People watch as President Barack Obama speaks about immigration reform on a television monitor at a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona January 29, 2013. REUTERS/Joshua LottRepublicans make a terrible mistake when they argue for immigration reform as a matter of GOP survival. First, it’s questionable that support for a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants will automatically win support from Hispanic voters, though it’s undeniably true that past anti-immigrant rhetoric from some conservatives has damaged the party with Latinos.
But it would damage the party even more if Republicans changed positions solely out of political expediency. The reason to back immigration reform is that it’s right – and necessary – not that it’s necessarily good politics.
As the party of Americanization – uniting people on values, not dividing them by race– Republicans should recognize that you can’t expect undocumented residents to embrace American identity if they’re blocked from ever gaining legal status. It should never be easy to earn citizenship, but it shouldn’t be impossible either.
Amnesty is the right thing to do. By the U.S. not sealing its border with Mexico and previous policy that allowed amnesty, the U.S. became an attractive nuisance attracting the downtrodden from Mexico. Put up Israeli styled fencing sealing the border and do the right thing, provide all illegal aliens with a path to citizenship, and leave their kids alone!
What Medved does not get is that the Democrats don’t need a deal. The Republicans, on the other hand, especially the consultant class, and the frightened congressmen, have made it very clear that they are desparate for a deal. The President and the Dems know that if immigration reform fails, for any reason, the Republicans are going to get the blame. The Republican elites are terrified of that possibility and the Dems know it.
The Dems will never agree to strict border enforcement first because they don’t believe in it. They see it as a racist attempt to keep Mexican people from coming here.
They will never agree to a long road to citizenship because the very reason they want those people here is because they see them as a large, reliable source of Democratic votes. I can’t believe Medved is so simple minded that he does not see this.
If there is a bill, it will include what the Democrats want it to include. Anything else will be a ruse intended to fool the Republican base.
Immigration dilemma will never be solved in a “fair” manner. The children of illegals who were allowed to stay by the President were spared because as the President said it is “the right thing
to do.” It was not the “legal” thing to do…..since they are not legal citizens but punishing them
due to the illegalities of the parents could cause one to ask whether a convicted murderer should
have his children in the next cell… I dont believe I could force people to stay in an impoverished situation if they are willing to strive for a better place in life….BUT they should not be
afforded all of the benefits of those who have paid into the system for a lifetime…we need King Solomon….
Michael has been taking the low road on illegal immigration since at least 2003, and it’s especially unbecoming of a “conservative” talk show host to completely sell-out on the Rule of Law.
Michael, if we made eVerify the law, 75% of the problem would be solved. Yes, a wall on the Messican/American border would be nice, but actually proactively enforcing the existing immigration laws would even be better. I know that’s hard to do when politicians, celebrities and now “conservative” talk show hosts corrupt the immigration laws and pressure law enforcement to leave the problem alone and to let grow and fester to the point where everybody throws up their hands every 25 years and says, “OK, give the millions of them an amnesty” and maybe a few more of these poor, Latino immigrants will vote Republican, despite the fact that they never did since 1986, the first great amnesty. And at least 1/2 the nation seems to take an uneducated and illogical stance that the illegals are basically good people, except for the fact that they broke at least 3 federal laws by being here w/o a visa, working w/o authorization and stealing somebody’s Social Security number to do so, and they completely disrespect our otherwise orderly and law-abiding society.
Let me ask y’all about the “right thing to do”. If “undocumented” immigrants don’t really need to follow the law, and don’t need passports, visas, American consulates, ports of entry, borders, etc. Then why does anybody else need to follow those traditions and customs? Why do we even need those institutions at all? What is the point in requesting that American citizens follow the Rule of Law when 11 million illegal aliens do NOT? Why do Consulates bother interviewing foreign national visa applicants to see who is “qualified” to enter the US with a visa, when after xx number of years, all the illegals will be granted residency and later citizenship anyway?
I know these are tough questions for such an intelligent, fair and compassionate “conservative” person like yourself, Michael, but please give me the honor of trying to take a stab at an answer to a few of these questions, because as you can tell, I’m a little perplexed at your position on this issue.
11 millions will be 44 millions or more on few years when they ask for theirs relatives if they got residence or citizen.
And will increase crime on boarder with Mexico.
Good message for illegal emigration is no way to get citizen if cross boarder, illegal
If They wants to works! ok,, give them permit card to work only and able to come back visiting theirs families. With regulations
Increase facilities to actual citizen families to bring relatives to USA. Legal that’s a good vote.
No more immigration reform needed.