Most hardliners on immigration say that they want to enforce laws that have lain fallow for too long–and that means enforcing the border. They also say that enforcing the border is National Security 101. But at least one prominent right-wing radio host has another motivation. He declared–with a straight face–that his tough stance on immigration isn’t about enforcing our laws or protecting national security. Nope, it’s about protecting the Republican Party.
On Tuesday, Vice President Mike Pence called into Michael Savage’s radio show. Savage urged Pence to turn the screws on immigrants–including legal immigrants. People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch got a clip.
Savage told Pence that for the better part of 20 years, he has been preaching “borders, language, and culture”–a message that got him labeled a crackpot at the outset. However, Savage believes Trump is “dreaming in a huge way” along the same lines that he has been for years.
He then told Pence why he thought this course was necessary. It has to be reproduced in full to be believed.
“I must say this, Vice President. I need to editorialize for a moment. Looking ahead, unless we stop the flood of massive numbers of new people who come into this country–legally or illegally–who almost always vote Democrat, we’ll never, ever have a Republican administration. It will be just like California, which is a one-party state. I truly believe that if I can send one message to yourself and the president, yeah, the security of the nation, sure, but it’s all connected to illegal immigration, I think you all know that by the way.”
I had to listen to this twice to believe it. Savage doesn’t care about the security of this country at all–but the security of his beloved GOP. This is racism and xenophobia masquerading as patriotism, plain and simple.
What is equally telling is Pence’s reaction. Did he call out Savage for this blatant display of bigotry? Nope. Instead, he touted Trump’s plan to open an office for victims of crimes by illegal immigrants, and praised Savage’s past attention to the immigration issue. As with Savage’s rant, I had to listen twice to believe it. The Vice President of the United States just sat there while a talk show host openly declared we had to keep immigrants out for political reasons. That is not acceptable.
In light of Savage’s screed and Pence’s silence, it’s only fair to ask–do hardliners on immigration really want to protect our borders? Or do they just want to protect their political hides?
(featured image courtesy Savage’s Facebook)
