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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

2012 What Does Mitt Romney Think About Immigration?

Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, May 8, 2012 at 3:25 PM

I think that as a candidate, to my understanding that he's still deciding what his position on immigration is, so I can't talk about what his proposal is going to be because I don't know what Romney exactly — he's talked about different issues, and what we saw in the Republican primary is that there's a diverse opinion on how to deal with immigration. I can't talk about something that I don't know what his position is.

I think this decision comes down to the eternal question that haunts every Republican candidate. At some point, you have to look in the mirror and squarely ask yourself: Do you want to alienate 97% of the Latino vote, or just 95% of the Latino vote? I wish Romney the best of luck in his decision.

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I hear he's going for 98 percent.

Which is kind of sad, since he's an Anchor Baby from Mexico.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on May 8, 2012 at 3:40 PM

As long as he has the vote of Cuban Castro haters. Republicans are stuck in the nineteen fifties. And they want us stuck with them.

Posted by Vince on May 8, 2012 at 3:45 PM

For god's sake he's only been running for president for 8 years or so. Give him time to think about what position he thinks he should take!

Posted by mrbarky on May 8, 2012 at 3:49 PM

Really? You think 97% of Latinos are open-borders fruits?

Posted by Reader01 on May 8, 2012 at 3:51 PM

@3 I heard he's grooming his sons for their multi-decade run to become President.

Here's a hint to them: go enlist. Time's running out.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on May 8, 2012 at 3:57 PM

From what I've been hearing (and this could be incorrect, but whatever) Hispanics/Latinos are more likely to care about schooling and higher education costs (e.g., being forced to pay non-resident tuition, etc.) than immigration. And I believe Mittens has already shot himself in the foot on that issue.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on May 8, 2012 at 3:58 PM

What does he think? That's an easy one. He thinks whatever Karl Rove and the Koch brothers tell him to think.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on May 8, 2012 at 4:16 PM

Didn't Obama appoint the first Hispanic to SCOTUS? How do you top that?

Posted by Vince on May 8, 2012 at 4:17 PM

I've read that Romney's team has already retracted this statement, and they've insisted that Romney absolutely knows what he thinks about immigration!
It's sad when a candidate's press release is that he knows what he thinks.

Posted by Clayton on May 8, 2012 at 4:28 PM

Part of the conflict - I hope - is based in a libertarian ideal that would open the borders.

I don't really understand when the political party that is supposed to stand for personal liberty thinks that the government should be telling people where they can and cannot live.

Posted by Charlie Mas on May 8, 2012 at 4:32 PM

First of all...do you people read the news papers?

Immigration to/from Mexico has reversed!

This year more people are leaving then going.

Why should Romney even address the issue?

In fact, it's complicated because some of those here who chose citizenship might wish they hadn't because it would be easier to leave.

And those who want to stay are probably tired of the whole "Latino", "Hispanic" label. Like all Americans, they just want to be people...but Liberals are always labeling people so they split us up with fear to steal our votes.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on May 8, 2012 at 4:38 PM

Hey, if we're the ones labeling, how come all the profiling comes from the ultra-right?

When you look in a dirty mirror, you see yourself, but dirty, @11.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on May 8, 2012 at 4:52 PM

@11 vs. @12. Yes! This might be what I've yearned for all these years, a take-no-prisoners smackdown between Will and Bailo. The two blights in any comment thread going after each other to see who might be the biggest blight of all. Let the fight begin!

Posted by I'll Be Their Second on May 8, 2012 at 5:28 PM

Latinos are devout Catholics, for the most part, and the agenda of the GOP appeals to them in most ways, except the immigration policy part.

Until a short time ago (Bush 43, I think...), Latinos were majority GOP voters, and while Obama had a massive advantage in Latino votes in '08, he's fallen from a 67/31 Latino vote ratio to a 48/47 support ratio.

Ain't like things haven't gotten worse for Latinos during the Obama presidency (see murder last year of soon to be deported man by border patrol in San Diego for more information). They know it. White folks full of their white guilt who still support Obama seem to be the only ones who are confused about this issue.

Posted by malcolmxy on May 8, 2012 at 5:32 PM

Romney will stress that Obama didn't pass immigration reform, as promised, and also talk family values. And, of course, he'll mention the relatively high rate of unemployment amongst Latinos. It's up to the Obama campaign to pin Romney to the xenophobic anti-immigration corner he staked during the primary. Obama should also mention that Romney's intended policies will make life even harder for them. Unfortunately, Democrats aren't as good at media messageing. They're losing to the Romeny campaign right now.

Posted by floater on May 8, 2012 at 7:03 PM

For those who think Latinos will vote for Romney, provide a link to a poll showing that this is true. So far the polls I've seen show Obama with a big advantage.

Posted by Patricia Kayden on May 9, 2012 at 3:25 AM