Some Republican politicians and pundits have said things about illegal immigrants that are foolish at best. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Let’s cut to the chase.
Donald Trump has made statements about immigrants that are absolutely toxic to the GOP. That case is made in a 07/10/15 story published by Politico. Here is an excerpt.
Donald Trump’s statements on immigrants are going to kill the Republican Party, fellow candidate Lindsey Graham says.
“Well, I think he said something that has brought people who are frustrated about our immigration system to light, but he also said it in a way that’s going to kill my party,” Graham said in an interview with CNN on Friday.
Since the above-quoted Politico story was published, other GOP presidential contenders – such as Scott Walker, Ted Cruz and Bobby Jindal – have stoked the fire started by Trump.
In contrast, a more favorable view of illegal immigrants is being presented by John Kasich. A CNN story quotes Kasich as saying, “I would prefer for them [illegal immigrants] to be legalized once we find out who they are because they can — I think they contribute a lot to America. They’re hard workers, they’re God-fearing, they’re family-oriented.”
Then there is this exchange from the first prime-time GOP presidential debate of 2015.
According to a recent WSJ/NBC poll, “A majority of Republicans support some sort of legal status for people in the U.S. illegally”.
Yet, as the New York Times reports, “The major Republican candidates who are relative moderates on immigration — Mr. Graham, Jeb Bush, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida — do not have the momentum or the news media attention enjoyed by Mr. Trump.”
In regards to immigration, the news media attention has been on a minority view within the GOP. What is being left out of the conversation is the view presented by the Republican Party’s Growth & Opportunity Project. Here is an excerpt from the Project’s report.
President George W. Bush used to say, “Family values don’t stop at the Rio Grande and a hungry mother is going to try to feed her child.” When Hispanics heard that, they knew he cared and were willing to listen to his policies on education, jobs, spending, etc. Because his first sentence struck a chord, Hispanic Americans were willing to listen to his second sentence. We heard this from other demographic groups as well. President Bush got 44 percent of the Hispanic vote, a modern-day record for a Republican presidential candidate.
If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy; if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies. In the last election, Governor Romney received just 27 percent of the Hispanic vote. Other minority communities, including Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, also view the Party as unwelcoming. President Bush got 44 percent of the Asian vote in 2004; our presidential nominee received only 26 percent in 2012.
As one conservative, Tea-Party leader, Dick Armey, told us, “You can’t call someone ugly and expect them to go to the prom with you. We’ve chased the Hispanic voter out of his natural home.”
We are not a policy committee, but among the steps Republicans take in the Hispanic community and beyond, we must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform. If we do not, our Party’s appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only. We also believe that comprehensive immigration reform is consistent with Republican economic policies that promote job growth and opportunity for all.
The assessment expressed in the above-quoted GOP report has support from establishment Republicans, but their voices are being drowned out by the GOP members who are acting out a scene from The Simpsons.
Paul Waldman writes, “The Republican presidential candidate in 2016 is going to have to pull off an absolutely heroic performance among Hispanic voters if he’s going to win.” There won’t be any such heroic performance if GOP voters side with Trump and the GOP’s other extremists. To the detriment of the GOP, way too many far-Right pundits are busy supplying torches and pitchforks.
