The Former Secretary of State spoke against the party line in an interview with NBC urging his GOP to change tact and support immigration. According to Colin Powell, illegal immigrants should be accepted into society, and moves should be made to open up borders to facilitate legal entry for these men and women. Find out why, and see pictures and video below!
Bush’s former adviser said he is disappointed in the recent Republican political drift further to the right, and says that his party has become too focused on ideology to connect with the voting American. Immigration, he says, must be supported to maintain a youthful population in contrast to aging the populous in Europe nod Japan.
“We can’t be anti-immigration, for example. Because immigrants are fueling this country. Without immigrants [the U.S.] would be like Europe or Japan, with an aging population and no young people coming in to take care of it. We have to educate our immigrants,” said the former Secretary. “They’re all over my house, doing things whenever I call for repairs, and I’m sure you’ve seen them at your house. We’ve got to find a way to bring these people out of the darkness and give them some kind of status.”
According to Colin Powell, illegal immigrants must be assimilated into society, and this approach could gain the Republican Party a large base of fundamental support. Despite his allegiance to the GOP, the former Secretary supported Obama in the last elections, calling the President a ‘transformative figure.’
“Some people don’t like what he has done in transformation,” he said. “And it’s caused him some difficulty. But the fact of the matter is, he did put together a health care reform. It’s not perfect. And I think it’ll have to be fixed over time. And a lot of people are not happy with that health care reform. But he did it.”
But, he says, the President has lost some of his magic when it comes to connecting with the American people. And he thinks that this leaves a door open for the Republicans, if his party plays it smart. “Let’s attack him on policy, not nonsense,” he said, referring to the Tea Party pundits who call Obama a Muslim. The Bush-era Secretary of State says he would like to see the Republicans make a strong comeback in the coming elections, and he’s “not about to give up” hope just yet.
What do you think of the comments of Colin Powell on illegal immigrants? His commentary on the party is being lauded as a refreshing, down-to-earth take on the GOP in a time of grand promise and little delivery. What do you think of his opinion of the Grand Old Party? Let me know in the comment section! And don’t miss the pictures and video below!
Photos: www.wenn.com/D. Salters, PNP
September 21st, 2010 at 4:20 am
Its fun to deal with Mexican immigrants. Usually they are decent with me.
I see them frequently when I go out of my house, mowing lawns and doing yardwork and waiting tables and at fast food places and I used to see them alot at the flea market when I was a vendor there. I never ask them whether they are here legally, I don’t think its any of my business.
They are just trying to make a living — better than they could in their homeland, as long as they are here to do that in a legal and moral way, I don’t see an issue. Who cares if we have to start learning some spanish!! Learning languages is fun.
September 21st, 2010 at 5:13 am
[...] by admin By Stacy (rightpundits.com) [...]
September 21st, 2010 at 6:09 am
Lets just get rid of our borders. I think there are hard working Iranians and Afghans who would like to come here also. Somalia has some nice people too, lets open up our borders and just let everyone in!! Colin Powell is more democrat than republican, it shows more and more each day. HIS disconnection with the American people is quite evident.
September 21st, 2010 at 6:12 am
I think that we need to work with the illegal immigrants that are currently in the US. My daughter-in-law is an illegal immigrant because she was brought here by her parents as a child. She’s married to my son (US Citizen) and they have a beautiful baby boy. She pays taxes and works hard. I don’t understand the ramifications of the legal process but a lawyer told her that she had to go back to Mexico for 10 years until she could apply for citizenship. Do they want to lose my son’s tax money and hard work when he goes back with her?
September 21st, 2010 at 6:17 am
@Yazan – the key phrase in your statement is ‘as long as they are here to do that in a legal and moral way’. If they are here LEGALLY that’s not a problem. We aren’t talking about Mexican immigrants. We are talking about ILLEGAL immigrants.
September 21st, 2010 at 6:32 am
I’ve always liked Colin Powell, and I cringed when he said that on MTP. It was an honest statement, guaranteed to bite him in the butt. He’s walked it back today, but MSNBC did a creative edit when they printed his original statement and clarification, removing the words “whenever I call for repairs.” While I believe Powell’s statement that he was referring to contractors in general and that he does not directly hire illegals, I hate that MSNBC felt it necessary to pull a Faux News and selectively edit this piece. Yes, I am an equal opportunity hater of misinformation.
September 21st, 2010 at 6:43 am
What is that is so hard to understand about “Illegal” ?
September 21st, 2010 at 6:54 am
If they are here LEGALLY that’s not a problem. We aren’t talking about Mexican immigrants. We are talking about ILLEGAL immigrants.
