Romney to Pledge to Fix Troubled U.S. Immigration System.

[elleng]

Source: nyt/reuters

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will pledge to Hispanics on Monday that if elected he will fix the troubled U.S. immigration system in an appeal to a rising voter bloc that overwhelmingly favors Democratic President Barack Obama.

Looking to rebound after a tough week in which he fell behind Obama in the polls, Romney will couple his immigration promises with a commitment to get a handle on America's problem of rising national debt and massive budget deficits.

This is part of the Republican's drive to spend more time talking about the specifics of his economic proposals in answer to voter demands for more information as they choose between him and Obama in the November 6 election.

----------------------

And I am Marie of Roumania.
(Dorothy Parker)

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/09/17/world/americas/17reuters-usa-campaign-romney.html?hp

[ibegurpard]

1. can't wait to see his flip-flop on this issue...

[TomCADem]

2. This From A Guy Who Called Arizona's Immigration Law A "Model" Law?

I smell another lie and flip flop!

[Loudly]

3. Tea Party is not going to like this!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. You got it. Quite a number holding their nose are not going to vote for him anymore. nt

[Historic NY]

4. Self-deporting that ought to work.

[bhikkhu]

5. I'd like to see what the repugs "immigration fix" looks like

and why we haven't seen it before? Where was it in 2010 when they took the house?

[Tx4obama]

6. Romney already stated his immigration reform plan: Self-deportation. n/t

[DonCoquixote]

7. The tea party will kill this

Sadly, there is one area where if Mitt was not a puppet , he could actually have scored a clean hit to Obama. The Mormon Church is rising in Latin America, so he could have had plenty of Latino Mormons do photo ops in TV, appealing to Latinos. However, the minute he said "Arizona" the casket got sealed, as every Latino knows exactly what Arizona means.

Let us also not omit the fact that by picking Romney instead of Rubio, he threw away Florida.

[jmowreader]

11. You mean Ryan, correct?

[jsr]

8. I wouldn't trust him to fix my toilet

[Iliyah]

9. That dude in Kansas who fathered the AZ immigration bill

and is one of Mittens surrogates will not like this at all! Plus, who in their right mind would believe Mittens anyways. Un-lease the Lyin'Ryan asap. Kinda reminds me of Palin who was un-leased on the American public - ewwwwwwwwww

[Journeyman]

10. Just like Arnold Smugdorf, candidate for my 8th grade class president, who promised everything. . .

to everyone -- an end to homework, free ice cream for all, a shorter school day and longer summer.

And just as effective, I'm sure.

We could cool the planet by half if this gas bag simply shut up.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. His campaign is inept.

Why even go after immigration right now? It's a lose-lose for Romney. He needs to talk about the economy ... articulate his views on it and what his plans are to fix it. I wonder who really is running his campaign.

[goclark]

37. The K Brothers ~ just my opinion

[sofa king]

13. A pledge! "Yaaay!" From Mitt Romney. "Awww."

[lexw]

14. When I was in the 6th grade...

I was friends with a kid who ran for class president.
In his pre-election speech, one promise he made was that there would be Coca-Cola in all the drinking fountains. All the kids cheered and the teachers laughed.
He won.

[mimi85]

15. Is Willard

going to do this on Day One like everything else? Good thing he won't have a day one!

[agentS]

16. Plan, what plan?

In excerpts of his speech released by his campaign, Romney did not get into the specifics of how he would patch up a deep divide between Democrats and Republicans on the approach to repairing the U.S. immigration system.

Show me the mon... er, the specifics, baby!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Just like his "plan" on the budget and taxes, there will be no details; only vague "trust me". nt

[JRLeft]

17. You can play this all day.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Always mention that Mitt is an Anchor Baby and his parents were illegals (brought in by his GPs). nt

[PossumSqueezins]

21. "Trust me you brown people who speak the Spanish....

I have a plan that will make you really happy. I'm just not at liberty to discuss it right now. But trust me. i think you will be very pleased. You-o esta mucho please-o."

