Jun 06 2007
The End Of The Conservative Run
It looks like the Immigration Hypochondriacs might just make permanent the current amnesty program of useless laws and inflexible idealogues which has allowed the current situation to be created in the first place. Most people do not understand the stakes. Those that do, don’t care. If the Immigration Bill fails to pass, that will end the conservative revolution. It will have officially run its course.
Mark it down as a product of the movement’s success. Taxes are low, our military is still being invested in and modernized. Free market practices are still free and infecting much of government. Faith and family are not stigmas anymore. George Bush will go down in history as being incredibly successful. He cut taxes 3 times and helped keep our economy from taking a big hit from 9-11. He did work to slow the discretionary spending (much of the growth under Bush was in military and national defense). He made the lives of all our seniors better by leaps and bounds by making prescription drugs available to them at reasonable, free market prices. No child is being left behind. No federal money is being used to harvest the unborn for research. Parent’s must be notified and give permission before anyone can perform an abortion on their child. And he brought an end to partial birth abortion. He would have done more, but the far right was fed up with all this pogress and wanted control of the agenda – to keep it pure.
Basically we have done what the coalition could agree on. We hit the end of the tunnel when the far right started attacking conservative moderates as unclean and unworthy – starting with Harriet Miers. The Tancredo crowd (just another variant of the Buchananites) are so paranoid they cheer such isolationist stunts as not printing their propaganda in spanish to reach out to our new neighbors and co-workers and help them assimilate. I am sure many Latinos are grateful not to have to read the animosity coming from this minority.
While the coalition agreed on strengthening the borders, the immigration hypochondriacs cannot abide dealing reasonably with the illegal immigrants here now, and future immigrants, through a temporary guest worker program. So much so they would leave us with the current mess so they could stop what the rest of the coalition supports. They have decided to end the coalition – they will not support all its views. And in fact, they have had nothing but animosity and hate for those who do support the full package of immigration reform. Thus ends the GOP’s governing coalition.
Instead of a guest worker program without any path to citizenship we have the same old mess as today. Instead of being able to deport immigrants (legal and illegal) for violent crimes, we get to deal with them as career criminals. Instead of being able to crack down on employers and enforce tax and labor laws, we have will not have the tamper proof ID that eliminates all the excuses that make enforcement impossible. We are left with more of the same mess.
Oh, but the self destruction brought on by the immigration hypochondriacs does not end there. Not only do the save all that they ranted and raged against for years in place, they totally neuter the only national GOP force left in the country: Bush. There will be no new tax cut legislation now. Way to go dysfunctional GOP! There will be no more efforts to protect and respect human life. And so on. That is the end result of this, no more conservative agenda. If Bush fails on this bill he becomes the lame duck President and nothing passes. This is the short sightedness of the far right. If they cannot get what they want – so no one gets anything.
We have come to the end of the tolerance of the conservative movement as it is now constituted. Just like the Democrats have been boiled down to the fringe liberal base, so too has the GOP been boiled down to its inflexible, intolerant fringe base. It had to happen. As we knocked things off the conservative agenda we began to run out of common ground. We in the middle thought we could do more – the far right said they were done. No more compromises. No more impure legislation. No more impure nominations (take from our pool and no where else). No more.
Strangely, this may be the last thing we all agree on. No more. It is over. All polls show people jumping ship from the two now completely dysfunctional parties. The unaffiliated voters are growing in number and, therefore, in voice. We do not need mob (party) dogma. We will use our democratic right to pick the right solution – not the right party. In the new electronic age there is nothing to stop coalitions from forming and building quite rapidly. These topical coalitions will then measuring candidates relative to the goals of that coalition. Soon candidates will find they need endorsements from multiple ‘parties’ associated with specific topics. We will have the “low tax” group. The “win Iraq” group. The “comprehensive immigration reform” group. You would find me in all those camps. The candidate who carries the support of the most camps I associate with gets my vote.
I thought the GOP would weather this storm and pull back from the brink. Clearly I over estimated the right’s ability to lead. They have become the haven of people who cannot abide diversity of views. Just like the liberal democrat party. Thankfully America is more than the two parties. Much more. Bush’s term will basically end if this bill fails. He will be able to sustain the war effort – and could possibly pull out a success if things keep going they way they are with al-Qaeda being routed by the Iraqis themselves now. And all those who decided to end his term a year early will try and be Bush supporters again. Won’t that be funny? The people who see him as a traitor today trying to ride his coattails tomorrow. Which is, of course, all these fair weather allies have been doing this entire time.
It was a good run. Lots of good things were accomplished, starting with the end of life-time welfare back in the 1990’s. But we are out of common ground. Used it all up apparently (at least that is what the far right is telling us). Now on to other things, and other alliances.
Ever wonder what those retired from the border patrol think of this bill?
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=37103
There is your answer. Have the courage to look at it.
Sally Vee,
You and I feel the same way. Bitter sweat liberation. The run is over. But I am now free to guiltlessly break with the GOP. They made it very easy to walk away. The Dems did me that same favor with Reagan.
