About that conversation on illegal immigration and Trump
Speaking of “conversations,” there’s one that’s been going on in a previous thread that I want to highlight.
Commenter “RickZ” says—agreeing with Trump—that we wouldn’t be having our national “conversation” on illegal immigration but for Trump.
There is no question in my mind that the conversation about illegal immigration has revved up again since Trump. But we were already having a heated conversation about it before that, off and on and off and on. It began last summer with the influx of child/teen illegal “migrants.” It was a big, big deal at the time, but actually, the conversation had begun a bit earlier, when Obama issued his executive order and bypassed Congress. However, as I said, the “conversation” reached a fever pitch last summer. In fact, even some of my liberal friends were perturbed about the issue; that’s how I know people were talking about it outside the conservative bubble, because some of my friends brought it up with me. That’s highly unusual.
However, as I said, with the advent of Trump’s candidacy it was revived as a hot topic again, perhaps becoming even hotter than before. My recollection is that it heated up again in part because of the MSM, not in spite of them. Originally the media had seized gleefully on Trump’s “rapist” remark because they thought it would hurt him. His comments about illegal immigrants in his kickoff speech probably would probably have gone without getting such widespread traction or emphasis but for that attempt at a “gotcha” moment by the MSM.
It’s ironic, I think, that the MSM’s attempt to “get” him ended up focusing attention on the whole topic in a way that has helped Trump in the polls and will probably help him in the primaries.
Take a look at Trump’s speech announcing his candidacy. You’ll see that the illegal immigration part of it was relatively small; there was far more emphasis on a host of other things, particularly trade and China, creating jobs, fighting ISIS, Obamacare, all sorts of things in a very freewheeling discussion. As I said, the MSM and the left seized on the “rapist” remark and ran with it, thinking it would sink him. Trump doubled down, got a lot of positive attention for that, and focused more and more on it in his subsequent campaign.
That has forced everyone else to focus more on it, as well.
[NOTE: It is telling that, during the summer of 2014, I thought I really ought to start an “immigration” category in the right sidebar of the blog because I’d written so many posts on the topic. But I was lazy and didn’t do it. It wasn’t until the Trump candidacy that I decided I absolutely must create such a category; that reflects the “heating up” of which I’ve spoken. Since then, I’ve tried to go back and place all the relevant older posts in it. But although I started and I think that many of them are now in there, I haven’t gotten around to completing the task yet.]
Enough conversation. People want action. Real action.
This year alone the US will illegally admit 280,000 Muslims. That’s larger than the entire population of Lincoln, Nebraska.
“It’s ironic, I think, that the MSM’s attempt to ‘get’ him ended up focusing attention on the whole topic in a way that helped Trump in the primaries.”
What primaries? I assume that you meant the polls.
Wooly Bully:
Yes, thanks, will fix.
Immigration is and has been the #1 issue for me. I have been referring to “this criminal administration” with reference to our state government (California) and federal government for some time. Protecting our borders and our way of life (citizens) is the #1 reason the federal government was ever created. Numerous administrations have been in violation of this for some time, but this one brought things to a whole new level. There is no question in my mind, whether it was intentional or not, that Trump was instrumental in making this an issue in the forefront. Neo, thank you for pointing out the media’s role. I have greatly distanced myself from the MSM outlets. I take delight in that backfire.
I think that Fiorina’s ‘error’ WRT the Planned Parenthood video was very perceptive of her.
She brilliant enough to realize that if she can make an ‘error’ that the MSM is sure to jump on — she’ll get an astonishing media presence — for free.
I think Trump knew that throwing some red meat in front of the media would get him on center stage, too.
Such bombastic statements — by Trump — have been a feature of his media approach going back decades.
Though he pitches himself as a businessman, Trump has been a master politician most of his life. Virtually all of his projects are politically connected, usually in the extreme.
%%%
As for immigration: we can’t even tolerate the current level of LEGAL immigration.
I have no desire to see my nation demographically transformed into Brazil. Brazil already exists for those that desire such a society.
Todays immigrants are quite unlike prior waves. For the most part they are composed of resentful folks that absolutely do not intend to adopt American norms.
We shouldn’t be admitting ANY Muslims. They are pure trouble. No ethnicity has the God given right to migrate to America.
Social cohesion, itself, breaks down when too many aliens settle inside America.
And as Geller blogs, Muslims are chronically socially abrasive — in the extreme. It matters not which nation they’ve entered, they are disruptive.
Their current favorite gambit is the “fill the main street with ‘praying’ Muslims” gambit.
blert:
I think the same regarding Carson’s recent comments about a Muslim becoming president.
It got him a lot of attention, and some people will like what he had to say.
Blert
John Hinderaker at Powerline had a recent post with a chart showing that the recent legal immigration – as a percentage of the population – is way, way more than we have evert seen.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/09/our-unprecedented-immigration-experiment.php
Check out the chart.
The time for consternation is too late if it is now. That which is grasped is that which had not been remembered, or, was of no proper concern at the time it happened.
Immigration Reform Act of 1965
For which a young Sen Ted ‘Not Yet the Lion of The Senate’ Kennedy had become a mouthpiece.
</i.“First, our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually … Secondly, the ethnic mix of this country will not be upset … Contrary to the charges in some quarters, (the bill) will not inundate America with immigrants from any one country or area.”
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)
This one was conservative Ronald Reagan’s amnesty of some 3 million ‘undocumented aliens. He regretted it later but fat lot of good that did. The snowball had been rolled down the mountain.
“Ronald Reagan once famously quipped that ‘Latinos are Republicans. They just don’t know it yet.’ The Republican Party’s overriding priority in the years ahead must be to expand and diversify its shrinking demographic base, embracing immigrants generally and Hispanics in particular.”
Jeb Bush: Immigration Wars, by p.206 , Mar 5, 2013
I’m disposed to believe most GOP/Cons squirt themselves in the fantasy of that embrace.
And there you have it, exhibits A1 and A2 (of a warehouse full of exhibits) in the case Evil (Democrats) v Stupid (GOP/Cons).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muw22wTePqQ
Cornhead, get a load of the stats illustrated in this video. (9 min)
Just enforce existing laws. Then they will have no choice but to go home.
A. Cut off welfare.
B. Evict from HUD housing.
C. Implement e-Verify.
D. Crack down hard on employers using Illegals.
E. Deport illegal felons.
F. Deport illegal gang members.
G. Do not allow the children of illegals to attend public schools.
H. Block remittances by illegals.
I. Deny illegals tax-payer subsidized health care for non-emergency treatment unless they pay full-freight up front.
J. Anchor babies benefit from the criminal activities of their parents. Congress can stop them from becoming citizens.
K. Block federal funds to sanctuary cities.
L. Reverse all of Obama’s illegal immigration executive orders and deport all those covered by his illegal actions.
A little post 9/11 history:
Here’s what Mark Steyn had to say in 2007:
“Not long after 9/11 I chanced to be heading north on Interstate 87 between Plattsburgh and Montreal. At the border crossing from Champlain, N.Y., to Lacolle, Quebec, I noticed that what appeared to be a mini-refugee camp had sprung up. It’s not often that you see teeming hordes lining up to get into Canada… The immigration officer … explained that most of the guys waiting to get in were from Pakistan. In the wake of 9/11, the authorities had rounded up various persons of interest in the New York City area. Whether or not they were terrorists, they’d certainly violated immigration law, overstaying visas and so forth. And as a result many other illegal immigrants from Muslim countries had concluded it was time to liquidate their assets and break for the border.
In other words, the round-up of a relatively small number of persons sent thousands more fleeing to Canada.”