Marietta Daily Journal

September 20, 2011

D.A. King: Perry record on immigration abysmal

Nobody in what remains of our American Republic wants Barack Obama to be a one-term bad memory more than this long-time American. That said, count me as firmly — and now actively — opposed to nominating Texas Gov. Rick Perry to serve as his replacement.

Even with the on-going assistance of the GOP hierarchy and some semi-honest conservative talk-radio hosts, his anti-enforcement record on American immigration laws should have taken him out of the running weeks ago.

A “plain-talking, good-old cowboy” governor of Texas for president. What could go wrong on immigration, si? In 2003, there were only four employers punished for hiring illegal labor. If you liked George W. Bush on immigration enforcement and amnesty, you would adore Perry.

On immigration enforcement, Perry is to the left of Bush. And the left of John McCain. And maybe even the left of Barack Obama.

Let’s make clear something the American media never will: “Immigration” — legal or illegal — is not somehow a separate, unconnected issue from jobs, taxes, national security, education, health care, general quality of life or common national language and values.

A badly needed look at what blind followers with an obvious and amazing herd mentality must ignore to support Perry: It is an undeniable fact that illegal employment is the root cause of most illegal immigration. Most illegal aliens migrate here because they know they can find a job.

They violate our immigration laws for the money.

The illegal employers know they have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being sanctioned for hiring artificially “cheap” black-market labor while Americans stand in the unemployment line.

They violate our immigration laws for the money.

To strike terror into the powerful business lobby (not to mention La Raza), just bring up the possibility of requiring all employers to use the no-cost federal E-Verify system to check their newly hired employees’ eligibility to work here. Use of E-Verify works and severely cuts down on illegal labor. And it raises wages.

In an effort to save jobs, many states — including Georgia — have in place laws that require use of E-Verify. Many more are in the process of passing E-Verify laws.

Even after 11 years of leadership from Gov. Rick Perry, Texas is not one of them.

Despite being having one of the highest illegal alien populations in the nation, Perry, rejecting reality and under strict supervision of Texas business, dismisses E-Verify with the idiotic statement that it “would not make a hill-of-beans difference” in stopping illegal immigration.

He does it for the campaign money.

Perry opposed an Arizona-style immigration law for his state, saying it “would not be the right direction for Texas.” Because it would turn police officers into immigration agents … (duh) a mindless talking point taken directly from La Raza.

Here are some things that Perry never mentions from the Jacksonville, Ill., Courier-Journal: “Texas has the second-highest poverty rate among the 50 states, behind only Mississippi. It has the second-highest percentage of population without a high school diploma. Texas leads the nation in the percentage of people with no health insurance, over one quarter. It is tied with Mississippi for having the biggest percentage of workers paid at or below the minimum wage.”

Such misery didn’t stop Perry from successfully pushing for in-state tuition for illegal aliens in Texas’ post-secondary education system in 2001. Perry never explains why he was forcing Texans to subsidize college education for people who cannot lawfully work in the USA. He did make his “feelings” clear on his action. “Educación es el futuro, y sí se puede.”

Sound familiar?

In last week’s Tea Party debate in Florida, when confronted by fellow Republican presidential candidates for rewarding illegal immigration with state benefits, Perry’s shameless reply was the typical race-baiting, misdirection offered up by the radical leftist, anti-enforcement mob “The bottom line is it doesn’t make any difference what the sound of your last name is …” he whined. The topic was illegal immigration. Nobody mentioned anyone’s name.

He was booed by the audience.

The Boston Globe matter-of-factly notes, “Perry’s positions also reflect the interests of influential Texas businesses — including construction and service-sector companies — which have funded his campaigns and rely on illegal immigrant labor.”

Freaked out by ObamaCare? Me too. But how about “PerryCare“? In 2001, Rick Perry proposed a bi-national Texas health care plan with … Mexico.

I wonder why I don’t hear any of this on “conservative” talk radio?

D.A. King is president of the Cobb-based Dustin Inman Society and a nationally recognized authority on illegal immigration. On the Web: www.TheDustinInmanSociety.org

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