Rubio thinks immigration bill in good shape; Graham says a GOP block would add to party’s 'death spiral'

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

The top Republican crafting the Senate’s sweeping immigration-reform legislation acknowledged Sunday the bill still has flaws, while a fellow GOP senator said their party blocking its passage will only add to their “demographic death spiral.”

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and potential 2016 presidential candidate, said roughly 95 percent of the bill is in “perfect shape” and that the full chamber debates are off to a good start.

However, he expressed concerns about whether the legislation ensures adequate border security and said Americans have “valid issues” about the matter.

"The vast majority of Americans, the vast majority of conservative Republicans, are prepared to support immigration reform, but only if we can ensure that we're not going to have another wave of illegal immigration in the future," he told ABC’s “This Week."

He declined to say whether he would vote for the measure unless changes are made.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who also helped write the bipartisan immigration bill, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that conservatives trying to block the measure will doom the party and all but guarantee a Democrat will remain in the White House after the 2016 elections.

"After eight years of President Obama's economic policies, and quite frankly foreign policy, people are going to be looking around," he said. "But if we don't pass immigration reform, if we don't get it off the table in a reasonable, practical way, it doesn't matter who you run in 2016. We're in a demographic death spiral as a party and the only way we can get back in good graces with the Hispanic community in my view is pass comprehensive immigration reform. If you don't do that, it really doesn't matter who we run."

________

 

Reality check, or more of the Stupid Party?

[Draggingtree]

The Benefit of the Doubt and Marco Rubio

By: Erick Erickson (Diary) | June 17th, 2013 at 09:45 AM

Believe it or not, I agree with Marco Rubio on much of the immigration issue, but I think the actual legislation produced is a bad piece of legislation not worth supporting. I know many of you are deeply hostile towards him now and the quote that lingered much of yesterday from an aide was not helpful.

 

As I noted in that post, I doubt, and you should doubt, that Marco Rubio believes that quote. Anyone who has heard him speak of his experience should doubt it. But the quote from the aide is problematic for him.

 

This morning the Senator reached out about the context of the quote.

According to Senator Rubio:

http://www.redstate.com/2013/06/17/the-benefit-of-the-doubt-and-marco-rubio/

 

[Draggingtree]

Rubio The Rubber Duckie What's up with all the Rubio worship? It's getting creepy to watch the denial we are seeing in conservatives

By: westcoastpatriette (Diary) | June 17th, 2013 at 08:42 PM

This is getting a little frightening and comical at the same time. Rubio bobs around the political atmosphere like a little rubber duckie — lying and changing his spots each day with all the audacity of the worst liberal we have ever despised — and stalwart conservatives are so mesmerized by the charming little duck that they are unable to face what is taking place.

 

I think we are witnessing a breakdown of sorts. A denial and inability to handle the truth as Rubio’s betrayals and lies go through a near daily metamorphosis. What is it about Rubio that is causing so many to resist accepting that the man is not who they thought he was? Is it me or are we watching a kind of fear or horror grip those who are witnessing the contradictions in Rubio’s behavior?

 

Human beings are capable of great evil and self-deception. There must be something going on that is different with Rubio, though. I don’t fully understand it and it’s giving me the creeps. http://www.redstate.com/westcoastpatriette/2013/06/17/rubio-the-rubber-duckie/

[Draggingtree]

June 17, 2013 2:00 PM

Rubio’s Folly, Cont.

By The Editors

It is painful to watch Marco Rubio’s maneuverings on immigration. He is refusing to say whether he will vote “yes” on his own Gang of Eight bill after spending months drafting, defending, and helping shepherd it to the floor. He has supposedly discovered that the enforcement provisions are inadequate, although he has done countless interviews touting that the bill contains the “toughest immigration-enforcement measures in the history of United States” (which is what his website still says). At the same time, Rubio declares the bill 95–96 percent perfect.

 

This is all very confusing, but perhaps we can help the senator get his story straight: He should vote against the bill. It is an amnesty-first, enforcement-maybe program drawn up mainly to reflect the priorities of 11 million citizens of other countries rather than the concerns of more than 300 million citizens of the United States.

 

Most of the so-called security triggers in the bill are paper tigers. The requirement that those applying for amnesty have clean criminal records in fact allows for two misdemeanor convictions and, like most of the triggers, can be waived by the Department of Homeland Security. Senator John Cornyn of Texas has sought to have those with drunk-driving convictions excluded, but he is meeting resistance http://www.nationalreview.com/node/351212/print