Yes, I am thinking about the immigration reform issue as Senator McCain brought up in this NY Times article.

He added: “I believe we have to secure our borders, and I think most Americans agree with that, because it’s a matter of national security. But we must enact comprehensive immigration reform. We must make it a top agenda item if we don’t do it before, and we probably won’t, a little straight talk, as of January 2009.”

Mr. McCain asked others on the panels for suggestions about how to “better mobilize American public opinion” behind the notion of comprehensive immigration reform.

But, I am out of time, work is calling, so, I will have more to say a bit later.

Got a break: OK, here is my 2 cents. When I look out there and consider “what does a Conservative stand for?”, I come to a few simple conclusions based on what we really are: Classical Liberals. There are 3 cores to the Democracy political theory, the moral, the economic, and the political. CL’s are in the middle, between the Socialist model and the Conservative model (as they practice in places like Britain.) Today’s American conservatives, also known as neo-conservatives (our liberal buds are actually neo-liberals - long story, not going to get in to that political theory at this time), stand for a few simple things, based on the tenets of classical liberalism and the Constitution of the USA

1. low taxation
2. strong national defense
3. limited government intrusion in our personal and business lives (this is part of where the moral and economic cores come in to play
4. open and responsive government
5. “the government that governs least governs best”
6. States Rights

I believe that those six are the basis for the Conservative movement. As to #3, I detest when those on the far Right get involved in pushing their morals as I do when those on the left do it.

Getting beyond those 6, we then get many other more personal issues for people on the right, some of which work in to the top 6, ones such as

• abortion on demand
• homosexual marriage and homosexuality
• anti-terrorism
• conservation
• anti-anthropogenic global warming
• illegal immigration
• others

And illegal immigration is a huge issue with today’s conservatives. It is for me. I have several other interests, such as anti-terrorism, conservation/environmentalism, and anti-man made global warming. Sometimes I get involved in the others, but, more as a lark then anything else. I avoid abortion on demand, except now and then regarding late term and parental notification.

Illegal immigration is a huge issue with me, and I have never been particularly happy with Senator McCain’s stance on it, in terms of giving people who broke federal law a free, if not difficult, pass. I can understand why John Hawkins, Michelle Malkin, and others are upset. I am a bit, too. I respect John and Michelle immensely, and will not denigrate their positions, but, I do not share them.

I would very much like to get rid of all illegals. But, we all know, ‘taint going to happen. 12-20 estimated million deported? Good luck with that. In reality, we just cannot do it, and Senator McCain understands that and he is standing up for what he thinks is the right thing to do, which is one of the things that changed my mind about him. Personal principle. Plus, face it, he’s a politician. Politicians do this stuff.

Can you imagine what kind of flak Ronald Reagan would have gotten today, when he signed off on true amnesty? BTW, I never agreed at all with his environmental policies. Despised them. But, I still agreed with him on most things.

McCain is, and has been, arguing for securing the borders first. I think there are a few things that he and the others are missing, such as putting huge fines on companies that hire illegals, but, it is a start. If you look at it, Bush is not a conservative, ranking well below McCain, and is very much for comprehensive immigration. Yet, we would, for the most part, all vote for him again, despite him having done about 2 conservative things his whole tenure as President.

I’m not going to delve into the whole issue of what McCain is pushing, what he means, etc and so on, but, as a person who has a main interest in stopping illegal immigration, and reforming legal, yes, McCain ticks me off a bit. However, he stands up for enough of my principles, my thoughts, and my cares, that I am behind him for president. If I wasn’t, I would not be writing here at McCain Blogs. I wouldn’t have stuff on the sidebar at Pirate’s Cove. In politics, we do not always agree. Sometimes we vehemently disagree. But, you have to look at the whole package. And, it is better to have a Republican in the White House, where we can at least try to influence him, then an Obama.

Captain Ed writes

The consequences of an Obama presidency go far beyond immigration. That is what voters need to keep in mind, especially given the likely Democratic victory in both chambers of Congress this fall. Immigration and border security are important issues, but they’re not the only ones, and stark differences exist between Barack Obama and John McCain. That’s what our vote should consider — all of the consequences of the election.

The Strata-Sphere provides interesting food for thought

If I may be so blunt as to remind those on the right that we are at war with religious fanatics who demand purity to their views at gunpoint. I am not equating Islamo Fascism with ‘true’ conservatives. I am only pointing out that a country which is tired of the war on fanatics, but sees no path out except to keep soldiering on, may take its frustrations out on the next best example they can find and impact.

There is too much demand to toe-the-line on ideological grounds for this nation to stomach anymore. By far the most cancerous and destructive variant comes from the Jihadis. But the endless griping between far left and far right is not earning respect or support either. At some point America is saying enough to the purists, we are going back to the respect on peaceful coexistence of diversity and impurity.

Sister Toldjah

I see no need in rehashing them, as I’ve stated before that I am not going to beat my readers over the head on this issue, but would like to emphasize again one point I made previously on the point about “taking a principled stand” one way or another. Probably the one thing I’ve despised the most about the intra-party debate on this issue is one side or the other trying to claim the moral high ground.

Finally, I am not trying to beat up on John, who graciously allows me to blog at Right Wing News on Sunday’s, and sometimes during the week. I am simply stating where I stand on this issue.