Thread: Immigration Reform Roils Republican Debate in Iowa

Immigration Reform Roils Republican Debate in Iowa
By Dan Moffett, About.com Guide August 12, 2011

Immigration reform provoked some spirited exchanges during the Republican presidential debate Thursday night in Ames, Iowa.

Jon Huntsman, a former Utah governor, had to defend his previous comments that suggested support for a path to permanent residency for the country's 11 million illegal immigrants as part of a comprehensive reform plan.

Huntsman said it was inappropriate and would be "zero in the way of any intellectual credibility" to consider a solution for the illegal immigrant population until the government had secured the U.S.-Mexico border. "I'm not going to talk about anything else until we get it done," he said.

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich was asked to explain his idea for using citizen boards to decide which illegal immigrants stay in the country and which get deported. Gingrich said he wants to look at the country's experience with Selective Service draft boards to see if they would work for immigration decision-making.

Rather than discuss the legal complications this idea presents, Gingrich quickly shifted to criticism of the Obama administration and support for certifying "English as the official language of government."

For Republicans engaged in primary warfare, it's much safer to attack the administration and lament the state of the economy than to get into the messy business of solving a problem as complex as immigration.

Almost no one can dispute Huntsman's assertion that inaction from Washington has allowed a "patchwork of solutions" to spread among state and local governments. Sooner or later, a president and a Congress will have to set aside politics and fix that.

http://immigration.about.com/b/2011/08/ ... debate.htm

can anyone get us a video clip of all of their answers to the immigration question?

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

can anyone get us a video clip of all of their answers to the immigration question?

W

Found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O63dlRby ... re=related
Immigration starts at 3:21 point.
Ends at 10:14

Iowa GOP Debate Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr0_Xd4nX4M

Iowa GOP Debate Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zC0HXVtDEg

Iowa GOP Debate Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hThtzm6ccGo

Iowa GOP Debate Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O63dlRbyQ2c

Iowa GOP Debate Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wz_K6qogAE

Iowa GOP Debate Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq-f2q_wrWQ

Iowa GOP Debate Part 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLGJzHtNOO8

Iowa GOP Debate Part 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPOAutcGOsA

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

can anyone get us a video clip of all of their answers to the immigration question?

W

=====================================

The topic of Illegal Immigration begins in clip #4 at 03:20

Iowa GOP Debate Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O63dlRbyQ2c

" For Republicans engaged in primary warfare, it's much safer to attack the administration and lament the state of the economy than to get into the messy business of solving a problem as complex as immigration. "

Immigration is not a complex problem. It is really very simple: 1. Enforce the current immigration laws (all of them...no cherry picking, because cherry picking is one of those jobs Americans do not want to do anyway, right?. 2, MANAGE the visa program. Confirm the need for the foreign skills, and confirm the numbers needed, and ensure the foreign workers return to their country of origin when the visas expire. 3. Mandate e-verify nationally 4. Deny illegal aliens all social services. Provide emergency or humanitarian support when necessary, but submit the bill to the illegal alien's employer (if known) or to the illegal alien's country of origin (if employer is unknown, of if unemployed). Do these four things and immigration issues will become much more manageable.

What is complex are the POLITICS of immigration. Democrats want to buy votes. Republicans do not want to be left out, although they cannot hold a candle to Democrats when it comes to buying votes. Republicans and Democrats want cheap labor (how else can Nancy Pelosi harvest the grapes from her vineyards?). Everyone wants to be politically correct. Everyone wants to compromise in order to choose a low risk position. Besides the World is Flat (actually it's Friedmans head). And God forbid we be branded as ISOLATIONISTS when in 2012 the key phrase is NOT "it's the economy, stupid!". In 2012 the key phrase is "it's the GLOBAL economy, stupid!".