Thread: Republican pragmatism may turn immigration reform into a bip

November 30, 2008 |

Simple reality
Dec. 1, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
Republican pragmatism may turn immigration reform into a bipartisan priority next year.

A survey by America's Voice, a pro-immigration group, shows that 14 of 16 Democratic House candidates nationally won competitive races "where the Republican candidate tried to use illegal immigration as a wedge issue."
Voters are consistent in rejecting the enforcement-only approach. Two years ago, Arizona members of Congress Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell initially won their seats in races against immigration hardliners. The GOP is getting the message.
In a recent Newsweek article on how his party can rebound, GOP strategist Karl Rove pointed out the need to attract Latino voters, who are turned off by the GOP's hard line.

He also urged the party to support comprehensive reform.

Arizona long has had Republican reformers, such as Sen. John McCain, Sen. Jon Kyl, Rep. Jeff Flake and former Rep. Jim Kolbe. All spoke up for comprehensive reform. Nevertheless, the Republican Party in Arizona and across the nation is associated with hard-line approaches that have done little to solve the problem.

For the past two years, too many Democrats and Republicans in Congress clutched the notion that immigration reform was too politically risky and took a nap on the issue.

With Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid now saying that he expects to move forward on immigration reform and an awakening to political realities on the GOP side, Congress has a chance to enact meaningful reform that goes beyond failed enforcement-only strategies.

How badly have those efforts failed? Since Congress passed the Secure Fence Act of 2006, instead of comprehensive reform, 32 tunnels have been discovered under Arizona's border with Mexico, according to research by The Arizona Republic's Sean Holstege. That's more than all tunnels previously found in Arizona.

Drug cartels finance tunnels, but transporting people into the country illegally has become so lucrative that drug smugglers increasingly are mixing their cargo.
If the U.S. had a process to legally bring in needed foreign workers and legalize the current undocumented population, the reduction in the Border Patrol's workload would allow border law enforcement to focus on drug smuggling.

There's reason to hope the new Congress will act on that simple reality.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... n1-01.html

If the U.S. had a process to legally bring in needed foreign workers and legalize the current undocumented population, the reduction in the Border Patrol's workload would allow border law enforcement to focus on drug smuggling.

We do have a process to bring in foreign workers,several processes actualy.

The logic of legalizing all the illegals currently here will only entice others to come here illegaly.

This is nothing but propoganda.

Originally Posted by jimpasz

Drug cartels finance tunnels, but transporting people into the country illegally has become so lucrative that drug smugglers increasingly are mixing their cargo.
If the U.S. had a process to legally bring in needed foreign workers and legalize the current undocumented population, the reduction in the Border Patrol's workload would allow border law enforcement to focus on drug smuggling.

What a horrific, terrible lie.

Since we have Americans out of work, we no longer need a "process" that will simply increase crime and throw more Americans out of work!

BUMP!!!

Drug cartels finance tunnels, but transporting people into the country illegally has become so lucrative that drug smugglers increasingly are mixing their cargo.
If the U.S. had a process to legally bring in needed foreign workers and legalize the current undocumented population, the reduction in the Border Patrol's workload would allow border law enforcement to focus on drug smuggling.

There's reason to hope the new Congress will act on that simple reality.

There is also reason to hope that the new Congress, Alipackers and groups like us will not let this country continue on the road of becoming a third world nation. More Americans are aware of the invasion than ever and we will continue to inform them. It is going to be a heck of a fight.

The inaccurately named "America's Voice" is a notorious pro-illegal alien propaganda group. But this opinion piece is so flawed with weak logic and lack of facts that it's hardly worth responding to, although we have to combat this type of trash and hackneyed writing. Example, the Democrats increasing their majorities had nothing to do with immigration matters -- rather it was the economy. And many Dems won by sounding tough on illegal immigration.

These elistist open-border hacks just refuse to accept that the vast majority of Americans want the laws enforced and no further amnesties -- "pathway" or otherwise. Just check Zogby or Rasmussen polling as two recent examples.

Americas Voice is the organization that a seyt of American cheap labor profiteers set up with various increased immigration non profits to try to influence elections and then turned over to Frank Sharry. Sharry was at the National Immigration Forum and turned the leadership at that organization over to Ali Noorani who headed the Massachusetts illegal alien lobby the MIRA Coalition.

I would also refer people to the NumbersUSA analysis which showed several of the incoming Democrats being Blue Dogs.

"blue dogs"-- I pray you are right. I have been a registered member of one of the two parties for over 40 years, yet, I have always tried to find the platform of candidates, regardless of party, what they want to do for America and voted that way, not just party affiliation.

Conservatism and strong loyalty to America is paramount in voting.

Notice how this propaganda piece excludes all of the many Republicans and Democrats that took a tough stance on illegal immigration that won? Far more than 14 enforcement only candidates won in 2008.

W