Why should Republicans favor immigration reform?

freshh. · 04-28-2013, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Republicans who believe they can never persuade people who don’t currently support them to vote for the GOP will likely vote against immigration reform.

Jeb Bush put it succinctly: “If the argument is all is lost, then all is lost.” His brief interview with Peter Robinson is illuminating.

It is peculiar that so many right-wingers believe that the future of conservativism requires excluding millions of Hispanics from ever entering the electorate.

Republicans who think the United States can do without Danny – the 26-year-old Chinese immigrant and entrepreneur who allegedly was carjacked by the Boston bombers, escaped and helped the police track down the Tsarnaevs — probably will vote against immigration reform.

Republicans who think we are better off without billions of dollars dedicated to border enforcement, an E-Verify system, an exit-visa tracking system and a physical fence (or who imagine they can obtain all that without granting a pathway to citizenship) also are likely to oppose immigration reform.

The question then is whether a substantial number of Republicans and GOP lawmakers are grounded in the real world and sincere about the universality of the American dream and conservatism’s efficacy as a governing philosophy.

The opponents’ anger and loudness obscure, I believe, the reservoir of common sense in the Republican Party, in which a majority does believe that:

The free market needs to maximize the influx of brainy and motivated people from around the world;

The GOP cannot politically or morally survive appealing only to white voters;

Even imperfect border security is better than virtually no border security;

Bringing 11 million people out of the underground economy into the free market and paying income tax is a positive thing;

National security is improved by getting a handle on who is here, who leaves in a timely fashion after their visas expire and who has a criminal record; and

The status quo of non-enforcement is unacceptable.

Immigration reform is the most important of the current debates for Republicans, more so than taxes or entitlement reform, as its outcome will set the trajectory for the party for years to come. Will the GOP innovate, ignore reactionary voices, pursue a reform agenda and embrace 21st-century America? Or will it hunker down and insist that the only problem is insufficient volume and ferociousness, entranced by the illusion that all it needs to survive as a national party is turning out more and more older, white men?

That fight between reactionaries and reformers is at the heart of the immigration debate. Republicans who are not defeatist and pine for a viable party (one that ignores crackpots and rejects conspiratorial theories) better hope the Gang of Eight succeeds. Those who want reformers to have the wind at their back should hope that the naysayers, for whom the object is always to dismantle reform legislation and never improve it, don’t wind up on top. Otherwise, heaven help the GOP.

-Source

Pianoswithoutfaith · 04-28-2013, 03:59 PM

well, w.e the outcome will be I hope they know what to do with 11 million of us

freshh. · 04-28-2013, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pianoswithoutfaith

well, w.e the outcome will be I hope they know what to do with 11 million of us

If CIR fails, I hope the administration takes some steps to help us. I believe there are options, but the decision is the President's to make.

Giancoli · 04-28-2013, 04:19 PM

If I were given citizeship before next Presidential race, and CIR passed, I would probably vote Republican. Also I want to point out that my grandpa, USC, racist (lol), hates Obama, hardcore Republican, voted Obama for 2012. And he'll vote Democrat as long as immigration reform does not happen. Cause immigration = family > economy and other issues.

DA User · 04-28-2013, 05:10 PM

They should favor CIR so they can win an election.

Happyman0607 · 04-28-2013, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giancoli

If I were given citizeship before next Presidential race, and CIR passed, I would probably vote Republican. Also I want to point out that my grandpa, USC, racist (lol), hates Obama, hardcore Republican, voted Obama for 2012. And he'll vote Democrat as long as immigration reform does not happen. Cause immigration = family > economy and other issues.

Yup.. This is probably almost every single family of those 11 million.. Myself included I gotten tons of family members who vote republican to vote Obama this past election and I will keep getting family and friends to vote democrat until I get a pathway to citizenship and if I get married and get status that way I will never vote for a heartless republican no matter what

Optimism12 · 04-28-2013, 05:36 PM

I'll never vote Republican that's for damn sure

dreamerperson · 04-28-2013, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happyman0607

Yup.. This is probably almost every single family of those 11 million.. Myself included I gotten tons of family members who vote republican to vote Obama this past election and I will keep getting family and friends to vote democrat until I get a pathway to citizenship and if I get married and get status that way I will never vote for a heartless republican no matter what

Exactly. The restrictionist crowd don't seem to understand the family angle. I read an article written by a NumbersUSA/vdare member who seriously suggested that Latino (and Asian)-American voters don't care about immigration reform because "they're already here!". Because those voters don't have family or close friends who are illegal immigrants or anything like that...

Demise · 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giancoli

If I were given citizeship before next Presidential race, and CIR passed, I would probably vote Republican. Also I want to point out that my grandpa, USC, racist (lol), hates Obama, hardcore Republican, voted Obama for 2012. And he'll vote Democrat as long as immigration reform does not happen. Cause immigration = family > economy and other issues.

My current boss is the exact opposite of that. Naturalized US citizen, has undocumented sister, brother in law, and 2 nephews (1 of whom is my best friend and also DACA beneficiary), also knows a ton of undocumented (most of his employees are undocumented). Still votes republican.

Scorpion22 · 04-28-2013, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demise

My current boss is the exact opposite of that. Naturalized US citizen, has undocumented sister, brother in law, and 2 nephews (1 of whom is my best friend and also DACA beneficiary), also knows a ton of undocumented (most of his employees are undocumented). Still votes republican.

Something must be wrong with that man.

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Why should Republicans favor immigration reform?