Pathetic president Trump tolerates acting DHS secretary's nostalgia for Gang of Eight amnesty

Lindsey Grahamnesty points out that the Gang of Eight bill was tougher on border security than Trump is now

Suddenly the Gang of Eight bill is conservatism. Trump is now to the left of the entire Republican primary field of 2016 on immigration, begging for just $5 billion and willing to take less.

What suckers he takes us for.

Lindsey Graham: "The Wall Has Become A Metaphor For Border Security," Democrats Supported In The Past:

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: What I can tell you is Democrats have voted for 700 miles of the Secure Fence Act that had double-layered fencing. Call that whatever you'd like. In the Gang of Eight bill we had $42 billion for border security, including $9 billion for physical barriers. 

The wall has become a metaphor for border security. And what we're talking about is a physical barrier where it makes sense. In the past, every Democrat has voted for these physical barriers. It can't be just about because Trump wants it we no longer agree with it. 

There is nothing immoral about a physical barrier along the border in places that make sense. There will never be a deal that doesn't have money for the physical barriers that we all in the past have agreed we need.

In AZ "Martha" McSally flips against DACA to try to beat Arpaio and Ward for US Senate

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Just another liar like McCain and Flake!

McSally's strategy is to divide the right and win.

From the story here:

Arpaio's presence in the contest might divide far right support and thus provide a path for McSally to win the nomination. ... In fending off a primary challenge in 2010, Sen. John McCain released a now infamous ad in which he promised to "compete the danged fence." [sic] But McCain and Flake both co-sponsored the so-called Gang of Eight immigration bill that passed the Senate but was anathema among conservatives, particularly those in the House.

Trump betrays his base, picks Andrew Puzder for Labor Secretary, another amnesty advocate

Trump must think we're stupid. You know, just like the defeated elites now packing up and leaving DC.

Puzder had a long op-ed in Politico here three years ago outlining his Marco Rubio Gang of Eight immigration ideas, including 

"a pathway to adjusted status for those here illegally now; and special relief for the children of undocumented immigrants." 

Trump has lost Mark Krikorian, says Trump is now the 9th member of the Gang of Eight, so it's over

Link repaired 1/14/24.

 

Quoted here:

Trump has also infuriated some of his supporters. Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, declared that Trump's latest remarks were the "last straw" for him, especially his statement that there would be "no amnesty," which he made just before saying that illegal immigrants will have to pay back taxes.

"Those are terms of art in the pro-amnesty, Gang of Eight crowd. Every politician pushing an amnesty says 'this version isn't really an amnesty because fill in the blank,'" Krikorian said, declaring Trump the "unofficial ninth member of the Gang of Eight."

"What he just did was make clear that even on his central issue, which is the only reason he's the nominee ... was immigration, and he now has shown that he can't be relied on, even on that," Krikorian said, who had previously considered himself a reluctant Trump supporter — until now.

"I'm done with Trump at this point," he said.

Ted Cruz won't build a border wall, and will increase immigration at the expense of American workers

From his speech announcing his candidacy for president on 3/23/2015, noted here, devoting just two lines to these issues which mention neither a wall nor the horrible impact of H-1B immigration on American stem-workers:

Instead of the lawlessness and the president’s unconstitutional executive amnesty, imagine a president that finally, finally, finally secures the borders.

And imagine a legal immigration system that welcomes and celebrates those who come to achieve the American dream.

Ted Cruz is merely a Marco Rubio without the Gang of Eight Bill.

If true Politico story means Ted Cruz is soft enough on illegal immigration to unite with Gang of Eighter Marco Rubio

Politico reports here that Cruz' people have been pursuing an alliance with Marco Amnesty Rubio for weeks, and more than that:

Over the last week, according to a person familiar with the Cruz team's internal deliberations, the campaign has conducted polling in forthcoming contests — including ... the one on Tuesday in Utah — in which questions are posed about the two running side-by-side.

