Posted on 11/18/2011 2:18:25 PM PST by mdittmar
Herman Cain once again walked back his joke about building an electrified fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, telling Univision in an interview that the comment “wasn’t intended to offend” Latinos.
Then Cain outlined a border policy he supports – relying on state-level initiatives to control illegal immigration – and specifically praised the Arizona and Alabama immigration laws that Latinos loathe:
SANDRA PEEBLES: Mr. Cain, many Latinos were offended by your comment on the electric fence. I understand that you support legal immigration, but regardless of the fact there are 11 million undocumented people in this country. What do we do with them?
HERMAN CAIN: We do several things. First, if I offended somebody with the comment I apologize. It wasn't intended to offend. And the other thing that I would say is, it wasn't directed at people that are already here. The last time I checked nobody was sneaking out of America. They sneak into America. Now, first we clean up the bureaucracy for legal immigration. It's too cumbersome. It's bureaucratic. We can fix that. It doesn't utilize technology the way it should to make it easier for people to come through the front door - which I wholeheartedly endorse. Secondly, the way we deal with the illegals that are already here - empower the states. The federal government is incapable of solving that problem for the 11 to 12 million illegals that are here. I would defer to the states, just like Arizona is trying to do something. Alabama, Georgia, they've all passed laws to begin to deal with it, to try to make it easier for employers to hire legal residents here. To make it easier for employers to help people become legal. That's how we approach the problem.
I’m not sure whether that’s one step forward, one step back, for Cain and Latino voters, or something less helpful than that.
Anyway - his company has been working hard to extend the work visa while also helping him become a citizen. It has been about 14 years, and I can't recall if they recently became citizens or are almost there. Not sure if that is typical or not - but it sounds like it is quite a long process.
“Anyway - his company has been working hard to extend the work visa while also helping him become a citizen.”
Exactly. He didn’t come here illegally, so his employer is not helping him to become legal. The employer is helping him to become a “citizen”. This system sucks on so many levels......14 years, ouch.
“I wouldn’t vote for anyone of them for potus.”
So you’d rather vote for someone who supported Clinton’s health care reform than vote for someone who opposed Clinton’s health care reform. You argued that we don’t know Cain’s positions on the issues, I’m arguing that yes, we do.
Just like we know Rush’s positions, we know Cain’s. And unlike Perry, Cain opposed Clinton’s health care reform. Perry supported it back then. Go and check.
“When his rhetoric falls short, Cain falls short.”
When his rhetoric is long, Cain goes the distance. It works both ways. In this case, his rhetoric is superior to Perry’s legislative record.
“The fact his wife is STILL a Democrat doesn’t help Cain with some folks.”
As opposed to Perry, who only ran as a republican, when he couldn’t get elected as a Democrat?
“Now, first we clean up the bureaucracy for legal immigration. It’s too cumbersome. It’s bureaucratic. We can fix that.”
From Cain’s quote above it sounds to me like he wants to make it easier for folks like my wife’s friend - not the illegals that are already here.
On the other hand - the whole immigration thing is tough. Even legal immigration. When we don’t have enough jobs to go around all ready. I doubt that this Canadian guy has something that lots of Americans don’t have. But I guess it has always been that way (when the Irish started coming over, etc.) But - of course this country was built by hard-working immigrants (like all of my grandparents), and will continue to be.
The illegals is a huge thing though. And as much as I would like to see them arrested and put on a bus - that isn’t going to happen. (Most would be on the next “bus” back anyway).
Targeted arrests in some areas have done some good and send others back home(the fear factor). Fences and tougher borders is a huge one obviously. Getting after the EMPLOYERS of illegals has a big effect. Heck, I think Obama has done better than most at getting rid of the illegals. (Even THEY can’t find work and are heading back home.)
Never said that. You did. We're talking politics and rhetoric alone is not a record to judge someone on when they run for public office. We don't REALLY know what Cain would do once he got into office. That is the epitome of an empty suit. Same goes for all radiotalkshow hosts who choose to run for public office without a public record of governance and/or legislation to back them up. If Cain had won in 2004 and spent some time in the Senate, we'd have something to evaluate and analyze him on. Right now, there is nothing.
I read all the threads about the letter Perry sent to Mrs. Clinton and he never said he supported Hillarycare. But its a fact, Cain voted for BillyBoy and Algore in 1992. Btw, Perry has been a Republican for over 23 years. Mrs Cain is STILL a Democrat.
