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Mickey Kaus

Note to ambitious GOP pols: There’s an opening on the right against amnesty

Now that GOP presidential contenders Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and even Rand Paul** have embraced some form of legalization for illegal immigrants, doesn’t that create a rather gaping hole for an ambitious Republican pol to run for President oppoing it? Even if you didn’t give a fig about the (to my mind) persuasive arguments against current amnesty proposals, the opportunity would be almost too juicy to pass up: You could be the sole candidate championing the party’s substantial anti-amnesty wing against a vote-splitting array of candidates falling in line behind the elite consensus … Pointy-headed, Washington candidates, you might call them, who’ve never tried to find a good paying job in today’s economy competing against cheaper and hungrier undocumented workers from abroad …

Suppose you only got 25% of the primary vote–you might win, but in any case you’d have a big impact, make a big name for yourself and (unless you flaked out) give yourself a semi-permanent role in the debate. It’s almost a lock. A “special pathway” to prominence. You get to jump the queue.

Any takers? Gov. Walker? Sen. Cruz? Sen. Sessions?

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Any takers? Gov. Walker? Sen. Cruz? Sen. Sessions?

Ted, call your office.

Kataklysmic on March 20, 2013 at 2:44 PM

There is a huge opening, and I’ve been wondering for some time why no pol wants to take it. In fact, does anyone remember that the Bush amnesty push was a major reason for the start of the base backlash and development of the Tea Party?

Unfortunately, it seems likely the GOP pols are all too caught up in groupthink to tap into this.

Doomberg on March 20, 2013 at 2:48 PM

No men of the laws are left in DC.

Prove that there is one left.

Schadenfreude on March 20, 2013 at 2:48 PM

Sure there’s an opening. Because the people don’t want amnesty. That’s one area where Romney failed. He should have vocally (in ads also) rallied the anti-illegal immigrant vote. Many of them are independents and Dems. Romney’s hushed position (only surfacing in a debate where he couldn’t skirt the issue) on the issue attracted no one.

anotherJoe on March 20, 2013 at 2:49 PM

Because giving citizenship to whole bunch of people that want a free lunch is a good idea.

FYI, I know a engineer that states computer companies are looking to Robotics to take some jobs away. It start off small like floor cleaners. But in 10 years you see many of these jobs (including fruit picking) automated. So, these people will just end up on welfare..

Oil Can on March 20, 2013 at 2:55 PM

Mrs. Palin, your courtesy phone is ringing.

alwaysfiredup on March 20, 2013 at 2:55 PM

So, these people will just end up on welfare..

Oil Can on March 20, 2013 at 2:55 PM

That’s the whole point of the amnesty push. There are no jobs for these people – the Obama administration is keeping unemployment rates “stable” by constantly shrinking the universe of available jobs. The whole intention of amnesty, therefore, is to put these people onto the welfare rolls and get them maximum government benefits so they will turn around and vote for Republicans.

It’s a classic Democrat vote-buying scheme. The problem, of course, is that the Democrats will win this outbidding the Republicans as they always do.

Doomberg on March 20, 2013 at 3:01 PM

This is incredible- the GOP really is intent on suicide:

How many ultra-conservative lawmakers do you need to pack into a room before one of them objects to immigration reform? Apparenty more than nine.

On Wednesday, a panel of House conservatives hosted by the conservative Heritage Foundation offered nothing but praise for Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) speech on immigration in which the tea party favorite backed the same broad planks of comprehensive immigration reform favored by the Senate’s bipartisan working group and by the White House.

“I thought he did a very, very good job in talking about and embracing some ideals of dealing with illegal immigration and embracing some of the reform measures my friends are putting together,” Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) said. Duncan has an A+ career rating from anti-immigration group Numbers USA and once compared illegal immigrants to “vagrants” and “animals.”

Paul was only the latest in a parade of conservative Republicans, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), who have talked up reform in recent weeks. And if the reaction in the room on Wednesday is any indication, their message is taking hold.

“We’re not going to round up millions and millions of people, kids and grandmas and grandpas and send them to wherever,” Rep. Trey Radel (R-FL) said, adding there were both “conservative arguments” and “emotional arguments” that should compel the House to address immigration.