Sean Hannity will never live down his endorsement of a pathway to legalization after Romney's loss in 2012

He gives forgiveness to Marco Rubio for the Gang of Eight Bill because he wants forgiveness for this:

Remembrance Project says Marco Rubio is the single most egregious promoter of open borders in Congress

    

Remembrance Project

A Voice for the Victims Killed by illegal aliens

_____________________________________________________

    

February 28, 2016

Open Letter to All GOP Voters

Dear Republican Voter:

We write to you today as American citizens, and as The Remembrance Project’s “stolen lives” families who have lost our children, siblings, parents and other close family members to senseless illegal alien killings.   To bury your own child or loved one causes a pain beyond description or imagination, and a suffering we will carry every day of our lives.

  

As surviving families, we ask “Why was this allowed to be done to our innocent loved ones?”  The inconvenient truth is that we have been betrayed by politicians who have not merely failed, but who have intentionally refused to enforce our immigration laws that would protect our families.  Consequently, the people we so dearly loved have been sacrificed, many murdered in cold blood, by violent criminal illegal aliens who should never have been allowed into our communities. 

Sadly, the single most egregious Congressional promoter of open borders is GOP Senator Marco Rubio.  As a key member of the notorious “immigration reform” Gang of Eight committee, Rubio’s amnesty plan was hatched, not only to give mass amnesty to illegals, but was done through daily lies about its contents: 

·      Rubio boldly claimed it was security first - but it was amnesty first, security never.  

·      Rubio said no amnesty for criminals - but in reality it allowed amnesty to some of the most dangerous criminals in America.  

·      Rubio said it was the toughest bill ever - it was the worst bill ever, supported by virtually every open borders politicians inside and outside Congress.

Through this process, Senator Rubio steadfastly ignored our families and the warnings of law enforcement.  Not once did he reach out to our families, or other families whose loved ones’ were killed by the illegal aliens.  In the aftermath of 2013, and even today, each time Rubio has a chance to do something on behalf of American victims, he chooses instead to push amnesty and side with open borders and foreign interests to make life harder and more dangerous for law-abiding American families.

We do not want other families to die at the hands of illegal aliens.  We want to end the massacre of innocents in exchange for enriching open border self-interest cartels.  We are pleading with the Republican voter:  Reject Rubio.   

Send a message to every politician in Washington D.C.: if you betray American citizens, you will never occupy the Oval Office.

                                                                                  

Sincerely,

Maria Espinoza

Co-founder and Nat’l Director

Juan Benavides – His brother, Jessie 32, was shot nine (9) times at a children’s birthday party.  His young son witnessed the murder.  Jesse was his only living family member.  Dallas, Texas, is a sanctuary city.

Deborah Benson Benton – Her brother, David 55, was run over by illegal who had been drinking all night in parking lot of local Mexican restaurant.  The impact severed David’s legs.  David became lodged in the windshield.  Illegal drove around trying to dislodge his body.

Jim and JoAnne Binger – Daughter, Brittany16, raped and viciously murdered.  Illegal crushed her face with rock.  Brittany was their only surviving child.

Jeri Countryman – Daughter, Dani 16, raped and viciously murdered by 2 illegals.

Sabine Durden – Son, Dominic 32 pilot and EMS personnel was, run over while motorcycling to work by an illegal with priors.  Dominic was her only child.

Michael Fromer  - Son, Joshua 19, run over while motorcycling to work by an illegal alien.

Dan Golvach – Son, Spencer 25 year old, shot in the head by illegal while sitting in his truck at a traffic light. Only child of

Charlene Gonzalez – Husband, Dr. Mario Gonzalez 56, shot several times by 4 illegals who attempted kidnap of Mrs. Gonzales, who was pregnant.

Patricia and Daniel Gonzalez – Son, Reece 24, stabbed to death during home invasion while visiting his disabled uncle.

Bill and Teri Hartzell – Grandmother, Louise Sollowin 93, raped and beaten to death.

Billy and Cathy Inman – Son, Dustin 16, family was rear-ended by alleged drunk illegal alien.  Cathy is permanently disabled and sustained brain injury.  Dustin was their only child.

Merrell and Mona Kilborn – Mother, Margaret 90, killed by illegal alien driving drunk.  

Sue Krentz – Husband, Robert 58, shot by illegal alien “south-bounder” who had delivered drugs into USA, robbed two homes, and used stolen gun to shoot Rob, a father and grandfather.

Kisha and Chris Lambert – daughter, Shatavia 14, shot in the back during robbery.  Illegal stole her pendant, an earring, and $7. 

