Rep. Bob Inglis on the Mike Pence immigration plan, the future of our party, and the Presidential 2008 debate
This past week I was privileged to attend a town hall meeting where South Carolina Congressman Bob Inglis was meeting with local constituents. Bob Inglis is doing several “walk talks” in his district to discuss the important issues facing our nation. Getting there early I was forced to sit in the back of the already packed room. Before Bob was even finished saying a few opening remarks, a lady quickly raised her hand and asked Bob what he was doing about our nation’s immigration problem.
Bob then asked the crowd how many people wanted to discuss immigration and without fail nearly the entire crowd raised their hands. Bob then set aside nearly an hour of the hour and a half meeting to discuss immigration. There were several in the crowd who were trying to hit Bob hard with the fact that the Senate is trying to pass amnesty. There were several loud paleo-conservatives in the crowd who expressed wanting to send all the immigrants home and seal our border to never allow another immigrant in our nation again. Without knowing, many in the crowd expressed their support for a plan such as the recently proposed Pence plan that puts security first, seals the border, implements tough employer sanctions and sends all twelve million illegal aliens home then allowing some who apply legally back in. Inglis concurred, and calmly and coolly stated his case that “America is too young to die.” Inglis believes there is room for legal immigrants to come to our wilderness shores.
Rep. Inglis spoke of Pence’s plan as the second most conservative plan out there short of mass deportations and he spoke as if the plan was credible and viable. As for his preference, he said that his views were to the left of Pence’s bill on immigration but not quite as liberal as the Senate bill. Judging by the reaction of the crowd Pence’s bill will be acceptable because first and foremost the American people want a secure border and they are not as “hawkish” on prison time or other punishment for illegals.
In fact Rep. Mike Pence is becoming an increasingly visible and popular topic in South Carolina. After the town hall one very high ranking official in the Greenville Republican party spoke very highly of Congressman Pence. They had received a letter from the Draft Pence movement and they were intrigued by the possibility and were “investigating” the Congressman very thoroughly. This official is strongly opposed to Senator McCain and moderate\liberal Republicans as a whole and is looking for an alternative.
On the topic of President 2008 Inglis said he hope the debate will be centered on Medicare\healthcare reform and entitlement spending. That entitlement spending and healthcare if not dealt with now, could deal a crippling blow to the America of our Children and Grandchildren. He said no other issues are more important long term. He vaguely hinted that he thought it was unlikely anyone currently in the field would have the courage to be bold but that he was optimistic someone could emerge.
At the end of the evening, Bob closed the session by stating that we are neither the party of Buchanan nor Irving Kristol by saying “I am a Reagan conservative. I am not a neo-con who believes using big government for our purposes.” Then he lamented on the choice between Reaganism and Buchanism as he raised his right hand in the air and said, “If I have to choose between Pat Buchanan (and then he raised his left hand) or Ronald Reagan, I will choose Ronald Reagan every time!” He then reiterated that America was too young to die and those who consumed with negativism are planning a strategy that will lead us back to the minority party. Inglis we must follow the Reagan model to hope for any future of this party. The crowd went wild, with clapping hands and loud cheers. Of course there were your stubborn Buchananites who were giving the evil eye to Bob, but it was over. Inglis had won the crowd over.
That choice remains for us today. Are we the party of Reagan whose sunny optimism steadily disarmed the enemy while we make the case on what we stand FOR? Or are we the party of negativism who lends false credibility to our enemy’s arguments against conservatism? For me, I will stick with the Gipper.
Bob then asked the crowd how many people wanted to discuss immigration and without fail nearly the entire crowd raised their hands. Bob then set aside nearly an hour of the hour and a half meeting to discuss immigration. There were several in the crowd who were trying to hit Bob hard with the fact that the Senate is trying to pass amnesty. There were several loud paleo-conservatives in the crowd who expressed wanting to send all the immigrants home and seal our border to never allow another immigrant in our nation again. Without knowing, many in the crowd expressed their support for a plan such as the recently proposed Pence plan that puts security first, seals the border, implements tough employer sanctions and sends all twelve million illegal aliens home then allowing some who apply legally back in. Inglis concurred, and calmly and coolly stated his case that “America is too young to die.” Inglis believes there is room for legal immigrants to come to our wilderness shores.
Rep. Inglis spoke of Pence’s plan as the second most conservative plan out there short of mass deportations and he spoke as if the plan was credible and viable. As for his preference, he said that his views were to the left of Pence’s bill on immigration but not quite as liberal as the Senate bill. Judging by the reaction of the crowd Pence’s bill will be acceptable because first and foremost the American people want a secure border and they are not as “hawkish” on prison time or other punishment for illegals.
In fact Rep. Mike Pence is becoming an increasingly visible and popular topic in South Carolina. After the town hall one very high ranking official in the Greenville Republican party spoke very highly of Congressman Pence. They had received a letter from the Draft Pence movement and they were intrigued by the possibility and were “investigating” the Congressman very thoroughly. This official is strongly opposed to Senator McCain and moderate\liberal Republicans as a whole and is looking for an alternative.
On the topic of President 2008 Inglis said he hope the debate will be centered on Medicare\healthcare reform and entitlement spending. That entitlement spending and healthcare if not dealt with now, could deal a crippling blow to the America of our Children and Grandchildren. He said no other issues are more important long term. He vaguely hinted that he thought it was unlikely anyone currently in the field would have the courage to be bold but that he was optimistic someone could emerge.
At the end of the evening, Bob closed the session by stating that we are neither the party of Buchanan nor Irving Kristol by saying “I am a Reagan conservative. I am not a neo-con who believes using big government for our purposes.” Then he lamented on the choice between Reaganism and Buchanism as he raised his right hand in the air and said, “If I have to choose between Pat Buchanan (and then he raised his left hand) or Ronald Reagan, I will choose Ronald Reagan every time!” He then reiterated that America was too young to die and those who consumed with negativism are planning a strategy that will lead us back to the minority party. Inglis we must follow the Reagan model to hope for any future of this party. The crowd went wild, with clapping hands and loud cheers. Of course there were your stubborn Buchananites who were giving the evil eye to Bob, but it was over. Inglis had won the crowd over.
That choice remains for us today. Are we the party of Reagan whose sunny optimism steadily disarmed the enemy while we make the case on what we stand FOR? Or are we the party of negativism who lends false credibility to our enemy’s arguments against conservatism? For me, I will stick with the Gipper.
posted by SCGOP at 6:26 AM
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