Twisted Talk from Scott Walker

It's scary to think that there are those who believe that, as long as there is a substantial number of Americans out of work, the drawbridge should stay up -- even if it keeps out those who play by the rules and try to come legally. This includes people like the parents of two other 2016 Republican presidential hopefuls: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.Â

Letting economic concerns of U.S. workers call the shots when deciding levels of legal immigration for the United States is dishonest, harmful, self-defeating, unfair and dangerous.Â It's dishonest because Americans like to pretend that they only want to keep out illegal immigrants. It's harmful because it teaches U.S. workers they're entitled to a job and a certain wage. It's self-defeating because, in the age of globalization, it makes America less competitive. It's unfair because we tell migrants that, if they come legally, they'll be welcomed. And it's dangerous because once you lump together nonwhite legal immigrants from India, China or Mozambique with nonwhite illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central America, it's a short walk to the ugly nativism that already fuels too much of the immigration debate.

Guess who might have agreed with those arguments? In that same editorial board meeting in 2013, Walker said that providing illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship "makes sense" and declared: "If people want to come here and work hard in America, I don't care whether they come from Mexico or Canada or Ireland or Germany or South Africa or anywhere else, I want 'em here."

Oh boy. How many Scott Walkers are there?Â

A Walker representative has acknowledged that the governor's position on illegal immigration has changed. Does that go for his views on legal immigration as well? If so, is this a permanent thing, or can we expect it to change back?

This business about putting U.S. workers first is right out of the musty old playbook used by unions that claim immigrants hurt the economy by taking jobs and driving down wages.

Say, maybe Scott Walker ought to run for president after all -- as a Democrat.

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.