Comments on: THE PROOF IS IN THE PARDON

By: nursej

nursej — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:20:49 +0000

There will be no compromise from me for people who express opinions similar to Mike Woodman.
“Somehow, the presence of people willing to work for dirt cheap wages in our country doesn’t seem like a big deal to me.”
That’s the opinion of both those profiting from illegal labor and those who are shallow thinkers.
Mike also thinks we should work on “energy, the environment, education, health care, a world confronted with dwindling resources and increasing population”.
The fact is, you can’t affectively address ANY of those problems until illegal immigration is addressed.
Perhaps Mike should also should look at who won – and who got trounced – in LD30 during this past election.
I will neither cast a vote nor contribute a penny to any Republican who does not actively work to secure our borders.
I did not vote for McCain. I will not vote for McCain if he runs again.

By: Mike Woodman

Mike Woodman — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:26:51 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, there seem to be a lot more pressing issues facing our country. A very serious economic crisis, two wars that are stalemates at best and more likely lost causes without good solutions, energy, the environment, education, health care, a world confronted with dwindling resources and increasing population. Somehow, the presence of people willing to work for dirt cheap wages in our country doesn’t seem like a big deal to me.
It may have escaped your notice, but the immigration issue was a loser for the Republican party in both 2006 and 2008. The immigrant bashers mostly lost–JD Hayworth and whoever that was who lost CD 8 to Gabrielle Giffords here in Arizona. It was a loser of an issue in the Republican primaries this past year. Tom Tancredo answered every single question he was ever asked with a spew of immigrant hatred. Never got over the one percent line, either. Giuliani and Romney spent an entire debate trying to prove who was tougher on the immigrant issue. Both were out of the race three weeks later. The last two Republicans left standing in the race were McCain and Huckabee, the two with the most reasonable and compassionate stands on immigration. Why do you still want to keep this issue alive?
I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Munsil that toning down the hateful rhetoric is a good idea. I think a better idea would be to drop the issue entirely. It’s only costing the Republican party votes, something they’ve been lacking in the last two elections. Obama won two thirds of the Hispanic vote, along with two thirds of young voters and 95 percent of African Americans. If the Republican party ever wants to run this country again, they’d better begin to address this.
Drop the issue. If the Obama administration succeeds at even half his agenda, he’ll have the political capital to pass an immigration reform bill, including a pathway to citizenship. If you want to keep screaming bloody murder about it, you’ll just further damage your own cause.

By: Carol

Carol — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:54:15 +0000

Thank you Len for saying this.
I spent part of my career hearing the inside strategy of liberal immigration lawyers and one of their best tools is DELAY.
Bureaucracy caused delay, congressional gridlock, underfunded and overtasked law enforcement agencies –they all result in a broken system which benefits liberal philosophical beliefs regarding the issue of immigration.
What some in our party cannot see is that they are actually losing ground due to their rhetoric and at the same time alienating voters who have legally immigrated and are now citizens. These voters agree with a big chunk of the Republican platform, especially the socially conservative portions.

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:45:28 +0000

Len, thanks so much for bringing up the issue of the tone of the immigration debate. It definitely needs to benefit from more light and suffer from less heat. We would benefit from having more dispassionate discourse regarding solutions beyond sealing our southern border (e.g., re: northern border, overstays, CIS bureaucracy, etc.)

By: Debi

Debi — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:56:06 +0000

I’m glad someone has said this! All the squabbling and name calling has been making me crazy. This was very well said and I hope the people who need to hear it most will listen!!
Thank you!

By: Hey Jill

Hey Jill — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:55:19 +0000

Great post, Len!

By: Kim Owens

Kim Owens — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:05:29 +0000

EXCELLENT! Thank you for the right on words but more so for your courage.

By: ron

ron — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:05:06 +0000

Good Blog, Len – one of your best..
thank you

By: Tod

Tod — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:52:48 +0000

Well stated!
I completely agree … I’m glad that somebody could state it so well.
Hopefully it will be heard, absorbed and taken to heart.
Thank You!

By: Bill Fisher

Bill Fisher — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:17:34 +0000

Good thoughts, Len. But to “…cause Republicans to again unite around our many common principles…” prompts a suggestion. We should unite not only around our common principles, but also around a principled leader. Maybe you?