So much for principles

June 25, 2007

The far-right Washington Times noted the ongoing hostility between the White House and congressional Republicans over immigration policy today, and touched on a point that I haven’t seen elsewhere.

Conservative leaders among House Republicans say that President Bush’s upcoming showdown with them on immigration could threaten support for the Iraq war as well as for the president’s other top policy goals.

“The White House should keep in mind that if they have a direct confrontation with House Republicans on [immigration], it could affect the vote on the Iraq appropriation in September,” said Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican.

Is that so?

You mean it’s possible that House Republicans’ support for the president’s tragic war policy might have something to do with partisan loyalties, instead of sincere beliefs about the best way forward? That the House GOP would embrace a policy they’ve accused of being borderline treasonous because Bush supports “amnesty” on domestic immigration?

Now, King is a bit of a blowhard, and this is probably an idle threat (which, in and of itself, is kind of interesting). But the fact that a Republican lawmaker would say this out loud, to a reporter, on the record, is rather startling. King effectively admitted that substantial GOP support for the war is based on not principled beliefs, but rather, is conditional on Bush playing ball with the right on immigration.

Remind me again, conservatives, about how serious Republican policy makers are when it comes to national security.

The GOP apparently hates Mexicans more than they hate al Qaeda.

  • Haven’t you heard that all the hijackers on 9/11 were aliens? And that most illegal aliens are Mexicans?

    Obviously the war on terror would be better served by keeping out the Mexicans!

    /snark

    Applying principles evenly requires reason. And expecting Republicans to use reason is like expecting fish to use bicycles.

  • Maybe after we bomb Iran, we’ll invade and occupy Mexico, since most illegals are from there, and they have all of our oil. Tne by golly, off to Venezuala! And, by gum, be afraid Canada, be very very afraid. YAY more wars, more folks to attack. Durned God gave those brown people all of our OIL!

    Sheesh.

    The amorality of the politics of King’s beliefs just astounds and amazes. And beleifs is so not the right word here, expendable stances?

  • Boehner isn’t gonna’ start crying again, “When are we gonna’ stand up and take ’em on. When are we gonna get a bigger fence built?”. Start passing the Jim Beam and remind Boehner it’s immigration not Iraq this time.

    The party of hypocrisy can claim faith in this ideology all they want but it’s always been just party loyalty and money. Enough “contributions” from weapons contractors and they’d insist on bringing back communism and the Berlin Wall as the “real” enemy. They are as phony as claiming they are the party of law and order and family values and then torture and illegally wire tap while stealing elections. The RNC is a crime organization which is one step away from the Ricco act. They have no morality at the congressional level…”pardon Libby”. It’s all just honor among thieves bargaining .

  • “You mean the mob only did me a favor to get something in return?” — Homer Simpson

    Seems appropriate here whether spoken in mock outrage by either the White House or the GOP caucus.

    Murderous dipshits, all.

  • I’ve always thought that the “meat and potatoes” of conservatism was hatred. Joe six-pack doesn’t make quite the living he once did and he’s looking for the reasons why. The rich control the media so no one’s pointing out the obvious. He’s left to conclude that it’s either:

    a) n1&&er5.
    b) Mexicans.
    c) Da Gubment.
    d) Gawd’s wrath over homos and abortions.

  • King is not alone among prominent conservates in this line of thinking. A couple of years ago, Abraham Foxman, the head of the Anti-Defamation League, gave a speech in which he criticized some religious right organizations. Media Matters posted an excerpt from an radio show in which Donald Wildmon, who founded the religious right group American Family Association, said something to the effect that religious conservatives like himself would stop supporting Israel if Foxman continued this line of criticism.

  • Ummm…Dee, you might wish to revisit your comments on Canada. The only way any shipping gets through to the Great Lakes is by way of Canada—and the first countermeasure to any American invasion would have to be disabling the locks on the Welland Canal.

    But look at the bright side. The GOP has spent four years arguing that Iraq is central to America’s national security—and now their leadership has added “a price caveat” to protecting America. Tell us again—who’s “Soft on Terror?”

  • Until you go after employers, no immigration bill will be effective.
    Make illegal immigrants more expensive than domestic workers and you won’t need to deport anyone. They’ll buy bus tickets tomorrow.
    The GOP knows this but they talk about security fences and national IDs instead. Gosh, I wonder why.

    They’re serious about immigration like they’re serious about security.

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