IRS Scandal cover for the Gang of Eight?

[Brian4Liberty]

Obama, Graham, Rubio and Flake may benefit from the IRS controversy.


Federal Scandals Should Increase Our Skepticism of the Gang of Eight
By Fred Bauer
May 20, 2013 3:51 PM

Proponents of “comprehensive immigration reform” are professing some giddiness over the scandalmania of the past few weeks. The Daily Beast quotes Frank Sharry, a dogmatic supporter of “reform,” as saying the following: ”We hope there’s a fourth scandal . . . While all of this goes on, we’re just plugging along on this under the radar.”

Sharry’s statement reflects the concerns of some Gang of Eight skeptics, who worry that the recent media spotlight on scandals will end up aiding the passage of the Gang of Eight bill. The scandal coverage sucks up oxygen in the media, potentially limiting the ability of grassroots opponents of the Gang’s proposal to mobilize popular sentiment. These scandals also give prominent supporters of immigration “reform” cover with the conservative base. Senator Rubio can attack the administration over various scandals, ingratiating himself with the grassroots and compensating for his willingness to work with administration allies on immigration. There’s a reason why Senator Rubio’s chief of staff ended his vacation from Twitter (and unprotected his tweets) a couple weeks ago in order to post tweet after tweet about the scandals du jour.

However, the scandals of the present moment are not distinct from immigration reform. As Mark Krikorian noted the other day, the Gang of Eight bill as it currently stands is an endorsement of centralized bureaucratic powers. As the IRS and other scandals raise some concerns about centralized government agencies, the bill’s various provisions – from its guest-worker plan to its “trust us” approach to enforcement – are a vote of great confidence in big bureaucracy.

Furthermore, if it is true that these current scandals represent significant overreach by the executive or incompetence on his watch, it is rather hard to see the case for rewarding that executive with perhaps the top item on his legislative wish-list. Washington kabuki aside, the Obama administration would very likely be ecstatic if the current incarnation of the Gang of Eight’s bill became law. The bill achieves two key progressive goals: It empowers centralized authority figures and it increases the ability of federal bureaucrats to manage the U.S.’s labor market.

More:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/348848/federal-scandals-should-increase-our-skepticism-gang-eight-fred-bauer

[Warlord]

No. The immigration bill is so bad it just highlights how stupid and incoherent it is for them to diss the IRS on one hand and grant sweeping authority to DHS on the other.

If anything it makes it LESS likely .

[JCDenton0451]

Washington kabuki aside, the Obama administration would very likely be ecstatic if the current incarnation of the Gang of Eight’s bill became law. The bill achieves two key progressive goals: It empowers centralized authority figures and it increases the ability of federal bureaucrats to manage the U.S.’s labor market.

...to say nothing about the fundamental transformation of the US electorate.

Democratic strategists think about elections primarily in terms of demographics. Their plan to win an election usually involves identifying and registering "progressive" voters and getting them out to vote. Progressive voter means a person belonging to a Democratic-leaning demographic. Non-Cuban Hispanics is one such demographic.

Now, there are probably 3 million illegals in Texas alone. If they get a citizenship, they can also bring their parents from Mexico. Then the Democrats will register all these new voters, and turn Texas blue. If that happens I don't see how a Republican can win WH again.

Arizona, Georgia will come in play. Honestly, if the Amnesty goes through it's game over for GOP, which raises a number of questions:

1. Is the Republican establishment trying to kill the party or are they just really dumb?
2. Why isn't Rand Paul leading conservative opposition to this bill?
3. Why is Ted Cruz so muted in his criticism? Isn't he afraid of losing his job?

Looks like a terrible failure of leadership all around.

[Warlord]

TX goes blue anyway when the illegals breed and have "natural born" kiddies who grow up and vote Democrat.

It's an impossible situation.

GOP will have to find a way of changing the map in a generation to come.

[JCDenton0451]

The illegals will breed faster once they become more confident in their future in this country. Which is why the imperfect status quo we have right now IS actually better than the legalisation. Someone should explain this to Rand. lol

[Warlord]

The illegals will breed faster once they become more confident in their future in this country. Which is why the imperfect status quo we have right now IS actually better than the legalisation. Someone should explain this to Rand. lol

I think it's a lost cause either way demographically with TX and FL. This will make it very hard for the GOP in 10 years time unless they find a way of flipping the map.

Usually this tends to happen anyway and it will balance itself out even if there's 16 years of liberal administrations it will swing back after their failed policies.

[JCDenton0451]

Usually this tends to happen anyway and it will balance itself out even if there's 16 years of liberal administrations it will swing back after their failed policies.

Explain what do you mean? When do you expect California to swing back? It has been under failed liberal administrations since late 90s, and it only seems to get more liberal with each presidential election.

[Warlord]

Explain what do you mean? When do you expect California to swing back? It has been under failed liberal administrations since late 90s, and it only seems to get more liberal with each presidential election.

