Robert Pratt
Since the Texas Republican Party convention changed its platform by pulling out the Guest Worker immigration plank called by its supporters “The Texas Solution” which landed in the platform two years ago, we’ve been treated by gnashing of teeth by a handful of Republicans such as state Rep. Jason Villalba and platform committee member Artemio Muñiz.
Muñiz penned a column claiming that immigration extremist are destroying our party. In the piece he essentially implied that those who disagree with him on immigration policy and priority are bigots who hate Mexicans. Considering that most of the illegal aliens crossing the Rio Grande are from nations other than Mexico I’m not sure where he gets his Mexican-hater ideas but then again, not much of what he or Rep. Villalba say makes much sense – unless, they care more about political gain than the good of the country, or immigrants for that matter.
In response to Muñiz’ piece I ask in all seriousness: What is extreme about having a border which acts as a border? What is extreme about creating an environment which is orderly as opposed to chaos which puts unnecessary risk to human life? What is extreme about the Rule of Law being supreme – isn’t that what folks are coming here to benefit from in part? What is extreme about preferring legal immigration to illegal immigration? Exactly what is extreme in what the RPT put in its platform?
Extremism is setting aside the Rule of Law and basic human fairness for political gain. Extremism is handing people who broke the law and didn’t attempt to obey our laws a “path to citizenship” or even permanent residency when people such as my wife had to go through quite an ordeal to receive such, and while millions wait in lines around the globe to come here the right way.
I believe those who simply want to accept lawless behavior for perceived political gain, those who want to save the GOP and the Democrats who see immigrants as nothing but a coming demographic that will re-empower them in Texas, are the extreme and shameful.
Agree about those exploiting the issue for political gain, but it seems to mostly come from the right and people arguing that immigrants won’t be the “right kind” of free-market Republicans. See Eagle Forum’s report on “How Mass [Legal] Immigration Dooms a Conservative Republican Party.”
Trying to save the GOP by booting the Rule of Law is pure political pandering which puts the future of the country at risk. And yes, there are plenty of arguments from folk about floods of immigration dooming the GOP. But to say that such is more on the Right ignores the weekly stories in which Texas Democrats, candidates, party leaders, and activists, openly tout a changing demographic to Hispanic being their future savior. Or, have you missed these stories Bud?