Scott Walker…
…touches the third rail of reform of legal immigration:
“In terms of legal immigration, how we need to approach that going forward is saying we will make adjustments,” Walker said. “The next president and the next Congress need to make decisions about a legal immigration system that’s based on, first and foremost, on protecting American workers and American wages…
“It defies reason to argue that the record admission of new foreign workers has no negative effect on the wages of American workers, including the wages of past immigrants hoping to climb into the middle class.”
In his Beck interview, Walker also repeated his recent comments that people in the country illegally should return to their countries of origin first, which has drawn criticism over comparisons to former 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney saying he supported “self-deportation.”
“No amnesty, if someone wants to be a citizen, they have to go back to their country of origin and get in line behind everybody else who’s been waiting,” Walker said.
You may recall that many on the right have criticized Walker for previously being an amnesty advocate. He explains that he’s changed his mind, and why:
Walker repeated his recent comments that he used to support “amnesty,” or a path to citizenship for immigrants in the United States illegally, but does not anymore, saying he’s since learned more about the issue.
How you feel about all of this depends on whether you believe him. Some people can’t stand any candidate who’s ever changed his/her mind on an important issue because they believe the new position isn’t sincerely held, almost by definition. But I’ve never understood that, and that was true even before my own change experience. Some changes are insincere political tactics, but some are sincere and represent exactly what Walker says—a switch based on new information that’s more complete.
A change of position is a lot more suspect when it’s at odds with the politician’s general point of view, and when the person keeps switching over and over and over on a large variety of subjects. But Walker has basically demonstrated his conservative bona fides by his actions, and he’s been pretty consistent in general. So I have no trouble believing that his change of position on amnesty—which is a shift to the more conservative point of view, and in line with his other opinions—is a sincere one.
Politicians don’t always lie, do they?
I will believe Scott Walker until I have good reason not to. Suffice to say that he will be the most thoroughly vetted candidate in this campaign; and possibly in history.
I read recently that the Koch brothers have endorsed him. That will set off a frenzy on the left; but, should anoint him with conservatives. Doesn’t hurt to have some of the deepest pockets around in your corner either.
Scott walks the walk…
Whereas ayatollah Soetoro talks the talk.
As for HRC… she’s inside Hillary’s World — a bubble of its own.
It does no good to displace, replace, and abort Americans in order to offer sanctuary to second and third-world oppressed individuals, especially when the causes of emigration, especially mass emigration, remain unresolved and actually unaddressed (and ignored).
Note that venerable proverb: Children and fools always speak the truth. The deduction is plain –adults and wise persons never speak it.
No high-minded man, no man of right feeling, can contemplate the lumbering and slovenly lying of the present day without grieving to see a noble art so prostituted.
No virtue can reach its highest usefulness without careful and diligent cultivation–therefore, it goes without saying that this one ought to be taught in the public schools–even in the newspapers. What chance has the ignorant uncultivated liar against the educated expert?
I sometimes think it were even better and safer not to lie at all than to lie injudiciously. An awkward, unscientific lie is often as ineffectual as the truth.
– all Mark Twain
As for Walker, I await his response to the MSM question: Governor, do you support the expulsion of those illegal immigrants who will not return to their country of origin?
Jello anyone?
Re Walker adjusting his positions:
“When my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do, sir?” ~ J. M. Keynes
A person who does not believe that Gov. Walker has changed his mind in re amnesty — while believing in the sincerity of President Obama’s many flip-flops and reversals (from gay marriage to Guantanamo) — seems, to me, to have a mind already made up.
Me, I like Gov. Walker. I may change my mind on that, but I like him. He’s a fighter, and he’s walked through the fire as much as Gov. Palin ever did — and he’s come out the other side, unscathed, still smiling, still fighting. He keeps his promises, and he gets results.
We can’t buy that sort of fighting spirit and tenacity. We can’t even earn it. We can only hope to deserve it.
I have been less than satisfied with Walker’s prior position on illegal immigration. Until he proves otherwise, I’m willing to accept his change of position, conditional upon his remaining consistent in his positions and actions.
“Having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise.” Benjamin Franklin
“[The] right and wrong [of an issue] can sometimes only be learned through hindsight.” ~ Robert A. Heinlein
“As for Walker, I await his response to the MSM question: Governor, do you support the expulsion of those illegal immigrants who will not return to their country of origin?” George Pal
That is a telling question. I’d be satisfied with a ‘Yes, though I don’t think that expulsion will be necessary. The e-verify process for employment that I support with vigorous prosecution of employers that violate it, will lead to most illegals leaving on their own. No jobs and no benefits means little illegal immigration.’
I’d also like to see Walker combat ‘anchor babies’ by supporting a law that natural citizenship is contingent upon both parents either being citizens and/or able to prove that they are legal immigrants.
Rubio … …touches the third rail of immigration:
In Spanish Interview, Marco Rubio Says It’s ‘Important Not To Cancel’ Obama’s Executive Amnesty.
I don’t speak Spanish.
Wretchard has another post on the MENA diaspora that is fleeing the chaos of Libya.
One might notice the astounding percentage of Black Africans in the mix.
These sub-Sahel souls were brought up into Libya by the Duck of Death, himself.
He found that his fellow Arabs were not willing to work — much.
Now that these Blacks have lost their economic patron, and have bleak prospects back down home – – is it any wonder that the rest spas of Europe look so inviting?
The kicker in all of this: Europe has no gainful employment for a single one of these hapless souls. She can’t even keep up with her internal demographic growth — vis a vis job growth.
Virtually to a man, these souls have absolutely no marketable skills in Europe — really, anywhere.
The market for stoop labor blew away a century and a half ago.
This influx will break the back of the European economic engine.
Unlike America, Europe is not set up AT ALL for population growth.
&&&&&&
And in other obvious news: the Islamists are surely infesting this wave with semi-sleepers.
There’s no doubt about that.
Muslims used similar gambits back in the eighth century!
It’s just the way they roll.
At Breitbart: Rubio Affirms He’ll End Obama’s Executive Amnesty; Univision Interview Mistranslated
If I am right about what Walker is doing it could be a stroke of political genius. I think he’s trying to leapfrog the whole immigration debate to craft a theme for his campaign of advocating for middle class Americans.
The Democrat coalition now consists of coastal technocratic/media elites on one hand and nonwhite underclass on the other. Hardworking Americans who don’t fit into these categories, especially in flyover country, are being squeezed by the Obama economy while the dominant media culture mocks and derides them. There is a burning resentment building up and those smug media elites are missing it completely because it doesn’t fit the narrative that has now thoroughly replaced genuine reporting. And Walker may be the best candidate to capitalize on this sentiment because more than any other candidate he is one of them.
If I am right about what Walker is doing it could be a stroke of political genius….
Why Scott Walker Is Right on Immigration
Remains:
“It’s just obvious you can’t have free immigration and a welfare state” Milton.