The squawking heads were all in such a rush to declare Mitt Romney the winner of the debate on Thursday night that they forgot to listen to what he actually said. Romney, in parrying Newt Gingrich's charge that he is the most anti-immigrant candidate, forcefully declared: "I'm not anti-immigrant. My father was born in Mexico. My wife's father was born in Wales. They came to this country. The idea that I'm anti-immigrant is repulsive."
That defense is as phony as it is false. It is phony because Romney's father once ran for president. But wait a minute. The constitution says, "No person except a natural born citizen shall be eligible to the office of president." Romney's father was able to run because his parents were American citizens and he therefore acquired citizenship at birth regardless of where he was born. Romney's father came to the United States for the first time, not as an immigrant, but as a full-fledged citizen who just happened to have been born abroad.
As for Romney's father-in-law, Edward Davies, he was born in Wales, but presumably came here as a legal immigrant and eventually attained citizenship. Davies went on to become the mayor of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He was also a life-long, avowed atheist, who had nothing but contempt for organized religion. Davies was "converted" to Mormonism by the Romeys in a ceremony 14 months after he died.
So Romney's defense was phony because his father was never an immigrant and his father-in-law was undoubtedly a legal one. His defense is false because he is anti-immigrant, at least the illegal ones. No one has suggested that any of the candidates oppose legal immigration.
When speaking to lily-white crowds in Iowa and South Carolina, Romney's line was basically let's deport all eleven million illegal immigrants. By this point in the debates, even the most casual observer could not have failed to conclude that the Republican Party has become the party of choice for racists. That's why Romney's remarks were clearly an attempt to tap into the xenophobia and racism of his listeners.
When he got to Florida, however, the complexion of his audiences and his remarks both changed dramatically. There are three and a half million immigrants in Florida and in Miami-Dade County there are as many immigrants as there are native-born Americans. So instead of rounding up all the illegals up and shipping them back to where they came from, Romney's talking point became they would all deport themselves once he took office.
Romney has ridiculed Gingrich's suggestion that some mechanism, like local draft boards of the past, be set up to consider making exceptions on a case by case basis. If his father-in-law had entered this country illegally and were still alive, would Romney want to send him back to Wales?
Once faced with voters who have some sympathy for people who came here from abroad, he changes his tune. He claims self-deportation will take care of the problem and he rewrites his family history to make his father an immigrant. His reputation for being someone who will say anything to become president is well deserved.
100% precincts reporting
| Candidate | Votes | Pct. | Del. |
|---|---|---|---|
 Santorum |
29,839 | 24.6% | 13 |
 Romney |
29,805 | 24.5% | 12 |
 Paul |
26,036 | 21.4% | |
 Gingrich |
16,163 | 13.3% | |
 Perry |
12,557 | 10.3% | |
 Bachmann |
6,046 | 5.0% | |
 Huntsman |
739 | 0.6% | |
 Others |
254 | 0.2% | |
 Cain |
45 | 0.1% | |
 Roemer |
17 | 0.1% |
Delegate counts are estimates and might be adjusted later.
Let's stop making US workers have to compete with the entire world through easy immigration policies. It never made sense to import 1.5 to 2 million new immigrants each year, and especially when unemployment is so high. Don't believe ANY claim of labor shortage these days. Isn't it far more likely the employers just like cheap, indentured labor rather than paying higher US wages?
And before anyone fires off answers screaming about illegal immigrants who were brought here as children, consider this: Yes, they had no choice...but anyone who is old enough to go to college is, in America, also old enough to vote, marry, and enlist in the military. That means they are legally adults, old enough to take responsibility for themselves, rather than sheltering behind their parents. They know they are here in violation of our laws. Most don't care...they want a free ride to citizenship and a lot of other benefits, but they sure don't want to obey those immigration laws, exit the country, and apply through the proper channels to return here permanently.
I am not a Romney supporter. But he didn't say he would deport all illegals in this country. I wish somebody would. I have no respect for people who deliberately and consistently break our laws.
Breathless reporters, many of them to be found on the Huffington Post, are equating a desire to enforce immigration laws with racism. Nothing could be further from the truth. I personally have good friends of many races. My great-grandparents on both sides came here (yes, legally) from England and Scotland. My beloved son-in-law is a (legal) immigrant from Italy.
But I don't like lawbreakers, whatever their ethnic origins. As an American citizen, I don't have the option of deciding which of our laws I will honor and which ones I will deliberately and continually break because I find those laws personally inconvenient. I object very strongly to the idea that we should give illegal immigrants that privilege.
