CNN news 2013-02-05 加文本

cnn news 2013-02-05

Now, today, eight senators, four Democrats, four Republicans, floated a sweeping immigration reform plan, that would among other things give illegal immigrants already in United States a path to citizenship without first sending them home, they seems to send the signal that mainstream Republicans maybe willing to compromise on the issue president Obama calls a top priority for his second term.

Here is what the Senator John McCain, one of Senators behind the plan said yesterday.

"Look at the last election, at the last election, we're losing dramatically that Hispanic vote which we think should be ours for a variety of reasons. And we've got to understand that second of all, this we can't go on forever with 11 million people living in this country in the shadows in an illegal status."

Senator McCain is talking about what some call Republicans' 27% problem, president Obama won reelection with a strong support from Latinos, as you know, 71% to Mitt Romney's 27%. And Romney's poor showing among Latino voters is part of a bigger trend, Republican presidential candidates, they've been steadily losing a growing share of Latino vote.

Romney had 27%, that was down from McCain's 31% in 2008, which was down from George W.Bush's 44% in 2004. Now with Latino as the fastest growing demographic, it's an urgent call for Republicans, so considering all that, which by the most interesting thing about today's announcement was how much it looks like earlier efforts in immigration reform. Ealier efforts that were hardily bipartisan with a main sticking point being the "A" word, amnesty.

"So, I have not and I will never support, never have and never will support any efforts to grant blanket legalization amnesty to folks who have entered or stayed in this country illegally."

"I don't support amnesty, I don't support special benefits."

"Essentially, granting amnesty to many illegals, it's really outrageous."

"No amnesty, many of them need to be sent back."

Well, you'll notice that ended with senator McCain, that's worth nothing because before senator McCain was supporting a plan that would allow illegal immigrants already here to stay, as he does now, you see there he was against it, but before that, he was for it. Back in 2005, he worked with the late Senator Ted Kennedy on an immigration bill that was backed by the Bush White House, it would have included what critics called amnesty, only then McCain and others weren't calling it that.

"I think we're after a good start on immigration reform."

"I'm not running to do the easy things, so I defend with no reservation, our proposal to offer the people who harvest our crops, tend our gardens, work in our restaurants, care for our children and clean our homes a chance to be legal citizens of this country."

"On the issue of illegal immigration, a position which, which, a position which obviously still provokes the outspoken Opposition of many conservatives, I stood my ground aware that my position would imperil my campaign."

"At a moment of great difficulty in my campaign, when my critics said it would be political suicide for me to do so, I helped author with Senator Kennedy, comprehensive immigration reform."