The question about illegal immigration seems to have settled on the issue of amnesty. Republicans seem to be wavering about the benefits or disadvantages of the prospect of millions of new voters trending left politically. The issue of the advantage of Republican support for amnesty is highly questionable, if not dubious.
Getting killed almost three-to-one among Latino voters understandably concentrates the mind, but it’s no reason to lose it. The post-election Republican reaction has been built on equal parts panic, wishful thinking and ethnic pandering.
It’s one thing to argue that amnesty is the right policy on the merits. It’s another to depict it as the magic key to unlocking the Latino vote. John McCain nearly immolated himself within the Republican party with his support for amnesty and did all of four points better among Latino voters in 2008 than Mitt Romney did in 2012, according to exit polls.
Mickey Kaus asks if the GOP is being led astray by Fox News.
Does Fox News now have an All-Amnesty lineup? Looks like it. Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly have now fallen in line behind World Citizen Rupert Murdoch’s support of ”sweeping, generous immigration reform,” including a “path to citizenship.” Karl Rove was always on board, of course.
The problem with unlimited immigration is the welfare state. Until 1965, the new immigrant was on his own and the negative consequences were chiefly those of competition for low wage jobs. With the appearance of generous welfare benefits in 1965, the new immigrant might improve his situation even without working.
I don’t know how this will turn out but I am sure that it will not produce any benefit for the Republican Party
Tags: politics, Republicans
Nail on head, Mike. A generous immigration policy on top of a welfare state will result in even higher spending.
Before amnesty is even considered, welfare reform has to happen, and E-Verify should be made mandatory for ALL employers. If they can’t work, and they can’t get public benefits, there is little reason to be here illegally.