Thread: GOP Official Urges Caution on Immigrants

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 79_pf.html

By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 2, 2005; A05

CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec. 1 -- Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman urged his party Thursday to oppose rising anti-immigrant sentiments in the debate over border security and illegal immigration, suggesting that the GOP risks being on the wrong side of history and electoral politics alike if it embraces an exclusionary message.

Appearing before the Republican Governors Association, Mehlman waded into an issue that political analysts say threatens to rip apart the Republican coalition and inflict long-term damage to the party's hopes of expanding its appeal to Latinos and other minorities. A top political hand to President Bush, Mehlman followed the White House lead in treading a middle path on the issue: He issued a strong call for tougher enforcement of immigration laws but extolled the contributions of immigrants and denounced those who have sought to close the country to foreigners.

"Throughout our history, there have always been Americans who believed that coming to these shores was a right reserved only for them and their ancestors, but not for others," Mehlman said. Citing Republicans and Democrats from earlier eras who had expressed anti-immigrant prejudice, he added: "Ladies and gentlemen, that was wrong then and those who argue that now are wrong today."

Mehlman said after the speech that he was not aiming his remarks at any particular person or politician. But his message offered a counterweight to the views of many conservatives, led by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who have warned that illegal immigration is damaging to the nation.

The party chairman spoke three days after Bush traveled to the Mexican border to highlight his determination to strengthen security along the country's southern flank. But the president also emphasized his support for a guest-worker program that would provide legal status to many temporary workers. Tancredo called that tantamount to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Few states illustrate more vividly than California the double-edged nature of the problem that immigration presents to the Republican Party. In 1994, then-Gov. Pete Wilson (R), responding to growing voter resentment over the tide of illegal immigration at a time of economic recession, sought reelection on a platform strongly opposing illegal immigration. Wilson helped engineer a ballot initiative, Proposition 187, that sought to eliminate government assistance for illegal and some legal immigrants.

The strategy helped Wilson survive for a second term, but proved disastrous for the Republican Party in the state. The 1996 election produced a surge in participation by Latinos, raising their share of those who turned out to vote by roughly a third, with Democrats winning 70 percent of their votes.

With Latinos now the fastest-growing segment of the population, Republicans can ill afford to offend them with immigration policies that are seen as punitive. GOP strategist Mike Murphy, who participated in a panel discussion after Mehlman's speech, noted that in California, a politician now can win 70 percent of the white vote and still lose an election because of the state's growing diversity.

Bush long has resisted the most vociferous anti-immigration rhetoric in his party. His political team has focused relentlessly on reaching out to the Hispanic community, and his share of the Latino vote grew measurably between 2000 and 2004.

In the face of growing resentment among citizens in border and neighboring states that the federal government has lost control of border security, Bush and other politicians now are under pressure to respond with tougher immigration policies. But Republican pollster Bill McIntuff told the governors meeting that the party must respond, but with language that does not sound exclusionary. "We have to have the right policy and soft language," he said.

"America is a nation of immigrants and America is a nation of laws, and we must remember the 'and' between the two," Mehlman told the governors. Portraying most immigrants as hardworking and law-abiding, Mehlman said that Bush recognizes that "family values don't stop at the Rio Grande."

So is there anybody left who still thinks the GOP is going to do anything at all to stop illegal immigration?

Take a look at the man to the left of this post for the answer to that question.

Tancredo '08

Do you really think he's still going to be in the GOP in 2008?

It looks like Mehlman/Rove/Bush are declaring war here.

This is a political war and it needs to be waged inside both parties.

The future will go to those who stand up for the super majority of Americans on this issue.

W

It is sad becuase it is true that the diversity is getting out of control and no cares to do anything becuase they are more worried about relection. They are willing to allow the country to be over run by illegal immigration all becuase it is PC! It makes me sick, lets use soft language! Give me a break, you dont reward someone with Amnesty! Yes we are a nation of immigrates but of lawful entry, not unlawful entry of illegal immigrates, they simple dont get it!

P

I don't think that the RNC will ever have him unless he gets overwhelmingly popular in the primaries.

Three years from now people are going to be so fed up with the negative affects of diversity that I wouldn't count him out just yet!

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman urged his party Thursday to oppose rising anti-immigrant sentiments in the debate over border security and illegal immigration, suggesting that the GOP risks being on the wrong side of history and electoral politics alike if it embraces an exclusionary message.

