Rubio’s immigration plan is good for the GOP
1. While immigration reform alone won’t make most Hispanics switch from D to R, it is the gateway policy needed before conservatives can begin to make their case to that community. And even though future Republican presidential candidates could conceivably win doing as poorly among Hispanics as Mitt Romney did — at least for another election, maybe two — such a weak showing leaves little margin for error and makes a large, Reaganesque GOP win improbable.
2. Immigration reform would nudge conservatives and Republicans to move beyond an economic agenda — both in terms of policy and messaging — that’s been focused almost exclusively on a) debt reduction, and b) directly meeting the needs of business and entrepreneurs. Keep all that stuff, of course, but what about education and healthcare reform and the tax code’s anti-parent bias? A populist, middle-class agenda won’t just help win the votes of Hispanics, but also the votes of millions of middle-income and working-class Americans of whatever race and ethnicity who think the GOP and conservative policies have nothing to offer them.
3. Even if it will be initially hard to move the Hispanic vote rightward, Immigration reform sends a signal to other groups — Asians, women, younger voters — that the GOP is an open, inclusive, and compassionate party.
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Adding 20 million new democrat voters is good for the GOP?
On what planet, because on this one that would make America a defacto one party state and be the end of the republic.
Rebar on January 31, 2013 at 12:13 PM
There is only one immigration policy that would benefit the GOP.
Lock the enforcement.
Lock the borders.
Enforce the workplace.
Stop the welfare hand outs.
Toss the anchor baby doctrine which is not constitutional in the first place.
Open immigration slots to high wage jobs and shut down the no skill immigration.
They will never do it, so they might as well commit suicide.
astonerii on January 31, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Yes, because James Petmykookus has the Gop’s best interest in mind.
Heck, we can’t even get Boehner and McConnell to do that!
RovesChins on January 31, 2013 at 12:22 PM
What w/b good for the GOP is to grow a pair, alas.
Schadenfreude on January 31, 2013 at 12:22 PM
I’m still a little unsure why legal immigrants are so hot to have the illegal ones get a free pass.
Dr. Frank Enstine on January 31, 2013 at 12:30 PM
The same ole crap. Yawn.
tommy71 on January 31, 2013 at 12:32 PM
same
blatantblue on January 31, 2013 at 12:33 PM
He cannot possibly be that stupid.
When 60% of all Hispanic household recieve one form or another of a govt. benefit does he really think they won’t vote (D) once they are legalized when they have already been reliably doing that very same thing.
Also. Does he fail to remember that the amnesty push led by John McCain, Lindsey Graham and George Bush led to huge losses in 2006 and 2008..?
Giving amnesty to tens of millions of 3rd world foreigners who will almost certainly go on the govt. dole will be the death of the GOP and the ultimate betrayal of anyone who ever voted for or sent money to jerks like Marco Rubio.
Screw us over one more time and see where you are in four years.
NeoKong on January 31, 2013 at 12:33 PM
Forcibly relocating the entire population of Western Europe would probably be good for the GOP too. Somehow.
Jeddite on January 31, 2013 at 12:44 PM
Heh, James P. is very dialled in, and he tips the establishment hand here. First, amnesty, then we still won’t be getting the Hispanic votes, so welfare and social justice are to follow quickly afterwards. Amnesty is just the gateway drug for the new GOP. This is the dismantling of Reagan’s three-legged stool coalition bit by bit.
sauldalinsky on January 31, 2013 at 12:49 PM
I love it. What idiots we have here. So the law and answer to a huge conundrum in the country solely is decided on who you’re SURE they’ll vote for until you’re dead. Well it’s a friggen free country. Good God. Does it not dawn on you that if this were put to a vote nation wide with legal American registered voters as pure as the driven YOU that blanket amnesty might overwhelmingly pass tomorrow?
Marcus on January 31, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Despite the fact she supported Romney, Ann Coulter’s take on this issue was much more persuasive and consistent with prior experience.
tommyboy on January 31, 2013 at 12:55 PM
So basically, your argument is weak, so you’ve created a straw man to make it look better. I mean, is it like a law or something that says all future candidates must be limited to Romney’s numbers unless amnesty is passed?
xblade on January 31, 2013 at 1:12 PM
By here you mean your mirror, right?
Yeah, that’s why they all refuse to admit it’s amnesty…because amnesty is so popular, lol.
xblade on January 31, 2013 at 1:25 PM
1. Pass amnesty.
2. ???????
3. ???????
4. Profit!
El_Terrible on January 31, 2013 at 1:27 PM
Well, then, Tru Cons, enjoy the status quo. More illegals for the next four years sucking up our resources and not paying taxes. You have no alternative, you just b!tch and moan and call everyone RINOs.
Useless putzes.
John the Libertarian on January 31, 2013 at 1:32 PM
Yeah, the status quo sucks, so let’s make things even worse. You know, because it’s different. Thank you for your brilliance, Mr. liberaltarian.
xblade on January 31, 2013 at 2:03 PM
John the Unlibertarian…
Maybe you are as stupid as the libertarian title says you are.
Lets talk about taxes…
Illegals pay sales taxes…
Illegals probably pay income taxes, but lets look at those that do not… They are not making much money, meaning they still will not pay any taxes, but they will be eligible for all the tax rebates for money they never paid… Increasing that sucking sound of money going out in payments with not a dime extra in revenue.
But that is not all. If they send the money back to Mexico to their families lets say, they will be claiming 5 to 12 children on their taxes, netting an extra $5,000 to $12,000 in child tax credits for children that may not exist and certainly are not here in America. Did they send $2000 back to their aunt, uncle, their 12 kids? never fear, now they can claim 40 more people on their tax return and have negative $150,000 in income for the year.
You think you are going to get tax money from welfare sponge low life people? Dream on loser.
Let me know when you have 5 mexican families living in your house, then maybe I would take you seriously. I will demand proof by the way.
astonerii on January 31, 2013 at 2:34 PM
Another establishment hack singing for his supper.
Punchenko on January 31, 2013 at 2:54 PM