Mitt - igration

[fiberisgoodforyou]

worth a listen, a few Candidate Marketing points, but in the right direction.

www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Immigration

FACT: As Governor Of Massachusetts, Governor Romney Took Action To Enforce Immigration Laws.

ENFORCEMENT: In December 2006, Governor Romney Signed A Memorandum Of Agreement With The Federal Government To Allow State Troopers To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws. "Governor Mitt Romney and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ICE, which will give specially trained Massachusetts State Troopers the authority to administer and enforce federal immigration laws in the Commonwealth. " (Office Of The Governor, "Governor Romney, ICE Sign Immigration Enforcement Pact," Press Release, 12/13/06)

IN-STATE TUITION: Governor Romney Vetoed In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants. "Romney also vetoed a number of outside sections of the budget, including:...A plan that would have permitted illegal aliens to pay the same in-state tuition rate at our public colleges and universities as Massachusetts citizens." (Office Of The Governor, "Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, 6/25/04)

ENGLISH IMMERSION: Governor Romney Fought Efforts To Weaken Massachusetts' English Immersion Law. "But yesterday, Romney press secretary Shawn Feddeman said the governor will fight all attempts to slow the implementation of English immersion, known on the ballot as Question 2. ... 'He will veto anything that weakens or delays English immersion,' Feddeman said." (Anand Vaishnav, "Romney Firm On English Timetable," The Boston Globe, 1/24/03)

- In June 2002, Mitt Romney Said "The Approach Of English Immersion Is One That I Support. ... I Would Make English Immersion The Educational Norm For All Non-Native English Speakers." (John McElhenny, "Mitt Romney Endorses 'English Immersion' Education Plan," The Associated Press, 6/4/02)

DRIVER'S LICENCES: Governor Romney Opposed Efforts To Give Driver's Licenses To Illegal Immigrants. "'Those who are here illegally should not receive tacit support from our government that gives an indication of legitimacy,' the governor said, echoing arguments that opponents have voiced in the Commonwealth and in other states considering similar license measures. 'If they are here illegally, they should not get driver's licenses,' he said." (Scott S. Greenberger, "Romney Stand Dims Chances Of License For Undocumented," The Boston Globe, 10/28/03)

FACT: Governor Romney Would Take Action To Secure The Borders Through Physical And Virtual Fences.

Governor Romney: "In my view, there are several principles that need to be part of our immigration plan. First, to secure the border..." (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

Governor Romney: "You've got to have a wall or fence or electronic surveillance. You have got to make sure we secure our border, that's first." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 9/19/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Strong Reforms To Stop Illegal Immigration And Encourage Legal Immigration.

Governor Romney: "The current system puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically-enabled and tamper-proof documentation and employment-verification system, and increase legal immigration into America." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "So Far, Romney's Been Most Impressive Republican," Des Moines Register, 7/11/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Opposes The McCain-Kennedy Bill And Any Form Of Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants.

Governor Romney: "McCain-Kennedy Isn't The Answer." "Another aspect of American sovereignty is the security of our borders. The current system is a virtual concrete wall against those who have skill and education, but it's a wide-open walk across the border for those that have neither. McCain-Kennedy isn't the answer. As governor, I took a very different approach. I authorized our state police to enforce federal immigration laws." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington, D.C., 3/2/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports A Strong Employer-Verification System That Includes A Tamper Proof Worker Verification Card.

Governor Romney: "First, to secure the border, number two, have an employment verification system. This would be a card - a biometric card - that people who are not citizens would have and before an employer hires a non citizen they would have to look at the card, type in a number on a computer, and get verification from the federal government that this person is eligible for work in the U.S. If they hired someone not so eligible that company would be fined just like not paying taxes." (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Empowering Local And State Authorities To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws.

Governor Romney Believes More State And Local Police Agencies Should Work With The Federal Government To Enforce Immigration Laws. "Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Tuesday that more state and local police agencies ought to consider making deals with the federal government to have their officers trained in enforcing elements of federal immigration law. ... 'I think it's a good idea for us to communicate that we intend to enforce our laws,' Romney said." (Jacques Billeaud, "Romney: More State, Local Police Should Get Immigration Training," The Associated Press, 3/13/07)

[bergsteiger]

Romney And Immigration Reform: What The Record Says
Mitt Romney is the Establishment candidate with the best chance of getting the GOP nomination who has also been most favorable to patriotic immigration reform.

According to the market at Intrade.com, that chance was between 21.0% and 21.09% as of August 9, 2007, as opposed to a probability of 35.0% to 35.4% for Rudy Giuliani and 27.5% to 29.8% for Fred Thompson (if he declares).

(Gratifyingly, the immigration issue has imploded John McCain's candidacy: he’s at 6 %.)

I was recently reading about Romney’s net worth of between $190 million and $250 million. I wondered how he used this wealth politically.

I found the information courtesy of Open Secrets and Americans for Better Immigration. I took all donations from Mitt and his wife—and threw out those candidates for whom I couldn't find a voting record.

