Gracious! Even writing the above question startles me!
Just a few precious years ago, when I still worked as a political consultant, nobody—nobody—would have believed the latter to be even a remote possibility.
Charlton Heston calling Rosie O' Donnell and asking her to be the new face of the NRA—and O' Donnell taking the job—would not shock me as much as any Democrat being tougher than any Republican on illegal immigration.
But times are a changin'!
Before I begin, I must disclose some relevant bias:
I love Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA)!! Love, love, love this man!
Of course, VDARE.com does not endorse candidates—we just tell you who seems to work well for immigration reform and who seems to have, well…dedicated their souls to the Dark Side.
Hunter announced his candidacy for President last week while touring the state of South Carolina—the state which has had an uncanny ability to pick the eventual GOP nominee in every recent Presidential election.
Other names being tossed about (some declared, some still exploring) include former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senators McCain, Brownback, Clinton, Obama and Kerry. And, of course, Tom Tancredo.
(Last I heard, John Kerry dropped out but I don't want to jinx anything by celebrating too soon!! I don't know what we'll do without a little Kerry Kharisma to liven up the debates. But maybe Al Gore or Sesame Street's Snuffleupagus will make a surprise appearance.)
As far as I am concerned, the issue which separates the men from the boys or women from the girls (or mammals from the reptiles in some cases) is most definitely—immigration reform.
And, by the way, anyone interested in still having an America by the year 2020 should share my sentiment.
As VDARE.COM has mentioned in many, many articles, a group called Americans for Better Immigration (ABI) have graded politicians on immigration for years.
From overall immigration reduction to border enforcement and welfare programs, ABI examine all aspects a Member's voting record before issuing an overall rating.
Let's look at the ratings for some of our Presidential hopefuls:
Duncan Hunter Career: A+ Current: B+
Since 1993, Hunter has maintained more or less an A average. His current B+ average is largely due to his failure to reduce foreign worker visas.
His overall immigration reform score (97%) equals that of the great Tom Tancredo and only two Members of Congress have better records: JoAnn Emerson (R-MO) and Gresham J. Barrett (R-SC) with 98% and 99%, respectively.
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) Career: D Current: D-
Not surprising to anyone, this maverick Republican (also known as a Democrat) received an overall rating of 25%.
Senator Brownback (R-KS) Career: D Current: D
Ouch! This mid-western and generally reliable conservative Senator has an absolutely abysmal rating of 22%!!
By the way, bad news if you're attracted by anti-war maverick Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Ne):
Career: D- Current: D
Now for a little perspective, folks:
Liberal Members of Congress (from both houses) with basically the same grades and in some cases, better grades include:
Joe Biden (D-DE) - D (He has a 26% favorable record.)
John Kerry (D-MA) - D (Un-freakin-believable but the King Lib beats McCain and Brownback with a 27% favorable record.)
John Murtha (D-PA) - D (He has a 27% favorable record.)
Jane Harman (D-CA) - D (Current grade is F but her overall record is higher with a 27% favorable record.)
Barack Obama (D-IL) - D (But better than Brownback and McCain with a 28% favorable record!)
Bill Nelson (D-FL) - B (He has a 72% favorable record!!)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA) - D (She has a 35% favorable record.)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) - D (The Queen Lib has a 40% favorable record.)
John Rockefeller (D-WV) - C (Lordy, a 48% favorable rating!)
Harry Reid (D-NV) - D (It almost hurts to write this but he has a 56% favorable record…better than a lot of supposed conservatives!)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) - D (She tops my liberal list with a 57% favorable rating.)
(Again, for more specific information on their voting records go to the ABI website here.)
You know how sometimes it seems possible to think something into reality? If you repeatedly insist something to be truthful it will in fact become true?
Let me explain…
Like President Clinton re-defining the entire idea of sex simply by repeatedly denying specific episodes—we all know what sex is but that man even had doctors and judges thinking "Well, he didn't actually put this thing there or anything like that so maybe…"
I wish I had that power right now! The power to deny the fact that some of the most liberal and insane women of the California political corral have better records on immigration reform than many supposed Republicans.
(Indeed, with that power I would also be physically smaller in some areas and larger in others…and then I would consider doing something about world peace to show my priorities are in order.)
How does this happen?
How can Barbara Boxer have a better voting record on immigration than John McCain?
How can Jane Harman appear more conservative than Sam Brownback…in any respect?
This is madness! And again, back in the mid-nineties this would never have happened so I ask these questions for what seems to be the millionth time:
My short answers are this:
As far as the next election is looking, I am often asked if the Dems will take the White House or if they will mess things up enough in this Congress to make the GOP appealing once again.
Unfortunately, the behavior of Pelosi's liberal left will have no discernable impact in 2008—so long as the current GOP chooses to maintain a virtually indistinguishable course of action.
That being said, I don't think people like Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo or Jeff Sessions are members of the "current GOP"…
They are members of that new Third Party we keep telling you about…you know, the Party that can win…that will win.
And save America in the process.
Bryanna Bevens [email her] is a political consultant and former chief of staff for a member of the California State Assembly.
