Graham to GOP: Don't be 'delusional' about immigration reform

The Hill ^ | June 15 2014 | Alexander Bolton

[PoloSec]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) offered a pointed rebuttal Sunday to strategists and pundits who say embracing immigration reform will put GOP incumbents at risk in future primaries.

Graham said if Republicans let the status quo stand and hope illegal immigrants leave the United States because of poor conditions, they will obliterate their chances of winning the White House in two years.

“If we keep playing this game that self deportation is the only answer for the Republican Party, we will have destroyed our chances in 2016 and dealt a death blow to our party because by 2050 the majority of the country is going to be African American, Hispanic and Asian,” he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Media pundits and conservative strategists have declared immigration reform in 2014 dead in the wake of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s (R-Va.) shocking primary loss last week.

“It was a matter of immigration. It’s ridiculous that people are saying, “Immigration wasn’t an issue.’ It was the main issue in the race,” said William Kristol, the editor of The Weekly Standard, on ABC’s “This Week.”

But Graham, a co-author of comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate, warned his party not to be “delusional” about the need for the House to act on the issue as well.

“If we become the party of self deportation, if that again is our position in 2016, we’re going to drive a deep wedge between us and Hispanics,” he said on CBS.

In contrast to Cantor, Graham defeated a crowded field of conservative challengers Tuesday and avoided a runoff in South Carolina, a state considered more conservative than Virginia.

Proponents of immigration reform have pointed to Graham’s victory as evidence that Cantor’s defeat at the hands of economics professor Dave Brat, who campaigned extensively on illegal immigration, isn’t a message to the GOP from its conservative base to oppose comprehensive reform.

Graham on Sunday renewed his call for reform, including a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants.

“A pathway to citizenship, after you secure the border, control who gets a job, more legal immigrations where they have to pass a criminal background check, learn the English language, wait 10 years before you can apply for a green card," he said.

"If you solve the immigration problem in a good, American, responsible way, our party's back in the game and we can dominate the 21st century," he added.

[headstamp 2]

Corporatist hack.

[amihow]

Just more b.s. We do not have enough jobs for our own legal residents.

Enforce e-verify. Make fines bigger and the greedy will comply.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

Didn’t take the Amazing Kreskin to predict this hard left turn right after he survived his primary.

[Jim Robinson]

FULG!! Traitor!! Enforce the law!!

[NormsRevenge]

Who’s playing games with whose lives, Lindseed?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Didn’t take Linda long after his primary to get back on-message.

[Mastador1]

He’s a moron! First even if we don’t deport the ones who are here we sure as hell shouldn’t reward them, second is the absolute idiocy of those like him refusing to recognize that not securing the border and enforcing the existing laws only encourages more illegal immigration and leaching off of legal Americans. Linda, Linda, Linda FOAD with extreme prejudice!

[Hugin]

“If we keep playing this game that self deportation is the only answer for the Republican Party, we will have destroyed our chances in 2016 and dealt a death blow to our party because by 2050 the majority of the country is going to be African American, Hispanic and Asian,” he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

And when did America's white people vote to become a minority? Oh that's right they didn't, their corrupt, shortsighted elected officials did.

[upchuck]

linda sez:
“If we keep playing this game that self deportation is the only answer for the Republican Party, we will have destroyed our chances in 2016 and dealt a death blow to our party because by 2050 the majority of the country is going to be African American, Hispanic and Asian,” he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Has anybody here ever thought self deportation is the answer? Not me. I think a border wall (not a fence) and a strong E-Verify program will stop at least 90% of it.

Hey linda, THIS is a border wall:

---

Uber RINO Lindsey Ping
"Republican by day, Democrat by night."

Want on or off this ping list?
Just FReepmail me.

[vaudine]

Cantor lost in a small eletorate segment with only one opponent. Graham won in an entire state, with 5 or so others splitting the conservative vote.--A real shame!

There can be no immigration reform until the border is secured, illegals are disallowed freebies, and we have an administration that obeys the law instead of ignoring it or rewriting it.

vsdine

[Will88]

“If we keep playing this game that self deportation is the only answer for the Republican Party,

The game being played is being played by people like Lindsay and Juan and many other RINOS: a game of pretend that groups already voting 70% Dim will somehow, if millions of new folks are added to those groups, that they will somehow start voting Republican. Even more idiotic since polls show that newer arrivals favor the Dims' big government by closer to 80%.

[factoryrat]

Any politician who suggests “immigration reform” (ie: amnesty) gets the political kiss of death. If you vote for it, pack up your sorry politician ass, and move to mexico, you are finished in the US. And for all of the bleeding heart “migrant” and the “just doing the jobs Americans won’t do” crowd: lose your illegal labor, or deal with some serious prison time, because you ARE the problem, and you will be dealt with, along with your illegal employees.

[Democrat_media]

Just more b.s. We do not have enough jobs for our own legal residents.

Exactly. this is the key point. it cannot be repeated enough

[Political Junkie Too]

What message to Hispanics does Graham think the House rejecting a Puerto Rican for Majority leader would send?

Does Graham think that rejecting Rep. Raul Labrador would undermine any message that immigration reform might send to Hispanics about how the GOP truly feels about Hispanics?

-PJ

[Hattie]

“After you secure the border”???? Are they kidding. Now children arriving by the hundreds each day and they just pretend it isn’t even there. I detest these jerks, both parties.

[umgud]

If we don’t cave on amnesty, we will lose in 2016?

[Regulator]

Really like to thank the dimbulbs of South Carolina for inflicting this fatuous clown on us once again.

They had real choices but put this bozo back in place.

Republicans?

Nah. Just Blue Dog Democrats.

Guess he’s got them calibrated.

[CaspersGh0sts]

by 2050 the majority of the country is going to be African American, Hispanic and Asian

He acts like there is nothing he or anyone can do to stop this, which is ridiculous.

The question remains how much cultural dilution should we tolerate? Do we really need these people? Ever immigrant--be they legal or illegal--has a net cost. Yes, even legal immigrants under our current system end up costing us tax payer dollars. At that point, why even have immigration?

Moreover, how much of our open space are we just going to bulldoze in the name of population expansion?