Mitt Romney came out with a new idea the other day, and it took his consultants a full day to disavow it. For Romney, that qualifies as a deeply-held belief.
Speaking at a fundraiser in Florida, Romney said, "We have to get Hispanics to vote for our party" and warned that Obama's 40-point lead among Hispanics "spells doom for us." Then he called for a Republican DREAM Act, a reference to Democratic legislation that offers some illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
No sooner did the words leave his mouth than all the king's men recast anything Romney said at the gathering as "ideas, not plans" and promised that the former governor would "study and consider" the Republican DREAM Act that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is pushing.
Romney is only getting 23% of the Hispanic vote, less than the 31% Sen. John McCain got in 2008 and far short of George W. Bush's high-water mark of 40% in 2004. But Romney also needs to consolidate anti-immigrant Republicans who are in no mood for the compromise Rubio's proposing.
Rubio's proposal would represent a significant retreat from the hard-right positions Romney staked out in the primary, but there's no guarantee that Romney won't end up in no-man's land with Hispanic voters if he gets behind the bill. Rubio's bill would allow underage illegal immigrants to study, work, and serve in our military. They could even get drivers' licenses, but unlike the real DREAM Act, they could only get non-immigrant visas. To apply for citizenship, they would have to self-deport themselves and start over from their home countries.
In other words, these kids would be second-class, and they wouldn't be citizens. Basically, Rubio took the American Dream out of the DREAM Act. To be fair, the policy sounds better in the original Afrikaan, the language also known as Cape Dutch spoken by white settlers in South Africa. You probably already known at least one word in Afrikaans: apartheid.
It speaks volumes about the inherent racism of the Republican Party that they would trot out a Cuban to tell America what to do with all those Mexicans. To white folks, that seems like a distinction without a difference. To Hispanics, that's like an Eskimo telling Republicans how to handle Hawaiians.
Perhaps we should be grateful for the possible emergence of Romney's kindler, gentler side when it comes to immigration, because the sight of him getting to the right of Rick Perry during the Republican Primary was embarrassing for everyone. He called Arizona's stridently anti-immigration law "a model" and campaigned with the law's author, former Kansas Sec. of State Kris Kobach, on Martin Luther King Day, for Pete's sake.
"Mitt Romney stands apart from the others. He's the only one who's taken a strong across-the-board position on immigration," Kobach said, though the Romney campaign recently dropped Kobach from its list of official policy advisers.
In fact, back when he was trying to get to the right of Rick Perry, Romney came out against offering children of illegal immigrants "permanent residency," which is exactly what Rubio's bill would offer.
"And I have indicated I would veto the DREAM Act if provisions included in that act to say that people who are here illegally, if they go to school here long enough, get a degree here that they can become permanent residents. I think that's a mistake. I think we have to follow the law and insist those who come here illegally, ultimately return home, apply, and get in line with everyone else," said Romney.
In another debate he came out even more stridently against the education and work benefits that are in Rubio's bill, saying, "We've got to stop illegal immigration. That means turning off the magnets of amnesty, in-state tuition for illegal aliens, employers that knowingly hire people that have come here illegally."
It's not what Romney says that means anything, but why he says it. The only reason he's taken a breath since 1994 is to get elected. Now, once again, Romney is trying to stand for something to see if Hispanics and Republicans will fall for anything.
Follow Jason Stanford on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JasStanford
Maybe you should understand some history about the word before you start tossing it around so easily.
Under apartheid (enforced racial segregation, you know different from legal status but let's not discuss your complete misuse of the actual definition) African (legal) citizens were disenfrancized of their right to vote, several laws were passed relating to making it criminal for mixed races to marry or even have sex, segregation was enforced and many people were resettled out of their homes, and businesses were not allowed to hire legal citizens.
That is a very short encapsulation of only some of the things that happened under apartheid. Is that the same is enforcing legal status? Do any of the things I mentioned (forced segregation, laws disallowing mixed race marriage, resettlments) stem from Rubio's Dream Act?
No they do not. Stop using terms you do not understand and stop bombthrowing, if you want to be taken seriously as a writer make better arguments.
These "kids" (adults actually) already are citizens, of their country of origin. If you think they should be US citizens, give them yours.
Illegal foreign nationals collect a feast of benefits while all Americans get is a big bill and more competition for scarce jobs.
What a deal!
It would be smart for us to pass on any version of the DREAM Act and wait for an offer that benefits the people of this country. However Mexico should in good faith make the DREAM Act the law in their country.
"THE FAIR DREAM ACT"
1- Illegals have to acknowledge that they have broken the law and pay a penalty for no less then $15K..Payable in a five year term at 5% APR. Upon applying, they would be issued a temporary work permit for 5 years, if they fail to make payments for more than 90 days, the work permit would be cancelled and they will be subject to deportation.
2.- Pass a TOEFL exam with a satisfactory score.
3- Get a GED or high school diploma.
4.-Once the work permit is issued, neither they nor their family will be eligible for any type of public assistance. If they receive public assistance, they will be subject to deportation.
5.-Have no criminal record neither in the U.S. nor in their country of origin.
6.- If they have children born in the U.S., they must have paid at least 50% of the cost of maternity
7- At the end of the five year period, if they fulfilled all the above requirements, they can change their status to legal resident. If they do not meet the requirements, they will be subject to deportation.”
This guy has no vote with most Hispanics.
Only with other like minded Republican Cubans,
Cubans that forget why and how most of them got here,
Fellow Latinos looking for a chance at a better life.
Rubio is a proven liar and I do hope Rommy's pick as a his running mate.
Perfect together.
It will be like history repeating itself,
Another big stupid,
Clueless mistake like when John McCain made with Sarah Palin.
But in my book most of the people that come to America come looking for a better life.
They also know it's going to be hard and are ready to work.
All they need is a chance, A break.
Most of people that come over stay out of trouble.
Thieves, carjackers, drug dealers, pirates, etc.
Look to get over easy.
Maybe when you write about the bad that came over you're speaking from experience and about your own family?
Even if people do illegally reside here why is it incumbent upon legal residents to foster their illegal activity providing incentives like food stamps, education and welfare?
People come here to work but stay here for freebies!
Self deportation works regardless of how "racist" Jason Stanford "Democratic consultant and writer" thinks it is that average people should not be supporting the lifestyles of people that choose to break all the rules the rest of us are required to abide.
He obviously has never had his car totaled by an illegal immigrant. It has happened to 3 people I know in Massachusetts since we are such an immigrant friendly state.
That's over 10 million legal immigrants have entered the USA in the past consecutive 10 years
Evidence the U.S. Immigration System is not broken
No need for 11.2 million illegals, uneducated & unskilled self-importing themselves illegally in the USA
Especially while ~ 13 million U.S. Citizens have been out of work for the past consecutive 40 months of Obama presidency ~ Where is these U.S. Citizens' American Dream, being SCABBED by 11.2 million illegals, unauthorized to work in the USA?
Under no circumstances should illegal alien minors be rewarded with any form of citizenship or pathway to it.That is unfair to those who apply and wait their turn to immigrate here legally and lawfully, the way it's been done for millions of immigrants since time in memorial.
as a hispanic myself with Puerto Rican roots Puerto Ricans are "Americans" and not an immigrant group as falsely viewed, they do not identify themselves with the Cubans. Mexicans also do not identify themselves with the Cuban population in this country neither do the Dominican Republicans.
so having Rubio on the ticket will do absolutely nothing but go ahead Romney and pick him...make my day.
http://voices.yahoo.com/hispanics-america-3726900.html