Presidential candidate Sen. Sam Brownback last night completed his ongoing transition on immigration, embracing the position held by most conservatives that illegal aliens should not be granted a path to citizenship.
"I will not support new paths to citizenship," Brownback, a Kansas Republican, said during last night's debate at Morgan State University in Baltimore when asked how he would handle immigration, if elected.
That's critical because, for many conservatives, granting illegal aliens a path to citizenship outside the current law (which generally requires them to return home and wait) is tantamount to amnesty.
Despite a strong pro-life voting record and a history of siding with social conservatives, Brownback has failed to catch fire with those voters in the Republican primaries.
It's a big step for Brownback, who was listed as one of the original supporters of the 2006 McCain-Kennedy immigration-reform bill and had consistently defended the concept of legalizing illegal aliens with a path to citizenship.
His first change came earlier this year, after Brownback got blasted by Iowa voters for his stance. He announced in April that he no longer supported the 2006 bill, saying he finally had a chance to study it and had concluded it led to too much immigration.
His ambivalence was clear during this year's Senate vote on President Bush's immigration bill, when he voted for it, then switched and voted against it minutes later.
In yesterday's debate Brownback said he supports work-visas instead.
"I do think in the future we should look at different work-visa-type programs as a way to be able to deal with the problem that you're identifying, which is the realistic problem of where we are today," he said.
With the loss of Brownback, that leaves three Republican candidates who are on record supporting a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens, to varying degrees: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mike Huckabee.
-- Stephen Dinan, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (20)
How long? How long will Americans take this cr-p from these politicians? We claim we are free to change that which we do not approve of in this nation. Why are these people allowed to play literally, with the lives of Americans. When will the apathy end and folks like Brownback and the Rino Republicans be forced to find an honest job, like maybe a used car dealer, or bookie?
Posted by Bobby | September 28, 2007 5:28 PM
Brownback is a Washington clown he moves with the tide and has no backbone. He would sell our nation in a heartbeat for votes just like all the Democrates! He is an embarrassment to Kansas.
Posted by m | September 28, 2007 5:30 PM
Reid, Feinstein, and all the others who are trying to ram amnesty down our throats should be run out of the country. Let them go to Mexico and make the wealthy corrupt politicians provide for their people. Mexico is wealthy. The man who "owns"it just passed Bill Gates in wealth.Want proof? Just type in wealthy Mexicans. Hillary is accepting millions of dollars from India and promising them outsourcing will never stop. India is also healthy but its people live in poverty. Just type in India and Hillary Clinton. She is bringing people here from India to take the high tech jobs from Americans. Hillary and "frieds" want to live in a lavish home on the hill and look down on poverty just as the elites in India and Mexico do. There will so be so many terrorists here and in other countries and such a large Muslim population that Osama will arrive in the back of an open convertible. The elites will find then that their money and power won't impress him. He wants us all dead. And with the way he feels about women in power Hillary will probably be the first he beheads
Posted by Margaret | September 28, 2007 5:48 PM
I cannot understand what benefit our congress hopes to aquire by flooding this country with illegal aliens. There must be a large payoff for the likes of Durbin, Ried, McCain are they would not be so involved in pushing this issue. To sell out this nation to foreign interest is a traitor.
Posted by John M Clarke | September 28, 2007 6:48 PM
He supported a bill he hadn't studied! A bill that would destroy America! Now he's had time to study it he has changed his mind, How irresponsible is that? I can't believe what's running this country in Washington! It's time to clean house and put people in office who can read and know what the Constitution says their job is!
Posted by Debbie | September 28, 2007 7:01 PM
Massive unfettered illegal immigration is destroying our nation before our very eyes. Since January of 2001 there has been an incredible forty percent increase in the number of illegal aliens domiciled in the United States. American citizens have been lied to, deceived and tricked by President Bush about border security and his amnesty policies. The President is not to be trusted.....and with good reason. The truth is any Republican candidate corrupt or crazy enough to support giving legal status or amnesty to millions of foreign lawbreakers will not be the GOP nominee in 2008.
Posted by Larry B | September 29, 2007 10:39 AM
I think I read, a few days ago, that Pres. Bush had "GIVEN" hundreds of thousands of Dollars to the Mexican President. I think, if memory serves me correctly, there were no strings attached. If so, why doesn't that President spend some of that money to keep his Mexicans home? And, foremost, why didn't Bush insist that he put some of that money toward building the fence to keep his Mexicans home? I can't help by wonder why Bush has such a love for the illegal Mexicans! We pay his salary; I've never heard of any of them sending him any money. Thank you.
Posted by Eddie V. Edwards, JD | September 29, 2007 8:53 PM
I'm all for ONLY ENGLISH spoken here in the US.
I'm all for giving US Representatives time to read
legislation before voting on the legislation.
I'm all for having Senator Reid join his predessor
in the ranks of "unemployed" from the Senate.
I'm all for having MUCH SHORTER campaigns for any
one running for federal elections. If the present
group of Democrats and Republicans think many
people are REALLY listening to them, well, ha ha!Finally, GOD help the USA if Clinton is elected
president. She's the one who ridiculed the
military when she was First Lady, she's the one
who called the Secret Agents protecting her "PIGS", she's the one who only married Bill
because of his "charisma" and felt it would lead her to the White House. she's unprincipaled!
Posted by Helen L.
Posted by Helen L | September 30, 2007 3:31 PM
"For The Race everything. Outside The Race,
nothing."
Jose Angel Gutierrez, Professor, University of Texas at Arlington and founder of La Raza Unida Party:
"We have an aging white America, they are dying, I love it."
