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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Jeb Bush: Anchor Babies Are Asian

Well, we had thought he meant Latinos when he used the slur but if it's Asians then that's ok. I guess this is his argument. 

"Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush attempted to clarify his remarks about "anchor babies" during a stop near the U.S. border with Mexico on Monday, saying Asian immigrants are really more of the problem."

"When asked if he thought his repeated use of the term "anchor babies" – a derogatory term for children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrant parents – Bush said: "What I was talking about was the specific case of fraud being committed where there's organized efforts, and frankly, it's more related to Asian people coming into our country and having children in that organized effort."

"Bush prefaced his answer with "as I said in Spanish," and went on to rail against political correctness, saying "we need to chill out."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jeb-bush-anchor-babies-asian-immigrants

Again, we have Trump to thank for this. Greg Sargent talked about how this has changed everything for the GOP immigration discussion. Yes-if there were no Trump there'd be no discussion, just the usual vague talk from Jeb and company that immigration reform would be nice but first we have to secure the border.

"Fiorina says that “perhaps” undocumented immigrants should have a path to legal status — provided it precludes any chance at citizenship. Okay, if you’re not willing to support legal status, then what should be done instead? Walker, for his part, has declined to endorse mass deportations, but doesn’t think we should even talk about legalization until the border is secured."

"If Trump’s GOP rivals are going to be pressed on whether they agree with his positions on immigration, the focus should be more on his vow to deport the 11 million than on his call for ending birthright citizenship. If they don’t support mass deportation, what do they support? And no, claiming you might support legal status once some undefined ideal of border security is attained isn’t a real answer."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/08/24/morning-plum-how-donald-trump-has-unmasked-his-gop-rivals/

Meanwhile. Reince Priebus is trying to be brave and make lemonade out of a lemon.

"Since jumping into the GOP 2016 race, Donald Trump has caused the Republican establishment nothing but headaches, spewing nasty rhetoric, proposing outlandish policies and inspiring other presidential candidates to do the same."

"Despite all this, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said over the weekend that Trump was a “net positive” for the Republican Party."

“I think it brings a lot of interest to the Republican field,” Priebus said.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/donald-trump-reince-priebus

Actually he isn't wrong-it really has brought interest to the GOP. Now is it the way he wants it? Not so much.

But it is a real net positive overall. It's not even true to say that Trump has pulled the other candidates to teh Right. More he's shown us how far the Right they always have been. None of his ideas including the end of birthright citizenship are new to the GOP and all have been advocated in recent years.

At this point Romney's talk of self-deport seems like a kinder, gentler time.

7 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I wish I'd provided two links: one to the Trump/Bush Asian anchor baby kerfuffle, and one to Scott Walker demanding Obama cancel his meeting with China's premier. I started a follow on about my WSJ op ed idea, but erased it because I figured I was straying a little too far off topic. BTW, I have both the title AND the opening sentences worked out now:

      The title (to refresh your memory):

      "A modest proposal: it's time for America to step up and take ownership of its illegal immigrant problem. Literally."

      Opening sentence (I figured I'd lead in with a little "history"):

      " 'Low wage good, no wage better!': a well loved and age-old universal truth of business as reliable and ancient as the Earth itself (all 6000 years of it!). Ever since Yahweh commanded Jehoshaphat to sell his dead beat debtor Zedekiah and his wife, children, grandchildren, sisters and parents to the Canaanites, a divinely blessed business model has been thriving on this planet. Why willfully turn our backs on what God himself has sanctioned?"

      At some point I think I need to confront the whole "... but Lincoln freed the slaves" progressive nonsense by pointing out that Lincoln was a RINO (and perhaps even a Democrat!). Oh well... more work to do.

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    2. "because I figured I was straying a little too far off topic"

      ... notice how I've failed to extend you the same courtesy? Sorry Mike!

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  2. Yeah, he seemed to like your joke. In theory at least he's for totally open borders which I think there is something to.

    The irony the WSJ wants this but can't break out of its partisan straight jacket to work with Democrats to get us there.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. "The irony the WSJ wants this but can't break out of its partisan straight jacket..."

      I'm working on that Mike! (see above)

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    3. ... that is I'm working on making their "parisan straight jacket" more comfortable for them (and their sensitive readership).

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