Immigration Enforcement Still a Winner

Human Events ^ | November 13, 2006 | Jessica Echard

[Dane]

Immigration Enforcement Still a Winner

by Jessica Echard Posted Nov 13, 2006

It was only a matter of time before the open-borders crowd tried to scapegoat the immigration issue in light this week’s Republican defeat. Those who blame an immigration enforcement platform for widespread GOP losses are experiencing a moment of selective campaign recall, as if there was a batch of pro-amnesty/guest worker candidates who surged to victory. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

In districts where pro-enforcement incumbents lost, such as Arizona Rep. J.D. Hayworth’s (note: Hayworth has not conceded) and Indiana Rep. John Hostettler, their Democrat opponents actually campaigned on tough enforcement and border security. Hayworth’s opponent stated that “enforcing our nation's immigration laws is an absolutely necessary ingredient to securing the U.S.-Mexico border,” and promised to “extend existing fencing in urban areas” along our southern border. Sounds like he’s taken a page out of “Whatever It Takes,” Hayworth’s recent book on combating illegal immigration.

In Hostettler’s case, his opponent, a county sheriff, had this to say about the crisis of illegal immigration: “It’s also not right when an Indiana employer passes over an American for a job only because an illegal worker is cheaper. We need to tighten our borders, enforce the laws we have, and punish employers who break them.” I don’t know that a candidate talking like that could get the Big Business endorsement.

Also in Arizona, pro-amnesty/guest-worker proponents like to point to the Hayworth loss and the loss of pro-enforcement candidate Randy Graf in the 8th District, as a referendum on the immigration issue. However, they fail to mention four immigration ballot initiatives that Arizonian’s passed overwhelmingly, including making English Arizona’s official language (74%), denying bail to illegal aliens (78%), barring illegal aliens from winning punitive damages (74%), and denying in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants (72%). These are impressive numbers for any ballot initiatives, especially considering the supposed “divisive” nature of the immigration debate. Evidently, nearly three quarters of Arizona voters are “mean-spirited.”

As many pundits have already explained, this was an election cycle when Republicans lost across the ideological board, from pro-amnesty Sen. Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio) to pro-enforcement John Hostettler. Clearly, pro-enforcement candidates did not lose based on their support for the rule of law. In fact, by courageously listening to the American people, they shifted the immigration debate to the political mainstream. While the players and party have changed, the will of the American people remains the same: Enforce our immigration laws.

Jessica Echard is the executive director of Eagle Forum, a pro-family public policy organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly.

[Peach]

Any voter who actually believes that Democrats will control the border (I can barely type I'm laughing so hard) is an idiot.

And I am still telling you that I've never seen a poll, and I've seen plenty, where immigration concerns topped 11%.

Things like the economy and Iraq and taxes polled much, much higher. Immigration was around 6th on the list, iirc.

[PghBaldy]

The Open Borders people are HAPPY that the Repubs lost both the House and Senate. Now they can get amnesty.

[Peach]

JD Hayworth and a host of others. Yeah - I know Hayworth hasn't formally conceded yet and I'd love to see him win because he's terrific, but it's unlikely he'll squeek through.

[PghBaldy]

You are right, but that's not the point. The point is in every poll I've seen, Americans want immigration sharply curtailed. Not a laundy list poll, but a poll what specifically asks about immigration. It's a winner.

[padre35]

And that is one of the problems in a nutshell, they won't talk to "us peons".

And BTW 11%? How many elections were lost by 2%-4%?

[PghBaldy]

5/3/05 An overwhelming majority of Americans think illegal immigration (search) is a very or somewhat serious problem for the country today, and over two-thirds favor using the United States military to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country, according to the latest FOX News Poll. Almost equal numbers say their concern about illegal immigration is based on homeland security and terrorism as say their concern is about jobs and the economy.

The poll finds 91 percent think the illegal or undocumented immigration situation in the United States today is a "very" serious (63 percent) or "somewhat" serious (28 percent) problem. Only 5 percent think the problem is "not very" serious and 2 percent "not at all" serious
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155413,00.html

4/6/06 Almost all Americans (90 percent) say illegal immigration is a "very" serious (60 percent) or "somewhat" serious (30 percent) problem for the country today — essentially unchanged from a year ago this time.

Republicans (65 percent) are somewhat more likely than Democrats (58 percent) to say illegal immigration is a "very" serious problem, and Americans over age 65 are significantly more likely than those under age 30 to think so (71 percent and 46 percent respectively).

When the question is geared toward the local level, the number saying it is a problem drops by about half, as less than a quarter (23 percent) saying illegal immigration is a "very" serious problem in their community and another 24 percent "somewhat" serious.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,190857,00.html

[Peach]

On that we agree. It just doesn't top the list of concerns. And since the economy is doing quite well, there was NO reason for that to be given any priority over immigration whatsoever.

