The GOP argument for immigration reform
Now, key Republicans are circling back to this argument: Legalizing undocumented immigrants will make them pay more taxes, earn higher wages and bring an underground demographic of workers into the official American economy. And, Republicans hope, new voters who might sympathize with the GOP agenda on social and economic issues. …
“Our goal is not to make rich people poorer,” Rubio said in an interview with POLITICO. “It is to make poor people richer, make all Americans more prosperous. And I think immigration is a part of that. … In order for this economy to grow dynamically, this country is going to need a 21st century legal immigration system.”
“I think Democrats realized that our economy needs immigration reform,” added Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), another key proponent of immigration reform. “You can’t get the workers you need; illegal immigration hurts us economically, politically and socially.”
In recasting the debate to be about economics, these Republicans are sending a clear signal that they’re siding with the business arm of the GOP rather than the immigration hawks who appeal more to raw emotion when it comes to undocumented immigrants. It remains to be seen if the Rubio wing of the GOP can blow past the Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) wing of the party on immigration — not to mention the criticism Republicans will hear from conservative talk radio.
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The GOP does’t need to exist… and if the GOP does exist, it should exist to put forth the interests of their voters and not their donors.
ninjapirate on November 20, 2012 at 10:32 AM
If you didn’t know where that quote came from, you’d think it was a Democrat. What’s wrong with the system we have, other than non-implementation? Immigration is going to be Rubio’s RomneyCare. That and the fact that by 2016 he’ll probably be in Ugly Combover territory.
ddrintn on November 20, 2012 at 10:35 AM
I’m about ready for a third party now.
Punchenko on November 20, 2012 at 10:36 AM
Just what I needed to see this morning:
Is this not what the democrat talking points have been on this issue all along? These republicans are stupider than hell if they think they will win more than a pittance of the hispanic vote by adopting the democrat position on immigration.
Third party please.
KickandSwimMom on November 20, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Unless the borders are sealed first, this simply starts a new vicious cycle.
The GOP will betray conservatives. They always do.
stvnscott on November 20, 2012 at 10:48 AM
It would help if they could adduce some evidence that any Hispanics other than middle class Cuban refugees have ever voted for conservative politicians.*
____________
*Dubya is not a conservative, and Martinez relied on white voters.
Seth Halpern on November 20, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Are all the Democrats in congress on the record that the want to vote for amnesty? The Democrats will not pick up one seat by running against a law and order Republican. They will lose seats if they are on the record in white areas as being for amnesty. That is why liberals are so anxious to get Republicans to spearhead the amnesty push. Or maybe they just want Republicans to win!
Get the Democrats on the record about their amnesty position and start campaigning against them immediately. Even tell the voters that if they want amnesty they’ll need to vote in complete Democrat control.
This is how you win.
Buddahpundit on November 20, 2012 at 10:53 AM
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57552225-38/senate-bill-rewrite-lets-feds-read-your-e-mail-without-warrants/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
The above link is what conservatives should start fighting. If we want small government – a government that actually follows the concept of individual freedom and a restrained government – we should be the party of liberty and freedom, not just in rhetoric but action.
The young, minorities and all walks of life – with the exception of over zealous tyrants in the government – can embrace the concept of liberty.
MoreLiberty on November 20, 2012 at 10:55 AM
99 articles of amnesty on the wall…99 articles of amnesty on the wall…etc., etc.
moonsbreath on November 20, 2012 at 11:02 AM
You’d think these guys were deliberately trying to finish off the party.
Doomberg on November 20, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Um, I think some walks of life are content with the handouts and the “get whitey!” strategy of the Democrats.
Punchenko on November 20, 2012 at 11:03 AM
I sent this email to the GOP website:
“I am a white male who has left your party so you can make room for all the nonwhites you are going to win over with your amnesty. Good luck with that.”
I encourage you all to do the same.
Thresher on November 20, 2012 at 11:03 AM
” I didn’t leave the GOP, the GOP left me”.
Clink on November 20, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Maybe maybe not but making snarky comments on the internet wont change a thing. Try to think outside of the box and fight what you can. Right now, as has been the trend, we are losing Constitutional rights left and right. It has also been a bi-partisan effort. Embracing liberty and federalism is the way to go. Pointing your finger at people and calling them names doesn’t increase support.
MoreLiberty on November 20, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Actually it does. The GOP is caving on amnesty (among other issues) because enough Democrats, the MSM, and con$ultant$ are pointing fingers, calling names, and shaming them into supporting it.
Punchenko on November 20, 2012 at 11:13 AM
If immigration was the silver bullet for success, we’d be by far the wealthiest nation ever to exist.
For four decades, we’ve allowed more legal immigrants in per year, then the rest of the world combined.
Obviously and objectively, immigration is not what is being claimed by the Rubios and others, since our economy is in the toilet, and our culture of liberty is being drowned out by mass immigration from socialist countries.
What we need, is an immigration moratorium for at least ten years, and the expulsion of every single illegal. This is the conversation we need to be having.
Rebar on November 20, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Actually the GOP is caving because they just lost an election, and it didn’t just start. The GOp caves all the time, just go back and review past debt ceiling votes, and the vote for TARP. You can go back to 86 when Reagan granted amnesty to 3 million illegals, you can also go back to ’07 when McCain and Bush were pushing it. This is nothing new. The establishment GOP caves on the side of status quo all the time. Wake up and realize it.
MoreLiberty on November 20, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Are you freakin’ kidding me? The real unemployment rate in this country is over 10%, and it’s even higher for Hispanics. SC, please put this moron in the unemployment line in 2014….or sooner if it’s possible.
xblade on November 20, 2012 at 11:31 AM
So then, actually, it isn’t because they just lost an election. It’s just republicans being republicans.
xblade on November 20, 2012 at 11:34 AM
The last “immigration reform” plan cost us any chance of ever winning California.
Note how Texas and Arizona, which deal with large Hispanic populations, don’t spend all their time trumpeting amnesty? And somehow they manage to win Hispanic votes. Border state GOP leaders understand the need for a security-first approach. And so do lots of legal immigrants.
hawksruleva on November 20, 2012 at 12:18 PM
He means we can’t get enough cut-rate workers. The main reason companies hire illegals is that they can get them at a lower cost. Amnesty will result in a lot of the former illegals losing their jobs.
hawksruleva on November 20, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Here’s an economic argument for you. Why should we have anything to do with immigration reform while unemployment has remained constant at around 8% and doesn’t look to be going much lower any time soon?
Rocks on November 20, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Just another way of saying illegal aliens are doing the jobs Americans won’t do. Anyone who regularly watches Dirty Jobs knows there are few jobs Americans won’t do.
agmartin on November 20, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Umm, how about putting real Americans back to work first then see where the gaps are. Till then lock the border cause the illegals are robbing our inheritance.
AH_C on November 20, 2012 at 12:58 PM