The leader of a tea party group warned Friday that House GOP leaders will cave to Democrats on the issue of immigration by signing off on a proposal that includes a “suicidal leap for amnesty.”
Judson Phillips, of Tea Party Nation, predicted in a fundraising email that House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor will cut a deal with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, that will legalize “between thirty and forty million” illegal immigrants and doom the GOP over the long run.
“If the Republicans sell us out on amnesty, it is game over for liberty in America,” said Mr. Phillips, who also writes a column for the Communities section of The Washington Times.
The comments came after Mr. Boehner, Ohio Republican, mocked his fellow Republicans reluctance to embrace immigration reform during an appearance a rotary club in his home congressional district.
“Here’s the attitude: ’Ohhhh, don’t make me do this. Ohhhh, this is too hard,’ ” Mr. Boehner said in a whiny voice. “We get elected to make choices. We get elected to solve problems, and it’s remarkable to me how many of my colleagues just don’t want to,” adding that “They’ll take the path of least resistance.”
Mr. Phillips said Republicans should have learned a lesson from the 1986 immigration bill passed under former President Ronald Reagan, which changed the makeup of the electorate.
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“California went blue and has never voted Republican again,” he said. “The Democrats have a supermajority in that state because of Amnesty. The Democrats know this and are gloating that Boehner and the Republicans will give them a supermajority in national politics.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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