Scott Walker Tacks Far Right On Immigration

The Huffington Post's Politics Blog ^ | April 20, 2015 | Igor Bobic

[2ndDivisionVet]

Republicans often rail about undocumented immigrants. But Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, an expected GOP presidential candidate, took it a step further Monday by sounding some critical notes about the number of those who immigrate to the U.S. legally.

"In terms of legal immigration, how we need to approach that going forward is saying -- the next president and the next Congress need to make decisions about a legal immigration system that’s based on, first and foremost, on protecting American workers and American wages. Because the more I’ve talked to folks, I’ve talked to [Alabama Sen. Jeff] Sessions and others out there -- but it is a fundamentally lost issue by many in elected positions today -- is what is this doing for American workers looking for jobs, what is this doing to wages. And we need to have that be at the forefront of our discussion going forward," Walker said in an interview with Glenn Beck, according to Breitbart News.

Sessions, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s immigration panel, has been one of the biggest opponents of President Barack Obama's immigration policies and frequently criticizes the administration over its so-called "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants. In a Washington Post op-ed on Friday, he argued that it was time to curb immigration flows into the country "so that wages can rise, welfare rolls can shrink and the forces of assimilation can knit us all more closely together."(continued)

[2ndDivisionVet]

"Severely conservative."

[ansel12]

My old tag line “LEGAL immigrants, 30 million 1980-2012, continues to remake the nation’s electorate for democrats”

[Democrat_media]

Scott Walker is miles ahead of the other candidates or any politician on immigration .
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3281362/posts
Not only is Walker against illegal immigration but also for reducing legal immigration. This I agree with and don’t trust the others on it especially not Rubio nor Jeb who want the 3rd world to move to the USA. I see my city and many parts of the USA overrun by 3rd world foreigner immigrants. Immigrants take away our jobs and vote for socialism. ENOUGH!

also Look at Scott Walker’s RECORD as governor

1. lowered taxes
2. passed conservative laws over democrat and media opposition
3. passed right to work laws
4. balanced the budget while cutting taxes and turning a huge deficit into a surplus
5. acted against climate change and against unions
6. many more conservative results
7. defeated democrats more than anyone in history to pass conservative laws and he’s been governor only a short time
8. defeated democrats in several elections already some recall elections
9.public employee unions - we have no seniority or tenure,

10.we can hire and fire based on merit,

11.we can pay based on performance,

12.we’re the 25th state in the nation to have Right-To-Work,

13.we require photo ID for voting,

14.we’ve defunded Planned Parenthood

15.pushed pro-life legislation

16.we’ve passed concealed carry and castle doctrine,

17.we cut taxes by $2 billion—in fact property taxes are lower today than they were four years ago.

Actions, results matter. Walkers record is unmatched in history and he’s been governor only a short time

Scott Walker as president could restore America that the Obama communist is destroying . Obama is being a dictator .Obama illegally passed Amnesty with a wave of his hand after Congress refused to. Also obama is ordering his FCC gestapo to regulate the Internet with Soros researched laws. those are just 2 examples of how the communist Obama is destroying America and freedom and opportunity .

[stanne]

‘Tacks far right’. As in the sailing term? Like when you get all the kids to help you tack for the wind. They all duck and scramble? Then do it again the other way when the winds shift? Or a squall comes in out of the west in the summer afternoon?

I don’t know. As far as metaphors go, this one couldn’t be more of a gimme. But then, I see a bad deal in walker

[Yosemitest]

BULL!
He's an "ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICAN" in DISGUISE !
I quote Scott Walker and his PRO-AMNESTY position:

Endorses path to citizenship for immigrant workers

Scott Walker distanced himself from House Republicans debating a new immigration bill by endorsing a path to citizenship for immigrant workers.Walker acknowledged that a substantial number of Wisconsin farms depend on migrant workers, some of them here illegally.
He also was sharply critical of how difficult the federal government makes it for those workers to come to this country.
"If people want to come here and work hard and benefit, I don't care whether they come from Mexico or Ireland or Germany or Canada or South Africa or anywhere else," he said.
"I want them here."
The Democratic-led U.S. Senate passed an immigration bill last week that features a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S.
Many conservative House Republicans oppose the bill, viewing it as rewarding law-breakers.
He said as a gubernatorial candidate in 2010 that he would sign an Arizona-style bill, which would allow local police to stop suspected illegal immigrants.
Source: Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, "Endorses path to citizenship" , Jul 3, 2013

