Marco Rubio conquers Mt. Rushbo

Yesterday, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh was in a typical lather about the Gang of Eight's new immigration pla, saying repeatedly that it amounts to failed policy.

And he used that most-hated of words to many conservatives: "Amnesty." Limbaugh said it over and over again.

"We've done this before. We've done amnesty before," he said. "This immigration bill that everybody's touting on TV today is essentially the Bush immigration bill that was beat back in 2007."

Limbaugh continued to bash the plan today before Republican Sen. Marco Rubio came on the show.

Conservatives, liberals and reporters were atwitter with what would happen when the Florida senator came on. Turns out, not much. No sparks. No tough question. No mention of the A word.

By the end of the interview, Rubio had Limbaugh eating out of his hand. Just as Rubio did with Mark Levin, Lou Dobbs, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and others. All have bashed "amnesty" and President Obama's plans for it. But all of them loved Rubio's plan -- even though it mirrors what Obama called for last year, right down to the rhetoric.

"What you are doing is admirable and noteworthy," Limbaugh said.

Flip meet flop.

This says something about the intellectual honesty (or studiousness) of talk radio/TV. But it also speaks to Rubio's communication skills.

Gang of 4? Rubio, Coons Klobuchar, Hatch file high-skill immigration bill

Best theatrics part of this bill? Marco Rubio's Senate speech today when he wondered why PHds, etc. don't get a green card.

"That's crazy," Rubio said, starting to stammer at what he thinks is a no-brainer issue. "Not only..that...that's just..that's just.. That's cray-zee."

The proposal for this legislation will also appear in the more-celebrated Gang of Eight immigration plan proposed yesterday by Rubio et al. So let's call this the Gang of 4. Note: this posted was updated to reflect the fact that I can't add, having missed Coons.

Ok, here's the press release:

Evolution or flip flop? Marco Rubio journey from bashing "amnesty" to backing citizenship pathway

National Journal's Beth Reinhard (our erstwhile colleague who draws on her coverage of Sen. Marco Rubio's 2010 race):

Arizona Sen. John McCain partnered with liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy in 2005 to offer illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship, then allied with border security hardliners during a tough 2010 Republican primary. "Complete the danged fence," McCain cracked in a widely publicized television spot.

Less well known is the equally dramatic pivot by Marco Rubio, from 2010 candidate who dismissed McCain’s proposal as “amnesty,” to U.S. senator who on Monday championed reforms McCain said had “very little difference” from his previous plan, which became the blueprint for failed legislation in 2006 and 2007.

During a March 28, 2010 Fox News debate against then-Gov. Charlie Crist, Rubio said: “He would have voted for the McCain plan. I think that plan is wrong, and the reason I think it’s wrong is that if you grant amnesty, as the governor proposes that we do, in any form, whether it's back of the line or so forth, you will destroy any chance we will ever have of having a legal immigration system that works here in America.”

More here

Rep. Joe Garcia welcomes Sen. Rubio's "evolution" on immigration

Newly elected Rep. Joe Garcia, who beat Sen. Marco Rubio's longtime friend David Rivera in the last election, gives the Republican a little praise for his immigration proposal.

And Garcia implicitly asks: What took you so long?

The statement:

"For years we have pushed for a solution to our ineffective and unjust immigration system and I believe 2013 will be the year this goal becomes a reality.  I wholeheartedly welcome Senator Rubio's and others evolution on this important issue and welcome with them with open arms to  join our cause."

 "The Senate's blueprint is a positive step toward this important goal and as a member of the Immigration Subcommittee I look forward to reviewing the details with the Senate. Their 'tough, but fair' approach provides a good foundation for the legislation that is needed. What is most encouraging about their plan is the earned pathway to citizenship, which must be reasonable and begin quickly. It is our hope that our Republican colleagues in the House will see this as a workable framework and be fully willing to cooperate on common sense solutions that will benefit all Americans."

 

Sens. Rubio and Cruz: Children of Cuban immigrants, but divided over path to citizenship

Cuban-American, young, Republican and beloved by the tea party. But on immigration, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas see things differently.

Rubio is part of the Gang of 8 that revealed the contours of an immigration overhaul, which includes a pathway to citizenship. "It is not going to be an easy process, but it's certainly going to be a fair one and a humane one and one that speaks to our nation's -- to our legacy, both as a nation of laws, but also as a nation of immigrants," Rubio said.

Cruz, in a statement, took issue with that approach. “There are some good elements in this proposal, especially increasing the resources and manpower to secure our border and also improving and streamlining legal immigration. However, I have deep concerns with the proposed path to citizenship. To allow those who came here illegally to be placed on such a path is both inconsistent with rule of law and profoundly unfair to the millions of legal immigrants who waited years, if not decades, to come to America legally.”

