Republicans are over-estimating importance of immigration issue...

[kentuck]

with their base. Although many people are very concerned about the issue, they will not rush to the polls simply because of this reaction from the frightened Republicans. A small base percentage, with Tancredo as their leader, have elevated this issue amongst a certain proportion of right-wingers, but it will not save them from the voters looking for change in November. What about the deficits and the big-spending? What about the war in Iraq? What about the NSA spying? There are more issues they will need to deal with other than just illegal immigration, in my opinion, if they wish to get back their base.

[Sammy Pepys]

1. I somewhat agree...

I do think they're putting a little too much emphasis on it, but I think there is also a general feeling that something needs to be done about the issue (even if it's just for the sake of doing something)....I think they're looking for an issue they can capitalize on since everything else is down the tubes.

[kentuck]

2. They're grasping at straws...

like a drowning man in an ocean of red ink...

[leveymg]

3. What they're counting on is provoking violent Resistance to mass deports

The "threat of militant criminal aliens" inside the US -- which they created themselves -- will galvanize the GOP base as nothing has since the riots of the 1960s.

This is the ultimate sleazy Rovean tactic.

[Inland]

7. Who is, though?

Bush wants relatively open borders with guest workers. Wouldn't violence make that impossible?

[leveymg]

9. The GOP Congressional Right. They need a miracle.

Like a war, or a nice juicy domestic threat to national identity and security.

[emulatorloo]

4. Gay Illegal Immigrants Flooding our Borders to seek Abortions!

I hear they are Flag Burning Athiests who love the films of Michael Moore!

[Inland]

5. I think there's a subset that is concerned.

Lower wage earners, for one. I also think that immigration is a "ports issue" for security, that is, one of those items that obliquely goes back to security.

Of course, some are concerned in teh other direction. The industries that need cheap labor that can't vote or call the authorities are concerned about immigration laws, too.

[Ian David]

6. Bush's base is xenophobic and racist

They're the 33% of Americans who think that though the Republicans control the House, Senate, White House and the courts, anything that goes wrong can't be possibly the Republicans fault-- it's gotta be because an invisible man who lives in the sky is mad that gay people are getting married in Boston.

Even The Catholic Church is protesting because The Republican plan would cut-off their supply of poor, scared brown children to molest.

Right now, what they're seeing is that Bush wants to keep brown-skinned lawbreakers in the country, while the GOP wants to hurt the American farmer-- while refusing to obey The Great And Powerful Wizard of Bush. That's how they see it.

They're getting a peak at the man behind the curtain right now.

Our great "Uniter" can't get his party to play along, can't get his own daughters to not go to gay weddings, and can't get the majority of Americans to agree with anything he does.

I think the one thing he's done during his presidency worth a damn was the anti-telemarketing bill.

Oh, and thanks for my $200.

I'm gonna buy me a hammock!

[auburngrad82]

8. They're going to piss of some of their donors this way

You know, the ones that don't have a problem paying below minimum wage to illegal immigrants but don't want to pay the taxes to help take care of them.



Liberal bumper stickers

[DavidDvorkin]

10. I fear that they're estimating correctly

They're not only holding their base with their xenophobia. They might be drawing in people who would otherwise vote Democratic.

I say that because of the anti-illegal immigrant xenophobia I've seen here on DU and on some leftwing listserves I'm on. That may indicate how powerful xenophobia is across the spectrum.

It could be wedge issue for the right wing.