The Obama-Rubio amnesty farce
Both Obama and Rubio swear up and down that their “path to citizenship,” as they call it, is not amnesty because those here illegally today would have to jump through a series of hoops before they obtained legal status. Both Obama and Rubio would require illegal immigrants to: prove they were in the United States for a lengthy period of time, undergo a background check, pay a fine, pay back taxes and prove they have learned English.
But even these minimal requirements would obviously never be enforced. Just imagine if a grandmother came forward, passed a background check, paid her taxes and fines but failed her English test. Would Rubio deport her? Of course not. As Rubio admitted above, no one is going to vote for you if you threaten to deport their grandmother.
So how can a conservative both be true to his or her principles and avoid alienating those millions of voters who don’t want to see their loved ones deported?
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
So we won’t do anything about a person who has broken our laws getting here and being here, but if they can’t prove they been in-country for a certain amount of time they will be shoved onto a Mexico-bound bus?
O_o
Bishop on January 21, 2013 at 10:32 AM
Reagan did the same: They placate people with this nonsense and then never enforce it or fund enforcement. Shame on Rubio!
Blake on January 21, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Amnesty will be the end of the GOP as a national party, and the end of America as a constitutional republic.
Anyone advocating for amnesty is either incredibly stupid, or working for our enemies.
Rebar on January 21, 2013 at 10:44 AM
So, are grandmas excused from serving prison sentences too?
xblade on January 21, 2013 at 10:57 AM
We’re not going to deport millions and millions of illegal immigrants. How about in addition to background checks, paying a fine, back taxes etc. that aliens that actually crossed the border are allowed a provisional residency card but are forever denied citizenship (or are eligible after 20 years)?
gwelf on January 21, 2013 at 11:00 AM
A law that goes unenforced is effectively no law at all, we can’t expect people to comply with it. Retroactive punishment is pointless.
I’m fine with a phased in amnesty if it comes with future enforcement.
commodore on January 21, 2013 at 11:13 AM
That’s part of the problem. Reagan signed off on amnesty because there was supposed to be future enforcement. The Democrats repeat this cycle every decade or two.
Democrats will never go along with securing the border.
gwelf on January 21, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Future immigration enforcement is about as likely as future spending cuts…
DavidW on January 21, 2013 at 11:27 AM
I’ve re-examined my views, and Rubio has convinced me that I’m a heartless racist rube. I now support amnesty. Rubio 2016!
//
sauldalinsky on January 21, 2013 at 11:30 AM
Rubio is John McCain lite.
moonsbreath on January 21, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Pay back taxes? People aren’t going to sign up for that – they’ll just stay like they are. What a load.
Ward Cleaver on January 21, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Bitch
Bitch
Bitch
Moan Moan Moan
Marge: “Build a fence, Homie! Build it higher than heaven and deeper than hell!”
Every Conservative from Palin to Rubio to Perry has proposed a stepwise immigration program towards amnesty. Of course Mitt took a rightward path as far away as he could and guess what happened to him. Reagan just granted blanket amnesty. Or have you forgotten.
It’s coming and massive cargo trains full of standing Hispanics in cattle cars as they roll towards Mexico is not.
Marcus on January 21, 2013 at 11:44 AM
The political elite has sold out the nation for a mess of temporary power.
They will adapt to any change in demographics and ideology as long as they can keep their power.
Welcome to the end of America and the beginning of Nuevo Crapistan.
Thank you, traitor class.
Goodbye Constitutional Republic.
profitsbeard on January 21, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Its inevitable. A head in sand attitude ain’t good. Rhetoric against immigration reform may be moral, but its no longer politically feasible. The GOP leaders understand it.
tommy71 on January 21, 2013 at 12:48 PM