Conservative Refocus

By Barry Secrest

Everyone has an opinion when it comes to immigration, but as alluded to in a number of our past postings, Romney has flip-flopped yet again, and this time it was so that he could advantage any possible backlash against Newt Gingrich on immigration.

Gingrich, who has had a few notable flip-flops of his own, as outlined by this site, simply put forth the possibility that some long- time illegals need not be uprooted; however, he said nothing about citizenship.

Romney, like a fish on a wicked hook, has taken the bait and run with it only to show how completely flip-floppish he actually is. Romney was recorded several years ago clearly stating his desire for a path to amnesty for illegal aliens, only to change his mind later on, no doubt, to suit a certain mood.

Many Conservatives are trying to like Romney, but unfortunately, when Romney pulls issues like these out of his opportunistic hat,  he comes across looking like a desperate man who simply has no bedrock principles whatsoever.

Romney just doesn't quite get the basic mechanics of Conservatism, it would seem, but he may yet learn how it works; we'll wait.  Below is Romney on Meet The press a scant four years ago:

And below is a report from the NY Daily News which outlines Romney's attack on Gingrich:

Mitt Romney has a message for undocumented immigrants who want U.S. citizenship: Get in line.

The Republican presidential candidate reiterated his hardline stance a day after the GOP debate where immigration reform took center stage.

"My view is that people who come here illegally should not have a special break or a special pathway to become permanent residents or citizens of this country," Romney said Wednesday during a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

"They should be in line or at the back of the line with other people who want to come here illegally," he added, as first reported by ABC News.

The fiery remarks came after Romney's rival, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, broke from his fellow GOPers and spoke out against deporting illegal immigrants during Tuesday's debate on in Washington D.C.

He argued while newly arrived undocumented immigrants with no U.S. connections should be deported, law-abiding immigrants who have been in the country for a long time shouldn't have to be ripped from their families.

"I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter of a century," said Gingrich, who has been surging in recent polls.

"And I'm prepared to take the heat for saying let's be humane in forcing the law without giving them citizenship, but by finding a way to create legality so they are not separated by their families."

Romney, who some conservatives have labeled too moderate, hit back at Gingrich and said it would be a mistake for the government to decide which people who come here illegally are allowed to stay.

"I just think we make a mistake as a Republican Party to try to describe which people who've come here illegally should be given amnesty to be able to jump ahead of the line of the people who have been waiting in line," he said.

Ben LaBolt, Obama's campaign spokesman, jumped on Romney's immigration remarks, declaring Romney has "demagogued the issue of immigration in a politically craven way" and labeled him "the most right-wing presidential