Posted on 08/22/2015 7:34:23 AM PDT by BobL
I have a question for you FReepers. In a Primary debate in late January, 2012, Romney tried to get to the right on illegal immigration by proposing that we make conditions so difficult for the illegals that they pack it up and go home on their own (i.e., self-deportation), rather than rounding them up and deporting them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObVnA0nIx_s
A Google search finds many columns on this topic, but only immediately after that debate.
Then Obama brought it up in an October debate, just before the election and blasted Romney on it. After the election, the Republican 'advisers' (most of them gay, by the way) got together and determined that Romney's support of only 29% of the Hispanics is why he lost (which is not true, if you run the numbers), and that the reason he had such a low number (compared to the low 40s which Bush Jr. and Reagan each got) was because of Romney's self-deportation comment at that primary debate.
Here's RNC Chairman Rinse Previous commenting on it, in August 2013:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/08/16/priebus-romneys-self-deportation-comment-was-horrific/
My question is whether Romney ever campaigned on self-deportation for the November election, such as pushing it at a rally, for example, or whether Romney hoped, instead, that the country would simply forget he ever proposed that plan. That is what I think happened...once the Republican primary season was over, any talk of immigration enforcement simply ended for Romney as he was trying to reach Hispanic voters, but, of course Obama would not let him take it back regarding self-deportation, and the Spanish language media, no doubt, played it up to the hilt.
In other words, if one throw-away line during a Primary campaign is enough to destroy the (potential) support of a whole class of voters (Hispanics), which may be true, then are any of the major Republican contenders clean enough to meet that standard this year? So far Walker has said that he's for ending birthright citizenship, then sheepishly walked it back (no doubt after some phone calls from his controllers)...but he still put it out there and Walker also supports self-deportation. Bush has used the term Anchor Baby, and double-downed on it when confronted. Probably similar with most of the serious contenders - they all likely have some baggage that can be used against them.
If that is the case, and the Republicans, no matter who they nominate, are going to be stuck with 29% or so of the Hispanic vote, then it really doesn't matter whether Bush or Trump get the nomination, the Hispanic vote is 'lost' this time around (I know, that can be argued, but I'm using The Establishment's logic here)...so why not have Trump, who can pack 30,000 people into a stadium and reach untold millions of independents and even Democrats who are also not happy with open borders?
Side Note: About a month ago I was listening to the Michael Medved show. A guest host had a Republican 'adviser' (not sure if he was gay) who said that earlier this year, they got all of the potential Republican candidates together and got them all to promise not to discuss Illegal Immigration, as that would 'turn off' the Hispanic vote. Their plan was to simply ignore the issue. The most important issue to Republicans, and they all agreed to ignore it! No wonder Trump had no problem dominating these losers.
Mr. Romneycare’s wife should have run in his place.
She is/was tougher, clearer, and more honest
than he ever was.
And unlike him, she did not pass and impose
RomneyCARE/ObamaCARE and gay marriage by his whim.
He did - often using the term “turning off the magnet” - the mechanism being to penalize companies that would hire non-citizens.
Romney through that out there during the primary. Its a ‘wonkish’ word that contributed to his image of being ‘stiff’ in my opinion. But, should our immigration laws actually be followed as intended (No work, school, or benefits without citizenship that is provable), illegal aliens would have no choice, but to head back home....or self deport.
Think about it. If you moved to say , Japan, and tried to find work, enroll your kids in school, or apply for welfare, the Japanese government would ask for proof of citizenship. When you could not come up with the proof, they would send you packing. In time, you would head back home because there was nothing there for you.
I’m a big Donald Trump guy, but I do think it would be smarter of he just emphasized enforcing and/or reforming existing laws to better help America. If we made e-verify mandatory (with harsh penalties on employers for breaking the law-as they do in Germany) for employment, benefits, and schooling, anyone here illegally would have to leave because there would be nothing here for them. Or, as Romney would say, “They would simply self deport.”
‘Deporting people’ implies a meanness. ‘Enforcing laws’ implies a ‘fairness’. Of course, people here illegally should be deported, but sometimes in subtlety, you’ll find the art of winning the argument.
Actually self deportation was not such a bad idea, to start with. If we didn’t give illegals benefits, they wouldn’t come or stay. I don’t believe Romney would have actually enforced it though.
He was a politician by then, didn't really have new ideas, was forceful, was like a damp, limp, dishrag by the time it came for him to be outspoken, and hard line...he was to P.C. and didn't want to look bad...
I don't know of any good talk about him in Mass. when he was gov. other than they said he turned the commonwealth from red to black and then made the Utah olympics great...and I was living in PA. at the time and not much good was being said....
All we know for sure is people like Obama and Priebus, McConnell and Boehner, Roberts, Pelosi and the US Chamber of Commerce etal want to make life so horrible for real citizens that such citizens finally try to get as far away as possible.
