Posted on 03/27/2014 5:16:52 AM PDT by sickoflibs
"It’s not a question of 'if' we fix our broken immigration laws," Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan said on Wednesday, but "a question of 'when.'" And the answer to "when" is: No time terribly soon, if his other troubles are a guide.
Ryan made the comments at a breakfast hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Politico reports. "[W]e understand the value of immigration," he then told the assembled audience. Republicans "have ideas on how to make this go forward and make it work so that we do have the rule of law so that we do have reform, so that we’re not in the same position 15 years down the road."
What those ideas are have been a closely-held secret for some time. Earlier this year, House Republicans gathered to agree on a set of principles that would guide their immigration push. It seemed like the party was ready to introduce actual policy proposals (although not those passed by the Senate in 2013). Then the far-right caucus started pulling the emergency brake. First, any reforms were pushed until after primaries; then they appeared to be tabled completely. What Ryan offered, then, was exactly what had been delivered for well over 15 years: somedays.
Of course, Ryan's had a bad week. After he made comments that conflated the inner city with "generations of men not even thinking about working or learning the value and the culture of work," Ryan quickly had to step away from allegations that his comments were racially motivated. Among those leveling the charge were California Rep. Barbara Lee, who represents Oakland. "My colleague Congressman Ryan's comments about 'inner city' poverty are a thinly veiled racial attack and cannot be tolerated," she said in an email earlier this month. Last night, Ryan appeared on Fox News to explain to Bill O'Reilly that Lee was wrong. "She knows that I don’t have a racist bone in my body," Ryan said. Not a great lead-in to his immigration comments, to be sure.
Not exactly helping the case was one-time Republican guru Karl Rove. Shortly after Ryan's remarks, Rove tweeted a link to a story from the libertarian site Reason.com arguing that "Hispanics Don't Hate Republicans." The argument was that a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute put a negative spin on what was actually good news.
"[L]ess than half of Hispanic respondents had a negative reaction to the Republican Party," Emily Ekins wrote at the site. "Even one of the responses PRRI coded as negative — that Republicans are 'rich' — isn’t necessarily a bad thing since Hispanics lead the way in faith in the American Dream and the bootstrapping work ethic it entails." Hispanic voters immediately thinking "rich" when someone says "Republican" is good news, according to Ekins. Lower in the piece, she listed the reactions Hispanic voters offered. 15 percent said "Rich/Corporate," which is a liiiiittle different than "rich." (Ekins added a parenthetical to that entry: "(is this necessarily bad?)")
Number two on the list? "Anti-immigrant/Racist/Intolerant." The Republicans have ideas on that, I hear.
He and Rubio are being idealistic ‘young guns’. On other issues I can often agree with Ryan and Rubio. So I hear, Rubio has done an about face but I haven’t really read into it.
The Dems carpet bomb the GOP on immigration. In response the GOP does barely anything. Only recently did they gingerly attack the kenyan for his lawlessness. So naturally the Dems “win” the messaging. The surrender party never engages. I find the entire kabuki bizarre.
FU PR.
Would someone tell me what it is that’s BROKE about the immigration “system”?
The Democrats say it is broke so Republicans take that ball and run with it......as usual.
This guy is a joke. He has real citizens who’s interests he should be looking out for.
But he balances the budget in 10 years while cutting taxes and increased military spending. He is the budget wizard.
Paul Ryan Go Away, Go Far Away and soon. This fall you will be voted out in Wisconsin, and hopefully Wisconsinites will make sure you are not welcome in Janesville.
Paul Ryan, the Ryan Leaf of politics.
All hype, no substance.
Immigration "Reform" is just a euphemism for amnesty and an increased move towards an open-borders immigration policy. As far as I'm concerned, the laws that are on the books now are more or less fine as they are. They aren't in need in reform. What's in dire need of reform is lack of enforcement - including deportation.
To sane people: lack of enforcement of existing immigration laws.
To liberal Democrats (and all too many sellout Republicans): Too much enforcement of existing laws.
Rubio is with House Leadership not directly with Chuck Schumer. So Rubio will claim he is a tiny bit to the right of Schumer.
Rubio told Google he can’t really see a world where the illegals don’t eventually get citizenship.
Ryan’s the guy who sits on his hands as a third rate clown like Obama insults him in public, but then he will turn around and carry Obama’s water on immigration to deliver the democratic party 30 million new voters.
If only we could split the La Raza vote away from the Democrats—which is the natural order of banana republics, and let them be the Partia Tercera.
Be careful of what you wish for. If they form their own party, it will be the Aztlan Party, whose platform is the southwest US seceding and joining Mexico.
Paul Ryan gets the Treason Lobby award of the day!
“Would someone tell me what it is that’s BROKE about the immigration “system”?”
The GOP and Dem politicians who refuse to enforce it. From Dubya to Obama.
No matter how much he tries to suck up to the Hispanics, they will not vote for him. He should have learned this from McCain's pathetic example in 2008.
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.