Below, a transcript of Rubio's remarks. ... Read more

Posted by Alex Leary

White House on Gang of 8/Rubio pathway to citizenship plan: "This is a big deal."

By @MarcACaputo

During a press conference today, White House spokesman Jay Carney sounded encouraged about the new immigration plan pushed by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and other members of the so-called "Gang of 8."

Of particular interest: the pathway to citizenship that the proposal would allow. (Today's story here)

"This is a big deal," Carney said. "This is an important development."

The pathway to citizenship is a big deal for some Republicans, too, and it looks like amnesty to them.

Carney also noted the plan, as we previously reported, mirrors one offered up by President Obama in 2011

Asked about the finer points of the proposal, Carney said it was too early to discuss it all. There's no legislation yet. It won't be ready until March. And legislation, specifics, matter.

"We’re not at the stage… where we are going to negotiate details of legislations that doesn’t yet exist," Carney said.

Carney wouldn't comment on the idea of linking border security to the eventual citizenship for newly legalized undocumented immigrants. Under the plan, ultimate citizenship wouldn't be granted until the border is declared "secure" by a task force of Southwestern officials. But The Washington Post's Greg Sargent reported that anonymous Senate staffers drafting the legislation said the declaration from the task force was "advisory" and "nonbinding."

Carney also rejected "a suggestion that the Senators trumped Obama who plans to give an immigration speech tomorrow in Las Vegas.

"This is not a new issue for the president," he said.

 

Mario Diaz-Balart likes Gang of 8/Rubio immigration plan

From U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican and key House member on immigration:

“Although we have not seen the legislation text, the principles released today are compatible with the discussions in the House. The prospect of true immigration reform can only happen with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, and today’s news is a step in that direction. I commend the dedicated efforts of the group. We look forward to working with the Senate and President Obama to find a real, permanent solution.”

Note: If Diaz-Balart, a longtime friend of Sen. Marco Rubio's didn't support the plan of his fellow Republican, it would be big news. Diaz-Balart was on CNN talking about the issue.

"If this was an easy lift it would have been done a long time ago," Diaz-Balart said. "We've been hammering out our differences, we've been hammering out what needs to be fixed."

Florida's other Senator, Bill Nelson, lauds 'principles' of Marco Rubio, Gang of 8's immigration plan

By @MarcACaputo

Sounds like senior Florida Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat, likes what Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is doing with immigration:

“I support the principles of a bipartisan group of senators seeking immigration reform and U.S. border security.  We simply cannot deport 11 million people.  That would be unreasonable.  It would ruin our economy.  But anyone who is here must follow the rules, pay taxes, learn English and go to the end of the line.  If they do that, they should have a shot at citizenship.  And those who are unwilling to do that, they should be sent home.   We also need to make sure that children who through no fault of their own know no other country but ours can stay here to go to college or serve in the military.  The bottom line is: we’re talking about fairness."

Story here on the plan so far.

Gang of Eight, including Rubio, to unveil bipartisan Senate immigration deal Monday

A group of eight Democratic and Republicans senators, including Florida’s Marco Rubio, will officially release a bipartisan immigration plan, just a day before the president addresses the highly charged topic in a Las Vegas speech.

The five-page plan from the Gang of Eight contains most of the key concepts Rubio has presented to conservative media figures over the past month. The senators want to draft legislation by March. Download Gang of 8 plan

Most controversially, the proposal would give a pathway to residency – and even citizenship – to many of the estimated 11 million immigrants unlawfully in the United States.

While some conservatives call it amnesty, Rubio says it’s not because the immigrants would have to pay fines, back taxes and undergo a criminal background check – a similar proposal made by President Obama in May 2011.

“We can't round up millions of people and deport them,” Rubio wrote Sunday in the Las Vegas Review Journal, the home paper of Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid.

“But we also can't fix our broken immigration system if we provide incentives for people to come here illegally - precisely the signal a blanket amnesty would send,” Rubio wrote.

On immigration, Marco Rubio bashes "dysfunctional Congress" in Harry Reid's home paper

As he pushes for an immigration compromise plan, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has also been criticizing Senate leader Harry Reid as of late.

Now the Nevada Democratic boss can read all about Rubio's immigration principles in a new editorial in the Las Vegas Review Journal in which the Republican senator omits Reid's name but takes on the "dysfunctional Congress." Hmmmm, now who's a leader of that institution.....?

Here's Rubio:

As a nation of immigrants, Americans know how important immigration has been throughout our history. It's an indispensable part of our future.

Sadly, our immigration system is broken, and our dysfunctional Congress has been unable to put in place a new legal immigration system that honors our heritage as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. To do this, we need to address three key areas.

First, we need a modern legal immigration system with an application and compliance system that relies on new technology to simplify the process of coming and staying here legally.

We need an agricultural workers program that allows us to bring in seasonal and long-term laborers to provide our agricultural industries with the workers they need.

Editorial here