“There is nothing so bad that politics cannot make it worse.”
–Thomas Sowell
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently declared that Democrats would take up immigration reform “this year,” defying the conventional wisdom that the issue is too perilous for the party to push during an election year. But maybe it’s Republicans who should be nervous—because a high-octane immigration fight could drive a wedge between the Republican Party and the Tea Party right.
“It becomes a very explosive argument when you talk about legitimizing immigrants,” says retired GOP Rep. Tom Davis, the former chair of the National Republican Campaign Committee. “From a Republican point of view, there is a dilemma.”
The Republican Party got badly burned when Congress last considered immigration reform in 2006 and 2007. Some GOP legislators, including Sen. John McCain, championed a bipartisan bill that would have provided a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants. But this proposition outraged the conservative base, who decried it as an “amnesty” for law-breakers.
[…]
The emergence of the Tea Party has only widened this rift within the conservative movement. […] Recently, these two factions have started to clash out in the open. Last month, Armey called anti-immigrant crusader and former Republican representative Tom Tancredo a “destructive” force in the GOP, adding that “the Republican Party is the most naturally talented party at losing its natural constituents in the history of the world.” His comments prompted a vehement backlash from conservatives like Michelle Malkin, who slammed Armey as an “amnesty stooge.”
[…]
WIth the rise of the Tea Party, even the elements of immigration reform that most Republicans agree on—namely tougher border security—may create “difficulty for some conservatives, as an imposition on business, a government mandate,” says Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former top adviser to McCain’s presidential campaign. “A lot of immigration reform is very interventionist.”
Very happy to see the Democrats take on yet another problematic domestic issue.
As President Obama puts it, “enough of kicking this can down the road for the next administration”.
The additional upside doing it now is to see the run of the mill Republisheep drive a wedge with their more extreme end Team party crazies.
That the Republican Party is dividing is not a big surprise. They’ve courted this by systematically adopting a litany of anti-scientific, anti-tolerant and anti-thoughtful processes.
Religious fundamentalism embrace.
White supremacy (cloaked, but present).
Single-page talking point distribution.
Adoption of Fox as spokesman.
Adoption of Limbaugh as spokesman.
Wall of bipartisan non-cooperation.
Bogus social “contracts”.
Unified defenses of blatant member misconduct.
> Airport bathrooms.
> Gubernatorial foreign liaisons.
> Intern poaching.
> Campaign donation spendthrift practices.
> Support of “corporations as citizens” despite the obvious.
Support death penalty to the point of killing innocent people.
Ability to see Russia optically, thus understand it.
Support of anti-science in textbook content committees.
Support of “let’s all remember the Pre Civil War South” agendas.
Denial of Maverick-ness when it becomes socially inconvenient.
…and the list goes on.
The human spirit we are born with seeks truth, reality, fairness and honesty.
Sophistry was recognized in ancient Greek times as the “win at all costs” forms of argument, intimidation, Big Lie propaganda and political pressure.
Republicans have carried this to a new high in political art, but something this rotten can’t possibly hold together for long.
Sure, the Democrats have their share of flaws, but at least they don’t put up a Unified Wall Of Bipartisan Nyet, the way the Republicans consistently do.
I, a Democrat, usually, dream of a Conservative Party that actually wants to conserve something.
Imagine what a better world could emerge if politicians actually wanted to conserve
> Value for taxes paid.
> The environment around me.
> Resources for future use.
> My health.
> Freedom from BS politics.
> The energy efficiency of the whole country.
I think the Republican’s have run all the real conservatives out of the party. I have always been physically conservative and socially liberal like a good libertarian. George W. Bush managed to make me so disgusted that I left the party. I could no longer swallow the bullshit.
Good points Buzz.
But, let’s see. Two years ago, the Republican Party was declared doomed.
Then, two months ago, it was prepped to gain a substantial number of seats in Congress…perhaps even getting a majority in the House.
Now, it’s ready to split apart.
Funny thing is, the primary agenda of the “tea party” group doesn’t seem to have much in common with the actions of previous Republican administrations. (Or Democratic ones, to be fare.)
Although not shared by anyone that I know of, I still believe that the anti-immigration reform discussion of 2007 triggered the housing collapse as the immigration rate slowed enough to not keep pace with the rate of housing starts causing a massive surplus of homes across each market level. Obviously, it was not the single cause, just the timing mechanism. At the time, I felt that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson would have been a successful POTUS by reassuring just enough of our viable (not necessarily legal) immigrants that we weren’t going duck hunting for illegals.
Again the issue is easily resolved.
But no one wants to do it because they fear to do what is right and wind up losing the easy job of government.
Cursor_
Yea, well, makes me think that if the Dems really wanted to stay in party they would just fund the KKK enough so that they run for office. That would cause a constant split in the Rupug Party all to the benefit of the Dems–as long as Nader/Green Party does not get attention from Repug financing.
Unusual Bedfellows? No, just a bunch of whores.
Wire==I didn’t know that many immigrants bought new houses. I thought Bill Gates couldn’t get that many profession busting H-4 visa types in?
