In 2008, Tom Tancredo was a long shot candidate but one of his signature issues has always been illegal immigration.
For those who strongly oppose illegal immigration, the GOP field this time around may not be the strongest.
When Rick Perry got into the Republican presidential race, many party conservatives rejoiced that they had found their candidate. But not the party's vocal immigration hard-liners. On their issue, they rate the Texas governor slightly worse than the rest of the GOP presidential hopefuls.
“We pulled everything we could get on Perry and immigration, and it came out to a D-minus,” said NumbersUSA Executive Director Roy Beck, who advocates for limited immigration into the United States.
Proponents of tighter immigration restrictions have been a powerful force in the past, foiling then-President George W. Bush's hopes of enacting a bipartisan overhaul of the nation's immigration laws and fueling the career of Lou Dobbs. In the upcoming presidential campaign, however, they appear to be a constituency with out a candidacy. On immigration, says Beck, "the Republican candidates and [President] Obama are virtually the same.”
For Republicans, immigration sits apart from other red-meat issues—such a abortion, gay marriage, or government spending—that can solidify their identities are rock-solid conservatives. Everyone can agree that border security is important; but beyond that, the policies get fuzzy. Perry and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman consistently have supported in-state tuition for undocumented students. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has spoken in favor of high-skilled work visas. There's no one in the field like former Rep. Tom Tancredo, who ran for the presidency in 2008 on a get-tough-on-immigration platform. The former Colorado lawmaker has, however, founded the American Legacy Alliance, which recently filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to create a super PAC able to raise money in unlimited amounts to make independent election expenditures.
But without a Tancredo-like presence in the presidential race, it may not make much of a difference how the candidates differ on the nuances of immigration. Voters will be looking at other issues.
The people who want limited U.S. immigration are tough to please, and they don’t see any champions of their cause among those seeking the GOP nomination. Perry is in good company. NumbersUSA also gave D-minuses to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Huntsman, and Romney. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., got a B. Former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain got a C-minus. Obama received an F-minus.
Of all of the major candidates for President, only Michele Bachmann got a “B”. Cain is second with a “C-minus” which isn’t good and everyone else goes down hill from there.
The simple truth is, illegals are taking jobs that Americans could do. Go to a restaurant and see if anyone in the kitchen speaks English. Go to your average McDonalds and if you order anything other than a basic quarter pounder with cheese, you are out of luck unless you speak Spanish. And I do not care what these companies, like McDonalds say, you cannot tell me someone in their thirties or forties who is working in those restaurants and who can barely speak a word of English is legal.
One of the fastest cures for the economy and stimulating employment would be some actual enforcement and opening those jobs to Americans. Most Americans probably would not be thrilled with a job that entails asking, “would you like fries with that?” However, a job is better than no job at all.
At least one of the Presidential candidates seems to get that.
Tags: 2012, bachmann, election, illegal, immigration, michele, presidential
Permalink Reply by Ralph Kennard Sr, on Permalink Reply by hunters821 on 
Permalink Reply by Dan Conyers on https://www.numbersusa.com/content/action/2012-presidential-hopeful...
NumbersUSA says it all -
Bachmann - B-
Cain - C-
Perry - D-
Romney - D-
Ron Paul - F
The rest are below a D
I live in Phx, AZ (the southern front) and I'm voting Bachmann. i hope the rest of the Tea Party and the Repubs can join us.
Permalink Reply by Tim Marvin on 
Permalink Reply by Derek Weygandt on Permalink Reply by Derek Weygandt on 
Permalink Reply by james stamulis on 
Permalink Reply by Richard Curtis on 
Permalink Reply by John Sherman on I feel we have to do more than stop illegal immigration - we should also cut down on legal immigrants. Everywhere I go I see Spanish, Indian, Chinese, Muslim, etc immigrants. I'm beginning to feel like a minority the country I was born and raised in. Furthermore, I gave 4 years of my life serving in the military - how many of these free-loaders served in our military?
These aliens add to an already over-populated country, increasing polution (they all drive cars, don't they?), and use up what precious natural resources this country has.
We need a president that will stop illegal immigration, reduce legal immigration, create jobs, reduce energy dependency, prevent jobs from being sent overseas, and maybe do what President Kennedy did - challenge Americans to be stronger.
Oh - yeah - and not be so concerned with "political correctness". I think that's being way overdone in this country.
Permalink Reply by Suzette Rodgers on Permalink Reply by Glenn Byron Jones Sr. on © 2013 Created by Judson Phillips.
