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I think you missed the point of Trump’s emphasis on MS-13 when he was discussing immigration. You wanted him to make a milquetoast statement about how illegal aliens were breaking the law and breaking the law is wrong. I am sorry, but that does not resonate. Americans break the law every day. Have you ever speeded? Then you have broken the law.
What Trump did with the emphasis on MS-13 was show the consequences of disregarding the law. Dead teenage girls. The girls parents provided a visceral image. Every parent could look at those four and say “there but for the grace of God go I.” And Trump linked that with illegal immigration showing how disregard for immigration laws led to violent criminals being allowed entry into this country. And underscored his point with the Democrats’ reaction to his message. They sat on their hands.
That moment was a twofer: “This is why we need to control illegal immigration” and “The Democrats don’t care if your kids die, so long as illegal immigration brings them an electoral edge.”
Powerful and game-changing.
COMPLETELY disagree (which is what makes it so fun!) Using MS-13 as the starting point for talking immigration forces Democrats (and you need 9 of them in the Senate) to give tacit approval to the “Mexico sends us its rapists!” meme that is a) empirically crap; b)extremely off=putting. Must smarter is to talk about immigration arguments that a strong but don’t make it harder for Dems to cut a deal. (jobs, wages, fairness, etc)
Do you want a Wall or not?
This didn’t help.
It did help. MS13 is the unintended consequence of good intentions. If we are going to convince the public that we need to enforce and strengthen our immigration laws, it is the unintended consequences that show this, not the class valedictorian dreamers.
I do, but I am patient. I can wait until 2019. There is an election in November. Trump is doing rope-a-dope, luring the Democrats into holding positions increasingly unpopular in most of the country.
If the Democrats want to die on the hill of intransigence and resistance, bring it on. The more extreme they become the more likely are Republican gains in the Senate and Republicans holding the House. If the Democrats are foolish enough to run full bore on a platform of being anti-America, anti-family, anti-job creation and pro-gang the Republicans will not need to eliminate the filibuster in 2019 – they will have 60 votes in the Senate.
Is that likely? Not now, but lets see how many more times Trump can get Black Caucus members to sit on their hands instead of applauding when record-low Black unemployment is announced. Lets see how many times he can get Democrats to say using the world “America” is racist. That we need to get rid of the tax cut because it is hurting the economy.
From New England what he said may not look helpful, but he is not looking to pick up seats in New England. He probably cannot, anyway. He is looking for Rust Belt votes, and Plains states votes, and votes in the Southwest.
Michael,
I commend your ability not to laugh in the face of your progressive compatriot, although I sense it was getting difficult for you about the point she started explaining how Americans aren’t Dreamers.
And to think, she fully buys into this.
Keep up the good work; your show is always enjoyable.
Chris
A lot of progressives are saying, “BUT immigrants commit less crime than native born Americans.”
Trump’s problem is with ILLEGAL immigrants and MS13 gang members or criminal immigrants. Last I checked, every ILLEGAL immigrant is guilty of at least one crime–that is ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION and probably many other crimes such as identity fraud, driving without a license, etc. That means that the percentage of illegal immigrants who commit crime is 100%!…and quite obviously, when speaking of criminal immigrants or MS13 gang members the rate is also 100%.
The interview with Zerlena? was not enlightening. She had mostly exaggerations and rabble rousing rhetoric for the other side. If I’m going to listen to someone from the other side, I would prefer attempts at reasoned arguments. But perhaps she’s the most reasoned person on the other side. :)
But I do enjoy demagogues I agree with.
I was very disappointed when you did not challenge Zerlina Maxwell’s blatant lie, i. e. “Immigrants commit fewer crimes than regular Americans.” That is absolutely untrue of illegal aliens, and you let her get away with it.
Furthermore, you let her make idiotic statements about “Dreamers”, without saying a word about the way leftists are continually corrupting the English language. You might have pointed out that there is no trademark on the word “dreamer”.
I understand why you want to present more than one side, but Zerlina Maxwell is on the side of drivel.
Take out “always” and I agree with this. His show is usually enjoyable.