[raybbr]

This article is baloney. All the staunch border enforcement Republicans lost. And the issue has never polled above 10% of concerns for Americans.

Lies! Lies! Lies!

Filling in for the Howler?

Question: Do you believe illegal immigration poses a threat to the United States? Undecided 4% Yes 71% No 24%

"Compared to other problems facing the country, how big a problem is illegal immigration? Would you say it is one of the most important problems facing the country, or is it an important problem but not one of the most important, or is it not all that important, or is it not important at all?"

					.
		One of Most Important	Important	Not All That Important	Not Important At All
		%	%	%	%
	6/24-27/06	32	55	8	5
					.		FRom here.

[PghBaldy]

The last two years, I was more upset about immigration thsn any other Repub misstep. The alien marches stunned me. I have a feeling they did not play well in Peoria. They aren't just taking jobs Americans won't do- they are taking high-paying jobs now - construction. Repubs are doomed if they think they can get more Mexican voters (that's what they are- they aren't Americans) than Dems can.

[Peach]

You clearly have no manners. You are supposed to ping the person you're trashing.

And this poll shows just where immigration falls within the average voters list of concerns:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1738020/posts?page=169#169

It's doesn't poll higher than 11% in any poll when given a host of issues.

[PghBaldy]

The economy is doing well? Does that include the phony CPI numbers? I can afford the rampant inflation, but many can't as well. Tuition, food, gas, medical care/insurance... I'm sure that did not help the Repubs, even though it is Greenspan's fault. I'm not just talking about gas. If gas had gone down last year, instead of just before the election, things might have been brighter for us. I think the media buys into the govt fake numbers too easily. One of the few things they do this on. Just about everything I buy is much more expensive than a few years ago. I know it is the Fed Reserve's fault, but most don't realize that.

[Peach]

Rampant inflation? What are you smoking?

You don't seem to know that core inflation has dropped more than ever in 13 years.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1738334/posts

The stock market is at an all time high. More people own stock in this country than ever before. More people own their own homes than ever before in our nation's history.

I'd say the economy is booming.

[PghBaldy]

If you believe the govt's CPI numbers you are mistaken. One month does not a trend make.

[Peach]

So no explanation for more people owning homes and stocks than ever before in our nation's history?

Have you ever seen the census data on the "poor"? It ranges from 60-75% of them own cars, microwaves, large screen televisions, have air conditioning, a roof over their heads and are fat.

Well, okay, the last part, about their being fat -- I made it up :-)

But honestly, there's no other country in the world where the poor are fat.

And now I have to go; I'm just disgusted with the media which has downplayed the economy for 5 years.

[TheLion]

"This article is baloney. All the staunch border enforcement Republicans lost. And the issue has never polled above 10% of concerns for Americans."

Where have you been the last couple of years. Republicans lost across the board and Democrats stole this issue from many of them, otherwise they would have called Hayworth and the others, racist and mean spirited instead of being strongly in support of immigration enforcement. Don't the ballot initiatives tell you anything?

[padre35]

Even in this discussion neither side can agree on which poll supports their position.

If there were "no" polls to turn to, what would be the most principled thing that could be done?

If we cannot agree even on that, we will have more and more problems in 2008.

[TheLion]

Bump!

[Pepper777]

Peach, with due respect, did you read this part of the article:

"Also in Arizona, pro-amnesty/guest-worker proponents like to point to the Hayworth loss and the loss of pro-enforcement candidate Randy Graf in the 8th District, as a referendum on the immigration issue. However, they fail to mention four immigration ballot initiatives that Arizonian’s passed overwhelmingly, including making English Arizona’s official language (74%), denying bail to illegal aliens (78%), barring illegal aliens from winning punitive damages (74%), and denying in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants (72%). These are impressive numbers for any ballot initiatives, especially considering the supposed “divisive” nature of the immigration debate. Evidently, nearly three quarters of Arizona voters are “mean-spirited.” "

*****
I've even heard that Heyworth's opponet LIED and said he too, was for enforcing border security. Not sure if that's true, but he lied about so much concerning Heyworth, I wouldn't doubt he lied about the illegal issue too. Arizona's citizens are very concerned about the illegal issue and that a fact. The GOP did NOT support Graft, which was a serious mistake, imho. It costs us Kolbe's former seat.

Peach, I almost always agree with your views, but not on this one, concerning Arizona. Illegal immigration was a top priority for AZ's voters.

[Pepper777]

JD Heyworth conceded today. :(

[B4Ranch]

Poll says voters want immigration reform 71% back enforcement, path to citizenship

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/26/MNG4UK5L621.DTL

From the liberal www.sfgate.com/ no less.