Last week, Professor Jacobson wrote about “Rubio’s biggest problem in 2016“:
I don’t mind a politician I disagree with on an issue half as much as I mind a politician I normally agree with getting played.
While I may not share the Prof’s indulgence of Rubio’s horrific flip-flop on immigration, I do agree that Rubio’s been played. Hard.
And now, we have to wonder if Paul Ryan might not be heading down that same, sad path with regard to immigration reform:
“We’d love to have Paul Ryan,” Rep. John Carter (R-TX), the Gang of Seven Member, told Politico when asked if the group would be able to land Ryan as a co-sponsor. “I think we will.”Politico reports Ryan has been “in deep conversation” with supporters of comprehensive immigration reform like Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). He has also been in touch with Reps. Mike McCaul (R-TX) and Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), of the Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, respectively, as well.“I’m just trying to find the sweet spot,” Ryan told the publication on Friday. “I see an emerging consensus.”According to Politico, “Ryan’s vagueness” has “some on the right concerned” because they are “privately skeptical about Ryan’s involvement.”
A “sweet spot”? Oh dear. He made noises about this right after the Senate bill was passed, and then had trouble explaining why border security should be tied to any immigration reform.
Real Clear Politics notes that the “2016 buzz” surrounding Ryan in Iowa is “subdued” and speculates, in part, that
. . . while Ryan was once largely viewed on the right as an insurgent candidate befitting the mood of a combative and ideologically pure generation of Republicans, his association with Mitt Romney is not the only negative for conservatives these days. Ryan’s recent overtures to pro-immigration reform advocates also threaten to leave him branded with the dreaded “establishment” tag.
Hopefully, Ryan will realize that it’s not a good sign that the people who are championing Rubio with any enthusiasm have been Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer , the latter notably and hilariously moving republican congressman Trey Gowdy (SC) “almost to the point of tears” with his “concern” for the future of the GOP.
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