Does this administration live in a cave or something? So this clown is calling the 90 percent of the American population that wants this invasion to stop anti immigrant? Gee and you wonder why Jorge's poll numbers are in the toilet. Let me give you a history lesson jacka--. The blacks vote 90-10 against you. The hispanics vote 60-40 against you. That has been going on for the last 50 years or more despite all of your attempts at appeasement. You think that's a good thing? Do these idiots not realize that many hispanics of the legal variety hate this invasion as much as we do? No they just think that we are even more stupid and gullible then they are. No you GOP are on the wrong side of history and your on the wrong side of public opinion and your going to be on the wrong side of election day next year and since you idiots are so out of step, out of touch with the American public and what they want you morons will still unbelieveably be wondering why you got your a$$es handed to you on election day and why you lost your majority. Even if they lose all of their seats they still will be scratching their heads wondering why the people didn't vote for them in 2006. They don't get it and they never will. This is why they are called the STUPID PARTY. The more they continue with this arrogant, condescending approach toward the American public on every issue, the more I will be so thrilled when they lose their seats in 2006.

So is there anybody left who still thinks the GOP is going to do anything at all to stop illegal immigration?

Some are willing to take a stand, but not enough to matter yet. The real question should be is there really anybody out there that really thinks Jorge and his minions are serious about stopping this invasion? If they think the answer is YES then I recommend they get their heads examined. Again nothing fazes this administration. Their approval ratings could be zero with the entire country against them and yet they would still be hell bent on pushing their destructive agenda. Why? Because they think we are simply too stupid to understand what's best for us? They think we are just too stupid to make our own decisions and to control our own destiny. They think we should just shut up and pay our taxes. The only thing they will understand is being voted out of office or impeached. I'm totally convinced that even if we got nuked and the perp came through our porous borders that Jorge would still not close the borders. This traitor is so hell bent on the WTO, the CFR, the UN, so hell bent on globalism that he will say and do anything to press his agenda and America be damned.

I hope the Republican party goes down hard. Obviously I hope it doesn't affect the Tom Tancredo types and I don't want the Democrats in power, but maybe it's what the Republican party that's so hell bent on political correctness needs to wake up. Obviously this administration is not on the side of America and anyone who doesn't see this doesn't deserve the freedoms that our brave men and women fought so hard for through the years. These Republicans in name only need to be shown the door on election day next year.

Originally Posted by nhantimassredrebel

I don't think that the RNC will ever have him unless he gets overwhelmingly popular in the primaries.

Three years from now people are going to be so fed up with the negative affects of diversity that I wouldn't count him out just yet!

I'm so glad your optimistic about Tancredo's chances, but I am not. I doubt he even wins the primary. Why? Because there are so many got damn stupid people in this country that will end up voting for either one of the communists in the Demorat (aka treason party) party or some globalist in the Stupid party. I'm so fed up as you can tell because I feel that no matter what we'll end up getting whoever the NWO wants, not what America wants and needs. Through massive voter fraud and with illegals voting, they'll find a way to give Tancredo the shaft. I'm really sick and tired of the two party system because it's really not a two party system, it's an overglorified one party system. It's a benign oligarchy. I really wish that there were more parties and that politicans would be honest as to where they reside politically because qutie frankly look at the two parties now. Most Democrats are either socialists are communists. You might as well put them in the Communist party USA. Over half of the Republican party are hard-core Globalists. I really wish there were like ten parties and every one had to be honest with where they stand.

So no I have no faith in our country. We are either going to get Hillary or one of McCain, Condi, Gulliani. The media and the NWO is already prepping these politicans that I just mentioned as the next heir apparent. The media will crucify Tancredo just like they did Pat Buchannan and Ross Perot and the stupid sheep in this country will be too stupid and lazy to figure this all out because they take everything the media says as gospel and they don't do any research or thinking to figure out if what the media is saying is legit. We are being sold out and people still don't get it. The conservative movement is dead and our movement is still outnumbered and outgunned.

I hope Tancredo wins and I'm proven wrong, but I just have no faith that he'll win because I know the mentality of America today. We have become a lazy nation and a very stupid one too. But hey never say never right?

The blacks vote 90-10 against you.

If Bush stood up against the illegals he would find that more blacks would vote for him, not against him. Also, he would find that legal Hispanics would vote for him in greater numbers because they're resentful of their neighborhoods getting turned into third world toilets.

Tancredo's shot of winning is about as good as Luke Skywalker's shot at blowing up the Death Star by firing a round down the ventilation shaft. He will have to navigate through a maze of DNC Empire fighters and maybe even dodge lasers from Darth Clinton herself, as Luke did. She is only heeding the words of Emperor Soros.

But I do believe it's possible. What needs to happen is that we all need to get working on it now so that 3 years from now we will be dug in. What we have going for us, ironically, is the illegals themselves. The more bad things that they do and the more money that they rob from us now, the more ammunition we have against them.

The RNC will fold like a deck of cards in three years against the post-Reagan folk that have kept it going, the situation is so bad. The real threat is the Liberal PC attack machine, powered by the media. Televisions have been and are continuing to enslave America. Word of mouth, this nifty thing called the internet, and hardwork can ultimately win the day.