Posted on 03/19/2013 2:01:47 PM PDT by WCH
The dramatic shift in the Republican Party on immigration continued Tuesday, as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a conservative tea party icon and possible 2016 presidential contender, endorsed an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws that would allow the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to obtain legalized status. “Immigration will not occur until conservative Republicans, like myself, become part of the solution. That’s why I’m here today: to begin that conversation and become part of the solution,” he said in a breakfast speech Tuesday morning before the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Paul said “we are not going to deport 12M illegals ... A middle ground might be probation where those who came illegally become legal through a probation period”. So yes this is a path to citizenship.
He is saying the same things Bush, Rubio and others said and got trashed for. No love for any of these politicians but I also have no use for those that are inconsistent in their attacks and somehow want to give Paul a pass. Just different ways of achieving earned amnesty.
Can we talk about building a secure border please?
How is this a Republic when no representatives are talking about the primary Constitutional role of our government to secure the border?
Even our best “Conservatives” keep jabbering on about plans for the status of illegal aliens. I don’t want to hear it.
Fix the border.
Rand's trying. The PDS flying monkeys are too busy flinging poo at him...
Okay, where is the transcript of Rand talking about securing the border? Even better, where is the video? Even better, where is the legislation he is working on?
Or you could have just done a google search... Look... It's easy...
Did I seem like I was giving Paul a pass? I apologize. I believe I called him a “Useful Idiot” (useful to the Democrats) and said that we should not tolerate any attempts at “comprehensive reform.”
As far as I can tell, “comprehensive reform” means that Congress will ignore the important parts (like securing the borders) and just give the illegals their “legal status;” which, of course, is soon to be followed by a “path to citizenship.” One think I know about “Progressives” (commie pinkos) is that if you give ‘em a little bit, they will soon be back for more.
As for deporting 12 million (I think it is actually a LOT more) illegals, we don’t have to. We just have to resolve to TRY; that will create some fear. We should also make being an illegal alien an aggravating circumstance to ALL crimes, and punish them terribly; that will create more fear. Cut them off from jobs and bennies, and create enough fear in them, and they will self-deport.
The only politician I am liking these days is Cruz.
Legal status is different than citizenship. At a minimum, I suppose it would involve some kind of visa, and at a maximum it would involve a work permit.
We cannot let the status quo on immigration continue. Under the status quo, California has been transformed into a socialist state, and they have announced Texas as their next target of opportunity.
The status quo of arguing over the perfect plan while hordes of illegals pour across the border to satisfy unscrupulous businessmen and politicians must end.
The first step MUST BE access control of the border and of airports, ports, and all visas. Once that is accomplished, the discussion can go to step two — what to do about the illegals who are here.
I have no problem with worker status so long as there is no violent or theft-like crimes.
The alternative is the status quo on immigration, and the status quo will lose us Texas. I believe many seemingly concerned plants are actually attempting to blow up any progress on anything that includes border and access control because they secretly wish the status quo to continue. They pose as those who will argue over anything that isn’t their own plan which they consider to be the perfect plan.
I hate break with my normal “run ‘em all out” ranting, but some of these illegal aliens really are good folks coming from crappy countries that have no hope of reform. They are willing to learn English, give up their loyalty to their home country, and become Americans. They support themselves and their families, are not a drain on taxpayers, and generally have a lot of potential. I don’t know what the the percentage is, but we want these people. The way for them shouldn’t be easy (they DID enter illegally) but there should be a way...
But there are others who are a drain on taxpayers and public services, are criminals, maintain their loyalty to their home country over the US, etc. They were part of the problem in their country, and are a problem here, too. They need to go; if they resist, they need to die.
I know that there are a lot people who disagree with this in both directions (I sympathize more with the “toss ‘em all out” side...). But, once we have a secure border we can talk over the next steps. That is why I completely oppose anything remotely resembling a “comprehensive” reform and why I think anyone supporting such a thing is trying screw the entire country over.
All I hear from you are excuses.
No, they are bending over for large companies that depend on illegal labor to keep cost and taxes down.
For example, the majority of the food processors depend on illegal immigrant labor.
You've got it!
Why WHY WHY! is enforcing the law linked to "comprehensive reform"? BREAK THAT LINKAGE.
Every single day the House Republicans ought to be hitting Obama's refusal to enforce law. Every day they should stand there and demand he answer how his refusal squares with his sworn duty that "he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" (US Const. Art II § 3).
Et cetera. Stand against the Democrats rather than adopt their agenda.
