Will the GOP bash immigrants in 2006?

[JHBowden]

I know illegal immigration is a big problem with the Republican base right now. With approval ratings of Bush and many Republicans in the gutter, it has been suggested that they might play to their base in 2006 to retain victories.

I ask, how plausible is this? As a short-term strategy it may work, but given the way the demographics are trending, Republicans have to know that cracking down illegal immigration will hurt them with a lot of latino voters down the road, perhaps even in 2008.

Just how likely do you think GOP immigrant bashing will be in 2006?

[joemurphy]

1. Highly likely...Along with more gay bashing n/t

[wli]

2. 100%

Probably abortion stuff, smears on Venezuela and Iran, too.

[TahitiNut]

3. You'd better believe it, pilgrim.

(ironic pun definitely intended)

[OKDem08]

4. I don't see how they could w/any credibility

considering they have done virtually nothing to alter the status quo in that regard. Didn't Bush propose an amnesty for illegal immigrants under certain circumstances a few yrs ago?

[EVDebs]

5. Not likely since the economy is limping immigrants are 'bright spot'

since the bulk of new jobs are going to them.

NATION’S IMMIGRANTS ACCOUNT FOR BULK OF LABOR FORCE GROWTH SINCE 2000 WHILE NATIVE-BORN WORKERS EXPERIENCE HEAVY DECLINES

http://www.nupr.neu.edu/01-04/immigration_jan.html

and in Center for American Progress's article on Bush's Job Deficits
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=736493

"Just to keep pace with population growth since the recession started in March 2001, the economy would have needed an additional 6.2 million jobs by May 2005. At this point, the labor market has fallen so far behind that it will take years – if not decades – to catch up to any reasonable standard of job creation. The result is that millions of Americans cannot get the jobs that they desperately need."

[Celeborn Skywalker]

6. Possibly.

The problem with that is that there will be a war within the Republican party on this issue. Their true base, the rich, corporate, elites, need illegal immigrants so they can have a permanent slave class to exploit. The racists, on the other hand, want all immigrants deported now. It'll be interesting to see which group wins out.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Rhetoric is different than actions

They'll play to the racist (and homophobic) tendencies of the base as much as they have to to win. The ones who actually need an exploitable underclass will understand and stay mum.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

10. You're right.

The rethugs will turn up the hate-mongering till the elections and then if they win, do nothing they promised to do.

[Ready2Snap]

8. You may be familiar with Dr. Britt's 14 Signs of Fascism

Here's the one that applies in this case:

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause.

They must have an enemy to instill fear in the people
and get them to believe that only THEY can protect them and defeat what threatens their safety.

The GOP wil conflate terrorists and immigrants until both are perceived,
by the people who take them at their word, to be one and same.

They'll also use "illegal immigrants" for a while until just the word immigrant will imply illegality.

They'll further smear immigrants with the old fallacy of using up educational and health care services, etc.,
i.e., OUR TAX DOLLARS, which those people, of course, do not contribute to. (Another fallacy.)

And they'll trot out the spectre of dilapidated, Mexican trucks running rampant all over OUR highways,
without any way to insure that they are safe.
(This one is a beaut because to insure that they are safe would mean government intervention,
inspections and regulation, which U.S.vehicles probably would be subject to as well,
but they'll skip over that distasteful little reality.)

Not only would they not be safe, they would most certainly be the easiest and best way
for terrorists to smuggle nucular bombs into any of our cities.

Now the most-often cited and feared method would be on a container ship,
but container ships don't dock in the Heartland,
so those unsafe, bomb-carrying, immigrant trucks,
and their swarthy, reckless, illegal, immigrant drivers,
are what we need to forbid inside OUR borders.
(Again, the solution involves MORE government, anathema to Repugnicans.)

I'm sure there are other ways they'll conjure up to attack immigrants, but this is a good start.

You can find the 14 Signs of Facism here:
http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/britt_23_2.htm

[Blue_Tires]

9. " Just how likely do you think GOP immigrant bashing will be in 2006?"

