Chill Out, Dude
That’s Matthew Dowd’s message to Republicans on the immigration issue. Here’s portions of his memo to Republicans:
RNC senior adviser/BC04 senior strategist…Matthew Dowd urges Republican Nat’l Committee members to favor a “comprehensive” solution to immigration, which the public believes is “unifying, not polarizing.”
Dowd: “Furthermore, majorities of Hispanics back it. Therefore, it is imperative for the Republican Party to talk about immigration effectively and comprehensively and demonstrate leadership on this vital issue as we move toward the mid-term elections.”
This makes all the sense in the world for several reasons. First, it’s the smartest policy in terms of stopping the problem. This isn’t a specific endorsement of the Senate’s McCain-Kennedy immigration bill. Quite the contrary. That bill’s numerous atrocities will be cleaned up in conference, based on Jim Sensenbrenner’s comments the past couple days.
Secondly, policy that’s both tough on illegal immigrants and is supported by “majorities of Hispanics” is proof that smart policy makes the best politics. We shouldn’t be supporting comprehensive immigration reform simply to gain Hispanic votes. That’s been Rush’s biggest complaint this week. That said, if we can get a cleaned up bill out of conference, which I think is likely, and we win majority support from Hispanics, then that’s a win-win situation. Not only is there nothing wrong with that; that’s the most desireable situation to find yourself in.
Dowd’s memo says that an internal RNC poll conducted by Jan Van Louhuzen finds that “overwhelming support exists for a temporary worker program. 80% of all voters, 83% of Republicans, and 79% of self-identified conservatives support a temporary worker program as long as immigrants pay taxes and obey the law.”
More, from the RNC internal poll: “When voters are given the choice of other immigration proposals, strengthening enforcement with a tamper-proof identity card (89% among all voters, 93% among GOP), various wordings of a temporary worker program (the highest at 85% among all voters, 86% among GOP), and sending National Guard troops to the border (63% among all voters, 84% among GOP) score the highest among both all voters and Republican voters.”
Also: “Voters don’t consider granting legal status to those already here amnesty.”
Based on this polling, I’d say it’d be political suicide to not take all of the President’s proposals seriously. The weakest support for any issue is 79 percent. It seems to me that people that are saying that the President is ignoring his base are left without an argument after reading this polling.
I. Public Polling Summary
Public polls show that Americans want the government to solve the immigration problem. The public strongly supports a comprehensive approach. For instance:
Expanding the Border Patrol. Eighty percent (80%) in the FOX News poll (4/4-4/5) support increasing the number of officers policing the border, and Gallup (4/6-4/7) shows 81% believe increasing the number of Border Patrol agents will be an effective way to reduce illegal immigration.
Creating a temporary worker program. More than two-thirds of voters, and equally large numbers of Republicans, support creating a temporary worker program. FOX News (5/16-5/18) found 63% of all voters support a temporary worker program and 63% of Republicans supporting it too. Similarly, CBS (5/16-5/17) found 61% of Americans and 62% of Republicans support a temporary worker program.
Make no mistake: Staying true to one’s beliefs is important. That said, when overwhelming majorities disagree with you, then it’s time that you reconsider your positions by asking: (a) What are they seeing that I’m not? and (b) Are their beliefs logical and reasonable?
Technorati Tags: Immigration, RNC, Elections, Hispanics
Cross-post at LetFreedomRingBlog
May 27th, 2006 at 9:41 am
They wouldn’t be illegal aliens
if they had amnesty.
May 27th, 2006 at 9:48 am
Huh? I’m a Republican and I never got this memo. Oh, you mean RNC to RNC memo. Well, that’s a vacuum chamber I’m not privy to share with our power brokers.
Is everyone who writes on this site FROM California? And, are we all watching this country go down the tubes, one southern border state at a time? This piece speaks to Conservatives? OK, maybe not me, since I’m not well read, learned, and a dumb ex-USAF tool jockey.
I still vote. And, I gotta tell ya, I’m gonna deviate this November. I’m tired. California politics is a complete joke. I am a NATIVE CALIFORNIAN, I served my country, and my country is serving me spoiled milk and dry cookies.
