RNC Trying to Swift-boat Harry Reid Over Immigration Legislation
It seems the Republican National Committee intends to run Spanish-language radio ads in Las Vegas, among other places, arguing that it’s Democrats like Nevada Senator Harry Reid who are responsible for recent legislation making illegal immigration a felony.
As described in an article from the Las Vegas Sun (Republicans plan anti-Reid ads on Spanish-language radio):
“Reid’s Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hardworking immigrants as felons,” the ad says, “while President Bush and Republican leaders work for legislation that will protect our borders and honor our immigrants.”
Josh Marshall explains how dishonest the argument is in this piece at Talking Points Memo: Emerging RNC bamboozle…
The argument is really pretty egregious even by GOP standards. House Republicans put up a bill to make being an illegal alien a felony. An amendment was proposed that would have made it a misdemeanor. As the AP reports, “Democrats, including members of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, voted against the amendment, arguing they did not support criminal penalties. Nevada Republicans Jon Porter and Jim Gibbons also voted against the amendment, which failed. The felony provision remained in the bill, H.R. 4437, and it passed the House on a largely party line vote.”
So Democrats wouldn’t vote for criminalizing at all. Ergo, they’re for making it a felony.
This sort of bald-faced lying really should be called out.
Okay. I hereby do so. Liar, liar. Nyah nyah.
April 18th, 2006 at 4:46 am
No arguments against your calling a spade a spade here, regarding the inherent dishonesty regarding the immigration dabate. However, since no one’s really taken up the immigration discussion suggested by this post, I wonder, what do you think should happen regarding immigration? What, in your view, should be the practical outcome of the current immigration dabate, and what sort of legislation would you support? Is any such legislation currently on the table?
April 18th, 2006 at 8:01 am
Legalize the immigrants we’ve got, allow legal immigration from Mexico at a controlled rate, raise the minimum wage drastically, put an order of magnitude more emphasis on offering quality education opportunities, and make sure we have sensible social safety net rules. People are a resource, not a burden, as long as they are given the opportunity to contribute and benefit from it. I don’t understand why people are so threatened by Mexicans. Am I being naive?
April 18th, 2006 at 10:56 am
No. Not at all. Personally, I think you’re right on the money, and am certain that any workable legislation regarding the current situation will have to proceed from a similar point of view to yours to avoid setting the stage for a disaster.
April 18th, 2006 at 11:22 am
It seems like everything important that this country needs a debate on turns into a totally divisive, partisan, ideological battle and nothing ends up getting done.
It’s no wonder the world is so skeptical about us trying to export our form of democracy, at times it seems like a useless joke.
However, it’s good to see people actually talking about rationale solutions on this thread. You two should consider running for office.
April 18th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
They would, if not for the pubic hair they left in my coffee mug.
April 19th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
Haha, I can always count on Ethan to elevate the debate.
April 27th, 2006 at 10:44 am
lol — just bringing it to the level of a SCOTUS justice nominee hearing…and you know just how to make me feel like Anita Hill.