Do the Republicans actually think that catering towards any form of amnesty, even if any of the proposed laws have parameters that sound tough on illegal immigrants towards their “path to eventual citizenship,” will bring them the eventual support they need in the future to acquire positions in the halls of Congress? Or leadership in the White House? Really?
There was an interesting piece on the Mark Levin show on Monday where Levin pointed out that administrations and presidential races from 1980 to 2012 have never been in favor of Republicans when it comes to amnesty. No matter what happens, whether an immigrant breaks the law and comes across the border illegally, or if they obey the law and go through the true path to citizenship that every immigrant should, most of them will always vote for the Democratic Party. Let’s take a moment and go through the different administrations and races and see if the Hispanic votes ever leaned in the direction of the Republicans, even when they did favor a form of amnesty.
Number one: In 1980, President Jimmy Carter received 56% of the Hispanic vote; Ronald Reagan only received 35% of the vote.
Number Two: In 1984, when President Reagan said he supported amnesty, the President received only 37% of the Hispanic vote – a 2% increase from his previous run – and the Democratic contender Walter Mondale had received a whopping 61%. It’s also interesting to note that Reagan won both elections with massive landslides.
Number Three: In 1988, Michael Dukakis received 69% of the Hispanic vote; and George H. W. Bush only received 30% of the Hispanic vote. It is important to keep in mind that Bush was Ronald Reagan’s Vice President when Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which Reagan later admitted was his biggest mistake. Does anyone remember who won that election?
Number Four: In the 2000 election, Vice President Al Gore received 62% of the Hispanic vote; and George W. Bush only received 35%. Bush had received only 5% more in Hispanic votes in the 2004 election and still won. Any form of amnesty doesn’t work in anyone’s favor. A child is never going to respect their parents if they are given everything they want. When a child who had well-rounded parents who loved them unconditionally (yet instilled real discipline) grows up, they usually look back on their parents with respect and admiration. This may not always be the case, but usually it is. The point is that when the Jindals of the Republican Party start touting their horn about “working to be accepting in the eyes of minorities and new immigrants,” they need to be ignored because their sad and annoying words don’t win elections.
Photo credit: DonkeyHotey (Creative Commons)
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The Case For Celebrating George Washington’s Birthday
Merriam-Webster defines a Statesman as a “wise, skillful, and respected political leader.” The same dictionary describes a politician as “a person experienced in the art or science of government.” It also gives the definition: “a person engaged in conducting the business of a government.”
When we think of a President today, who do we think of? Our first thought may well come towards our current President. Or we may think of JFK, or Ronald Reagan, or Franklin Roosevelt. But if we are honest with ourselves, what exactly comes to our minds when we think of our current President? Could it be intimidation, class-warfare, or an iron fist of demands that must “take place or else”? The problem with our current President is that he wasn’t elected to be President. What came to be, as a result of the media outlets and the entertainment industry, is the election of “Hollywood” to be our leader. Not Hollywood in the real sense of the word such as film, actors, movies, and film producers, but a political celebrity.
Now, when we look in our wallets and pull out a dollar bill, does anyone take the time to think about the face on that bill? It is a man we refer to as the “Father of our Country,” George Washington. Our first President was not the intellectual beast that graced such men as Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, or James Madison. As a matter of fact, Washington’s educational background was minimal with no more than maybe five years of formal education, with the rest of his learning occurring through his mother and self-teaching. He didn’t come across as a particularly affectionate man; and according to the Catholic Exchange, he spoke little in public meetings and “lacked the charisma of many of his successors. Defeating the British with his ragtag army was an impressive feat, but he was not a traditional military hero. He won no spectacular victories during the Revolutionary War. Although he is widely admired as an outstanding president, few of his policies were stupendous successes.”
What was it that set this leader aside from most leaders in America during his day? His character and statesmanship was what gained respect from those who far exceeded Washington in so many areas, including intellect. He was a master at mastering self-control. Washington wrote to his friend and aide de camp Alexander Hamilton: “I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain (what I consider the most enviable of all titles) the character of an honest man.”
Though he was not a master of great military exploits, he was nonetheless a master of himself. Virtue and character were the great President’s high marks as nothing was more profound than when he resigned as Commander and Chief of the Continental Army and then declining a third term as President of the United States. Keep in mind that this man could very easily have ran a third, a fourth, and a fifth term; and every time, Washington would’ve received a perfect electoral vote. Every time! Does anyone feel the same could be said of the most “cool and hip” President of this generation? Voting for a leader should never be based on race, which is something the milquetoast G.O.P needs to get through their thick skulls. But if it must, hypothetically speaking, please consider Allen West. Because if there is one thing we all need to remember this upcoming President’s Day, it is that true leadership doesn’t rest with leaning on the backs of racist, misogynist “rap artists” but rather in the mastery of one’s character and virtue.
Photo Credit: OZinOH (Creative Commons)