Romney Kicks Off Hispanic Outreach Effort With Full-Throated Attack On ‘Amnesty’

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

Mitt Romney did not say anything new on immigration in a Monday speech billed by his campaign as an example of a new specifics-oriented push from the campaign. Instead, Romney reasserted stances that Hispanic advocates say have kept him way back in the polls.

Romney reiterated many of his existing views on immigration to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Monday. The only real difference following his campaign’s promise to offer more specifics on a raft of issues this week was a harsher tone than he’s used before.

When Romney spoke at the NALEO conference in June, he attacked President Obama’s executive order enacting parts of the DREAM Act, and promised to make it easier for legal immigrants to navigate the system. He did the same thing Monday before the Hispanic Chamber, and he also threw around a hot-button word in the immigration fight.

“I oppose amnesty, because amnesty will make it harder, not easier to strengthen our legal immigration system,” Romney said. It’s not a new stance: Romney’s opposition to “amnesty” has been a cornerstone of his campaign so far.

Romney did not mention “amnesty” at NALEO. The word tends to turn off Latino advocates, and Democrats say the term is basically meaningless to the current debate.

Read more: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/romney-kicks-off-hispanic-outreach-week-with-full-throated-attack-on-amnesty.php?ref=fpb

[mwooldri]

1. Mr. Foot, meet Mr. Mouth. n/t

[Wilms]

2. This is what he said of Hispanics on the recently revealed recording:

"We are having a much harder time with Hispanic voters, and if the Hispanic voting bloc becomes as committed to the Democrats as the African-American voting block has in the past, why, we're in trouble as a party and, I think, as a nation," Romney said.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021363494

[progressivebydesign]

3. wow. that's pretty stunning. He thinks we're in trouble as a nation if the hispanics vote? n/t

[pampango]

4. The Right-Wing Playbook on Immigration Reform - Strategy 6: Stop Reform by Shouting 'Amnesty'

"Previewing the Right-Wing Playbook on Immigration Reform" from People for the American Way

Opponents of any legislation that would provide an earned path to citizenship grabbed onto the word "amnesty" and plastered it even on legislation that required fines and significant other requirements for law-abiding immigrants to earn a path to citizenship. Decrying "amnesty" became a way to oppose any reform short of mass deportation without saying so directly, and we should expect "no amnesty" to be a rallying cry of those who oppose any responsible approach to reform. Indeed, Pat Buchanan has written, "'Comprehensive' is the code word for amnesty." He has insisted that "America is now risking national suicide…if a path to citizenship becomes law, nothing will stop the next invasion."

http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/previewing-the-right-wing-playbook-immigration-reform#strategy6

[L0oniX]

5. Throw away the Etch-A-Sketch ...this fuck will need a new foot ...and more bullets.