This is an incredibly disingenuous and bogus argument. The simple fact is that it’s virtually impossible for someone to come over here legally in a timely fashion. Here’s a good chart to give you an idea of what we’re up against (PDF warning):
http://reason.org/files/a87d1550853898a9b306ef458f116079.pdf
Really, take a look at it. Do you see how silly it is to say that you’re fine with people who come here legally? They can’t come here legally. The laws of supply and demand — the incentives for peaceful people to come and find work — create a stream of humanity that swamps our worthless legal immigration system. Go ahead and argue against illegal immigration if you want, but if your argument doesn’t include a vast expansion of legal immigration rights, then you’re not approaching the issue seriously.
Colin Powell is right. Having people come into this country to work is a good thing, and they should be allowed to do so legally. There is no moral or economic justification for restricting the free movement of peaceful individuals. Our immigration policy should focus on security and documentation, not on preventing entrance to a peaceful person who wants to come here.
September 21st, 2010 at 8:02 am
Rhay, we need to employ Americans first
September 21st, 2010 at 9:07 am
You can do better than that Mick. First of all, it’s not out government’s job to tailor every single piece of policy toward employment. A sufficiently successful economy creates its own jobs.
And any economy benefits from increased participation, which is exactly what immigration gives us. More participation means more consumers, which is the driving force behind our economy. Bringing in new people creates jobs, it does not destroy them.
Nobody has ever shown that increased immigration means lower employment for citizens. If there was no demand here for immigrant labor, they would have no reason to come here. To say something like “we need to employ Americans first” totally ignores the actual facts. And if that’s where you’re putting your chips in this argument, it has stopped being something you think about and is now just something you believe.
September 21st, 2010 at 9:25 am
yeah, I can do way better than that but why gert into a long drawn out rant on policies when the first one thats the most apparent is the also the most basic.
“And any economy benefits from increased participation,”
“Paticipation” is a pretty varied spectrum.
I have no problem with and strongly support international trade.
But, the fact is that right now we shouldnt be as focused on accomodating immigrants employment needs as much as our own citizens.
“If there was no demand here for immigrant labor, they would have no reason to come here. ”
The problem is that theres not really a demand for “immigrant” labor. But, theres a huge demand for illegal labor.
Theres plenty of Americans that have no problem working the service industry, industrial production and warehousing, construction etc.
When we can get our own emloyed first, which I’ll argue is FAR better for “OUR” economy as opposed to immigrants who send their money home then by all means open the spiggets and let more immigrants in.
I’ve been in the workforce a long time buddy, worked in management and human resources and can tell you its a real pi$$er having to lose work to someone who hasnt contributed half as much to this country as I or others have.
Its bullsht whether you think I believe or know anything.
September 21st, 2010 at 9:44 am
Do you have any information at all that shows that immigration — legal or illegal — drives down citizen employment? You’ll need to prove that assertion before we go down that road.
Drop this xenophobic crap about “our own” too. We are a nation of immigrants. Always have been, always will be.
September 21st, 2010 at 11:20 am
Hold on hold on. So if you do something illegal, that makes you an “illegal”?
CONFESSION: I AM AN ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!!
Several years ago, I COLLECTED RAINWATER!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM AN ILLEGAL!!!! OH GOD- I hope the statute of limitations is up.
Anyway, y’all can lump me in when you refer to “the illegals”. And as an illegal, I will now become their spokesman and representative on this site.
Thanks.
September 21st, 2010 at 11:50 am
Yeah I drove at an illegal speed on my way to work this morning, and probably made an illegal lane change or two. After doing some more illegal things on the way home, I’ll consume an illegal substance and perhaps watch an illegally downloaded movie.
You know, I might need to have an anchor baby, just to be on the safe side. Being an illegal and all.
September 21st, 2010 at 1:07 pm
I am so over this discussion on this and other sites. Everyone in the US is an immigrant. Years ago they called white people immigrants! That was when they came and decided to stay in the USA when the Indians were the only ones here.
Personally, I live in South Florida and without the immigrants the farms would have the produce rotting. Not once have I seen an American out there picking tomatoes. And the ones who complain that the tomato pickers took their jobs ….. get an education. This country has lots of ways to get educated. Through high school is free, if you would study in school you can get scholarships to go to college. I have 3 daughters who have worked through college, an RN, a Pharmacist and a dispatcher for Fire and Police completing a degree in criminology. These are jobs that have lots of openings and the decent salary helps you to pay back school loans. Another problem is many teens and young people today cannot qualify for these jobs because they do drugs.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:22 pm
“Nobody has ever shown that increased immigration means lower employment for citizens.”
Hey, guess what ?
