Posted on 02/17/2011 6:39:54 AM PST by bilhosty
Facing similar slams on immigration, Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have flip-flopped and swerved to the right on the issue. But in an interview with Mother Jones Tuesday, Flake held fast to his previous views on immigration and suggested that he'll campaign as a social moderate—regardless of any blowback from the right. In 2006 and 2007, Flake co-authored the STRIVE Act, an immigration reform bill that included a pathway to legalization for undocumented immigrants. When asked on Tuesday by Mother Jones whether he'd still support a pathway to legalization, Flake soft-pedaled his response but defended his previous views on immigration. "I've always felt that, like I said, nearly half of those who are here illegally didn't sneak across the border. They came legally and have overstayed. So border security is the number one item, but you've got to do other things as well," Flake said in an interview just off the House floor.
When pressed to clarify whether such measures would include a pathway for legalization, Flake agreed that "some mechanism" was necessary. "We've dealt with it before with a provision that required [undocumented immigrants] to go home and register," Flake said, appearing to refer to a provision in the STRIVE Act that would give qualified undocumented workers a six-year work visa—but also required them to "touch back" and return to their home countries before being able to become legal residents. The congressman emphasized, however, that "nothing else is going to move" until Congress does more to strengthen border security.
Nevertheless, Flake's outspoken views put him at odds with national Republicans, many of whom have swung hard right on the issue since the failure of former president George W. Bush's immigration overhaul. Moreover, Flake's remarks draw a sharp contrast with fellow Arizonan McCain.
It really doesn't matter if they vote or not. The real issue is legalization of their status. Once that is done, then it is game, set, and match for this Republic.
Any legislation that legalizes the status of those who broke our laws by entering our country illegally and allows them to stay is amnesty. The Heritage Foundation concluded that the cost of amnesty alone would be $2.6 trillion. And the number of additional LEGAL immigrants who would join those who were the recipients of amnesty through chain migration, i.e., family reunification, would approach 70 million over a 20-year period, assuming there are only 12 million illegal aliens. We cannot assimilate such numbers. An amnesty would destroy the United States of America with the stroke of a pen.
This has been known about Flake since the 2007 Bush/McCain/Rove amnesty debacle that shut down the Congressional switchboards and was the true origin of the grass roots revolt that came to be known as the Tea Party.
Any attempt to fix the illegal immigration invasion will be stopped cold if stupid Republicans continue to ignore the people and yield to the cheap labor interests of the Republican elites and the Chamber of Commerce and install people like Flake (who is appropriately named).
The Bush/Rove in your face onslaught to give amnesty to illegals in spite of overwhelming public oppostion is what started the Republicans on the path to minority status in 2006. Making Flake a senator will show that they haven’t learned much.
Here is a quote from expressopundit’s blog here in AZ:
Arizona has a vibrant Libertarian party, and if Flake wants to support gays in the military, encourage open borders, tax carbon and aprove judges who are “Economic Activists”....then he should be honest and run as a Libertarian.
Of course honestly hasn’t always been Jeff’s strong suit.
On those matters Flake is a flake and a RINO of a different sort.
This is true and hasn't gotten the attention it should. The issue that mobilized citizens more than anything since the Viet Nam war was illegal immigration, not taxes.
Flake agreeing to be interviewed by uber-lib Mother Jones makes me like him even less.
The last straw for me was when he was one of the few republicans that voted to repeal DADT. Like McCain, Flake has big time name recognition and I swear that's all some of the schlub voters in this state need.
Sheriff Joe for Senate.
Ping!
And yet another coporate lackey conservative waving the flag of ‘fiscal consevatism’ and bankrupt in every other department.
Rep. Jeff Flake: ‘Obama born in the U.S.’
Arizona Republican says ‘birthers’ need to ‘get off this kick’
Flake is worse than a flake, he’s a piece of shit!
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