“That is the epitome of an empty suit.”
Nonsense. We know all of his positions from his talk radio show, and from his political history. He’s been a conservative far longer than Perry, and was on the right side of the Clinton healthcare reform.
Perry was on the wrong side. Rather than being an empty suit, we can be more sure of Cain than Perry to be on the right side of this essential issue.
“If Cain had won in 2004 and spent some time in the Senate, we’d have something to evaluate and analyze him on. Right now, there is nothing.”
How’s that experience thing working out for you? If we want experience and electibility, that would prompt you to support Romney. We need someone who isn’t tainted, and that’s Cain. Someone who’s actually been on the other side of the aisle paying taxes rather than collecting them.
“I read all the threads about the letter Perry sent to Mrs. Clinton and he never said he supported Hillarycare.”
Yeah, he did. Go look up the facts.
“But its a fact, Cain voted for BillyBoy and Algore in 1992.”
You’re thinking Perry. He even ran Gore’s campaign and came out in favour of Hillary care.
“Btw, Perry has been a Republican for over 23 years. Mrs Cain is STILL a Democrat.”
Last I checked Mrs. Cain ain’t running for president. Apparently Mrs. Perry is.
Cain’s path to citizenship begins with entering the country legally.
He is not talking about granting citizenship after the fact.
Your problem is that you pick and choose what Cain says to try and make a point, instead of framing his statements as part of his platform.
He has not been ambiguous about immigration, he has maintained all along that he believes the first step on the path to citizenship is to enter the country legally.
Without a governing or legislative record on which to judge Cain, we are left dissecting his public rhetoric, both past and present.
Again, go back and check out his resume. I'm ready for someone with business sense to clean up the economic mess this country is in. We've seen what those with "governing and legislative" experience can do.
OMGosh, post of the day LOL
LOL Right, Cain is a radiotalkshow host and a political pundit. Aside from a losing effort in the GOP Senate primary in 2004, Cain has no political history to speak of. He's never held elective office of any kind! He's never governed a state, a city, or been in the US Congress or sat on a city council or state legislature. Empty record, empty suit.
And Herman's #2 man, JD Gordon, said Cain voted for Clinton-Gore in 1992. LINK Perry is a lifelong conservative, voted for GHW Bush in 1988 (and 1992), became a Republican in 1989 and never looked back. And he never supported Hillarycare.
Get your facts straight and stop wasting my time. You look foolish.
“He’s never held elective office of any kind!”
You say that like that’s a bad thing. Given the current mess I want someone who’s not tainted by things.
I’m going from memory from a debate a couple of months ago.
To be fair, however, all of the candidates offered similarly depressing positions on illegal immigration—even Bachmann. The major differences revolved around building a fence.
Sigh.
Exactly! We have been so bamboozled by the illegal alien lobby’s sob stories. Dealing with the illegals is not our problem...it is their problem. Pass e-verify and use it to keep them out of jobs and social programs and they will leave on their own accord. We are not the big brothers of the Mexican nation.
Congress passed such a law, and allocated $6 billion to that end, and Bush signed it, in 2006. Six months later, Princess Pelosi killed the appropriation.
Left field...nah, just playing on your words.
Cheers....
Unless Hermain Cain gets some detailed plans about what do do with the 20 million illegals in the country (e-verify) then he will not get my vote. We are being colonized by a large group of people who have an entitlement attitude which they pass on to their children. It is all about the Mexicans and screw everybody else.
E-verify will keep most of them from getting jobs and will keep them from getting social benefits the way that Obama’s Aunt Zetuni did. Remember that Aunt Zetuni came here from Kenya and has been living here illegally many years in a subsidized apartment in Boston. If she got the free apartment, she had to have gotten welfare checks as well. Also, Obama’s uncle has been living in Massachusets illegally for twenty years and has been caught drunk driving.
Unless Hermain Cain gets some detailed plans about what do do with the 20 million illegals in the country (e-verify) then he will not get my vote. We are being colonized by a large group of people who have an entitlement attitude which they pass on to their children. It is all about the Mexicans and screw everybody else.
E-verify will keep most of them from getting jobs and will keep them from getting social benefits the way that Obama’s Aunt Zetuni did. Remember that Aunt Zetuni came here from Kenya and has been living here illegally many years in a subsidized apartment in Boston. If she got the free apartment, she had to have gotten welfare checks as well. Also, Obama’s uncle has been living in Massachusets illegally for twenty years and has been caught drunk driving.
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