Postponing Immigration "Reform"
The Republicans will put immigration reform on the back burner to concentrate on national security before the elections.
If there's anyone who thinks that Patrick Fitzgerald's superfluous hunt for White House scalps turned out to be costless, look at this and think again. The problem isn't that there's no bill . . . rather, the fact that the immigration issue was brought up at all is such a strategic blunder that it's tempting to believe that Karl Rove was distracted by the meritless Plame investigation when the decision to do it was made.
Immigration is the one issue that really splits the Republican Party -- between the eastern, pro-business wing whose top priority is cheap labor, whatever the source, and the western wing, which is paying most of the tax burden for the influx of illegals. It's long been clear to me that this is an issue that poses enormous political dangers for our party, and the decision to focus on it last year may turn out to be a costly one.
If there's anyone who thinks that Patrick Fitzgerald's superfluous hunt for White House scalps turned out to be costless, look at this and think again. The problem isn't that there's no bill . . . rather, the fact that the immigration issue was brought up at all is such a strategic blunder that it's tempting to believe that Karl Rove was distracted by the meritless Plame investigation when the decision to do it was made.
Immigration is the one issue that really splits the Republican Party -- between the eastern, pro-business wing whose top priority is cheap labor, whatever the source, and the western wing, which is paying most of the tax burden for the influx of illegals. It's long been clear to me that this is an issue that poses enormous political dangers for our party, and the decision to focus on it last year may turn out to be a costly one.
posted by LadybugUSA at 8:00 AM
1 Comments:
I don't think the problem is when to focus on it, but how. The GOP needs to get together and work it out amongst themselves, with a good ear toward the constituency, and then come back as a unit. We, the people, have been pretty clear, that we want border security dealt with first, followed by penalties enforced for those who hire illegals, and then look at the illegals themselves, with most, if not all being sent back to stand in line.
Post a Comment
<< Home