Make it easier to enter the country legally

Walker said he is in favor of the Senate immigration bill--that features a path to citizenship--but called it a backward "Band-Aid" approach,
saying elected leaders should make it easier for people to enter the country and become legal citizens in the first place.
"Not only do they need to fix things for people already here, or find some way to do it, there's got to be a larger way to fix the system in the first place," he said.
"Because if it wasn't so cumbersome, if there wasn't such a long wait, if it wasn't so difficult to get in, we wouldn't have the other problems that we have (with people living here illegally)," he said.
Walker's stance on immigration reform evolved over the years.
Source: Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, "Endorses path to citizenship" , Jul 3, 2013

2010: stop suspected illegals; 2012: that's a distraction

Walker's stance on immigration reform evolved over the years.
He said as a gubernatorial candidate in 2010 that he would sign an Arizona-style bill, which would allow local police to stop suspected illegal immigrants, if he were elected.
Then, in December 2012, Walker said he no longer favored such a bill, telling reporters that such legislation would become a "huge distraction" from accomplishing his agenda for the state.
Today, Walker said he would support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants under some circumstances.
Source: Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, "Endorses path to citizenship" , Jul 3, 2013

[dowcaet]

And the counter to that is Ted Cruz wanting to increase H-1B visas to allow “high skilled” workers from overseas to come into the country. Face it both Ted Cruz and Scott Walker are nowhere near taking the tough stand that Jeff Sessions has when it comes to stopping illegal immigration.

http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=137

[Lakeshark]

Because an article in the HUFFINGTON POST is clearly designed to inform conservatives correctly......

Right?

Oh wait......

[South40]

At a 2002 Mexican Independence Day event in Milwaukee, Wis., Mr. Walker, then the county executive, signed a resolution that praised the economic and civic contributions of undocumented immigrants and called for “a new program similar to the Federal AMNESTY program enacted by Congress in 1986.”

source

[Cincinatus' Wife]

January 3, 2011 - Walker assumes Office of Governor of Wisconsin.

June 27, 2011: Walker Revokes In-state Tuition For Undocumented Students Attending Univ And Colleges In Wisconsin "- On Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) signed his two-year 2011-2013 budget, which included ending in-state tuition for undocumented students attending public universities and colleges. In-state tuition for undocumented students was approved two years ago by former Governor Jim Doyle (D) after the Hispanic community struggled for 10 years to pass it."...

March 2015:“We strongly dispute this account. Governor Walker has been very clear that he does not support amnesty and believes that border security must be established and the rule of law must be followed. His position has not changed, he does not support citizenship for illegal immigrants, and this story line is false,” she announced in an email to journalists Thursday afternoon.”

“I made it clear that for me, if somebody wants to be a citizen, they need to go back to their country of origin, get in line, no preferential treatment,” Walker said. “In terms of what to do beyond that, again, that’s something we got to work with Congress on.”

[zencycler]

“Tacks far right on immigration”? Yes, I know it’s Huffpo, but it still amuses me how what is really a mainstream and popular view about immigration gets labelled that way. Maybe we need one fringe candidate out there saying some things that are REALLY “far right” on this issue for contrast.

[PoloSec]

So how does one deflect flip-flops on approving of a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, it seems by changing the narrative to acknowledging and fixing problems with legal immigration as if the two are the same issue, meld the two together so rather than discussing legal vs illegal the conversation is just about immigration...in other words do as the liberals do, employ Alinsky tactics and confound the issue.

IMO opinion (although a bit to early) desperation is raising its ugly head, this idea didn’t just pop up out of nowhere, I doubt Walker realizes he is being handled if he is doing this as suggested by advisers, then again worse if it is his own idea.

I do understand there is an issue (a very complex issue) of corporations hiring those immigrants at a lower wage in area’s such as tech, science and engineering and corporations trying to work around legal immigration policy to get them, but it seems to me through out our immigration history that has always been the case, it may be a relatively new phenomenon in high wage areas, industries pushing for more immigration to keep expenses down, due to our poor education system the best and the brightest are coming from without those wanting a foot in the door more than willing to work for less, in a sense our own best and brightest have participated in their own demise demanding salaries beyond reason because they are so few, it works for awhile but eventually causing the effect of diminishing returns.

All that being said; agree or not (I suppose there is plenty of disagreement) the bottom line is in the realm of politics my point is the tactics of those who want to ascend to the most powerful position in the world, can we properly asses their motivation for what they are saying and/or doing; we need to be digging deep below the surface not just excepting their motivation and their words as good will, in a nutshell that is what Cruz has been saying all along.

Walker has done lots of very good work for his state fighting the Unions being most prominent but it is not fixed, they are wolves still stalking their prey he needs to stay where he is the fight is not near over, if he leaves all that work is subject to fall apart post haste, he has IMO met his pinnacle.