In addition to Duncan and Radel, the group included Reps. Raul Labrador (R-ID), Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), Dave Schweikert (R-AZ), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Mick Mulvaney (R-SC).

After several members also expressed their support for some version of reform, they were asked as a group whether any one of them disagreed with Paul’s call to legalize the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country. The group looked to each other then shook their heads. Not one raised an objection — at most they said they wanted more details.

If the panel on Wednesday — which included two members (Huelskamp and Schweikert) who were booted from committee assignments at the beginning of this Congress for bucking leadership from the right too often — couldn’t produce any immigration hardliners, it’s unlikely there’s anything close to the kind of insurgency needed to derail a bill in the House right now.

There was some confusion among the participants over whether Paul supported a path to citizenship (he did, just not by name), but Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID), the leading tea party conservative working on a bipartisan immigration bill in the House, didn’t seem to ruffle any feathers when he said he supported a plan that would allow undocumented immigrants to eventually become citizens.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/entire-room-of-tea-party-house-members-agrees-with-rand-paul-on-immigration.php

Jon0815 on March 20, 2013 at 3:08 PM

pick me, pick me!
Shogun of the US Lincoln the Hun.
oh, you meant President.
okay if I must.
I’d rather be Shogun.

LincolntheHun on March 20, 2013 at 3:09 PM

This is incredible- the GOP really is intent on suicide:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/entire-room-of-tea-party-house-members-agrees-with-rand-paul-on-immigration.php

Jon0815 on March 20, 2013 at 3:08 PM

The Smartest Men in the Room™

Doomberg on March 20, 2013 at 3:14 PM

Note to ambitious GOP pols: There’s an opening on the right against amnesty

There is a huge opening, and I’ve been wondering for some time why no pol wants to take it.

Doomberg on March 20, 2013 at 2:48 PM

Umm, an ambitious GOP pol did recently stake out a strong rightwing position against amnesty – his name is Mitt Romney, and he got his ass handed to him in the election. Fat load of good that position did him. Not that the mythical Hispanic vote was ever going to vote for him, but 4 million base voters stayed home the last election because Romney wasn’t conservative enough, despite his severely conservative position on immigration. Perhaps if Romney had come out full bore for complete deportation of illegals, he might have squeaked through. That’s a real vote getter right there.

Mr. Arkadin on March 20, 2013 at 3:16 PM

Note to ambitious stupid GOP pols: There’s an opening on the right against amnesty

Fixed, for accuracy.

Schadenfreude on March 20, 2013 at 3:17 PM

Note to ambitious stupid GOP pols: There’s an opening on the right against amnesty

Fixed, for accuracy.

Schadenfreude on March 20, 2013 at 3:17 PM

.
Really? you think the average person couldn’t be convinced that maybe if illegals weren’t here there might be more jobs?
.
Of course best bet is to stick to economic issues and then once in close the border and ship them all home.

LincolntheHun on March 20, 2013 at 3:29 PM

LincolntheHun on March 20, 2013 at 3:29 PM

Don’t know what’s the matter with you.

I’m totally against amnesty.

Schadenfreude on March 20, 2013 at 3:38 PM

Umm, an ambitious GOP pol did recently stake out a strong rightwing position against amnesty – his name is Mitt Romney, and he got his ass handed to him in the election. Fat load of good that position did him. Not that the mythical Hispanic vote was ever going to vote for him, but 4 million base voters stayed home the last election because Romney wasn’t conservative enough, despite his severely conservative position on immigration. Perhaps if Romney had come out full bore for complete deportation of illegals, he might have squeaked through. That’s a real vote getter right there.
Mr. Arkadin on March 20, 2013 at 3:16 PM

I think the point of the article is not that the candidate will win the WH, just that they’ll get some prominence in the GOP field.

happytobehere on March 20, 2013 at 3:39 PM

NO one will “ship” anyone home. They’d go on their own, if the laws were enforced. The land has 3rd world status now. More of it and she’ll end up Zimbabwe, or Cyprus.

Schadenfreude on March 20, 2013 at 3:40 PM

Any takers? Gov. Walker? Sen. Cruz? Sen. Sessions?

