CA and DC GOP for Amnesty: at Their Peril

The year: 1994. Republican Governor Pete Wilson signed off on Prop 187, which a majority of California voters supported. The initiative would prevent illegal immigrants from using public services in the state. Soon after passage, a California Justice threw out the initiative. Voters should have recalled the judge.  While the state did need comprehensive immigration reform, one lawyer in a black dress should not have overthrown a voter-approved attempt to curb illegal immigration. Yes, Prop 187 was a stern, anti-illegal immigration policy, but not anti-immigrant, as liberal activists unfairly contend. Illegal immigration requires more attention than merely "kicking the can down the road", or “kicking people over the border”, but amnesty needs to be joined with reduction of the welfare state and citizenship as a requirement for enrolling in public schools.

One decade later, opposition against illegal immigration remained strong, forcing Sacramento to repeal drivers’ licenses for illegal immigrants. Republicans held just enough power to stall or refrain such terrible policies (as well as big spending and taxation), even though they had to contend with a Democrat-lite Governor (Arnold!) as well as the liberal Democratic majority in Sacramento.
Twenty years post-Prop 187, California’s attitudes, or voter demographics, have changed so greatly that re-elected Governor Brown and his liberal caucus got away with passing the DREAM Act (which affected thousands potential students, yet enraged an outstanding majority of Californians), and the ill-conceived drivers’ license law this year, without much fanfare. As Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-Hesperia) had suggested, no one in Sacramento should force individuals to settle for second class status. Yet the political class wants easy votes, made easier through a sanctuary state. Even the California State Supreme Court has made a mockery of its responsibilities and the rule of the law, as well as the proper bounds of the United States Constitution, by permitting an illegal immigrant to have a license to practice law: an illegal legal counsel. Really?

The state is gaining more minorities. Fine. The immigration system in this country is broken. Agreed. The California Republican Party fears a never-ending minority status of its own should it fail to entice minority voters to support them. Understood. The California Republican Party has suffered since Prop 187. True, but not for the reasons many suppose. While resistance to immigration reform has alienated some Hispanics, immigrant voters often vote Democratic, no matter what their native origin. Hispanic voters tend to support liberal positions on issues, including abortion, gay marriage, and more government intervention: all non-starters with the Republican Party platform of limited government.

So, California Republican leaders believe that immigration reform should be a top priority. Any Vidak (R-Hanford) voted for illegal immigrants to get drivers’ licenses. Retiring Congressman Buck McKeon supports immigration reform, even as he retires from Congress. Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa offered an immigration bill, too.

These Beltway Republicans have forgotten that Congress attempted immigration reform in 2006 and 2007, and the voter backlash repudiated their efforts. Recently, US Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) censured his colleagues about immigration reform. Only 3% of American care about immigration (jobs, healthcare matter more). Discouraged Republicans (including Tea Party Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) have retreated from reform, since they do not trust Obama to build a border fence before the path to citizenship. Why should they? The President has ruled by executive order, ignoring his own legislation in the process. The growing resistance among conservatives is not unfounded. Despite their opposition, the US Senate still passed a “comprehensive” immigration bill in 2013.  California and Washington Republicans want immigration reform, including Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, who floated the laughable “legal resident, not citizen” concept, and Speaker John Boehner will offer immigration “principles” for debate.

Why do these Republicans ignore the glaring trends that Hispanic voters are more liberal, and immigrants often flock to the Democratic Party? Yes, California Republicans in Congress (and Sacramento) believe that reform will prosper their reelection chances. But there’s more to the matter. US Senator Lindsey “Censured by his own state GOP” Graham (R-South Carolina) indirectly announced another reason:

“I am a proud Chamber of Commerce Republican!”

The pro-amnesty GOP Establishment has been pro-business (not free-market) for decades. Immigration reform will provide their Big Business supporters with cheap labor, paid for by every taxpayer (what few remain). Never mind the quality of care and opportunity for the immigrant, or the rule of law, or the integrity of the US Constitution. Forget about the millions of legal applicants waiting for their naturalization papers. Forget about demolishing the expensive, expansive welfare state. The cheerleaders for immigration reform want cheap labor, big profits for Big Business, and Boehner, the Beltway GOP Establishment, Big Government Republicans (and every Democrat) can earn millions lobbying for Big Business when they leave office.

Blanket amnesty is no more compassionate than building a fence. Restoring Constitutional, limited government, expedited naturalization for legal residents, a demolition of the welfare state, and market forces (along with basic security measures) will ensure a peaceful, lawful, and moral immigration policy in our country. Until such reforms are enacted, California and Beltway Establishment Republicans push immigration reform at their (and this country’s) peril.