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Jeb Bush, Love, and Today's GOP

Ruben Navarrett Jr. on

SAN DIEGO -- For Jeb Bush, the immigration debate has left him caught between love and hate.

The former Florida governor and possible 2016 Republican presidential candidate recently said that, for those illegal immigrants who come to the United States to feed their families, the undertaking is best described as an "act of love."

But many of his fellow Republicans hate that he said it. Some contend that Bush's prospects for the White House have gone down the drain, while others insist that his comments are a good indicator that he's not planning to run.

The reaction is sad but predictable. On immigration, the GOP is still stuck on stupid. No wonder Republicans in Congress won't take up an immigration bill. Whenever that subject comes up, the GOP fluctuates between the repugnant and the ridiculous.

For a taste of both, let's take a closer look at how Bush got in hot water with the coldhearted in his party. We finally know exactly what it takes for a Republican who talks about immigration to get voted off the island.

-- Claiming that illegal immigrants bring "Third World diseases" such as "tuberculosis, malaria, polio and leprosy," as radio talk show host and Texas lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Dan Patrick has said? Nope.

 

-- Insisting that ranchers be allowed to shoot anyone illegally crossing the border on to their land, as The Dallas Morning News claims it was told by Senate candidate Chris Mapp during an endorsement interview a few months ago? Not even close.

-- Casually using the racial slur "wetbacks," as Rep. Don Young of Alaska did in 2013 to refer nostalgically to the illegal immigrants who, many summers ago, picked tomatoes on his father's farm? Sorry.

Republicans tend to ignore or excuse those eruptions. In the process, they enable the knuckleheads who have damaged the party's brand.

The truth is that what really makes Republicans uncomfortable is when someone forces them to tone down their language and think critically about a controversial issue, as Bush did.

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Copyright 2014 Washington Post Writers Group

 

 

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