Paul - and he's not alone - is an idiot. He facilitates the Dem agenda, he uses their language, he's been brainwashed. Look at his words: "illegal immigrants", "undocumented workers", "hiding in the shadows".
Immigrants are foreigners who follow immigration law. Foreigners who do not follow the law and who are here illegally are illegal aliens. They are not "illegal immigrants" or "undocumented workers", they are illegal aliens.
As for "hiding in the shadows" don't make me laugh. They're making demands, testifying in Congress, have racist groups posted in the White House!, and Congress is kissing their behinds!
I apologize...that was a quote from a link I forgot to post. (scroll down)
I never said Paul’s solution didn’t include a path.
However, anyone can get on that path if they choose. It’s just a matter of how long you want to wait.
Also, if Congress doesn’t get enough evidence to prove the border is secure, the illegals get nothing. [under Paul’s plan]
He knows the current Admin isn’t going to do squat about security [they say it is secure] so, it seems he’s playing some sort of political game with them.
IMO, not all that many illegals are going to go for any of these plans leaving us in essentially the same condition.
I agree [and we ‘have’ discussed security till our faces are blue]
Until there’s a willingness by the PTB, (which IMO there will never be...just the opposite) forget about it.
Remember the NAU?
“if Congress doesn’t get enough evidence to prove the border is secure”
You trust them with that?
What metrics? None are specified. They will make a political decision and declare “it’s secure”. How many Democrats do you think will be on the Commission?
It’s a farce. A sop. Don’t fall for it.
Thanks. In my view ALL of these politicians of any stripe will go for some form of earned or non-earned amnesty. Only difference are the details. No electable prominent poitician will be successful in persuading the rest to deport 12M illegals. Cowards all of them .. Or unable to carry the day. Either way - the illegals stay.
Given that ... I prefer the status quo. No bill. That’s why I’ve always believed this was a red herring and almost irrelevant. Every plan is bad.
To me the real important issue is enforcement of the border. Heck why are we even discussing making them legal? Seal the damn border. At least Paul is bringing it up. But this is THE issue we have to get front and center. Just my $0.02. Cheers.
“”It may in fact be that the only way Conservative can appeal to this otherwise natural constituency is to do so under the Democratic banner.”
I was being somewhat flippant, but you are right. A conservative Democrat would appeal to them where the same candidate running as a Republican would not. This is also true of a lot of other voter blocks. Union members come to mind. What that means is that real conservatives need to look beyond party labels; especially when Republicans are so willing to run liberals under their banner.”
Thankfully we are not as vain as the democrat’s race slaves.
But don’t jump ship yet, we still have to try and save our two party system.
I agree.. security is is the foremost problem.
Being that the current Admin believes we have no security problem (or spending problem..or debt problem, etc) is equally pressing.
.
LOL! Fall for it?
Last time I trusted our FedGov...never.
Trying to have it both ways? These lawbreakers not only entered our country illegally, essentially showing a total lack of respect for our sovereignty and our laws, but they committed many other crimes such as ID theft, working illegally, misusing SSNs, tax evasion, driving illegally, etc. These are the kinds of people we want as citizens?
Conferring rights and privileges upon illegal aliens has a corrosive effect on the Rule of Law, the very foundation of our Republic. It is also a slap in the face to legal immigrants who have followed the rules and obeyed the laws. There are over four million intending immigrants waiting their turn overseas to enter the U.S. legally. They have completed all the necessary paperwork, background investigations, physicals, etc. and paid the necessary fees to process the paperwork.
Where is your sense of fairness and proportion? We have some of the most generous asylum and refugee laws in the world. We take in more legal immigrants annually--more than 1.2 million--than the rest of the world combined. I am sorry, but I just can't buy your position and characterization of those who support the Rule of Law as "run'em all out ranting." It is not about "good folks" who just happen to be lawbreakers with multiple offenses. The real "good folks" are those who immigrate to this country legally and follow the rules. These are the people we want as future citizens.
The proponents of amnesty are wont to create the false choice between a blanket amnesty and mass deportation of 12 to 20 million illegal aliens. In reality, we have other choices and alternatives that don’t reward people who have broken our laws with the right to stay and work here and an eventual path to citizenship. The 12 to 20 million illegal aliens did not enter this country overnight and they will not leave overnight. Attrition through enforcement works. We have empirical data from Georgia, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arizona proving that it does. During the 2006 amnesty debate, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) commissioned a Zogby poll offering respondents not the false choice between mass deportation or amnesty (a word CIS did not use in the survey), but rather a three-way choice between mass deportation, earned legalization, and attrition — and attrition was preferred two-to-one over legalization.
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.