Just where is Haley Barbour on Immigration?

8/24/2007 | Self

[Sybeck1]

Let me start by saying I like Haley. I cheered him on back in 2003 when he was here in Southaven with the president. He brought jobs to Mississippi and has helped the coast recover after Katrina.

But during this past primary season I noticed something. The literature that came from the state senate candidates was full of items that they would do to stop illegal immigration. Haley's pamplets shows his strides in jobs and education, which of course are a good thing.

But digging through the web you don't find much on his stance of immigration. You find alot of disturbing items if you are a strong border person such as this from Hardball:

MATTHEWS: Let‘s talk about McCain, big strong support among the regulars down here, Haley Barbour, powerful man down here, governor of Mississippi, Trent Lott, legendary this one has been around so long, senator from Mississippi, JC Watts from Oklahoma, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. (INAUDIBLE) is here for McCain. That‘s a big change from about eight years ago.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11808968/

Well, so Haley is a McCain man huh?

Can anybody add anything to this? I live about four miles of Memphis TN, so believe me most Mississippi news I get from Freerepublic. I can tell you all about the Memphis mayor, but little of the MS governor race. But the illegal alien problem is needs to be addressed in Jackson.

[Sybeck1]

Bump for some information

[2ndDivisionVet]

Haley was a lobbyist for Mexico, IIRC, so I don’t expect he’s big on sending all 40 million back home. He was GREAT during and after Katrina, btw.

[WKB]

I was talking to a friend about this very subject
the other day. He is a big time R and knows Haley
personally. As far as either of us could tell Haley
has never said a word one way or the other.
Until John Eaves brings it up I doubt
if Haley will.

[Sybeck1]

Eaves is the Dem right? We don’t get much state news here in Desoto unless its education related and my teacher wife gets it.

[WKB]

The Dem who according to him will bring “dignity” back to
the Governor’s Mansion, (What ever that means)
will put prayer back in schools
and teach the Bible in public schools.

[Sybeck1]

He speaks tougher than Haley on the issue:

Illegal Immigration -

It’s called illegal immigration for a reason – it’s illegal. We created these laws to protect the people of our country, and right now those laws are failing. We must protect our borders.

If the federal government won’t take responsibility to stop illegal immigration, then as Governor I will. I understand why people want to come here because Mississippi is a great state with great people, and as a Christian I don’t blame anyone for wanting to come. But corporations who knowingly hire illegal immigrants ought to be held accountable. It’s not fair for Mississippi taxpayers and workers to spend $25 million a year providing benefits to illegal immigrants, while corporations who hire them get away with not paying minimum wage, not paying social security, and not paying state taxes.

At the Mississippi Press Association’s convention at the Beau Rivage Casino on June 22, 2007, Barbour said, “When I became governor, before Katrina, Mississippi had probably the smallest percentage of illegal or legal immigration by Spanish speakers in the country. We just had very few. Since Katrina there’s been a gigantic influx and… I hate to think where the coast would be if they weren’t here.”

I know where we’d be. We could have record employment instead of the highest unemployment in the South. We could be leading the region in job creation and recovery. We could have built homes for the 70,000 people still living in toxic FEMA trailers.

As Governor I’ll make sure that big companies don’t get away with giving our jobs to illegal immigrants and sticking us with the bill.

http://www.eaves2007.com/index.html

[WKB]

BTW John Eaves is Mississippi’s answer to John Edwards.

[ejonesie22]

My take from my fellow R friends is that Haley has bigger fish to fry, namely getting the coast back on its feet.

Now it’s not much of a stretch to say that a few “imports” are doing some of that work, and if not for them we would be hurting even worse, because they are still short handed south of Hattiesburg.

The general feeling is that the coast needs to be largely back with in one to two more years before serious long term or permanent damage could be done to the economy

If anything let’s just call it a justifiable blind eye right now...

Oh and Eaves, God love him, is the first DINO I have seen first hand. The man is got to be nuts.

[ejonesie22]

I know where we’d be. We could have record employment instead of the highest unemployment in the South. We could be leading the region in job creation and recovery. We could have built homes for the 70,000 people still living in toxic FEMA trailers.

Eaves is an idiot, or a liar or both.

If it were not for the "imports" the coast would be months behind. Our unemployment has nothing to do with the coast.

I worked with trying to get laborers trained for the coast from Central and North Central Mississippi.

Guess what, the sorry SOBs were offered 13-22.00 an hour and would not come to free training to get the jobs.

Several contractors would come to Jackson, Vicksburg, and other areas to recruit folks at the labor pick up sites and they did not want to go.

So while there was job growth there was no one interested. Except those "imports"

We will not end up having to carry the coast for the rest of our days because of them. And sad fact is they need more. There are 100s of jobs going for want south of here.

[Sybeck1]

Well, we have many illegals here in North Mississippi also. Do they get a pass too because of Katrina? This isn’t an issue Haley wants brought up if he wants to keep his job.

My wife is third grade teacher. Last year there was a little Mexican boy across the hall from her that couldn’t speak a word of English. This was the third year there, and they promoted him that year like all the rest.

He won’t get a pass because of Katrina here.

[what's up]

Love Haley Barbour.

I'd vote for him for President if he ran, despite the fact that he says nothing on immigration.

[WKB]

I went to a Walmart near NW Jackson.
It was a very colorful place.
Red Necks, Blue Gums and Wet backs.

[ansel12]

“”I’d vote for him for President if he ran, despite the fact that he says nothing on immigration””

What about as veep for Thompson?

[Sybeck1]

If you look at reports from last year, Haley was being mentioned as a VP choice for the McCainiac. Also of course, that Amnesty Johnny would be in the lead right now.

[Rudder]

Why is this important? The guy obviously doesn’t want to take a public position on illegal immigration and is not running for national office. I don’t think I care what he thinks.

[ansel12]

I haven’t been keeping up with Barbour since he left the chairmanship, but I used to like him, and I know he was there during the battles.

On another thread someone mentioned Romney as Thompson’s second, and when I saw this thread it occurred to me that Barbour would be a much better choice, assuming he pulls off a success as Governor.

[Sybeck1]

Well since the feds won’t do a decent job its up to the states.

You know about Newark right? It could just a easily be Gulfport tommorrow as it seems aliens are being overlooked on the Mississippi coast.

[Malichi]

When I was at Ole Miss, John Arthur Eaves rode around in a big red Cadillac Eldorado convertible and I don’t remember him being much on prayer and teachers wages then. He was more into booze and women.

He now lives in a mansion out on Old Canton Road that’s three stories tall and a football field in length. Have you seen his residence? It is obscene how large it is.

TAW

[wardaddy]

I like Haley too