[nathanbedford]

It seems to me that dowcaet is on the right track. These candidates must be judged in their conservatism relatively, that is against one another in the available field and not against the theoretical perfect. Much like the old joke about the psychiatrist who when asked "how is your wife" replied, "compared to whom?" So we cannot profitably establish conservative bona fides by comparing every individual against the perfect (the perfect is, of course, my beau ideal) and in this process of comparing the candidates to each other we naturally inquire, what have they done? More specifically, what are they done which will lead us to believe they will behave consistent with their promises if they actually get power?

In this context of inquiring what candidates have actually done we read the post of Democrat_media who lists 17 remarkable accomplishments Scott Walker. Against that we have the record of Ted Cruz in the Senate where his options were certainly fewer than those of the Governor of a state but his record is nevertheless credible in opposing Harry Reid and, more significantly, Mitch McConnell.

And that brings us to the next consideration besides, "compared to whom" which is, "against whom." Both Walker and Cruz have splendidly passed this test, both of them are proven warriors against established and entrenched Democrat power blocs. Cruz has fewer battles to his credit and almost no victories but he does hold the edge in making war against the Republican establishment, perhaps because he was in position to do so.

Looking at the history of both men over all, I conclude they are, as far as politicians go, good bets to hold to conservatism once they gain higher office and that means they will have to make war on two fronts against a common foe, the Democrats and their henchmen in the media as well as against the Republican establishment and their henchmen on K St. and on Wall Street. These are daunting challenges for any president.

In judging these men we look at their weaknesses on immigration and I think that Cruz has overcome his H–1B position by his vigorous opposition to amnesty. Anyway, there are arguments on both sides of the H-1B debate concerning truly high tech candidates. The problem as I see it is that people in Silicon Valley are not above exploiting these candidates to drive down wages. But I am not fully knowledgeable about these facts. Any weakness Scott Walker has concerning immigration is compensated for by his courageous history of doing what he says he will do in office him him him and he has explicitly abandoned the dark side for the light.

If we apply these tests to the next rung of conservative candidates, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, they do not score nearly as high and Marco Rubio is virtually disqualified by his treacherous alliance with The Gang of 8 on amnesty. As Churchill says, he "re-ratted" as best could but Marco Rubio has betrayed a callow side to his character which leaves me terribly uneasy, even while conceding his considerable rhetorical skills. Rand Paul has taken on the Obama administration in his filibuster against drone strikes (and he won where Ted Cruz failed) but he has not shown much disposition to take on the Republican establishment. He cut his deal with Mitch McConnell.

I end where I began, in support of either Cruz or Walker and in that order.

[Gaffer]

So are you saying the information cited in post #5 isn’t true? There are a few years in between 2011 and March of THIS year that seem to not be discussed much now.

I remember watching a video of an interview with him where his views on ‘pathways’ troubled me a lot. Even he, by some accounts, admits his views have changed because he got more information. That’s why I give him the benefit of the doubt, frankly and don’t really ascribe to trashing him. I’d rather we all devote our time to trashing Jeb Bush, frankly.

But to include the concluding paragraph of his “I made it clear that for me....” seems a bit misleading. In the years before this March, I don’t think it was that clear at all.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3281385/posts#1

[Gaffer]

Okay. Excerpts of an April 2015 interview with Beck which indicates his present position delineates him from other candidates. I get that.

My whole point of my post was that it seems to be akin to a non-virgin avowing celibacy. I get his current position - good on him. I just think one should understand from whence and how this position came, and not ignore past positions.

I didn’t write my post to criticize him. I applaud it. I was criticizing the feeling I get from some that this position has always been so and some clearly troubling past accounts directly from him are being completely ignored.

He admits his transformation; others should recognize that, too.

[Lumper20]

He agrees with Senator Sessions who is one of the most vocal opponents of illegals getting anything. Sessions raised hell about Obama’s giving illegals bennies and hit back with they’d (Dems) cut Vets payments and give to illegals with no SSN’s. As long as Walker sticks with Sessions-no worries.

[Erik Latranyi]

Face it both Ted Cruz and Scott Walker are nowhere near taking the tough stand that Jeff Sessions has when it comes to stopping illegal immigration.

That's funny. Scott Walker met with Jeff Sessions and took on all of Jeff Sessions positions on immigration.

But that is not enough for you, is it?

You still have to see spiders on the wall everywhere, don't you?

You still don't trust anyone....except the one YOU select. And if we do not agree, then we are stupid and the problem.

Did I get that right?

[Lumper20]

As long as Walker sticks with Sessions I am fine with him.

[wolfman23601]

Good to hear. Not my first choice, but he does seem like someone I could vote for if he gets the nom.