The American Spectator

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p> BORDERS AND BALLOTS br> Re: Philip Klein's The Immigration Trap : /p>

The scenario that Mr. Klein lays out -- i.e., the defection to a third party by a sufficient number of Republicans disgruntled over the lack of a tough immigration stance by the eventual GOP presidential candidate opening the door for a Clinton victory even with substantially less than a majority of votes -- unfortunately seems all too plausible, and would be a textbook case of how those who fail to learn from the mistakes of history (a la Ross Perot in '92) are doomed to repeat them.

But here's what I don't get. One presumes, or at least hopes, that an incoming president starts off with a level of solid support of at least 50 percent, ideally more. Then throw in another 10 percent to 15 percent, or maybe more, of qualified support from those who may not have voted for the new president but who are willing to give him or her a chance. However would that be the case with a President Clinton? Surely the polls don't suggest it. Quite the contrary -- she would start off with roughly 50 percent of the electorate not only opposed to her, but passionately and implacably opposed to her. Hardly the stuff upon which to build a successful administration.

p>Why then would she wish this upon herself and upon us, especially in these oh-so-challenging times? Why would she want to try to lead when it's clear that comparatively few are in the least inclined to follow? I just don't get it. Well, actually I think I do get it, and that is what is so troubling. br> -- C. Vail /p>

In your article you write: "Romney, meanwhile, in one of his last acts as governor, authorized state troopers to detain illegal immigrants -- a move that drew kudos from Pat Buchanan."

FYI... upon taking office, one of the first things Deval Patrick did as governor was to rescind this authorization.

He has also appointed a woman of Arab descent as Homeland Security advisor. Juliette Kayyem is co-author of the book Preserving Liberty in the Age of Terror and has proudly stated that she " ...is interested in striking a balance between protecting citizens' privacy and fighting terrorism." Ms. Kayyem was previously a lecturer in public policy at Harvard's JFK School of Government and had worked as a policy advisor for Janet Reno in the Clinton administration.

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