The conservative movement is just changing. It is shifting center (as can be seen in Guiliani’s continued lead in the polls). If Iraq turns in our favor (and I am more confident it will as more Sunnis join our side) then Bush will become something of an historic icon. And all those who opposed him….
Will become one of many historic “what-was-their-name?”…
Harry Ried called the illegals “12 million AMERICANS”. Yep, you got that right. Ried thinks they are AMERICANS. Never mind that the bulk portion of their earning go back to the nation they hail from. These are loyal AMERICANS. Nevermind that they march in our streets demanding rights they are not LEGALLY entitled to. Never mind that they fly the flags of their native lands, removing our flags to be replaced by theirs. These are AMERICANS. Nevermind that they have never denounced their loyality to their native nations, which is required for citizenship in the U.S., they are AMERICANS.
AJ smells doom and gloom. I see a movement in border states to demand that the federal goverment start enforcing the laws that are on the books already. I see American people saying “enough, not one more bandaid. Stop the bleeding now.” I see a populace that is smart enough not to be fooled by a bunch of D.C. elites saying this bill is the end all to beat all and this time they mean what they say.
I see Texans saying “WTF” when a Democrat has a hospital bed rolled into the state Senate House so he can defeat the Photo I.D. Voter bill designed to protect the one thing that separates us from socialist nations, our vote. I see states taking steps to do what the federal goverment should have done all along.
AJ would have you assume that this bill is the mecca from heaven, even is it is uneatable. But it’s not and state congressmen and senators, along with normal citizens, have read this bill and said they think it is a sell out.
And no, AJ, conservatives are not jumping ship. What they are saying is that they are not going to support the RNC when there are people like Chuck Hagel and Olympia Snowe benefiting from their hard earned donations. Texas GOP adopted a platform of “NO AMNESTY, NO WAY” last year and the money pouring into the Texas GOP is breaking records. People are going to donate their highly taxed, hard earned dollars to those that stand up for them, not those who say “this is the best we can do since we refuse to enforce current laws”.
And I see a bunch of elites who are so convinced that the only reason anyone would break our laws and enter our nation illegal is to gain citizenship fooling only themselves. Most illegals from south of our border (including Mexico, Central and South America) come here for a limited time to be able to use the system and send as much money back to their home nations as quickly as possible. They do that for a reason; they are going to return.
It is not just “immigration hypochondriacs” that are against this bill. The majority of Americans are against this bill when they learn exactly how bad it is. Created behind closed doors, no committee hearings as is SOP, and a few trying to shove it down our throats as quickly as possible is not palatable to any American who works for a living, pays their taxes, is not a burden to the socieity the live in and expects everyone else to do the same.
The CBO says it will only stop illegal immigration by 25%. That means that for the 250,000 that it stops, another 750,000 will come in.
That means that there will thousands of anchor babies, millions drained from social services, hospitals that go broke trying to pay for medical services when an illegal shows up with a spinter or a hang over. And that means that your taxes will increase, substantially, to pay for all of this.
You are dead wrong on this, AJ. No bill is better than the total giveaway of our society. You act like there are no laws on the books now that deal with the problem of illegal immigration. Read the Simpson-Mazzoli bill. What part of that, besides the amnesty section, has ever been enforced? And why does this new bill reduce the number of miles of border fencing by half? Because the elites in D.C. have no intention of ever building the wall. What Congress gives, a year later Congress takes away.
Acting like this is the only way to go is ludicrous. There are laws already to deal with the illegal hiring of those who have no right to be here. They are not enforced. There are states that have plans to challange the 14th Amendment and there are states that have recently enacted laws to prevent illegals from sucking at the government teet.
I have said time after time, all politics are personal. The new Senate bill has become VERY personal to those who pay the bills, the American taxpayer. But like Kennedy, Snowe, Kyl and others, you refuse to admit what your personal stake in this bill is.
R05,
I don’t smell doom and gloom for my causes! Reid is an idiot. Be even idiots are occasionally right.
Also, A.J. did you see the thread over at The Anchoress’s Bar & Grill last night? It gave me a lot of hope. Check it out:
http://theanchoressonline.com/2007/06/05/pres-bushs-instincts-better-than-some/#comment-235077
Something cool was definitely going on in there, I think you’ll agree. The Anchoress, along with LSU & Terrye & a few others were really challenging people to dig deep for solutions and honest discourse. I wonder why more of this type of exchange isn’t going on elsewhere in Right Wingdom, since we’re all supposedly on the same team. Alas… it is probably too late in the day for reason to win over emotion & hysteria. But there are bright spots and bright people already thinking about how to regroup, which is something.
The Anchoress is a well spring of optimism.
Me? I seriously doubt the far right has it in the to solve a damn thing anymore. They are 100% poison pill. You want to tank progress? – join forces with the GOP.
I guess there was no time to “Answer any of my silly questions”
Nore time to read any of the links.
Only time to say 10 to 20% of the Far Right, managed to derail what 80 to 90% wanted. I can’t seem to grasp the analogy of the 60% needed for passage is equated to the 10 to 20% that AJ said derailed it.
http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1501&status=article&id=265936092878927&view=1
This is about the economic impact on Mexico. Pretty good read.
Stevevvs,
You got it!
PROGRESS? This Is Progress?