LOL...they've already been doing it for YEARS!!! Some GOP hack is doing it now somewhere in the USA as i write this....When did it ever stop, and why would they NOT use it in 06?

[napi21]

11. I don't know what the GOP's gonnna do, but I have a question for you.

Are you saying that Illegal Immigration is OK?

I'm not an immigrant, so I can't really understand all sides to this problem, but I believe if I would have applied for US citizenship via US Immigration laws, I'd be really pi**ed at those who were just sneaking in whatever way they can, and getting away with it!

If the Immigration law are bad, then we need to fix them!

If it takes way to long to go by the rules, then we need to scream for more people to work in the Immigration Service!

But just ignoring the laws, and looking the other way is just wrong!

So tell me, where am I wrong here?

[JHBowden]

18. I actually support a crackdown on illegal immigration.

I believe there will be political cost in the growing latino community, however, for putting American troops on the Rio Grande, enlarging a state apparatus that rounds-up illegals working in businesses and sends them back to Mexico, et cetera.

From a strictly long-term political view, I wouldn't recommend cracking down on illegals. But if I had my own way, I would.

[Pystoff]

12. The word illegal makes this a bit more important

LAWMAKERS write and take an oath to uphold laws.

This isn't just a problem with the Pug base...it's a problem with the majority of america now.

Lose 2 jobs in a year to someone that is willing to work for slave wages cannot speak english and doesn't know what a green card is then ask how important it is.

3 million a year is a problem combined with 4 million jobs lost.

You might see a softer version of anti-immigration from the Democrats as well by then.

[Telly Savalas]

17. Exactly. Lawmakers need to uphold laws like the Patriot Act,...

laws that put people in prison for possession of marijuana, and immigration laws.

[Pystoff]

20. Real cute

Yep lawmakers are wards of the public and should listen to them and strike down unpopular laws. Patriot act isn't popular...immigration laws ARE popular.

Majority voice has my back here.

Btw I don't like the marijuana laws but majority rules the day on that one unfortunately.

Prison for immigration laws? Shit most ppl caught illegally in the country never show abck up for court and get away scot free.

[katsy]

13. Like it or not...

The candidates that want to enforce immigration laws and secure this country's borders may well win.

They aren't bashing immigrants. They are targeting illegal aliens. They should instead go after the employers, banks and other service providers.

One solution would be to make the minimum wage law applicable to all workers bar none (including babysitting). Another suggestion would be to require all employers of non-citizens to provide full health insurance benefits for them.

I think this issue is a major concern to gop and Democrats alike.

To say we should keep our borders open and allow illegal aliens in at will... or else risk being be labeled a racist is just wrong.

[sled]

14. Threads like this...

should be the type that lay the groundwork, for the future of the party platform. Unfortunately, they die much too quickly, when someone voices an honest opposing opinion, & gets past the name-calling, & PC rhetoric.

I guess my question is...is "cracking down illegal immigration" going to "hurt them with a lot of latino voters down the road", or is it just an opinion, that may not even prove true? Is that a racist statement, in itself, suggesting that only "Latinos", compose illegal immigration? And too, the old mantra that "we're all from somewhere else" doesn't hold much water, these days, when, in fact, most Americans, who can legally vote, were born within the borders of the US, & the vast majority will, most likely, never set foot outside these borders.

Might be time to revise our platform, & not rely on the old myths, of the past. That shit doesn't seem to be flying, too well, these days. Hell, even organized labor's looking for greener pastures, as the corporatists, in DC, sell out Americans, at every opportunity. The best government money can buy rings truer than ever...

[OKDem08]

15. Opposition to illegal immigration

is not synonymous with racism. Fox should be pressured to reform Mexico and create a society which does not manifest the impetus for departure.

[OKDem08]

16. Opposition to illegal immigration

is not synonymous with racism. Fox should be pressured to reform Mexico and create a society which does not manifest the impetus for departure.

[sendero]

19. Maybe...

... perhaps that is why they are reaching out to African Americans, they know they will take a hit with Hispanics when they start their next round of scapegoating.