Maureen Grossi Laquerre – Brother, Richard, killed when illegal ran stop sign and flashing red light, slamming into Richard’s motorcycle near his home. He died 6 weeks later.

Elaine Lofink – Husband, Robert 75, tire from trailer driven by illegal crashed into their car. 

Vickie Schermock Lyon – Daughter, Dennielle 25 and mother of 2, head on collision by drunk illegal alien.  Illegals family removed him from  hospital in middle of night and remains at large.

Maureen Maloney – Son, Matthew 23, while on his motorcycle, a drunk illegal alien crashed into Matthew.  Matthew became lodged in the fender of the truck and dragged over ¼ mile while illegal attempted to flee from scene.

Brian McCann – Brother, Denny McCann 66, while walking he was hit and dragged by drunk illegal alien.

Mary Ann Mendoza – Son, Sgt. Brandon Mendoza, crashed into by drunk illegal alien driving wrong way on several different freeways.

Angie Moreno – Son, Ruben Morfin 13__, shot in the head by illegal while walking to his grandmothers

Don Rosenberg – Son, Drew 23, run over 3 times by illegal alien while motorcycling.

Carrie and Lou Ruiz – Daughter, Felicia 16, stabbed over 39 times by an illegal alien who fled and remains free.

Brenda Sparks – Son, Eric Zepeda 22, while motorcycling with his girlfriend, illegal alien crashed into them.  Eric succumbed to his injuries 6 weeks later.

Ray Tranchant – Daughter, Tessa 16, rear-ended by drunk illegal alien.  Tessa and her best friend, Allyson Kunhardt was also killed.

Carol Vizzi – Son, Justin Goodman32,father and husband, killed by illegal alien while motorcycling to work. Jason was Carol’s only child.

Rhonda West – Son, Kendrick 14, killed by drunk illegal alien while walking to school with a friend.

Laura and George Wilkerson – Son, Joshua 17, choked, tortured, dumped in a field and burned by illegal DREAMer classmate whom he gave a ride home from school.

Clarissa Winchester – Rachel Click, killed in car crash by drunk illegal alien.

Kathy Woods – Son, Steven 17, killed when gang of illegals attacked him and his friends.  Smashed window with iron pipe, then pierced Steven’s skull with a sharpened paint roller handle. 

The Remembrance Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.  Your donation will help us build more Stolen Lives Quilts, continue revealing the truth and placing American families first.

The Remembrance Project

501(c)(3)

PO Box 440548

Houston, TX  77244-0548

Why Marco Rubio sweats: The New York Times details how he tried to convince conservative talk radio to accept the Gang of Eight bill

Here.

It's worth remembering the full court press Rubio made on behalf of his bill, especially now that he's running away from it as fast as he can.

Maybe that's why he sweats so much.

Rush Limbaugh comes off looking like a total dupe, but the truth is Limbaugh remained skeptical of yet another promise to secure the border first. As I remember it Rush had to have Rubio on a second time to clarify that.

More generally, the only conservative talk radio show to oppose the Gang of Eight bill consistently and forthrightly was Laura Ingraham's. Nobody on radio has done more to prepare the way for Trump's message on the issue, and to kill the terrible reform efforts of Bush in 2007 and Rubio's in 2013.

Local sheriffs rise in support of ICE officer Chris Crane who was dismissed and discredited by Marco Rubio

From the story here:

Sheriff Tom Hodgson of Bristol County, Massachusetts similarly defended Crane against Rubio’s attacks.

“I’m not sure what Sen. Rubio is talking about,” the Massachusetts Sheriff said. “I don’t understand why Sen. Rubio would say that about Chris Crane. Anyone who has worked on the immigration issue knows that Crane is a federal ICE agent who is fighting for law enforcement to be able to do its job and protect our borders, so that the people we’re sworn to protect are not victimized financially or criminally.

“I’m really surprised by Rubio’s comment,” Sheriff Hodgson continued. “He knows very well who Chris Crane is. He met with law enforcement at some point [during the Gang of Eight push] when we were telling him that he had the wrong position on this issue.”

