Norquist: GOP Wears a 'Dirty Face' on Immigration

'We are the pro-immigrant party, not the anti-immigrant party'

Grover Norquist, the longtime conservative of the bread n' butter, strictly economic variety, is warning his party that it's high time it embraces a more favorable view of immigration.

"We are the pro-immigrant party, not the anti-immigrant party," he told the National Journal.

Norquist, who's distanced himself from fellow conservatives in the past by defending the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" - and whose wife is Muslim - thinks that immigration is a positive issue for the GOP. "This is where we should have been all the time," says Norquist, referring to the seeds of what appears to be a blooming change of opinion on the right concerning immigration (as evidenced by recent remarks by Sean Hannity among others).

Norquist told NJ that the odds of getting immigration reform passed are actually pretty good following President Obama's re-election. If Romney had won the White House, he says, there'd be little incentive for Republicans to look in the mirror and see the "dirty face" they'd been wearing for too long.

Via National Journal.

Do you agree with Norquist that Republicans should become the pro-immigration party?

[Romney2012]

They already are the pro-immigration party, but they shouldn't become the pro-illegal immigration party along with the Democrats!

[RobertJHarsh]

Agreed. The problem is the dream act wants to open the floodgates and make it a free for all. That certainly is not a good idea. The republicans are against that and so I am.

[FFX_VA]

If only the problem were that simple. I am pro legal immigration and people here illegally should be sent back to wait in line like everyone else. Problem is the system is broken, it should be easier for good, hard working honest people to immigrate here, it's in our history & DNA as a country.

The children affected by illegal immigration are a special case of hardship created by their parents & our government. Parents who broke the law and are here illegally should be sent back to wait in line; they are not special. School/college age children should be given an opportunity to stay and a path to residency and then to citizenship if they are honest, hard working, patriotic, and not a burden on or threat to society.

More guest worker passes are needed too, come here temporarily, work & pay taxes, then go home and help your home country. But the best thing we can do, is support the Americas instead of China,(listen up Apple) by investing in the Americas and creating jobs and opportunity in our hemisphere people can care for their families in their home country and not come here out of desperation.

People immigrate here for the same reasons my family did many years ago, for opportunity & to provide for family. Something unattainable where they came from. Creating opportunities across the Americas is part of the solution, but not one I've seen Democrats or Republicans address.

[mudzangandoro]

I agree. I am waiting to see how congress tackles this issue. Its a tough one. Illegals being offered a pathway to citizenship; what about those that are here legally? It takes years and years (10 - 15 years) for your application for citizenship to be reviewed for those that apply legally. Crazy staff, but its true.

[tomincali]

they are also in full support of these guys. where there is illegal aliens you also have these guys,they cannot fit in with citizens. so the illegal alien communities welcome them.

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/

[DyingBreed]

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"

Absolutely.

[MongoAPillager]

Give me your mathematicians,your high skilled techs,your wealthy taxpaying entrepreneurs,your skilled scientists ETC.we already have the tired huddled masses,lets get someone in here to help pay for them

[marine1]

@MongoAPillager Your analogy is always so right on and be damned with political correct. Keep up the good work, the left needs you

[MongoAPillager]

@marine1 Thanks Buddy,although at present i don't think the left wants me,i'm not to sure about most of the right seeing how they seem to be merging with the left. : }

[marine1]

@MongoAPillager yeh, you have a point there but i think you might be their subliminal life line???:)

[DyingBreed]

@MongoAPillager Give them the tools and the freedom to pay for themselves.

[PoliticalSpice]

I hate to agree with Norquist on anything. He is correct on the issue, and Republicans will support changes because they don't want to keep losing elections, but the racist among them remain opposed - see artocle on election in Elliotsreport.com - I predict tea party tantrums. My hope is that enough immigrants remember to assure anti-Republican votes for years to come.

[DARSB]

While "tea party tantrums" may be descriptive I think it's a little passe. There never really was a Tea Party so much as the old Moral Majority re-branded by Dick "If Only There Were Some Way To Make Fun Of His Name" Armey and others. The failure of the Tea-infused GOP to win the White House and election results that weakened its majority in the House is evidence of the collapse of that demographic as a political force.

What I see now is the rise of low-information voters the kind that react to suggestions like Norquist's with an uninformed vehemence. We'll hear charges of porous borders that allow unprecedented numbers of border crossings, rising crime by illegal aliens, claims of tax-dodging while receiving public assistance, and inaction by the Obama administration to deal with any of it. None of these claims will be supported by verifiable evidence, but the sincerity of these beliefs can't be doubted.

This mindset is optimal for Fox and Rush, not for a participatory democracy. Rather than fix on a fading label it seems to me more accurate to stratify voters by their information sources, an approach that may prove to be a better predictor of electoral behavior than more superficial marketing nomenclature.

[PoliticalSpice]

@DARSB

[PoliticalSpice]

@DARSB
I think it too soon to say they will collapse as a demographic force. If they continue to have enough support amoung the fervent believers and continue to have access to media they can continue to "primary" Repubs and create havoc. When I speak of tantrums ImeN they probably will fail at stopping passage of legislation with a path to citizenship, but will continue to loudly protest, obstruct things and generally draw attention to the bigotry and racism in that is part of that movement, and since they are aligned with Repubs, indeed , part of the republican base and legislature, some of that will, hopefully, create a generation of voters that will oppose future republican candidates.

