Run for the Border / Democrats try to outflank the GOP on immigration

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 08/15/05 | John Fund

[RoyalsFan]

The politics of immigration are changing. On Friday Bill Richardson, the nation's only Hispanic governor, declared a "state of emergency" in four New Mexico border counties due to "a chaotic situation involving illegal alien smuggling and illegal drug shipments." His office has pledged $1.5 million for stepped-up law enforcement and also asked Chris Simcox, the president of the volunteer border patrol group Minutemen, for a meeting. Mr. Richardson, a man who wears his ambition for national office on his sleeve, has apparently decided he has to reposition himself on border issues.

He's not the only Democrat to do so. Sen. Hillary Clinton made headlines when she embraced high-tech measures to control the border with Mexico and fines for employers who hire illegal aliens. "Democrats clearly sense frustration on immigration among Bush's base voters and are trying to outflank him rhetorically on the right," says Martha Montelongo, a talk-show hostess in California.

President Bush is vulnerable on immigration. Earlier this summer House Republicans bluntly told him that his proposal to admit guest workers would be dead on arrival unless accompanied by more border enforcement. "All my constituent town meetings want to talk about is immigration and why Washington is still spending so much money," Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas told me. Indeed, 17 of the 37 GOP House and Senate members who responded to a National Journal survey last month identified immigration as the issue "most on the minds" of their constituents. One Republican identified immigration as the issue on which "the mismatch between the federal government's inaction and the realities at home is the greatest."

[RoyalsFan]

Worth reading the entire thing.

[OKIEDOC]

As I said in some earlier threads, the Democrats want to take this issue away from concerned Conservatives.

Heres an excerpt from Hillery's speech to La Raza or some radical group.

Hillary talks out of both sides of her mouth just like Richardson.

From Wall Street Journal, Monday August 15, 2005
Instead, Mrs. Clinton pandered to the liberal crowd and received a standing ovation when she announced a new bill that would guarantee in-state college tuition rates for the children of illegal immigrants as well as amnesty to some 65,000 illegal immigrant students who graduate from U.S. high schools each year. Patti Solis Doyle, Mrs. Clinton's chief political strategist and a Mexican-American, told Democratic friends that the speech was a smashing success.


So FReeps who keep posting about Bush and maybe voting for Hillary, now you know where she really stands and it ain't with true FReepers.

[DefiantZERO]

Hey, if we let them eclipse us on this issue, it's only our own fault.

And people wonder why I'm loathe to call myself a Republican these days?

[RoyalsFan]

It's also clear that many Hispanics deplore the trend away from assimilation that has characterized U.S. policy in recent years. With dramatic gains in test scores among Hispanic students in English immersion programs since California voters ended most bilingual programs, a majority of the state's Hispanics embrace the new policy. And 47% of Hispanic voters in Arizona voted for Proposition 200, which denies some public services to illegal aliens and requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. As my colleague Steve Moore notes, the American people can't be expected to accept any immigration reform without assurances that all newcomers will follow in the path of other immigrant groups and assimilate.

Very interesting. Can you do a border ping for this thread?

[harpu]

" Democrats try to outflank the GOP on immigration"

TRY, or HAVE outflanked the GOP on immigration!?!

[KevinDavis]

Talk is cheap..

[RoyalsFan]

It talks about Hillary's lie further down in the article. I had to excerpt it.

[kittymyrib]

After pandering to the business interests, who look upon illegal immigration as the source of cheap labor, the WSJ is finally getting the picture. If the Republicans don't crack down on the invasion of our southern border now, the Democrats will win many congressional seats in next year's elections by following Gov. Richardson's lead.

[joesnuffy]

Problem is those phony bass turds are every bit as to blame
as the Repubbies..If not, more so.

Every one in DC should be replaced regularly.

Term Limits- would sure help clean out some of the corruption.

DC is like a host infested with termites...it's so bad that
the only thing holding it together IS the termites..

imo

[cripplecreek]

Can we really say the democrats have outflanked an opponent who didn't care about his perimeter?