Nobody has ever shown that increased American employment means lower employment for citizens.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:30 pm
“Do you have any information at all that shows that immigration — legal or illegal — drives down citizen employment?”
Dude, I’m goin on a stat hunt. This about principles in todays market. And its a fcked market, its basic math man.
To me its the same as shipping jobs overseas to those who’ll work for less.
Even if these workers are here legally many of them still accept substandard wages, no insurance, because they know they’re only viable at minimal skilled labors.
The logic behind any patriot should be this.
When unemployoment is at acceptable levels the we’ll start issuing work visas etc…
You’ll need to prove that assertion before we go down that road.”
Hey, you’re the one that said legals wouldnt have impact on citizens employment, not me.
“Drop this xenophobic crap about “our own” too. We are a nation of immigrants. Always have been, always will be.”
Were a nation of “CITIZENS” who came and come from immigrants.
Its the “citizenship” factor.
Citizens come first.
You got a problem with that ?
September 21st, 2010 at 3:35 pm
“You know, I might need to have an anchor baby, just to be on the safe side. Being an illegal and all.”
No need for that.
Harry Reid says you can join the military for 3 years and we’ll pay for your school and make you a citizen.
Which actually I think is a fair deal.
But wait ?
Didnt he say that the wars were a mistake, uneccessary and were loosing ?
September 21st, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Colin Powell has left the big house and joined the Democratic plantation.
Harry Belafonte should be proud.
September 21st, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Well hell colin, since they’re here and they’re working on your house let’s just legalize them all. Laws? Massive unemployment because illegals are taking OUR jobs? Overburdened police departments? Overburdened criminal justice system? Overburdened school & healthcare systems? Who cares, none of that matters, they’re working on your house…
September 22nd, 2010 at 9:30 am
This about principles in todays market. And its a fcked market, its basic math man.
No, it is not basic math, and it is not about “principles” other than standard Austrian economic principles. More participation is good for the economy, full stop.
To me its the same as shipping jobs overseas to those who’ll work for less.
It is exactly the same thing — protectionism. And it’s bullsh*t in both cases. I’m surprised you’re such a squishy Keynesian Democrat on this stuff. Go read Milton Friedman dude. Economic freedom means economic freedom. You sound like Paul Krugman.
Citizens come first.
You got a problem with that ?
Only in the sense that the idea of someone coming “first” in something continuous and fluid like an economy reveals a very poor framing of the issues at hand. An economy is not a static pie, in which pieces are handed out until they are gone. It is not a zero-sum game. Commerce and participation create wealth.
The economic model upon which your assumptions are based is entirely divorced from reality.
September 22nd, 2010 at 11:31 am
“No, it is not basic math, and it is not about “principles” other than standard
Austrian economic principles. More participation is good for the economy, full
stop.”
Yeah, you bet your arse its about math and principles.
If theres only one job left in the country are you going to give it to an American or some guy waiting in the immigration line ?
September 22nd, 2010 at 11:38 am
“You sound like Paul Krugman.”
Fck you, thats an insult. The man is a chronic proven liar.
If our labor force dictates a need for immigrants and the system can sustain them by all means bring them in.
Unfortunately a good percentage of legal migrant workers do in fact pay minimal taxes they also send their pay back to Mexico. The American dollar there puts that family in a hoger life standard and does nothing to circulate monies in our market.
“The economic model upon which your assumptions are based is entirely divorced from reality.”
Fck you again Rhay.
Were not talking about concepts of or like reality.
We, at least I was from the beginning, are talking about priorities for the millions of Americans out of work now
We are Americans first, immigrants second.
Thats REAL !
September 22nd, 2010 at 11:46 am
If theres only one job left in the country are you going to give it to an American or some guy waiting in the immigration line ?
That’s a ridiculously dumb and meaningless question. See what I said above about how it’s not a zero-sum game.
Yeah, you bet your arse its about math and principles.
Economic principles, sure. I don’t think that was the sort of “principle” to which you were referring.
Your stance here is a classic Keynesian protectionist one. Funny how the free marketers on the right seek the soothing security of a state-run protectionist economy as soon as the brown people show up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLni3wbndls
THEY TOOK UR JEERBS!
September 22nd, 2010 at 11:55 am
Fck you, thats an insult.
Yeah, it was intended as one. That’s how incoherent you’re being here. And you really think spending small amounts of disposable personal income back to families in Mexico — a major US trade partner — has an appreciable effect on the economy? Good lord, there’s no reason to even talk to you about this stuff.
We are Americans first, immigrants second.
Thats REAL !
Sounds like a country song. Which is usually the form this stupid “conservative” populism seems to take. Freaking crybabies.