Posted on 08/13/2011 12:31:57 PM PDT by raybbr
McALLEN, Texas (AP) - For all of his rock-solid conservative credentials, Texas Gov. Rick Perry may have an Achilles' heel: immigration.
Perry will undoubtedly focus his presidential campaign on Texas' relatively healthy economy and its low taxes and his record in creating jobs in the 11 years he's been governor. What he may have to explain on the stump is how illegal immigrants have contributed to that success, adding as much as $17.7 billion a year to the state gross product and enjoying such benefits as in-state tuition at public universities.
"Gov. Perry is very eager to appear tough on illegal immigration, but upon closer inspection he's part of the problem," complained William Gheen, who runs the North Carolina-based political action committee Americans for Legal Immigration. The group intends to educate conservative groups about candidates' positions on that issue.
Tea party criticism about Perry's immigration record is now appearing on activist blogs in Arizona and New Hampshire.
A 2006 state report said that the state's illegal immigrants - 1.4 million then, 1.65 million now - added $17.7 billion to the gross state product, and that the state came out ahead on taxes it collected versus services it provided. But local governments and county hospitals were shouldering the burden of caring for that population.
The Texas Association of Business, which has backed Perry in all his gubernatorial campaigns and has members who individually have provided Perry with hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash, touted that report in its firm support of comprehensive immigration reform. TAB, the state's chamber of commerce, has lobbied for immigration reform and against state legislation regulating immigration.
(Excerpt) Read more at buffalonews.com ...
He was a democrat - he's been pro illegal in the past - he's got the support of the pro illegal republicans in Texas.
I am way too leery of a politician who grew up in a border state. They are pre disposed to be sympathetic to illegal aliens. Yes, there are exceptions like Brewer but I don't trust Perry.
Unless I see some concrete evidence to the contrary he will not get my support in a primary.
Don’t be so sure you’re far right. The first thread I saw this morning suggested that anyone who asked such questions was probably an under cover “pinko”. LOL
Obviously team Perry is figuring out that St Rick has problems.
Not trying to pick a fight — And not sure how you line up with Reagan, but...
“As president of the Screen Actors Guild, Reagan became embroiled in disputes over the issue of Communism in the film industry; his political views shifted from liberal to conservative.”
I think the rest is history!!!
here we go
the first mission of the democrat machine and their MEdia operatives is to persuade Republicans and conservatives to not vote for Rick Perry
I also guestion the FAR LEFT’S plan to give “amnesty” to the millions of socialist ‘RAT voters they allow to sneak into America each year.
Reagan’s mistakes aren’t the best reason to vote for someone. My preferred candidate was also a democrat once.
I guess that makes me a “Far-Right” extremist as well.
I’ve question GWB, and McCain on it as well.
Oh well, it is a label I will wear proudly!
When a story starts out with a bald face lie, why read any further, rock solid conservative my butt.
Understood, however, given the current state of affairs in this country, and given we only get one shot at defeating the Marxist in chief, I’ll stick with the veteran that may have been on the wrong side an issue, but has clearly seen his error in judgement and adjusted his views, exactly like Reagan.
Tokyo Rose school of propaganda twist.
Some people don't need media operatives to understand Perry has pandered to and aided and abetted violent, open borders polices. It's no secret to the media or conservatives.
Mr Reagan is no longer with us, so leave him out.
Here we go again.
I really dislike the border bots feeling like they own the conservative terrain on this.
Reagan signed amnesty and his is the revered icon of conservatism. Bush and Perry have done and said far less but they will be tarred and feathered on this.
I still do not believe giving the Democrats the House and Senate in 2006 was worth all this.
Honestly, which of the Republican candidates will be more strict than Perry? Will Perry be better than Obama?
I think the answers are fairly clear and yet there will be much internal bloodletting on this.
So, I guess obama has your vote!
Good luck with that
You’re assuming that invoking the name Reagan has some kind of magical properties.
It doesn’t. He was a great man but he was still a mortal who made mistakes. Had “his amnesty” worked as intended, it would have meant a limited number and real security.
Comparing Perry, a hack career politician who has learned to parrot conservative slogans to get votes, while pandering to La Raza and CAIR, is downright blasphemous.
I don't think Perry would do that.
No, I’m not assuming anything...I’m stating a simple fact.
Reagan was once a liberal and became a Conservative — People can change and do the right thing. That is my point.
I personally don’t want to get stuck with obambi for four more years — I fear for my nation, I fear for the military, I fear for my children and grand children and Rich Perry is the best candidate to defeat this Marxist POS.
People said the same thing in 1968 about Reagan, thank God they gave him a chance 11 years later.
Mr. Perry seems to have a lot of tricky defenders.
Reagan had "Operation Wetback" as a guideline and saw it didn't work so he tried something different. Bush and Perry knew from Reagan's experience that it wouldn't work and did it anyway.
We don't need another Jorge Bush or Juan McCain.
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