Today, Mitt Romney’s campaign heartily accepted the endorsement of renown anti-immigrant activist, Kris Kobach. As Mitt Romney emerges as the leading contender for the GOP nomination, he and those he affiliates with will garner closer scrutiny, making it critical for Romney’s campaign to understand who Kobach is and why his policies engender such strong emotion.
Kobach and his anti-immigrant cronies are behind much of the draconian anti-immigrant legislation wreaking havoc on the business and economies of Alabama and Arizona. They are driving an extreme ‘attrition through enforcement” immigration agenda that is bad for business and seeks to make life in America so unworkable for the foreign-born that they will pack up and leave. However, the strategy is backfiring and this experimental legislation is driving state economies deeper into recession, locking them into long and costly legal battles, and diminishing state reputations and business opportunities.
The Romney campaign needs to understand that while these anti-immigrant initiatives have served to advance Kobach politically and financially and are supported by the extreme anti-immigrant movement in America, virtually all of them have ended up being costly failures for which taxpayers ultimately foot the bill. Romney touts his pro-business bona fides, however these anti-immigrant policies are anti-business and are should be taken from the state to the federal level or allowed to take hold in other states.
Being anti-immigrant and pursing costly, anti-business policymaking does not appeal to a majority of Americans and will do nothing to repair our economy and bring our nation together.
In the world of political campaigns, the more support you get the better. But it’s important to remember that you are judged by the company you keep. The Romney campaign should carefully consider the impact of embracing extremists and what those budding relationships signal to a range of audiences who are weary of anti-immigrant posturing.
Photo by Gage Skidmore.
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2 comments
Victoria Sethunya
January 13, 2012 at 5:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
A few days ago they made a statement about Obama being “comfortable with Europe” and yet you see in Romney’s campaign the same spirit of Europeanization of America through implementation of “show me your papers” draconian immigration laws prevalent in Europe. This is bigotry on the part of the campaign.
http://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-attacks-obama-too-cozy-europe-154601440.html
http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/28/arizona-immigration-law-health-opinions-columnists-shikha-dalmia_2.html
The anti-immigrant and “racist” spirit as at the heart of Mormon Doctrine makes it difficult to separate Romney political views from Mormonism because certain of his political postures are a revelations in Mormon writings. By the way defenders of the Doctrine say, “Mormons are good people, and so is Romney”. That is besides the point. The concern is the intersection between Romney’s campaign’s anti-immigrant sentiments and his doctrine. Is it an accident? Ask Romney.
http://www.realmormonhistory.com/god&skin.htm#The Ideals of Segregation
I bring segregation here because it has been a tool to remove those who do not belong. Why does this matter? Romney does not support immigration reform. In fact he said several times that “illegal immigrants” (children born and unborn included) are to go back to their countries to the “end of the line” to await immigration services on immigration laws stalled in US Congress.
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/foxs-brett-baier-calls-out-mitt-romney-for-having-same-immigration-stance-as-gingrich/
For voters who are looking for a candidate who has taken a stand on immigration reform and who views immigrants as people duly deserving of human rights, Mitt Romney’s campaign thus far has elicited a contrary position.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53MLqMJMS8c&feature=related
The endorsement of his campaign by Kobach and its acceptance of it is further cement for blocks against sensible approach to immigration reform.
Priscilla Hayes
January 14, 2012 at 5:46 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I think Romney has already shown himself to be anti-immigrant with his sneering remark in the first debate when, regarding undocumented students attending college in Texas, Rick Perry said, “You have to have a heart.” Romney replied, “You have to have a head,” making it clear that he has no sympathy for the Dreamers and their plight.