NEWS AND OPINION:
“It’s this century’s nightmare, Jihadism — violent, radical Islamic fundamentalism. Their goal is to unite the world under a single Jihadist caliphate. To do that, they must collapse freedom-loving nations like us. As President, I will strength our intelligence services. Increase our military by at least 100,000. And monitor the calls Al Qaeda makes into America. And we can stop and we will stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.” So said Mitt Romney in a campaign ad from Oct. 12, 2007 during his presidential campaign that cycle.
The old 30-second spot has found a new fan base, though: It has resurfaced online with the title “You Were Warned,” heeded by those seeking clarity in alarming times, and as the 13th anniversary of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks approaches. The language also may interest Democrats in touch with their inner hawks as the midterms approach.
In its day, the spot was deemed “the most inflammatory” in a review of campaign ads by the Brookings Institute. The progressive magazine Mother Jones also noted at the time, “No campaign tactic is more effective than fearmongering, and in the current presidential race the sum of all fears, once again, is radical Islamic terrorists — or ’jihadists,’ to use the now-ubiquitous term. On the Republican side, it’s a pissing match over who can look toughest against this shadowy enemy, with John McCain running ads showing masked Islamic gunmen, while Mitt Romney spouts the old neocon warning.”
Mr. Romney, the candidate, stuck to his guns back in the day. “I don’t think there is sufficiently broad appreciation of what this means in this nation,” he told an audience in Denver.
$761 MILLION PRICE TAG FOR IMMIGRANT YOUNGSTERS
The complexities of illegal immigration continue. One new estimate places the annual cost for state governments to educate unaccompanied minor immigrants at $761,405,907 a year, this according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
The non-profit interest group, which favors tighter immigration policies, based its findings on federal data, and noted that taxpayer-funded classes conducted in Spanish or indigenous languages, plus free school meals, contribute to the cost.
How many youngsters are here now? The exact number is 37,472 — resettled in all 50 states, but with a wide disparity. Montana, for example, was sent one child, costing the state $18,630. Texas took in the most: 5,280 children, at $78 million a year. But New York has the biggest bill. The Empire State is now the home of 4,244 youngsters, who will cost the state an extra $148 million.
Meanwhile, an analysis of Census data by the Pew Research Center finds that the population of illegal immigrants has stabilized and “leveled off” at an estimated 11.3 million. Of that population, 61 percent has been in the U.S. for 10 years or more, 16 percent less than five years, the report found.
And other noteworthy numbers: 4 million illegal immigrants live with their U.S.-born children, and have been residents for a median 15 years. The report also says that from 2009-2012, 400,000 illegals were deported each year. And in the 12 months, the number of unaccompanied minor children apprehended at the U.S. border has risen by 88 percent.
AND THE VOTER SENTIMENT
“Most voters oppose President Obama’s reported plan to unilaterally grant amnesty to several million illegal immigrants and think Congress should challenge him in court if he goes ahead with it,” says a Rasmussen Reports poll released Thursday.
It finds that 62 percent of likely voters oppose granting the amnesty, while 57 percent think the president does not have the legal authority to make the decision without Congress’ approval. Should Mr. Obama go forward with the amnesty plan, 55 percent say Congress should “challenge that action in court.”
THE POST REMAINS THE POST
The recent announcement that Frederick J. Ryan, former assistant to Ronald Reagan, was named publisher of The Washington Post prompted much hubbub: Would the news organization take a turn to the political Right? Not so, says longtime conservative maven Richard Viguerie, a man with institutional knowledge.
“Ryan’s appointment brought forth no such speculation from remaining longtime Reaganites who remember Fred Ryan as the person who helped oust the President’s longest-serving and most loyal supporters from the board of the Reagan Presidential Library and threw a wall around the former President during his retirement years, isolating him from his oldest friends and supporters,” Mr. Viguerie says in an open memo to the public.
He cites Judge William P. Clark, former Attorney General Edwin J. Meese and domestic policy advisor Martin Anderson among those who were shown the door.
“Far from being a ’keeper of the flame’ of Reaganism, like Meese, Clark and Anderson, Fred Ryan became a businessman and is now comfortably ensconced as a member of Washington’s inside elite. And money, as they say, has no politics,” Mr. Viguerie observes.
NEW HAMPSHIRE FEVER STRIKES
Something is always percolating in the Granite State. Beginning Friday, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus arrives for a victory rally in Nashua — followed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore for a chili feast in Stratham and a barbecue in Dover on Saturday. Last but not least, Sen. Ted Cruz makes two appearances in Manchester on Sunday.
And the New Hampshire Republican Party is already gearing up for next weekend, when Sens. Rand Paul and Kelly Ayotte also head to Manchester for a “unity” breakfast.
SANDRA’S ADVANTAGE
It could be the beginning of a long career: In the 26th Senate District of California, Sandra Fluke leads her primary rival Ben Allen — both are Democrats — in her quest to become a state senator. Described as a “social justice attorney,” Ms. Fluke enjoys “enduring name recognition and strong support among the Democratic base and undecided voters,” reports the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group.
She currently leads Mr. Allen, 41 percent to 34 percent respectively; Ms. Fluke rose to national fame in 2012, notes the Los Angeles Times, “after being called a ’slut’ by Rush Limbaugh.”
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POLL DU JOUR
• 66 percent of Americans are closely following events in Ukraine; 71 percent of Republicans, 69 percent of Democrats and 64 percent of independents agree.
• 64 percent of Americans overall say President Obama does not have a clear strategy for the Russia/Ukraine situation; 87 percent of Republicans, 42 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents agree.
• 55 percent of overall say tougher sanctions will not prevent Russian aggression against Ukraine: 65 percent of Republicans, 44 percent of Democrats and 62 percent of independents agree.
• 50 percent overall say Russia has already “invaded” Ukraine; 53 percent of Republicans, 46 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of independents agree.
• 45 percent overall approve of greater sanctions on Russia; 46 percent of Republicans, 51 percent of Democrats and 41 percent of independents agree.
Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 30-Sept.1.
• Catcalls, indignant squawks to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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