FOX's Frank Luntz was paid over $345,000 by Florida's Republican Party when Marco Rubio was Speaker of the Florida House

Story here, questioning Luntz's objectivity in his current role praising Rubio in the debates.

Luntz was caught in an audio recording in 2013 complaining that conservative radio talkers Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin were destroying Rubio over the Gang of Eight immigration amnesty bill which Rubio co-sponsored.

It's safe to say that Luntz has been loyal to Rubio for a long time for a reason.

Santorum drops out of GOP presidential primary, endorses RUBIO

CNN has the story here.

That tells you what kind of president Santorum would have made: A president who, like Rubio, would have settled for the Gang of Eight amnesty bill because it was all he could get at the time.

Rush Limbaugh can protest all he wants about Rubio giving up his Senate seat as a sign he's not committed to time-serving the establishment. The truth is as president Rubio would disappoint on illegal immigration to the point of destroying the Republican Party and the country as we have known it.

Establishment support for Rubio will now accelerate. The conservative vote will be split between Cruz and Trump.

Rubio will win the nomination like Romney did, through attrition on the right as neither Trump nor Cruz wins enough delegates to secure the nomination just as Santorum and Gingrich and Paul did not.

In this election, Ted Cruz, the illegal immigration flip-flopper, will be Donald Trump's spoiler.

In the immortal words of Mickey Kaus, Cruz is just in it for Cruz.

FOX's owner, Rupert Murdoch, is an outspoken advocate for mass legalization of illegal immigrants, just like Rubio, Bush, Cruz

We had to wait until Debate 6 for Marco Rubio to get one question about his advocacy of legalization in his Gang of Eight bill when all along Trump's campaign has been centered on opposition to legalization.

The debates arguably have been rigged to avoid the issue because the only one against legalization is Trump and the rest are for it.

Trump is right to move on.

Is English a second language for Marco Rubio?

Recently Rubio flubbed "more" and "fewer", saying "more plumbers and less philosophers".

But now he also shows his ignorance of "between you and me":

"The bottom line is there isn't that big a difference between [Cruz] and I on how to approach immigration," Rubio told CBS News on Sunday.

I expect rednecks from Michigan to say "between you and I" but not US Senators, but then again neither Barack Obama nor Donald Trump seems to know it's "secretaries of state", not "secretary of states".

Meanwhile Byron York above shows rather convincingly that it was Ted Cruz voting for stronger border amendments to the Gang of Eight bill in 2013 and Rubio voting against them.

Republican Gang of Eighters say they remember Cruz said in 2013 his amendment was no poison pill

"Senate immigration bill authors say Cruz wanted legislation to pass"

Cruz to Hannity in April 2013: Citizenship is designed to be a poison pill to scuttle the whole Gang of Eight bill

The Hill reported on it here at the time:

"The part that I’ve got deep concerns about is any path to citizenship for those who are here illegally," Cruz said during an interview with Sean Hannity. "I think that is profoundly unfair to the millions of legal immigrants who have followed the rules, who have waited in line.

"I think the reason that President Obama is insisting on a path to citizenship is that it is designed to be a poison pill to scuttle the whole bill, so he can have a political issue in 2014 and 2016. I think that's really unfortunate," continued Cruz. ...

"If he actually really wanted to get something passed, he wouldn't be rolling this out as a partisan attack issue," Cruz said. "You look at the State of the Union, that was a divisive speech, that was in your face. And he knows full well that a path to citizenship won't pass the House."

"He knows that it's a partisan, divisive issue and he holds everything else hostage to that wedge issue," Cruz added. ...

"I think that it is likely that there could be some bipartisan solution to those who are here illegally if a path to citizenship were taken off the table," Cruz continued. "But as long as the president and [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)] insist on a path to citizenship they know full well it will never pass the House of Representatives and then it's just a political football rather than actually trying to fix the problem." ...

"Look, they have the votes to force something through the Senate. I think whatever mess comes out of the so-called Gang of Eight, all or virtually all of the Democrats will vote for it and it's likely they'll get a fair number of Republicans to vote for it to so they can probably get it through the Senate," Cruz added. "If it includes a path to citizenship, I don't think it'll pass the House, and I think that's exactly what the Obama White House wants."

