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Who'd Take Ronald Reagan's Side on Immigration?
Townhall.com ^ | July 5, 2019 | Michael Reagan

Posted on 07/06/2019 8:27:24 AM PDT by Kaslin

Independence Day used to be a happy day when all Americans put aside their partisan differences and came together to celebrate the miraculous birth of the United States of America.

But like almost everything in the upside-down era of President Donald Trump, our great Fourth of July holiday has been spoiled by ugly politics.

Whether it's Nike deciding not to sell a running shoe with a Betsy Ross flag on its heel because a leftist ex-pro football player was offended, or President Trump being charged with militarizing the July 4th parade in Washington, Independence Day has become another thing to fight about for a few days on cable TV and in social media.

Immigration is still by far the country's most divisive issue now.

My father loved and understood immigrants, but with the way things have deteriorated in Washington, I don't know if he would have many allies on either side of the immigration battle today.

This Fourth of July weekend is a good time to listen again to the uplifting things he said about immigrants and America in 1989 during his last speech at the White House:

" ...I think it's fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country which I love. It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago.

"Yes," my father continued, "the torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that lady who gives us our great and special place in the world.

"For it's the great life force of each generation of new Americans that guarantees that America's triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond. Other countries may seek to compete with us; but in one vital area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world, no country on Earth comes close.

"This, I believe, is one of the most important sources of America's greatness. We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people -- our strength -- from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation.

"While other countries cling to the stale past, here in America we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we're a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier.

"This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost."

My father then told a story to remind his audience that "the magical, intoxicating power of America" was so strong it could make even a German POW imprisoned in the United States "fall in love with us."

"Those who become American citizens love this country even more," he said. "And that's why the Statue of Liberty lifts her lamp to welcome them to the golden door.

"It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over. They believe in the American dream. And over and over, they make it come true for themselves, for their children, and for others. They give more than they receive. They labor and succeed. And often they are entrepreneurs.

"But their greatest contribution is more than economic, because they understand in a special way how glorious it is to be an American. They renew our pride and gratitude in the United States of America, the greatest, freest nation in the world -- the last, best hope of man on Earth."

Happy Fourth.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: immigration; ronaldreagan
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1 posted on 07/06/2019 8:27:24 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Reagan was lied to by his advisors.
The Deep State was born in 1980 to keep the Uniparty in control.


2 posted on 07/06/2019 8:36:25 AM PDT by Zathras
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To: Kaslin

President Reagan grew up in a time when immigrants assimilated and helped to build America. That influenced his thought process and the way he governed. Thirty years removed from Magnus, immigration has morphed into a weapon to gain political power. A better question might be what Reagan think and what would his policies be in 2019.


3 posted on 07/06/2019 8:41:46 AM PDT by buckalfa (Earth First ! We Will Strip Mine The Other Planets Later !)
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To: Zathras

Legal immigration is a good thing WHEN the country is allowed to give those people a sense of the country and it’s values and to allow them to become part of the melting pot.

However, that is no longer the case. Schools teach Zinn history and learn to hate the US, they don’t learn English and too often they no longer come here for opportunity

Add in that the Kennedy changes in the 60’s biased Immigration to come overwhelmingly from countries that would import low skill workers, and we have a terrible situation.

Reset the clock on the schools and the immigration policies and I’m pretty sure everyone would love immigration


4 posted on 07/06/2019 8:42:31 AM PDT by phothus (http://buanadha.wordpress.com/)
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To: Kaslin

Anyone who remembers Reagan remembers his amnesty as the setting of grand betrayal. Nothing he gave away in return for amnesty was fulfilled, and the act opened the floodgates for the insane mess we have today.


5 posted on 07/06/2019 8:42:48 AM PDT by thoughtomator (The Clinton Coup attempt was a worse attack on the USA than was 9/11)
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To: Kaslin

Immigrants are not the same as illegal aliens. Nothing close.


6 posted on 07/06/2019 8:43:56 AM PDT by Tammy8
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To: Kaslin

Nice speech. Wonder who wrote it. Peggy Noonan, maybe?

It’s time to shut the door. Lock it. Close the deadbolt. Put bars on the windows. We can’t afford and have nowhere to put more people.


7 posted on 07/06/2019 8:45:07 AM PDT by be-baw
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To: Kaslin

Anyone know who that woman is next to Reagan? Her face rings a bell but I can’t think of her name.