[Dane]

Mrs. Clinton wants to have it both ways when it comes to immigration. Despite her noises about beefing up enforcement, she did not talk about immigration, temporary-worker programs or border enforcement when she addressed the National Council of La Raza, the largest Hispanic civil rights group in the country. "I was hoping to hear something," a surprised Nellie Moreno of Phoenix told the Washington Post.

Instead, Mrs. Clinton pandered to the liberal crowd and received a standing ovation when she announced a new bill that would guarantee in-state college tuition rates for the children of illegal immigrants as well as amnesty to some 65,000 illegal immigrant students who graduate from U.S. high schools each year. Patti Solis Doyle, Mrs. Clinton's chief political strategist and a Mexican-American, told Democratic friends that the speech was a smashing success.

"Hillary won 85% of the Hispanic vote in New York for Senate in 2000," says her former adviser turned adversary Dick Morris. "She thinks she can outbid the Republicans for Hispanic votes in 2008 while bringing Reagan Democrats home with vague rhetoric about getting tough and employer sanctions she has no intention of implementing."

In New Mexico, Gov. Richardson has done much the same thing. He now blasts the federal government for not showing "the commitment or the leadership to deal with border issues." He is demanding that officials on the Mexican side bulldoze an abandoned town on the border that serves "as a staging area for illegal drugs and illegal aliens." But Mr. Richardson sang a different tune in late 2003, when he showed up at a rally for the "Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride" and told them, "¡Viva la raza! . . . Thank you for coming to Santa Fe. Know that New Mexico is your home. We will protect you. You have rights here." Jaime Becerril, one of the organizers of the freedom ride, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the participants favored a new amnesty program. He called immigration "a byproduct of colonialism and capitalism."

Further evidence of the governor's zigzag policy on immigration came in April when he vetoed a "No Fear" bill, which would have prohibited state and local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal authorities to detect or apprehend people based solely on immigration status. But then he quietly issued an executive order that had much the same effect. Earlier this year, he also signed legislation giving some illegal aliens the right to in-state tuition rates at public universities

Some on FR will take the hillary/richardson deception hook, line, and sinker.

[Dane]

the Democrats will win many congressional seats in next year's elections by following Gov. Richardson's lead

Don't you mean richardson's deception that you are taking hook, line, and sinker? See reply #11.

Since you fit the marketing profile, are you interested to buy a bridge to Brooklyn?

[IamConservative]

Sounds like the Governor has been negligent to allow something manageable that has occurred over a long period of time to get into a state of emergency. States of emergecny normally result from a natural disaster or social unrest following some extraordinary event.

[OKIEDOC]

Damn shame the President and all his advisor's don't see that being SOFT on IMMIGRATION is a sure 100% LOSING position for our side.

[OKIEDOC]

Amen to that.

Soft on illegal immigration can be equated to soft on crime.

Neither position is a winner.

[Dane]

Damn shame the President and all his advisor's don't see that being SOFT on IMMIGRATION is a sure 100% LOSING position for our side

He's not soft on immigration and is actually trying to get through legislation to fix a system that has been broken for 40 years, but I guess you would rather be deceived by hillary/richardson.

[KevinDavis]

Never mind it is the job of Congress to pass laws, but I guess some people would prefer that Bush just issue an EO to put troops on our border..

[Dane]

It amazes me how some people on FR can be played like a violin by the clintons and democrats.

[LS]

You are absolutely right, and while I'm always accused of being a "Bushbot," I have stated here on FR many times that THE ISSUE of 2008, in some way, is going to be immigration. It will involve terrorism, illegals from Mexico, and, probably, judges who somehow loosen requirements or overthrow a state initiative.

I've also said that we have not yet seen the GOP nominee because it will be someone who is tough on immigration (and I don't think Tancredo has anywhere near the national appeal to be the nominee). So keep your eyes peeled.

[fhlh]

smart move.

The GOP will lose seats if they continue to ignore this problem...