As I read the Commentary titled, “Why Republicans should support immigration reform”, by five former New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman (see The Citizen of Laconia on June 11 and the Union Leader on June 6, 2013), I couldn’t help feeling that I was seeing why Republicans have lost so many elections lately. No matter what these men have done before, on the illegal immigration issue, they are out of touch with grassroots Republicans, Democrats and Independents.
An overwhelmingly majority of Americans have repeatedly told politicians, “no amnesty” and “no comprehensive immigration reform”, just fulfill past promises, build the border fence and enforce current immigration laws. The American people don’t trust our politicians who created today’s illegal alien problem by, for nearly 30 years, breaking their promises to enforce our immigration laws.
The 1000 plus page Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill is crammed with bribes and payoffs. Despite months of promises that there would be enforcement before any benefits, we just found out that is not true, legalization happens immediately to be followed by more promises of enforcement. Only someone wanting to be deceived would believe new enforcement promises.
The former GOP Chairmen ridicule the idea that illegal aliens take jobs from Americans. Then explain to me why Americans without a high school degree, the same level of education of most illegal aliens, have a 30% unemployment rate for the 16 to 29 age group and a 12% unemployment rate for those 25 and older. The answer is that with about 11 million low skilled and poorly educated competitors willing to work for less or even under the table, lots of Americans can’t find jobs.
Exacerbating today’s problems, the immigration bill bars “legalized” illegal aliens from Obamacare. Thus employers can save thousands of dollars per employee if they hire “legalized” illegal aliens rather than American citizens…causing even more harm to American workers. Without jobs American workers don’t get the experience that will make them more valuable and move them into higher paying jobs. Illegal aliens steal their current jobs and their future success.
But lost jobs aren’t the only harm caused by illegal aliens. When there is excess labor, workers that get jobs will be paid less. Unemployed Americans and people (including illegal aliens who are only restricted from getting certain welfare) earning too little can get various welfare benefits paid for by American taxpayers. The Chairmen’s claim to the contrary is misinformed or deceptive.
The Chairmen’s apparent answer to our illegal alien problem is to just let everyone come here legally. Great! I wonder how long we can afford to give 2 or 3 billion more households the same approximately $16,000 worth of benefits that illegal alien households get today in excess of any taxes they pay.
The former GOP Chairmen say that Romney lost the Hispanic vote by 3 to 1. Romney needed well over 70% of the Hispanic vote to beat Obama!! Studies indicate that giving amnesty to illegal aliens is not a high priority among Hispanic American citizens who are more interested in the same things other Americans want: good jobs, freedom, rule of law, and good educations and opportunities for their children. Romney would probably be President if he had been able to convince Americans, including Hispanics, of his ability to deliver these things that all Americans want.
I am sure Democrat politicians hope that Republican candidates listen to these former GOP Chairmen. But, if Republican candidates want to win elections, they better start listening to the people at the grassroots.
