Replies

RE :”I agree that this would be very risky, for the reason you state. And it’s probably not necessary pre-election. RE However, I do think the way to make inroads on the Hispanic vote is to find a reasonable compromise on how to deal with the long-term illegals, especially those brought here while very young, and to combine that compromise with the passing of a law that strictly enforces our national borders.
Obama failed to do that, as did Bush and everyone before him for that matter, but demographics argue that the GOP has to eventually make inroads into the Hispanic vote, or risk obsolescence as a party. A principled approach to a compromise might be a decent start.”

Those brought here illegally when young pose a serious challenge I agree with you 100%. On one hand it is almost impossible to convince people that it is their fault that they are here. But on the other hand allowing them to legally get taxpayer benefits and voting is a recipe for disaster.

Amnesty to the extent that it brings some voters to the GOP will be very short lived because those coming here illegally even as children are setup to vote for government benefits and regulations over tax cuts, and Democrats will always outbid Republicans on handouts.

Look at GWB policies. Sure he raised the Hispanic vote by maybe 20% but longer term those policies were a disaster and those Hispanics went overwhelmingly Democrat in 2006 and 2008.

Specifically I mean the Bush affordable housing programs that got Hispanics with bad credit Home loans but in the end they lost those homes and turned areas of FL, NV, AZ, NM into economic toxic areas.

How about Republicans propose a Federal law that makes it a Felony to bring a minor into this country illegally? That way the adult ilegals become the bad guy, not us. That is what GWB should have been doing instead of destroying his party with amnesty votes and affordable housing loans.

Regarding those illegals who were brought here when very young, you agree that “it is almost impossible to convince people that it is their fault that they are here.” And there’s an excellent reason that it’s impossible; it simply wasn’t their fault.

Yet, at the end you propose a solution: “...a Federal law that makes it a Felony to bring a minor into this country illegally?”

While your solution might help with today’s border control, it doesn’t address the illegals who were brought here as children and have grown up here.

The GOP needs to do what Obama has tried, but failed, to do. Come up with a reasonable answer to this issue, but unlike Obama, we should put it into law and make it clear that we are doing so to protect that group from a subsequent change in policy by another President. Obama’s move just protects them temporarily, while getting their names on the federal books in the process.

Illegals signing up for his program should feel about it very much the same as we feel about a gun registry. It can come back to bite you in the butt someday.

If you’re sincere about your position that it’s impossible to assign them fault (politically impossible, not logically impossible) then the next step is to put a rational response together. The GOP needs to do that, and then contrast that response with Obama’s risky ad hoc solution.

My point remains. This move could backfire on Obama if the GOP handles it right.