Cruz is crazy now to characterize his amendment to the bill at the time as "the poison pill" when he was calling the citizenship provisions of the Gang of Eight bill the poison pill.

If anyone has become unhinged in this race Jeb, it's Ted Cruz. Even Mona Charen thinks Ted Cruz meant to come off as sincere in 2013. We aren't left wondering only what Marco Rubio believes about the issue, but also what Ted Cruz really believes.

Safe to say few wonder what Donald Trump really believes about illegal immigration.

Ted Cruz has clearly flip-flopped on "the poison pill", and on legalizing illegals

Ted Cruz has clearly flip-flopped on the poison pill and on legalizing illegals: In 2013 he said the poison pill was the citizenship provision in the Gang of Eight bill, but in 2015 it's suddenly his own amendment to the bill which has become the pill. Cruz also was for legalization of illegals in 2013, but is totally against that now, suddenly falling back on "attrition through enforcement", which sounds a lot like a combination of Mitt Romney's self-deportation with a long-term, slow-walking program of round-ups.

Ted Cruz on May 31, 2013 at Princeton, video here, transcription here, specifically calling the citizenship provision of the Gang of Eight bill "the poison pill":

"And what I believe is happening is that citizenship provision is designed, and the White House knows it’s designed, to be a poison pill in the House [of Representatives] to torpedo the bill, because then they want to campaign in 2014 and 2016, and say, ‘see those Republicans? They killed immigration reform.’…”

Ten days earlier that May Ted Cruz in the Senate Judiciary Committee, here, also characterized the Gang of Eight bill as unable to pass without his amendment establishing legalization. In other words, the path to saving the Gang of Eight bill was his amendment replacing citizenship (the poison pill) with citizenship-light, i.e. legalization:

"If this amendment is adopted to the current bill, the effect would be that those 11 million under this current bill would still be eligible for RPI [registered provisional immigrant] status. They would still be eligible for legal status and indeed, under the terms of the bill, they would be eligible for LPR [lawful permanent resident] status as well so that they are out of the shadows, which the proponents of this bill repeatedly point to as their principal objective to provide a legal status for those who are here illegally to be out of the shadows. This amendment would allow that happen, but what it would do is remove the pathway to citizenship so that there are real consequences that respect the rule of law and that treat legal immigrants with the fairness and respect they deserve. And a second point to those advocacy groups that are so passionately engaged. In my view, if this committee rejects this amendment, and I think everyone here views it as quite likely this committee will choose to reject this amendment, in my view, that decision will make it much, much more likely that this entire bill will fail in the House of Representatives. I don't want immigration reform to fail. I want immigration reform to pass."

But now post-debate in December 2015 Ted Cruz is claiming in response to Bret Baier, preposterously, that his amendment to the Gang of Eight bill is what killed the bill.

Byron York has sorted this out better than anyone, here:

Further, in a phone interview with Cruz on May 28, 2013, I specifically asked whether, despite his opposition to a path to citizenship, and given the three-year delay he called for, "You do buy into this whole legalization idea?"

"Legalization is the predicate of the Gang of Eight bill," Cruz responded. "And in introducing amendments, what I endeavored to do was improve that bill so that it actually fixes the problem." ... 

Cruz's team has tried to explain away that position by claiming Cruz was offering some sort of poison-pill amendment designed to kill the Gang of Eight bill rather than improve it. Cruz did it himself in a somewhat stammering interview with Fox News' Bret Baier Wednesday evening. But the situation is more complicated than Cruz says. Yes, he knew Democrats would never accept his amendments, but he spoke with apparent feeling about including legalization, if delayed, in the final deal.

On Tuesday night [during the debate], however, Cruz was in full no-legalization mode. And when some reporters questioned whether his comment "I do not intend to support legalization" was some sort of lawyerly way of leaving the door open to someday doing just that, Cruz sent an aide to tell reporters that he no way, no how supports legalization.

"I'm here tonight, and I want to make this super clear to everybody, so put me on the record on this: Sen. Cruz unequivocally, unequivocally, does not support legalization," national campaign chairman Chad Sweet told the Washington Examiner's David Drucker after the debate. When Drucker asked what Cruz would do with the 11 or 12 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, Sweet answered, "His plan is attrition through enforcement. He's following the rule of law…If we enforce the law, ultimately there will be attrition through enforcement. And in the end, though, what the senator is trying to do, as well, is save and expand our legal immigration system."

