Hillary Clinton has already crushed Republicans on immigration

[DemocratSinceBirth]

You can question Hillary Clinton's political scruples. But don't doubt her political smarts.

There is no better proof of either quality than her U-turn decision last week to go all out in embracing amnesty for undocumented immigrants. Clinton's gambit is a major flip-flop — one that will put Republicans in a bind that they'll have a hard time extricating themselves from. It's heads she wins and tails they lose, regardless of what they do.

Clinton stunned everyone — even Latino activists — when she boldly called for a "path to full and equal citizenship" for all of the roughly 12 million illegal immigrants in the country. Speaking at a gathering of handpicked young immigrants in a high school in Nevada, a Latino-heavy swing state, she rejected the notion of a mere path to legalization — like the sort Jeb Bush and some of the more immigrant-friendly Republicans have skittishly backed. "That's code for second-class status," Clinton declared. She promised to go much further than even President Obama's recent executive action and "defer" deportation proceedings not only against some illegal immigrants, but virtually all of them, while working toward comprehensive immigration reform that included citizenship.

This was a remarkable shift for someone who has not only maintained a studious silence for months about Obama's executive action, but also previously opposed drivers licenses for illegal immigrants. Indeed, her flip is so dramatic that instead of raising questions about her credibility, it has changed the conversation so much that we're immediately asking what Republicans need to do to catch up.


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This means that the GOP candidate has to do one of two things to win against Clinton: Improve his or her performance with whites to about 65 percent, a feat only Ronald Reagan has accomplished in the last 50 years, or boost his or her minority vote to 30 percent, which would require drawing about 45 percent of the Latino vote — as George W. Bush did.


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http://theweek.com/articles/556421/hillary-clinton-already-crushed-republicans-immigration

[HereSince1628]

1. If true this early, I'd expect the GOP to change its tack

which is to say, they will 'triangulate' to a more winning position. There's lots of time for their voters to forget their original position.
The game will go on...

The upside, of course, is something better will be promised for immigration.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. 65% of the white vote is such a huge hurdle.

America was such a different nation when Reagan performed that feat and that was after running an essentially flawless campaign, sans the weak first debate performance, with an economic wind at his back.


I remember that campaign well...I knew we were going to get an ass kickin.

[Adrahil]

11. I doubt it. The primary process will eliminate anyone proposing anything progressive on immigration

The GOP base will not tolerate it. By the time of the conventions, the damage will be done.

[AgingAmerican]

12. They never change their tack

They don't 'triangulate'. They live in an information bubble. Any opposing viewpoints are a huge threat to them internally. It causes their cognitive dissonance to bubble up to the surface, and they cannot handle it.

[leftofcool]

2. The GOP will not be able to do either one of those things against Hillary

Right now, they are all curled up in a fetal position sucking their thumbs trying to decide what to do.

[chev52]

4. Immigration

12 million more needy to come here while average Americans are struggling to get by. Why all the jubilation? I am for the dream act though.

[JaneyVee]

9. Come here? They're already here. How about...

Getting them out of the shadows so they can contribute taxes and have a chance to access capital to start businesses.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Immigration Reform is years overdue. In 1986 the reform said there would be verification, it was

not followed very well, those who hired employee without proper papers was supposed to be fined, very few fines, in fact Walmart was slapped with a fine of $500, probably did not have to pay. Republicans wants to raise hell about the number of illegal people here and then run out and hire the same illegal people, they are the biggest part of illegals being here because business people hire the illegal, no jobs, then they would not come. The republicans refuse to handle immigration reform and this just may be the reason republicans do not want immigration reform. Since 1986 more than one generation has been born and raised here who has parents who are still not citizens. Don't blame those here without the proper papers, blame the employers.

[vinny9698]

6. I come from a Texas hispanic family and my mom had an easier chance of getting job pretending to be

undocumented. Restaurant and hotels would rather hire undocumented then legals.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. WoW

I live in LA and Vallarta is a huge Mexican owned supermarket chain. They publicize the fact they E-Verify.

[Thinkingabout]

8. It prevents them from having to do the matching on Social Security and Medicare, a savings to

the employer and perhaps cheaper wages. I despise employers who "take advantage" of workers, and as you say employers would rather hire undocumented workers. How often does these same employers get fined, hardly ever. Here are people who are working very hard and without deposits made into the Social Security program, they are not able to received benefits in later years.

Social Security benefits are based on 35 years of highest paid years in which funds was paid into the system. Hopefully this will be handled soon and your mother will be able to receive some Social Security benefits when she reaches the proper age. BTW, the Social Security benefits are divided by 35 though a person may only have 10 years of deposits. I am interested to know if the employers are withholding FICA and Medicare taxes from your mother's checks. If they are then it is probably not getting reported to the SSA and the employer is retaining these funds from themselves. I hate thieves.

[Gothmog]

10. The GOP is trying to alienate the Hispanic vote

The GOP is doing a great job of alienating the Hispanic vote