Bah.
The warning signs in this post are, “internal poll” and “79% of self-identified conservatives”. I’m sorry, but to be conservative one has to make the sacrifice of non-comprimise on a multitude of issues in front of us - one being this amnesty mess.
Compassionate Conservatives are busy looking around realizing that we are being compassionate to everyone but ourselves. Is there something wrong with those of us that want a better life for OUR OWN CHILDREN that arrived on this soil LEGALLY?!
The tripe that was voted on this week is a clear message to those of us that ARE conservative and are surrounded by a state’s worth of people possessing a serious lack of visionary control. Stop making concessions to a group of people that are TRULY looking for growing the government - and in the wrong direction.
Have you actually READ the text? If you did, why is this section in the bill:
Sec. 759 - Screening of municipal solid waste
And, don’t get me started on the funds that are gonna fly out the door based on this bill. READ the appropriations, set asides, and grant proposals. Sheesh, is anyone fiscally conservative anymore?
Oh, and S.2611 should never have passed. If it is so full of “numerous atrocities”, WHY DID THEY PASS IT?!
Roe-v-Wade was a compromise, too. Where are we today, I ask you all?
May 27th, 2006 at 10:42 am
I like how he’s handling it. Those who are here can become guest workers
with valid IDs and a date they have to head home. Many will be fined under
the program. Employers will have to file FICA and income tax witholding on
them and they’ll have to comply with wage regulations.
The federal revenue will go up. So will the price of just about everything
you buy to cover the increased labor costs. And they won’t be illegal aliens
anymore. They won’t be citizens either. And they won’t be on any fast track
to citizenship.
Basically, it takes care of the illegal alien problem. After his plan is
instituted anyone from a foreign country who has no ducumentation will be
sent back.
It’s everything I could want.
May 27th, 2006 at 10:46 am
Mort?
If they can’t enforce now, why will they be able to enforce then?
May 27th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
I’m sorry, but to be conservative one has to make the sacrifice of non-comprimise on a multitude of issues in front of us, one being this amnesty mess.
To be a stubborn, no-compromise conservative is to be a minority party. PERIOD. It’s unrealistic to think that we can win elections if we don’t adopt a comprehensive approach to this issue.
That doesn’t mean that I like the Senate bill. As I pointed out, I think there’s parts of that bill that aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on & that they must be eliminated. I also expect them to be eliminated once they meet Jim Sensenbrenner.
May 27th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
I’ve compromised a ton already. This is the last straw, for me. You do not know me, and yet you call me stubborn. What you’ve already missed is that I am a minority party. That is why I give up. We are sliding into oblivion, and all of you are sooo happy.
So, we should hand over everything, like Roe-v-Wade, to people that have already committed an illegal act, is what you are asking me to agree to?
And, to be comprehensive, why don’t we do this bit-by-bit? Who says we have to jam everything into one FRIGGIN’ bill?! Get the damn fence built, TOMORROW!
Then, go after the employers, ASAP.
And I don’t care if prices go up. I really don’t, because, I believe in the rule of law, ethics, and capitalism. Therefore, gimme good goods from good people, and I’ll pay …
Sorry, we differ, and that’s OK. I’m just bummed that there are so many willing to cave on what little thing, and not see towards the future.
Like, yeah, Roe-v-Wade wss just a small sacrifice … being softer on crime is OK … OK, just one more bond issue and then I’m done …
I’ve got a few numbers for ya: 187.
That’s PROP 187!!! I’m still fuming!!! And we are paying the price now for not fighting hard enough back then …
May 27th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
I’m not mad at you, Gary. I’m just fumin’ and S.2611 is just more drivel from the “Neville Chamberlains” of today.
History is a great place to start, it’s just the end that gets messy.