Date Amount Recipient Overall Worker Importation
9/30/2006 $2,000 Allen, George B C
12/15/1995 $1,000 Smith, Gordon D F-
4/5/1995 $1,000 Gramm, Phil C- F-
2/28/1995 $1,000 Dole, Bob A- No Action
11/2/1999 $1,000 Hatch, Orrin G C+ C
10/28/1998 $1,000 Torkildsen, Peter G C- C
10/16/1996 $1,000 Blute, Peter I C- C
8/21/1996 $1,000 Torkildsen, Peter G C- C
8/23/1996 $1,000 Torkildsen, Peter G C- C
5/3/2006 $2,100 Santorum, Rick B- C
5/3/2006 $2,100 Santorum, Rick B- C
7/6/1998 $1,000 Gregg, Judd C- F-
5/26/1998 $1,000 Kasich, John R A+ A+
12/19/1995 $1,000 Dole, Bob A- No Action
12/15/1995 $1,000 Smith, Gordon D F-
1/16/1996 $1,000 Smith, Gordon D F-
12/10/1993 $500 Torkildsen, Peter G C- C
1/19/1995 $275 Torkildsen, Peter G C- C

Romney's pattern of donations suggests that he may indeed have been slightly more restrictive on immigration than the average congresscritter. His GPA on overall immigration, based on a weighted average of his donations, is 2.28. The congressional average is 2.0.

But that isn’t saying much. Strychnine may kill more slowly than cyanide—but ingesting either will kill you quite effectively.

And Romney’s record on H-1b indentured guest worker visa expansion appears looser than average, judging by his donations—with an academic probation GPA of 1.64.

It should be noted that the consultancy he was closely associated with, Bain and Company, hired 572 H-1b workers in 2001-2003.

Romney has developed the habit of talking tough about immigration. He must, to differentiate himself from McCain and Giuliani. However, I must disagree with Joe Guzzardi's judgment that Romney's record on immigration is “good”. For example, Romney did very little to address seriously the problem of illegal employers while he was governor of Massachusetts.

While Romney has recently attacked Rudy Giuliani for being Mayor of a Sanctuary City, Boston was also a sanctuary city during his term as governor. It wasn't until near the end of his term, when he was already thinking about national office, that he signed an agreement with the federal government to allow thirty Massachusetts State Troopers to be trained in immigration enforcement.

What I see instead is someone who will seize on high profile aspects of the immigration issue—but still tries to appeal to both sides. It is as though Mitt, like his father before him, just isn't used to a situation where what he says will be looked at closely.

Is there really any reason to assume that that Romney will not support higher real levels of (legal) immigration, possibly through “guest worker” programs that allow fewer political rights and civil liberties for those allowed to immigrate, and greater overall concentration of wealth in America?

Romney's attitude towards those that are forced to delay—or avoid—having families due to the decrease in wages and living standards that immigration produces is rather cold and based on inaccuracies:

It seems that Europe leads Americans in this way of thinking. In France, for instance, I’m told that marriage is now frequently contracted in seven-year terms where either party may move on when their term is up. How shallow and how different from the Europe of the past. [Romney Reaches to the Christian Right |In a Conservative Crowd, Candidate Talks About Marriage, Child-Rearing By Perry Bacon Jr. Washington Post, May 6, 2007]

My emphasis. France does not, in fact, have term marriages.

And Romney, despite his recent contradictory statements, endorsed a massive amnesty of illegal aliens in 2006:

"I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country," Romney said. "With these 11 million people, let's have them registered, know who they are. Those who've been arrested or convicted of crimes shouldn't be here; those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home country. "Romney supports immigration program, but not granting 'amnesty'", By Evan Lehman, Lowell Sun, March 30, 2006

Remember, those immigration rights don't come for free. As I have argued before, American citizenship has a quantifiable value—which a loose immigration policy devalues, just a public company that issues additional stock can “dilute” the value of stock already issued. Romney has no plan on how to maintain the value of American citizenship—or handle the incentives for further illegal immigration his proposals create.

My take as a member of the VDARE.COM Progressive Caucus: It simply doesn't occur to Romney that those of enormous wealth are affected differently by immigration than working Americans. At least until very recently, his stance was in effect serving a wealthy elite, with which he identifies far more strongly than he identifies with America as a whole.

Real American leaders like Jefferson or Franklin would fear this man.

Romney is a man of considerable natural gifts born to enormous privilege. It is sad that he is so unfeeling towards the nation that gave him so much.

What I find especially difficult to deal with is his hypocrisy. Romney claims to be pro-family, but he promotes the concentration of wealth that makes affordable family formation less likely. It is simply revolting to see a man born to wealth and privilege promoting policies that will deny many poor people the chance to be part of a stable family. (And which, by the way, systematically increase the level of abortions in the country.)

I might cut Romney some slack if he were really looking at developing that pioneering aspect at the root of his Mormon (LDS) heritage. The heroic story of Mormonism was making the desert of Utah bloom. We live in an era where this could be done elsewhere—say developing the ocean deserts agriculturally, or developing space the way Princeton professor Gerard O'Neill proposed. But I don't see Romney taking America in that kind of direction.

I might cut him some slack if I didn't think he was bright enough to connect the dots.

This hypocrisy and lack of vision and empathy is the reason we are seeing traditionally obedient LDS youth starting to seriously question their elders.

I hope that rebellion cleans house.