We need to stop giving mixed signals as a country. We tell ILLEGAL immigrants they’re not wanted here, but yet our employers hire them under cover.
We can (over time) make Mexico a valued trading partner like what we do now with China. Wean ourselves off of China by strengthening Mexico’s economy.
Those who come here illegally can then stay home with jobs. Problem mostly solved…. we still have illegals coming from other countries, but this would fix a lot.
My solution: Annex Mexico, they’re all going to move here anyway.
Manifest Destiny! All America!
Love the strip btw. Thanks.
#7
You be surprise how well off many immigrants are. There are several reasons for their fortune of course. Throughout my 20 in the mfg/logistic business I’ve seen plenty to baffle me.
Some are just good at saving their money and planning, like my parents are. Imagine 10 kids and how they ever managed to pull it off is mind boggling even to me now.
Another is shady practices that earns money in return. This is just normal. Visit some of the poorer neighborhoods and you’ll be surprise at what you see there. Nice cars and trucks, nice electronics, and for the most part alongside a crappy home. This is pretty rampant but who’s to say…a living is a living I guess.
There there are those that are just darn hard-working and there’s plenty of them out there. Because they value their kids future, they will work their hardest to make sure their future is well taken care of. Whatever your stance is on the matter, I can’t see how one would argue against seeing a family like this. It’s inspiring. Compare this to my now lazy 2 coworkers in the mist of a recovering recession and I say fck them both; I’ll take on a hard working immigrant to replace their sorry white ass any time of the day.
Immigration is not the problem. The welfare state is the problem. Get rid of it and you get rid of freeloaders and only attract hard working people who add value to the economy.
Arizona Taxpayers have past suspected where their hard-earned dollars were going? So the voters of Arizona had enough of their wages being appropriated to support the illegal alien occupancy and now changed the law. Being the first state just across the open border countless numbers of impoverished people have slipped past our thin undermanned line of Border patrol agents. In the last twenty years millions of circumvented our laws, to become a financial burden on every state in the union. This situation is not getting any better, but far worse as Democratic-Liberal influenced legislators have been offering even more welfare programs on a state level. Our government has failed to build the double border fence and Senators like Harry Reid, majority house speaker Pelosi have tried to sacrifice enforcement tools as E-Verify and 287 G police questioning program in different counties. Napolitano has cut budgets for the border patrol, ICE and other sections of the SAVE ACT. As for Sen. John McCain? How expeditiously he has changed his mind about the invasion. First he was all for AMNESTY. Now he’s pushing for another anti-illegal immigrant plan. We just can’t trust any of them? BUT McCAIN IS CORRECT ON ONE POINT, WE NEED TO MILITARIZE THE BORDER–ARMED AND READY.
The list is long of Pro-illegal immigrant politicians and does not contain just Democratic-with Liberal thinking, but Republicans as well. What America need is–TRUE–moderate conservatism and neither parties are doing what’s best for the American people. We already have the 1986 immigration laws on the books and doesn’t need being rescinded. If it had been enforced in the first place, we wouldn’t have this increasing population of illegal immigrants. We do and should allow highly skilled workers who we don’t have to support, but we don’t need just anybody who can sneak across our open border. As the border remains wide-open in many places criminals are also appearing in increasing numbers, as well as foreign insurgents, who are being assisted by drug cartels and gang members. The police who are in short supply along the border region, believe that this that drug dealers were responsible for the death of Robert Kurtz on his cattle ranch.
All those politicians implicated in keeping the border unsealed or involved in the pro-amnesty movement must be ejected during primaries or any upcoming election. Learn more about AMNESTY, overpopulation growth, your money paying to support foreign nationals at NumbersUSA. Tell your government, we don’t need another financially devastating amnesty at 202-224-3121 Remember taxpayers money spent on illegal immigrants annually, would pay for our foreign wars.
Yes, I hear that 20% of our work force are now freeloaders. Let’s starve those sons of bitches. That’ll teach’m.
@Improbus #12
I’m assuming your sarcasm was aimed at my comment. I’ll retort by saying if it weren’t for government policy and taxation and tariffs and intervention the economy would be just fine. Why don’t you tell the government to stop paying farmers not to farm? Maybe fewer people would have to starve.
We are also spending 1 trillion dollars on Defense PER YEAR. Defense contractors are much bigger whores than the farmers. What is going to happen when the world no longer loans us money to finance are war machine? Bubble go boom.
#1 You have a half point. The problem is that no matter how you slice it the more of this bleep that gets shoved the less people like their elected Congress Critters most of whom are dems.
I’m not actually opposed to legal immigration as long the people aren’t criminals. Somebody is going to need to take care of all the old farts that didn’t have enough kids to get the job done.
@Improbus #12
Oh I most definitely agree with you 100%. Let’s start by ending these god-awful wars. Then we can bring home the more than 2.5 million US servicemen in 737 bases around the world. Can someone tell me why we still have bases in Deutchland and Japan?
Yep, if the world wants us to be the policeman then they had better pay us to do it. I am getting tired of footing the bill.
The Republicans only plan is to do nothing. We’ve had plenty of that from 1994-2007 when they were in power.
I think its time to wrap up the American Military Empire. Even the Soviets realized it was unsustainable.