May 27th, 2006 at 1:58 pm
Fix, Don’t give me that crap. Check out this post. Here’s what I said that relates to your comments:
My best guess is that he’ll demand that there be proof that the border is sealed off before the earned citizenship program would start. I’m also betting that he’ll demand that the silly Dodd Amendment be eliminated and the Sessions Amendment be strengthened in conference. The Dodd Amendment simply says that we must consult with the Mexican government before we build the wall and the vehicle barriers. That thing’s history already. There’s no way that Sensenbrenner will consent to that. I suspect that Sensenbrenner might, at most, agree to a provision that says we’ll notify the Mexican government when and where we’ll build the barriers and walls.
We’ll almost certainly see the Sessions Amendment, which provides for 370 miles of triple-layered walls and 500 miles of vehicle barriers, strengthened to a number much closer to the House’s 700 miles of triple-layered walls.
If you read between the lines, you see the outlines for a compromise coming out. Notice that the President is saying that securing the border and holding employers accountable is as much a priority of his as the temp worker program and dealing with illegal immigrants. I don’t think that that’s the type of thing that Ted Kennedy, John McCain and Dick Durbin want to hear.
Notice that the enforcement parts are the first priorities. Those priorities must be achieved before the other provisions get triggered. PERIOD. NO COMPROMISING ON THAT.
That said, we should put those provisions into the bill with the promise that they don’t go forward these certain conditions are met:
1. The Border Patrol staff is beefed up.
2. The biometric card is implemented.
3. The wall and the vehicle barriers are built.
The normalization and guest worker processes don’t start until those provisions are met first.
I think we can agree on that. At least I hope we can.
May 27th, 2006 at 2:02 pm
I’m not mad at you, Gary. I’m just fumin’ and S.2611 is just more drivel from the “Neville Chamberlains†of today.
Fix, Thanks for letting me know that. I can relate to that frustration. As you can see from my last comment, I think it’s likely (AND PREFERABLE) that we include the sane policies into this bill with the first priorities being on securing the border.
May 27th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
[...] I have serious doubts about conservatism when I wander around the blogosphere. I was hopping around and landed on the top story at California Conservative entitled, “Chill Out Dude”. Gary is writing about a memo circulated within the RNC by Matthew Dowd (did you get this memo? i didn’t either. guess we don’t rate, eh?) - and all the research supports the whimps in the RNC anyway, so, what’s new? [...]
May 27th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
Staying true to your beliefs? You mean like fiscal conservatism, small government, and being ‘the environment president’? I guess people will say anything to get elected.
May 27th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
Well, Gary, Sensenbrenner is just one man. When we have the likes of “The Gang of 14″ setting IEDs all over the place, who can trust that lot? (oops, no pun intended, Sen. Lott)
I hope you’re right, and we get a firm hand in this bill. I, however, am less than optimistic because of recent past to current example(s). It is an election period and there are so many “Chamberlains” we just can’t tell one from the other anymore.
I mean, the Senate’s Chevy Maverick, McCain, has already taught us all a very valuable lesson … and our losers Boxer, Pelosi, Fiend-steen … The Green Lantos … ugh …
I just wish someone would go “Nugent” on their heads and straighten those dopes out in Wachingtun De Colores.
A little “Cat Scratch Fever” could go a loooong way here. ;)
May 27th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
How about a moratorium on *all* immigration to America? Just for a little while, maybe 10 years? C’mon, who’s with me?
During that time, our cities could breath a little easier and focus on strengthening the infrastructure, our schools, helping the unemployed, the homeless and the hungry. Or do those things not exist? With all this talk about immigrants and “guest workers,” it sounds like we got jobs and resources to spare.
Mama always said we should “clean the house before inviting guests.”
May 27th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
[...] California Conservative [...]
May 27th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
Go to the back of the bus legal Americans
The Senate Bill that was passed this week might as well say to legal Americans, “Go to the back of the bus, and let the illegals take the front seats”. The United States isn’t the only place having illegal immigration
May 28th, 2006 at 2:17 am
12 - 20 million new voters are sure going to sway the votes, even when we understand that national elections are won by small margins. The winner will cater to the needs, meaning passing laws of ‘no English allowed in these parts of our towns’ and the likes. When did it become fashion to award illegality? I wish I had more than one vote. I’d vote these clowns in office out in a quick minuet.