David Hawkings thinks opposition to comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship is crumbling. He sites as evidence Rand Paul’s speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the recommendations contained in the the Republican National Committee’s autopsy of the 2012 elections, and the support expressed by the Evangelical Immigration Table, which includes many influential conservative Christian leaders. As Politico notes, Rand Paul’s openness to the idea stands in stark contrast to his earlier positions on immigration. He introduced a bill two years ago that would have revoked “birthright” citizenship, and he once recommended building an underground electric fence on the border.
After his speech, reporters filed stories about Sen. Paul’s about-face, and the senator became uncomfortable .
“The immigration debate has been trapped and it’s been polarized by two terms: path to citizenship and amnesty,” Rand told reporters on a conference call. “Everybody who doesn’t want anything to move forward calls every proposal that somebody else wants ‘pathway to citizenship’ or ‘you’re granting amnesty.’ Can’t we have reform and just not call it by some names that discourage the progress from going forward?”
In other words, Rand Paul was asking the press not to characterize him as supporting a “pathway to citizenship” because it makes his base angry. It seems like the influence of Frank Luntz is now near total. Lawmakers like Rand Paul think the base doesn’t respond to substance, but only to rhetoric. So, we can have immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship as long as we never mention the terms “amnesty” or “pathway to citizenship.”
Needless to say, the media shouldn’t take instructions from lawmakers about how to spin their positions on the issues. In the interest of getting something done, however, perhaps advocates of immigration reform would be wise to listen to what Rand Paul is saying. They could call Frank Luntz and ask him what synonyms for “amnesty” and “pathway to citizenship” would be acceptable to the morans.
Well, Paul is correct. HIS base doesn’t respond to substance. Rhetoric is all that matters.
After CPAC the “substance” is what resides on one’s boots after crossing a cow pasture.
It seems little Rand Paul doesn’t like the hate filled rhetoric the GOpers have been pushing for over three decades sticking to him, and creating problems when he tries to move outside the kool-aide induced alternate reality the GOpers have lived in for years.
Well you clowns build it, and tried to force the rest of us to live in it.
You clowns can live in it for a while longer while the grown ups work to rebuild what we can from all the destruction you fooles have wrought upon the USA.
PS: sucks when the dumb as dirt talking points bites you back doesn’t it.
Hey, you run on the GOP ticket with the Morons you’ve got, not with the Morons you wish you had!
Someone needs to stand up at a public forum and ask Rubio:
“How about we give EVERYONE the same deal that the CUBANS get?”
Just to see how he reacts.
Snarki, that’s a fun little box you made for Rubio. I think it’ll make me laugh all day long. Genius!
Ah. So he made this speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Of all places. So evidently he’s gotten the message that you can’t shit on Latinos and get elected president. He just hasn’t quite figured out how to deal with a base that expects him to shit on Latinos.
Good luck with that. It would take a genius to figure out how to build a coalition of minorities and racists. And Rand Paul is no genius.
Right. They’re not drones, they’re airborn security devices.
“Pathway to citizenship” does not equal amnesty. I’m opposed to flat out amnesty but also opposed to denying a pathway to citizenship. Those who want Latinos to stay but would deny them citizenship, i.e. Republican businessmen, would create a large hostile alienated group within the USA and that’s a worse idea than privatizing SS. We cannot close the lid on the melting pot. I say America is exceptional and what makes America exceptional is the melting pot. There is no American ethnic group. There is no American language. There is “E pluribus unum”. That’s what makes us American.
he’s so fucking thin-skinned, it’s hilarious.
“In other words, Rand Paul was asking the press not to characterize him as supporting a “pathway to citizenship” because it makes his base angry. It seems like the influence of Frank Luntz is now near total. Lawmakers like Rand Paul think the base doesn’t respond to substance, but only to rhetoric. So, we can have immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship as long as we never mention the terms “amnesty” or “pathway to citizenship.””
This rhetoric v. reality problem with the GOP base has become completely absurd, hasn’t it? It’s necessary for major GOP electeds to anticipate the tantrums of childlike adults.