Slate's John Dickerson: Immigration Reform and Competing GOP Visions of Death

The GOP

Slate's John Dickerson takes a look at the continuing GOP dilemma on immigration reform.  He summarizes of substance of the joint editorial of National Review and The Weekly Standard, a statement penned by the respective editors Rich Lowry and Bill Kristol.   In short, Lowry and Kristol call on the Republican House to reject categorically the immigration bill passed by the U.S. Senate.

Dickerson notes that, within the Republican Party, there are now two forms of party death-fear. One version is the Lindsey Graham school which fears a demographic "death spiral" for the GOP if immigration reform fails to pass.  The other manifestation of Republican fear of death is the one often heard on the Tea Party rate, namely that a significant increase in Latino citizenship will render the death of the GOP.

An escalation of rightwing anti-immigration rhetoric will likely occur within Republican ranks, concludes Dickerson, should the GOP leadership follow Lowry and Kristol's advice.

Slate's John Dickerson: The Republican Immigration Problem

"Republicans don’t always look good when debating immigration reform. They get emotional, judge each other's motives, and generally provide Democrats with opportunities to point fingers at them. Republicans on both sides of the issue point to the trouble the GOP has had talking about immigration in the past. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado is blamed for years of immigrant bashing that made the party look intolerant. In the 2012 GOP primary, the unresolved immigration issue caused a rolling fracas between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. When Romney came out for 'self-deportation,' many in the party believe it defined Romney and the GOP as cold and unwelcoming."

------John Dickerson, Slate