Walker is an amnesty supporter too:
http://hotair.com/archives/2013/02/26/walker-i-support-a-path-to-citizenship-in-comprehensive-immigration-reform/comment-page-1/

I won’t vote for any candidate that supports amnesty. I found Rand Paul’s remarks on the topic yesterday to be offensive and he is off my list, same as Walker.

I want to hear more from Ted Cruz on the issue, I’ve heard he opposes amnesty.

FloatingRock on March 20, 2013 at 3:44 PM

The sweet spot rejects amnesty and the deportation of 12 million illegal immigrants.

Romney went as extreme as he could on immigration only to hammer Newt and Perry.

Newt and Perry were more reasonable on the issue. Secure the borders and enforce the laws first. After its done, then you can debate work permits for those that are still here.

El_Terrible on March 20, 2013 at 3:46 PM

There’s an opening so huge, a legal American truck driver could drive an 18 wheeler through it.

xblade on March 20, 2013 at 4:03 PM

This is incredible- the GOP really is intent on suicide:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/03/entire-room-of-tea-party-house-members-agrees-with-rand-paul-on-immigration.php

Jon0815 on March 20, 2013 at 3:08 PM

Sad. Really, truly, incredibly sad.

Stoic Patriot on March 20, 2013 at 4:13 PM

Jon0815 on March 20, 2013 at 3:08 PM

Time for a new party then.

FloatingRock on March 20, 2013 at 4:13 PM

Newt and Perry were more reasonable on the issue. Secure the borders and enforce the laws first. After its done, then you can debate work permits for those that are still here.

El_Terrible

Why would we discuss work permits for those who are more adept at avoiding capture than others? You don’t ever discuss work permits for those who are still here illegally. They either leave and come back the right way, or they stay in the shadows knowing one day they will be caught and sent home. That is the only way to discourage future illegals.

xblade on March 20, 2013 at 4:17 PM

and even Rand Paul**

No need for asterisks. Rand Paul jumped face-first into the treasonous, idiotic slimepit of aiding and abetting illegals at the expense of the American citizenry, American soveriegnty, and the Rule of Law. There’s no backing out for the douche.

ThePrimordialOrderedPair on March 20, 2013 at 4:40 PM

Key Senate Dem: Forget about immigration reform anytime soon

In a sharply worded statement Wednesday, Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said his committee will not make its deadline of considering a comprehensive immigration reform bill by the end of April. Abandoning hopes for a quick agreement on the issue, Leahy said, “This process will take time. It will not be easy.”

Directing criticism at the White House, the so-called Gang of 8, and, to a lesser extent, Republicans, Leahy said he has tried to make reform the top priority of the Judiciary Committee. But no one else has gone along.

“For months I have urged the president to send his proposal for comprehensive immigration reform to the Senate,” Leahy said. “I understand he has delayed releasing it at the request of a few senators who are engaged in secret, closed door discussions on their own proposal and who committed to completing it by the beginning of March. That deadline and others have come and gone.”

Resist We Much on March 20, 2013 at 5:02 PM

Now that GOP presidential contenders Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and even Rand Paul** have embraced some form of legalization for illegal immigrants, doesn’t that create a rather gaping hole for an ambitious Republican pol to run for President oppoing it? Even if you didn’t give a fig about the (to my mind) persuasive arguments against current amnesty proposals, the opportunity would be almost too juicy to pass up: You could be the sole candidate championing the party’s substantial anti-amnesty wing against a vote-splitting array of candidates falling in line behind the elite consensus …

I think the point of the article is not that the candidate will win the WH, just that they’ll get some prominence in the GOP field.

happytobehere on March 20, 2013 at 3:39 PM

What would be the point of that? To land a TV gig, cough cough? You run for President to win. Romney did exactly what Kaus is advising and it didn’t help. Kaus is a lib, a concern troll, and another pundit/loser whose advice doesn’t amount to squat.

I’ll tell you what you can do if you take Kaus’s advice. You can show up at CPAC, give a real stem winder of a speech that the base goes ape over, and then come in dead last in the straw poll.

Mr. Arkadin on March 20, 2013 at 5:07 PM