Sooner or later the Dems will nominate a stupid candidate and the GOP will maybe flip some states

[JCDenton0451]

Sooner or later the Dems will nominate a stupid candidate and the GOP will maybe flip some states

I really don't understand where you get your confidence, Warlord. The way I see it, Hispanics and Blacks avoid the GOP not due to real or imagined racial grievancies, they vote Dem simply because they're poor. Republican program of cutting taxes and getting the government out of the way just doesn't appeal to people, who rely on big government for their daily sustenance.

I don't see how this is going to change. Hispanics will vote Dem so long as they're poor. And they will stay poor so long as they're ruled by the Dems. It's a vicious circle. The only kind of Republican who could have some success with this demographic is "compassionate-conservative" Republican, a la George Bush.:toady:

[Galileo Galilei]

Obama, Graham, Rubio and Flake may benefit from the IRS controversy.

No, it isn't. The gang of 8 plan will go nowhere thanks to the scandals. Obama has lost his behind-the-scenes power to bully and lobby.

[Warlord]

I really don't understand where you get your confidence, Warlord. The way I see it, Hispanics and Blacks avoid the GOP not due to real or imagined racial grievancies, they vote Dem simply because they're poor. Republican program of cutting taxes and getting the government out of the way just doesn't appeal to people, who rely on big government for their daily sustenance.

I don't see how this is going to change. Hispanics will vote Dem so long as they're poor. And they will stay poor so long as they're ruled by the Dems. It's a vicious circle. The only kind of Republican who could have some success with this demographic is "compassionate-conservative" Republican, a la George Bush.:toady:

I don't buy it. Sooner or later a GOPer will win in a landslide when the Dems nominate a moron.

We may see it in 2016 if Biden is their nominee and we can get Hillary out.

Its happened a few times in the last 40 years and it will happen again.

[JCDenton0451]

I don't buy it. Sooner or later a GOPer will win in a landslide when the Dems nominate a moron.

We may see it in 2016 if Biden is their nominee and we can get Hillary out.

Well, in 2016 the electorate will still be 70% white. The median net worth for a white household is around 100K, for a hispanic household it's 7K(!!!).

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2012/06/21/news/economy/wealth-gap-race/chart-racial-wealth-gap-3.top.gif

http://money.cnn.com/2012/06/21/news/economy/wealth-gap-race/index.htm

This is serious. For most Hispanic voters, a moronic Democrat will still be preferable to a Republican, who wants to cut welfare and Big Government. And they will be more than happy to raise taxes since few of them pay any.

[Warlord]

They need to win some Asian votes then.

[JCDenton0451]

They need to win some Asian votes then.

lol

The truth is our ship is sinking. This immigration reform will make it sink faster. Rand should be opposing it, not lending his support. We need all the time we can get.

[Warlord]

lol

The truth is our ship is sinking. This immigration reform will make it sink faster. Rand should be opposing it, not lending his support. We need all the time we can get.

I dont buy all the fear about being swamped with millions of voters. A lot of them when legalized dont even vote as it is now. something like 30%. If that holds Republicans won't be in that bad shape whatever happens. They have been losing them 60/40 for decades and it hasn't stopped them taking over Congress in 94 or the winning the presidency more times than the Dems

[RPfan1992]

I don't buy it. Sooner or later a GOPer will win in a landslide when the Dems nominate a moron.

We may see it in 2016 if Biden is their nominee and we can get Hillary out.

Its happened a few times in the last 40 years and it will happen again.

If Hillary does win in 2016 I think the dems will start to lose after, they seem to be running out of good candidates. Moderate dems such as Schweitzer and Donnelly won't excite the progressive base.

[JCDenton0451]

Asian voters is a whole different problem. They are mostly atheists, Hindus or Muslims. Do you see the problem here?

[Warlord]

I dont see the problem. GOP used to win Asians before Bush launched the wars. This can be corrected. They tend to be well educated and run businesses.

[TheTexan]

I think it's a lost cause either way demographically with TX and FL. This will make it very hard for the GOP in 10 years time unless they find a way of flipping the map.

Usually this tends to happen anyway and it will balance itself out even if there's 16 years of liberal administrations it will swing back after their failed policies.

All that's going to happen is that both parties are going to become more socialist. Republicans will continue to just claim to be "less socialist", as they have for so long

[JCDenton0451]

I dont buy all the fear about being swamped with millions of voters. A lot of them when legalized dont even vote as it is now. something like 30%. If that holds Republicans won't be in that bad shape whatever happens. They have been losing them 60/40 for decades and it hasn't stopped them taking over Congress in 94 or the winning the presidency more times than the Dems

I'm not driven by fear, I'm driven by math. It was one thing when Hispanics made up 2% of the electorate, it's another when they make up 7%. When they are 15% of the electorate, the Republicans will need a bigger share of the white vote to stay competitive.

We're entering a new era of American politics here.

[TheTexan]

I'm not driven by fear, I'm driven by math. It was one thing when Hispanics made up 2% of the electorate, it's another when they make up 7%. When they are 15% of the electorate, the Republicans will need a bigger share of the white vote to stay competitive.

We're entering a new era of American politics here.

As the country gets poorer, more people will vote for socialism, regardless of immigrants. And of course that socialism will lead to even more poor people, creating a vicious cycle, until the system collapses.

