Let’s be realistic here on a few points:
1. Newt has essentially the same position as all but Bachmann. Even Palin, if she were running, has said the same things, more or less.
2. As much as some Freepers drool over the idea of busloads of guys in sambreros handcuffed in a flatbed truck driving south on I-35, it’s just not going to happen.
3. Selective deportation, employer enforcement, and cutting off the goodies will work better than any attempts at “round ‘em up and ship ‘em out” ever could.
4. Outside the conservative movement, ideas like #2 and #3 won’t sell with the public at large.
The bigger problem is nobody has kept their promise to seal the borders and enforce immigration law. Not Reagan, not Bush 41, not Clinton, not Bush 43, not Obama. Not Rick Perry. Arizona and Gov Brewer have come close, and I think more laws like that are needed. These and similar other state laws support deportation at large either, just the ability to ask the question if someone is “caught”.
Wanna get a feel for Newt’s position, or any of the others? Get specifics on how they feel about the AZ law.
In reality, this will hurt Newt just enough to help someone who is slicker, and prettier, but worse overall on the issues than he is. Mitt Romney. Unless Cain can hold on.
You imply Freepers are racist for wanting to have enforced immigration laws just like Mexico and every other country south of the border. Does it matter for conservatives that the vast majority of recent immigrants, at every income level, vote Democratic?
Bingo. My heart sank when I heard Newt's answer. I don't agree with him, but realistically his position makes sense. The reason my heart sank was because I knew that he had just failed the idiotic conservative purity test that keeps giving us moderates instead of conservatives for the GOP nomination.