Newt Gingrich Stands by 'Soft' Immigration Stance, Despite Party Backlash

Daily News ^ | November 25 2011 | staff

[BarnacleCenturion]

WASHINGTON — Newt Gingrich isn’t backing off his “humane” immigration stance despite complaints from Republican hardliners and fellow Presidential hopefuls — he’s embellishing it.

The former House speaker issued “10 Steps to a Legal Nation” this week, expanding on his remarks during Tuesday’s GOP debate

(snip)

Those guilty only of sneaking into the U.S. would have a path “to legality, but not citizenship” similar to the existing naturalization process, plus a penalty fee of at least $5,000.

[Sal]

Yep, it stank so much I changed my tag.

[P-Marlowe]

Some of us DON’T WANT a plan, particularly if it ends up being Amnesty, minus the right to vote (at least until the courts weigh in). In other words a TERRIBLE PLAN is worse than no plan. What is so hard to figure out about that?

Well, "NO PLAN" is what we have had for the last 50 years.

I guess we can go a whole century before we come up with a plan. How about that?

Let's just have NO PLAN for a full 100 years.

Then we can let our great grandchildren deal with it.

[Jim Robinson]

See my posts 24 and 68 on this thread.

[chilepup]

Newt is NOT electable. Why do you think this? The reason he has gotten a pass from the MSM and the Rovians is because he can’t beat Obama. Cain is still VERY electable...why Newt? Why should we compromise our values again? BTW, this isn’t the only idea of his that stinks...he has a laundry list full of bad ideas AND personal baggage that the Left will use to beat Newt.

[jpsb]

Like I said, Newt in 86 sold us a plan. He got his amnesty and we got 30 million more illegal invaders that are helping to drain this nation of it’s wealth. I want the promise made in 86 to be kept. I do not what the South West USA returned to Mexico. I am tired of press 1 for English. I am tired of all the crime too.

[Lady Lucky]

The current controversy here is not about the fence. That’s a whole other thing.

We’re talking about the question of what to do about the 12m (or pick a number you like) illegals already here.

Gingrich has said...oh, you know what he said. You can find it anywhere. It’s transcribed on my homepage. I’m getting tired of repeating it. Tell me you read it and see amnesty.

Bachmann and Cain have both left open the possibility of “reasonable programs” after the first step of securing the border.

Gingrich is just offering more detail.

I asked someone else this, now I’ll ask you:

Do you think anyone in America, citizen or not, should be tried collectively rather than individually? Tried without any hearing of his individual situation or any mitigating circumstances?

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Not much different from Newt’s plan....IF the border is secure.

And if there is immigration reform and work visas, we won’t have this problem. The mass deportation before the border is secured, or even after is financially not workable as other posters have presented with facts. Cutting off benefits is a legislative process, not executive process, and most often left up to the states.

the whole discussion of what to do with all the illegals is a moot point UNTIL the border is secure. Its a great diversion when the only issue the conservatives should rally around is securing the border and creating work visas. That would get widespread voter support.

[concerned about politics]

Allowing 30 million illegal invaders in to the USA is an imperfection? Most of whom support reuniting the South West with Mexico that's an imperfection? Wow.

Romney says he's against amnesty - totally - for now (at least for the election cycle). Do you believe him?

If Newt falls, Romney wins. The choices are now limited, and time is running out. Choose wisely. Newt or Romney.

I'm not saying we don't have better conservative candidates (unfortunately, we've already taken them out in the polls), but don't throw out a more conservative candidate and allow Rooney, a flaming liberal, to move into the void.

Until someone moves up to beat Newt, hang onto that Newt card. It'll protect us from Romney!

[xzins]

at least he has gone out on a limb and made a proposal for dealing with the problem

It probably is much safer to say nothing. I'm sure they'll permit Cain, Bachmann and any others to make it through the general election against Obama without spelling out their plan.

But, if they get that far, then they can out with some kind of visa program and all the stupid little conservatives will say, "oh it's our candidate now; we better ignore it now or we'll lose."

So, maybe they're smart to keep us in the dark.

I'm sick of the stupidity on these boards about illegals.

Illegal immigration is not high on the list of my concerns. These people want us to think it's the issue of the millennium.

God, Life, Guns, Spending, Economy, War, Military, Terrorism, China, Marriage and Family, Illegals,....

It's a 3rd tier concern, and we're to believe any candidate who is right on 10 more important concerns that define conservatism is to be rejected out of hand.

I think those who push that garbage truly are rejecting the good in hopes of the perfect.

[littleharbour]

Once the government declares these border-jumpers “legal”, the courts will have no problem deciding that the government cannot deny them citizenship. The “legal resident” proposal by Gingrich is a trojan horse. He knows it and the leftist media know it. Which is why they are praising him for having a “heart”.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

THE plan should be Secure the border. Period. end of story.

Many illegals will go home and not return.
From there we can figure out what to do. Everything else is just a diversion that splits conservatives.

[TexasFreeper2009]

it’s called operation wetback, look it up.

We have delt with this before.

[central_va]

It's a 3rd tier concern

Only because both parties and the MSM have gone gloBULL, and you too.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I suggest you support Cain, the only true conservative with a chance.

[Lady Lucky]

The left has been quoting that number for the last twenty years, and we parrot it without even thinking.

Awk for yourself, Windflier. I use the number the candidates use. It's completely beside the point, 12m or 20m.

[jpsb]

I was supporting Newt until he came out for amnesty. Amnesty is right next to (over) spending for me. If Romney is against amnesty, if he will secure the broader and enforce our laws then he is a better choice then Newt.

[goldstategop]

HELL, NO! Newt Gingrich does not get it!

That is exactly why I do not want him to be the Republican Party’s nominee for President.

I will never vote for an Open Borders Republican. NO TO RINOs!

[Gator113]

I doubt that very much.

I figure that we will all know better within the next couple of weeks.

From the article link:

Poll Results
Thanks for your vote.

Does Newt Gingrich’s 10-point ‘humane’ immigration policy make you more likely to vote for him?

Yes, finally a Republican candidate who is fair to immigrants 58%

No, he’s completely betraying the GOP base 23%

No, I’m a democrat and I would never vote for him anyway! 19%

[traditional1]

Take the Annual Cost of Illegals, including illegals' babies that are improperly ruled to be "Citizens at Birth", when deposited convieniently on American soil to gain the "ANCHOR", and divide by the number of Illegals.

Charge EACH ONE their "Fair Share" of the annual cost, multiplied by the number of years they've been here illegally.

Then, each must pay that cost, or be deported, or work out a payment plan. This INCLUDES the Anchor Babies, who will have the costs of their being deposited here placed on their record, to pay their "Fair Share" of the burden on Taxpyaers, also.

That would be the ONLY method of Amnesty; NO FREE RIDES FOR LAW BREAKERS OR SQUATTERS, PERIOD.

[goldstategop]

If you have that attitude - Obama is going to be re-elected. I prefer Bachmann, then Cain and then Santorum. All good, solid conservatives. We have to stop voting for RINOs!