THE BOTTOM LINE REGARDING PARTY DIFFERENCES ON IMMIGRATION REFORM

THE NYTIMES HAS JUST DONE A POLL WHICH SHOWS THAT IMMIGRATION REFORM IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN IOWA:

... there are growing signs that it [THE CAUCUS] will be largely fought over illegal immigration, the issue that was named as a top concern by Iowa Republican caucus goers in a New York Times/CBS News poll last week...

• THIS IS NO SURPRISE TO ME OR MY REGULAR READERS: I'VE POSTED A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH ABOUT HOW I FELT IMMIGRATION WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WEDGE ISSUES FOR THE GOP.

• THE BOTTOM-LINE IS SIMPLE: THE PUBLIC OVERWHELMINGLY WANTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION STOPPED, BUT THE DEMOCRAT PARTY LEADERSHIP DOESN'T.

• THEREFORE, IT'S AN ISSUE WHICH THE GOP WINS, HANDS DOWN.

HERE'S A SIMPLE WAY TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE AND JUST HOW FAR APART THE TWO PARTIES ARE - AND HOW FAR APART THE DEMOCRAT PARTY IS FROM THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF AMERICANS:

TO THE GOP, IMMIGRATION REFORM MEANS STOPPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

TO THE DEMS IMMIGRATION REFORM MEANS MAKING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS LEGAL.

• ASIDE: IF I AM RIGHT, THEN IT MEANS THAT MCCAIN CANNOT BE ON THE NATIONAL TICKET.

• WHICH MEANS IT'S GONNA BE SOME COMBINATION OF RUDY, FRED AND MITT. (RIGHT NOW, I'D BET IT'S GONNA BE MITT AND FRED.)