Two figures in American politics who have very different ideologies – Grover Norquist, the President of Americans for Tax Reform, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel – have turned out to have a similar outlook when it comes to the issue of immigration reform, yesterday predicting that Republicans in the House of Representatives will pass the reform bill despite some vocal opposition.
“There will be a strong Republican vote for this,” Norquist says. “This should be second nature for Republicans.” The legislation for immigration reform passed the Senate last month but has encountered tough resistance from Republicans in the House of Representatives. Many have even started to believe that the reform will meet a slow death in the House, but Emanuel and Norquist think otherwise, noting that it is merely a vocal minority who are opposed to reform rather than the heart of the party.
“Volume does not reflect depth,” Emanuel says. “Leaders in the Republican Party have allowed the screamers… to define who the Republican Party is.” Norquist has pointed the finger at “tongue wagging” talk radio hosts as being responsible for stoking the ire of conservatives over the issue, with their rhetoric distorting the real level of opposition among lawmakers in the Republican Party.
Norquist has also pointed out that contrary to the concerns of many conservatives, the legalizing of immigrants will not result in depressed wages but will also actually encourage growth, and believes the ultimate outcome will be positive. “Every day the Republican Party caucus is moving toward yes,” he claims. “This is going to play out.”