Posted on 02/24/2018 5:24:25 PM PST by MarvinStinson
President Trump's speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference started out as a relatively tame performance touting signature accomplishments such as tax cuts and judicial nominations, but it took an ugly turn as he moved to the topic of immigration, broadly painting those who come here as a result of the lottery system as "horrendous."
The context was that Trump was lambasting Democrats for not agreeing to his terms as part of an immigration deal. Though they're willing to give him funding for the wall, he said, they won't budge on other issues, such as chain migration and ending the visa lottery.
Kali Uchis Breaks Down "After The Storm" Watch Full Screen to Skip Ads "Think of a lottery," Trump then said. "You have a country. They put names in. You think they're giving us their good people? Not too many of you people are going to be in the lottery." He then pointed out to the CPAC crowd and continued. "So we pick out people. Then they turn out to be horrendous. And we don't understand why."
Now, it's one thing to say, it would be preferable to decide immigration based on merit than by random chance, as Trump went on to argue. But it's another thing to speak of lottery winners as a group as bad people. Now, I'm getting some blowback from Trump supporters on Twitter, arguing that Trump was merely calling the lottery a horrendous system. Go back and reread what he said or watch it again. He was not referring to the lottery as horrendous. He wasn't even saying when you have a lottery, there's a risk that some people being let in won't be as deserving as others who happened to lose out, thus making a merit-based system superior.
He said, mockingly of other countries, "You think they're giving us their good people?" Then he said, "We pick out people. Then they turn out to be horrendous." Key point not some of them turn out to commit crimes, but, "they" broadly speaking "turn out to be horrendous."
Also worth noting: those who believe the U.S. should draw a harder line on immigration have traditionally argued they are critical of illegal immigrants, who by their very presence in this country already broke the law. But Trump in this context is speaking about people who followed the legal process to enter this country. Yet he calls these people "horrendous."
To hammer his point home, Trump then repeated a ballad he has occasionally recited at rallies called, "The Snake." It tells the story of a "tender-hearted woman" who rescues a snake only to have the snake bite and kill her.
There was a great controversy last month over whether Trump, during a meeting with Democrats on immigration, referred to some places as "shithole" countries. But this isn't some private meeting where Trump's defenders can deny he said something. Trump's ugliness on Friday came in his public statements before a large conservative audience, that, sadly, cheered him on.
As noted previously, Trump's rhetoric on immigration is a stark contrast to Ronald Reagan, the man who for decades was the hero of CPAC-goers, routinely invoked by speakers to the point of parody.
"They came to build," Reagan said in 1980, speaking in front of the Statue of Liberty about immigrants' contributions to our country. He went on to say, "They brought with them courage, ambition and the values of family, neighborhood, work, peace, and freedom."
At the end of the ballad Trump performed, when the lady asks why the snake bit her, the snake responds, "Oh shut up, silly woman ... You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in." Indeed, everybody knew who Trump was when he was taken in, they are being reminded now, and his disgusting words were met with ravenous applause.
It's heartbreaking to witness the darkness that movement conservatism has descended into.
People seemed to enjoy the speech. I did via video.
Reagan was addressing legal immigrants in that speach... Not illegal immigrants.
I'm sure that Bill Kristol (and George Soros) heartily agree with this guy.
NeverTrumper Open Border Types.
The force is strong with this one. The President didn’t say he is opposed to immigration.
He wants a merit-based immigration system where we take in people with skills who contribute to the country, adopt its values and love its people.
What’s horrendous about that? Putting America First is not only conservative, its American, too.
I was there. The entire hall of thousands, supported Trump’s speech. Go to You Tube and listen to decide with your own mind.
Illegal Invaders are NOT "immigrants." They are Illegal Invaders.
The President’s CPAC speech was, in my not so humble opinion, probably his best to date!
He needs to take a drive around LA.
Obviously a never Trumperi it was an excellent speech
Horrendous! Deplorable! More please!
FR has become a clearing house for socializing the Leftist talking points and message. This post is just one of many examples of that at any particular time.
As a result, I don’t come here as often as I use to.
I don’t have to respect any person who is a non American citizen of another country. If we think they’re not the best one to bring here for whatever reason, America has an absolute right to keep them out. This idea that foreigners have American rights is outrageous.
The merit, or need based immigration of 1890 to 1910 is what allowed my grandparents to come from Sicily and Italy.
They, my 2 grandfathers, had skills needed to build the towers of the late 1890s and early 1900s. One was a highly skilled stone mason and the other a steam engine engineer/operator.
It is what the President wants and I approve of.
“. He is a graduate of George Washington University “
Nothing good comes from that place.
I beg to differ, we have to know what the enemy is thinking and saying so we can counter them.
The context was that Trump was lambasting Democrats for not agreeing to his terms as part of an immigration deal.
The way that democrats have been lambasting President Trump for not just agreeing with their terms to grant immediate blanket amnesty
without funding for a border fence or eliminating chain migration?
Just wondering...haven't seen a photo of either in a long, long time...seems they just disappeared!!!!
Yup.
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