Oberweis still not a backer of needed reform of our nation’s immigration laws

I’m not the least bit surprised to learn that Republican Senate candidate James Oberweis remains opposed to any serious reform of our nation’s immigration policies.



OBERWEIS: Regards reform as 'amnesty'

A group calling itself the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition tried this week to convince Republican-leaning people that business interests would benefit if we did a serious revamp of immigration policies to eliminate all the bureaucratic flaws that currently exist.

I ALREADY CRITICIZED the group for relying too much on political historical figures such as Jim Thompson or Denny Hastert to try to sway a new generation of Republicans – one that wants to view the issue purely in ideological terms.

Such as James Oberweis, who is making yet another run for political office – this time for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Richard Durbin.

Oberweis, who has run for governor, Senate and Congress before finally getting a state Senate seat in Springfield, really seems determined to be a part of the Washington political scene.

Hence, the Senate campaign – he’s the “top” of the GOP ticket, even though Republican operatives will want to claim that gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner is.

OBERWEIS IS THE guy whose many past gaffes includes that campaign ad he ran a decade ago that stirred up immigration policy. The one that had him flying in a helicopter over a yet-to-be-remodeled Soldier Field, while telling us that the number of foreigners slipping their way into the country without a valid visa was large enough to fill up the Chicago Bears’ home to capacity every single day.

It was such a tacky viewpoint to have on the issue that the ad is still remembered. He’s going to have to live down the shame of such nonsense every day for the rest of his life.

On a certain level, he even realizes that. Oberweis is now saying his ideas were naïve and not well thought out. Meaning, he doesn’t want to be criticized for the ad any longer.

But has he really changed? Was he listening in the least when he attended the immigration forum held Tuesday in Chicago?

IT DOESN’T SEEM so. For Oberweis is still using the word “amnesty” to try to lambast the idea that immigration policy is flawed, and that we have to figure out a way to allow the nearly 11 million people now living in this country without a valid visa to remain legitimately, and openly.

RAUNER: No comment?

He talks of “non-immigrant visas” for adults who came to this country, as though he’s determined to keep such people in their own separate class. That kind of motivation is what causes much of the bureaucratic nonsense we get from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

It’s when we get past that kind of thought process that we might be willing to move forward on immigration policy, and get Congress to finally approve something into law.

Because the status quo just doesn’t work. That ought to be the one point all of us should agree on.

I FOUND OBERWEIS’ opposition more humorous. Although Rauner’s thoughts, or lack thereof, also have their moments of jocularity.

The member of the 0.0001 percent of our society says he hasn’t really studied the issue, and also thinks this is something for President Barack Obama and Congress to resolve.

Technically, he’s right on the latter point. Although how many of those Congress members would be swayed by their governor taking a stance on the issue is something to wonder. Then again, trying to say nothing is in character for Rauner – who continues with his “Wizard of Oz” mentality.

The real Rauner?

 

“Immigration policy” was the curtain that Rauner didn’t’ want us to look behind on Tuesday. Does that make the Business Immigration Coalition the equivalent of Toto, ripping open the curtain to show us just how ordinary Oz/Rauner truly was – and is?

  -30-