Aliens at the front of the line?
A 25% possible improvement in border control down the road?
Abscounders get a free pass?
Gang Members Are Eligible?
Some Child Molesters Are Still Eligible?
Completion of Background Checks Not Required For Probationary Legal Status?
Chain Migration Tippled Before Being Eliminated?
Learning English Not Required For A Decade?
That is Progress?
Your happy not being associated with people trying to stop this PROGRESS?
Good Lord, where is your common sense?
Think man, think.
Where is the Courage of your convictions?
They must be easy to answer, no?
Your Courage is the same as the WSJ’s was to the NR challenge. Non existant.
The facts don’t support you.
Well pass time to eat breakfast, etc.
I may check back later to see what’s up. I’m off today, so who knows.
Everyone, enjoy your day. Thanks for the discussions, I have enjoyed them. Take Care.
LOL! Stevevvs,
It is the immigration hypochondriacs tanking any reform for the next ten years by killing this bill. I am thinking. And I am pointing out the futility of the far right and their self destructive anger.
And note how many people are now accepting the end of the conservative coalition – happily. You folks have made quite palatible to walk away. Thanks.
Want reform, when caught coming over or in the US, convict them, put them in prison, and chain gang them. Make the punishment for breaking into the country something worse then a free trip home. How can you control the flow of illegals when there really is no punishment?
AJ
I am more hopeful than you. I do not think there has been damage that cannot be repaired.
I do not hate the far right. Lord I have some of their same positions on other matters. I , like you , have just reacted at how we are not acting as a coaliton but are now in a position where one segment of the party seems to have veto power over everthing.
I mean for goodness sake people got upset over the gang of 14. THe so called nuclear option became a litmus test of all things. I remember that. That was the silly must stand up issue of the day helped greatly by direct amil and those looking to make a buck by getting our anger up
However agin I am more hopeful
JH
LOuisiana
AJStrata
One thing though. I think the GOP leadership has acted great. We have a lot of people in the party that are standing up for common sense. Martinez(Seator and head of the GOP) McCain. Lidnsey Grahma and many others. We need to be sure we reward that.
I think sometimes all these other grousp get mixed up as representing the GOP which of course they dont
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070603-074328-2304r.htm
While people may be telling the RNC to pound sand, it seems the state GOPs are raking in the dough.
Just another one of the facts that AJ wants to ignore.
biglsufan; you have got to be kidding. Martinez is great? Man, have you been hanging out in NO too long? Martinez is an open border’s advocate and always has been. Michael Steele should have been given that position, but Bush panders to the Hispanics and always has.
Get ready, you will soon be voting for Vitter in Spanish. And if this is not a racial issue, then why do we not have signs in Chinese, votes written in Farsi, and every other language that is represented by illegals here in this nation.
Kennedy’s office admitted it is in daily contact with LaRaza but I guess you have no problem with that?
Retire05
Open borders is a the most misused term in this debate. It has been test marketed to illicit a emotional reaction and slammed on everyone. Show me where Sen Martinez or others lije him in the GOP beleive in leftist view of open borders or a extreme libertarian view of open borders.
The language issue will not go that far with me. IN Beveraly Hills we got a Republican for isntance. THere was silly outrage because they had ballots in farsi for those that had not mastered English. I come from a state that had a huge Cahun French tradition. Salt of the earth people. THe World did not collapse. THe grandmothers of Frioends of mine that Could only speak french developed some fine folks. Same for Italians and often the Vietnamense
I really don’t get scared by Kennedy or even various interest groups. The far right is aligning with far left groups to try to kill the bill. We got Kennedy on your side the others have their own lefties. SO be it
AJ
More reasons why the coaltion is not dead.
First the NRA will still be Republican friendly. Their members are more politically active and informed than most and the gun issue is much more of a single voting issue than tacredo policy
Second the Various Pro-life forces. Even if Guillani is nominated they shall stay GOP. They are politically savvy enough to know that going third party on that issue is a recioe for irrelevance
There are several factions that will keep this coalition alive.
stevevvs, you keep proving AJ’s point.
You have no solution worth examining, AND YOU KNOW IT. You simply bitch and moan about anyone else’s proposed solution.
Cobalt Shiva ,
Sir, The others proposed sollution solves one problem and one problem only.
It turns Illegal Aliens into Legal Aliens.
No other problems are solved.
The Border is not secured.
623,000 abscounders are not removed.
Entitlements are wide open to them.
They don’t have to learn English for a decade.
No back taxes, no end of the line, no nothing. This bill solves one problem, and creates MORE to replace it.
Ask Yourself this question. If we grant Amnesty, BEFORE Securing The Border, will there be more Aliens wanting to come here or less?
Let history be your guide..
It is the immigration hypochondriacs tanking any reform for the next ten years by killing this bill.
AJ, normal Americans are killing this bill. The fact is, some Senators are actually having their staffs READ what’s in it.
Hell, we just lost a vote on GETTING FELON ALIENS OUT! HOW CANANYONE OPPOSE THAT? YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO GET EXTRADITION ORDERS ON AN ALIEN? Most cases it takes Multiple Felonies to get ICE to move!