Oh, btw, Dick Army once commented on his name saying "if there was a Dick Army, Barney Frank would be the first to sign up" For real, he actually said it to reporters - I think it was after he had just been thrown out of congress and was trying to soften his image...

[martydotcom]

@DARSB You left out the John Birch Society rebranded from the Klan

[DARSB]

@martydotcom Didn't want to show my age... :-)

[ctc]

Looks like once again.....after the left does all the heavy lifting.....the right wants to wade in to take credit and collect the spoils.
Next.....they'll be telling us THEY raised taxes on the rich.
Where can I sign the pledge to make this guy run for office.....or shut the hell up.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Hold the fort guys, hold the fort.

[MRMacrum]

They could have used you at the Alamo.

[Denizen_Kate]

@MRMacrum - Ahh . . . if only Neo had been there, perhaps all would not have been lost. ;-)

[MRMacrum]

@Denizen_Kate - All was not lost. Texas got a great tourist attraction out of the deal. :o

[Dan_Tien]

The text did not quote Norquist as saying "that Republicans should become the pro-immigration party". It quoted him as saying that Republicans ARE the pro-immigration party. I disagree with that, and I also disagree that changing the GOP's stance on immigration is all that it will take for it to win more elections.

[Romney_Rube]

Now that the preplanned loss of the election has passed, the party's imbeciles instantly embrace immigration. And Norquist is suddenly thrust forward as a major player/leader? This has got to be a joke.

[tomincali]

the only dirty face and dirty people i see are those who want to reward for breaking laws. then that tiny fine is a joke. as for them learning english after being here a year and not already speaking it shows they are not going to.also the will do nothing about the fraud they have done,every illegal aliens working has committed fraud or their boss has.

anyone who was around when the 86 amnesty can see it went form 3 million or a little under to what we have now. somehow these folks knew nothing would be done,and someone also read our 14th and found a way to exploit it and use it against us. right after 86 those folks stopped leaving after the job was over and started making families and others started heading here pregnant to drop anchor.

in 86 there was things that went along with it that if used like written we would not have this problem. what greece is doing is what we need to do not reward them for it.

[MongoAPillager]

sounds like he joining bubbleboy christie.. http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2012/11/1...

[DARSB]

When he's not acting the Mayor of Anti-tax Bizzarotown, Grover has the occasional good idea. This is one of them.

[PNWest]

The GOP should NOT become the pro-immigrant party. How is this going to play with it's base? They'll just look like hypocritical losers trying to jump on the bandwagon. They should double down on the anti-immigration stuff to keep the base fired up.

[RoyFloyd]

All Republicans have to do is give all Latin Americans the same immigration opportunities they've provided for for their voting block, the Cubans: instant legal status, benefits, and support once they set foot on U.S. soil--but maybe that's a little too much.

[WMCOL]

Well yeah, the cons are pro-immigration, if it is not mexicans or primarily crossings at our Southern Border. Democrats believe all immigrants are equal under the law, Republicans don't. Most cons still believe that illegal presence in a country is a criminal matter. It is not. But when those known to authorities to be illegaly present in a country who do a 9/11, well that is criminal.

[Thunderchicken]

Do you agree with Norquist that Republicans should become the pro- very selective and legal immigration party?

FTFY and yes. However we should severely punish those who are here illegally. I say take DNA samples of all illegals who are caught. Then:
First time, deport.
Second time, prison.
Third time, execution.
For illegals involved in other crimes, first time and your dead.

[MRMacrum]

Do I think the GOP should become pro Immigration?..... Only if they mean it. Somehow, based on their record so far, any short term effort to convince me they have "evolved" will be taken with a grain of salt.

[hwyangel]

Illegal immigrants are only a drain on government services and an already struggling economy when they are incapable of paying taxes.

[George_BayArea]

Sad the way u think and your statement is totally wrong.

How about u educated yourself and get better facts, Many if the illegal people as u call them do the work Americans don't want to do.

Field works. Gardening, food industry, babysitting, janitorial and more.

I'm damn sure an illegal worker is not taking jobs from people working at banks or wall street but here is a real fact for you, do you know who is really taking jobs from Americans? Corporations are taking the jobs overseas. Self check out machines that's what taking jobs! So the next time you open your mouth to talk without facts make sure u don't fart cos it looks like we know where u talking from......

But here you expect 15 million undocumented people in the USA just leave? many of them own houses here.

How about get them out of the shadow and make them contribute to the economy paying back taxes and etc, the country voted differently like you, otherwise racist Romney would be in the white house.

Secured the border and get it over with.

Thank you!

[harold]

Grover Norquist, desperately trying to stay relevant.
We should all email our politicians and ask if they signed on to his pledge never to raise taxes, ever, under any circumstance.
If they did, we should demand they repudiate it.
After all, how can any elected official serve his constituency if promises are made to a person outside the district?

[jessejaymes]

They're starting to eat their young.

[Romney_Rube]

Norquist seems to have self-anointed himself as the new head cheese for the Reps.

[Xenocracy]

“Dirty Face” & The Word Immigration Used In The Same Sentence?
Wouldn’t Liberals Think That’s Racist?