Rand Paul, speaking for the tea party, says party should be pro-immigrant
When he delivers the "tea party" response to President Obama's State of the Union address tonight, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., will urge conservatives to embrace immigrants, suggesting the tea party message will be fairly in sync with the official Republican response.
"We are the party that embraces hard work and ingenuity, therefore we must be the party that embraces the immigrant who wants to come to America for a better future," Paul will say, according to an excerpt from his speech he posted on Facebook. "We must be the party who sees immigrants as assets, not liabilities. We must be the party that says, 'If you want to work, if you want to become an American, we welcome you.'"
After Mr. Obama speaks before a joint session of Congress tonight, Paul will deliver the third "official Tea Party State of the Union response," sponsored by the grassroots group the Tea Party Express.
Meanwhile, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. -- who, like Paul, was elected in 2010 with the backing of the Tea Party -- will deliver the Republican Party's official response tonight. Rubio's speech will will focus on the middle class, his aides tell CBS News. "This opportunity - to make it to the middle class or beyond no matter where you start out in life - it isn't bestowed on us from Washington," he'll say, according to excerpts of his speech. However, Rubio will also make a direct appeal to Latinos tonight, delivering his speech in both English and Spanish.
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Rubio is part of a bipartisan team of senators attempting to craft comprehensive immigration reform legislation. A number of Republicans in both the House and the Senate have expressed interest in pursuing immigration reform, even as the tea party remains focused on fiscal issues.
Paul, in his remarks, will illustrate just how committed the tea party is to spending cuts: According to additional excerpts released, Paul will say the $1.2 trillion "sequester" cuts that have both Democrats and Republicans concerned should, in fact, be at least $4 trillion. "Both parties will have to agree to cut, or we will never fix our fiscal mess," he'll say.
He'll also dole out criticism to both Democrats and Republicans: "Both parties have been guilty of spending too much, of protecting their sacred cows, of backroom deals in which everyone up here wins, but every taxpayer loses," his prepared remarks say.
While Rubio's remarks are focused on the middle class, he will also endorse some conservative ideas, such as an amendment to the Constitution requiring Congress to balance the federal budget. "We need a balanced budget amendment," his prepared remarks say. "The biggest obstacles to balancing the budget are programs where spending is already locked in."
The Tea Party Express said in a release that the group is pleased Rubio will be speaking for the Republican Party tonight. "Both Senator Rubio and Senator Paul will articulate pro-growth, fiscally responsible messages that will resonate with the American people," the release said.
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I used to live in an apt complex that was 50% college students and 50% middle class working class families. After about a year of living there, the place was sold to a new company. They started renting to a lot of single Spanish men, some of whom were living 8 or 10 in a three bedroom apt.
It was my neighbor from Mexico who clued me in that they were illegals!
And the legal families hated those guys. They caused a lot of trouble for the legals. They started a lot of fights, they tried to hit on all the single women, and some who were NOT single, we had a lot of break ins and even a few assaults. Ultimately because of that going on, the police started stopping everyone who looked 'illegal' in our part of town, usually for minor traffic stuff, just trying to get those folks out of the area.
I'm not trying to stereotype. If it hadn't been for my neighbor, I too would have thought they were legal, and just low lifes. But young guys, away from home, in large groups, with little family around often go a little crazy. And IF you think I'm wrong, go drive by the Freshman Dorms at good ol' State U, on the Saturdays where there's a home game!
I predict young white guys, away from home, in large groups, with little family around, drunk, and causing trouble!
Where the "rub" is where do you draw the line with illegal entry to your country? Essentially what Obama is saying, let's turn a blind eye to immigration control at airports, ports, and borders. In other words, we don't control our borders. Oh, great idea...
What Repubs are saying, let's just do what we need to do and protect and control the borders then let's find out how we work with those who have been here for years that value add the country.
Why does the media attempt to spin immigration in total and fail to define the definition between LEGAL immigration and illegal immigration...
Stephanie... could be better.
What Repubs are saying, let's just do what we need to do and protect and control the borders then let's find out how we work with those who have been here for years that value add the country.
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Where do you get that from? Certainly not from their policies.