Team Romney, running the GOPe, lied/lies about EVERYTHING.
"As U.S. real output grew 13 percent between 2002 and 2006, Massachusetts trailed at 9 percent.
* Manufacturing employment fell 7 percent nationwide those years, but sank 14 percent under Romney, placing Massachusetts 48th among the states.
* Between fall 2003 and autumn 2006, U.S. job growth averaged 5.4 percent, nearly three times Massachusetts' anemic 1.9 percent pace.
* While 8 million Americans over age 16 found work between 2002 and 2006, the number of employed Massachusetts residents actually declined by 8,500 during those years.
"Massachusetts was the only state to have failed to post any gain in its pool of employed residents," professors Sum and McLaughlin concluded.
In an April 2003 meeting with the Massachusetts congressional delegation in Washington, Romney failed to endorse President Bush's $726 billion tax-cut proposal."
[Cato Institute annual Fiscal Policy Report Card - America's Governors, 2004.]
Many of the Hispanics are very selfish and have the socialist mentality of “Come and get it” regarding our social programs.
Those that do work for a living and pay some taxes still don’t want the personal responsibility of paying for their own families needs and want their parents here on SS or welfare, they become citizens and are smart and jump on disability to make more and they want our society to pay for all their extra family to come over.
We are a gravy train and why would anyone ever vote themselves off a gravy train, especially when they can walk across the border without dealing with the USA later much richer and with SS checks to live more like Kings compared to other Hispanics who never came here?
You got that right! Ann came with a spine. Poor Mitt always behaved like an abused kid. Maybe he was.
I don’t care!!! Are you a Bush Campaign worker?
All the politicians are liars and owned by their corporate masters. Trump is not a politician. He’s a business man running for President.And, let’s face it. If we had a camera in our face every day for the last 30 years, I bet we’d be surprised at our many inconsistencies as well.
Trump taps into the anger we all have with lying and weak politicians. That deal Obama cut with Iran is humiliating. Now I know how the Germans felt after Versailles Treaty. And, all those executive actions Obama takes just tweak the hell out of us. In Trump, we find someone who could actually make a deal with anyone.....not force a solution, call his opponents racists, and hit the golf course.
Whatever Trump is, and admittedly he is a bit bombastic, the man knows how to close a deal. We see him as a man who can interact with the world and get deals that will help us. He knows the games because he’s not only played them, but he’s played them well.
If Trump becomes President, a solution will be reached regarding Immigration that benefits the Average American. Treaties will be negotiated that benefits America.
I am so tired of Milquetoast toast politicians like Scott Walker and Jeb Bush who have something there to offer (I suppose), but they just do not seem comfortable in their own skin. They parse their words so they don’t offend anyone and they talk for hours without saying anything. Trump has passion. Trump knows who he is. Trump is a proven negotiator. Trump does not apologize for his rough edges. How refreshing!!!
The PC crowd has stifled our national conversation to the point we can’t even interact like adults. Trump is our way of sticking it to them and telling them all to go take a flying leap. Serious serious issues are being discussed and if a few unflattering terms are used here and there, to damn bad. The PC crowd for too long has made the language the issue rather than the ‘issue’ being the issue. With rump, those days are over!!
“He did - often using the term “turning off the magnet” - the mechanism being to penalize companies that would hire non-citizens.”
Thanks...I just didn’t remember hearing it much.
Good point...just the term ‘deportation’ probably caused him as much trouble. Interesting that Trump hasn’t used that term (yet), except for criminals.
Self deportation is a historical reality. Of the 2+ Million Mexicans that were repatriated during operation Wetback, almost half self deported. Arizona’s SB1070 resulted in a mass exodus of Illegals, although most went to more favorable states. After 9/11 when New York law enforcement began scrutinizing “immigrants” from Islamic countries, Canada saw long lines of those self-deportees at the border.
Self-deporting Illegals is a bonus from enforcement, not really a plan.
“Actually self deportation was not such a bad idea, to start with. If we didn’t give illegals benefits, they wouldn’t come or stay. I don’t believe Romney would have actually enforced it though.”
You’re damn right. His “Hispanic Outreach” chairman started a PAC to push Amnesty TWO WEEKS after that election. He was playing us.
Fabulous Post!!! We need more of this type of posting to get the milquetoast to see ‘we ain’t gonna take it anymore’
(We should make that the theme for Trump and all of those of us that are supporting him)
“Self-deporting Illegals is a bonus from enforcement, not really a plan.”
Agree...it’s simply enforcement.
Indeed he hasn't. Yet we hear Krauthammer and Will (supposedly on our side) repeat "mass deportation".
I saw that researching my posting. But, considering the others, Trump comes out ahead. Cruz can be trusted, but the support he needed never materialized...so it’s Trump, Walker, or Jeb.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.