[lunasun]

36. exactly

[pampango]

22. "Previewing the Right-Wing Playbook on Immigration Reform" from People for the American Way

http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/previewing-the-right-wing-playbook-immigration-reform#strategy8

The Fire Last Time-And the Arsonists-in-Waiting
Strategy 1: Appeal to Racial Fear and the 'Brown' Threat to 'White' America
Strategy 2: Appeal to Racial Resentment by Portraying Immigrant Rights Advocates as Racists
Strategy 3: Portray Immigrants and Their Supporters as Invaders, Conquerors, Enemies of the U.S.
Strategy 4: Portray Immigrants as Criminals and Terrorists
Strategy 5: Portray Immigrants as Carriers of Disease and Weapons of Bio-Terrorism
Strategy 6: Stop Reform by Shouting 'Amnesty'
Strategy 7: Denigrate Reform Efforts as Vote-Buying
Strategy 8: Portray Anti-Immigrant Stance as 'Pro-Worker' (While Voting Against Worker Interests)
Strategy 9: Push Divisive Black-Brown Wedge
GOP, Right Wing Gearing Up To Oppose Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Decency in Debate

Nice summation of conservative tactics in fighting comprehensive immigration reform.

It was written before the presidential campaign began, so it does not contain references to 'self-deportation'. It is full of other strategies and tactics used by republicans in the past in opposing immigration reform.

[oldsarge54]

24. About half of that list

1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 all predates the Republican party if you will look at the literature about the Irish invasion in the 1840s. Even number 5, with all the emphasis on the medical inspection on Ellis Island.

[pampango]

34. Much of it would fit in the platform of the Know Nothing (American) Party of that time period.

Severe limits on immigration, especially from Catholic countries. - Tea partiers don't want immigration from anywhere.
Restricting political office to native-born Americans of English and/or Scottish lineage and Protestant persuasion. - They would prefer restricting it to native-born, white males, but probably figure they can't get away with that - yet.
Mandating a wait of 21 years before an immigrant could gain citizenship. - A higher number of years would suit them just fine.
Restricting public school teacher positions to Protestants. - Surprised that tea partiers haven't thought of this one. Or maybe they have.
Mandating daily Bible readings in public schools. - Sounds good to your average republican.
Restricting the sale of liquor. - Here's the one Know Nothing policy that would cause a MAJOR problem with our far-right.
Restricting the use of languages other than English. - The republican base already supports this idea. No change needed here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_Nothing

You are right. While the republican party may use this list in the immigration reform debate, many of the arguments on it were not originated by republicans. They have just 'borrowed' the ones that suit their agenda.

[oldsarge54]

38. Heck, I didn't mention them

I was under the impression I'm the only one that stayed away in class and remembered them. Part of our ignored history.

[Kablooie]

23. Blatant pandering. Sounds like the Onion.

[tclambert]

25. And exactly how would he do that? Sorry, that's secret.

Has there ever been a less informative campaign?

[lunatica]

26. Well he might as well insult-gaffe the Latinos too

[madrchsod]

27. i doubt anyone will be impressed with what he has to say...

poor mittens.. he just does`t have a clue

[mojo2012]

28. OH GOODIE !

Another subject to beat him on since he probably won't say "specifically" how

[catbyte]

29. ROFLMAO

[CanonRay]

30. He won't give any specifics. He never gives any specifics.

He'll just pledge to fix it...how unspecified

[onehandle]

31. 'Fix Immigration' = Code for 'Keep Brown People Out' for TeaKlanGOPNRAhadists.

Who are too stupid to realize that he won't ban them, because our economy depends on them.

[pampango]

32. His speech writers are trying to figure out how to say "self-deportation" with out using those words

I suppose he thinks that using fancier words will win Hispanics and moderates over to his side. All the while winking at tea partiers and the base, "You know I don't really mean this. I'm one of you, but I just have to sound moderate for a few weeks. You understand, don't you?"

And if he slips up and actually says something too specific that sounds actually moderate (like his comment about liking parts of ACA last week), he'll come on Fox News or Rush and "clarify" his remarks for the base so that they know he does not really mean what he said for public consumption.

[grantcart]

33. As the Potentate of Pookeepsie I welcome this and wonder what FReepers will say.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. He going to build a bigger wall