The GOP's California Lesson (You want amnesty? Look at what's happening in the once Golden State)

American Thinker ^ | 11/26/2012 | Jared E. Peterson

[SeekAndFind]

There's been much verbal hand wringing since the election about the Republican Party's alleged urgent need to modify its stance on amnesty -- this, it's argued, is the key to improving Republican showing among Hispanic voters (Romney got about 22% of the Hispanic vote). As but one of many recent examples, see James Doti's November 16, 2012, opinion piece in the Orange County Register, a normally sensible newspaper.

Almost all this panicked chatter, Doti's included -- from both conservative commentators and Republican office holders -- is based on a willful refusal to see the obvious.

Those who argue that the Republican Party should endorse "a path to citizenship" for ten (twenty?) million illegals ignore the fundamental economic basis for the Democrats' tightening vise grip on the U.S. Hispanic vote: Hispanics, especially those of recent Mexican and Central American origin and their children, do not vote Democrat because they want open borders, but because they are eager for government benefits.

The Republican Party can't cure that economic reality, which is driving Hispanic allegiance to Democrats, by altering its stance on amnesty -- but it could fatally damage the Republican Party by that change.

The US sub-demographic of Mexican and Central American recent arrivals and their children constitutes an immense portion of the overall U.S. Hispanic population (in fact, it's a substantial majority), and its percentage among the U.S. Hispanic population would increase dramatically if a new amnesty were adopted. This sub-demographic is almost certainly voting Democrat in percentages far greater than the overall 2012 Hispanic Democrat vote of 71%.

Any weakening of the Republican Party's longstanding position on a second massive amnesty (President Reagan's 1986 mistake was the first) would be seen by Hispanics as insincere, Johnny-come-lately pandering, and for that reason alone would gain the Party few votes from Hispanics.

[douginthearmy]

Do you think that if the California GOP were led by conservatives that the outcome would be different? Personally I highly doubt that the outcome could be averted. Arguing over lever or pully become increasingly moot as the mass increases. Btw, my representative is Darrell Issa, so there are still a few good things that can come out of California.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Here is the basic problem. The Republican Party doesn’t stand for,or fight for anything anymore. All the vast majority of Republicans in D.C. care about is THEMSELVES, and how they will feather their nests before the collapse.

Since the mid 1980’s, neither party has done anything about illegals. The Dems want impoverished voters, and the Republicans (read Chamber of Commerce whores) wanted cheap labor. Making 20 million poor illegals LEGAL, will precipitate the demise of America....sooner rather than later.

[wac3rd]

It won’t be an issue for people who bought in the last 10 years or so, where the values have “V-shaped” back to the values of about 2003, currently. The notable exception is the Central Valley, where values have not increased since 2009.

The people who will be hardest hit will be senior citizens and retirees. Many paid off their homes and live on a fixed income, where $2-5K in annual taxes is palatable, but a move to $10-15K would force a sale.

I called my Assemblyman and they are planning to uncork Prop. 13 on commericial properties (retail, office, hotels, industrial, apartments) so there will be a giant sell-off and a lot of 1031 moving in and out of projects when the law hits.

The problem with the politicians is that they do not understand that if you raise a landlord’s taxes 10% then rents are sure to follow in being raised, too. Commercial owners, REIT’s, funds, management companies, in anticipation of this, as well as AB32 (Global Warming crap) that will raise utility rates, are making commercial tenants sign NNN leases (triple net).

This means that the tenant pays you rent, and absorbs all of the related costs to operate the property (taxes, insurance, repairs, management, utilties), in one sense, it insulates the landlord from unpredictable and irrational Liberal-driven costs the state imposes, but for some businesses, I’m afraid, will end up leaving at an even quicker pace than now.

California is dead, the body is decaying, but somehow it’s Weekend at Bernie’s. When the EBT cards stop working, look out.

[wac3rd]

The Left has made even someone as a rabid Right Winger like myself speak softly about issues in front of others in a business or social setting.

If I am having a converstaion with a Muslim co-worker (Afghani) or a gay person (client), I have to not go off on Sha’ria Law or HIV drug subsidies. If I meet my sister’s friends in Hollywood, we don’t discuss abortion or Obama, because they want free healthcare and the ability to cut Saturday night out of themselves, if needed.

We cannot be honest because, as Bill Whittle says, we do not believe our own story anymore. The Left owns us.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” We cannot be honest because, as Bill Whittle says, we do not believe our own story anymore”

I assume the WE is our party.

[Glacier Honey]

No, After the election I heard Hannity state that the repubs had to re-think the amnesty fight. I totally disagree.

My sister in law is from Russia. She has a degree and they have been married for 13 years. She goes back to Russia once a year to take care of her parents so she has not filed for citizenship.

She has to carry her green card where ever she goes. She got here the legal way and no one mentions how it effects her civil rights by having to show her papers

[Ohioan]

You are, of course, right. What is more, those immigrants from third world countries that do actually share our values, are not threatened or hostile to the idea that most of us want to preserve the Anglo/Celtic culture that led to the Declaration & Constitutional values. (They do not hate those who made America possible.)

Moreover, where they have beem misled by the lies of the Leftists promoting class & ethnic conflict; they are reachable by simply treating all with mutual self-respect, even as we openly acknowledge that we do not want to see Americans of all the European stocks that came to later join the Anglo/Celtic founders, as well as the founders’ immediate posterity, dispossessed like the Hawaiians in the land of their fathers.

A little frank discussion with those who share our economic & most of our social values, would solve that part of the problem which is solvable. The alternative idea of winning elections by giving up our culture, is a definition of "winning" that deserves only contempt.

William Flax

[moonshinner_09]

they also want as many government benefits and as much public support as they can get. And by now their communities are very well informed about which political party has that on perpetual offer...Sum it up any amnesty that passes, still leaves Mexico as it is and more illegals will follow these same illegals and arrive here wanting the same benefits the past illegals got and ask if they got it,why can’t we ?They got the dreamact,why can’t we ?