2016 GOP hopefuls struggle to appease base on amnesty without angering Hispanics

By Seth McLaughlin - The Washington Times - Monday, November 24, 2014

The 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls are having to walk a tightrope as they respond to President Obama's executive deportation amnesty, trying to push back against the White House while not offending the increasingly powerful Hispanic voting bloc.

Some of the major potential 2016 candidates have called for rescinding Mr. Obama's order, even as they vow to lead Congress in a push to achieve the same ends of legal status for most illegal immigrants.

And Govs. Rick Perry of Texas and Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who won re-election earlier this month, went a step farther, floating the idea of pursuing legal action against the Obama administration.

"I would go to the courts, because I think there's a pretty compelling argument," Mr. Walker said. "I think you would be hard-pressed to find anybody — other than a partisan Democrat — who wouldn't say this is illegal."

But New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who usually doesn't shy from tough talk, ducked questions last week about what he'd do.

"I am not going to articulate the basis of a yet-unknown candidacy," Mr. Christie said on the eve of the announcement, according to CNN.

Like much related to the immigration issue, Mr. Obama's move granting amnesty has left Republicans struggling to accommodate their base voters, who are vehemently opposed to the move, even as they try not to anger Hispanic voters who view the president's actions favorably.

"They are in a bit of a box," said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist. "Anyone considering a run has no other option than to take a hard line on immigration or they will get chewed up by conservative activists in Iowa and other primary states. But whoever wins the primary will need to play to a larger audience, and that spells trouble for the Republican base."

Some political observers say that Republicans eyeing White House bids would benefit by declaring loudly that if elected they would immediately scrap the order.

"If you want to capture the imagination and the intensity of the Republican primary votes, you'd say, 'I think this is a lawless act, and my first act as president would be to void it,'" said Mike McKenna, a GOP strategist.

Spokesmen for Sen. Marco Rubio, former Sen. Rick Santorum and former Gov. Jeb Bush said their bosses would all do exactly that.

"Of course," said Alex Conant, Mr. Rubio's spokesman, who said the senator would rescind the executive action and then push Congress to pass a bill with a permanent solution that included legal status for many illegal immigrants.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said Congress should sue the president. "I think the Supreme Court would strike it down," Mr. Paul said.

And Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said that Republicans — after they take control of the Senate next year — should block most of Mr. Obama's nominees as a way of pressing the president to cancel his own policy. He also called for withholding funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which enforces immigration law.

Steven A. Camarota, research director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said Republicans should call for tougher measures to stop illegal immigration, such as E-Verify and vigorous enforcement policies, which would protect American workers and could prove popular with voters.

But he said history shows the odds of a future administration undoing Mr. Obama's amnesty are slim.

"Experience suggests that there is nothing as much permanent as a temporary reprieve from deportation," Mr. Camarota said. "It is harder politically and practically to take something away once it is given."

Mr. McKenna said Mr. Obama's executive order will shine a light on the ongoing schism between the GOP establishment and grass-roots conservatives over governance.

"This isn't like a lot of other issues," he said. "This kind of strikes right to the core of what people think about when they think of politics. 'What kind of country do we live in?' I don't think this current crop of candidates has any idea of how deep that runs."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...gling-to-plea/

May I suggest that all the "Presidential hopefuls" just shut up since so far not one of them intends to enforce our laws on this issue, all they're doing is scrambling for how to do exactly what Obama has done without it looking like they're doing the same damn thing. It makes no frigging difference to the Republican base whether Congress passes amnesty or a President just hands out their permits. The problem is that no one is denying illegal aliens services, welfare, jobs or arresting and deporting them which is the only proper and already legal solution to this problem and because no one is doing that, the problem escalates and perpetuates year and year, decade after decade.

We have bills in Congress and have had for years that end automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens that solves the Medicaid and Welfare costs, E-Verify that solves the job loss and wage deflation costs, and a bill that authorizes States which have a collective police force of over 1.2 million strong with over 800,000 sworn officers equipped, trained and ready to enforce US immigration law which solves the arrest and deportation problem.

So, until a Republican Presidential "hopeful" starts citing these bills complete with text and bill number in the media and urging our Congress to pass them so he/she can enforce them to the letter, they're all treasonous loonies playing the same smoke and mirrors fraud as Obama. And frankly, until a Republican Presidential candidate expresses more interest in votes without regard to race, religion or ethnicity, then none of them deserve to be President of the United States to begin with.

Oh and in case they don't know the bills they should be citing and urging passage of, here is the list:

HR 140, S 301, ends automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens

HR 478, S 202, makes E-Verify permanent and mandatory

HR 2264, authorizes states to enforce US immigration law