Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Video: Ben Carson knocks calls for mass deportation, proposes making illegals guest workers
Hot Air ^ | September 9, 2015 | Allahpundit

Posted on 09/09/2015 10:18:53 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Via Breitbart, it’s almost beside the point whether what he’s saying here about the expense and logistical difficulties of deporting 11 million people is correct. For what it’s worth, it is correct. No less an authority than Mark Krikorian, executive director of the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies, said this to WaPo last month:

Amnesty isn’t on Trump’s agenda, though. His plan is deportation, which Krikorian dismissed as unrealistic.

“It’s a gimmick,” Krikorian said. “He’s just making it up as he goes along. What ever goes into his mind comes out of his mouth. There’s no way to deport 11 or 12 million people in a short period of time.”

Even Mitt Romney, whose immigration policy was the most famously conservative plank in his campaign, didn’t bother fantasizing about mass deportation. His plan was to encourage self-deportation by imposing penalties on employers stiff enough that they wouldn’t hire illegals in the first place. As the work dried up, people who’d crossed the border from Mexico would cross right back. Carson’s calling for something similar in the clip below to stop the influx of new illegals, saying, “You have to turn off the spigot that dispenses goodies, including employment. If there is nothing to come for, then people won’t come.” The difference between him and Romney is that he’s prepared to let illegals who are already here in the U.S. stay put in a guest-worker program — although, as it turns out, the GOP platform that was approved at the convention where Romney was formally nominated also called for a guest-worker program. Ted Cruz also wants a more robust guest-worker program, at least for skilled immigrants. And Trump himself — who knows? Catch him on the right day and he’ll tell you that once illegals have been made to leave the U.S., he’d support an “expedited” process that would let them come right back in again as legal workers. Quote: “We got to move ‘em out, we’re going to move ‘em back in if they’re really good people.” Is that materially better than Carson’s plan? Why spend a boatload of money to remove illegals en masse if most of them are going to come back in?

But the policy details are beside the point. The risk here for Carson is that he’s suggesting there are practical limitations on what a conservative president could achieve, and the key to Trump’s appeal is that he makes people believe there are no such limitations if you elect the right person. Find a guy who’s rich and unbeholden to special interests, who’s a master negotiator, who’s ordained by God to be a consummate winner or whatever and there’s no limit to what he can achieve in office. He’s the ultimate “Green Lantern” candidate, which is why so many of his critics see him as a would-be strongman a la Putin. Deport 11 million people? Not easy for an average leader, but for a superhero it’s doable. That’s how he’ll counter Carson on this, I assume — Carson’s willingness to rule out mass deportation preemptively proves he’s weak-willed, which guarantees a failed presidency if he’s elected. Carson’s counter to that is summed up in this quote given to The Hill:

“I won’t change,” he said. “I’ve heard people say, ‘You have to have more fire.’ They want me to stomp and bang my fists, but that’s not who I am. I’m a calm and rational person. You have to be that way as a neurosurgeon.”

That’s a weird pitch in a year when populist rage is swamping the GOP, but Carson seems to think most voters prefer the idea of a steady hand on the wheel as president to a loose cannon prone to making promises he almost certainly can’t keep. Emphasizing the practical difficulties of mass deportation enhances that image: Ben Carson’s not going to BS you, not as a candidate and not as president. You can trust him. Will that play better in Iowa than Trump’s “I can move mountains” blather? You tell me.

Here he is yesterday talking immigration. He was on Megyn Kelly’s show last night too, where she asked him what his favorite Bible verses are, a question that’s been posed to Trump. Carson had no difficulty answering.


TOPICS: New York; Campaign News; Issues; Parties
KEYWORDS: 2016election; aliens; bencarson; carson; election2016; immigration; newyork; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-48 last
To: Menehune56

Exactly! As was mentioned above, one more off my list of potentials.

When asked whether Americans should have semi-automatic weapons, Carson responded: “It depends on where you live,” Carson said. “I think if you live in the midst of a lot of people, and I’m afraid that that semi-automatic weapon is going to fall into the hands of a crazy person, I would rather you not have it.” I’m making a bit of an assumption here, but I’m willing to bet that he has no idea what a semi-automatic weapon is and has no idea that a semi-automatic handgun is functionally no different than a double-action revolver.

On ethanol, “Therefore, I would probably be in favor of taking that $4 billion a year we spend on oil subsidies and using that in new fueling stations for 30 percent ethanol blends.” This after he stated that he generally opposes subsidies. Well, do he or don’t he? And spending $4 billion (in subsidies) for a fuel that’s about 40% as efficient as gasoline and destroys engines that aren’t specially adapted for it.

I’m beginning to think that, despite the fact that he’s a very nice man, he either doesn’t have a healthy dose of common sense or he’s just willfully ignorant on a lot of subjects.


41 posted on 09/09/2015 12:15:24 PM PDT by ManHunter (You can run, but you'll only die tired... Army snipers: Reach out and touch someone)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’t want a politically-correct President next time. That eliminates Carson.


42 posted on 09/09/2015 1:07:51 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: o2bfree

Wrong!

Trump said that he wanted to keep the “good ones” that have jobs.

That will amount to amnesty, and let him keep his illegals at his hotels.

That is why he doesn’t favor prosecuting the employers; he is one!

Stop making up what you want to be true; it makes you no better than the obamazombies.

Trump: the White Obama.
.


43 posted on 09/09/2015 1:13:45 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Yeah, or HHS to shut down Obamacare, then SG


44 posted on 09/09/2015 1:29:08 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (In a Time of Universal Deceit, Telling the Truth Is a Revolutionary Act)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
No good, Dr. Ben.
America has nearly 94,000,000 employment age citizens right now who can't find jobs.
All illegal alien invaders need to be deported ASAP and a wall constructed to discourage future invaders.
45 posted on 09/09/2015 2:06:01 PM PDT by Amagi (Lenin: "Socialized Medicine is the Keystone to the Arch of the Socialist State.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

look at carson’s poll numbers.

He has an IOWA only strategy.

His job is to keep Trump’s numbers low.

Kasich has NH in the number two slot.

this is all about clearing a path for jbush.


46 posted on 09/09/2015 4:08:34 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Made In The USA

In the future, as part of the New World Order, that will only take 15 years, not 150.


47 posted on 09/09/2015 8:45:49 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: editor-surveyor

Complete BS.

You left out the part where Trump also said they need to have a college education!

Of course you left that out, you’re selectively reporting what Trump said.


48 posted on 09/10/2015 1:27:01 PM PDT by o2bfree (It would save $Trillions if the GOP Establishment would just drop dead. :-)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-48 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson