Has the Tea Party Set a Trap for Rick Perry in South Carolina? (Amnesty)

The New Republic ^ | September 1, 2011 | Ed Kilgore

[2ndDivisionVet]

At first glance, Labor Day weekend looks like it could be a lot of fun for Rick Perry and his fans. The odds of a Sarah Palin candidacy continue to shrink to irrelevance as she wrestles with incompetent local Tea Party organizers in Iowa over a long-planned appearance just outside Des Moines. Mitt Romney’s temporary triumph in securing top billing at a Tea Party Express event in New Hampshire, meanwhile, is being spoiled by protests from Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks organization. And Mitt is also looking a bit humiliated by his last-minute decision to change plans and appear at a candidate inquisition in South Carolina organized by Jim DeMint. But Team Perry would be well advised to stay very alert this weekend. The same South Carolina event that is being widely billed as a spectacle of Mitt Romney bending his knee to kiss the ring of Jim DeMint could produce a nasty ambush for Perry on the subject of his immigration record.

It’s well known that Perry’s record and positions on immigration represent the one glaring area where he’s significantly out of step with conservative orthodoxy. He has, after all, consistently supported a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for undocumented workers, both positions contemptuously dismissed as code for “amnesty” by many conservative activists. Worse yet, from their point of view, he signed and still defends a state version of the DREAM Act, which provides in-state tuition rates at state universities for illegal immigrants brought to this country as children. He opposes any modification of birthright citizenship. And he kept Texas off the bandwagon of states emulating Arizona’s SB 1070 law. Yes, he’s thundered a bit lately at the feds for their alleged failures in border enforcement. But by any measure, this is his Achilles heel when it comes to conservative ideological litmus tests, even if it is also a potential ace-in-the-hole in a general election, where the ability to avoid a calamitous loss among Hispanic voters could be the key to a GOP victory. Indeed, anti-immigrant demagogue Tom Tancredo published an op-ed on the eve of Perry’s announcement of his candidacy denouncing the governor’s record in terms normally reserved for Barack Obama.

So it’s well worth noting that the co-inquisitor who will be sitting next to Jim DeMint (along with right-wing Princeton professor Robert George) at the Palmetto Freedom Forum event on Labor Day will be none other than Tancredo’s successor as Congress’ preeminent anti-immigration agitator, Representative Steve King of Iowa. King, whose views on the subject are so extreme that he was denied the chairmanship of a House subcommittee on immigration despite being its senior member, can hardly be expected to pass up an opportunity to bash Perry’s record in the forum’s one-on-one questioning format. And he may have an additional motive to highlight Perry’s heresies: His closest friend in Congress, now that Tancredo is gone, is Michele Bachmann. In fact, King has not made an endorsement in the presidential race up until now because he wanted to be able to participate in this weekend’s event.

If Rick Perry does walk into a beatdown by King in Columbia, and doesn’t handle it well, the political consequences could be pretty serious. South Carolina is not a state where Republicans are particularly enamored of undocumented workers or sensitive about the Hispanic vote. If the extremely powerful Jim DeMint is looking for an excuse to support someone else or simply withhold his imprimatur, watching Perry squirm while his buddy King taunts him with a hot poker could provide an excellent excuse. And even more obviously, King is a major powerbroker back home in Iowa, and is likely capable of stopping Perry’s recent momentum in the state.

In other words, it’s not so clear Rick Perry is going to have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend. It could turn out to involve a barbecue where the Texan is himself on the grill.

[South40]

Pisses me off that Perry’s detractors want to constantly brand him as being in favor of amnesty for illegal aliens. He has not said or done anything in support of making them legal US citizens.

You might want to get informed before you make such statements, octex. algernonpj has already proven you wrong as does this.

Ricardo hopes to bestow citizenship upon his friends, the ILLEGAL invaders from the south, and is willing to do so in any way he can.

btw...it is ILLEGAL for anyone who is in this country ILLEGALLY to serve in the US military.

Enlistment into the U.S. Navy, or any branch of the U.S. military, by citizens of countries other than the United States is limited to those foreign nationals who are legally residing in the United States and possess an Immigration and Naturalization Service Alien Registration Card (INS Form I-151/551 — commonly known as a "Green Card"). Applicants must be between 17 and 35; meet the mental, moral, and physical standards for enlistment; and must speak, read and write English fluently.

Note: The U.S. military branches cannot assist foreign nationals in obtaining admittance into the United States. Questions concerning immigration to the United States should be asked of the U.S. Embassy. Only after immigration procedures are completed and an applicant is legally residing in the United States may an application for enlistment be accepted.

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/navy_legacy_hr.asp?id=167

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

Well pisses me off that neither you nor Perry acknowledge that such a program already exists - H-2 visa for temporary and seasonal workers - number unlimited! Of course there are some nasty encumbrances - minimum wage and working conditions, full taxes, the the horror of filling out an application/sarc

I remember you being on the right side during the GWB amnesty push (against it, that is). I agree that we have enough guest worker programs, probably too many.

For the H-2, I think that an employer has to do do something to request workers. Maybe they can't find enough employers/jobs. Which tells me that those pushing these new guest worker programs don't care if there are not enough jobs.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

IMO we already have plenty of guest worker programs.

[sarah fan UK]

LOL!

[sickoflibs]

RE :"IMO we already have plenty of guest worker programs."

And welfare programs for those that 'wont take jobs that illegals do'

[South40]

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (CIRA, S. 2611) was a United States Senate bill introduced in the 109th Congress (2005–2006) by Sen. Arlen Specter [PA] on April 7, 2006. Co-sponsors, who signed on the same day, were Sen. Hagel [NE], Sen. Martinez [FL], Sen. McCain [AZ], Sen. Kennedy [MA], Sen. Graham [SC], and Sen. Brownback [KS].

It deals with immigration reform. It proposed to increase some security along the southern United States border with Mexico, allow long-time illegal immigrants to gain legal status, and to increase the number of guest workers over and above those already present in the U.S. through a new "blue card" visa program.

Comprehensive immigration reform is code for amnesty. It is now and it most certainly was back in 2006. Americans knew it was amnesty and opposed it in great numbers. I find it impossible to believe that RINO Mitt Perry didn't know what he was asking for in his letter that was signed by 2 liberal democRATs and his fellow RINO, Arnold SchwarzenKennedy.

[FreeReign]

According to this link, the letter wanted them to do something, but not specifically amnesty. All I can find are comments about the letter.

The letter was available several months back on the net. I can no longer find it. I believe it's been scrubbed, just like Perry's cheerleading pictures back at A & M have been scrubbed from the net.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

The letter was available several months back on the net. I can no longer find it. I believe it's been scrubbed, just like Perry's cheerleading pictures back at A & M have been scrubbed from the net.

Could be.

Maybe I should not be surprised at what fanatical followers of politicians will do to protect their idols. One of Palin's cheerleaders here on FR insists that she did not say she was for a guest work program, when she clearly did in both a video and its transcript.

[itsahoot]

Sadly there are many “I wish I could do something” Pubbies who claim all sorts of, “I will stand against this,” then quietly fold their tent.

How many filibuster threats have been carried out?

Truth is the house could bring the spending to a halt, but instead they offer fake savings, budget moves, that continue to spend beyond our means.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

I believe that there were two immigration bill in 2006, one in the senate and one in the house. I think the senate version was amnesty, but I can't find any amnesty in the house version (LINK:H.R._4437). Of course, the house bill would have to come closer to Specter/Kennedy to get through the senate.

In Decenber 2006 (after the senate bill was dead) Perry said LINK: With a more secure border and a reasonable guest worker program we can allow guest workers to help build our economy without offering citizenship.

Perhaps Perry thought about amnesty and changed his mind. Judge for yourself. Perry does not make me comfortable on this issue. In any case, I have grave doubts that a huge guest worker program could come into being without leading to a "path to citizenship." Whether Perry wants that outcome may not matter if he opens the giant guest worker gate. The same goes for Palin and Romney.

I think the only thing that stopped the amnesty juggernaut in 2006-2007 from succeeding with a corrupt congress and misguided POTUS was the amnesty crowd's own greed (trying to include gang members etc).

[octex]

I already knew about the H-2 visa for temp workers. Like the former bracero program for seasonal workers, it has nothing to do with amnesty.

My earlier postings were addressing the false allegations that Perry supports amnesty for illegal aliens. He does not.

[llandres]

Absolutely - we need more TP people in House and Senate. That’s just as important as wresting the WH from BHO (well, almost). And we’ve GOT to regain control of the Senate. I was listening to a recent Allen West town hall, and he was right - he listed all the bills he and others in Congress introduced and got passed, yet all but two are now languishing in the Senate - indefinitely. He said that nothing important or good can get done as long as Harry Reid is Majority Leader.

[llandres]

“The independent, grass roots spontaneity is almost gone. Now we have events showcasing politicians.”

I see other polls and stats saying the TP is still growing. As to the last part, well, 2012 is a CRITICAL election so of course there are (and will be more) events featuring politicians/candidates. We have to win via elections, inside the system - don’t think the time has come to overthrow it yet :-)

[dforest]

I don’t think it is necessary to support candidates as group.

The Tea Party was not visable during the debt ceiling debate.

We don’t need events featuring candidates. We need events reminding candidates of what we expect from politicians.

When you back candidates you risk them going off in other directions after getting elected. That is when your credibility gets ruined.

Easy to say they will get voted out. Harder to do it.

[South40]

The four governors, including RINO Mitt Perry, sent their letter to both House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. From what we know of RINO Mitt Perry and his pro-ILLEGAL alien past, he no doubt supported the Senate version that included amnesty. And given that the governors of six Mexican states joined the US governors in signing a joint declaration to congress, I doubt very much the governors as a group supported the House version which included language to deport 10-11 million ILLEGAL aliens who were already in the US.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

I might be wrong, but it is just possible that McCain was counting on those 4 governors to “verify” the border was secure in his new, improved 2008 “comprehensive immigration” plan, so that amnesty could proceed.

[South40]

I’m sure McCain was looking for any support he could get, be it from Janet Napalitano or Señor Ricardo Perrista. I’m convinced that should Perrista actually become presidente, McCain will finally get his long sought after amnesty.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”I believe that there were two immigration bill in 2006, one in the senate and one in the house. I think the senate version was amnesty, but I can't find any amnesty in the house version (LINK:H.R._4437). Of course, the house bill would have to come closer to Specter/Kennedy to get through the senate.”

I was trying to follow this illigration bill at the time. The House bill had the exact opposite problem than the Senate Amnesty bill did. It made it a Felony to be here illegally. Why was that a problem? There was a huge political backlash over it as Democrats played it up to Hispanics (Bush didnt support that House bill naturally) so House Republicans put up a 'cave' amendment to remove that part of the bill, and then House Democrats joined some Republicans in voting the amendment down (for obvious political reasons) leaving the Felony provision in.

Then they went into elections with the same Democrats demonizing Republicans for that House provision. Yet there was no bill sent to GWB to sign because the House and Senate were so far apart that they could not be merged, in fact I dont even remember if the house ever passed their bill.

Moral?? As I always say: “Don't bite off more than you can chew”

[calcowgirl]

illigration bill

LOL. Good one!

[sickoflibs]

Welcome back, I worry when I dont hear from you in a while :)

This place is not boring now.