Many of the Republicans I know ABSOLUTELY LOVE illegal immigration because it’s a source of cheap, easily exploitable labor.
>> Rick Cain said, on April 19th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
>> I think its time to wrap up the American Military Empire. Even the Soviets realized it was unsustainable.
This is how you can tell a REAL fiscal conservative from these crackpot teabaggers.
REAL fiscal conservatives know that the military must be _seriously_ downsized if we ever are going to fix our budget mess.
Not just some slowing of the grown but HUGE cuts.
Tea Parties: the scant remains of whatever ideas the Republican party has to offer at this time.
Funny that the Republican party doesn’t understand that it held the presidency and both houses of Congress for several years.
And during that time, instead of those politicians enacting an agenda they chose to be part of the Washington culture.
Now these people at these Tea Parties are mad at Obama and company, instead of upset with their own political party.
This is part of the failure of two party system and the extremism it promotes in thinking and the lack of accepting responsibility.
Obama running up debts is bad for sure, but the previous administration was running up debts big time too.
Where were these people when the last administration jacked up federal spending to new heights?
>> Hmeyers said, on April 19th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
>> Tea Parties: the scant remains of whatever ideas the Republican party has to offer at this time.
The Tea Party movement is simply re-branding of thoroughly tried and thoroughly failed conservatism.
@Greg Allen
I couldn’t begin to tell you how disgusting I think the Tea Parties are. And I’m no fan of either party but would like to believe in the hope of political system.
1. They have no clear definition of what they are protesting.
2. They propose absolutely no solutions to the nation’s problems.
3. They use incredibly dumbed-down and vacuous rhethoric.
“Rage and fury signifying nothing”.
Ok, so they hate Obama’s health care plan and the ridiculous government spending. The debt and government spending levels were signed by Republican presidents many of these last 30 years.
This two party systems allow idiots in both parties to deny their own responsibility in creating this mess.
And the dumbed-down rhetoric isn’t going to solve any problems, the dumbed-down rhetoric IS the problem.
The USA is on the verge of proving that democracy doesn’t work because the voters will eventually dumb themselves down to a point where the political system itself will take power.
Which is what we have today: two parties that have no intention of acting on behalf of the citizens of this country.
If the Republicans keep voting “NO” to everything the Democrats propose. Even stuff that makes sense to do, and is long overdue. They’re eventually going to screw themselves, royally. They can’t keep telling everyone that “black is white”, “white is black”, and whatever was once bad for them, is now good for them. And hope the public will remain dumb enough to believe their lies.
While the focus currently is on illegal immigration, here are some interesting facts for all of you to consider.
The US is currently importing thru various work visa’s 125,000 legal workers each month, every month and has been for over a year. That amounts to 1.5 million new workers each year. During the past year job creation has been at most 95,000 a month. A 30,000 job shortfall every month.
In 1950 the population of the US and Canada was about 170 million. In 1950 the population of Latin America was also about 170 million.
Today the population of US/Canada is about 340 million (mostly driven by immigration legal and otherwise). The current population of Latin America is around 577 million (with virtually no immigration). During the past 60 years, the U.S. and Canada doubled, while Latin America more than tripled its population.
It is predicted that the US/Canada population will grow to 400 million by 2050.Latin America’s estimated population will grow to 809 million people.
If the countries and peoples of Latin America cannot sustain themselves today at 577 million, what will happen when they get to 809 million?
Needless to say, the US cannot sustain it’s current immigration levels and hope to provide anything close to today’s level of a free and productive society.
Population growth is the single largest problem this country faces. It affects every facet of our country and society.
Saying no to immigration is like saying no to pot smoking. If they’re going to do it anyways, document them properly and get them paying taxes ASAP. Many illegal aliens spend their life savings and risk life an limb to get to the USA. While some of them are criminals and some would put a drain on the social welfare system, this is also true of people being born in the states. I know there are plenty of xenophobes out there, that have no idea, spouting fear and hate, but that’s what they always do. Don’t give me none of that ‘they’re taking our jobs’ bullshit either. I’ve seen the jobs immigrants do and know from first hand experience that there’s never been a shortage of crappy low paying jobs.
The USA is a nation of immigrants, all of you (native americans excepted) descended from immigrants. So wise up!
OTOH, there is the alternative, bigger fences, more border patrols, more customs agents, use of deadly force, etc.
Once security’s tight enough you can lock the door and throw away the key if that’s the kind of nation you want to live in. Never mind about replenishing your tax base, true patriots are against taxes. Finally, when you’re up to your neck in your own feces, you could go into the fertilizer export business.
First of all, we have the technology to feed everyone on earth.
Second, man is inventive, and if not oppressed and suppressed, will create solutions to problems such as increases in population.
Third, no need for walls, stop the welfare state, and only people looking for jobs will come.
Fourth, no need to worry about jobs. Get rid of the minimum wage and regulation of the free market and prices will normalize. Minimum wage laws only increase the price of goods because business owners have to pass off increase in cost to the consumer. So you make more, but you also have to spend more for goods.
I could go on, but to make a long explanation short, government IS the problem.