From The Wall Street Journal,
GOP hardliners need to face reality.
Virginia Republican Congressman Virgil Goode's narrow loss to Democrat Tom Perriello became official last week, and it caps another bad showing for immigration restrictionists. For the second straight election, incumbent Republicans who attempted to turn illegal immigration into a wedge issue fared poorly.
Anti-immigration hardliners Randy Graf, John Hostettler and J.D. Hayworth were among the Republicans who lost in 2006. Joining them this year were GOP Representatives Thelma Drake (Virginia), Tom Feeney (Florida), Ric Keller (Florida) and Robin Hayes (North Carolina) -- all Members of a House anti-immigration caucus that focuses on demonizing the undocumented.
According to a review of election results by America's Voice, an advocacy group, Republican restrictionists had especially weak showings in "battleground" races. "Nineteen of 21 winners advocated immigration policies beyond enforcement-only," says the report. "This includes 5 of 5 Senate races and 14 of 16 House races listed in the 'toss-up,' 'leans Republican,' or 'leans Democratic' categories of the Cook Political Report."
Mr. Goode, a 12-year incumbent, had made a name for himself in Congress as a seal-the-border advocate. Among other things, he has called for mass deportations and amending the Constitution to deny U.S. citizenship to children of illegal aliens.
Immigration wasn't a dominant issue this fall, and other factors contributed more to the GOP defeat. But the political reality is that Republicans who thought that channeling Lou Dobbs would save their seats will soon be ex-Members. Meanwhile, exit polls showed that the Republican share of the Hispanic vote fell to 31% this year from more than 40% in 2004. The demographic reality is that the GOP can't win national elections while losing such a large share of the fastest-growing ethnic minority in the country.
14 comments:
"amending the Constitution to deny U.S. citizenship to children of illegal aliens"
That's hardly an extreme position, since Ireland has such a policy. Every modern developed nation has the same such policy
USA is not Ireland. We are the flag bearer of freedom and liberty and other developed/developing nations look up to us. Our constitution is different. We are a nation of immigrants and this is at the core of this great nation's soul.
I find it hard to belive 31% of haspanics would vote for the grand old party what were they thinking
Juilo murphy
I'm sure some will say the unemployment figures are a direct result of immigration ... 2.7 million people out of work since December 2007.
Now there are plenty of Americans available to work in the fields, washing dishes in restaurants, cutting lawns etc ..... or are they better off collecting unemployment assistance.
Be careful what you wish for.
Lou Ferpo
It will take common sence to get common ground....
flag bearer of freedom and liberty
Are you kidding?
other developed/developing nations look up to us
What have you been smoking?
I do not blame immigrants for the loss off jobs, No it is outsourceing. If you want people to keep their jobs, keep the work in this Country.
STOP SENDING AMERICAN JOB TO OTHER COUNTRIES....
davey crewcut said...
"flag bearer of freedom and liberty
Are you kidding?
other developed/developing nations look up to us
What have you been smoking?"
Why whats wrong with that picture? Mr Davey Crewcut? Are you Anti American?
No, simply anti-Irish.
Well, better get used to us Davey...cos we're here to stay!
Davey Crewcut do you need a hug!!!
America is not a nation of immigrants. America was founded and built by Europeans. The census of 1865 was the first census taken and America was 98.5% European. Europeans took America and put a statue pointing back to Europe. The Statue of Liberty is not pointing to Mexico or Brazil or Zimbabwe. Obviously, this is done for a reason.
If you think Europeans migrated to America----then you think George Bush migrated to Iraq. Yes, WE took it ---whether anyone likes it or not.
The census of 1965 clearly reads that the country was still 94% European. The correct Constitutional debate was in regards to "Posterity". America was founded for us and our Posterity. Posterity means simply kith or kin (if you look it up and then read the Constitution).
This was an actual debate when letting in the ScothIrish (way before the late Irish immigration). The debate almost came to blows. But since the ScotchIrish were at the founding and considered European ---it was a done deal. This same thing that happened with the Irish
(and the Italians). Both fall under Posterity because they are European by blood.
The Late Irish migration debate never really heated up from a legal standpoint for three reasons:
A)they are European B)They are a founding gene pool. There were Irish on the Boats PRIOR to the Mayflower. C) Participation in the American Revolution and founding documents.
And yes, that is why they are trying to find some loophole to let the Irish stay here. They have to and they know it. They cannot give you outright citizenship because then they would have to explain the actual law.
Most Americans worry about the fact that we will not be able to "maintain posterity" with the current rate of Non-European immigration. The place will simply collapse (that is what is happening now). Furthermore, no one voted on the Immigration act of 1965 witch discriminates against Europeans.
One of the reasons the Irish are not trusted now is because of Senator Kennedy and the 1965 immigration act.
(And please don't say Indians and African slaves built everything---looking at the actual census up until 1965 there simply were not many here to build anything.)
As a former oganizer for the Laborers union and of Irish decent,I realize the complexity of this issue runs deep.our government on one hand says the right to organize undocumented workers is legal while saying employing them is not,catch 22 if you ask me.I say institute the e-verify program first,then have a rational dicussion on immigration reform.Our first order of buisness is to have a level playing field from which advocates of both sides have a starting point.
Thank you Tim,
When Irish arrived here they were classed as the lowest class of people. (No Irish need apply).
They were either sent to war or sent to clean swamps where a lot of them were nothing more that bait for crocodiles or died from horrible diseases.
It was a request from the Irish Gov at the time to stop what was known as the brain drain from Ireland. The Irish Gov felt to many Irish were leaving Ireland for the USA.
So mabey it is time this agreement be removed.
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