But how is something which never passed supposed to have killed the Gang of Eight bill? The bill died as Cruz originally predicted, because it was poison.

So what we're left with is a Marco Rubio whose positions in support of the original Gang of Eight bill have not really changed at all, and a Ted Cruz who has shape-shifted himself all around the bill to adapt to the new environment against illegal alien amnesty, legalization and citizenship swirling around the Trump hurricane.

For supporters of borders, language and culture, Marco Rubio is definitely out, Ted Cruz is clearly unreliable, and only The Donald appears to be the real deal.

But I predict even Trump will eventually disappoint on illegal immigration. He's aiming for big and over-the-top stuff because he knows damn well how hard it's going to be to get anything at all. Hope for a lot, expect only a little.

Meanwhile Rush Limbaugh's laughable account here actually says CNN stumbled into the truth that Cruz' amendment was the poison pill ("[T]his amendment that Ted Cruz did propose which would have given legal status to undocumented immigrants was meant at the time as a poison pill."). Not according to the 2013 Ted Cruz. Cruz must be laughing how easy it is to dupe the likes of CNN and Rush Limbaugh.

So the question is, What will the 2017 Ted Cruz say? If he's the president, the answer is clearly, Whatever he feels like saying.

Adios Hombre: Republican Sen. Marco Rubio Should Join The Democrat Party

Adios, Hombre!

Because that's where he belongs with his now unconditional amnesty for illegal aliens:

"In most of his public appeals for the Gang of Eight bill, Rubio has stressed its enforcement provisions, saying that border security must come before immigrants are granted legal permanent resident status. What he has not stressed so much is the fact that the bill would legalize the 11 million almost immediately, after they have passed background checks and paid some sort of fine. That would happen before any new security measures are completed, or even begun."

Sen. Marco Rubio Avoids Talking About Defacto Amnesty On Rush Limbaugh

And Rush avoided bringing up the subject. All Rubio said was that we have "an existing problem":

Look, I think there's this false argument that's been advanced by the left that conservatism and Republicans are anti-immigrant and anti-immigration. And we're not. Never have been. 

On the contrary, we are pro-legal immigration. And we recognize that our legal immigration system needs to be reformed. We also recognize, because conservatism's always been about common sense, that we do have an existing problem that needs to be dealt with in the best way possible.

But it came up on Mark Levin's show, as Washington Watcher noted at VDare, here:

In promoting his amnesty on the Mark Levin show last week, Rubio came up with what appeared to Levin to be a novel argument. Rubio claimed that by not enforcing the law, we currently have a “de facto amnesty”—which will continue unless we support his plan, which involves illegals supposedly paying a fine, community service, learning English and various other bits [of] unenforceable window-dressing. Levin, who has been solid on immigration in the past (and, it should be noted, has not come out in support of Rubio’s amnesty), found this argument compelling. He noted:

"We have de facto amnesty right now. When he said it, it set a light bulb off. Maybe I am a little slow. I said, ‘Well he’s right, we do have de facto amnesty.’ Which is exactly why Obama wants to really do nothing." . . . 

[D]espite Mark Levin’s “light bulb” moment, this argument is not novel. Thus in 2007, John McCain said "For us to do nothing is silent and de facto amnesty."  [GOP Candidates Shy Away From Bush, by Glen Johnson, Associated Press, June 6, 2007]  Even Barack Obama has sold amnesty as a punishment . . ..

It's clear Sen. Rubio is sensitive to negative feedback. He's fine tuning the message for the skulls full of mush out there in order to build the case for the Senate Gang of Eight amnesty plan. But as Washington Watcher says in his article, only the first of several reasons the status quo is preferable is that an outright amnesty will trigger a deluge of illegal immigration to take advantage of it.

The country is already full of unassimilated foreigners, so, pace Sen. Rubio, they represent the reason for conservatives to be against more legal immigration, not just the illegal kind. The law and the law-abiding have been the victims in this charade, not the illegals, and it is they who need to pay. It's about time so-called conservatives started saying so instead of cooking up compromises with the devil.