DeMint vs. Rubio (Former allies now adversaries on immigration reform)

National Review ^ | 04/18/2013 | Robert Costa

[SeekAndFind]

Nearly four years ago, in June 2009, then senator Jim DeMint endorsed Marco Rubio, an unknown, 38-year-old attorney, in Florida’s Republican Senate primary. It was huge news. Then GOP governor Charlie Crist was expected to waltz to the nomination, since he had the backing of most of the Republican establishment. DeMint’s endorsement led to a flurry of conservative interest in Rubio, who eventually landed on the cover of National Review and, of course, in the Senate. These days, however, that relationship is fraying, at least politically.

DeMint is now president of the Heritage Foundation and he’s battling Rubio’s push for comprehensive immigration reform. And the fight is only beginning. In a new post on the Heritage website, DeMint rails against the Gang of Eight’s bill, saying it has a “significant cost” for taxpayers. “This new bill is much the same as the last [such bill in 2007]: immediate amnesty in the form of provisional status within months and lofty promises of ’strategies’ and ‘plans’ for enforcement years later,” he writes.

Though DeMint’s opposition alone is probably not enough to take down the bill, how Rubio navigates the growing chorus of critics will say much about its chances. Rubio, for his part, clearly takes the opposition seriously. He’s spending many hours this week huddling with conservative leaders, and later today, he’ll once again appear on a slew of conservative talk-radio programs. On Wednesday, he appeared on Mark Levin’s show, where he carefully explained the bill.

Will Rubio’s wooing be enough to win some more conservative supporters? We’ll see. But it’s fascinating to see how DeMint, once Rubio’s greatest ally, is now an important adversary during a critical moment in Rubio’s career.

[lodi90]

Note that Rubio went on Levin & Rush before all the details in the 800 page bill had been digested.

[lodi90]

I doubt Rubio was compromised by the left. He probably hates them as much as we do.

---

Rubio & McConnell know exactly what they are doing and they are betting we will still vote a for them as the lesser of two evils. Meanwhile, they can support amnesty and collection K Street payola.

The Dems just want to get this crap sandwich passed out of the Senate ASAP. Either way they win then because they want this issue pinned on the House. Here is the beltway GOP fail. Either way they won’t “win” the issue. Either they sign off on amnesty and enrage GOP voters or they get beat up by the Dems as racists. It’s a battle they can’t win.

[wardaddy]

I listened to both interviews and we all knew it had path to citizenship

Not a shining moment for either

And both crow about what a true conservative he is

I guess we can see how they react to the total bill now

[SoConPubbie]

No, that is just the normal Amnesty-Lover rhetoric given by those too dishonest to tell the truth.

Rand Paul's plan is to "Normalize" 2 million illegals each and every year if the congress "Certifies" that the border is secure.

Now, if Rand was being honest, like an honest-to-God conservative is usually, then he'd tell us right out that ALL of the Democrats and ALL of the RINOS already believe the border is secure so what we have is another attempt to sell Amnesty by attaching conditions that, as far as those who are going to certify this travesty, have already been met.

BTW, do the math, add up the Democrats and the RINOS and you see immediately the farce that his plan really is, the majority of Congress already believes the border is secure.

Bingo!

You have Amnesty!

Furthermore, to get a real feel for where Rand Paul's head is with respect to this whole Amnesty/Illegal Alien issue is concerned, all you have to do is listen to his own words where he states EMPHATICALLY, that he wants nothing to do with strengthening or using e-Verify.

[SoConPubbie]

Not at all. Paul’s position is seal the border, then we can talk. Rubio is let’s do amnesty and, trust us, we will also seal the boarder.

No, that is just the normal Amnesty-Lover rhetoric given by those too dishonest to tell the truth.

Rand Paul's plan is to "Normalize" 2 million illegals each and every year if the congress "Certifies" that the border is secure.

Now, if Rand was being honest, like an honest-to-God conservative is usually, then he'd tell us right out that ALL of the Democrats and ALL of the RINOS already believe the border is secure so what we have is another attempt to sell Amnesty by attaching conditions that, as far as those who are going to certify this travesty, have already been met.

BTW, do the math, add up the Democrats and the RINOS and you see immediately the farce that his plan really is, the majority of Congress already believes the border is secure.

Bingo!

You have Amnesty!

Furthermore, to get a real feel for where Rand Paul's head is with respect to this whole Amnesty/Illegal Alien issue is concerned, all you have to do is listen to his own words where he states EMPHATICALLY, that he wants nothing to do with strengthening or using e-Verify.

[SoConPubbie]

I don’t think Rand’s is this bad. This bill is terrible, and it is clear Rubio has been successfully compromised by the Democrat leadership. They got him to sign off on total garbage, thus ending his threat on a national level.

Rand's is just as bad.

He "Normalizes" the undocumented Democrats after the congress "certifies" that the border is secure at the rate of 2 million a year.

Mind you, this is the congress that is roughly comprised of 50% Democrats who would certify the border secure even if the INS trotted out a Terrorist a day caught crossing the border and another 25% of congress that can only be called traitorous Republicans on this issue that would certify the border as secure right now as well

So Rand puts up a plan that will simply give Amnesty to millions of undocumented Democrats and through this process, he will destroy my nation and put the final nails in my party, the GOP.

Rand isn't a conservative, he's a libertarian, as his position on this issue clearly shows.

[PGalt]

BUMP!

[rodguy911]

I sure as hell hope not.

[Gene Eric]

>> I always felt he was a sneaky one

Not necessarily devious, just not anchored.

[rodguy911]

I don't trust any politician.

My theory/hope is to force them to do the right thing whenever possible.Other than that what else can we do. We are literally forced to pick a side or redo 2012 over and over.That doesn't mean we cant light a fire under their ass and keep it warm.

The RNC is already learning the facts of life. We now donate to individual candidates. There are ways we can be heard. We just have to be vigilant. Will we win them all, obviously not.

[rodguy911]

For me the big disappointment with Rubio is that he settled for giving the left/regime five years to get border security straightened out. This is unacceptable.

We are dealing with a regime that picks and chooses the laws they will obey to begin with and anytime they don't get their way like on the recent gun legislation that failed they simply put a bunch of EO's in front of zero and ask ValJar to sing them.

[itsahoot]

Not at all. Paul’s position is seal the border, then we can talk.

B$, wishful thinking on your part.