8 posted on 07/06/2019 8:46:01 AM PDT by be-baw
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To: be-baw

“...It’s time to shut the door. Lock it. Close the deadbolt. Put bars on the windows. We can’t afford and have nowhere to put more people....”

Yes, I will also take Dwight Eisenhower’s policy on immigration.

*** STOP IT ***


9 posted on 07/06/2019 8:48:04 AM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: Kaslin

Jared Kushner is crafting an immigration plan that we’re going to be expected to swallow and then smile.


10 posted on 07/06/2019 8:49:50 AM PDT by dljordan
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To: Kaslin

RR got pantsed by the RATs on immigration....


11 posted on 07/06/2019 8:49:58 AM PDT by stylin19a (2016 - Best.Election.Of.All.Times.Ever.In.The.History.Of.Ever)
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To: Kaslin
Reagan was told that there were only be about 1 million illegals in the country. After the amnesty was passed, about 3 million came forward.

We are told today that there are 11 million illegals (that number has been constant for about 20 years). In reality, there are about 30 million, plus their anchor baby offspring.

I'd say that approxinately 10-12% of the population of the US is here illegally - mostly in BLUE states. That is why the Democrats are fighting so hard to keep the citizenship question off the census.

12 posted on 07/06/2019 8:50:09 AM PDT by Cowboy Bob ("Other People's Money" = The life blood of Liberalism)
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To: Kaslin

I loved Reagan but this current crisis was actually caused by the 1986 amnesty.


13 posted on 07/06/2019 8:51:15 AM PDT by tiki
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To: Kaslin

“It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over. They believe in the American dream”

Starting over with free sh*t for the rest of their lives from a declining and despised majority, you mean.


14 posted on 07/06/2019 8:52:50 AM PDT by Jim Noble (1)
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To: phothus

“Legal immigration is a good thing WHEN the country is allowed to give those people a sense of the country and it’s values and to allow them to become part of the melting pot.”

Allow them? What happens when they don’t want to be melted?


15 posted on 07/06/2019 8:53:55 AM PDT by Jim Noble (1)
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To: Zathras

Reagan made a deal that was supposed to solve the problems of illegal immigration. The deal was tough new immigration laws were passed and amnesty for those that had been here and were established here. It was meant to be a one time solution.

Reagan kept his end of the bargain on amnesty though that system was seriously gamed to include (through out right fraud) large numbers of illegals who did not meet the requirements.

When the time came to enforce the new tough immigration laws, especially the significant fines on businesses that employ illegals...the very Democrats that agreed with the deal started shrieking that the new laws were too tough and unfair. So enforcement that was a vital part of the amnesty solution failed. When it became obvious the news laws would not be strictly enforced, that became a magnet attracting far more illegals. It also showed the world that Americans (at least at that time) were not serious about stopping illegal immigration. Which led to far bolder actions on the part of illegals and their supporters.

Even now many people say we don’t need a wall...we just need tougher laws. That has proven to be a failure.


16 posted on 07/06/2019 8:55:29 AM PDT by Tammy8
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To: Kaslin

What is happening now is not immigration.


17 posted on 07/06/2019 8:56:30 AM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents_Know Islam, No Peace-No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: thoughtomator

Exactly!! The dims love to say we won’t deal on what they call “common sense” solutions on immigration. After they outright refused to live up to their end of the bargain with Reagan.

My common sense is anyone that has lied or not kept a bargain in the past can no longer be trusted.


18 posted on 07/06/2019 8:58:25 AM PDT by Tammy8
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To: Jim Noble

“Legal immigration is a good thing WHEN the country is allowed to give those people a sense of the country and it’s values and to allow them to become part of the melting pot.”

Allow them? What happens when they don’t want to be melted?

****

see my second part about changing the rules back to what they were prior to the 60’s. Make those changes and we can be selective and take people who WANT to be Citizens

“However, that is no longer the case. Schools teach Zinn history and learn to hate the US, they don’t learn English and too often they no longer come here for opportunity

Add in that the Kennedy changes in the 60’s biased Immigration to come overwhelmingly from countries that would import low skill workers, and we have a terrible situation.

Reset the clock on the schools and the immigration policies and I’m pretty sure everyone would love immigration


19 posted on 07/06/2019 8:58:30 AM PDT by phothus (http://buanadha.wordpress.com/)
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To: buckalfa

Immigration now and then are 2 totally separate ideas. And the numbers are overwhelming if you add together legal, refugees, and illegals. Not even close to the same thing.


20 posted on 07/06/2019 9:00:12 AM PDT by sheana
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