Jun 12 2006
Hardline On Deportation Hurting Reps
One of my favorite Reps, JD Hayworth, may be in trouble this fall because of his unbending stance on immigration. If Democrats want to challenge reps, they should get off the scandal mongering (without proof to back it up, smearing someone’s good name is as bad as any corruption to most Americans). Instead, they should back the common sense, middle of the road on immigration. Recall that the democrats would not allow the part of the House Bill that made working for a living a felony to be removed from the Bill. They knew what they were doing when they did this. And now JD Hayward is in a fight when he should not be. The Reps are about to learn how the dems lost control by losing the support of the vast majority of American in over zealous policy stances. The far right has made any concession on immigration tantamount to treason on the laws of this nation. But with only 20% supporting this view, the political suicide this stance will lead to is not in question. The question is how badly do the Reps want to go down to learn where America stands.
while the benchmark for serving in congress has never been too high, anyone recommending deportation of 12 million people as a solution for illegal immigration clearly hasn’t met this already low mark. what prompted JD to go around the bend on this one is anyone’s guess……..though his position may be legally accurate it is not possible/practical. he should know that.
Patrick,
Agreed. What seems to be driving these people is pure and simple frustration. They do not trust a more nuanced approach so they reach for impossible solutions. Emotion drives this kind of thinking, and unsettles people. Because one you demonstrate you can lose your composure and will reach for a radical solution on one issue, what is there to say you won’t reach for a radical and simple solution on other issues? We tend to not give power to those who cannot seem to demonstrate self control – no matter what the issue.
Think about lynchings vs trials. Someone caught red handed killing a child is going to die for his/her crime. The question is do we go through a process like a trial and risk the person successfully defending themselves? Or do we go the simple minded, radical path of a quick public hanging by the people of the town?
No one realizes they have crossed the line due to outrage and frustration.
The big race between the two major parties isn’t who can add a demographic – it’s who can successfully prove to the American people that they can stand up to their most strident hard-liners.
Right now, both parties seem more determined to lose that race.
Whew, had me concerned when I read your post, but after going over and reading the linked article, it soothed my concerns. JD is in a district that is Republican, so that’s how they’re gonna vote. Just like in Duke Cunninghams’s district. The Dems will have a high Dem turnout, but they’re not gonna get any other votes. Just like Billbray, what the people want is border enforcement first then work out the other, but any thing except auto citizenship. The felony for working will never stay in conference bill anyhow, so that’s a dead issue unless the Dem’s want it in. Repubs won’t keep it in. The Dems keep saying they’ve got a message, but won’t tell us what it is. That’s because it’s “blame America first” and not too many are gonna buy that. Rest peacefully, JD is safe. He just has a good likable personality and he’s for what the people are for, so he’s a shoo in.
FE,
Cunningham’s district was 2 to 1 Rep over Dem. Hayward’s is more a 60-40 split, so don’t relax too much. Hayward should not be in trouble at all. He was a great Rep of the Reps because he came across reasonable. To lose the middle would be a terrible indicator for the fall.