CHANGED By Force or Willingly, ONE Way or another ; Tucked into the 100-page document -- mostly a compilation of prosaic suggestions such as "reinstitute field finance team structure" and "develop a surrogate list of women" -- are a few crucial sentences about policies Republicans must embrace for the party to remain viable: a path to legal status for illegal immigrants and more acceptance of gay rights.
Republicans "must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform," it concludes. "If we do not, our party's appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only."
Further, the report concludes, Republicans "need to make sure young people do not see the party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view. Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays -- and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the party is a place they want to be."
But in his 27-minute speech at the National Press Club announcing the report, the words "immigration" and "gay" didn't cross Priebus' lips. Questioned by the moderator about whether there is "a need to shift some basic positions on some of the issues," he asserted that there is not. "No," he said, "I think our policies are sound."
After the event, reporters surrounded Priebus to ask him about the report's call for "comprehensive immigration reform" -- shorthand in Washington for a policy that includes legalization. "To some people, that means securing the border; to some people, that means E-Verify," he said, referring to workplace checks of immigration status. "To some people, that means a pathway."
Politico's Jonathan Martin pressed him on legalization, and the chairman bristled.
"You're not going to bulldog me, buddy," Priebus said.
Presumably, he meant "bulldoze," but his response, a felicitous echo of "Don't tase me, bro," is an indication of how bullheaded the party remains on immigration reform.
The report's authors had been assigned to diagnose mechanical problems in the party, not policy problems, but they recognized, correctly, that the hard line on social issues "will limit our ability to attract young people" and women, and that the hard line on immigration repels Latinos: "If Hispanics think that we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies." ...cont/-
CHANGED By Force or Willingly, ONE Way or another ; Tucked into the 100-page document -- mostly a compilation of prosaic suggestions such as "reinstitute field finance team structure" and "develop a surrogate list of women" -- are a few crucial sentences about policies Republicans must embrace for the party to remain viable: a path to legal status for illegal immigrants and more acceptance of gay rights.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans "must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform," it concludes. "If we do not, our party's appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only."
Further, the report concludes, Republicans "need to make sure young people do not see the party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view. Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays -- and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the party is a place they want to be."
But in his 27-minute speech at the National Press Club announcing the report, the words "immigration" and "gay" didn't cross Priebus' lips. Questioned by the moderator about whether there is "a need to shift some basic positions on some of the issues," he asserted that there is not. "No," he said, "I think our policies are sound."
After the event, reporters surrounded Priebus to ask him about the report's call for "comprehensive immigration reform" -- shorthand in Washington for a policy that includes legalization. "To some people, that means securing the border; to some people, that means E-Verify," he said, referring to workplace checks of immigration status. "To some people, that means a pathway."
Politico's Jonathan Martin pressed him on legalization, and the chairman bristled.
"You're not going to bulldog me, buddy," Priebus said.
Presumably, he meant "bulldoze," but his response, a felicitous echo of "Don't tase me, bro," is an indication of how bullheaded the party remains on immigration reform.
The report's authors had been assigned to diagnose mechanical problems in the party, not policy problems, but they recognized, correctly, that the hard line on social issues "will limit our ability to attract young people" and women, and that the hard line on immigration repels Latinos: "If Hispanics think that we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies."
...cont/-