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| Illegals' rallies alien-ate voters |
| 2006-04-16 |
| IT LOOKS as if voters are starting to tilt toward get-tough Republicans on immigration - and those massive protest rallies by illegal aliens waving flags have backfired. Republicans are now more trusted on immigration - 37 percent trust them on the issue, while just 31 percent trust Democrats, according to a national survey by the Rasmussen Reports Web site done April 8-9. That marks a Democratic slide from 10 days earlier, when both parties were equally trusted on the hot issue. Thirty-eight percent said they trusted Republicans and 37 percent trusted Democrats. "The Democrats lost ground," said pollster Scott Rasmussen. "I suspect there’s backlash against the rallies, and the Democrats appear to be against enforcement. People say before we talk about reforms, we ought to enforce the law." Rasmussen - who accurately predicted the 2004 presidential election - notes that 57 percent of Americans want a barrier built along the Mexican border, even though only 42 percent think it would really cut illegal immigration. So maybe the conventional and politically correct media wisdom is wrong, as usual, with its focus on Republican splits over immigration and the risk that get-tough Republicans will alienate Latinos. In the short term, Dems could be running bigger risks heading into next fall’s election - the risk that they’ll look soft on national security in the post- 9/11 era by opposing tough border controls. When Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada blocked a bipartisan immigration bill last week, a prime reason was that he didn’t want Democrats to have to take a stand on amendments for tougher border patrols and deporting aliens who commit crimes. Republican Rep. Peter King (R-L.I.) - who backs get-tough laws against illegal immigration - says his phone calls are 99-1 favorable and he’s getting even more calls on this issue than on the failed Dubai ports deal. "When Democrats embrace [the protesters], that drives home to the people that Democrats support illegal immigration," King claims. For many Republicans, immigration may turn out to be like the Dubai ports deal - a chance to take a tougher line on border security than President Bush, who favors a “guest worker” program that Republicans like King blast as "amnesty." |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #8 I'm not a big fan of polls - but this is really bad news for the Democrats since Republicans are completely ticked at their reps lack of spine on this issue. Yet, despite that fact, it still translates into a huge hit for the Dems. That says something - none of it good for the Democrats who have been pandering to the natives on this issue. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-04-16 09:57 |
| #7 DB - exactly right. I was wondering how much the city of Boston paid for that 'rally' of ours last week (I couldn't find anything, and I'm sure the Boston Globe would bury it in the nether regions of the Metro section). Naturally, they screwed up the evening commute for thousands who likely won't be celebrating diversity anymore, lol. |
| Posted by: Raj 2006-04-16 09:03 |
| #6 Its time to take back the debate by ending the farce that these are ‘immigrants’ in the traditional sense of the word. They are economic refugees. Immigrants adopt their new country and proudly display their colors. The refugees, here only for economic gain, flaunt their allegiance to a foreign nation and have to be chided by their handlers to hide their true beliefs. Refugees don’t wait for legal processing and receive differing treatment within the host country than émigrés. That is an international standard. Wonder how effective the national government would be in actual enforcement if refugee cards rather than immigrant cards were distributed and all local and state governments could charge back to the national government the expense of medical, educational, and law enforcement costs. When the federal budget suddenly would become a black hole taking millions upon millions from pet projects, pork, and other constituent demands, I’d bet the issue would get serious attention. Remember the refugees from Haiti? What was Clinton’s response? More military, abet the Coast Guard, between the source of the flight and Florida. Finally, military intervention. The whole dialogue starts to change when the word refugee replaces immigrant. At least it’ll be a tag that will start to make the pride, of the governments south of the border, squirm. |
| Posted by: Unaviper Check2502 2006-04-16 08:56 |
| #5 It probably has only started. Wait till people see stories like this. |
| Posted by: Desert Blondie 2006-04-16 08:14 |
| #4 Beautiful. My opinion of the average American is inching up right along with these polls. If the will to build the wall emerges soon, and we do it, then we will have taken the first giant step toward staving off one of the many potential disasters looming from anti-American interests within our borders. And since most of those are in league, all will be weakened by it - and America will be strengthened. Is this the return of Common Sense, or is that too optimistic? |
| Posted by: Grising Cruse1979 2006-04-16 05:00 |
| #3 thank God these rallies are backfiring for them. People say before we talk about reforms, we ought to enforce the law." Hell yeah! |
| Posted by: Jan 2006-04-16 03:36 |
| #2 That much guall deserves backlash. How bout this? Leave today or go to jail tomorrow. |
| Posted by: newc 2006-04-16 02:11 |
| #1 Now if the Republicans will just build the fence. I am at the point that if the Government won't enforce the current laws and defend our borders, then I would prefer to see us annex Mexico outright and throw the current corrupt Mexican government into prison. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-04-16 00:19 |