Our laws are for everyone -- or, at least, they are supposed to be. I have yet to see any statute that gives illegal immigrants a free pass to break our laws without paying a penalty.
Wow. I never heard him say that. Can you provide a citation? That's an interesting claim you're making considering he has explicitly said he is NOT in favor doing that.
"That's why Romney's remarks were clearly an attempt to tap into the xenophobia and racism of his listeners."
Have you considered that his stance in favor of rule of law and integrity of the legal immigration system is because rule of law and fairness is important to voters? He is taking a principled stand that resonates with the average American. Your antipathy toward rule of law is stunning and I hope you don't allow that bias to permeate your lectures to students.
However, when a candidate (Romney) mentions illegal aliens (immigrants are in fact legal) and supporting Attrition through Enforcement, E-Verify, and reductions in non-essential immigration (such as chain-migration and the visa lottery) why is he considered extremist?
So, Romney changes his approach to better connect with his audience. Nowdays, most journalists present facts that only support their opinions.
Gingrich supported the last great amnesty program in the 1980s. How did that work out for us???
Why is it reported that Romney is pandering to, "lily-white, xenophobic, racists"? Many non-white Americans, and legal immigrants, also believe in Attrition through Enforcement. Why should someone who flaunts our laws go to the head of the line?
Do not tell me deportation tears families apart. Illegal actions tear families apart.
As an American, I have a responsibility to my family and my country to try to provide a better future. When choosing my representatives, I believe in due diligence.
The hate and intolerance for sensible dialog on this subject appears to come from those that make their living supporting unchecked immigration at all costs.”
In his statement, Romney was clearly referring to legal immigrants in his statement quoted above.
Now you, Professor Jett, are clearly referring to illegal immigrants when you said above: "His defense is false because he is anti-immigrant, at least the illegal ones. No one has suggested that any of the candidates oppose legal immigration."
So you were both imprecise.
Evidently you think the U.S. is required to accept and legalize every person who ever comes over out border or overstays a visa. No other First World country does that.
You, of course, are free to ignore this and advocate for open borders. You, of course, have a nice job with a pension and great benefits at Penn State. You will personally be unaffected by the policies you advocate.
It's your right to think every American who disagrees with you is motivated with "xenophobia and racism."
I can only tell you that I myself disagree with you and I do not consider myself against other people or races. I simply see myself as being pro-American workers and pro-American jobs. I want all Americans to have a secure, First World life here in America. We can't do that if we take in millions of people every year, give them work visas and their children automatic birthright citizenship and promise to take care of their descendants, who will eventually (but not too long from now) number in the hundreds of millions.
The article says that Mitt Romney's 'line in lily white Iowa and South Carolina is that he basically wants to deport all 11 million illegals'. Mitt Romney didn't say that, Dennis Jett said it.
'Lily white' Iowa, indeed. I grew up in Iowa and I'm disgusted with Jett's attempted put-down of Iowa or any state in an attempt to serve his own bias and agenda.
Lastly, my granddaughter graduated from Penn State in 2009 and I hope she never had Jett as an instructor since he seems unable to be objective or give an accurate account of a presidential candidate's point of view.
Mitt Romney understands that if illegals cannot get hired for any job and can't work under the table for cash, they will leave the US which is known as self-deporting. Even illegals need money to live, eat or drive. Shut off the jobs magnet by mandating E-Verify and enforcing current laws and many, if not most illegals, will self-deport.
An immigrant is a person who permanently settles in another country. The only way such a entity as "illegal immigrant" exists is if you believe every non-American in the world has the right to permanently live and work in the USA, without regard for US laws or the enormous negative benefits they have on American citizens. Is that what you believe in? In unrestricted immigration for everyone in the world?
This country is a land of laws, and to allow a few( 20 million) to ignore our laws is crazy while the majority abide by those laws.
The American citizens are paying 120 billion a year to host illegal immigrants, schools, hospitals, justice system is under attack from this illegal invasion.
I have no tears for food est.,farmers , Ag. industry that ignores immigration laws for profit at the expense of citizens of this country, those companies, business that use criminals need to be reported to ICE, and citizens stop patronizing business that hire illegals.
Americans want an elected official that has this country, citizens at heart and not special interest groups,
Obama has bent over for the Hispanic, gay vote and refuse to enforce immigration laws.
Romney in 2012!.