With any luck the collapse that is coming soon will be the collapse that resets that cycle,

[JCDenton0451]

I dont see the problem. GOP used to win Asians before Bush launched the wars. This can be corrected. They tend to be well educated and run businesses.

They are well educated, and they're not Christian. Conservative-Christian issues like a ban of abortion do not motivate them. They support abortion. Moreover, they're frankly scared of the Religious Right, which is a prominent voice in the Republican party right now.

Before the Republicans can begin to win over Asians, they will need to restrain the Religious Right, that's another major challenge...

[LibertyEagle]

Sooner or later the Dems will nominate a stupid candidate and the GOP will maybe flip some states

And it would mean nothing as long as the GOP candidates are big government leftists.

[JCDenton0451]

The gang of 8 plan will go nowhere thanks to the scandals. Obama has lost his behind-the-scenes power to bully and lobby.

I hope you're right, but it's best if we stay vigilant. It's not just Obama who wants the Amnesty. Republican establishment decided they need it to win over Hispanic voters.

[JCDenton0451]

All that's going to happen is that both parties are going to become more socialist. Republicans will continue to just claim to be "less socialist", as they have for so long

Exactly! The Bush wing of the party will be empowered by the Amnesty. Fiscal conservatives will be left out in the cold.

[Warlord]

And it would mean nothing as long as the GOP candidates are big government leftists.

They might be, they might not be. Who knows. All we can do is try and have an influence and with IA, NH always going early I think we can have an outsized influence on the process

[Warlord]

Exactly! The Bush wing of the party will be empowered by the Amnesty. Fiscal conservatives will be left out in the cold.


Not at at all. Iowa, NH and SC going 1st does nothing for the Bush wing.

Lets face it Bush was the candidate by default in 2000. His opposition was MCCAIN!

There are much better candidates around now for us that we can promote either in the Senate or in the House and if we can raise a few mil they can be competitive in IA and NH. I'm not worried about the future of presidential politics.

[JCDenton0451]

They might be, they might not be. Who knows. All we can do is try and have an influence and with IA, NH always going early I think we can have an outsized influence on the process
I feel you're making the same mistake GOP leaders are making: not thinking beyond the next election cycle.

[Warlord]

I feel you're making the same mistake GOP leaders are making: not thinking beyond the next election cycle.

? why are you worried about the 2028 presidential election or whatever? At the rate we're going we will have a whole load of congressmen or senators to run in presidential primaries and be the GOP nominee. We'd have to just get behind one and get them to run and raise money and sell them in IA and NH. That's not too hard. It's a lot harder for a non-grassroots establishment candidate like say a Jeb Bush or a Rubio especially if they're up against a Rand Paul.

[JCDenton0451]

There are much better candidates around now for us that we can promote either in the Senate or in the House and if we can raise a few mil they can be competitive in IA and NH. I'm not worried about the future of presidential politics.

I'm still waiting to find out how Rand is going to appeal to "people who don't look like us". Last time he tried, he went to Howard University, and tried to give them a lecture on black history... That didn't go too well.

[Warlord]

I'm still waiting to find out how Rand is going to appeal to "people who don't look like us". Last time he tried, he went to Howard University, and tried to give them a lecture on black history... That didn't go too well.

If Rand got say 7% more of the black vote than Romney he'd flip Florida and Ohio.

That's not difficult especially with Nobama off the ballot.

[JCDenton0451]

? why are you worried about the 2028 presidential election or whatever? Yes.

This is bigger than Rand Paul or the liberty movement. At the rate composition of the US electorate is evolving, this country will be OWNED by the socialists in 2028. No remotely libertarian or conservative candidate will be electable.

[Warlord]

Sanford gets up to 20% of the black vote in Charleston and is similar to Rand (southern, good retail politician, speaks about freedom and liberty).

If Rand could get those kinds of numbers he'd be in the White House

[Warlord]

Yes.

This is bigger than Rand Paul or the liberty movement. At the rate composition of the US electorate is evolving, this country will be OWNED by the socialists in 2028. No remotely libertarian or conservative candidate will be electable.

What you underestimate is the art of politics. IA, SC etc going 1st will always mean we can influence the GOP ticket and we may win it a few times, we may not. I dont know but we'll be there trying.

As soon as the candidate is on the GOP ticket it's pretty much 50/50 and it depends on the candidate. If they can sound socialist but be an actual conservative and fool enough people or appeal to enough of this new demographic they can win. It doesn't mean they have to follow through with socialist policies once in the WH. Kind of a like a reverse Bush: He used to sound very conservative but ended up massively expanding government. Wouldn't it be funny to have someone sound like a socialist but shrink the state?

[Warlord]

When it comes to immigration and demographics people think the GOP is screwed but one party in a two party system is never screwed.

All you need is the superior candidate and to take 200 Hispanics to a 5 star hotel for a weekend and focus group a message for them.

Eventually you hit on the right formula and the right candidate and the GOP will win again.

It's just about competing for votes.

Our job is to find 2-3 very good principled, liberty oriented retail politicians like Rand and get them into the Senate (or House) and get them to run when we want them to run.

How difficult is that?