Bill Richardson, former U.S. Congressman, U.N. Ambassador, U.S. Secretary of Energy, and currently Governor of New Mexico:
"There are changing political times where our basic foundations and programs are being attacked, illegal and legal immigration are being unfairly attacked."
http://www.theamericanresistance.com/race_industry/true_agenda_audio.html
......
How To Destroy America
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/lamm.asp
....
http://www.stopthenorthamericanunion.com/
Arizona Rest Area:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/restarea.asp
Posted by DinTN | September 30, 2007 8:50 PM
Until the Grand Old Party purges all of these neo-cons. I am afraid the party is doomed to second rate status for quite some time. Say hallo to national health care, higher taxes, unrestricted abortion (sex determination etc), constant foreign intervention. The 21st century is the Chinese century, not the American century. I am sitting this election out. We deserve Pres. Clinton........
Posted by Bill Conlon | October 1, 2007 8:54 AM
Just one comment to Din TN. Why is Gutierrez still in his aging white American taxpayer paid job? Actually it should be a question for all Americans, shouldn't it? It should also be a question put forth to the Chancellor of the University, right? This stuff is too much. I would Gutierrez a fifth columnist, but he's working right out in the open for a foreign power(Mexico), isn't he?
Posted by Bobby | October 1, 2007 8:33 PM
I have the solution for all these problems. We have to elect Tom Tancredo as our new president, otherwise the America we know is finished. Sorry to be so pessimisstic, but Tancredo is really our last hope to save America. Go to his web site www.teamtancredo.org and you'll understand what I mean.
Posted by Nat | October 2, 2007 10:42 AM
After reading the other comments posted, I am amazed that Tom Tancredo hasn't pulled out in front. This is the man who is speaking out against amnesty, and has stayed true to his convictions.He is a common sense leader, and isn't willing to give our country away like so many others. Wake up America! We have a good man here who is willing to stand up for what is right. Don't let the media run this election.
If Hillary gets in, life as we know it here in the U.S. will be over. Elaine
Posted by Elaine English | October 2, 2007 12:06 PM
Hey everyone, I am another Tom Tancredo Supporter! I am so proud of Tom for standing up for the American People. He cares about the citizens in this country and that is what we need for a president. Please check out his website www.teamtancredo.org. Look at "Tom's Blog" and see what he is up to and what people are saying. If you like what he is trying to do then PLEASE spread the name of Tom Tancredo to whoever you can. GO TOM GO!!! God Bless America!
This is our culture, Fight for it
This is our flag, Pick it up
This is our country, Take it back
-Tom Tancredo, 2008 GOP Presidential Candidate
Posted by Dan | October 2, 2007 12:42 PM
Tom Tancredo is that short fella who stands down at one end in the GOP debates and is hardly called on to comment or answer a question. He is not the most eloquent of the speakers but he is the most passionate. He is the shortest of stature, but he stands head and shoulders above all the rest on the issue of controlling immigration, securing our borders and protecting national sovereignty. If you want those Mexican Trucks stopped from roaring across our highways, if you want that NAFTA Superhighway stopped, if you want trade that is fair and not just free, if you want our country to return to what the founding fathers meant for it to be, we must secure the nomination for Tom in the primary elections. The General Election will take care of itself.
Tell all of your republican friends to vote for Tom. If you live in a state that has closed primary elections, encourage those who have registered as INDEPENDENT, to switch to Republican and vote for Tom. I know many of you have Democrat friends who are no more happy with their top tier than Republicans are with their's. Urge them to switch and vote for Tom.
All of the top tier candidates in both parties are members of the Council on Foreign Relations. If any one of them is elected to be our next POTUS, there will be no turning back. It will not matter whether there is a D or an R after their name. They all have the same agenda regardless of what comes out of their mouth during the campaign.
Posted by Bobbie McAuliffe | October 2, 2007 8:50 PM
There is one conservative, that will secure our borders, enforce our immigration laws, fight for our culture, our flag, and our country...in the entire presidential campaign.
That great American is congressman Tom Tancredo.
WWW. TEAMTANCREDO.com
Posted by Jeff | October 2, 2007 11:49 PM
Elaine English. Tom has not pulled out in front because the Council on Foreign Relations wants one of their own in the oval office making appointments to all of the cabinet positions that are also one of their own, and CFR members own all of the major media outlets.
Just keep supporting Tom. Print one of his brochures from www.teamtancredo.com and copy the contributor form. Make copies of all of this and hand it out to friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. We have to keep spreading the word because MSM is not going to do it.
Posted by msbobbie | October 3, 2007 12:11 AM
I think that America is giving a false dream of freedom and opportunity.
Posted by ellie | October 5, 2007 2:46 PM
The Council on Foreign Relations has set a goal to form a North American Union by the year 2010. Don't sit there shaking your head and saying "That ain't ever gonna happen". It has been happening since Jimmy Carter gave away the Panama Canal, and before. Models for a new flag and a new common currency have been drawn. It is not too late to reverse the direction we are headed in, but we will not have a chance to fix this with the next election if you are not willing to spend a little bit of time and verify what I am telling you, then educate you friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers, then vote for Tom Tancredo in your primary elections.
God Bless the United States of America!
Posted by msbobbie | October 6, 2007 6:55 PM
I have never been involved in politics until I watched last year as illegals paraded through our streets, carrying flags from other countries, DEMANDING THEIR RIGHTS! I was so disgusted. I heard about Congressman Tancredo's stand against illegal immigration. Then, I got involved. I have been a volunteer for his campaign for 8 months. I love this country. I'm proud to be an American and I am willing to fight for my culture, pick up my flag and take back my country! If you know anyone in Iowa who would like to help the Congressman become the next President, here's my email: DebinTancredosArmy@machlink.com Please contact me and help us get Tancredo to the White House in 2008!
Posted by Deb Miller | October 15, 2007 11:55 PM