Kris Kobach strikes again
Barb ShellyKansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who rarely seems to be in Kansas, has been in Tampa, Fla., this week making his mark on the Republican Party’s platform.
Kobach being Kobach, that means a harsh stand on illegal immigration.
According to Politico, Kobach convinced the GOP platform committee to add two controversial measures that weren’t in the original draft: no in-state college tuition for undocumented students and a crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities.
Kobach told the committee the positions were “consistent with the Romney campaign.” “As you all remember, one of the primary reasons that Governor Romney rose past Governor Perry when Mr. Perry was achieving first place in the polls was because of his opposition to in-state tuition for illegal aliens,” he said.
Somewhere, I can picture Romney wincing. After appearing with Kobach during the primaries, he’s been distancing himself from the lawyer since.
As is his way, Kobach glibly rattled off a statement that is at best dubious and at worst an outright falsehood.
We recognize that if you really want to create a job tomorrow, you can remove an illegal alien today,” he said, according to Politico. “That is the way to open up jobs very quickly for U.S. citizen workers and lawfully admitted alien workers.”
Somebody might want to ask Alabama farmers about that. Since the state passed a law designed to harass illegal immigrants until they moved away, farmers have seen crops rot in the fields due to a labor shortage.
Kobach got his way with the platform committee, as he has with Kansas voters and a number of state legislatures. So the GOP will open its convention with a platform destined to repel Latino voters.
George Hunsucker
Northland
9 months agoWrong AGAIN ms. shelly. These are not “undocumented students”, these are ILLEGAL ALIENS and “sanctuary cities” are merely open border zealots ignoring U.S. law.
ILLEGAL ALIENS should received no govt. benefits of any sort. Sancuary cities should certainly not receive any federal money since they are openly breaking the law—but that’s OK, isn’t it?
ILLEGAL ALIENS here should get a work visa, for a hefty fee, and be allowed to stay unless they commit a felony. Troops coming home should be stationed on our southern border to stop the flow of people coming to America and breaking our laws.
Phil Cardarella
9 months agoApparently Kris lies awake at night worried that there may still be one Hispanic voter who is leaning toward Romney.
Although I am glad to see that Georgie has now adopted a broad amnesty policy, I am still concerned that anyone insists on referring to fellow human beings — even those who grew up in our cities, attended our schools and are bright, law-abiding patriotic and culturally American who happen not to have citizenship papers through no fault of their own — as “illegal aliens.”
Dehumanizing makes it easier to be mean, right?
ET was an “alien”. These are very much our kids.
George Hunsucker
Northland
9 months agoeven border agents are fed-up with this coddling of ILLEGAL ALIENS
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/23/immigration-agents-sue-stop-obamas-non-deportation/
Mark Hastert
9 months agoFirst insult women, now Hispanics. Maybe they can add some plank to insult Asians while they’re at it. They seem to be intent upon accelerating the demographics against them. Add to that their war on gays, science and education and you’ve got the makings of a party composed of all white, male, ignoramuses.
Steven Fetter
66223
9 months agoObama has touted his record on deporting more illegals than Bush. Is this part of the war?
Exponential improvement in crop yields via genetic improvements in seed and herbicides have been denounced by many of the far left. Nuclear power misinformation, ethanol mandates for supposed green benefits, and unsupported claims regarding the environment have been commonplace by the Democrats. Is this part of the war on science?
Being against gay marriage is not the same as anti gay. Did Obama and the Democratic party wage war until 3 months ago on gays?
I would submit the the city of Kansas City has waged war on education over the past 40 years. If being against federal involvement in education and for choice of schools via vouchers is war, then I will plead guilty on that charge.
Look very closely in the mirror before demonizing those that do not agree with your views. As a white, GOP male, I take offense of your name calling Mr. Hastert.
George Hunsucker
Northland
9 months agonice touch star… phil the lawyer can denigrate me, I cannot respond….
nice lib touch!!!!
Mark Hastert
9 months agoGee Steve, I don’t know…
I’ll bet being stopped and asked to present your papers would annoy any legal Hispanic looking citizens. (it sure does black folks)
Being told you can’t have an abortion without having an unnecessary medical procedure or something stuck in your lady parts and restricting access to health screenings for poor women and those without insurance might be perceived as antagonistic toward the fairer sex.
Being told you can’t get married and have a family with the person of your choice because of another’s religious beliefs could be pretty aggravating too.
Denying the best scientific evidence on issues and denigrating education (see Rick Santorum and the Texas School Board for just two examples) seems pretty hostile to education.
In all, especially in view of demographic shifts, I’d say the the Republican Party is well on it’s way to becoming an party of grumpy old, white, male, ignoramuses as a matter of policy. It’s a decision that the party has made, not me. That’s not meant to be an insult. It’s a prediction.