being here is even more fundamental to their being here, if you will.

[WhoisAlanGreenspan?]

Cutting off all funding to sanctuary cities would do a world of good also.

[LibLieSlayer]

I did ... and Rush played his words on the subject today... and it is amnesty... along with a new Federal Bureaucracy to handle illegals... newt said:

“create a system like the selective service system... to register and keep track of these people”.

Government is always the solution... huh newt?

"But I am for a path to legality for those people whose ties run so deeply in America that it would truly be a tragedy to try and rip their family apart."

SOWELL destroyed this argument

"I do not believe that the people of the United States are going to take people who have been here a quarter century, who have children and grandchildren, who are members of the community, who may have done something 25 years ago, separate them from their families, and expel them,"

Want to bet newt?! PANDERING for ILLEGAL VOTES is business as usual for a "politician" like you newt

"I would have very, very stiff economic penalties for anyone who hires somebody who is not legally inside the system," Gingrich said. "I would be very tough."

Under your plan newt... ONLY al qaeda agents and iranian special forces will be "outside of the system"

Big government believing, illegal alien loving, globull warming promoting pos... THAT is newt gingrich.

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

Oh... just so we are on the same page... page 38 of Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary:

AMENSTY... from the Greek word amnestia

forgetfulness... the act of an authority (as a government) by which PARDON is granted to a large group of individuals.

PARDON... the excusing of an offense without exacting a penalty. to absolve from the consequences of a fault or a crime. to relieve of a penalty improperly assessed.

Citizenship is mentioned nowhere.

LLS

[rockinqsranch]

Thanks for the ping jaz.

[Windflier]

Newt did not propose amnesty!

Yeah he did. He proposes to allow foreigners who broke our immigration laws to be given a non-citizen legal status that allows them to remain in the country.

If you don't understand that that's amnesty, then you need to look up the word.